Beinecke MS 155                                          Germany, s. XV^^med
Seneca, etc.

     1. f. 1r    In nomine domini nostri ihesu cristi Amen.
     Sanctus iheronimus de seneca in Cathologo sanctorum [uirorum
     illustrium]. Lucius Annaeus Seneca cordubensis...a nerone
     interfectus est.

          PL 33.629.

     2. ff. 1r-2v    Epistole senece neronis
     imperatoris magistri ad paulum apostolum et pauli apostoli ad
     Senecam. Seneca paulo Salutem. Credo tibi paule nunciatum
     esse...perpetuam animam parit ad dominum istinc properantem.
     Vale Seneca carissime nobis. Expliciunt epistole.

          Fourteen letters between Seneca and St. Paul in the same
     order as F. Haase, ed., Teubner (1872) v. 3, pp. 476-81.

     3. f. 2v Incipiunt [sic] epitaphium Senece. Cura labor
     meritum...reddimus ossa tibi. Explicit epithaphium senece.

          Haase, op. cit., p. 482.

     4. ff. 2v-6r    Incipiunt capittula supra singulas epistolas
     eiusdem ad lucilium prima capitula primi libri. De colligenda
     ut sistenda fuga temporis et non esse...bonum in nullo nisi
     in quo ratio est. Capitula xxij. libri Expliciunt.

     22 numbered chapters, for art. 5.

     5. ff. 6r-167v    Incipiunt epistole mentis Colonus et
     cultorum morum lucius anneus seneca et moralis philosophie
     emulatorum studiosissimus et beatissimo paulo apostolo mira
     familiaritate coniunctus ad amicum suum lucilium has morales
     fecit epistolas per libros distinguens mira exhortacione
     vitam moralem continentes. Incipit liber primus de colligenda
     et sistenda fuga temporis et non esse pauperem cui esse
     modicum sat [sic] est. Seneca lucilio suo salutem. Ita fac mi
     lucilli vendica te tibi...quom intelleges felicissimos [sic]
     esse felices. Vale. Explicit epistularum liber amici lucij
     senece xxij.

          L. D. Reynolds, ed., OCT (1965) 2 v. The letters are
     arranged in the following order (Roman numerals refer to the
     book divisions as they appear in the manuscript and Arabic
     numbers to the letters in Reynolds): I. 1-10; II. 11-19; III.
     20-28; IV-V. 29-44 (portions of letters 33-36 missing along
     with the beginning of Book V); VI. 45-50; VII. 51-57; VIII.
     58-65; IX. 66-69; X. 70-72; XI. 73-76; XII. 77-79; XIII. 80-
     82; XIV. 83-85; XV. 86-87; 88 treated separately, see art. 7;
     XVI. 89 (divided into two letters the second of which begins
     "Haec lucili uirorum optime")-92; XVII. 93-95; XVIII. 96-100;
     XIX. 101-06; XX. 107-19; XXI. 110-17; XXII. 118-24.

     6. ff. 168r-170v    Incipit prologus in librorum senece de
     remedijs fortuitorum. Hunc librum composuit Seneca
     nobilissimus orator...Explicit prologus. Incipit liber
     Senecae de remedijs fortuitorum ad gallionem. Licet cunctorum
     poetarum carmina gremium tuum...Vides autem quam domi sit
     ista felicita [sic] rara. Explicit liber de remedijs
     fortuitorum annei lucij senece.

          Haase, op. cit., v. 3, pp. 446-57.

     7. ff. 170v-174r    Incipit liber eiusdem de vij liberalibus
     artibus ubi docet de eis singulis quod animi...De liberalibus
     studiis quid sentiam scire desideras. Nullum...ne hoc quidem
     nobis reliquerunt nihil scire. Explicit liber annei lucij de
     vij. liberalibus artibus.

          Letter 88 of Seneca's Epistolae; cf. art. 5 (Reynolds,
     op. cit., v. 1, pp. 312-23).

     8. ff. 174r-177r    Incipit tractatus eiusdem de Quatuor
     virtutibus. Quatuor virtutum species multorum sapientium
     studijs diffinite sunt quibus animus humanus
     componi...deuitet insaniam aut deficientem puniat ignauiam.
     Explicit tractatus de iiij^^or virtutibus annei lucij Senece.

     Formula vitae honestae of Martin of Braga, C. W. Barlow, ed.,
     Martini episcopi bracarensis opera omnia (New Haven, 1950)
     pp. 237-50.

     9. ff. 177r-215v    Incipit primus liber eiusdem ad nouatum
     Senecam meli felicis suo declamationum. Seneca nouato senece
     me. fi. salutem. Exigitis rem magis iocundam mihi quam
     facilem...bono exemplo dampnatus est proditor malo inuentus.
     Explicit liber x. annei lucij Senece declamationum ad
     nouatum. Senecam meli filios.

          Seneca the Elder, Controversiae, divided into ten books;
     A. Kiessling, ed., Teubner (1966) pp. 57-525.

     10. ff. 216r-222v    Seneca de verborum Copia. Quisquis
     prudentiam sequi desideras tunc per rationem...Turpissima
     iactura est que pro negligentiam sit. Explicit Seneca de
     uerborum Copia. Incipit ludus Seneca// [the next text is
     wanting]

          For a discussion of this spurious text see Barlow, op.
     cit., pp. 208-09.

          Paper (sturdy; unidentified watermarks, much worn), ff.
     i (paper) + 222 + i (paper), 282 x 210 (210 x 121) mm. Frame-
     ruled in lead, with lines full across; prickings at upper,
     outer and lower edges.
          I-II^^12, III^^12 (-11), IV-XVIII^^12, XIX^^12 (-8 through
     12).
          Written by one scribe in small, even cursive with some
     loops. 
          9- to 2-line initials, in red; the larger ones split.
     1-line capitals stroked with red, rubrics throughout.
          Binding: s. xvii-xviii. Limp vellum case with tan calf,
     gold-tooled label. Ribbon ties, now missing. In ink on upper
     cover: "1442. Epistola Senecae ad paulum et pauli ad
     Senecam". In poor condition; many quires detached.

          Written in Germany in the mid-15th century, possibly in
     1442 as noted on cover; early provenance unknown.
     Unidentified round paper label with "1007", on spine.
     Belonged to the Jesuit College at Agen (note at top of f. 1r:
     "Collegij Agen Societatis Jesu Catal-Ins."). Sold by Thorpe
     (cat. 1836, no. 1156) to Sir Thomas Phillipps (no. 9072; note
     inside front cover); his sale (London, 1897, lot 689) to
     Little. Sale by Anderson (New York, 4 Dec. 1903, no. 399) to
     Caxton. Presumably acquired by Adolph Lewisohn (listed in De
     Ricci) through V. G. Simkhovitch (see the Catalogue of the
     Private Library of Mr. Adolph Lewisohn [New York, privately
     printed, 1923] p. 82). Belonged to David Wagstaff
     (bookplate); gift of Mrs. David Wagstaff in 1944.

     Bibliography: De Ricci, v. 2, p. 1720, no. 5; Faye and Bond,
     p. 36, no. 155.

     Barbara A. Shailor