Beinecke MS 156                                            Italy, s. XV^^med
Lactantius, Divinae institutiones

          ff. 1r-130v    Firmiani lactantil. [sic] Aduersus gentiles
     Institutionum liber primus incipit feliciter. Magno et
     excellenti ingenio uiri cum se doctrine penitus dedissent
     quicquid laboris poterat impendi...iustos se esse tamen ac
     prudentes uideri uolent ceci et hebetes et rerum et ueritatis
     ignari// [ends abruptly in Book 5]

          S. Brandt and G. Laubmann, eds., CSEL v. 19 (1890).

          Parchment, ff. ii (contemporary parchment) + 130 + ii
     (contemporary parchment), 276 x 192 (178 x 116) mm. Written
     in 30 long lines; single vertical bounding lines; ruled in
     ink.
          I-XIII^^10. Remains of catchwords along lower edge, on
     verso; signatures for first half of quire (A.1, A.2, etc.),
     on recto.
          Written in a well formed humanistic bookhand by a single
     scribe who omitted Greek quotations, but did add Latin
     glosses in each space.
          One modest and rubbed gold initial (f. 1r), 9-line,
     filled and surrounded by white vine ornament on blue, green,
     and pink ground; gold-colored highlights added to vinework.
     Smaller gold initials, 6-line (ff. 34v, 62r, 120r; space left
     for one, f. 91v) on green, dark pink, and/or blue grounds
     with yellow and/or white highlights. Headings in red.
          Binding: s. xviii/xix. Edges gilt, green calf, gold-
     tooled, with lion rampant on each cover. Rebacked.

          Written probably in Florence in the mid-15th century (we
     thank A. C. de la Mare for the attribution). Unidentified
     shelf-mark on f. i recto: ΔΔΔ/III/37;" note on back
     cover: "(6720)/Codice del sec. XV di carte 130". (Unverified
     references: Leighton cat., 1912, no. 196; W. J. Leighton sale
     [London, 27 Oct. 1919, III, no. 2422]). Sold at Maggs (Cat.
     395, 1920, no. 57 and Cat. 404, 1921, no. 64; pl. xxxix
     reproduces a portion of f. 1r). Purchased by David Wagstaff
     (bookplate); gift of Mrs. David Wagstaff in 1943.

     secundo folio: disputatio. Nam

     Bibliography: De Ricci, v. 2, p. 1901, no. 1; Faye and Bond,
     p. 36, no. 156.
          E. T. Silk, "The Wagstaff Collection of Classical and
     Mediaeval Manuscripts," Gazette 19 (1944) p. 1.

     Barbara A. Shailor