Beinecke MS 322               Oxford [?], s. XIII^^3/4
Jerome; Rabanus Maurus, etc.

Most of the texts appearing in arts. 1-19, including the short unidentified
works in arts. 6-7 and 14-19, are also found in Alencon, Bibliotheque
Municipale MS 2 (s. XII) and in Madrid, Biblioteca Nacional MS 91 (s. XIII).
Beinecke MS 322 does not, however, have several texts found in these two
manuscripts.
1
I. 1.  ff.  1r-10r [Heading in upper margin:]  De hebraicis
questionibus in Genesi.  [text:]  Incipit prologus beati ieronimi presbiteri
in libro de hebraicis questionibus in genesi.  [Q]ui in principiis librorum
debeam secuturi operis argumenta proponere cogor prius respondere...et spoliorum
diuisionem super sacerdotibus qui seruientes altari uiuant de altari.
Explicit liber beati ieronimi presbiteri de hebraicis questionibus in
genesi.

     Jerome, Liber Hebraicarum questionum in Genesim; P. de Lagarde, ed., CC
ser. lat. 72 (1959) pp. 1-56.

2.  ff. 10r-14v Incipit prologus eiusdem in librum de mansionibus filiorum
israel.  [I]n septuagesimo septimo psalmo quem iuxta ewangelistam matheum ex
persona domini dictum credimus...Quia recte uie domini et iusti ambulabunt in
eis preuaricatores autem corruent in illis.  Explicit liber beati ieronimi
presbiteri De mansionibus filiorum israel.

     Jerome, Epistola LXXVIII; I. Hilberg, ed., CSEL 55 (1912) pp. 49-87.

3.  ff. 14v-23v Incipit prologus eiusdem ieronimi libri de distantiis
locorum.  [E]usebius qui a beato pamphilo martire cognomentum sortitus est
post decem ecclesiastice hystorie libros...zoeleth nomen lapidis vbi adonias
immolauit uictimas iuxta fontem rochel.

     Jerome, Liber de situ et nominibus locorum hebraicorum; PL 23.859-928.


4.  ff. 23v-33r Incipit prologus in librum interpretationum hebraicorum
nominum editum a beato ieronimo presbitero.  [P]hylo uir disertissimus
iudeorum originis quoque testimonio comprobatur...Sathan aduersarius uel
preuaricator.

     Jerome, Liber interpretationis hebraicorum nominum; P. de Lagarde, ed.,
CC ser. lat. 72 (1959) pp. 59-161.

5.  f. 33r Aleph. mille uel doctrina.  Beth. Domus.  Gimel. retributio. uel
plenitudo...Res. capud. Sen. dentes. Tav. signum uel subter.

     Abbreviated version of Jerome, Liber interpretationis hebraicorum
nominum, De psalterio; Lagarde, op. cit., pp. 118-19.  Cf. Lyell Cat.,
p. 6, f. 113v.

6.  f. 33r a) Greek alphabet, from alpha to omega; b) three systems of
numbers: Roman numerals, Greek numbers transliterated into Roman letters
(e.g., mia, dia, tria, tessera), letters of the Greek alphabet.

7.  f. 33r-v Note diuine legi necessarie [list of notae, e.g., ET hoc
in ethimilogiis; SYL hoc in sillogisimis, followed by the text:] Prima nota hoc
loco demonstratur De uultu tuo iudicium...melius est habere Zachei staturum cum
suauitate quam golie cum febre.

8.  ff. 33v-39v Incipit liber beati ieronimi presbiteri De questionibus in
libro regum.  [F]uit uir unus de ramathaim sophim de monte ephraim et nomen
eius helchana...Intelligendum namque est boues argenti siclis quinquaginta aream
uero sescentis aureis emisse.  Explicit liber beati ieronimi presbiteri de
questionibus regum.

     Pseudo-Jerome, Quaestiones hebraicae in libros Regum; PL 23.1329-64.

9.  ff. 39v-45v Incipit liber eiusdem de questionibus in paralippomenon.
[I]n diebus eius diuisa est terra quia in diebus eius facta est turris...cyrus
ut ruinas templi restauraret.  Explicit liber beati ieronimi presbiteri De
questionibus paralippomenon.

     Pseudo-Jerome, Quaestiones hebraicae in libros Paralipomenon;
PL 23.1365-1402.

10.  ff. 45v-46r [Rubric written along side of column:] Incipit de decem
temptationibus.  [H]ec sunt uerba que locutus est moyses ad omnem israel...
quando me misit moyses ad terram considerandam.  Explicit de decem
temptationibus.

     Pseudo-Jerome, Decem tentationes populi Israel in deserto;
PL 23.1319-22.

11.  ff. 46r-47r Incipit canticum debbore.  [C]ecineruntque debbora et
barach filius abinoem.  Barach uir...quia domus rechab uinum non bibat sicut
habes in ieremia propheta.  Finit canticum debbore.

     Pseudo-Jerome, Commentarius in canticum Debborae; PL 23.1321-28.

12.  ff. 47r-48v Incipiunt lamentationes ieremie prophete.  [E]t factum
est postquam in captiuitatem ductus est israel et ierusalem deserta est...
transgrediendi precepta illius et sequendo uoluntatem carnis.  Explicit
expositio super alfabeto hebreo.

     Pseudo-Jerome, In lamentationes Ieremiae; PL 25.787-92.

13.  ff. 48v-49r Ieronimus ad dardanum de musicis instrumentis.  [C]ogor
a te ut tibi dardane de aliis generibus musicorum sicut res docet uel uisione
uel auditu...et est minima sapientia legis ueteris in manu iudeorum.

     Pseudo-Jerome, Epistola XXIII (De diversis generibus musicorum);
PL 30.213-15 (MS 322 missing final lines of printed text).

14.  f. 49r-v De partibus minus notis ueteris testamenti in genesi.
Sintagma doctrina Oeconicon dispensatorem uel secretum Bdellium arbor est
aromatica...Diotropes heresiarcha temporis illius aliquis superbus.

     Unidentified commentary, on Genesis through Sirach.

15.  f. 49v Chart with signs of the zodiac, Gemini through
Capricornus, and the title:  Sic duodena poli chaldeus signa notauit.

16.  ff. 49v-51v De epistolis pauli apostoli.  Paulus apostolus non ab
hominibus...[Gal. 1.1].  Apostolus interpretatur missus propheta aliquando
apostolus...Ille enim suo periurio se perimit sed iste manum interficientis
impressit.

     Unidentified commentary on Paul's Epistle to the Galatians.

17.  f. 51v De spera celi.  Affirmatur celum rotundum esse iuxta
ecclesiasten et in spere modum uolui...scientie caritatem consequamur.

     Unidentified commentary on Paul's epistle to the Ephesians (3.18).

18.  ff. 51v-52r Lapis viridis super quem fuerit nulla phantasmata timet
significat fidem...benignitate suaues regia potestate circa omnes in cursus
constantes.

     Unidentified lapidary.

19.  f. 52r De mensuris.  Mensurarum appellationes quibus utimur sunt.
xii.  Digitus.  uncia...pro mensura illius rei teneto.

     Thorndike and Kibre, 870.

20.  f. 52r [L]itteras uestras de electione eboracensi ecclesie nobis
transmissas debita benignitate suscepimus...nostro uos conspectui presentetis
abiecta canonice probare parati.  f. 52v blank

     Part of a letter of Innocent III (dated 1142) concerning the disputed
election at York of St. William Fitzherbert; printed in C. H. Talbot, "New
Documents in the Case of St. William of York," Cambridge Historical Journal
10 (1950) p. 10.  "Vacat" entered into margin.

II. 21.  ff. 53r-172v Incipit epistola domini Rabani mauri
maguncianensis archiepiscopi in libro de natura rerum ad Lowicum [sic]
imperatorem filium caroli magni.  [D]omino excelentissimo et omni honore
dignissimo ludouico regi rabanus uilissimus seruorum dei seruus eterne
beatitudinis in christo optat salutem.  Audita bona opinione uestra que
predicatur...Qui licet parum sapiant reddunt tamen plerumque labori eorum per
quos sibi consulitur et splendorem laudis et odorem [sic] bone opinionis.
Herbe//  catchwords:  eterna paradisi

     Rabanus Maurus, De universo, ending defectively in Book 19, ch. 8, sect.
B (quire XVI is lacking); PL 111.9-529.

III. 22. ff. 173r-200v [Rubric above col. a in original hand:]
Incipit liber exameron id est sex dierum sancti ambrosii mediolanensis
episcopi.  Incipit dies primus in quo dixit deus fiat lux et facta est lux.
apellauitque lucem diem et tenebras noctem.  Tantumne opinionis assumpsisse
homines presumpserunt ut aliqui eorum tria principia constituerent...ego
dormiui et requieui et resurrexi quoniam dominus suscepit me.  Ipse enim
requieuit qui fecit cui est honor gloria perpetuitas a seculis et nunc et semper
et in omnia secula seculorum.  Amen.  Explicit exameron sancti ambrosii
mediolanensis episcopi.

     Ambrose, Exameron; C. Schenkl, ed., CSEL 32,1 (1897) pp. 3-261.

IV. 23.  ff. 201r-221v Incipit heustachij uiri dilectissimi prologus
in exameron beati basilij cesariensis archiepiscopi.  [prologue:]  Religiosus
simulque studiosus animus tue germanitatis dum plenitudinem celestium nosse
desiderat scripturarum...[text:] In principio fecit deus celum et terram [Gen.
1.1].  Conueniens exordium de mundi compositione narraturus assumpsit...
Confundatur impius erubescat iudeus exultet iustus predicationibus ueritatis
glorificetur deus nunc et semper et in secula seculorum.  Amen.  f. 222r blank;
f. 222v has table of contents and notes added, s. xiv, and extensive
contemporary notes, in lead (see Provenance).

     Eustathius, In Hexaemeron S. Basilii latina translatio; E. Amand de
Mendieta and S. Rudberg, eds. (Berlin, 1958) pp. 3-126 (Beinecke MS 322 not
listed).

The codex is composed of four parts; parchment (well prepared, but with holes
and end pieces), ff. ii (bifolium, i = front pastedown) + 222 + ii (bifolium,
ii = back pastedown), 351 x 226 (230 x 142) mm.

     Part I:  ff. 1-52:  2 columns, 60 lines; ruled in lead.  Single vertical
bounding lines, double horizontal bounding lines at top, center and bottom of
written space, all full length and full across.  Prickings at upper, outer
and lower edges.
I-III^^12, IV-V^^8.  Catchwords, some partially trimmed, below inner column,
verso.  Quire signatures (e.g., primus quaternus, ij, iij, etc.) centered in
lower margin, both recto and verso, within a circle of alternating red and
brown dots and four brown flourishes (see Provenance for origin of signatures).
Written by a single scribe in small gothic textura.  Spaces left for initials
(5- to 1-line).  Rubrics and running titles in red.  Guide-letters and notes to
rubricator, the latter along outer edges of most margins except inner.
     Part II:  ff. 52-172:  2 columns, 60 lines; ruled in lead.  Single vertical
bounding lines full length; double horizontal bounding lines.  Prickings in
upper and lower margins.  I-X^^12, XI (this quire, numbered XVI, is missing,
with loss of text at end of art. 21).  Catchwords along lower edge near gutter,
verso; quire signatures as in Part I (VI-XV).  Written by two scribes in small
gothic textura.  Scribe 1:  ff. 52r-160v; Scribe 2:  ff. 161r-172v.  Spaces for
initials, 6- to 3-line, left blank, with guide-letters in red.  Initials within
text stroked with red.  Headings and some spiral line-fillers in red (lacking in
ff. 161-172, final quire).
     Part III:  ff. 173-200:  2 columns, 59 lines; ruled in lead.  Single vertical
bounding lines between columns and single of double for outer edge of written
space, full length; double horizontal bounding lines that do not extend full
width of page.  Additional pair of rulings in upper, lower, and outer margins.
Prickings in
upper and lower margins.  I^^12, II^^16.  Catchwords along lower edge near
gutter, verso; quire signatures as in Parts I-II (XVII-XVIII).  Leaf signatures
(e.g., a, b, c, etc.) in pencil, lower right corner, recto.  Written by one
scribe in small gothic textura.  Numerous annotations in several contemporary
and later hands.  6-line initial, f. 173r, divided red and blue with penwork
in the same colors; other initials, 3- to 1-line, in blue with red penwork or
vice versa.  Running titles in alternating red and blue versals.  Headings in
red.  Guide-letters and notes to rubricator in most margins.
     Part IV:  ff. 201-222:  2 columns, 52 lines; ruled in lead.  Single vertical
and double horizontal bounding lines, full length and full across.
Prickings (slashes) in
upper margin.  I^^12, II^^12 (-10, 11, probably blank).  Catchwords along lower
edge near gutter, verso; quire signatures as in Parts I-III (XIX-XX).  Written
by a single scribe in bold gothic textura.  3-line initial, f. 201r, red with
blue penwork; 2-line initials red with blue or vice versa.  Guide-letters still
visible.  Running titles in alternating red and blue versals.  Headings in red.
     Binding:  s. xiv.  Apparently bound in England before arriving in
Italy (see Provenance below).  Original sewing, wound and caught up, on five
tawed skin, slit strap supports laced through tunnels in the edge to the outside
of oak boards, laid in channels and pegged with rectangular pegs.  The spine is
square with no trace of adhesive.  Quarter covered with vellum or
tawed skin nailed
along the edge.  The boards are broken, the sewing breaking and most of the
cover wanting; the boards were repaired in the 18th or 19th century when
presumably the front flyleaf and pastedown from a document, in Italian, listing
sale agreements made during 1650-52, were added.

Written in the third quarter of the 13th century, probably in Oxford for Hugh
of Warwick; his contemporary notes in pencil, f. 222v:  "Memorandum quod hec
fuerunt debita mea in recessu Hugh de Warewik de Oxon. videlicet...".  Numerous
contemporary notes and corrections throughout text.  Belonged to the convent of
St. Francis of Assisi by 1381, when it was listed in the catalogue of the
convent library as no. LXVII:  "Quidam libri Ieronimi.  Rabanus de natura rerum.
Exameron ambrosii et basilii.  Cum postibus et cathena.  Cujus principium est.
Qui in principio librorum debeam secuturi operis argumenta proponer.  Finis vero
Glorificetur deus nunc et semper et in secula seculorum. Amen.  In quo libro
omnes quaterni sunt XX. H."  (see L. Alessandri, Inventario dell'antica
biblioteca de S. Convento di S. Francesco in Assisi [Assisi, 1906] p. 16).
The distinctive quire signatures, devised by the convent librarian Giovanni
Ioli, were placed on books at Assisi which entered the library before the
inventory of 1381; see C. Cenci, O. F. M., Bibliotheca Manuscripta ad Sacrum
Conventum Assisiensem (Assisi, 1981) v. 1, p. 32.  Unidentified notation on
final flyleaf:  "Rugieri H. 1."  Belonged to S. Harrison Thomson (MS 10) who
bought it from Hoepli, Milan, in 1932; acquired from Thomson in 1969 as the
gift of Edwin J. Beinecke.

secundo folio:  in hebreo

Barbara A. Shailor