Beinecke MS 354               Flanders [?], s. XVI^^1
William St. Thierry, Vita S. Bernardi, etc.

Beinecke MS 354 is a copy of Vita I, recensio A; see A. H. Bredero, "Etudes
sur la 'Vita prima' de Saint Bernard," Analecta Sacri Ordinis Cisterciensis
17 (1961) pp. 3-72 (MS 354 listed on p. 22 as Gethsemany [sic] Abbey
16) and pp.
215-60; 18 (1962) pp. 3-59; J. Morson, The Life of St. Bernard:  Manuscripts
and Recensions in Collectanea Ordinis Cisterciensium Reformatorum 19 (1957)
pp. 54-55 (listed as Gethsemani Abbey MS. 16).

1.  ff. 1r-25r Incipit prologus domini Wilhelmi abbatis sancti Theoderici
in vita sancti ac melliflui doctoris Bernardi clarevallis abbatis.
Scripturus vitam serui tui ad honorem nominis tui prout...Sapiencia vincens
maliciam. paciencia impacienciam. superbiam humilitate.

     William of St. Thierry, Book I; BHL 1211.

2.  f. 25r-v Subscripcio operis precedentis quam Burcardus abbas
balernensis apposuit.  Prescriptum opus voluminis huius quod de vita
sanctissimi viri Bernardi clarauallis abbatis a venerabili Wylhelmo sancti
Theoderici...licuit optimo pictori sed preocupato [sic].  Explicit liber
primus.

     Burchard of Balerna, epilogue to Book I; BHL 1211.

3.  f. 26r-v Incipit prefacio Herualdi [sic] bone vallis abbatis in
secundo libro vite eiusdem.  Virorum illustrium gesta nonnulli scriptorum laudibus
attollentes.  verbis ea solemnibus celebrarunt quantum excellentis ingenij...
bonitas condonabit.  Explicit prefacio.

     Arnold, abbot of Bonneval, prologue to Book II; BHL 1212.

4.  ff. 26v-54r Incipit liber secundus in vita sancti Bernardi abbatis.
Ea tempestate honorius papa cuius ad huc instituta nitent et redolent...et reuersa est
inter regem et principem tranquillitas et pacis desiderata serenitas.
Explicit liber Secundus.

     Arnold, abbot of Bonneval; Book II; BHL 1212.

5.  ff. 54r-69v Incipit tercius liber in vitam sancti Bernardi clareuallensis
abbatis.  Innumeris quidem signis atque miraculis vt orbis comperit vniuersus
fidelem famulum deus Bernardum clareuallensem glorificauit...sub alio quidem
principio curabimus annotare perpauca de multis.  Explicit liber tertius.

     Arts. 5-7 (Books III-V) are by Geoffrey of Clairvaux; BHL 1214-16.

6.  ff. 69v-93r Incipit liber quartus in vitam sancti Bernardi abbatis.
Sicut sermone super cantica canticorum vicesimo quarto seruus domini Bernardus
clareuallensis gratulatur...impossibile omnia comprehendi.

7.  ff. 93r-104v Cum post tantos labores dominus ac sudores dilecto suo
Bernardo clareuallensi abbati diu desideratum preciose mortis sompnum dare...
quod est super nomen sicut et tu super omnia deus benedictus in secula amen.
[added to conclusion of this manuscript and to Bonn, Universitaetsbibliothek,
s. 366 (s. XVI):] Transeunte domno clareuallensi abbate ipsa hora transitus
eius Joannes clareuallensis monachus equitans cum rege francorum equo descendit
dominicam oracionem flexis genibus dixit.  Et interrogatus a rege cur hoc
fecisset.  respondit abbatis mei animam ab angelis in celum modo deferri vidi.
et pro eo dominicam oracionem dixi.  Rex statim in claramuallem [sic] misit.
et nuncio reuerso ipsam horam obitus eius fuisse qua ille orauerat inuenit.
Explicit liber quintus de vita et obitu beati Bernardi abbatis clareuallensis
Benedicatur deus.  [at bottom of second column:] Per fratrem ualerium de
meyen.

     Paper (watermarks:  similar in design to Briquet Main 11423-29), ff. ii
(paper) + 104 + i (paper), 273 x 197 (201 x 140) mm.  2 columns, 28 lines.
Ruled in lead or ink; double horizontal and single vertical bounding lines,
mostly full length and full across; remains of prickings in upper, lower,
and outer margins.
     Collation impossible due to rebinding and repairs.
     Written by a single scribe (see Provenance) in neat gothic bookhand
exhibiting batarde influence.
     Decorative initials, divided red and blue, 5- to 4-line, at the beginning of
each book.  Plain German initials in red throughout.  Initial strokes, headings,
corrections, in red.  At least two hands responsible for rubrications; portions
of red initials are oxidizing.
     Binding:  s. xix.  Black, hard-grained goatskin, blind-tooled.

Written in Flanders in the first half of the sixteenth century by the scribe
Valerius de Meyen (d. 1556; see Colophons, v. 5, no. 18363); early modern
provenance unknown.  Erased inscription, mostly illegible, below colophon:
"[Hic liber e]st S. R[ober]ti."  Modern note, in pencil, on f. 104v:
"Manuscript. Knights of the Round Table, Date 902."  Bookplate of V. Raimond
van Marle (1887-1936).  Belonged to the library of the Abbey of Gethsemani in
Kentucky (MS 16) which bought it in 1921 from Wilfrid M. Voynich.  Acquired
in April 1964 from the private collector Laurence Taylor Greer by H. P. Kraus.
Presented in 1968 by Kraus to the Beinecke Library.

secundo folio:  Guidonis

Bibliography:  De Ricci, v. 1, p. 739, no. 26 (while at the Abbey of
Gethsemani).

Barbara A. Shailor