YALE UNIVERSITY
BEINECKE RARE BOOK AND MANUSCRIPT LIBRARY
GENERAL COLLECTION OF RARE BOOKS AND
MANUSCRIPTS
PRE-1600 MANUSCRIPTS
Beinecke MS 519
Italy (Morimondo), s. XIII 2
Biblical commentaries; Sermons
1. ff. 1r-34v Super evangelium sancti Marci. Vidi, et ecce quatuor quadrige egrediebantur de
medio duorum moncium ... nota quod Marcus etc.
Ps.-Petrus Comestor, Commentary on Mark, Stegmueller 6576.
2. ff. 35r-36v //deinde sequitur predicta exhortatio Paulus decit (?) etc. nos quando... Unde et
dominus papa servus servorum se dicit, quem cum amplexus esset cum pondere //
Incomplete and unidentified commentary.
3. ff. 37r-41v [I]n principio creavit Deus celum et terram. Creavit Deus, inquam, celum, id est ad
celestia suspirantes, et terram, id est ad terrena inhiantes ... et quod ?? dextrum sinistrum
iudicaturus et ******** facit dextrum et e*.
Anonymous commentary on Genesis, Stegmueller 10208.
4. ff. 41v-45v Incipit Exodus. Pharao convocat populum et principes ... Pharao id est diabolus
vel sapientia mundana ... et omnes quos extra archam invenit ext**it.
Anonymous commentary on Exodus, Stegmueller 10209.
5. ff. 45v-47r Incipit Leviticus. Sacrificiorum. Alia holocausta, alia sacrificia, etc. In holocaustis
perfectorum vita signatur ... habens secum duos passeres.
Unidentified commentary on Leviticus; ends Lev. 14:4. Continued in art. 7.
6. ff. 47v-49r [C]um inducerent puerum Ihesum parentes eius [Luke 2 :27] ... Hodie sancta
mater ecclesia ... nunciat quod nobis prestare dignetur etc. f. 49rb blank
Stephen Langton (d. 1228), Sermon, Schneyer v. 5, p. 470.
7. ff. 49v-56r //cum ligno cedrino ysopo et vermiculo ... incentiva et occasiones peccati et in
homine mortificentur. f. 56v blank
Continuation of art. 5.
8. ff. 57r-60v Iabin sensus magnus ; Aser plasmatio iracundie et est hic sensus sensus
mundanus magnus ... Amalach, id est diabolus, fuit principium tocius iniquitatis et ipse et omnes
posteri sui perdentur ut eius extrema videlicet inicium et cum sequela in. ff. 60vb and
61r-v blank
Unidentified commentary on Judges.
9. ff. 62r-76v [M]ultiplicabo eos sicut gregem hominum, ut gregem sanctum, ut gregem
Ierusalem. In hac auctoritate notantur tres status hominis: incipiencium, proficiencium,
perfectorum ... Unde Deuteronomio XXXI est canticum istud in testimonium contra te Osee II:
"Iudicate matrem vestram", etc. [Hos. 2:2]
Commentary on Proverbs, Stegmueller 11483 (but this is about Ecclesiasticus!).
10. ff. 76v-77r In principio verbum Deus apud Deum. De sacerdocio Zacharie. Ubi
angelus Gabriel ad Mariam loquitur. De nativitate Iohannis Baptiste ... Ubi Ihesus ter dicit Petro
" Diligis me ? ". Ubi discipuli euntes in Galilea viderunt et adoraverunt Dominum et assumptus
est coram eis in celum.
Survey of the content of the Gospels.
11. f. 77r Hic Matheus agens hominem generaliter implet, / Marcus vero alta fremit vox
per deserta leonis ... Iohannes fremit ore leo similis rugienti, / intonat eterne pandens misteria vite.
Verses about the Evangelists, cf. Stegmueller 570-571 ; Walther, Initia 8036.
12. ff. 77r-v De exelso misit ignem in ossibus meis et erudiit me [Lam. 1 :13]. Yeremias
spiritu prophetie videns quod die Pentecostes facta sit *** memoriam facimus presenti ebdomada
... ; Levate signum, augete custodiam, etc. Dominus revelavit concensa ... ad honorem Dei
et salutem animarum nostrarum. Amen.
Two unidentified sermons.
13. ff. 78r-81r [P]rincipia rerum requirenda sunt primus ut earum noticia plenior possit haberi ...
et sic cum venerit non recedet a nobis ex eius presencia omnis timor pelletur, fugabit enim.
Unidentified commentary on the Epistles of Paul.
14. ff. 81v-104r Quemadmodum. Glosa. Ascendit in Bethel, imo debuit dicere descendit
... [f. 103v] apud inferos quo tu properas. [there follow additions]
Unidentified commentary on Psalms 41-111.
15. ff. 104v-108v Magnificat anima mea Dominum [Luke 1:46]. Istud est canticum
gloriose, quod cantavit habita salutatione ab angelo et benedictione a beata Helysabet ...
supradicta dignetur nobis tribuere precibus et meritis Virginis gloriose. Amen.
Unidentified commentary on the Canticle of the Virgin.
16. ff. 109r-113v [B]eatus vir qui non abiit in consilio impiorum [Ps. 1:1]... Psalmus iste
agens de beato viro cantatur in festo alicuius martyris vel confessoris ; ...[f. 113v:] De sancto
Laurentio. [P]robasti cor meum [Ps. 16:3] . ...Istud cantatur de beato Laurencio ... fideliter
dispensavit terrenas divicias. Unde.
Sermons on Psalms, the first by Iohannes Halgrinus de Abbatisvilla (d.
1239), Stegmueller 4541.
17. ff. 114r-115r Homo quidam fecit cenam magnam etc. [Luke 14:16]. Cum Dominus
dixisset illum fore beatum in resurrectione iustorum ... . [f. 114v :] Erant appropinquantes
puplicani et peccatores ad Dominum Ihesum ut audirent illum [Luc. 15 :1]... Nolite errare, Deus
non irridetur [Gal. 6:7]. Sancta mater ecclesia per verba apostoli ... . [f.
115r :] Factus est
repente de celo sonus, tamquam advenientis spiritus vehementis [Acts 2 :2]. Rogemus ut cito
faciat ... f. 115v blank
Three unidentified sermons.
18. ff. 116r-122r // sanguinem hominis fundetur sanguis eius mente (?). Unde ad *** :
Omnis qui odit fratrem suum homicida est [1 John 3 :15] ... iniquis vero et scientiam iactantibus
nubes que excecat eos.
Iohannes Halgrinus de Abbatisvilla, Commentary on Exodus, Stegmueller 4533, incomplete at the
beginning (starts Exod. 20).
19. ff. 122r-132r Liber iste a superioribus dividitur, cum tamen historia eorum temporum sit
indivisa, ut per divisionem auferatur lectori fastidium ... quicumque per imitationem rubricatus
est sanguine passionis, et talis Domino sanctificatus est.
Iohannes Halgrinus de Abbatisvilla, Commentary on Leviticus, Stegmueller 4534.
20. ff. 132r-141r Liber iste liber Numeri apellatur, quia numerum virorum de populo Israhel
ad bellum ydoneorum ... et progressu virtutum morietur ambulans de virtute ad virtutem.
Iohannes Halgrinus de Abbatisvilla, Commentary on Numbers, Stegmueller 4535.
21. ff. 141r-151r [F]ecerat Moyses mare fusile X cubitorum a labio usque ad labium.... Illud
mare istud Pentateucum ... ex quo orta est consuetudo ut tot diebus fidelibus mortuis solvantur
opera pietatis. Explicit. f. 151rb covered with contemporary text written in lead f .
151v blank
Iohannes Halgrinus de Abbatisvilla, Commentary on Deuteronomy, Stegmueller 4536.
22. ff. 152r-154r Incipit Ruth. [I]n diebus unius iudicis etc. facta est fames in terra illa
videlicet fames de qua Hamos VIII : Ecce dies venient ... ut qui nollent impregnare ecclesiam
nollent etiam percipere prebendam. Explicit Ruth.
Iohannes Halgrinus de Abbatisvilla, Commentary on Ruth, Stegmueller 4539.
23. ff. 154r-163v Incipit liber Regum. Fuit vir unus de Ramathaim Sophim de monte
Effraim, et nomen eius Helcana. Convenienter librum Iudicum sequitur liber Regum ... milites
Ihesu Christi, per David designati et vincentes leti ad ipsum redeunt.
Iohannes Halgrinus de Abbatisvilla, Commentary on Samuel, Stegmueller 4540.
24. ff. 164r-171v [V]inee florentes odorem suum dederunt [Cant. 2:13], id est fideles anime
per inicia bonorum operum odorem operationis bone emiserunt; per flores ... [Schneyer v. 4, p.
874]; [f. 164v :] [E]cce ignis et ligna, ubi est victima holocausti? [Gen. 22 :7] In historia Geneseos
de imolatione Ysa prosequere verba ista ... . [f. 165r :] [N]on sit vobis vanum surgere ante lucem
quia promisit Deus coronam vigilantibus. Super illum locum Iob etiamsi simplex ... . [f. 165v :]
III. [D]ue gentes de **** tuo dividentur propter populum sr*bit et maior serviet minori. Lavabo
inter innocentes manus meas etc.... Qualis debeat esse qui predicat innuitur in his verbis ... . [f.
166v :] IV. [P]ost dies VI assumsit Ihesus Petrum et Iacobum [Matt. 17:1] ... Tempus est ut
iudicium incipiat a domo Domini ... . [f. 167r :] V. [C]oncidit in me vulnere super vulnus ... . [f.
167v :] VI. [G]loria magna est sequi Deum: longitudo enim dierum assumetur ab eo, dicit
Ieremias [Sir. 23 :38] ... . [f. 168r :] VII. [A]scendam in palmam et apprehendam fructus eius
[Cant. 7:8]. Permanente materia manet ignis quousque extinguatur. Sic in nobis quasi ignis
permanet ... . [f. 169r :] VIII. [I]hesus abscondit se et exivit de templo [John 8 :59]. Ancilla que
dominam suam timet et amat sollicita est ... [Schneyer v. 8, p. 3] . IX. [E]xulta filia Syon, iubila
filia Ierusalem ... Tempus flendi et tempus gaudendi ... [f. 169v :] [L]avamini, mundi estote,
auferte malum [Isa. 1:16] ... verbum Dei audire et custodire , quod facit nos habere VII in
memoria ... . [f. 170r :] [S]i vis perfectus esse, vade et vende [Matt. 19:21]... Si vis voluntate
efficaci est tibi quedam voluntas inefficax ... . [f. 170v :] [I]bi Beniamin adolescentulus in mentis
excessu [Ps. 67:28]. In libro Iob verba Elipha sunt hec ... . [f. 171r :] Quod autem cecidit in
terram bonam, hii sunt qui corde bono et optimo fructum auferunt in pacientia, etc. [Luke 8 :15].
David ostendit quod audiendum est verbum Domini
Mostly unidentified sermons ; some are numbered.
The manuscript consists of distinct parts of varied extent and various sizes, united at an early
date as appears from the quire signatures.
Parchment, ff. I (paper) + 171 + I (paper), maximum 270 x 190 mm. The parchment is of uneven
and often low quality; the first folios are stained.
I-IV 8 (ff. 1-32), V 2 (ff. 33-34), VI 2 (ff. 35-36), VII 8 (ff. 37-44), VIII-IX 6 (ff. 45-56), X 6 (-2,
ff. 57-61, no loss of text), XI-XV 8 (ff. 62-101), XVI 8 (- 8, ff. 102-108), XVII 8 (- 8, ff. 109-
115), XVIII-XX 8 (ff. 116-139), XXI 10 (- 7, ff. 140-148, no loss of text), XXII 4 (- 5, ff. 149-
151), XXIII 8 (ff. 152-159), XXIV 4 (ff. 160-163), XXV 8 (ff. 164-171). There is an original
quire signature ("IIus") on f. 16v; horizontal catchwords under the right-hand column on the
same page and on ff. 101v, 123v, 131v, 139v, 148v and 159v. In the early fourteenth century
quire signatures in the form of minuscule letters were added to all quires in the lower margin
below the inner column, either on the first or on the last page of the quire: "a" to "z", followed by
"c" and another form of "z".
Most pages are pricked and ruled with lead for two columns of 50-66 lines, either above or below
top line; some sections are written on one column, especially art. 24. Additional texts are written
on blank unruled pages, such as articles 10 and 11.
Small early Gothica Textualis or Semitextualis Libraria or Currens script by various hands, some
very informal and difficult to decipher, often highly abbreviated. At the beginning of several of
the more carefully written quires we see the scribal imprecation "Sancti Spiritus adsit nobis
gratia" (cf. MS 517). Short running titles are written above the right-hand columns of the recto
pages in the following articles: 1, 3, 4, 9, 16, 18-23, which seem to be the original part of the
codex; article 14 has running titles of a different type.
Binding s. XV: brown sheepskin over cardboard, blind-tooled with triple fillets as in MS 517;
spine with five raised bands.
The provenance of this complicated manuscript is the Cistercian abbey of Morimondo, to judge
from the typical binding. In the lower margin of f. 1r a contemporary note on the original content
mentions artt. 1, 3-5, 7, 9: "in hoc libro sunt postille super Marcho, sunt postille super
Pentateucum (correction above the line for "Genesim") et super Proverbia et super p****". In the
seventeenth century a Latin note on the contents was written on the front fly-leaf recto in
Humanistic script. MS 11 in the collection of Harrison S. Thomson; notes in his hand on front
and rear flyleaves. Purchased from Thomson in 1972 on the Edwin J. Beinecke Fund.
Quires Folios Signatures Content
_____________________________________________
I 1-8 a 1
II 9-16 b 1
III 17-24 c 1
IV 25-32 d 1
V 33-34 e 1
VI 35-36 f 2
VII 37-44 g 3-4
VIII 45-50 h 4-7
IX 51-56 i 7
X 57-61 k 8
XI 62-69 l 9
XII 70-77 m 9-12
XIII 78-85 n 13-14
XIV 86-93 o 14
XV 94-101 p 14
XVI 102-108 q 14-15
XVII 109-115 r 16-17
XVIII 116-123 s 18-19
XIX 124-131 t 19
XX 132-139 u 19-20
XXI 140-148 x 20-21
XXII 149-151 y 21
XXIII 152-159 z 22-23
XXIV 160-163 c 23
XXV 164-171 z 24
Albert Derolez
Updated 29.11.07