Beinecke MS 691
Italy, s. XIII??
Prudentius, Psychomachia , with glosses

1. pp. 1 (r) - 31 (r)		[in the upper margin, later hand:] Aurelii Prudentii. [text:] Senex 
fidelis prima credendi via est / Abraam beati seminis servus pater ... Ornamenta anime, quibus 
oblectata decoro / Eternum solio dives Sapientia regnat. Explicit liber
Prude[n]tii de sich. Vivat 
in celis Ciutus in nomine felix. [other hand:] Finito libro referimus gratiam Christo.

Prudentius (beginning of the fifth century), Psychomachia, with interlinear and marginal glosses 
by various hands in Latin and Italian, variant readings and corrections. CPL 1441, Schaller-
Koensgen 14889. M.P. Cunningham, ed., CC, v. 126 (1966), pp. 149-181.

2. p. 32 (v)	originally blank, but covered with annotations. Among these are proverbs, 
grammatical notes and pen trials by various hands: 
[partly erased:] Iste liber est Passini (?) *** Georgii morantis in scola (?) magistri Baldachini de 
Cortonio, quem emi decima septima die Februarii mensis pro pretio XX soldorum.
Hoc vaniloquium, -quii, il berlingacciactio [sic]. Hoc preelegium, -gii, il partito.
Nota. Disce pati, quia homo nascitur ad laborem.
E si fraudatur ab omnibus invidiatur.
Debile principium melior fortuna sequatur, etc. [Walther, Sprichwoerter, v. 1, p. 636, no. 5210].
Si quis amat Christum, mundum non diligat istum, / Sed quasi fetorem spernens ipsius amorem 
[Walther, Sprichwoerter, v. 4, p. 950, no. 28959 and p. 112, no. 23662].
Bis duo sunt menti que sunt inimica studenti: / Pastus, dormire, potus nimiumque coire.


Parchment (goatskin), ff. I (paper) + 16 + I (paper). Pagination in ink s. XVII. The parchment is 
mediocre quality, the outer side of the qquires is flesh side.

I12 (pp. 1-24), II4 (pp. 25-32).

Ruled with lead or crayon (often invisible) for one column of 32 lines above top line, 183 x 80 
mm.; the opening letters of all verses are written at left of the left bounding-line. Pricking is 
visible in the top and in the outer margins; the latter pricks are split-shaped.

Copied by one hand writing an uneven Southern Semitextualis Libraria with some two-
compartment a's. The scribe Ciutus is not recorded.

Red stroking of the majuscules. 2-line red plain initials. Larger and more elaborate initial in red 
and black at the opening of the text. Numerous pointing hands.

Binding s. XIX: yellow parchment over pasteboard, both covers framed with a gilt running scroll. 
On the spine gold-tooled inscription "PRUDENTII PSYCHOMACHIA . COD. SEC. XV (?)".

Belonged to Passinus (?) Georgii, student in the school of master Baldachinus of Cortona 
(Tuscany). Collection of Thomas Phillipps (MS 9965).  On f. Ir two cuttings from English sale 
catalogues are pasted with identical short descriptions of this manuscript from the Phillipps 
collection, with the price £ 576. Bookplate of Frederick Haile Stebbins with motto "Inter folia 
fructus". Gift of the estate of Frederick H. Stebbins, 5 Dec. 1988.

Albert Derolez

R 17.02.09