DCL MS. B.III.19Pseudo Robert Grosseteste, Works
Held by: Durham Cathedral Library: Durham Cathedral Manuscripts

Works mainly attributed to Robert Grosseteste: a later similar group of texts is in DCL MS B.III.18 (part B) although differences in the text make it unlikely that B.III.19 was the source for B.III.18.

Digitised: https://n2t.durham.ac.uk/ark:/32150/t2m2r36tx58q.html

Physical description of manuscript
Support

Parchment

Extent: ii+258+i f
Size: 315 mm x 215 mm

Foliation

Modern, correcting medieval foliation


Secundo folio: serviret tale sit corpus adiunctum
Collation

I-XII12, XIII3 (=4 with leaf 4 cancelled), XIV-XX12, XXI11 (12 with leaf 12 cancelled or lost), XXII12, XXIII4 (=6 with leaves 5-6, blank, cancelled)

Catchwords: Contemporary catchwords on all quires except XII, XIII, XX, XXII, and XXIII.
Signatures: Leaf lettering-numbering in the first half of quires I-XII and XIV-XXI.
Layout

43-44 lines in 2 columns.

Script

Written in secretary by probably 3 hands, one naming himself as John Lytham. The final tabula is in Textualis semi-quadrata.

Decoration

Initials in gold leaf and red and blue mark incipits.

Binding

Standard Tuckett binding, mid 19th century full brown calf over thick wooden boards (Charles Tuckett, binder to the British Museum, rebound many Durham manuscripts in the 19th century)

Manuscript history
Creation

Written in Durham, early 15th century.

Provenance

Colophon to De doctrina cordis: Nomen scriptoris Iohannes plenus Amoris Muhtel (John Lytham, Durham monk about 1390-1431)
Inscription Iste liber assignatur librarie monachorum Dunelm’ per Venerabilem patrem Magistrum Willelmum Ebchestre Priorem Dunelm and list of contents in same hand, written between 1446 and 1456, f.iiv
Pressmark: 2a 5ti C, 15th century, f.1r

Manuscript contents
(a)     f.1r-141v
Original title: De lingua
Author: Pseudo Robert Grosseteste
Incipit: Lingua congruit in duo opera nature in gustum scilicet et locucionem
Explicit: regina celorum est, misericors est et mater misericordie. Amen
Rubric: Prologus tractatus lincol’ de lingua
Language: Latin

Cited: Thomson, spuria, no. 28.
(b)     f.142r-146r
Modern title: Tabula to De lingua
Language: Latin
(c)     f.146v-147r
Modern title: Chapter list to De lingua
Language: Latin

f.147v blank

(d)     f.148r-203r
Original title: De doctrina cordis
Incipit: Preparate corda vestra deo
Explicit: Et haec dicta de ornamentis anime sufficiant
Rubric: Incipit tractatus R.G. lincolniensis episcopi
Language: Latin

Attributed to Robert Grosseteste, Hugh of Saint-Cher, Gérard de Liège or Guy of Rome.

Cited: Thomson, spuria, no. 18.
(e)     f.203v-239v
Original title: De oculi morali
Author: Peter, of Limoges, -1306
Incipit: Si diligenter volumus in lege domini meditari facillime perpendimus ea que pertinent ad visionem et oculum
Explicit: Ad illud regnum nos perducat qui sine fine vivit et regnat
Language: Latin
Cited: Thomson, spuria, no. 37.
Bloomfield, 5532
(f)     f.240r-253r
Original title: De septem venenis
Author: Malachias Hibernicus
Incipit: Racio potissima ueneni conuenit peccato cum prioritate originis
Explicit: omnibus aliis pretermissis, et derelictis
Language: Latin

Attributed to Robert Grosseteste

Cited: Thomson, Spuria no. 64
Cited: Bloomfield, 5102
(g)     f.253v-258r
Modern title: Tabula for (a), (d), (e) and (f)
Language: Latin

f.258v blank


Microfilm
Microfilmed in 1985/86 by the Hill Monastic Manuscript Library, St John's Abbey and University, Collegeville, Minnesota. Copies held by them and Durham Cathedral Library.

Digitised material for Durham Cathedral Library MS. B.III.19 - Pseudo Robert Grosseteste
Digitised March 2017 as part of the Durham Priory Library Recreated project
https://n2t.durham.ac.uk/ark:/32150/t2m2r36tx58q.html
Bibliography

Bloomfield, M.W., ed., Incipits of Latin works on the virtues and vices 1100-1500 AD including a section of incipits of works on the Pater Noster   OCLC citation (Cambridge, MA: Mediaeval Academy of America, 1979)

Thomson, S.H., The writings of Robert Grosseteste, bishop of Lincoln 1235-1253   OCLC citation, (Cambridge: CUP, 1940)

Index terms