LEAF FROM LOMBARD'S SENTENCES Ref 127 recto

This is an important leaf from of Peter Lombard's Sentences produced in England c.1280. (See also Ref 73).

 

The text is perhaps from Distinction XIV of the book, as the second rubric on the verso seems to refer to Chapter 77 of the book (Chapter 4 of that Distinction). Having said this, the other two rubrics are not easily recognisable as referring to Chapters 76 and 78 and it is not known what the long text on the recto is.

 

The size of the leaf, including repair, is 326mm x 219mm (12 8/10ins. x 8 6/10ins.).

 

Many letters in the top and bottom lines with calligraphic extensions, most highlighted in red and five of which include dragon's heads.

The text seems to have been proof read, as there are instances where omissions have been identified and noted in the margin (example - line 15, right column, recto). There are also instances where the original text has been removed and replaced (example - line 52, left column, recto).

This leaf is quite well glossed. There are two glosses in bright red, the longer of which translates as "Here begins the permitted authorities that are explained". Other glosses in at least four different hands can be identified.

 

CONDITION OF LEAF: -

The leaf must have fallen away from the book at some time and then repaired so that it could be re-attached. Otherwise it is in very good condition for its age.

 

PROVENANCE: -

 

This information has been provided by Dr. Christopher de Hamel, Librarian, Corpus Christi College, Cambridge.

1.From a volume consisting of Books III-IV only of which this is the last leaf written in England about 1280;

2.Edward Walmsley, whose library was sold in London in 1795 (his signature in the bottom line of the outside column of text [mentioned in the 1980 catalogue description];

3.The manuscript was already imperfect by 1910 when a leaf was given by J.F.Lewis to the Free Library in Philadelphia (now Lewis fragment XIII:373);

4.Another leaf was owned in the late 1950's by the late Marquess of Cholomondley, who bequeathed it to the Society for Italic Handwriting, which still owns it;

5.Most of the volume, including the present leaf, was owned by Nell and Charles Wheeler (their sale, New York, 29th. July 1919, lot 593);

6.Purchased by the calligrapher C.L. Ricketts (and described in his possession by S. de Ricci, Census of Medieval and Renaissance MSS in the United States and Canada, I, 1935, p.646, No. 185, mentioning Ed. Walmsley [copy of entry attached to Ins. No. 73];

7.Sold at Parke Bennett in New York, 24th. February 1939, lot 280, for $100;

8.Re-appeared, still bound, at Sotheby's, London, 24th. June 1980, lot 59 (cat. description attached to Ins. No. 73);

9.Already broken up by late 1980 (see Sotheby's 14th. July 1981, lot 17 [cat. description attached to Ins. No. 73] ).

 

There is a leaf in Keio University Library, Tokyo, MS. 177, and the historiated initial for the opening of Book III, showing the Annunciation, was illustrated in A.M.W. As-Vijvers, Miniaturen en Monnikenwerk, 1999, p.57, no. 27, with colour plate.

 

GENERAL COMMENTS: -

Whilst not in perfect condition, this is a leaf of the greatest interest being from a book that was "the fundamental book of all medieval theology" (Bernard Quaritch). The book was written in the 12th. Century by Peter Lombard whilst he was professor at the cathedral school in Notre Dame in Paris.

It is a good example of the way that university textbooks were laid out - wide margins - as evidenced here by the wideness of the outside and bottom margins. They were made so to enable the student to write his notes about the text, the "Gloss".

 

 

 

Done