Saint Augustine, Opera

Manuscript location  
Place  
RepositoryState Library of Victoria 
Collection  
Shelf markRARES 091 AU45 
Former shelf mark  
Manuscript name  
Name

Saint Augustine, Opera

 
Contents  
Summary

Fols 1ra -18va. Soliloquiorum [anime ad deum]. Cognoscam te domine co<n>gnitor meus cognoscam te uirtus anime mee ostende…(18va)... patri et filio et spiritu sancto. Amen.

Printed in Migne PL, XL.863–91.

 

Fols 18va-20va Incipit augustinus de contempu mundi ad clericos etc. Audite fratres karissimi salutiferam nostri patris…(20va) …domino nostro in secula seculorum. Amen.

Cf. Migne PL, XL.1216–18.

 

Fols 20vb- 44rb. Incipit liber enchiridion dictus quem composuit beatus Augustinus ypponensis episcopus scribens cuidam nobilissimo uiro laurentio cuius eruditionem dilectantur cupiens illum esse sapientem secundum scripturas sacras. Dici non potest dilectissime fili laurenti quantum… (44rb) …de fide spe et caritate conscripsi.

Cf. Migne PL, XL.231–90.

 

Fols 44va-58ra. Incipit liber beati augustini episcopi de fide ad petrum. Epistolam fili petre tue caritatis accipi…(58ra)…illi quoque deus reuelabit.

Cf. Migne PL, XL.753–80.

 

Fols 58rb-66ra. Incipit liber beati augustini episcopi de uita christiana. Ego augustinus primus peccator et ultimus insipientior…(66ra)…non possumus conferamus absentes.

Cf. Migne PL, XL.1031–46.

 

Fols 66rb. Incipit liber beati augustini ypponensis episcopi de meditationibus. Vigili cura mente sollicita summo conatu…(75ra)…ab inuicem discabunt.

Cf. Migne PL, XL.847–64.

 

Fols 75rb. Incipit liber beati augustini episcopi de contemplatione christi. Quoniam in medio laqueorum positi sumus…(80rb)…dicere ut amem deum meum.

Cf. Migne PL, XL.951–68.

 

Fols 80va. Incipit liber beati augustini episcopi de natura et gratia. Librum quem misistis carissimi fili…(99ra)…eterna trinitas in secula seculorum. Amen.

Cf. Migne PL, XLIV.247–90.

 

Fols 99rb. Incipit liber beati augustini episcopi de latrone. Deus erat in christo mundum reconcilians sibi id est diuinitas…(101rb)…cum latrone iugiter proclamemus ad dominum: memento mei domine dum ueneris in regnum tuum. Amen.

This copy omits the first eight words, Frequenter audiumus fratres dilectissimi beatum paulum apostolum dicentem… of the edition in Migne PL, XXXIX.2043–47.

 

Fols 101rb. Incipit liber beati augustini de uisitatione infirmorum. Visitationis gratia nepoti meo karissimo morienti… (107va) …et rcgnat per omnia secula seculorum. Amen.

Cf. Migne PL, XL.1147–58.

 

Fols 107va. [Sententia de libro retractationum beati augustini.] Cum imperfectos [com]perissem perficere malui quam eis sic relictis ad alia retractanda transire…(this extract is Bk II, iv and is here placed between the rubric and preface of the next text; it ends 107vb) …de hac re episcopus dixerit in libro eius legitur quod de sacramentis scripsit.

Cf. Migne PL, XXXII.631–2.

 

Fols 107va-109rb. Incipit primus liber beati augustini episcopi de doctrina christiana. (Here follows the preceding extract, then 107vb the preface to this text.) Nunc precepta quedam tractandarum scripturarum que studiosis uideo non incommode posse tradi … (ends 109rb) …in hoc libro ingredi uolumus tale nobis occurrit exordium.

 

Fols 109rb-150ra. (Bk I) Due res sunt quibus nititur omnis retractatio (sic) scripturarum modus inueniendi…(in four Books ending 150ra) …studet quantolacumque potui facultate disserui. S. Aurelii Augustini De Doctrine Christiana, De Vera Religione, J. Martin (ed), Turnhout 1962, pp. 1–167, where the preface begins, Sunt precepta quedam tractandarum scripturarum…

 

Fols 150r-153va. Incipit liber augustini episcopi de decem cordis. Dominus deus noster miserator et misericors…(153va) …quod hic desideraueris ibi perfruaris.

Cf. Migne PL, XXXVIII.75–91.

 

Fols 153vb-155va. Incipit sermo beati augustini episcopi de castitate coniugali dominica uicesima secunda post penthecosten. Quandocumque fratres carissimi secundum quod decet…(155va) …premium feliciter peruenire.

Cf. Migne PL, XXXIX.2291–4.

 

Fols 155va-157ra. Dominica uicesima quarta post penthecosten. Magnum michi gaudium facitis fratres karissimi…(157ra)…duplicata a deo premio repensentur.

Printed in Migne PL, XXXIX.2297–301.

 

Fols 157ra-158b. [Sermo de familiaritate.] Nemo dicat fratres karissimi quod in temporibus nostris…(158rb) …de laqueo pedes meos.

Cf. Migne PL, XXXIX.2301–3.

 

Fols 158rb-158va [Sermo de penitentia.] Sepe aduertimus dilectissimi fratres nonnullos…(158va) …ut sanus esse ualeat in futuro.

Cf. Migne PL, XXXIX, 2216–17.

 

Fols 158va-159vb. Rogo uos fratres karissimi ut si forte…(159vb) …euge serue bone et fidelis intra in gaudium domini tui. Amen.

Cf. Migne PL, XXXIX.2221–3.

 

Fols 159vb-161va. [Sermo de igne purgatorio.] In lectione apostoli fratres karissimi…(161va) …et regnat deus in secula seculorum. Amen.

Printed in Migne PL, XXXIX.1946–9.

 

Fols 162ra-163vb. [Sermo de uita et moribus clericorum.] Propter quod uolui et rogaui…(163vb) …in uerbo dei seruiam uobis.

Cf. Migne PL, XXXIX.1568–74.

 

Fols 163vb-167ra. Incipit item secundus sermo sancti augustini episcopi de moribus clericorum secum habitantium. Caritati uestre de nobis ipsis sermo…(167ra) uobiscum ibi regnemus. Amen.

Cf. Migne PL, XXXIX.1574–81.

 

Fols 167ra-173ra. [Sermo de temptatione Abrahe a deo.] Notissima patris nostri abrahe…(173ra) ibi in illa inueniamus etc.

The text is much longer than that printed by Migne PL, XXXVIII.28–32.

 

Fols 173rb-174ra. [Sermo de oratione dominica.] Quoniam domino gubernante jam estis…(174ra) …ipsi gloria in secula seculorum. Amen.

Cf. Migne PL, XXXIX.1870-1.

 

Fols 174rb-174vb. [Sermo de eisdem uerbis Euangelii Iohannis.] Apostolum petrum primum omnium apostolorum…(174vb) …trinitas confessionis testimonium dilectionis.

Cf. Migne PL, XXXVIII.797–9.

 

Fols 174vb-176ra. [Sermo de uerbis Euangelii Matthei.] Euuangelica lectio que modo…(176rb) …caueamus oremus perueniamus.

Printed in Migne PL, XXXVIII.520–3.

 

Fols 176rb-182va. Incipit liber beati augustini episcopi de conflictu uitiorum et uirtutum. Apostolica uox clamat per orbem…(182va) …stupenda narrantem fidem prebeto. The copy omits chapters xxvii–xxviii of the edition printed by Migne PL, XL.1091–106.

 

Fols 182vb-187va. Incipit liber augustini de duodecim, abusiuis gradibus. Primo si sine operibus bonis sapiens…(187va) …esse incipiat in futuro.

Printed in Migne PL, XL.1079–88.

 

Fols 187vb-191rb. Incipit liber beati augustini de disciplina christiana. Locutus est ad nos sermo dei…(191rb) …sumus conuersi ad deum. Amen.

Cf. Migne PL, X.667–78.

 

Fols 191rb-194vb. Incipit liber beati augustini de cura mortuis agenda. Diu sanctitati tue coepiscope uenerande pauline…(194vb) …pro illo supplicationis augeatur.

Cf. Migne PL, XL.591–610.

 

Fols 194vb-203ra. Incipit augustini ad matrem. Tue non immemor pie petitionis…(203ra) …igitur gloriabor in infirmitatibus meis ut inhabitet in me uirtus cristi etc.

Printed in Migne PL, CXXXIV.915–33. This copy ends half way through the penultimate chapter.

According to the list of contents pasted to the cover, the next item was the Liber albertini de modo dicendi et tacendi,[i] but this is now lacking.



[i] Albertanus Causidicus Brixiensis dedicated the De Arte Loquendi et Tacendi to his son Stephanus in 1245.

 
Physical description  
SupportPaper. Water-marks are a crown with latin cross (cf. Briquet, Vol. II, no. 4645; Lyons 1459–69), ox-head with eyes, nostril and cross (cf. ibid., Vol. IV, no. 15064; Eberbach 1454–65), another type of ox-head (cf. ibid., Vol. IV, no. 15096; Lyons 1455), a bunch of grapes (cf. ibid., vol. IV, no.13012; Dusseldorf 1445–56, with variants in many places to 1484), a helmet (cf. ibid., Vol. I, no.2901; Lorris 1450). 
Dimensions288 x 210mm 
ExtentFolios i –v (contemporary paper) + 204 fols + vi (modern paper); three paper leaves have been excised after fol. ii, and another after fol. iii. Folios ir–ivv, 203rb, 203v, 204r, vir are blank. 
Collation1-1712 
CatchwordsCatchwords generally agree, but the words in line 1 of fol. 25ra have been corrected, and sixtum r(ati)one on fol. 96v is followed by sixtu(m) Romane at the top of fol. 97r.  
SignaturesQuire signatures 
FoliationModern pencil foliation by arabic numerals, no pagination. 
ConditionThe binding is now badly split so that the boards are coming away from the spine; the back board is, in fact detached and is only attached to the codex by green fabric beneath the pastedown. Pieces of the leather covering on the spine have broken away and been lost. 
LayoutText space: 187-96 x 126-39 mm.; ruled in dry-point and light brown ink, two columns each of 44 lines, each 53 mm., wide with a 24 mm., space between them. 
ScribesNone of the explicits gives a date or the scribe’s name. He has copied a list of contents on a paper label pasted on the front cover. 

There are vertical strokes between words throughout, as if to mark breathing—these are sometimes highlighted with a second stroke in red, and consequently appear to be original (as on fol. 1vb). The scribe inserts red puncti between spaced-out words for emphasis (e.g. fol. 16rb, 14 lines from the bottom). There are sometimes multiple punctuation marks at the end of major sections (as on fol. 56ra). Numerous corrections occur throughout, in various ways: on fol. 1va, ll. 10-11, the scribe/corrector has used superscript ua…cat to indicate a passage to be omitted (so also on fol. 3ra, ll. 28-30). A red slash is sometimes used in conjunction with underpointing for corrections (e.g. fol. 5vb, l. 7). Folios 19v-20r have a number of marginal additions (with insertion cues or signes de renvoi) and also other corrections. Folio 76rb has an example of two sets of 3 dots in both black and red to mark a word for insertion and also the point of insertion. Sometimes passages are underlined (in brown ink) or bracketed in order to highlight the text (there is a good example on fol. 68v). A manicule is used on fol. 64va to draw attention to a passage in the text; there are two others in red on fol. 79v, and another in light brown on fol. 250va. Book IV of the De doctrina christiana is heavily annotated in the margins (fols 137rb sqq.); the additions and notes are ‘keyed’ to the text.

 
ScriptsGerman littera hybrida in black ink.  
Decoration

Rubrics, paragraph marks and running titles are in red; initials 2-3 lines high in red or blue, sometimes with decorative extensions (see 'A' on fol. 2rb); a cue for the rubricator is often visible before the initial (see especially fols 53v-54r). Small initials have red highlighting strokes. The book is introduced on fol. 1r by a six-line initial in red elaborately pen-flourished with extensions into the margins.

 
Musical notation  
Binding

Edges trimmed, binding fifteenth-century sheepskin over oak boards. Covers carry two fillets forming a rectangle with two more fillets drawn diagonally, in blind. Spine has lettering AUGUSTINI … OPERA covered by labels. On the back cover are the remains of two leather straps and on the outßer edges of the front cover are parts of two metal clasps. The binding is now badly split so that the boards are coming away from the spine, clearly revealing the binding structure of the codex; the back board is, in fact detached and is only attached to the codex by green fabric beneath the pastedown. Pieces of the leather covering on the spine have broken away and been lost, revealing some text on the recycled parchment used to reinforce the spine (between cords 2-3 and 3-4). The major sewing stations have thick double cords, the head- and tailbands smaller, single cords; there are two single reinforcing cords below the bottom sewing station.

 
Seals  
Accompanying material  
 History  
 OriginFifteenth century 
 Provenance

Stencilled on fol. 1r is a lion rampant with the legend ‘Sir T. P. / Middle Hill/ No. 621’ : Phillipps purchased the codex in 1824 from Leander van Ess; the spine has two labels bearing printed nos ‘2784’ and ‘10’; inside front cover are ‘8/8/–’, ‘k/j/–’, and ‘Augustin £3–10–0’ in pencil; fol. vr has the note ‘Dobell’ per E.30.12,10.70’ in pencil while Er and Ev have in ink ‘M.445.10’ and the stamp of the PUBLIC LIBRARY OF VICTORIA with the date ‘30 Dec. 1910’.[i]



[i] Another codex owned by van Ess which passed to Phillipps and which was subsequently sold by Bertram Dobell to the State Library of Victoria is the De regimine principum, RARES  091 C71.

 
 Acquisition  
 Bibliography  
 Bibliography list

J.P. Migne, Patrologiae cursus completus, series Latina, Vols XXXII, XXXVIII, XXXIX, XL, XLVI, CXXXIV, Paris, 1844-55.

 

K. V. Sinclair, ‘Phillipps Manuscripts in Australia’, The Book Collector, Vol. 11, 1962, p. 333.

 

K.V. Sinclair, ‘De nouveaux manuscrits augustiniens’, Augustiniana, Vol. 14, 1964, pp. 459–60.

 

C.M. Briquet, Les Filigranes, 4 Vols, 2nd ed., Leipzig, 1923, reprinted New York 1966.

 

K.V. Sinclair, Descriptive Catalogue of Medieval and Renaissance Western Manuscripts in Australia, Sydney, 1969, pp. 327-31, No. 203.

 
 Analysis  
 Commentary  
 Description by  
 Acknowledgements

Digital imaging and research on this manuscript were supported by the Australian Research Council Linkage Grant, Medieval and Renaissance Manuscripts in Australia:Researching and Relating Australia’s Manuscript Holdings to New Technologies and New Readers. Substantial donations from the Catholic Archdiocese of Sydney, Catholic Church Insurance and the National Australia Bank are gratefully acknowledged. The Catholic Diocese of Ballarat, The Network for Early European Research, and Newman College, The University of Melbourne, have also generously contributed to the project.

Chief Investigators (CIs) of the ARC project were Professor emeritus Margaret Manion (The University of Melbourne), Professor Bernard Muir (The University of Melbourne), and Dr Toby Burrows (The University of Western Australia). Graduate research assistants were Alexandra Ellem, Dr Hugh Hudson, Dr Elaine Shaw and postgraduate scholar Elizabeth Melzer (The University of Melbourne). Shane Carmody was the representative of the Chief Industry Partner (The State Library of Victoria). The following curators, conservators, photographers and computer specialists at The State Library of Victoria also contributed their expertise: Katrina Ben, Des Cowley, Ian Cox, Adrian Flint, Ross Genat, Jean Holland, Shelley Jamieson, Afsana Khan, Coralie McInnes, Monika McIntyre, Helen McPherson, Peter Mappin and Sarah Mason. Other contributors both in Australia and overseas are acknowledged in the relevant endnotes.

These detailed entries draw on the information in earlier catalogues and also update it. In particular, they are based on the following: K.V. Sinclair, Descriptive Catalogue of Medieval and Renaissance Western Manuscripts in Australia, Sydney, 1969, M. M. Manion and V. F. Vines, Medieval and Renaissance Manuscripts in Australian Collections, London, 1984, and B. Stocks and N. Morgan, eds, The Medieval Imagination: Illuminated Manuscripts from Cambridge, Australia and New Zealand, Melbourne, 2008. Our debt to these pioneering publications and dependence on them are acknowledged here.

Margaret M.Manion, on behalf of the ARC team, October, 2013.

 
 Other descriptions  
 Digital copieshttp://handle.slv.vic.gov.au/10381/179901