St John's College D.29 (James 103*)

John Fisher Psalmi seu precationes; Francesco Petrarca Psalmi penitentiales; Seven Penitential Psalms; prayers etc.

 

Physical description

Vellum, with paper endpapers. 155 x 110 mm. [7], 355, [8] p. Collation: 16 (-1?) 2-296. Binding: 18th-century gold-tooled red morocco over boards, all edges gilt, marbled endpapers. Written in a single, fine italic hand, in brown ink. Headings in gold and red, initials in gold.

Contents

A note by H.P.W. Gatty on the flyleaf reads: 'The text of this ms., as far as the end of p. 297, agrees with that of the Psalmi sev precationes D. Io. Episcopi Roffensis ... Coloniae, apud Heronem Alopecium [? 1525] 32o [Brit. Mus. G. 12149]. The B.M. copy ends Finis on B[vii] reverse and has no separate title for the Petrarch Psalm. This ms. is probably a copy of this Cologne edition of Fisher's work, perhaps with other matter printed by Alopecius added at the end.'

  1. Pp. 1-243: 'Psalmi sev precationes domini Io: episcopi Roffensis. Ex impresso describebat Paulus Ionas Vratislauiensis. Pragae 17 Calend: Decemb: Ao 1580.' Title in gold letters within ornate frame of red, gold and brown, with flourishes and strap work. Begins 'Psalmvs primvs ad impetrandam remissionem peccatorum'. Ends 'Omne quod viuit laudet te domine, Amen. Finis quindecim Psalmorum D. Iohan. Episcopi Roffensis. etc.'
  2. Pp. 244-254: 'Psal: David: 22.' Begins 'Deus Deus meus respice in me, quare me dereliquisti'. Ends 'quod haec fecerit tam stupenda dominis'.
  3. Pp. 255-257: 'Psalmvs gratiarum actionis C.' Begins 'Iubilate Deo omnis terra'. Ends 'non vni generationi tantum, sed omnibus. Finis.'
  4. Pp. 259-297: 'Francisci Petrarchae Poëtae oratorisque clarissimi. Psalmi penitentiales.' Title in gold letters within a frame of gold and red. Begins 'Psalmus primus in quo conqueritur'. Ends 'et misericorditer sustenta ne corruam sub extremis. Gloria etc.'
  5. Pp. 298-329: 'Seqvvntvr septem Psalmi paenitentiales.' Begins 'Psalmus 6. Domine, ne in furore tuo'. Ends 'quoniam ego seruus tuus sum. Gloria Patri et Filio &c.'
  6. Pp. 329-331: 'Oratio divi Gregorij Papae, quae habetur in fine explanationum septem Psalmorum poenitentialium.' Begins 'Bone Jesu, verbum patris, splendor paternae gloriae'. Ends 'vbi tu Deus cum Patre et Spiritu sancto viuis et regnas per infinita saecula saeculorum. Amen.'
  7. Pp. 331-335: 'Oratio ad Iesvm.' Begins 'O bone Jesu, o pijssime Jesu'. Ends 'omnes qui inuocant nomen tuum, quod est Jesus. Amen.'
  8. Pp. 336-341: 'Oratio beati Thomae Aquino.' Begins 'Concede mihi misericors Deus'. Ends 'Qui cum Filio et S. Sancto viuis et regnas vnus Deus in secula seculorum. Amen.'
  9. Pp. 342-344: 'Alia oratio sancti Thomae de Aquino ante studium.' Begins 'Creator ineffabilis, qui de thesauris sapientiae tuae'. Ends 'progressum dirigas, egressum compleas. Per Christum dominum nostrum. Amen.'
  10. Pp. 344-355: 'Oratio in afflictione.' Begins 'O dulcissime domine Jesu Christe, verus Deus'. Ends 'et verum me perducere digneris. Qui viuis et regnas in saecula saeculorum. Amen.'
  11. Pp. [356-359]: A list of the contents of the manuscript, with page numbers, written in two hands, different to those of the main scribe, the first of the seventeenth century, the second of the eighteenth.
Manuscript extra information

Scribe and date

The scribe identifies himself on the title page as Paulus Ionas of Wroclaw (Breslau). He dates the manuscript to 15 November 1580 and locates its production in Prague.

Provenance

Monogram GF or FG on verso of title page. 'Nro. 23a' and '179 Blatter' written on flyleaf. Sold at Sotheby's sale 6 Feb. 1939, lot 165 (cutting from Sotheby's catalogue pasted to flyleaf). Purchased from G. David, Cambridge bookseller, by H.P.W. Gatty Feb. 1939 (note by Gatty on flyleaf). Given by Gatty to St John's College Library, 1939 (book label).