St John's College I.17 (James 314) (Wagstaff 3463)

Old Testament Commentaries. Latin, c. 1532

 

Commentaries on the final eighteen books of the Old Testament and on four books from the Apocrypha: Maccabees, Judith, Wisdom and Ecclesiasticus. Daniel follows Malachi. Ezekiel ends at Chapter 43, but space has been left for the remainder. There is a list of contents on the flyleaf, in the same hand. Arabic numerals are used for chapter headings throughout, except at the very end of the commentary, from Chapter 11 of Ecclesiasticus onwards, where they are replaced by roman. No date, but early sixteenth century from the hand.

Manuscript extra information

225x160 mm. No foliation, c. 500 fos, the last 100 or so blank. Inside front cover in Thomas Baker's hand, 'Liber olim ornatiss: viri Tho: Wagstaff', and 'Tho: Baker dedit Coll: Jo: Socius ejectus'. College bookplate (eighteenth century) also inside front cover.

The work has been copied almost faultlessly in a single hand. There are occasional marginal glosses, and the book and chapter headings are rubricated throughout. Paper, not ruled. Extremely handsome and elaborate contemporary stamped leather binding on boards, displaying Biblical and other scenes: Crucifixion, Prudence, Lucretia, Garden of Eden, Venus, 'Iustificacio', on different rolls, and carrying the date 1532 on front and rear; also the traces of two clasps, now missing.