DCL MS. A.I.17Repertorium morale
Held by: Durham Cathedral Library: Durham Cathedral Manuscripts

First of three volume copy of Pierre Bersuire's Repertorium morale (made up of separately produced volumes), probably written in Paris in 1395 by Johannes de Fonte.

Digitised: https://n2t.durham.ac.uk/ark:/32150/t2m76537132m.html

Physical description of manuscript
Support

Parchment

Extent: i+340+i f.
Size: 485 mm x 330 mm

Foliation

Modern pencil, starts on opening flyleaf but omits endleaf.

The first folio of the volume is now missing, so current start of surviving first folio presumably supplies secundo folio text:

Collation

I7 (= 8, lacks leaf 1); II-III8; IV-XXI12; XXII6; XXIII-XXIX12; XXX11 (=12 final blank leaf cancelled)

Catchwords: Contemporary catchwords.
Layout

Written in two columns of 60 lines of text, ruled in pale ink

Script

Written in textualis quadrata

Decoration

The section for each letter of the alphabet starts with a large and elaborate decorated initial and a border of red, blue, and gold leaf with ivy leaves spreading out. Initials for the subsequent entries alternate blue and red.

Corrections and annotation

Minimal annotation.

Binding

Bound in Durham, mid 18th century by Waghorn, brown calf panelled binding, with Durham Cathedral arms added to the centre in the mid 19th century

Manuscript history
Creation

Written in France, probably Paris, 1395.

Provenance

This manuscript is identified with the first part of the dictionary in three volumes given to Durham Priory by Thomas Langley, bishop of Durham shortly before his death in 1437.

Manuscript contents
f.2-341
Modern title: Repertorium morale
Author: Pierre Bersuire (approximately 1290-1362)
Date: 1395
Incipit: caueret protinus a ueneno. Sic et nos cauere debemus sagaciter a peccato
Explicit: Alia de acquisicione meritorum, Alia de distribucione premiorum, etc.
Anno milleno ter centum ter quoque deno
Et ter sedeno cum quinque fuit duodeno
Codex completus hic a de Fonte Johanne
Possideat letus quapropter sacra dyanne
Language: Latin

First section of alphabetical work, letters A-E


Digitised version
Digitised in 2015 and available online.
http://iiif.durham.ac.uk/

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

Digitised material for Durham Cathedral Library MS. A.I.17 - Pierre Bersuire, Repertorium morale, volume 1
https://n2t.durham.ac.uk/ark:/32150/t2m76537132m.html
Bibliography

Gameson, Richard, ed., Manuscript treasures of Durham Cathedral   OCLC citation (London: Third Millennium Publishing, 2010)

Index terms