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Composite volume containing works on Latin grammar and versification.

 File
Identifier: Adv.MS.81.5.13

Scope and Contents

The contents of the volume are as follows:

(i) ‘Doctrinale’ by Alexander, de Villa Dei, with the anonymous commentary ‘Aurea Grammatica’ [Nuremberg: Friedrich Creussner, ca.1482] (‘Repertorium Bibliographicum’, number 7859; ‘Index to the Early Printed Books in the British Museum’, number 2174), containing some, but not all, large initials supplied in red or blue, numerous interlinear and marginal additions, mostly quite brief, rubrication and other marks added to initials, and a few deletions of the printed text, all apparently in a contemporary, or near-contemporary German hand, at folios 1, 8 verso-35, 36-69 verso (passim), 103-104, 117-121 verso. More attention has been paid to the text than to the commentary. An additional bifolium is bound in between folios 19-20 and 21-22: the former leaf, which has a watermark similar to Bricquet 15375, is blank: the latter contains 18 lines (with interlinear additions, all in the same hand) which were omitted, presumably accidentally. For a description of this copy see ‘Supplement to the hand-list of Incunabula in the National Library of Scotland’ in ‘Edinburgh Bibliographical Society Transactions’, volume 2, page 168.

(ii) An unidentified work partly on Latin grammar but chiefly on versification, written apparently in the same late 15th-century German hand as the additions in (i). The arrangement of the work on the page is in places similar to that of ‘Grammatica Rhythmica’. See ‘Grammatica Rhythmica: copy, text and layout 1466-1468’, in ‘Hellinga Festschrift/Feestbundel/Melanges’, pages 43-58. Part of the work, written in verse, contains numerous interlinear additions, presumably in the same hand (folios 21-44). The leaves are ruled vertically, the margin being occasionally used for headings. There are a few large red initials, and other rubrication, some of which is discoloured to mauve, of initials and other parts of the text, at folios 11-36 (passim), 43-43 verso, 58-58 verso: spaces left for large red initials elsewhere have been left unfilled. There are decorative pen-flourishes in the margins of folios 19 verso, 34, 39, 42 verso, 48-48 verso, 50-50 verso, 52 verso, 53, 54, 57 verso, 61 verso; folios 45 verso-46 have been left blank (probably accidentally). A leaf has been cut out between folios 10 and 11, probably with a knife, resulting in damage to folios 6-10. The name "Geogius (sic) borgert"(?) is written in the margin of folio 64 in a formal hand, possibly of the 16th century. Two watermarks are visible in the leaves, of which one remotely resembles Bricquet 11928, and the other is unidentified.

There are inscriptions in German hands of apparently contemporary provenance written on the verso of the last leaf of both (i) and (ii).

Dates

  • Creation: Late 15th century.

Conditions Governing Access

The volume is kept in the Department of Printed Books, where it has the pressmark Inc.79.

Extent

0.00 Linear metres (ii + 122 + 67 folios.)

Language of Materials

English

Physical Characteristics and Technical Requirements

Bound in 18th-century red morocco with gilded fore-edges.

Custodial History

The bookplate of Thomas Ruddiman is pasted inside the front cover: it was lot 1479 (sold for 10s 6d) in the auction of his library in February 1758. It is first mentioned in the 1776 catalogue. Former pressmarks (all at the front): H.5.a.1; 51.C.2; D.3.ult; T (presumably in Ruddiman`s Library); M.5.38: it was ‘D.3.28’ in Ruddiman’s first catalogue (MS.764). It was acquired by the Advocates’ Library between 1758 and 1776.

Immediate Source of Acquisition

Presented, 1925, by the Faculty of Advocates to the nation on the foundation of the National Library of Scotland.

Related Materials

MS.764.

Bibliography

Hain, Ludwig. ‘Repertorium Bibliographicum’ (1822).

Proctor, Robert. ‘Index to the Early Printed Books in the British Museum’ (1898-1903).

Beattie, William. ‘Supplement to the hand-list of Incunabula in the National Library of Scotland’, in ‘Edinburgh Bibliographical Society Transactions’.
‘Grammatica Rhythmica’ (Mainz, 1466, 1468).

Barker, Nicolas. ‘Grammatica Rhythmica: copy, text and layout 1466-1468’, in ‘Hellinga Festschrift/Feestbundel/Melanges’ (Amsterdam, 1980).
Title
National Library of Scotland Catalogue of Manuscripts
Author
National Library of Scotland
Date
02 10 2015
Description rules
Finding Aid Prepared Using Local Descriptive Rules
Language of description
English
Script of description
Latin

Repository Details

Part of the National Library of Scotland Archives and Manuscripts Division Repository

Contact:
Archives and Manuscript Division
National Library of Scotland
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Edinburgh EH1 1EJ
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