Late 15th-century manuscript containing 'Moralium dogma philosophorum' attributed to Guillaume de Conches, bound with 3 incunabula.
Scope and Contents
15th-century manuscript produced in Italy containing the 'Moralium dogma philosophorum' attributed to Guillaume de Conches. The script and watermark evidence suggest that the manuscript is a work of the late 15th century, probably 1470 and after. The manuscript is the work of one scribe using an Italian humanistic script with 26 lines to a page.
The contents of the volume are as follows:
Pasted to the inner of the front board is a letter from J. B. Oldham, Librarian, Shrewsbury School Library dated 16 October 1949 to Mr Park at the National Library on the book's binding.
Vellum and paper flyleaves containing late 15th- and early 16th-century prayers, ownership inscriptions, a table of contents; modern shelfmark and catalogue references. Folios i-v.
Guilliaume de Conches, 'Moralium dogma philosophorum'. Folios 1r-37r.
Folios 37v-40v are blank but have been lined and ruled.
The printed works that follow have been catalogued in detail in the National Library of Scotland's online catalogue. They are:
Cicero, 'Liber de proprietatibus terminorum Ciceronis'. Cologne (U. Zel). circa 1470. [Inc.31].
Agostino Dati, 'De variis loquendi regulis'. And Guarino of Verona, 'Praecepta de studendi ordine'. Cologne (U. Zel). circa 1470. [Inc.33]
Agostino Dati, 'De variis loquendi figuris'. Cologne (U. Zel). circa 1470. [Inc.32]
At the end of 'De variis loquendi figuris' is the ownership inscription of Gilbert Haldane and notes in his hand, which continue from the recto of folio v to the recto of folio vii, regarding offences against the 'haly kirk'. From the verso of folio viii to the recto of folio ix in another hand, the same as that present on folio i-iii, are prayers for cattle plague and excommunication.
The manuscript is decorated in the same style as the first printed work. Initials are supplied in blue or red with elaborate scroll-work and capitals coloured yellow or red. On folio 1r is a floral border in gutter and upper margin in colours. Rubrics are given in red. Paraphs are in red and blue alternately, and are stroked with yellow. Each folio has been lined recto and verso.
On folio 1r in the upper margin is the following inscription which reads: '1587' and possibly 'ross'.
Dates
- Creation: Late 15th century.
Creator
- William of Conches (Philosopher) (Author, Person)
- Haldane, Gilbert (Rector of Dalry) (Former owner, Person)
- Franciscan Friary (Stirling) (Former owner, Organization)
- Sibbald, Robert, Sir, Knight (physician and Geographer Royal) (Former owner, Person)
Language of Materials
The material of the manuscript is in Latin, with flyleaf notes in Scots.
Conditions Governing Access
Normal access conditions apply.
Conditions Governing Use
Normal reproduction conditions apply, subject to any copyright restrictions.
Extent
1 Volumes ; 21.5cm x 15.5cm x 5cm
Arrangement
i-v + 40 + 32 + 24 + vi-xii folios.
The manuscript itself consists of 40 folios, followed by the three incunables, all foliated separately.
The collation of the manuscript section is as follows:
a² (vellum flyleaves, tipped in), b⁴ (3 is a stub), c¹⁰, d¹⁰, e¹⁰, f¹⁰
Collations for the incunabula can be found in the relevant entries in the National Library of Scotland online catalogue.
Custodial History
In the late 15th or early 16th century the volume belonged to the convent of the Friars Minor at Stirling. The Greyfriars at Stirling were not established until around 1497, and the friary was destroyed in 1559. On the recto side of folio iv there is the following inscription: Pro fr[atr]ibus mi[n]oribus in striuiling. This inscription has been scored out.
In the late 15th or early 16th century the volume was in the possession of Gilbert Haldane, rector of Dalry, who was listed as a student at St Andrews in 1478. At the end of Inc.32 is an erased inscription which reads: 'Liber gilberti halden'.
In the 16th century the work was in the possession of a William Ellis, who inscribed his name below the Stirling inscription: 'Will[el]mus Elleis'.
The volume was next in the possession of Sir Robert Sibbald and was bought at the sale of his goods by the Library of the Faculty of Advocates in April 1723.
There is an ownership inscription for the Library on the recto side of folio iv.
The previous shelfmark assigned to the volume by the Library of the Faculty of Advocates is present on the recto of folios i and v, 'A.7.18', since superseded.
Immediate Source of Acquisition
Presented, 1925, by the Faculty of Advocates to the nation on the foundation of the National Library of Scotland.
Bibliography
'Bibliotheca Sibbaldiana: or, a catalogue of valuable books: consisting of divinity, civil and ecclesiastical history, medicine, natural history, philosophy, mathematicks, belles letters, etc. with a curious collection of historical and other manuscripts. Being the Library fo the late Learned and Ingenious Sir Robert Sibbald of Kipps, Doctor of Medicine. To be Sold by Way of Auction, on Tuesday the 5th of February 1723...' (Edinburgh, 1722), page 140.
Briquet, C. M. 'Les Filigranes. Dictionnaire historique des marques de papier des leur apparition vers 1282 jusqu'en 1600', 4 Volumes (Leipzig, 1923).
Durkan, J. and J. Russell. 'Further Additions (Including Manuscripts) to J. Durkan and A. Ross, "Early Scottish Libraries", at the National Library of Scotland', The Bibliotheck, Volume 12, Number 4 (1985), pages 85-90.
'Folio Catalogue of Manuscripts: Miscellaneous Manuscripts' (Unpublished manuscript, Edinburgh [after 1837]), folio 137. NLS Reference: FR.195.
Gauthier, R. A. 'Les deux recensions du Moralium Dogma Philosophorum', Revue du Moyen Age Latin, IX (1953), pages 171-260.
Hobson, G. D. 'Bindings in Cambridge libraries' (Cambridge, 1929), Plate XV, Numbers 15-17.
Holmes, S. M. 'Catalogue of Liturgical Books and Fragments in Scotland before 1560', Innes Review, Volume 62, Number 2 (Autumn 2011), pages 127-212, number 92.
Ker, N. R. (ed.) 'Medieval Libraries of Great Britian: A List of Surviving Books' Second edition (London, 1964), page 183.
Kristeller, P. O. 'Iter Italicum Accedunt Alia Itinera: A Finding List of Uncatalogued or Incompletely Catalogued Humanistic Manuscripts of the Renaissance in Italian and Other Libraries' (London, 1989), page 15.
McRoberts, D. 'Catalogue of Scottish Medieval Liturgical Books and Fragments' (Glasgow, 1953), page 11, number 61.
'Summary Catalogue of the Advocates' Manuscripts' (Edinburgh, 1971), page 107, number 1353; page 119, number 1569.
Williams, J. R. 'The Quest for the Author of the Moralium Dogma Philosophorum, 1931-1956', Speculum, Volume 32, Number 4 (October, 1957), pages 736-747.
Physical Description
Paper.
Folios i and ii are vellum flyleaves and the remaining iii-xii are paper.
The binding is probably original or near-contemporary, and is brown leather over oak boards. In private correspondence with the National Library of Scotland J. B. Oldham first suggests that the binding may be Dutch. In later correspondence he then suggests that the binding is English, probably from the 1480s, and he points to other examples of work of the same binder at Lambeth; New College, Oxford; and Pembroke, Cambridge.
The front and back boards are blind-tooled and stamped, with bar borders and a centre panel with floral, fleur-de-lis, eagle, and lion passant designs. There are brass remnants of clasps on both boards. The turn-ins, channeling, cords, and pegging are visible on the inners of the boards. The spine has raised bands and blind tooling. At some point, possibly in the 1930s, the volume was repaired and rebacked. The new back has blind tooling and raised bands.
The manuscript paper is watermarked with a gothic letter 'P' with a line through it, similar to Briquet number 8572 (Utrecht, 1473).
The paper of the incunabula is watermarked a gothic letter 'P', but one which is different to the manuscript watermark. In all cases, the watermarks are obscured by the binding.
Genre / Form
- Title
- National Library of Scotland Catalogue of Manuscripts
- Author
- National Library of Scotland Archives and Manuscripts Division
- Description rules
- International Standard for Archival Description - General
- Language of description
- English
- Script of description
- Latin
Repository Details
Part of the National Library of Scotland Archives and Manuscripts Division Repository
Archives and Manuscript Division
National Library of Scotland
George IV Bridge
Edinburgh EH1 1EJ
0131 623 3700
manuscripts@nls.uk