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Data Source: Parker on the Web

• Résumé : CCCC MS 375 is a compilation of verse made at St Albans Abbey in the middle of the twelfth century, probably for immediate presentation to Christ Church, Canterbury as a gift. It was certainly at Christ Church by the early fourteenth century, when it was included in Henry of Eastry's library catalogue. The flyleaf on which the classmark was recorded became detached from the rest of this manuscript, and is still at Canterbury Cathedral, classmark SB B 232 final page. The main contents of the manuscript are metrical saints' lives of Katherine and Ælfheah (Alphege), both written by an unidentified Richard, presumably a monk of St Albans. Their composition has been associated with Abbot Geoffrey de Gorron (abbot 1119-46), who is known to have been devoted to St Katherine.

  
  

  Contenu :

  
  

  Langue(s) des textes : latin

  
  

  1r-54v - Metrical life of St Katherine || Passio Sancte Katerine

  Note : (no heading)

  incipit : (1r) Ut super omne melos delectat cantus olorisCum uicina premit mors et noua causa doloris

  Note : 30 lines in sets of six 1-6 rhyme -oris 7-12 rhyme -orem 13-18 rhyme -undo 19-24 rhyme -auit 25-30 rhyme -are

  Note : ending

  explicit : (1r) Hanc imitemur ad hec bona que meruit properareFestinemus et hec sine tempore finis amare

  Note : Gold initial to text of f. 1v

  incipit : (1v) Non humilis turbe proles insignis in urbe Alexandrina uirgo nituit catherina

  Note : In paragraphs, with red, blue and green initials

  Note : Fresh divisions begin at

  Note : (8v) Talia dum memorat dum uiua uoce perorat

  Note : (16r) Uirgo sit inquit ita sed si minus arte polita

  Note : (24r) Iam catherina satis tantis ac tot superatis

  Note : (34r) Nox abit aurore superaccedente rubore

  Note : On f. 42r is a coloured drawing occupying the upper half of the page: washed with colour: no background. Katherine in green habit with jewelled nimbus stands in the midst of four red and brown wheels set with knives. Divine Hand in cloud on L. The wheels are all set upright, showing all the spokes

  incipit : (43v) At Regina dolis non cessit fragmine molisTerrita penali

  Note : Ends

  explicit : (54v) O pia martir aue cui spirat aroma suaue, etc....Hec precor hec dona ne frauder uirgo coronaVictricibus palme tibi sit laus spiritus alme

  
  

  Intervenants :

  Vitalis of Blois - author

  54v-56v - Vitalis of Blois, Geta (extract)

  Note : In a different ink, not much later, a speech by Sosia and reply by Geta (cf. the Comoedia Getae)

  incipit : (54v) Contemptus limo sapientia marcet in imoQue fuerat primo florida parque thymo

  Note : Ending

  explicit : (56v) Ergo studere uelis ut ames. ac mente fidelis Cantes in celis carmina plena melis Ut perpes uita feruenter amando petita Que super astra sita sit tibi. fiat ita. Amen

  
  

  57r-120r - Metrical life of St Ælfheah, Hymns || Passio Sancti Ælphegi

  Note : (57r) In a hand like the first: large gold initial (no title)

  incipit : (57r) Mens quod amando diu concepit de generosaMartiris Ælfegi uirtute parit studiosaTanti gesta patris recitare uolens animosaDum pro posse suo fierit cupit officiosa Metra nouando canit que sunt prius edita prosaNam pater Osbernus de laude uiri speciosa Scribit habetque sibi satis id gens religiosa Sed uirtute tamen minor etas deliciosa Carmine scripta probat cui prosa dicta perosa

  Note : This then is a versification of Osbern's work, probably by the author of no. 1

  Note : The Passion begins

  incipit : (57r) Floruit insignis pater Ælfegus generosaDe radice fluens ac summe religiosa

  Note : Breaks occur

  incipit : (65v) Uenerat interea presul Wentanus ad astra

  incipit : (74v) Iam dorobernorum summus patriarcha beatus

  incipit : (84r) Cum fragor armorum cecidisset pace sepultus

  incipit : (96v) Hactenus excidium destructe fleuimus urbis

  incipit : (106v) Talia dunstanus dum pertractando reuoluit

  Note : Ending

  explicit : (116v) Omnibus expletis finem licet expediamusQuo tibi festiuas laudes pater alme canamus