A Cloistered Exchange: The Alexander Neckam Florilegium, Sol meldunensis

Paper presented for the Canadian Society of Medievalists on Cambridge, University Library, MS Gg.6.42.

Transcript

1. A Cloistered Exchange Andrew Dunning andrew.dunning@utoronto.ca The Alexander Neckam Florilegium, Sol meldunensis (Cambridge, University Library, MS Gg.6.42)
2. 20 km
3. Contents 1. Alexander Neckam ‘florilegium’ (gatherings 1–21, fols. 3–212) 2. Geoffrey of Monmouth, Prophetia Merlini (gathering 22, fols. 213–222) 3. Verse ‘anthology’ (gatherings 23–24, fols. 223–237)
4. a2, 110+1 (3 added), 2–610, 78+1 (8 added), 810, 910+1 (11 added), 10– 2110 || 2210 || 2310, 248–4 (5–8 cancelled) total ii + 236 parchment folios Prophetia Merlini Verse Anthology Florilegium 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 a 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 a 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 a
5. 3r
6. Oxford, Jesus College, MS 94, fol. 120va/b
7. It is better to live in a corner of the housetop than in a house shared with a quarrelsome wife. But this, God willing, will be explained [below] Melius est sedere in angulo domatis quam in domo communi cum uxore litigiosa. Set hec deo annuente exponetur [inferius] 173v (scribe is working from Cirencester copy of Alexander Neckam’s commentary on Proverbs, now Oxford, Jesus College, 94)
8. 3r Alexander Neckam florilegium
9. O sun and moon of Malmesbury, light of the monks, May your honour accept, I ask, a new song Which the devotion of simple Geoffrey offers you. I thirst for your correction, pious pastor: May you put a polish on this work, who corrects the roughness of the cloister. May you be a pious favourer of fault, and may you, a benignant judge, Absolve what the presumption of the tongue does wrong. The simple man is called cloistered; he is also called simple who is without the fold of deceit. ∴ ∴ Epistle 3r
10. Who is Galfridus/Geoffrey? • Geoffrey Brito, documented in the Cirencester cartulary as a canon and the nephew of Alexander Neckam • Magister Galfridus Britonus named as vicar of Milborne Port between 1215 and 1230 (100 km SW of Cirencester), probably through a connection to Richard Brito, a royal clerk (nos. 592, 578) • assigned a stall in Cirencester's church of St John the Baptist between 1222 and 1230 (no. 332), and assigned a messuage near the abbey between 1230 and 1236 (no. 336): charters given on Alexander Neckam’s anniversary and witnessed by the abbot of Malmesbury and bishop of Worcester
11. S., prior of Malmesbury, relating to Walter de Melida, a canon at Cirencester, his elation upon reading Alexander Neckam’s Corrogationes Promethei Paris, BnF, MS Latin 11867, fol. 240vb; London, BL, Royal MS 5 C.v, fol. 57v ‘He has not only accepted gold, but is entirely clothed in it.’
12. 71v Gaufridus = Geoffrey, abbot of Malmesbury 1246–60 (Text adapted from Reginald of Canterbury, Vita Malachi 2–8) Verse epistle closing proem to book 2
13. 212v Concluding verse epistle
14. ¶ Now, O father and lord, you will have seen whether this book carries every point or is full of faults. If you wish it to remain, it will remain; if not, a blaze will burn it; your speech is its praise or destruction. If I have arranged its parts as somebody who does not know the arts, have mercy on this fate, O apostolic doctor. Filled with your praise, this poetry gives the rudiments before the glory of your natural praise everywhere. ¶ May God give you the joy of the present and continuing life, and all good things, my lord. 212v Reginald of Canterbury Alexander Neckam ¶ Let a page go between us in turn; may your mind be known as well as mine with an intermediating note.
15. Let a page go between us in turn; may your mind be known as well as mine with an intermediating note. Accept, teacher Ralph, the nephew I send to you; teach him with diligent care. […] May the work commend the artist; may the teaching of the master be clear to the student by its own witness. Alexander Neckam, ‘Quem tibi transmitto doctor Radulfe nepotem’ Paris, BnF, Lat. 11867, fols. 238rb–238va
16. 214v Geoffrey of Monmouth, Prophetia Merlini
17. 215r
18. Epistle of master Geoffrey of Monmouth, addressed to Alexander bishop of Lincoln 213v
19. 214r
20. 166r Additions from Malmesbury to Florilegium
21. 5r 5v
22. 223v Alexander Neckam verse anthology
23. 236v Prophecies added by Maurice Gyffard
24. 237r De passione saluatoris
25. a2, 110+1 (3 added), 2–610, 78+1 (8 added), 810, 910+1 (11 added), 10– 2110 || 2210 || 2310, 248–4 (5–8 cancelled) total ii + 236 parchment folios Prophetia Merlini Verse Anthology Florilegium 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 a 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 a 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 a St Francis add’n Book 2 CP add’n CP add’n
26. 1. Cirencester: Florilegium, opening section (gatherings 1–7); book 2 (gatherings 8–21) — sent to Malmesbury 2. Malmesbury: Geoffrey of Monmouth (gathering 22); additions to prose florilegium; illustrations on fol. 5 — returned to Cirencester 3. Cirencester: Verse anthology and integration of Malmesbury additions (gatherings 23–24)
27. 2v To Cirencester & bid them pray for me. He that prayeth for me Jesu have merci on hym.
28. ‘Cirencestrie’ visible under UV light 3r
29. Oxford, Bodleian Library, Bodley 284, fol. 1r
30. owned by John Moore, bishop of Ely (1646–1714)
31. presented to the University Library in 1715 by George I
32. Alexander Neckam, Tractatus super Mulierem fortem (Oxford, Jesus College, MS 94, fol. 123va–b) In different churches, different customs are observed, and although they may seem to oppose themselves, yet they lead those who observe them directly to the heavenly palace. Consider the Cistercians, the Cluniacs, the Carthusians, and the most holy customs of the other orders: what will you find in them other than the delicious joy of holy love?