Summary:
Manuscript 428 is a convolute of historical and philosophical
texts: (ff. 1r-48v) the Historia Britonum per Gaufridum
Monemutensem composita; (ff. 48r-51r) the Editio Gaufridi
Monemutensis de edictis Merlini Ambrosii; (ff. 51r-54r) Liber
Methodii episcopi ecclesie et martiris Christi, quem de Hebreo
transtulit in Latinum, quem beatus Jeronimus in opusculis suis
collaudavit; (ff. 55r-59r) Liber tercius de ira ad Novatum; (ff.
59r-63v) Liber de vita beata ad Gallionem; (ff. 63v-69r) Liber de
brevitate vite; (ff. 69r-73r) Liber ad Marciam de morte filij; and
(ff. 73r-76v) Liber ad Helbiam matrem de consolatione filii. While
the fenestra title lists a work of Dares Phrygius as the first text
in this manuscript, it is lacking. Of the second text, the first
leaf is absent. This was already the case in the seventeenth
century, as the first extant leaf features both the title of the
Historia Britonum and the cross-shaped stamp of Ten Duinen. The
first two texts have been written by Geoffrey of Monmouth (c.
1095-c. 1155), a British cleric and history writer. His History of
the Kings of Britain, the first of the two texts, is an attempt to
present a history of the British Isles from Brutus of Troy, a
descendant of Aeneas, to the seventh century. His work was seminal
for the incorporation of the Arthur myths in British historical
thought. Despite being considered nowadays to be unreliable and
fantastic, for many centuries his work was considered historical
truth. The other text concerns the so-called prophecies of Merlin,
uttered by the latter to king Vortigern. The third text has no
obvious relation to its companions. The Apocalypse of
pseudo-Methodius was falsely attributed to the fourth-century
Church Father Methodius of Olympus, but it describes the history of
the world from the Creation until the Islamic conquest of the Near
East, occurring in the seventh century. These military and
religious events led to disarray and fear among the Syrian
Christians, which was voiced in the Apocalypse through a depiction
of the end of times. The text might be linked to the previous
through the prophetic outlook at the end, or perhaps due to the
appearance of the giants Gog and Magog, which are also found in
Geoffrey's works. The rest of the texts are works by the Roman
philosopher Seneca, and mainly discuss the briefness of earthly
life and the importance of leading a blissful life. In De Ira he
gives advice on how to avoid anger, while in De vita beata Seneca
determines that reason is the main source of happiness, as it
allows one to understand events. This theme returns in his
consolatory writings, to Marcia and his own mother Helbia (or
Helvia), in which is the stoic idea of being untouched by
uncontrollable events forms the basis of his attempts to offer
consolation. The manuscript consists of two units. The former,
containing the first three works, appears to have been written in
the early fourteenth century. Initials have been added consequently
in red and blue ink, while rubrics are present and majuscules have
been highlighted in red ink. The latter unit, with Seneca's
writings, dates from the later fourteenth century. Here, rubrics
and running titles are present, both in red ink, but no initials or
other decoration is found. Spaces have been left empty for the
initials. This unit is much heavier annotated and appears to have
been more of a study book than the other unit. The units have been
bound together in the Middle Ages, as is seen from the binding. It
consists of brown leather with blind stamping over wooden boards;
the back board contains the fenestra. [Summary by Dr. Mark
Vermeer] Title:
Historia Daretis phrigii de excidio troie. Et historia britonum per
gaufridum monemutensem composita, cum aliis [fenestratitel] Note:
De Excidio Troiae Historia van Dares Phrygius ontbreekt, hoewel
deze in de fenestratitel genoemd wordt
Convoluut Topic general subdivision:
Godsdienst
Geschiedenis
Wijsbegeerte Material:
Perkament Extent:
76 ff. Dimensions:
340 x 250 mm Decoration and binding:
gedecoreerde initialen
lombarden
Middeleeuwse band Script:
gotische textualisgotische semi-textualis
vanaf folio 55r Provenance:
Cisterciënzerabdij Ter Doest (S.O.Cist.)
Cisterciënzerabdij Ten Duinen (S.O.Cist.) Genre/form:
Kroniek
Biografie
Heiligenlevens / hagiografie en mirakelverhalen
Traktaat
