This manuscript contains a fragmentary collection of sermons by St
Augustine of Hippo (b. 354, d. 430). It was produced in the 1st
quarter of the 8th century, and written in a type of Merovingian
minuscule cursive that is associated with the Benedictine abbey of
Luxeuil, one of the oldest monasteries in Burgundy, founded by the
Irish missionary Columbanus (b. 543, d. 615). Two other fragments
of the original manuscript, containing sermons by Caesarius of
Arles (b. 468/70, d. 542) and Epiphanius of Salamis (d. 403), have
been identified in Metz, Bibliothèque Municipale Salis, MS 140 I
(1 leaf; destroyed in 1944) and New Haven, Beinecke Library, MS
481, Box 1 No. 2 (1 leaf). Another early 8th-century manuscript
written in Luxeuil miniscule (New York, Pierpont Morgan Library, MS
M. 17) may be the continuation of this collection of sermons.
Contents: ff. 26r-28v: St Augustine, De Passione Sancti Stephani
(On the Martyrdom of St Stephen). ff. 28v-30v: St Augustine, De Die
Epiphania (On the Day of the Epiphany). ff. 30v-31r: St Augustine,
De Die Paschali (On the Day of Easter). ff. 31r-32v: St Augustine,
De Die Quadragesima Ascensionis (On the Forty Days before the
Ascension). ff. 32v-35v: St Augustine, De kalendis Januarii (On the
Kalends of January). ff. 35v-36r: St Augustine, Excarpsum de libro
Salomonis (Selection from the Book of Wisdom). ff. 36r-38v: St
Augustine, Epistula humiliarum (Letter on Humility), imperfect.
[Damage to the script throughout the manuscript]. The manuscript
contains a number of 19th-century additions in French:ff. 1r and
2r: Title pages (‘Manuscrit Merovingien’). ff. 3r-12v: An
introduction to the manuscript.ff. 13r-25v: A transcription of St
Augustine’s homilies. ff. 39r-48r: Variant readings from a
17th-century printed version. ff. 49r-65r: A translation of St
Augustine’s homilies. ff. 66r-71v: A palaeographical study. ff.
72r-77v: Notes on papyrus, parchment, and paper. ff. 78r-81r:
Appendices, including facsimiles of contemporary manuscripts and
transcriptions. ff. 82r-82v: A table of contents.[ff. 1v, 2v, [25a]
recto, [25a] verso, 65v, [65a] recto, [65a] verso, and 76v are
empty].Decoration:1 large decorated capital with motifs in red and
brown ink on f. 35v. Large brown initials. Large display capitals
in red (some oxidized) and brown ink. A pen-drawing in brown ink in
the lower margin of f. 38v: two crosses, birds and a monstrance
(?).
