This manuscript contains a commentary on the penitential Psalms
(ff. 1r-35r), dated to 1142 (f. 35r: ‘·c us ·xl us ·ii us
’), and a collection of sermons and hymns (ff. 36r-75v), that
originate from the first quarter of the thirteenth century. Both
parts were written at the Cistercian abbey of Cîteaux, where the
manuscript most likely remained until the abbey was seized by
French Revolutionary forces and dissolved in 1791. The manuscript
contains a unique copy of a sermon on the prophecies of Isaiah that
a certain ‘magister Humbertus de Balesma’ delivered at Paris,
delivered during the Advent of 1192 or 1193, purportedly for a
thousand scholars and masters (f. 47r: ‘in presentia circiter
mille scolarium et magistrorum multorum’). The sermon is
particularly interesting for its exposition on the positions of the
signs of the Zodiac during the birth of the Virgin Mary and Christ.
Humbertus combines biblical typology with astrology, particularly
that of the Introductorium maius in astronomiam , a Latin
translation of the Kitāb al‐mudkhal al‐kabīr (c. 848) by the
Persian astrologor Abu Maʿshar (see d'Alverny, ‘Humbertus de
Balesema’ (1985), pp. 127-91). Contents:ff. 1r-35r: A commentary
on the Seven Penitential Psalms. ff. 36r-43v: A sermon regarding
the Virgin Mary, attributed to Humbertus de Balesma, ‘Sermo
magistri hu[m]berti de balesma’. ff. 43v-47r: An exposition on
the sermon, ‘Expositio super obscuritatem huius sermonis’. ff.
47r-48v: A hymn on the Nativity, ‘Sermo rithmice factus ad
magistros scolares circa nativitatem domini’. ff. 48v-49r: A hymn
regarding the Incarnation, attributed to Alain de Lille, (b. c.
1128, d. 1202), Bishop of Auxerre and theologian, ‘Rithmus de
incarnatione \editus a magistro Alano [Alan of Lille]/ septem
liberales artes singulis singulos versus opponens’.ff. 49r-49v: A
hymn on the Incarnation, ‘De incarnatione domini’. ff. 49v-50r:
Peter of Blois (b. c. 1130, d. c. 1211), A hymn on the Incarnation,
‘De prodigo filio penitente et ad patrem revertente’. f. 50r: A
hymn on the Incarnation, ‘De incarnatione domini sive de
nativitate’. f. 50v: A hymn on the Purification, ‘De vocabulo
purificationis beate marie’. ff. 50v-51r: A hymn on the Virgin
Mary’s birth, ‘De nativitate beate virginis marie’. f. 51r: A
hymn on the Virgin Mary’s virginity, ‘De partu virginis’. ff.
51r-51v: A hymn on the Nativity, ‘De nativitate Domini’. ff.
51v-52r: A hymn to St Peter, ‘Prosa de sancto Petro Apostolo’.
ff. 52r-52v: A hymn to Mary Magdalene, ‘De beata maria
magdalena’. ff. 52v-53r: A hymn to the Holy Spirit, ‘De spiritu
sancto’. ff. 53r-53v: Adam of St Victor (d. 1146), Salve, mater
Salvatoris , ‘De beata virgine’. ff. 53v-54r: A hymn to the
Virgin Mary, ‘De beata maria’. ff. 54r-54v: A hymn to the
Trinity, ‘De sancta Trinitate’. ff. 45v-55r: A hymn on the
Resurrection, ‘Prosa de resurectione domini’. f. 55r: A hymn on
the Resurrection, ‘Item de resurrectione’. ff. 55r-55v: A hymn
on the Nativity, ‘De nativitate Domini’. ff. 55v-56r: A hymn on
the Nativity, ‘In nativitate sancti Stephani protomartiri'.ff.
56r-56v: A hymn to the Evangelists, ‘Prosa de sanctis
evangelistis’. ff. 56v-57v: A hymn to Mary Magdalene, ‘Planctus
magdalene ad pedes ihesu’. ff. 57v-58v: A hymn to St Vincent,
‘Prosa de Sancto vincentio Martyre’. ff. 58v-59r: A hymn to the
Virgin Mary, beginning ‘Christe splendor dei patris . nobis
servis tue matris’.f. 59v: A hymn on the Cross, beginning
‘[Ch]riste via qui perducis ad superne lecem lucis purga labe
labia’. ff. 60r-62r: A sermon on the Nativity, ‘Sermo de
nativitate domini’. ff. 62r-63v: A sermon on Epiphany, ‘In
epiphania domini’. ff. 63v-66r: A sermon on Candlemass, ‘In
purificatione beate Marie’. ff. 66r-67v: A sermon attributed to
St Benedict, beginning ‘Misit rex Salomon et tulit iram de
Tyro’.ff. 67v-69v: A sermon on the Annunciation, beginning
‘Aqua frigida anime sitienti nuntius bonus’. ff. 69v-71r: An
untitled sermon, beginning: ‘Tulit Elias pallium suum et involvit
illud et percussit aquas Iordanis’. ff. 71r-73r: An untitled
sermon, beginning: ‘Et transierunt ambo per siccum’. ff.
73r-75v: An untitled sermon, beginning: ‘Introduxerunt archam et
posuerunt eam in locum suum’. The manuscript contains a few
additions: f. 76r: Psalm 129, imperfect, written by a scribe in a
15 th -century script. ff. 58v, 59v, 66r, 67v contain titles added
by a scribe writing in a 17 th -century script. [ff. 35v, [35a]
recto, [35a] verso, 76v are blank].Decoration:Large initials in red
and blue. Small initials in red (ff. 1r-35r); Large initials in red
and green. Small initials in red. (ff. 36r-75v). Neumes and clefs
in black ink on line bars in red ink on ff. 57v-59r.
