Augustine of Hippo. Leaf from a Large Manuscript of Sermones. Manuscript on vellum C13th

AUGUSTINE OF HIPPO. Leaf from a Large Manuscript of Sermones cxxiii-cxxxiv In Latin, manuscript on vellum

[France, second half of the 13th century]

335 x 222 mm

Single large leaf, with text in double column of 37 lines of a good gothic bookhand, rubric, running titles and large initial in red (the last with red penwork infill in so-called ‘frogspawn’ pattern).

Recovered from reuse in a binding and with some marks and small stains, clipped corners and folds in blank margins.

St. Augustine of Hippo (354-430) is perhaps the most well-known and influential father of the Early Medieval Church. He was of Berber origin and lived in Roman North Africa, where he served as bishop of the town of Hippo.

It was there that he wrote his commentaries on Genesis, Psalms and Paul’s letter to the  Romans, as well as his Confessions, City of God and a large sermon collection (as with the present manuscript).

Provenance

1. Cut from the parent manuscript book and used in the binding of a later book, most probably in the 1 6th- or 17thcentury.
2. From the collection of the late Professor Marvin Colker, his MS. 37; acquired from Maggs Bros. in 1964.