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The Virgin Mary. Works and legends

Reference code
MSS/0304
Title
The Virgin Mary. Works and legends
Date
mid 16th century
Level of description
item
Extent and format
Paper; ff. iv + 223. Duodecimo. Vellum. Fragments of a former binding, fols. ii, iv, from a 12th century servicebook with neumes (red stave line), and initials. Owned, 17th century, by 'D. Lambertus Greimberganus Letiensis Monachus' (fol. 1)
Scope and content
Works relating to the BVM, and legends conc. miraculous images of Christ (dates, 'Anno 1554', fol. iii verso, 'Anno 1553', fol. 41v). Latin. Contents:- (1) Preface (fol. 1) followed by the 'libellus S. Hildefonsi.. de pudicitia seu integritate beatae Mariae Virginis deiparae'. St Hildephonsus, Archbishop of Toledo, 657, devoted himself to the cult of the BVM after a vision, fols. 1-28;- (2) 'Epistola fratris Germani ad Simonem priorem suum de interpretatione nominis beatae Mariae..'. An interpretation of the names of the BVM and Christ, fols. 28-31v;- (3)-(5) relate to the Psalter of Mary and the Rosary which developed in the late Middle Ages:- (3) 'Septem psalmi: in honorem et laudem deiparae Virginis Mariae aediti: cum Litania ad eandem'. Seven psalms in honour of the BVM with a litany, fols. 32-40;- (4) Prologue (fols. 42-5) followed by the 'Speculum Rosarii beatae Mariae Virginis'. In fourteen chapters. fols. 42-136;- (5) Three quinquagenas (groups of fifty) of the Psalter of Mary followed (fols. 177-88) by the 'Praefatio Rosarii' (a summary quinquagena), and chapters 14, 15 (fols. 188v-203) conc, the Rosary, fols. 136-203;- (6) 'Relatio miraculorum dni nostri Jesu Christi quae per imaginem ipsius facta sunt in Beritho civitate 50 Idus Novemb.' (fols. 209r, v), followed by the 'Libellus Athanasii archiepiscopi Alexandrinae urbis, de passione imaginis nostri Jesu Christi'. An account of miracles associated with the crucifix in Beirut attributed to Nicodemus. Printed by Migne, Patr. Graeca, 28 (1857), 811-20, among the spurious works of Athanasius. fols. 209-18;- (7) 'Alia narratio seu descriptio qualiter vultus domini de Jerosolymis ad Lucaniam civitatem sit delatus'. The account by the deacon Leobinus (Leboino) of the discovery in 742 by a Piedmontese bishop of a crucifix made by Nicodemus and its miraculous conveyance to the cathedral of St Martin in Lucca (the Volto Santo of Lucca). See A. Bernareggi, 'II 'Volto Santo' di Lucca', Rivista di Archeologia Cristiana, II (1924), 117-55, for bibliography (p. 118) and discussion of the date of the alleged discovery (pp. 125-6) and the probable dependence of this legend (?compiled in the 11th century) on the crucifix of Nicodemus at Beirut (see (6) above), fols. 218v-23v.
Previous reference number(s)
SAL/MS/304
Language
Latin