B_OB_MS159 - Policraticus Iohannis Salabriensis de nugis curialium [titel explicit]
Policraticus Iohannis Salabriensis de nugis curialium [titel explicit]
'Iste liber pertinet magistro Iohanni de Pascuis sacre theologie professori. Qui eum abstulerit vel folium scienter decerpserit anathema sit' - 15de eeuw
Written in eight books, the Policraticus is deemed one of the first works on political theory. Its author, John of Salisbury (d. 1180) was an Englishman who spent much of his life and career in France, and ended his life as bishop of Chartres. Work on the Policraticus began in the 1150s, while John worked as a secretary to bishop Theobald of Canterbury. This position allowed him insight in the matters and power struggles the English elite was engaged in. The tumultuous times in the mid-12th century were formative in constructing his views on the relationship between princes and their subjects, the confinement of princely power within the boundaries set by law, and the distinction between princes and tyrants based on their adherence to the laws. While written as an exponent of the mirror genre, the Policraticus is quite unique in that it not only offers advice to princes, but also to courtiers and bureaucrats. The Bruges copy contains a colophon containing the date and location of production: "Scriptus Parisius anno Domini 1352o decimo Kalendas martii", translating to Paris, February 20th 1352. The text is executed quite soberly, presented in a single column per page and written in a cursive hand. Red ink is used for initials, rubrics, and to emphasize certain majuscules. Before each book the respective list of chapters is found as one continuous text, with Roman numerals added in red ink. The broad outer margins are used for pointing out the location of names and indicating interesting passages through manuculi. Most likely it was a copy made for members of the Paris university and intended to be used for studying. This bridges the gap to the question how it found its way in the library. The final fly leaf contains an ownership inscription: "Iste liber pertinet magistro Iohanni de Pascuis sacre theologie professori. Qui eum abstulerit vel folium scienter decerpserit anathema sit." Johannes de Pascuis was a 15th-century monk at Ter Doest, who had studied theology in Paris. Earlier in his career, as a baccalaureate and while still studying, he had already acquired four volumes on behalf of the abbey; now, as a professor this was one of the books that he brought with him. When the abbey was fused with Ten Duinen, the books were absorbed into the latter's library. The first and last leaves carry the cross-shaped stamp of Ten Duinen. The binding is roughly contemporary and consists of blindstamped brown leather over wooden boards, with traces of two clasps. [Summary by Dr. Mark Vermeer]
Inc. prol. (f. 1v): 'Iocundissimus cum in multis tum in eo maxime litterarum fructus'; inc. (f. 3r): 'Inter omnia que viris solent obesse principibus'; expl. (f. 146v): 'et palam faciat viam qua nobis incedendum est in beneplacito suo et dirigat in eo gressus nostros. Amen. Explicit liber octauus. Explicit Policraticus Iohannis Salabriensis de nugis curialium'
Folio 146v: 'Scriptus Parisius anno domini 1352 decimo kalendi Martii. Hunc librum scripsit Iohannes Salabriensis postea episcopus Carnocensis beato Thome archiepiscopo Cantuariensis quando fuit cancellarius regis Anglie'
De voorste twee schutbladen zijn gelinieerd, het achterste schutblad is gedeeltelijk gelinieerd
De Poorter, A., Catalogue des manuscrits de la bibliothèque publique de la ville de Bruges (Catalogue général des manuscrits des bibliothèques de Belgique 2), Gembloux: Duculot, 1934
Isaac, M.T., Les livres manuscrits de l'Abbaye des Dunes d'après le catalogue du XVIIe siècle (Livre - Idées - Société 4), Verviers: Gason, 1984
van Belleghem, Doenja (ed.), De Duinenhandschriften : over de manuscripten van de cisterciënzerabdij Ten Duinen in het Grootseminarie Brugge en de Openbare bibliotheek Brugge, Brugge: Openbare Bibliotheek, 2016
Online catalogue description by Dr. Evelien Hauwaerts (Public Library Bruges). Online catalogusbeschrijving door Dr. Evelien Hauwaerts (Openbare Bibliotheek Brugge)
Cisterciënzerabdij Ter Doest (S.O.Cist.)
Cisterciënzerabdij Ten Duinen (S.O.Cist.)
Mmmonk: Middeleeuwse Monastieke Manuscripten - Open - Netwerk - Kennis