United Kingdom, Oxford, Bodleian Library, Digby 55

Miscellany
Physical Description
  • Material: Parchment
  • Pages: II + 258 leaves
  • Leaves Format: not available
  • Dimensions: 200 x 145 mm
Detailed Description
  • Collation:
    Flyleaf I, II and ff. 257r- 258v are post-medieval binding leaves.
  • Decoration:
    Unfilled spaces for decoration. Occasional red or blue initials flourished in the other colour. Paragraph signs in red or blue.
  • Layout:
    Text is set in two columns.

    About 45 lines to the page.

    No script on ff. 101r- 101v . Ff. 226r- 227v are also blank, but for sparse notes.
    On ff. 252v and 253v we have early pencil notes, and on the same folios, as well as ff. 254v , 255v and 256v , pen-trials.
  • Hand Description:
    Text is written by multiple university-type hands of varying degrees of formality, from low grade bookhands influenced by anglicana to anglicana itself.
  • Binding Description:
    Digby binding, with one clasp remaining.
  • Provenance:
    According to Thomson , this codex was doubtless made and kept in Oxford, citing the pen-trials on ff. 252v , 253v , 254v and 255v . These contain the names of persons connected to Oxford.
    The codex was once owned by Thomas Allen, who bequeathed it to Sir Kenelm Digby in 1632 . It was given by Digby to the Bodleian Library in 1634 .
History
  • Origin Date: 13th century
  • Origin Place: England (Oxford)
  • Jörg Fauser , Die Werke des Albertus Magnus in ihrer handschriftlichen Überlieferung Vol. Part 1, Münster (1982) , p. 91
  • Richard William Hunt , Digby Manuscripts - A Reproduction of the 1883 Catalogue by W. D. Macray Vol. Bodleian Library Quarto Catalogues IX, Oxford (1999) , col. 55 - 58 [No. 55]
  • George Lacombe , Aristoteles Latinus Vol. Pars Prior, Rome (1939) , p.395
  • Rodney Malcolm Thomson , Catalogue of Medieval Manuscripts of Latin Commentaries on Aristotle in British Libraries Vol. Vol. 1: Oxford, Turnhout (2011) , pp. 125 - 129
Content
Roger Bacon De Signis Logicalibus 228r - 244r
Anonymous Proposiciones Magis Notabiles Rethorice Aristotelis Extracte 178r - 179v
  • Incipit:
    Incipiunt proposiciones ...; Rethorica assecutiua dialectice est ...
  • Explicit:
    ... et de aliis exortari et deortari etc.
Adam of Bockenfield Quaestiones on De Generatione 27v - 37v
  • Incipit:
    [Text:] De generacione et corrupcione ...
    [Commentary:] Amplius autem declarandum est quid alteracio quid augmentacio et utrum eadem sit natura generationis et alteracionis ...
  • Explicit:
    ... quod non accidit in generatis per decisionem. Explicit liber de Generacione et Corrupcione.
Anonymous Two Oxford Graduation Speeches 203r - 204v
Anonymous Quaestio de Logica 225r - 225v
Averroes De Substantia Orbis 96r - 99v
Averroes Commentary on the Parva Naturalia (Compendium libri de sensu et sensato) 86r - 89r
  • Incipit:
    Aueroys super librum de Sensu et Sensato. [V]irtutes quidem sensibiles quedam sunt necessarie in esse animalium ...
  • Explicit:
    ... loquendum est de eo in secundo tractatu huius libri.
Geoffrey of Aspall Commentary on De Caelo 1r - 21r
  • Incipit:
    ... et prosequend' conueniens et sic est principium motus localis in animalibus ...
  • Explicit:
    ... tunc descendit in ipso et si non tunc natat super ipsum. Explicit liber 4^us de C. [et] M. secundum ma. Gal. Haspall.
  • Note:
    The beginning is missing in 1. 2, the first leaf excised. This is the unique copy of this text.
Jacobus de Duaco Quaestiones on De Anima 37v - 37v
  • Incipit:
    Sicut scribitur in sapenciis Ptholomei Insipiens est qui sui ipsius quantitatem ignorat ...
  • Explicit:
    ... excitauerunt etiam intellectum nostrum ut habetur in 2° Elencorum.
  • Note:
    Inserted into blank space.
Robert Grosseteste Grammatica 158r - 178r
Anonymous Propositiones ex Libris Ethicorum 179v - 180v
  • Incipit:
    Fere itaque et singulariter unicum et communiter omnibus ...
  • Explicit:
    ... si honor auari si pecunie. Quoniam autem sepe confitentes.
Seneca De morum institutione 110r - 111r
Seneca De paupertate 111r - 111v
Seneca Formula vitae honestae 111v - 113r
  • Note:
    Thomson gives Martinus Bracarensis as a possible author.
Seneca De remediis fortuitorum 113r - 113v
  • Note:
    The text ends abruptly.
Siger of Brabant Quaestiones de Anima intellectiva 152r - 157v
  • Note:
    The text is followed by two quaestiones.
Thomas Aquinas De ente et essentia 198v - 203r
Thomas Aquinas De Fallaciis 245r - 251v
  • Note:
    The text ends abruptly. Authorship is not certain here.
William of Sherwood Syncategoremata 205r - 224v
Anonymous Commentary on De Anima 72r - 82v
  • Incipit:
    [Text:] [B]onorum et honorabilium etc.
    [Commentary:] Vna sciencia dicitur melior et nobilior alia aut propter certitudinem sue demonstracionis ...
  • Explicit:
    ... quod ab animo profertur linguam uero quatinus aliquid alteri significet. Explicit liber de Anima etc.
  • Note:
    This text can also be found in Paris, Bibliothèque Nationale, lat. 16096.
Albert the Great De intellectu et intelligibili 181r - 193r
Albert the Great De nutrimento et nutribili 193r - 198v
  • Explicit:
    ... dicta sint a nobis.
  • Note:
    Thomson gives the title as "De Nutrimento et Nutrito". Fauser gives the author as anonymous.
Anonymous Commentary on the Parva Naturalia 21r - 21v
  • Incipit:
    [Text:] [D]e eo quod est ...
    [Commentary:] Iste liber in quo Aristoteles determinat de causis longitudinis et breuitatis uite ...
  • Explicit:
    ... ideo incidenter hic comparat arbores ad animalia intercisa secundum conuenientiam et differentiam. Explict.
  • Note:
    According to Thomson , this was added to fill a blank space.
Anonymous Commentary on the Parva Naturalia 22r - 25v
  • Incipit:
    [Text:] Quoniam autem ...
    [Commentary:] Dictum est in libro de Anima quid sit anima in communi et etiam de unaquaque ...
  • Explicit:
    ... sequitur necessario idem esse sensile et insensile. Explicit.
Anonymous Commentary on the Parva Naturalia 25v - 27r
  • Incipit:
    [Text:] De eo autem quod est esse ...
    [Commentary:] Principium uite in omni uiuente est anima ...
  • Explicit:
    ... pauce sunt differentie alie a predictis in longitudine et breuitate uite in alico uiuente.
Anonymous Analysis of the Metaphysics 38r - 46v
  • Incipit:
    Intencio primi libri. Quod omnes homines naturaliter scire desiderant ...
  • Explicit:
    ... Hec uerba sunt communiter ualde notabilia pro parte sapienter tamen intelligenda quia difficultatem habent in parte et errorem. Explicit.
  • Note:
    The rest of f. 46v is filled with a long note "De Priuacione".
Anonymous Analysis of the Metaphysics 47r - 49r
  • Incipit:
    Quia secundum Gundissalinum philosophia habetur ex cognicione ueritatis ...
  • Explicit:
    Et sic completur distinccio parcium undecimi [sic] et per consequens generalitas tocius methaphisice. Explicit.
Anonymous Four Notes 49r - 49r
  • Note:
    The text consists of four short notes, three in Middle English.
Anonymous De modo essendi anime sensitive in corpore 49v - 49v
Anonymous Commentary on the Physics 50r - 71r
  • Incipit:
    [Text:] [Q]uoniam autem ...
    [Commentary:] Subiectum tocius naturalis philosophie est corpus mobile. In primo libro agit Aristoteles de principiis corporis mobilis ...
  • Explicit:
    ... nichil alterabit aut augmentabit sicut dictum est in motu grauis si autem aliter. Explicit liber septimus.
  • Note:
    The text has added quaestiones on ff. 71r- 71v .
Anonymous Quaestiones super Priscianum Minorem 126r - 151v
Anonymous Commentary on De Somno 82v - 84r
  • Incipit:
    [Text:] [D]e sompno autem ...
    [Commentary:] Primo utrum sint propria anime uel corporis uel communia ...
  • Explicit:
    ... a partibus exterioribus ad istam distinctionem faciendam que tamen completur sit uigilia. Explicit primus liber de sompno et uigilia.
  • Note:
    This is a commentary on De Somno I, only.
Anonymous Commentary on De Somno 84r - 86r
  • Incipit:
    [Text:] [P]ost hoc autem de sompnio etc.
    [Commentary:] Sompnium est passio uirtutis apprehensiue cuius non est uegetatiua ...
  • Explicit:
    ... amplius autem et que ex sompnii diuinacione dictum est. Explicit 3^us liber de Sompno et Vigilia.
  • Note:
    This is a commentary on De Somno II - III, only.
Anonymous De appetitu 95v - 96r
  • Note:
    Thomson gives the fuller heading "De alteracione continua. [C]ontinue alterantur res sicut resoluuntur et eque naturaliter" and adds, that this text can be found in many manuscripts of Aristotle commentaries. Bazàn attributes this text to Averroes . According to Lacombe , Galen and Aristotle are cited in this (anonymous) text, which can be found in Averroes Latinus codices, particularly in codices of English origin, always located after Averroes ' Compendium of De Longitudine.
Anonymous Quaestiones on the Physics 102r - 102v
  • Incipit:
    Dubia super primum Phisicorum. [T]unc opinamur cognoscere unumquodque cum causas cognoscimus primas et principia prima usque ad elementa ...
  • Explicit:
    ... quia non cadit sub distributione.
Anonymous Quaestiones on the Physics 103r - 109v
  • Incipit:
    [S]unt quedam res que secundum actus existendi et etiam secundum suam essentiam sunt in motu ...
  • Explicit:
    ... et sunt species substantie et alterius generis differunt secundum prius et posterius.
Anonymous Quaestiones on De anima 114r - 125v
  • Incipit:
    Questiones super libros de anima. [Q]ueritur de intellectu et quia necesse est has differencias esse in intellectu uidelicet intellectus potentialis et intellectus agens ...
  • Explicit:
    ... per comparationem ad polos mundi.
  • Note:
    This apparently is not a homogeneous work. The following extraneous pieces appear in it: "Minima creatura corporalis ostendit manifeste sui Conditoris trinitatem ... habent tres partes grammaticam rethoricam dyaleticam" (ff. 117v- 118v ), Ad acc[idit] modo intelligendum quomodo nunc manet unum in tempore sic incipe ... materia in quam possit ista latitudo creari" (ff. 118v- 119v ) and "[Q]uestio est de aumento cum enim in augmento tria sunt saluanda ... Explicit hec questio de aumento secundum magistrum A. de Bochefeld " (ff. 119v- 120v ).
Averroes Commentary on the Parva Naturalia (Compendium libri de memoria et reminiscentia) 86r - 89r
  • Incipit:
    Aueroys super librum de Memoria et Reminiscentia. [I]ste tractatus incipit perscrutari de rememoratione et inquisicione per rememorationem ...
  • Explicit:
    Et cum iam diximus de hac uirute dicendum est de sompno etc.
Averroes Commentary on the Parva Naturalia (Compendium libri de sompno et vigilia) 86r - 89r
  • Incipit:
    Aueroys super librum de Sompno et Vigilia. [D]e sompno et uigilia dicendum est primo utrum appropriantur anime aut corpori aut utrique ...
  • Explicit:
    ... et de causis accidencium suorum dictum est.
Averroes Commentary on the Parva Naturalia (Compendium libri de causis longitudinis et brevitatis vite) 86r - 89r
  • Incipit:
    Aueroys super librum de Morte et Vita. [I]n hoc tractatu perscrutatur de causis longitudinis et breuitatis uite. Dicamus igitur quod concessum est hic esse causas naturales ...
  • Explicit:
    ... accidit in animalibus ex habundancia calidi et humidi. Dictum est de causa longitudinis et breuitatis uite secundum nostrum posse et intellectum.