Summa confessorum [and] Tractatus de instructione confessorum, in Latin

France, mid-fourteenth century.

A complete leaf and a partial bifolium (the single leaf measures 374 x 293 mm (268 x 214 mm)), double columns of 51 lines of a fine rounded gothic bookhand, ruled in plummet, with a long initial ‘I’ partly set into to text and two four-line initials all in divided red and blue with elaborate contrasting penwork, two-line initials alternately in red and blue with contrasting penwork, quotations underlined in red, paragraph marks alternately in red and blue, one catchword at end of partial bifolium, rubrics; recovered from use as archival wrappers and with consequent staining and wear, bifolium trimmed at head with loss of six lines of text, parchment of bifolium defective with loss of text from outer columns, various post-medieval inscriptions including the date ‘1569’, generally in good legible condition.

£1500 + VAT

Approximately:
US $1945€1785

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From a large and well-decorated manuscript containing the Dominican theologian John of Freiburg’s massive Summa confessorum (written in 1297–8) and his smaller Tractatus de instructione confessorum (also known as the Confessionale and written shortly after the Summa). Designed as an aid to preachers and teachers, the former work began as an index to Raymond of Peñafort’s Summa de casibus poenitentiae. Both works were very popular in the Middle Ages and survive in numerous manuscripts.

Five leaves evidently from the same manuscript were Bloomsbury Auctions, ‘Western Manuscripts and Miniatures’, 6 July 2022, lot 35. Two further bifolia were Quaritch Catalogue 1270 (2000) no. 43, described as ‘Italy, early 14th century’ and with archival labels dated ‘1569’ and ‘1570’.

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