Rules and statutes relating to the Antonine order

Statutes of the order of St Anthony of Vienne, the Rule of St Augustine, and an Office of Baptism

The first two works are written in a clear gothic hand, 25 lines to a page. The last item in a rounded gothic hand, probably somewhat later, with a similar number of lines to a page. The table of contents to the first work is in double-column of 44 lines. On f. 26r is a large initial F in blue and red, other capitals in alternate blue and red, heading and chapter numbers in red. On recto of the second leaf are some scribblings in a 15th century hand and 'Ces livre es [à] moy [Auguste?] de crapinet [?]'. Below the Explicit of the last work, a contemporary hand has written 'O salutaris ostia que celis pandis ost[i]um'.

Contents

ff. 1v-2r Various notes and inscriptions in 15th and 19th century hands

1. ff. 2v-25r Statuta Ordinis Sancti Antonii

f. 2v Table of contents

f. 3r: Incipiunt statuta ordinis sancti antonii Viennensis. Universis et singulis presentibus et futuris quibus presencium noticiam peruenerit. Iacobus permissione diuina abbas monasterii sancti theofredi ordinis sancti benedicti aniciensis dyocesis ... f. 24v Acta fuerunt hec in dicto monas [f. 25r] terio sancti antonii viennensis dyocesis in aula maiori abbacialis loco capituli assignato. sub anno domini millesimo ccclxvii. indicione. v. die, xii. iunii ... line 16 Et ego iohannes guaidi de possessa clericus cathalensis dyocesis apostolica et imperiali auctoritate notarius qui predicta statuta ... publice legi et omnibus supradictis presens interfui. et de eis notam recepi una cum dicto balduino notario requisitus.

f. 25v blank

2. ff. 26r-67v Regula beati Augustini, with Provençal commentary

f. 26r: Incipit regula beati augustini seu alique expositiones eiusdem regule. Fratres quia aduersarius noster diabolus ... f. 67v ... et lo gard de cheyre en temptacion de le neuit. Quod uobis concedere dignetur ipse qui regnat trinus et unus in secula benedictus. Amen.

3. ff. 68r-76v Officium baptismi

f. 68r Incipit ordo ad infantes signandos. Quando fuerit hora baptizandi ueniant ad ecclesiam infantes ... Est homo vel mulier ... f. 76v ... deus dominus et illuxit nobis. Explicit officium baptismi.

f. 77r-v blank

1367

1 volume 77 ff. 4to. 19 x 13 cm. On vellum. Original stamped leather sides let in 19th century calf binding. Last 6 leaves slightly wormed; the first and last leaves are laid down.

Purchased at Sotheby's 27/2/1899 (Lot 335).

Produced in Vienne. Of the Antonines, or Hospital Brothers of St Anthony, the Catholic Encyclopaedia (Vol. I, p. 555) states that the Order was founded c. 1095 by Gaston de Dauphine and his son in thanksgiving for miraculous relief from 'St. Anthony's Fire'. They were constituted Canons Regular, following the Augustinian Rule, by Boniface VIII in 1297, and united with the Knights of Malta in 1777. The mother house was at St. Antoine en Viennois. They were suppressed during the French Revolution.

Catalogue description modified in 2014. For original description, see S.A.J. Moorat, Catalogue of Western Manuscripts on Medicine and Science in the Wellcome Historical Medical Library (London: Wellcome Institute for the History of Medicine, 1962-1973).

This material has been digitised and can be freely accessed online through Wellcome Collection catalogue.

On f. 1v are notes in French and English by early 19th century hands concerning the manuscript, and the signature of 'Alfred J[ohn] Horwood [1821-1881], Temple', an Inspector under the Historical Manuscripts Commission. In pencil inside the upper cover by another hand 'Bought from Bachelin Deflorenne in Garrick Street £12:12:0'.