The vellum with an exceptionally delicate sewn repair.
Recto: Text in Latin written in two columns on high quality vellum in black ink in two sizes of an assured Gothic bookhand. Pricking marks on the right margin. Ruled in red, rubrics in red and some initials touched in yellow. Five exquisite two-line illuminated initials in pink and blue outlined in black and finished with fine white penwork. The initials are on highly burnished gold grounds and infilled with a variety of coloured foliate designs. Four have illuminations radiating into the margins of black tendrils bearing coloured acanthus and other flowers, green leaves and burnished gold ivy leaves and bezants.
Verso: As Recto, with a further two equally fine two-line illuminated initials.
Origin: Northern France/Flanders, for the Use of Sarum (Salisbury).
Date: c.1475
Content: The illuminated initial ‘A’ at the top of the left column on Recto begins a Homily by Gregory the Great on the temptations of Jesus in the desert. Gregory’s commentary is drawn from Matthew 4:1-11.
An non diaboli membrum fuit Pilatus? An non diaboli membra Judaei persequentes, et milites crucifigentes Christum fuerunt? Quid ergo mirum si se ab illo permisit in montem duci, qui se perculit etiam a membris illius crucifigi? Non est ergo indignum Redemptori nostro quod tentari voluit, qui venerat occidi.
(Was not Pilate a member of the devil? Were not the members of the devil persecuting the Jews, and the soldiers crucifying Christ? What wonder, then, if he allowed himself to be led up the mountain by him, who himself was struck by the members of that crucified? Therefore it is not unworthy of our Redeemer that he wanted to be tempted, who had come to be sacrificed.)
Condition: The leaf is in pristine condition on clean, fine vellum and displays jewel-like illuminations as colourful and lustrous as the day they were done, well over 500 years ago.
One exceptionally delicate sewn repair in the fifth line from the bottom of the right column of Recto.
Archivally mounted. Unconditionally guaranteed genuine.
Notes: The Homilies on the Gospels of Pope Gregory I (c.540-604) were among the most widely read and most greatly venerated texts of the Middle Ages. Delivered to the people of Rome during 590 and 591, soon after Gregory's election to the papacy, these sermons on the gospel readings for Sundays and feast days represent his only surviving public liturgical preaching.
Size: Leaf: approx. 190x140 mm.
Item No: MOT104
