Homilies on the Psalms- Med MS 9B

John Chrysostom, Homilies on the Psalms. Single folio on vellum. Flanders or possibly northern France, ca. 1450: 308 x 229 mm (written area 200 x 145 mm). Double columns, 40 lines. Written in lettres bâtardes. From the collection of Cleveland dealer Otto F. Ege (1888-1951), who included fragments of this manuscript in his portfolio, Fifty Original Leaves from Medieval Manuscripts (#41). This manuscript is item 56 in De Ricci’s Census (vol. II, p. 1945), a Flemish compilation that originally included Gregory’s Dialogi, minor works of Chrysostom, and Anselm’s Meditationes. Text: opening of Chrysostom’s homily on Psalm 1. Provenance: From the library of Charles Van der Cruisse de Waziers, and obtained by Ege in 1925 from an English source.

John Chrysostom (ca. 349-407), Bishop of Constantinople, was known for his preaching and denunciation of abuse of authority. Named Chrysostomos meaning “golden-mouthed” after his death, he rejected the contemporary trend for allegory, instead speaking plainly and applying Bible passages and lessons to everyday life.