Manuscript fragment. Title from opening rubric. Collation: Parchment, iii (20th-century paper) + 11 (foliated 1-11 in 20th-century pencil) + ii (20th-century paper); mounted single leaves; fol. 4-7 signed b1-4; catchword on lower right margin on fol. 3v. Layout: Written in 2 columns of 49 lines; lead ruled. Script: Main text written in textualis formata by a single scribe with headings in textualis libraria. Decoration: decorated lower border on fol. 1r of acanthus leaves in red, blue, and gold, flowers in red, green, and gold, and rinceaux in black and gold; 3- or 4-line initials in gold, blue, pink, white, and black; 2-line alternating red and blue penwork initials; red and blue line fillers; paragraph marks in alternating red and blue; yellow wash on first letter of each sentence. Binding: 20th-century half red morocco with marbled paper over boards; marbled endpapers. Origin: Decoration suggests a mid-15th century French origin. Bulletin of the Art Institute of Chicago suggests it was "written and illuminated in Paris...very likely for the Sorbonne." Derolez attributes its origin to a Low Country. Related shelfmark: Ghent, Belgium, Ghent University Library, HS.0013. Related shelfmark: Toledo, OH, Museum of Art, MS 15. Related shelfmark: Chicago, IL, Art Institute, 15334. Shelfmark: Chicago, IL, University of Chicago Library, Ms707. Marginal notes in a bâtarde hand. "Nota" signs throughout in at least 3 hands. From the library of Guglielmo Libri; his sale at Sotheby and Wilkinson, 30 March 1859, no. 407. The sale catalogue describes this as part of a larger manuscript codex that also includes: 1. Geographia sive Descriptio orbis tam tarrae quam Maris sumpta ex libro de proprietatibus rerum compilato a Fr. Batholomaeo and 2. Tractatus de tribus orbis partibus ac variis naturis hominum portentorum... From the library of Sir Thomas Phillipps; his sale at Sotheby, Wilkinson & Hodge, 26 April 1911, no. 457. The sale catalogue describes this as part of a larger manuscript codex that also includes: 1. Geographia sive Descriptio orbis tam tarrae quam Maris sumpta ex libro de proprietatibus rerum compilato a Fr. Batholomaeo and 2. Tractatus de tribus orbis partibus ac variis naturis hominum... Presentation leaf before fol. 1: "Brocardus. Descriptio seu declaratio terrae sanctae. Saec. XIV. Presented to the libraries of the University of Chicago by the Rev. Frank W. Gunsaulus, D.D. 1915." Presentation leaf laid in: "Brocardus (d.1283): Descriptio...Terre Sancte. A manuscript of the second half of the fourteenth century, written in Paris. This book on Palestine had great popularity. Gift of Dr. F.W. Gunsaulus."
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