Peter Lombard’s Sentences: Five 13th Century Leaves from the Textbook for the Divine

The “Sentences” were the most commented on piece of Christian literature of the era for four centuries, through the Reformation, and were lectured on by Martin Luther himself

 

We found no record of another example of such early commentaries on Lombard using the text of Marchesinus.

Often, we have the assumption that the great men of the Middle Ages came from royal families or important lines. The French romances, from which our modern pop culture derives so much, offer stories of men who come to nobility through bravery on the field of combat, are made knights, and their chivalry is supported by a long-lost connection to royalty. Ancient line established, ancient line continued, and so great, learned men beget great, learned men. The poor and illiterate fill the margins of medieval history with no room for upward mobility from nothing to greatness.

Peter Lombard, Bishop of Paris, revolutionary of Christian theology, came from humble beginnings. We only know that he came from Lumellogno, in Lombardy (hence his appellation) because of a 13th century marginal note. Chronicle accounts state that his mother was a washerwoman. It was likely in city of Lucca where young Peter received his opportunity while being educated—the Bishop of Lucca, Herbert, recommended Peter to Saint Bernard of Clairvaux, who came from a line of Burgundian nobility. Bernard is known for his founding of the Abbey of Clairvaux and his involvement and development of the Knights Templar. With the support of Bernard, Peter had the chance to leave Italy and continue his study of theology in France.

By 1136, Peter Lombard’s reputation was established. By the age of 40, more or less, Lombard was hailed by one of the great theologians as a “venerable man.” A decade later, Peter was lauded in poetry as “celebram theologum … Lumbardum” (the famous theologian, the Lombard) and was teaching at the cathedral school of Notre Dame. In 1159, he became the Bishop of Paris.

For centuries, Peter Lombard’s twelfth-century collection of patristic interpretations of Scripture (or “Sentences”) served as the foundation for the formal study of Christian theology. Medieval universities, as a standard, required those pursuing the accolade of master of theology to lecture on the Sentences, thus making it the most commented upon piece of Christian literature, even surpassing the Bible. The importance of the Sentences endured for four centuries, past the Reformation, and were lectured on by Martin Luther himself, until the academicians in the 16th century re-centred [what do you mean by re-centred?] the Summa theologiae of Thomas Aquinas, another theologian, born to a noble and powerful family, unlike Peter Lombard.

Medieval manuscript, likely 13th century Italy, five leaves of extensive, tiny gothic text from Peter Lombard’s Sententiae, with marginal commentary copied from John Marchesiunus’ Mammomectrus Super Bibliam.

This manuscript was written likely within a century of Peter Lombard’s death, probably in use by one of the aspiring masters of theology required to lecture upon the text. We get a glimpse into the student’s theological thought process as he has copied out passages from the much lesser-known, but still contextually important, Mammotrectus super Bibliam by John Marchesinus. This didactic text was intended for the instruction of clerics and used in Franciscan schools—further supporting the image—we can picture of a 14th century student, hunched over this parchment, illuminated by candle light, maybe as the Black Plague was just beginning to cast its shadow of the south of his country, Italy, in the middle part of the 1300s.

A fascinating working manuscript of one of the foundational works of the Middle Ages, written close to the life of its original author. We found no record of another example of such early commentaries on Lombard using the text of John Marchesinus.

More details

FIVE LEAVES from PETER LOMBARD’S SENTENTIAE, with marginal commentary copied from JOHN MARCHESIUNUS’ MAMMOTRECTUS SUPER BIBLIAM

[Italy, c. mid-13th c.]

Leaf measurements 140mm x 194 mm, columns 44m x 137mm, 50 lines in two columns written in brown ink in southern Gothic bookhand (textualis) between five verticals (one vertical as a bounding line for each margin, with a central vertical between the columns) 51 horizontals ruled across central margin with two additional horizontals for the running head; running head indicating book number in Roman numerals; several minor marginal annotations; 11 single line pilcrows in alternating red and blue with alternating red or blue penflourishes, 1 two line pilcrow in red, with blue penflourishes, guideletters still visible in gutters and some along foredge; one catch word remains; medieval foliation (6, 19, 59(?), 189, 193) in ink and some modern foliation in pencil. Hair and flesh side easily distinguishable.

One folio contains extensive marginal writing providing additional text from John Marchesiunus’ Mammotrectus super Bibliam. Script appears to be 14th century, with some idiocyncracies, such as a crook in some of the bowls of majuscules. Additional ruling in red ink accommodates text, likely by the hand which added the text.

The closest textual match comes from an Early Modern edition of Summa aurea in quattuor libros sententiarum of Petrus Lombardus a subtilissimo doctore magistro Guillermo altissiodorẽsi edita, quam nuper a mendis plurimi doctissimus sacre theologie professor magister Guillermus de quercu diligenti admodum castigatione emendauit ac tabulam huic pernecessariam edidit, published in Paris, in 1518 by François Regnault.