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This 15th century manuscript (revised in 1468) contains only the Adversus Marcionem of Tertullian. It belongs to a now incomplete copy of the beta (Hirsau) branch of the Corpus Cluniacense family of manuscripts. I have requested to photograph this, but been refused permission to do so.
This may be in the Library of Eötvös Loránd University which has a nice but far too low-resolution picture of folio 1 online:
Here is a better image of folio 1r: 4
And here a monochrome one of f.178:5
The manuscript is written on parchment. It contains 178 folios. 200 x 290 mm. The incipit reads "Adversus Marcionem Stoicum libri V." Guessing from the Hungarian below, there is a note in it at the end, "Finivi transcurrendo Nitrie die II. Iunii MCCCCLXVIII. Emendare bene non potui propter inemendatum exemplar."
Petitmengin 1 tells us that it was written by the same Florentine scribe who specialised in Tertullian, and also wrote Vat. lat. 189/192/193. It was decorated richly by Francesco di Antonio del Chierico. The text was revised by Johannes Vitèz, bishop of Oradea (Grosswardein) in Transylvania, in 1468, and then became part of the Corvinian library 3. This was dispersed, and portions seized by the Turks, but today it is again held in the University library (Egyetemi Könyvtár)
The same hand also wrote the corpus of 6 treatises in BL Addit. 16901, which has also been carefully revised, perhaps also for the King of Hungary? (Vitez earlier had had yet another copy of the Apologeticum made in Transylvania (today Salzburg, S. Peter, A.VII.39) from the Admont manuscript). There must also have been a third volume (containing the same contents as Vat. lat. 189).
Berkovits, pp.33-34:
Several other Corvinian manuscripts of Florentine origin, illuminated with interlaced foliated scroll, are preserved in the Budapest University Library. In general, their decoration is not inferior to that of the above-mentioned Florentine Corvinian manuscripts, there being only shades of differences discernible in their style. Decoration akin to that of the Itinerarium may be found in the Corvinian codex of Tertullian (Cod. lat. 10) (Plate V), where, in addition to similar decorative elements, the red, blue and green priming of the white leaf and scroll design with the groups of three dots is also present. However, the codex of Tertullian lacks the life-like bunch of flowers rounding oif the design at the top and bottom edges of the page; the more common, stylized pattern o£ white leaves is seen instead. At the same time, illumination is enriched with fine figurative elements. There are little birds and putti, and the green garland encircling the crest in the middle of the lower marginal decoration is held by two large-winged, long-robed angels. Moreover, in the lower curve of the capital initial S ornamented with leaf and scroll, the boldly flowing profusion of white tendrils encloses a half-length portrait of the author showing two pages of his open book held in his left hand. However, whereas the delineation of the two authors in the initial of Pseudo-Clement's Itinerarium is realistic in style----the bearded face of Rufinus and the portrait of Pope Gaudentius display definite and characteristic individual traits----the miniaturist who decorated the codex of Tertullian showed the author as an attractive youth and is painted in the idealistic spirit of Florence at the time of the Renaissance, with a striving for beauty, and showing perhaps the nearest approach to the style of Ghirlandaio.
This Tertullian codex is remarkable for containing----like Pseudo-Clement's Itinerarium ----a handwritten note by Johannes Vitéz, with exact date, on folio 178a: "Finiui transcurrendo Nitrie, die ij Juny 1468," proving that Vitéz had read the volume in the summer of 1468 at Nyitra. Hence this codex must have been produced in the 'sixties, before 1468, by an excellent miniaturist in Florence. The style of this miniaturist displays unmistakable affinity to the delicate, close-set white foliated design decorating two other volumes of the Corvinian Library which is seen only on the title page of these two manuscripts in the Budapest University Library. One contains Eusebius Pamphili's work entitled De evangelica praeparatione (Cod. lat. 6) (Plate VI), the other the works of Cornelius Nepos and Aurelius Victor: Scriptores historiae Augustae (Cod. lat. 7) (Plate VII). In both volumes the title page is framed by illumination on three sides, and the green garland encircling the coat-of-arms is held by two little winged putti. Both at the top and bottom, the marginal decoration is rounded off with plain white stylized leaf and scroll patterns instead of the realistic bouquet. The lightly interwoven white scroll, delicate as lace, is enlivened with vividly coloured birds. The initials are also elaborately decorated with the intricate, transparent web of the lacy white foliated design. The illumination of these two manuscripts, executed in the style of the most elaborate foliated scroll produced by Florentine Renaissance art, must presumably have also been painted towards the close of the 1460's and may be assumed to have come from the workshop of Vespasiano da Bisticci.
1. From Csaba Csapodi, Description of surviving authentic Corvinian manuscripts, in Bibliotheca Corviniana: The library of Matthias Corvinus of Hungary, Shannon: Irish University Press (1969). ISBN 7-165-0311-5. pp.41-42:
Budapest : Egyetemi Könyvtár (University library)
Cod. Lat. 10. 13Tertullianus, Quintus Septimius Florens: Adversus Marcionem Stoicum libri V.
The author, a Roman lawyer (c. 160-after 220), though a layman, was a prominent theologian, following first the Catholic, then the Montanist doctrines. The present work was written against Marcion who rejected the Old Testament; Tertullianus refuted the existence of any contradiction between the Old and the New Testaments.
Parchment manuscript of 178 folios, 200 by 290 mm. - Script: humanistica rotunda. - Scribe: unknown. - Illuminated at Florence, before 1468. - The original binding was of violet velvet, at present the volume has a nineteenth-century Turkish leather cover. Polychrome gilt edge, made at Buda. The manuscript may be assumed to have belonged to Iohannes Vitéz, because it contains a note by him referring to his emendation of the text at Nyitra in 1468: "finivi transcurrendo Nitrie die II Iunii MCCCCLXVIII. Emendare bene non potui propter inemendatum exemplar." The later fate of the manuscript was similar to that of the other Corvinian volumes in the University Library.
Literature: Csontosi I, No. 10. - Mezey, No. 10. - Ancona II, No. 725. Fógel I, 56; Fógel II, 14; Hevesy 24; Weinberger 33; Hoffmann 56; Berkovits 11.
Reproduction: Berkovits, Plate V.
The 'later fate' is explained under Cod. Lat. 1 (p.40). All this group of manuscripts were removed from Buda by the Sultan Solyman in 1526 as booty after the fall of the city to the Turks. In 1877 the Sultan Abdul-Hamid made a gift of these 13 books to Hungary. The original splendid Corvinian bindings were all replaced by 19th century Turkish leather at this time. The number 13 seems to be a number assigned in Csapodi's Description.
The references are explained on p.385ff (not checked):
Berkovits = Ilona BERKOVITS, Illuminated manuscripts from the library of Matthias Corvinus. Budapest (1964).
Csontosi I = CSONTOSI, János: "A Konstantinápolyból érkezett Corvinák bibliográfiai ismertetése" [Bibliographic Report on the Corvinian Manuscripts from Constantinople]. MK, 1877, pp. 157-218.
Mezey = MEZEY, László: Codices Latini Medii Aevi Bibliothecae Universitatis Budapestinensis. Budapest (1961).
Ancona = ANCONA, Paolo d': La miniatura fiorentina. Secoli XI- XVI, I-II. Firenze (1914)
Fógel I = FÓGEL, József: "A Corvina-könyvtár katalógusa" [Catalogue of the Corvinian Library]. Bibliotheca Corvina I, pp. 59-81.
Fógel II = FÓGEL, Giuseppe: "Catalogo della Biblioteca Corvina." Bibliotheca Corvina II, pp. 63-89.
Hevesy = HEVESY, André de: La Bibliothéque du roi Matthias Corvin. Paris (1923), resp. the included "Catalogue de ce qui resté de la bibliothéque du roi Matthias Corvin", pp. 59-93.
Hoffmann = HOFFMANN, Edith: Catalogue of Corvinian Manuscripts, in Hoffmann VI.
Hoffmann VI = HOFFMANN, Edith: Régi magyar bibliofilek [Old Hungarian Bibliophiles]. Budapest (1929)
2. From Ilona Berkovits, Illuminated manuscripts from the library of Matthias Corvinus. Budapest (1964):
11. Cod. lat. 10.
Qu. Septimius Florus Tertullianus: Adversus Martionem (sic.-RP) Stoicum (278 by 190 mm). Parchment. II + 178 + I leaves. Cover: 19th century green leather, Corvinian gilt edge with inscription. Gift of the Turkish sultan.
Florentine work from the 1460's (before 1468). Presumably painted by an eminent miniaturist at the workshop of Vespasiano da Bisticci.
Folio 1a
Marginal illumination, with the crest of Matthias; initial S with the author's (?) portrait (Plate V).
Folio 2a
Text of donation in gilded Turkish characters. Initials of artistic workmanship to be found also on folios 23b, 45b, 69b, 138b, 140a, 146b, 159a, 163a, 167a, 168b, 169b, 174b, 176b, 178a.
Folio 178a
"Finiui transcurrendo Nitrie die ij Juny 1468. Emendare bene non potui propter inemendatum exemplar." (Johannes Vitéz's note.)
Cat. Cod. Bibl. Univ. 10. - D'Ancona II, p. 334, No. 725. - Hevesy, 24. - Bibl. Corv. I, 56. - Bibl. Corv. II, 14. - Hoffmann III, 56. - Zolnai, p. 78. -Mezey, pp. 30-31.
The references are explained:
Bibl. Corv. I = Fraknói, Vilmos----Fógel, József----Gulyás, Pál----Hoffmann, Edith: Bibliotheca Corvina. Mátyás király budai könyvtára [Bibliotheca Corvina. King Matthias's Library of Buda]. Budapest, 1927.
Bibl. Corv. II = Fraknói, Guglielmo----Fógel, Giuseppe----Gulyás, Paolo----Hoffmann, Edith: Bibliotheca Corvina. La Biblioteca di Mattia Corvino, re d'Ungheria. Translated by Luigi Zambra, Budapest, 1927.
Cat. Cod. Bibl. Univ. = Catalogus Codicum Bibliothecae Universitatis R. Scientiarium Budapestiensis. MDCCCLXXXI.
D'Ancona I,D'Ancona II = D'Ancona, Paolo: La miniatűr a fiorentina. Florence, 1914. Vol. I; Vol. II. Egyetemi Könyvtár [University Library], Budapest.
Hevesy = Hevesy, Andre de: La Bibliotheque du roi Mathias Corvin. Paris, 1923.
Hoffmann III = Hoffmann, Edith: Régi magyar bibliofilek [Old Hungarian Bibliophiles]. Budapest, 1929.
Mezey = Mezey, Ladislaus: Codices latini medii aevi Bibliothecae Universitatis Budapestiensis. Budapest, 1961.
Zolnai = Zolnai, Klára, in collaboration with József Fitz: Bibliographia Bibliothecae Regis Mathiae Corvini. Mátyás király könyvtárának irodalma [Bibliography of King Matthias's Library], Budapest, 1942 (Az Országos Széchényi Könyvtár kiadványai, X. ---- Publications of the National Széchényi Library, X).
* For other bibliographical data concerning the literature of Corvinian manuscripts, see Zolnai's work cited above.
3. From Kl. CSAPODI-GÁRDONYI, Die bibliothek des Johannes Vitez, Budapest (1984) p. 140:5
Abb. 77 Tertullianus, Quintus Septimius Florens
107. Adversus Marcionem Stoicum libri V.
Authentische Corvine.
Budapest, Universitätsbibliothek, Cod. lat. 10.
Pergament, 178 Fol., 280 x 200 mm.
Schrift: humanistische Rotunde.
(Csontosi hielt irrtümlich Septimius Florentinus für den Schreiber.)
Emendiert von Vitez; auf Fol. 178': "Finivi transcurrendo Nitriae die 2 Junii 1468. Emendare bene non potui propter inemendatum exemplar."
Buchschmuck: Rankengeflecht, Florenz.
Wappen: Matthias.
Einband: türkisches Leder, 19. Jh., ursprünglich violetter Samt (Dethier).
Besitzer: Matthias, Konstantinopel, Universitätsbibliothek Budapest 1877.
Lit.: Csontosi I., III., Fraknói IX., S. 89-91, Hoffmann I., (Nr. 12), S. 62, Csapodi I., Nr. 628, Csapodi-Gärdonyi IV., IX., Mezey 10.Tertullian (ca. 160----220 u. Z.).
Fraknói schreibt über die Emendationen von Vitez folgendes: "Johannes Vitez hat diesen Kodex korrigiert und den Text mit einem anderen Kodex verglichen. Da aber der letztere bei weitem nicht korrekt war, konnte er die Korrektur nur unzulänglich ausführen. Doch ist der beschriebene Kodex mit skandalöser Nachlässigkeit abgeschrieben worden und wimmelt von Fehlern ---- obgleich er schon in der Werkstatt in gewissem Maße korrigiert wurde, worauf ausgesparte Reume hinweisen. Johannes Vitez setzte sich vor allem zum Ziel, die fehlenden Interpunktionen zu ergänzen, die Fehler mit Strichen und Kreuzen am Rand zu kennzeichnen sowie die überflüssigen Zeilen, Worte und Silben zu streichen. Dabei markierte er jene Stellen, die ihm später vielleicht nützlich werden könnten, mit verschiedenen Kennzeichen und inhaltlichen Zusammenfassungen. Diese Stellen dürften für Humanisten, die klassische Studien betrieben, von Interesse gewesen sein und andererseits waren sie für den Theologen von Nutzen. Auch dieser Kodex gelangte nur zum Zweck der Benutzung aus der Bibliothek von Matthias zu Vitez."
The references are explained:
Csapodi-Gardonyi IV = Csapodi, Csaba: Janus Pannonius könyvei és pécsi könyvtára (Die Bücher des Janus Pannonius und seine Bibliothek in Fünfkirchen). In: Janus Pannonius. Memória Saeculorum Hungáriáé, 2. Budapest 1975, S. 189-206.
Csapodi-Gardonyi IX = Csapodi-Gárdonyi, Klára: Ein als Corviné entdeckter Kodex in der Vaticana. In: Gutenberg-Jahrbuch 1975, S. 27-30.
Csontosi I = CSONTOSI, János: Külföldi mozgalmak a Corvina-irodalom terén (Ausländische Bewegungen auf dem Gebiet der Corvinen-Literatur). In: Magyar Könyvszemle (Ungarische Bücherschau) 1878, S. 201-224. Deutsch in: Literarische Berichte aus Ungarn 1879, S. 85-106.
Csontosi III = CSONTOSI, János: "A Konstantinápolyból érkezett Corvinák bibliográfiai ismertetése" [Bibliographic Report on the Corvinian Manuscripts from Constantinople]. MK, 1877, pp. 157-218.
Fraknoi IX = FRAKNÓI, Vilmos: Vitéz János könyvtára (Die Bibliothek von Johannes Vitéz). In: Magyar Könyvszemle (Ungarische Bücherschau) 1878, S. 1-21, 79-91 u. 190-201.
Hoffmann I = Hoffmann, Edith: Régi magyar bibliofilek [Old Hungarian Bibliophiles]. Budapest, 1929. -- Johannes Vitez, pp.57-69.
Mezey = Mezey, Ladislaus: Codices latini medii aevi Bibliothecae Universitatis Budapestiensis. Budapest, 1961.
It belongs to the Corvina library.
Details in Hungarian:
Cod. Lat. 10. Tertullianus, Quintus Septimius Florens: Adversus Marcionem Stoicum libri V. Pergamenkódex. 178 fol. 200 x 290 mm.
Írás: antikva rotunda.
Scriptor: ismeretlen, Firenze.
Illuminálás: Firenze, 1468 előtt. Fehér indafonatos. - Mátyás király címerével van ellátva.Kötése: eredetileg lila bársony volt, most XIX. századi török bőrkötésben látható. - Színes festéssel díszített (budai) arany metszéssel ékes. Vitéz János bejegyzése van benne, hogy 1468-ban Nyitrán javítgatta a szöveget: "Finivi transcurrendo Nitrie die II. Iunii MCCCCLXVIII. Emendare bene non potui propter inemendatum exemplar." A kódexet Szulejmán szultán vitte el Budáról 1526-ban hadizsákmányként. 1877-ben Abdul Hamid szultán ajándékaként került vissza. Új kötése ekkor készült.
Bibliográfia: Ancona 2. 725. sz. - Mezey I. 10. sz. - Berkovits I. 11. sz. - Csapodi I. 13. sz. - Csapodi II. 628. sz. - Csapodi XXXIV. 14. sz. - Csapodiné XXVIII. 107. sz.
1. Pierre PETITMENGIN, Tertullien entre la fin du XIIe et le début du XVIe siècle, in M. CORTESI (ed), Padri Greci e Latini a confronto: Atti del Convegno di studi della Società Internazionale per lo Studio del Medioevo Latino. Firenze: SISMEL (2004). pp. 63-88. Checked.
2. L. MEZEY, Codices Latini Medii Aevi Bibl. Univ., Budapest (1961), pp. 30-31. Not checked. (Details from CPL §3, 14).
3. For this see Cs. CSAPODI, The Corvinian Library. History and Stock. Budapest (1973), pp. 365-366. Not checked. (Details Petitmengin n. 48 and 63)
4. Ilona BERKOVITS, Illuminated manuscripts from the library of Matthias Corvinus. Budapest (1964). The image is scanned from plate V in that volume.
5. Kl. CSAPODI-GÁRDONYI, Die bibliothek des Johannes Vitez, Budapest (1984) p. 140, pl.77. Checked. (Details Petitmengin n. 48 and 63). pl.78 shows the Salzburg Apologeticum.
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