Rectangular cutting, with column of 34 lines in an angular gothic bookhand, capitals in ornamental penstrokes, recovered from reuse as the limp vellum binding of a small book, and hence with spots, stains, a tear and a small hole, torn edges and discoloured on reverse, overall fair condition, 240 by 110mm
The Exordium magnum Cisterciense is a detailed description of the history of the Order from its foundation in 1098 to the beginning of the 13th century, as well as a contemplative devotional text, and is made up from short biographies and exemplary episodes (the text here is from Book I, ch. 27, and concerns a Johannes, who was converted by a vision, became a member of the Order, and then later served as the bishop of Valentine in Haute-Garonne). The Exordium magnum is attributed to Conrad of Eberbach (d. 1221), with the part of the work here identified as among the parts he produced while in Clairvaux. Griesser identified 38 manuscripts ('Exordium magnum Cisterciense' sive Narratio de initio Cisterciensis ordinis. Auctore Conrado, Series scriptorum S. Ordinis Cisterciensis, 2, 1961, later reprinted as Corpus Christianorum, Continuatio mediaevalis, 138, 1997), but they are rare to the market, with the Schoenberg database recording only a single 15th-century copy offered by Quaritch in their cat. 699 (1952), no. 47, and that passing to Thomas E. Marson and now in the Beinecke in Yale
