Merton College MS. 3
Former shelfmark: A. 2. 3
WORKS OF AUGUSTINE; S. XV in.
Physical Description
Collation
Binding
s. xix, repaired and resewn on eight bands. ff. i-iii, 224-6 are paper blanks. The outermost parchment leaves were pastedowns in an earlier binding. The early leaves are marked with rust from a chain-staple near the foot of the foredge. A spot of verdigris on f. 221v may be from a chain-staple at the middle of the foot.
History
Provenance and Acquisition
It is not known when the book entered the College prior to 1600. A large square of parchment has been cut from the bottom outer corner of f. 219, perhaps removing evidence of ownership. Perhaps given to the College by John Burbage: Appendix B, no. 106, records his gift of ‘Epistolae Augustini’ in 1454-5 (but this was illuminated at a cost of 16 s. 1/2 d.). Burbage (BRUO 306) was fellow 1411-35, rector of St John the Evangelist, London, d. by Dec. 1451. He donated and repaired a number of books. At the head of f. 6 is the James no. ‘14’ (wrongly), s. xvii in. On f. 1v are ‘Lib: Coll: Mertonensis Oxon:’ and ‘N. 1. 3. Art’, s. xvii. ‘3’ is inked on the foredge. On f. 2 is ‘Liber Coll. Merton’ Oxon.’, perhaps s. xviii, and the College bookplate. Near the head are ‘M. A. 12’, canc., and ‘14’ again, s. xvii. A different bookplate is inside the front board, with ‘N. 1. 3’, canc. and replaced by ‘A. 2. 3’ and ‘(III)’ in red.
Merton College MS. 3 - Part A (fols. 1-4, 220-3)
Contents
Language(s): Latin
A quire of eight from an originally larger copy of bks. 8 and 9, in the order 220–1, 1–4, 222–3.
Physical Description
Collation
Layout
Ruled with pencil in 2 cols of 49 lines.
Hand(s)
Written in a French gothic rotunda bookhand.
Decoration
Plain red initials, paraphs and titles, sometimes missing.
History
Merton College MS. 3 - main MS. (fols. 5-219)
Contents
Language(s): Latin
Capitula f. 5rv. Epist. 132, 135, 137, 136, 138, 92, 143, 41, 233-5, 98, 25, 27, 30-1, 24, 32, 109, 243, 26, 16-17, 127, 214-15, 93, 102, 185, 154-5, 152-3, 117-18, 187, 121, 149, 90-1, 23, 173, 164, 111, 257, 96, 259, 100, 97, 265, 144, 101, 199, 266, 99, 58, 110, 77-8, 122, 245, 260-1, 264, 188, 145, 248, 205, 33, 21, 38, 112, 232, 242, 3, 18, 20, 19, 15, 5-7, 9-10, 4, 141, 46-7, 258, 131, 190, 43, app. 1-7, app. 11-15, app. 8-10, 189, 34-5, 52, 76, 88, 51, 66, 238-41, 150, 228, 147 (‘ad Italicam’, beg. ‘Cum ut de inuisibili Deo utrum per oculos corporeos possit uidere’), 139, 134, 133, 176, 49, 87, 44, 53, 89, 148, 262, 196, 80, 130. Closely related to the collections in Aberdeen University 6, Carlisle, Tullie House 1 (s. xiii1), and Eton College 105 (s. xiii in.) (MMBL 2. 383, 717). The second of these has arts 1-4 in that order, the third arts 1 and 2 (the sermons in reverse order). CPL 262; CSEL 34, 1-2 (1895, 1898), 44 (1904), 57 (1911), 58 (1923).
PL 39. 1574-81, 1568-74.
CPL 410; CCSL 60 (1976), pp. 261-301.
CPL 326; CCSL 49 (1985), pp. 35-131.
CPL 310; CCSL 46 (1969), pp. 205-24.
CSEL 44 (1904), pp. 274-331. The foot of the col. has been removed, taking the rest of the explicit and perhaps a colophon.
Physical Description
Layout
Ruled with pencil in 2 cols of 45 lines. Running heads on a line ruled right across the page.
Hand(s)
A single Continental, probably Low Countries scribe, writing cursiva formata.
Decoration
On f. 6 is a red and blue initial flourished in red, blue and violet, with three-sided border; blue initials flourished in red; plain red or blue initials in the capitula ; red titles and running heads with blue paraphs.
History
Additional Information
Record Sources
Availability
For enquiries relating to this manuscript please contact Merton College Library.