A catalogue of Western manuscripts at the Bodleian Libraries and selected Oxford colleges

Merton College MS. 16

Former shelfmark: B. 2. 4

PATRISTICA ET THEOLOGICA; S. XIV ex., XV1

Contents

Language(s): Latin

fols. i, ii-ivv blank. On fol. iv is a table of contents, s. xv, referring to the contemporary foliation.

Physical Description

Secundo Folio: lauant et dant
One main volume, made up of some five booklets probably always together, as the same hands and decoration recur throughout. II was added somewhat later. This and art. 21 were added in a later hand to the table of contents on fol. iv.
Form: codex
Support: Parchment
Extent: 287 leaves (iv + 283), foliated s. xv 1–226, 226–258, 260–281, 285 (mod. 284). Extra slips after mod. 129 and 133 were omitted, 259 was omitted in error, and only two leaves appear to be missing between 281 and 285.
Dimensions (leaf): 355 × 255 mm.
The edges retrimmed, affecting marginalia, and spattered with red.

Collation

A4, 1–212, a bifolium, 3–1012, 1112(+ 1 after 7, 1 after 9), 12–1512, 1610, 17–188, 1910 / 208, 214 / 22–312, 2410 / 258, 266, 276(4–5 canc.); quire-signatures of the usual late medieval form, framed catchwords.

Binding

Standard Merton s. xvii, sewn on seven bands; formerly chained from the usual position. fol. 284 was a pastedown in an earlier binding. Near the foot of fol. 284v are three verdigris marks, two large and lozenge-shaped, the third round, from a large brass chain-staple of unusual pattern.

History

Provenance and Acquisition

At the head of fol. ivis ‘Liber Hamundi Haydok ex empcione’, and ‘prec’ v. marcas’. Haydok (BRUO 894), fellow c. 1421, still in 1432, d. 1465.

Inside the front board is a sheet of paper with the contents, s. xvii, ‘N. 2. 4. Art:’, canc. and replaced with ‘B. 2. 4 (XVI)’ in red. The College bookplate. ‘4’ is inked on the foredge. At the head of fol. 1 is the James no. ‘242’, s. xvii in.

Merton College MS. 16 – Part I

Contents

Language(s): Latin

1. (fols. 1–2)
Ps.-John Chrysostom, De Poenitentia
Rubric: Hic incipit tractatus sancti Iohannis Crisostomi de penitencia
Incipit: Pura mente et profundo cogitatu
Explicit: promerebitur indulgenciam
Final rubric: Deo gracias. Explicit ...

ICO 5. 900–4.

2. (fols. 2–6v)
Ps.-John Chrysostom, De Psalmo Quinquagesimo
Rubric: Incipit tractatus eiusdem super psalmum 50 qui est de penitencia Dauid
Incipit: Pictores imitantur arte naturam
Explicit: in futuro per D. n. I. C. cum quo est Deus Patri cum S. S. honor gloria et potestas per immortalia s. s. amen
Final rubric: Explicit ...

Wilmart nos 1–2; Stegmüller, Bibl. 4337, 5; CPG 4544–5; PG 55. 565–88; ICO 1. 723–51.

3. (fols. 6v-18v)
JOHN CHRYSOSTOM, De Reparatione Lapsi
Rubric: Hic incipit liber beati Iohannis Crisostomi de reparacione lapsi
Incipit: Quis dabit capiti meo aquam
Explicit: spiritualium graciarum deperire censum
Final rubric: Explicit liber beati Iohannis Crisostomi de reparacione lapsi Deo gracias

CPG 4305; Wilmart no. 42; SChr 117 (1966), pp. 257–321 line 38.

4. (fols. 19–26v)
Richard Rolle, Emendatio Vitae
Rubric: Hic est libellus de emendacione uite siue de regula uiuendi et distinguitur in duodecim capitula
Incipit: Ne tardes conuerti ad Dominum
Explicit: ipsum eternaliter laudare, cui ...
Final rubric: Explicit libellus quem scripsit heremita Ricardus apud Hampol tumulatus

pr. Paris 1510, &c.; ed. N. J. Watson (Toronto Medieval Latin Texts 21: 1995), pp. 33–68; Allen, Richard Rolle, p. 234; Bloomfield 3191. Followed by nine lines of verse:

Incipit: Cuncta Deus celat, homo si peccata reuelat

WIC 3886, this copy only.

5. (fols. 27–138v)
Ps.-John Chrysostom, Opus Imperfectum in Mattheum
Rubric: Hic incipiunt omelie beati Iohannis Crisostomi super euangelium beati Matthei et dicitur liber iste opus imperfectum
Incipit: Sicut referuntur Matheum conscribere euangelium
Incipit: Liber generacionis ...; Liber est quasi apotheca gratiarum
Explicit: Cum uideritis abhominacionem desolacionis stantem in loco sancto
Final rubric: Expliciunt omelie Iohannis Crisostomi patriarche Constantinopolitanis super Matheum operis imperfecti scripte anno Domini 1382

CPL 707; PG 56. 611–946; Stegmüller, Bibl. 4350. MSS listed and classified by van Banning, this one at pp. ccxxxi-ccxxxii, cccxv.

6. (fols. 139–69v)
Gregory, Regula Pastoralis
Rubric: Liber regule pastoralis Gregorii pape scriptus ad Iohannem episcopum
Incipit: Gregorius seruus seruorum Dei. Quia melius fuerat bona non incipere

Capitula fol. 139rv

Incipit: Gregorius urbis Rome episcopus hunc librum pastoralis cure scripsit pro excusacione episcoporum eo quod Pelagius illius tritor et Romane ecclesie princeps eum rogabat
Incipit: Pastoralia cure me pondera fugere delitescendo voluisse
Incipit: Nulla ars doceri presumatur nisi intenta prius meditacione discatur
Explicit: tui meriti inanus leuet
Final rubric: Explicit liber regule pastoralis Gregorii pape scriptus ad Iohannem episcopum

CPL 1712; SChr 381–2 (1992).

7. (fols. 170–219v)
Gregory, Homiliae XL super Evangelia
Rubric: Hic incipiunt omelie beati Gregorii pape
Incipit: ⟨R⟩euerendissimo et sanctissimo fratri Secundino
Incipit: Erunt signa in sole ...; ⟨Domi⟩nus ac redemptor noster paratos nos inuenire desiderans
Explicit: proposite dampcacionis parcat. Qui ...
Final rubric: Expliciunt omelie beati Gregorii pape feria quinta proxima post festum Sancte Katerine ad finem perducte gratia Ihesu Christi anno Domini 1405. Laus tibi sit Christe quoniam liber explicit iste

CPL 1711; CCSL 141 (1999). Followed, in the same scribe’s hand, by ‘Versus Willelmi in Clementinis capitulo duodecimo. Qui facit incestum deflorans aut homicida’, the common six lines of verse on cases reserved to the bishop: WIC 15482; cf. 9170 and other similar versions.

8. (fols. 220rv)
Ralph d’Escures, Homily on Intravit Iesus in quoddam castellum
Incipit: [I]ntrauit ...; Omelia beati Anselmi Cantuariensis archiepiscopi. ⟨Q⟩uid ad gloriosam uirginem Dei genitricem lectio pertineat
Explicit: meritis et precibus eius, per ...
Final rubric:

Schneyer 5. 17; PL 95. 1505–6. Followed by notes for a sermon:

Incipit: ⟨P⟩rimogenitum asini mutabis oue Exo. 13. Asinus inmundiciam significat
Explicit: fragilis uel mutabilis
9. (fols. 221–30v)
John Holywood, Computus
Incipit: Computus est scientia considerans tempora ex solis et lune motibus
Explicit: per temporis euum amen
Final rubric:

pr. [Wittenberg 1538], Paris 1543.

eTK 0243A

Followed by five lines of verse:

Incipit: M. Christi bis C. quarto deno quater anno / De Sacro Bosco discreuit tempora ramus

WIC 10545.

Heavily glossed in a slightly later hand.

10. (fols. 230v-1)
Ps.-Augustine (Caesarius of Arles), Serm. app. 277
Rubric: Sermo beati Augustini de decimis reddendis et de uitandis malificiis que fiunt in festiuitate sancti Iohannis baptiste
Incipit: ⟨P⟩ropicio Christo f. k. iam prope sunt dies in quibus messes colligere debemus
Explicit: consorcium feliciter uenietis adiuuante D. n. I. C. qui ...

PL 39. 2266–8.

11. (fols. 231; 231v-2v blank)
Ps.-Jerome (?Peter Damian), Conturbatio Animae in Extremis
Rubric: Incipit secreta meditacio beati Ieronimi
Incipit: ⟨P⟩ensandum quippe est cum iam peccatrix anima a uinculo carnis incipit absolui
Explicit: indeclinabiliter custodire

unpr.; Bloomfield 388, not this copy; Lambert 954, listing another nine copies, all but one English, the earliest s. xiv in.

Arts 10–11 were added in an originally blank space in an anglicana hand of s. xv med.

12. (fols. 233–42v)
Anselm, Cur Deus Homo
Rubric: Liber beati Anselmi Cantuariensis episcopi Cur Deus homo
Incipit: Opus subditum propter quosdam qui argumentum perfectum et exquisitum esset

capitula

Incipit: Sepe et studiosissime a multis rogatus
Explicit: non nobis attribuere debemus. Qui ...
Final rubric: Explicit ...

SAO 2. 37–133.

13. (fols. 242v-3v)
Hugh of St Victor, De Amore Sponsi ad Sponsam
Incipit: Ibo michi ad montem mirre ...; Sponsus quidam hic loquitur qui sponsam habet
Explicit: in unum congregamur amen

PL 176. 987–94; Goy, pp. 272–3.

14. (fols. 244–5v)
Gennadius, De Ecclesiasticis Dogmatibus
Rubric: Liber Gennadii ecclesiasticorum dogmatum
Incipit: Credimus unum esse Patrem et Filium et Spiritum Sanctum, Patrem eo quod habeat Filium
Explicit: in eternitate finale in moribus inuenire
Final rubric: Explicit ...

CPL 958 or 958a; ed. C. H. Turner, JTS 7 (1906), 78–99, 8 (1907), 103–114.

15. (fols. 245v-7v)
Cassian, Conlationes (extract)
Rubric: Incipit collacio Cheremonis abbatis de fide spe et caritate
( Capitula )
Incipit: Dum uirtutem perfectionis qua uelut magna quedam luminaria
Explicit: diligencius indaganda mentis quorum a Deo attracta intencio
Final rubric: Explicit ...

Excerpts from the preface to Conl. 11 c. 15 (CSEL 13 [1886/2004], pp. 311–32 line 17). The full text CPL 512.

16. (fols. 247v-9v)
Fulgentius, De Trinitate
Rubric: Incipit liber beati Fulgencii de Trinitate et fide catholica
Incipit: Multum bene dico Dominum d. f. cuius gratia talis es
Explicit: in unigenito Dei Filio D. n. I. C.

CPL 819; CCSL 91A (1968), pp. 633–46.

17. (fols. 249v-54v)
Fulgentius, De Fide ad Petrum
Rubric: Epistola beati Fulgencii ad Petrum diaconum
Incipit: Epistolam fili Petre tue caritatis accepi
Incipit: Principaliter itaque tene omnem naturam que non est Trinitas Deus
Explicit: illi Deus reuelauit
Final rubric: Explicit Fulgencius de Trinitate

CPL 826; CCSL 91A, pp. 711–60.

18. (fols. 254v-7v)
Augustine, De Poenitentia (Serm. 351)
Rubric: Aurelii Augustini doctoris Ypponensis episcopi liber de penitencia incipit
Incipit: Quam sit utilis et necessaria penitencie medicina
Explicit: mors eterna uitatur

PL 39. 1535–49; Bloomfield 4365.

19. (fol. 257v)
Ps.-Augustine, De Poenitentibus (Serm. 393)
Incipit: Penitentes penitentes penitentes
Explicit: dimitte incertum et tene certum
Final rubric: Finit. Explicit Augustinus de penitencia

PL 39. 1713–15; Bloomfield 3835.

20. (fols. 258–63v)
John Chrysostom, Quod Nemo Laeditur Nisi a Seipso
Rubric: Tractatus sancti Iohannis Crisostomi quod nemo leditur nisi a se
Incipit: ⟨S⟩cio quod crassioribus quibusque et perfectis uite illecebris inhiantibus
Explicit: qui a semetipso non leditur
Final rubric: Explicit tractatus sancti Iohannis Crisostomi continens quod nemo leditur nisi a se, quem scripsit Robertus de Fentone capellanus ad communem utilitatem anno Domini 1391

CPG 4400; PG 52. 459–80; ICO 5. 750–69A; Wilmart no. 39; M. Malingrey in Sacris Erudiri 16 (1965), 320–54. Followed by an added alphabetical subject-index.

21. (fols. 264–6; 266v blank)
Ps.-Bernard, Meditatio de Passione Christi
Rubric: Meditaciones Sancti Bernardi de passione Christi et de compassione matris eius
Incipit: ⟨Q⟩uis dabit capiti meo aquam
Explicit: matrem dilexisti commendatam ab ipso benedictus qui ...
Final rubric: Explicit meditacio beati Bernardi de passione Domini Iesu Christi

A narration by the Virgin of her sorrows. Many copies, often attrib. St Bernard; partly pr. PL 182. 1133–42.

Followed by an alphabetical subject-index. Added in a loose anglicana hand of s. xv med. on originally blank leaves.

Physical Description

Layout

Written space 255–75 × 170–210 mm. , frame-ruled with crayon in 2 cols, written in c. 50–65 lines.

Hand(s)

I appears to have been written, using pens of different thickness and over a period of time (at least 1381–1405 if the colophons are genuine), in a single expert anglicana hand. The scribe may have been the chaplain Robert Fenton, who is not identified in BRUO . Art. 5 may be in a different hand, but certainly is headed by the main scribe.

Decoration

Blue initials flourished in red, red initials flourished in violet; red highlighting and underlining. Art. 9 opens with a blue and red initial flourished in red and violet; coloured diagrams are on fols. 219v, 220v, 221v, 222v, 223, 224, 227; red or blue paraphs. Decoration lacks to arts 7–8, 10–11, 20–1.

History

Origin: S. XIV ex. ; England

Merton College MS. 16 – Part II

Contents

Language(s): Latin

22. (fols. 267–79)
Subject-index to art. 5
Incipit: Abhominacio desolacionis quadrupliciter exponitur
Explicit: Zesus separare nescit et ira non potest habere consilium .2. p.
Final rubric: Explicit tabula super Crisostomum

unpr.; Thomson, Grosseteste, p. 263; Stegmüller, Bibl. 7405; van Banning, pp. ccli-cclvi, listing 34 copies including this one.

23. (fols. 279v-83; 283v-4v blank)
Ps.-John Chrysostom, De Psalmo Quinquagesimo
Incipit: ⟨R⟩eliquias hesterne mense hodie nobis reddere uolo
Explicit: requiem sempiternam cum sanctis eius per ...
Final rubric: Explicit liber secundus Iohannis Crisostomi de psalmo quinquagesimo

CPG 4544–5; PG 55. 565–88; ICO 1. 723–51; Wilmart nos 1–2; Stegmüller, Bibl. 4337, 5.

Physical Description

Layout

Written space 295 × 195 mm. , ruled with pencil in 2 cols of 57 lines.

Hand(s)

art. 22 is written in fere textura.

Decoration

art. 22 has blue initials flourished in red, red or blue initials and paraphs, highlighting in yellow. Decoration lacks to art. 23.

History

Origin: XV1 ; England

Additional Information

Record Sources

R. M. Thomson, A descriptive catalogue of the medieval manuscripts of Merton College, Oxford (Cambridge: D. S. Brewer), 2009.

Availability

For enquiries relating to this manuscript please contact Merton College Library.

Bibliography

    Coxe, pp. 12–14; Powicke, no. 965; Römer 2. 301.

Funding of Cataloguing

Conversion of the printed catalogue to TEI funded by the Warden and Fellows of Merton College .

Last Substantive Revision

2018-08-01: First online publication

See the Availability section of this record for information on viewing the item in a reading room.