Merton College MS. 20
Former shelfmark: B. 2. 8
ANSELM, AUGUSTINE; S. XIV in., XIV ex.
Contents
Language(s): Latin
fols. i-ii, 149–50, are two bifolia, not contiguous, from the same copy of AVICENNA, Canon Medicinae, s. xiv. The first is the outermost of the original quire, bound inside-out, as the catchword is on fol. iv. On fol. iirv are the prologue and capitula , beg. ‘⟨I⟩n primis Deo gratias agemus sicut sui ordinis celsitudo et beneficii ipsius multitudo meretur ...’. eTK 0705F. In the margin of fol. ii is a table of contents, s. xiv ex. Written space 285 × 160 mm., ruled with pencil in 2 cols of 74 lines; written in a formal English gothic rotunda bookhand. Decoration lacks.
Physical Description
Collation
Layout
Ruled with pencil in 2 cols of 57 lines.
Binding
Standard Merton s. xvii, sewn on six bands; formerly chained from the usual position. An earlier binding had two straps and clasps. Parchment cut from the lower edge of fols. 149–50 has probably removed traces of the large chain-staple.
History
Provenance and Acquisition
At the foot of fol. i is pencilled ‘Wucstone’, s. xiv, perhaps Master Geoffrey de Wocstone (BRUO 2068), who figured in a legal dispute settled at Oxford in 1354.
At the head of fol. iv is ‘Liber Roberti Myddelond’’, s. xiv. Robert Myddelonde (BRUO 1274) was fellow of Merton 1330–47, canon in four cathedrals simultaneously, d. by Sept. 1367.
At the head of fol. iiv, cropped, ‘Liber domus scolarium de Merton ex dono Magistri Roberti Wyght anno Domini M. CCCC. LXVIII incathenatus.’ This is repeated inside the front board in a hand of s. xvii, with the addition of the words ‘quondam socii’. Whyte (BRUO 2042–3) was fellow c. 1424, no longer in 1433, d. 1461. Appendix B no. 113 (1460–1) records a payment ‘pro uectura librorum Magistri Roberti Wyght legatorum collegii per eundem’.
At the head of fol. 1 is the James no. ‘231’, s. xvii in., wrongly, for this should be MS 45. Inside the front board is a sheet of paper with the contents and ‘N. 2. 8. Art:’, s. xvii, canc. and replaced with ‘B. 2. 8 (XX)’, in red ink. The College bookplate. ‘8’ is inked on the foredge
Merton College MS. 20 – Part I
Contents
Language(s): Latin
SAO 1. 13–87.
SAO 1. 277–90, 2. 1–35.
Preceded by capitula .
SAO 2. 139–73.
SAO 2. 175–219
SAO 2. 223–32.
SAO 2. 239–42.
SAO 2. 245–88.
SAO 1. 145–68.
SAO 1. 173–99.
SAO 1. 207–26.
SAO 2. 37–133.
SAO 1. 233–76.
SAO 1. 93–122.
SAO . 4. 95–7.
PL 159. 605–702
PL 159. 557–80.
PL 159. 301–18; Sharpe, Handlist, pp. 104–5.
SAO 1. 130–9.
Physical Description
Hand(s)
Several English gothic rotunda bookhands, influenced, in varying degrees, by anglicana. The scribe of fols. 1–48 lengthens and ornaments his ascenders on the top line.
Decoration
red and blue flourished initials; plain red or blue initials (perhaps intended for flourishing in the other colour); occasional blue initials flourished in red. Red highlighting, paraphs and underlining.
History
Merton College MS. 20 – Part II
Contents
Language(s): Latin
CPL 295; PL 40. 231–90.
PL 40. 753–78; 65. 671–706.
PL 40. 733–52.
CPL 310; PL 40. 669–78.
PL 39. 2211–12.
PL 40. 1213–14. The common excerpt from De Spiritu et Anima.
CPL 1106; ed. S. Hellmann (Leipzig, 1909).
CPL 352; PL 44. 881–912.
On fol. 148v is a table of contents, s. xv, using the foliation.
Physical Description
Hand(s)
An English gothic rotunda bookhand.
Decoration
On fol. 149 is a 6-line initial D, red and blue, flourished in red and violet; red initials flourished in violet, blue initials flourished in red. Red highlighting, paraphs and underlining; yellow highlighting.
History
Additional Information
Record Sources
Availability
For enquiries relating to this manuscript please contact Merton College Library.
Bibliography

Funding of Cataloguing
Conversion of the printed catalogue to TEI funded by the Warden and Fellows of Merton College .
Abbreviations
View list of abbreviations and editorial conventions.
Last Substantive Revision
2018-08-01: First online publication