Merton College MS. 59
Former shelfmark: G. 2. 4
DUNS SCOTUS ON I SENT; 1455
Contents
Language(s): Latin
ed. and tr. A. Wolter and O. Bychkov (St Bonaventure, NY, 2004); Glorieux, Théol. 344o1; Stegmüller, Sent. 425.
On fols. 191–2v is an index of distinctiones and quaestiones in an elegant humanistica.
Physical Description
Collation
Layout
Ruled with fine pencil in 52 long lines.
Hand(s)
Written for Richard Scarborough, along with MSS 60–4, by Johannes Reynbold from Zierenberg in Hesse in a formal bookhand, elongating ascenders into the upper margin, descenders into the lower, the quaestiones in quadrata script two lines high. Quaestio -numbers are written in large script in the margins. The original accounts for writing these books, now lost, are described by Anthony Wood in Bodl. Libr., MS Ballard 46, fol. 70: ‘A writing of a little piece of parchment shewing of John Reynbold did agree with Rich. Scarburgh fellow of Mert. coll. for the writing of every 4to book of the 3 last books of the subtile Doctor on the books of the Sentences, for 2s. & 2d. apeici — 21 June an. reg. H. 6 31 — notwithstanding an indenture dat. 14 June eiusd. an. by him signed and sealed’. Reynbold copied another, very similar, set of Scotus’ works, now Balliol Coll. 202–6, 209, 216 and 261, a few years later. On him, see P. L. Meier, ‘Die Skotusausgabe des Johannes Reinbold von Zierenberg’, Scriptorium 7 (1953), 89–114.
Decoration
On fol. 1 is an initial (excised) and full border in colours and gold, with ornament of feathers, bezants, flowers and foliage. Scott, DDEMB, pl. XXVI, illustrates the same man’s work in Balliol Coll. 204 (dated 1461), and comments that he was not English. Very many large coloured initials on squarish gold grounds with sprays of feathers, bezants and foliage. Large dark-blue initials elaborately flourished in red; red or blue paraphs.
Binding
Modern; bare oak boards backed with modern vellum; resewn on seven bands. fols. i and 193 are paper blanks from an earlier (s. xix) binding.
History
Provenance and Acquisition
MSS 59–64 are a set, made for Richard Scarborough (see MS 17), and bought from him by Thomas Bloxham (see MS 41), who bequeathed it to the College on his death in 1473. On the first paper blank is ‘N. V. 4.’, s. ?xix, canc. and replaced with ‘G. 2. 4 (LIX)’ in red. An indecipherable number, perhaps ‘3’ changed to ‘4’ is inked on the foredge.
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