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

Merton College MS. 76

Former shelfmark: I. 1. 5

THOMAS AQUINAS, WILLIAM DE MARA; c. 1300

Contents

Language(s): Latin

On fols. i-iiv is an index in 3 cols of the tituli of quaestiones and articuli in art. 1, in a small anglicana hand, perhaps that of art. 2. fol. iii is blank.

On fols. 183rv, 184v, and 185v, are theological notes, mainly pencilled, in the same or a similar hand to the index at the front, and art. 2; fols. 184, 185 blank.

Physical Description

Two distinct books, II added very early to I; both parts have annotation in the same early hands.
Secundo Folio: diuinam
Form: codex
Support: Parchment
Extent: 188 (iii + 185) leaves
Dimensions (leaf): 340 × 230 mm.
Savagely retrimmed, cropping the running heads.

Collation

two singletons, 112(+ 1 before 1), 212, 312(lacks 4), 4–1312, 1414(2–3 and 12–13 half-leaves, + 1 after 1), 156 / 1612(7–9 canc.); catchwords, mostly trimmed off.

Binding

Standard Merton s. xvii; sewn on five bands; formerly chained from the usual position. The early leaves have marks of two straps, and of an iron chain-staple in the middle of the foot. On fol. 185v, once the pastedown in an earlier binding, is the mark of a brass chain-staple in the same position.

History

Origin: c. 1300 ; England, Oxford (?)

Provenance and Acquisition

Professionally made, probably at Oxford. Said by Alexander & Temple to be French, but all of the annotation is in anglicana hands little later than the main text. At the head of fol. iiiv is an erased inscription, ‘Liber iste est [ ... ]’. Below, s. xiv, ‘Liber domus scolarium de Merton’ in Oxon’ ex legat’ magistri Thome de Staundon’ quondam socii domus eiusdem’. For Staundon, still alive and a fellow in 1361, see MS 74. UO47. 115, ‘in libraria’.

At the head of fol. 1 is the James no. ‘7’, just beneath a title, s. xvii in., mostly cropped. Inside the front board is a sheet of paper with a table of contents and ‘D. 2, 4’ (canc.), s. xvii, ‘N. 6. 10. Art:’, s. xvii, canc. and replaced with ‘I. 1. 5 (LXXVI)’, in red; the College bookplate.

Merton College MS. 76 – Part I

Contents

Language(s): Latin

1. (fols. 1–176v)
Thomas Aquinas, Summa Theologica, Prima Pars
Incipit: Quia catholice ueritatis doctor non solum prouectos debet instruere
Explicit: talis enim partus decebat eum qui ...

STO 4–5; Glorieux, Théol. 14ax. Marginal annotation in early anglicana hands, and profile monks

Physical Description

Layout

Written space 265 × 160 mm. , ruled with pencil in 2 cols of 54 lines; running heads between lines ruled right across the page.

Hand(s)

An English gothic rotunda bookhand of university type.

Decoration

On fol. 1 is a historiated initial in colours (deep blue and pink) and gold on a squarish ground enclosing the Virgin breast-feeding the Child, before them a kneeling Dominican; two-sided border with grotesques. Red or blue initials flourished in the other colour, the red ones sometimes with short extensions in both; running heads in blue capitals flourished in red; red or blue paraphs.

Merton College MS. 76 – Part II

Contents

Language(s): Latin

2. (fols. 177–82; 182v blank)
William de Mara OFM, Correctorium Fratris Thomae (abbrev.)
Incipit: q. 12 art. 2. Ista positio uidetur Augustino contraria de Trinitate li. 9 ca. 10
Explicit: a Deo percipiunt subimperciuntur

ed. P. Glorieux, (Bibliothèque Thomiste, Le Saulchoir, 1927); Glorieux, Théol. 317d; Sharpe, Handlist , p. 787; cf. D. Callus in Bulletin Thomiste, 9 (1954–6), 645–50. On the author BRUO 562–3. A passage of gloss in the lower margin of fol. 180v is labelled ‘Malmecestre’. This was presumably Hugh de Mancester OP, D. Th. possibly of Oxford, prior provincial in England 1279–82, still alive in 1307 (BRUO 1213).

Physical Description

Layout

Written space 265 × 175 mm. , frame-ruled with pencil in 2 cols; written in c. 57 lines.

Hand(s)

A small neat anglicana hand of scholastic type.

Decoration

No decoration.

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, p. 44; Powicke, no. 215; Alexander & Temple, no. 712 and pl. XLII; Dondaine & Shooner, no. 2137.

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

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