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

Merton College MS. 82

Former shelfmark: B. 1. 8

GREGORY, PETER OF LIMOGES, GROSSETESTE; S. XIV ex.-XV

Contents

Language(s): Latin

fols. i, iirv blank.

Physical Description

Secundo Folio: ingentis
Three original volumes, together early.
Form: codex
Support: Parchment
Extent: 160 leaves (ii + 158)
Dimensions (leaf): 310 × 210 mm.
The edges heavily retrimmed and spattered with red.

Collation

a bifolium, 1–312, 410, 512, 64(+ 1 after 4) / 712, 814(11–14 canc.), 910, 108, 116 / 12–1310, 14–1512, 168(2–4 canc.); catchwords. fol. 79 is only one col. wide and written only on the recto.

Binding

Standard Merton s. xvii, sewn on six bands; formerly chained from the usual position. fols. i and 158 were pastedowns in an earlier binding. At the foot of fol. 158 is the mark of a brass chain-staple.

History

Provenance and Acquisition

At least partly made in Oxford.

On fol. 158 are two partly-erased cautio notes, naming M. Thomas Lovkock and the Turvylle chest, the first dated to the Feast of St Mark 1428, the second to the Feast of St Kenelm 1429, also naming M. Walter Colchestre, and giving the secundo folio as at present. Beneath are ‘Memorandum quod M. [Ricardus Pedyngtone]’, smudged and partially erased, ‘Ricardus Flemmyng’, erased, and ‘Memorandum quod ista pecia [signata cum s et h. in dorso above the line] una cum uno libro iacent M. Ric’ [Pedyngtone] nomine M. R[erased] xxiii s. v d. / usque ad finem Trinitatis inclusiue.’ Lovecock (BRUO 1165–6) was fellow of Balliol in 1417, still c. 1422. Pedyngton (BRUO 1451) was fellow of Merton in 1405 and 1411. Colchestre is otherwise unknown. Richard Flemyng (BRUO 697–9) was at the University 1405–6, DTh in 1414, bishop of Lincoln 1419–1431.

On fol. ivis ‘Precium xx. s. iii s. iiij. d. xx. d.’, s. xv, and a table of contents (arts. 1–2, 4, 3) in the same or a similar hand. A later hand has bracketed the titles, corrected their order, and written ‘li 12us’ below, suggesting that the book was in a Merton electio . Inside the front board is ‘N. 7. 2. Art:’, s. xvii, canc. in red, and a sheet of paper with the contents, s. xvii, ‘B. 1. 8 (LXXXII)’ in red, and the College bookplate. The James no.‘160’ is at the head of fol. 1, s. xvii in. ‘2’ is inked on the foredge.

Merton College MS. 82 – Part I (fols. 1–63)

Contents

Language(s): Latin

1. (fols. 1–63; 63v blank)
Gregory, Dialogi
Incipit: Quadam die nimiis quorundam secularium tumultibus depressus
Explicit: si ante mortem Domino ipsi hostia fuerimus

CPL 1713; SChr 251, 260, 265 (1978–80). Each book is preceded by capitula .

Physical Description

Layout

Written space 240 × 150 mm. , ruled with brown ink in 2 cols of 37 lines.

Hand(s)

A large, formal gothic textura.

Decoration

Spasmodic, with many unfilled spaces for coloured initials and rubrics, the latter sometimes supplied in a later hand. Plain blue initials, doubtless meant for flourishing in red, which was only added on fol. 1; alternating red and blue initials in the capitula to bk. 1; rubrication, yellow highlighting.

Merton College MS. 82 – Part II (fols. 64–109)

Contents

Language(s): Latin

2. (fols. 64–96)
Peter of Limoges, De Oculo Morali
Incipit: Si diligenter uoluerimus in lege Domini meditari facillime
Explicit: et illic eriguntur. Ad id regnum nos perducat Christus qui ...
Final rubric: Explicit tractatus moralis de condicionibus oculi corporalis

pr. Venice 1496 &c.; Glorieux, Théol.Théol. 178a; Thomson, Grosseteste, p. 257; Bloomfield 5532.

3. (fols. 96v-106; 106v-9v blank)
Robert Grosseteste, Dicta et Scripta

Composed and delivered at the papal curia in Lyons in 1250 &c

Incipit: (I) Anno Domini millesimo CC quinquagesimo 3 ydus May apud Lugdunum uenerabilis pater Robertus Crosthed Lincolniensis episcopus constitutus in presencia domini pape Innocencii quarti
Incipit: Dominus noster Iesus Christus eternus eterni Dei Patris Filius de secretissimo sinu eterni Patris
Incipit: Intelleximus nos litera domini pape recepisse
Incipit: Nouerit discrecio uestra quod mandatis apostolicis affeccione filiali
Incipit: In eadem prouincia decem exempli gratia fertilium pascuorum ambitus
Incipit: (II. 3) Hec parabola non indiget edisseri plana est
Incipit: (III) Itaque post primo proposita paucis elapsis diebus
Incipit: (IV) Episcopi Lincoln’ omnibus retro temporibus consueuerunt uicare domos religiosas
Incipit: (V. 2) De regno et rege tirannide
Incipit: (VI. 2) Ysaias ait 29. cap. eo quod appropinquant populus
Incipit: (VIII. 2) Ad ueram sanctitatem et sapientiam nolo
Explicit: (19) amor uester a me auerti
Final rubric: Finiunt hi sermones quos ad clerum solummodo proposui. Incipiunt et alii sermones quos generaliter ad omnes protuli et primo de Virgine gloriosa, omnium uiuencium infallibili exemplari. Lovekoc

Thomson, Grosseteste, pp. 141–7; ed. S. Gieben, ‘Robert Grosseteste at the papal curia, Lyons 1250: edition of the documents’, Collectanea Franciscana 41 (1971), 340–93, at 350–93, this copy at p. 346; J. Goering, ‘Robert Grosseteste at the papal curia’, in J. Brown and W. P. Stoneman (eds.), A Distinct Voice: Medieval Studies in Honor of Leonard E. Boyle (Notre Dame IND, 1997), pp. 253–76.

Physical Description

Layout

Written space 240 × 150 mm. , ruled with brown ink in 2 cols of 37 lines (ff. 104–6 47 lines).

Hand(s)

Two anglicana formata hands, the first to fol. 90vb line 28, the second, less proficient, of Lovekoc. Doubtless this was Thomas Lovecock (BRUO 1165–6), fellow of Balliol in 1417, still in c. 1422, still alive in 1431 (see below).

Decoration

Blue initials flourished in red; red or yellow highlighting early on.

Merton College MS. 82 – Part III (fols. 110–158)

Contents

Language(s): Latin

4. (fols. 110–54v; 155–7v, 158v blank)
Robert Grosseteste, De Cessatione Legalium
Incipit: Fuerunt plurimi in primitiua ecclesia
Explicit: ad langoris et infirmitatis medicinam quam nobis concedat Qui ..

ed. R. H. C. Dales and E. B. King (Auctores Britannici Medii Aevi 7: 1987); Thomson, Grosseteste, p. 122. At the head of fol. 110 is a title, s. xvii.

Physical Description

Layout

Written space 230 × 160 mm. , frame-ruled with crayon in 2 cols; written in c. 48 lines.

Hand(s)

A proficient anglicana.

Decoration

Hardly any decoration; a blue initial with unfinished red flourishing on fol. 110; otherwise only yellow highlighting.

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. 45; Powicke, no. 1199.

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.