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

Merton College MS. 137

Former shelfmark: L. 1. 8

WILLIAM OCKHAM, GILES OF ROME; S. XIV in.

Contents

Language(s): Latin

Four structurally independent books; but running heads and marginal annotation in a hand of s. xiv in. show that II-IV at least were together early, and the same brick-red initials throughout suggest that the whole was always so.

At the head of fol. i, s. xiv, trimmed by the binder, is ‘Tractatus Willelmi Ocham de corpore Christi cum multis aliis’. fol. iirv is blank.

Physical Description

Secundo Folio: -salis ecclesia
Form: codex
Support: Parchment
Extent: 184 leaves (ii + 182)
Dimensions (leaf): 320 × 235 mm.
The edges retrimmed, with loss of marginalia and running heads, and spattered with red.

Collation

A bifolium, 112 / 2–312, 48, 5–812, 94 / 10–1212 / 13–1412, 15–168, 178(+ 1 after 8), a singleton; ornamental catchword to I only. Quires lost after 1.

Hand(s)

Several similar gothic rotunda bookhands, probably English.

Decoration

Red initials, paraphs, underlining.

Binding

Standard Merton s. xvii; sewn on five bands; formerly chained from the usual position. The outermost leaves were formerly pastedowns in an earlier binding. fol. i has marks of two straps, a brass chain-staple near the foot of the foredge, and of the large iron chain-staple. fol. 184 has marks of two iron clasps.

History

Provenance and Acquisition

On fol. iv three inscriptions in the hand of Walterus Roberti: ‘Liber M. Willelmi Reed’ socii domus scolarium de Merton’ in Oxon’ quem de quadam cista ibidem uendicioni expositum emit de bonis sibi datis per reuerendum dominum suum M. Nicholaum de Sandwyco. Oretis igitur pro utroque’; a long table of contents; ‘Liber domus scolarium de Merton’ in Oxon’ in communi libraria eiusdem et ad usum communem magistrorum et sociorum ibidem studencium cathenandus. Ex dono uenerabilis patris domini Willelmi tercii episcopi Cicestrie. Oretis igitur pro eodem et benefactoribus eiusdem ac fidelium animabus a purgatorio liberandis. xxxi uolumen.’ For William Reed, fellow from 1344 until at least 1357, d. 1385, see MS 8. This volume was part of his legacy.

Seen at Merton by John Bale (Appendix C, no. 13).

At the head of fol. 1 is the James no. ‘32’, s. xvii in.

Inside the front board is a sheet of paper with ‘D. 7, 10’ (canc.) and a table of contents, s. xvii, on the board itself ‘O. 3. 9. Art:’, canc. and replaced with ‘L. 1. 8 (CXXXVII)’ in red; the College bookplate.

Merton College MS. 137 – Part I (fols. 1–12v)

Contents

Language(s): Latin

1. (fols. 1–12v)
WILLIAM OCKHAM, De Corpore Christi (De Sacramento Altaris pars II)
Rubric: Tractatus W. Okham de corpore Christi.
Incipit: Stupenda superne munera largitatis ad reparacionem generis humani
Explicit: (ends impf. in ch. 37) doctoremque prudentiam et per concilia (catchwords licere reprehendi)

WOT 10, pp. 89–212 line 145.

Physical Description

Form: codex
Support: Parchment
Dimensions (written): 245 × 150 mm.

Layout

Ruled with crayon in 2 cols of 60 lines.

History

Origin: S. XIV in ; script of English appearance.

Merton College MS. 137 – Part II (fols. 13–96v)

Contents

Language(s): Latin

2. (fols. 13–40v)
GILES OF ROME, Quaestiones de Esse et Essentia
Incipit: Questio est utrum sic dare plura principia simpliciter prima
Explicit: sed habet differentem essentiam ab esse.

Pr. [Leipzig] 1493 &c., Venice 1503 / Frankfurt 1968, fols. 2–35v; Glorieux, Théol. 400aa.

3. (fols. 41–52v)
GILES OF ROME, De Ente et Essentia Aurea Theoremata
Rubric: Theoremata de esse et essentia.
Incipit: Omne esse est purum per se existens et infinitum uel est parcipatum in alio receptum et limitatum. ⟨V⟩olentes de esse tractatum componere ne laborem in equiuoco distinximus
Explicit: et hoc de esse et essentia dicta sufficiant, laus sit Ipsi Deo in quo est omne esse qui ...
Final rubric: Expliciunt theoremata de esse et essentia edita a fratre Egidio Romano fratrum heremitarum ordinis sancti Augustini. Deo gratias amen.

The theorems are written in blocks, in larger script on alternate lines. ed. E. Hocedez (Louvain, 1930); Glorieux, Théol. 400f.

4. (fols. 52v-77v)
GILES OF ROME, De Formatione Humani Corporis
Rubric: Incipit tractatus de formacione humani corporis in utero editus a fratre Egidio de Roma ordinis fratrum heremitarum sancti Augustini ...
(capitula)
Incipit: Post tractatum de predestinacione et prescientia et de paradyso
Explicit: de declaratis autem atque inuentis tibi quietis auctor et conditor omnium sit laus honor et gloria in s. s. amen. Explicit ...

Pr. Paris 1515 &c.; Glorieux, Théol. 400y.

5. (fols. 78–85)
GILES OF ROME, De Laudibus Diuinae Sapientiae
Rubric: Incipit tractatus de laudibus diuine sapiencie editus a fratre Egidio.
(Capitula.)
Incipit: Eructauit cor meum uerbum bonum ...; Inter multas et uarias occupaciones nostras
Explicit: quod quia sine te Domine Iesu Christe finiri non potuit cui sit honor .... Explicit ...

Pr. Padua 1553 &c.; Glorieux, Théol. 400aq.

6. (fols. 85–96v)
GILES OF ROME, De Praedestinatione et Praescientia
Rubric: Incipit tractatus de predestinacione et prescientia ... editus a fratre Egidio Romano ordinis fratrum heremitarum sancti Augusti [sic].
Incipit: Nobili militi in Christo sibi quam plurimum dilecto domino Thauene de Thalomeis frater Egidius
Incipit: Cum in nostro reditu uersus Parysiense studium
(capitula)
Incipit: Post distinctionem capitulorum restat tractatum componere
Explicit: et adeptus fore tantam gloriam cui glorie nos participes faciat Dominus Iesus Christus qui .... Explicit ...
Final rubric:

Pr. Naples 1524 &c., Rome 1554 / Frankfurt 1968; Glorieux, Théol. 400x, not this copy.

Physical Description

Form: codex
Support: Parchment
Dimensions (written): 270 × 170 mm.

Layout

Ruled with crayon in 2 cols of 61 lines.

History

Origin: S. XIV in ; script of English appearance.

Merton College MS. 137 – Part III (fols. 97–132v)

Contents

Language(s): Latin

7. (fols. 97–132; 132v blank)
GILES OF ROME, Quaestiones de Compositione Angelorum
Incipit: Questio est utrum angelus intelligat seipsum per essenciam suam
Explicit: et quod per proposita excitetur, et hec de cognicione angelorum sufficiant.
Final rubric: Expliciunt questiones disputate de cognicione angelorum edite a fratre Egidio de Roma ordinis fratrum heremitarum sancti Augustini.

Annotated in an anglicana hand little later than the main text.

Pr. Venice 1503, 1521; Glorieux, Théol. 400p.

Physical Description

Form: codex
Support: Parchment
Dimensions (written): 270 × 185 mm.

Layout

Ruled with crayon in 2 cols of 62 lines.

History

Origin: S. XIV in ; script of English appearance.

Merton College MS. 137 – Part IV (fols. 133–82)

Contents

Language(s): Latin

8. (fols. 133–67)
GILES OF ROME, Quaestiones Decem de Mensura Angelorum
Incipit: Questio est de mensura angelorum et primo queretur utrum euum siue eternitas participata sit mensura angelorum
Explicit: etiam formaliter est in predicamento qualitatis et hec de mensura angelorum sufficiant.
Final rubric: Expliciunt questiones de mensura angelorum.

Pr. Venice 1503 / Frankfurt 1968, fols. 35v-76; Glorieux, Théol. 400n.

9. (fols. 167v-74v)
GILES OF ROME, Quaestiones Septem de Resurrectione Mortuorum
Incipit: Questio est utrum sit possibilis resurrectio mortuorum
Explicit: et tristabitur uoluntas et hec de questione dicta sufficiant.

Pr. Naples 1525, Vienna 1641; Glorieux, Théol. 400ab.

10. (fols. 174v-81)
GILES OF ROME, Quaestiones de Materia Caeli
Incipit: Questio est utrum in celo sit materia uel sicut celum corpus simpliciter ut posuit commentator
Explicit: quod forma celi contrarietate non habeat.

Followed by a list of the quaestiones in a neat anglicana hand which annotates II-IV.

Pr. Padua 1493, Venice 1500, 1502; Glorieux, Théol. 400ac.

Physical Description

Form: codex
Support: Parchment
Dimensions (written): 270 × 170 mm.

Layout

Ruled with crayon in 2 cols of 61 lines.

History

Origin: S. XIV in ; script of English appearance.

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. 59–60; Powicke, no. 532.

Funding of Cataloguing

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

Last Substantive Revision

2019-06-11: First online publication

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