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

Merton College MS. 148

Former shelfmark: H. 1. 3

MAURICE OF IRELAND; S. XIII2

Contents

Language(s): Latin

Fols. iii-vi blank. On fol. viv is a title, s. xiv.

(fols. 1–290v)
MAURICE (OF IRELAND or THE ENGLISHMAN), Distinctiones
Incipit: Abiectionem. Circa abiectionem nota qualiter in scriptura sumitur qualiter diuiditur et que abicienda nobis ostendantur
Explicit: (Zona) de templo uestiti lapide candido. Explicit. Laus tibi sit Christe quia finitur liber iste &c.

Part pr. in Dictionarium Sacrae Scripturae, Venice 1603; Stegmüller, Bibl. 5566; Bloomfield 0088; Sharpe, Handlist, p. 374.

(fols. 291–3v)
An alphabetical subject index

In 6 cols

Fols. 294–5v blank.

Fols. 296–300v contain waste text intended for the same copy, by one of the scribes of the main text; lacks decoration. On fols. 298–300v the text is upside down.

Physical Description

Secundo Folio: abhominabile est
Form: codex
Support: Parchment
Extent: 309 leaves (vi + 302, incl. 271A)
Dimensions (leaf): 250 × 190 mm.
Dimensions (written): 205 × 140 mm.
The edges retrimmed and spattered with red. Fols. iii-vi are of thick, stiff parchment.

Collation

A4, 1–1912, 206(6 canc.), 21–2312, 2410, 2512, 2610; framed catchwords; the quires numbered at both ends. Quire 26 includes waste text of the same work, reused as endleaves.

Layout

Ruled with pencil and crayon in 36 long lines.

Hand(s)

Several neat anglicana hands.

Decoration

On fol. 1 a red and blue initial flourished in red; otherwise rough red (and occasional blue) initials; red paraphs, highlighting and underlining.

Binding

Standard Merton s. xvii, rebacked; sewn on three bands; formerly chained from the usual position. Fols. i-ii, 301–2 are modern paper blanks. Fols. iii and 300 were formerly pastedowns. On the early leaves are the marks of an iron chain-staple, near the foot of the foredge.

History

Origin: S. XIII2 ; England

Provenance and Acquisition

Made in England; at Oxford in the fifteenth century; at the College by 1600. An inscription of two lines has been thoroughly erased from fol. viv. Below is a faint Oxford stationer’s mark, probably of John Godsond (1438–56), and the valuation of x s.

At the head of fol. 1 is the James no. ‘201’, s. xvii in.

Inside the front board is a paper leaf, s. xvii, with a title, ‘D. 8, 9’ (canc.), and ‘O. 4. 4. Art:’, canc. and replaced with ‘H. 1. 3 (CXLVIII)’ in red; the College bookplate.

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. 63; Powicke, no. 1217.

Funding of Cataloguing

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

Last Substantive Revision

2019-06-20: First online publication

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