Merton College MS. 170
Former shelfmark: O. 2. 6
NICHOLAS GORRAN; S. XIV in.
Contents
Language(s): Latin
Originally two separate volumes, brought together for the present binding.
Physical Description
Collation
Decoration
On fols. 1 and 51 are large and handsome red and blue flourished initials with partial bar borders. According to G. Pollard, in the unpaginated Addenda and Corrigenda of 1940 to S. Gibson, Statuta Antiqua (Oxford, 1931), the initial on fol. 1 is by the same hand as that in the University’s Registrum A, fol. 8, which he dates to 1311–13. This will apply to the initial on fol. 51 as well, and perhaps to others in the set. Blue initials flourished in red; red and blue paraphs and running heads. At the ends of quires are pencilled the number of the coloured initials and paraphs.
Binding
Standard Merton s. xvii, resewn on four bands and rebacked in modern times; formerly chained from the usual position. At the foredge of fol. iv, formerly the pastedown in an earlier binding, are the marks of two straps. Fols. i-iii, 170–2 are paper binding leaves, the innermost modern, the others s. xvii, the two outermost from the same printed book as in MS 11. Previously rebound in 1436–7.
History
Provenance and Acquisition
Given to the College as two separate volumes by William Reed in 1374: UO49. 94, 96. Part of a set of ten, of which eight survive: the others are MSS 166, 168–9, 171–2. On fol. ivv: ‘In hoc uolumine continentur postille [Nicholai Gorhamover line] super Euangelium Mathei’; in the hand of William Reed, ‘Liber M. Willelmi Reed episcopi Cicestrensis quem emit a [uenerabili patreover line] domino Thoma Tryllek’ episcopo Roffensi. Oretis igitur pro utroque’; in the hand of Walterus Roberti, ‘Liber domus scolarium de Merton’ in Oxon’ in communi libraria eiusdem et ad usum communem 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’; an erased single-line inscription. For Reed, see MS 8.
Inside the front board is a sheet of paper with a table of contents, s. xvii, ‘F. 3, 6’, s. xvii (canc.), ‘O. 6. 10. Art.’, s. xvii, canc. and replaced with ‘O. 2. 6’ in red ink and ‘CLXX)’ in pencil; the College bookplate.
Merton College MS. 170 – Part I (fols. 1–50v)
Contents
Language(s): Latin
fol. iv blank.
pr. Cologne 1472 &c; Stegmüller, Bibl. 5777.
Physical Description
Layout
Ruled with crayon in 2 cols of 60 lines.
Hand(s)
A single practised English gothic rotunda bookhand. Both parts, but especially II, are heavily corrected and annotated in anglicana hands, including that of William of Nottingham. On fol. 5v is a note by Thomas Gascoigne (Ball, Gascoigne, p. 137).
History
Merton College MS. 170 – Part II (fols. 51–169v)
Contents
Language(s): Latin
Pecia marks up to lxviii. Heavily annotated in a neat early anglicana hand: at the foot of fol. 75v two distichs: ‘Si sequeris fugiet, si fugeris umbra sequetur’, and ‘Vlcera uox rauca corruptus anelitus albor’. The annotator frequently quotes earlier authorities: Bede, Comestor, Basil, Jerome, Augustine, Ambrose, Seneca, Gilbert, Origen, the Gloss, Richard of St Victor, Bernard, Chrysostom, Theophilus, Anselm.
pr. Cologne 1537; Stegmüller, Bibl. 5780.
Physical Description
Layout
Ruled with crayon in 2 cols of 65 lines.
Hand(s)
The gothic rotunda bookhand of William of Nottingham (for whom see MS 168). Both parts, but especially II, are heavily corrected and annotated in anglicana hands, including that of William of Nottingham.
History
Additional Information
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
2019-07-02: First online publication