Merton College MS. 177
Former shelfmark: A. 1. 5
HOMILIES OF BEDE AND Ps.-EUSEBIUS GALLICANUS; S. XII 3/4
Contents
Language(s): Latin
Fols. 1 blank. Fol. 2v is blank but for an ex libris (see below).
Arranged in two parts of 25 homilies each (though three texts are actually missing from part 1), not corresponding to Bede’s books 1–2
i. 1–2, 5, 7–12, 14, 19, 13 (to p. 91 line 99)
Followed by the same interpolation found in MS 176 art. 1, 15, 18
Homeliae 25, ii. 6, 1, i. 23, ii. 2, 4, 3, 5.
Homeliae ii. 7, 10, 9, 8, 13, 11–12, 14–20, i. 20, ii. 22, 21, 23–5, i. 21, 16, 3–4, 6.
CCSL 122 (1955).
Perhaps copied directly from Lincoln Cath. 182 (English, s. xi in., at the Cathedral by 1148), which contains the homilies in the same order, with the altered ending of i. 13, and omission of the same three texts (i. 17, 22, 24). Cf. Shrewsbury School 29 (MMBL 4. 316–17), from the Cluniac priory of Lenton (Notts.), of much the same date as this one.
Nos 36–41, 43–4 of the ed. in CCSL 101, 101A-B (1970–1). On this collection, versions of which circulated in England after the Conquest, see A. Gwynn, The Writings of Bishop Patrick 1074–84 (Scriptores Latini Hiberniae 1: Dublin, 1955), pp. 28–48, 132–5. The scribe occasionally writes ‘.DM.’ in the margin.
fol. 194v is blank but for pencil sketches, one the head of a nimbed ?Christ, and ‘Omelie Bede’, s. xiii ex.
Physical Description
Collation
Layout
Ruled with crayon in 2 cols of 29 lines. Pricked in both margins.
Hand(s)
Each art. is written in a skilled English protogothic bookhand. Running titles were added throughout by a neat gothic rotunda bookhand of c. 1300. On the inserted slip fol. 57 omitted text was written in another hand contemporary with the main scribes.
Decoration
Art. 1 has handsome arabesque initials in 1–4 of red, green, blue and yellow, in the style of contemporary Durham books (e.g. examples of the distinctive ‘piped I’, Mynors, Durham, pp. 7–8, on fols. 21 and 41v.
Art. 2 has unfilled spaces for painted initials.
fol. 194v, pencil sketches, one the head of a nimbed ?Christ.
Binding
Oxford, s. xvi in. (Gibson, Early Oxford Bindings, p. 25), similar to MSS 119, 175–6; blind-stamped leather over bevelled oak boards with projecting squares, sewn on four bands. The binder was George Chastelaine (d. 1513), for whom see MS 119. Here he used Oldham stamps 180, 182, 191 and the half-stamp Pearson 7. Two straps from the front board to catches on the back, replaced by cloth ties, s. xvii. Remains of a chain-staple on the front board, near the foot of the foredge. The rear endleaf (but not the board) has marks of a central strap-pin, and of the large iron chain-staple, near the foot.
History
Provenance and Acquisition
Made in northern England c. 1160–80. On fol. 194v are two largely-erased inscriptions, one reading ‘⟨Liber⟩ M. R. de …’, the other ‘Liber omel’ eusebii precii x(?)iiii s.’
On the rear pastedown, very faint, is ‘Liber magistri Ric’ de Hakeborna’. Hakebourne (BRUO 847) was fellow from 1296 until after 1310, d. 1322. Also ‘precii [?] s.’, s. xiii ex.
On fol. 2v is ‘Liber domus scolarium de Merton’ Oxon’ ex legat’ M. Iohannis Stauele’. For Staveley (d. soon after 1349), see MS 81. UO47. 229, valued at 30s.
On the front pastedown is ‘Iste liber est de sorte Samton’ anno Domini MCCCLXXVII’. Below this is written ‘Sampton’’, canc. This is presumably Robert Sampton (BRUO 1637), fellow in 1371–2, till death, d. 1377.
Also tables of contents s. xv and xvii, ‘O. 7. 5. Art:’, s. xvii, canc. and replaced with ‘A. 1. 5 (CLXXVII)’, in red; the College bookplate. On the back cover is a title and the press-mark ‘B. 14us’, s. xvi in. (cf. the marks in MS 69 &c.).
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
2019-07-15: First online publication