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

Merton College MS. 187

Former shelfmark: G. 1. 6

NICHOLAS DE LYRA ; S. XV med. (1437?)

Contents

Language(s): Latin

Fols. ii-iii, iv-v blank.

(fol. vv)
Table of contents,

s. xv2

Physical Description

Secundo Folio: multa sapiencia
Two originally separate volumes, together early.
Form: codex
Support: Parchment
Extent: 302 leaves (v + 297)
Dimensions (leaf): 265 × 190 mm.
The edges retrimmed and spattered with red.

Collation

A4, 1–368 / 378; framed catchwords; quire-signatures of the usual late medieval form.

Layout

Frame-ruled with crayon in 2 cols, written in c. 42 lines.

Binding

Standard Merton s. xvii, repaired; sewn on five bands; formerly chained from the usual position. Fols. i and 297 are modern paper blanks.

History

Provenance and Acquisition

On fol. iiiv‘Liber domus scolarium de Mertone ex dono Magistri Henrici Seuer sacre pagine professoris ac custodis eiusdem incathenatus ad communem usum sociorum in libraria studere uolencium Anno Domini M. CCCC. lxvi’. Faint marks near the foot of fol. 296 may be from the large brass chain-staple.

Seen at Merton by John Bale (Appendix C, no. 32). At the head of fol. 1 is the James no. ‘103’ (wrongly), s. xvii in.

Inside the front board is a sheet of paper with a table of contents and ‘F. 6, 8’ (canc.), s. xvii, and ‘O. 8. 2. Art:’, canc. and replaced with ‘G. 1. 6 (CLXXXVII)’ in red; the College bookplate.

Merton College MS. 187 – Part I (fols. 1–289v)

Contents

Language(s): Latin

1. (fols. 1–134v)
Ps.-ROBERT GROSSETESTE, De Lingua
Rubric: Incipit Lincolniensis de lingua.
Incipit: Lingua congruit in duo opera nature in gustum scilicet et locucionem
Explicit: quoniam regina celorum misericors est et mater misericordie.
Final rubric: Explicit tractatus Lincolniensis de lingua.

Unpr.; Thomson, Grosseteste, p. 252–3; Bloomfield 2966; Sharpe, Handlist, p. 550.

(fols. 134v-5v)
Summary
Incipit: Tractatus iste de lingua continet prohemium et tractum et diuiditur in sex partes.
(fols. 135v-6)
capitula
(fols. 138v-44v)
Index: Abstrahi—Ypocrita
2. (fols. 145–59)
NICHOLAS DE LYRA, Responsio ad quemdam Iudaeum
Rubric: Responsio Lire ad quendam Iudeum
Incipit: Potens sit exhortari in artrina[sic] sana
Explicit: in aperto mendacio terminauit.
Final rubric: Explicit responsio fratris Nicholai de Lira ad quemdam Iudeum ex uerbis euuangelii secundum Matheum contra Christum nequiter arguentem Anno Domini CCC. XXXIIII.

Pr. Venice 1589; Glorieux, Théol. 345i.

3. (fols. 159v-72)
NICHOLAS DE LYRA, Probatio Aduentus Christi
Rubric: Questio determinata per fratrem Nicholaum de Lyra utrum per scripturas a Iudeis receptas possit probari misterium Christi esse iam completum
Incipit: Queritur utrum per scripturas a Iudeis receptas possit efficaciter probari misterium Christi in lege et prophetis promissi esse iam completum
Explicit: ad uomitum reuertentur
Final rubric: Explicit questio determinata per fratrem Nicholaum de Lyra.

Often printed; Glorieux, Théol. 345h.

4. (fols. 172v-82v)
NICHOLAS DE LYRA, De Visione Diuinae Essentiae
Rubric: Incipit tractatus auctoris precipui fratris Nichola de Lyra de uisione diuine essencie ab animabus a corpore separatis
Incipit: Qui elucidant me uitam eternam habebant Ecc. 24. Verbum propositum dicitur in persona sapiencie
Explicit: desiderium electorum
Final rubric: Explicit tractatus doctoris precipui ...

Unpr.; Glorieux, Théol. 345j.

5. (fols. 183–204v)
NICHOLAS DE LYRA, Determinatio super illud Isaiae Ecce uirgo concipiet
Rubric: Determinacio Lyre super propheciam Ysaie et priuilegio uirginali
Incipit: Meditacio simplicis de fidei rimacione
Explicit: 70 ebdomadarum annorum ut patet
Final rubric: Explicit determinacio doctoris de Lira ...

Unpr.; Glorieux, Théol. 345q. Also in MS 112, art. 5.

6. (fols. 204v–84v; 285–8v blank)
Ps.-ALBERTUS MAGNUS, De Muliere Forti
Rubric: Incipit liber intitulatus de muliere forti
Incipit: Laudes ecclesie describit Salomon in figura mulieris fortis
Explicit: paratum est ab origine mundi, ad quod ....
Final rubric: Explicit liber compilatus a domino Alberto Magno episcopo Ratisponensi ordinis fratrum predicatorum intitulatus de muliere forti scriptus et finitus anno Domini 1437. 37.

AMO (Borgnet), 18. 5–196; Stegmüller, Bibl. 973.

Physical Description

Form: codex
Support: Parchment
Dimensions (written): 190 × 140 mm.

Layout

Ruled with crayon in 2 cols of 45 lines.

Hand(s)

Proficient French cursive hand.

Decoration

Plain red or blue initials. Art. 1 has running heads in red. On fol. 288v is the miniator’s computation: ‘1C. di’ quarta litt’’.

History

Origin: S. XV med. (1437?) ; script of French appearance.

Merton College MS. 187 – Part II (fols. 289–296v)

Contents

Language(s): Latin

7. (fols. 289–293v; 294–6v blank)
APULEIUS, De Deo Socratis
Incipit: Qui me uoluistis dicere ex tempore a capite rudimentum
Explicit: Sirenas audiret nec accessit.

Ed. C. Moreschini (Leipzig, 1991), pp. 1–38.

Physical Description

Form: codex
Support: Parchment
Dimensions (written): 195 × 140 mm.

Layout

Frame-ruled with crayon in 2 cols, written in c. 42 lines.

Hand(s)

Secretary hand.

Decoration

A single red initial.

History

Origin: S. XV med. ; 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. 74–5; Powicke, no. 949.

Funding of Cataloguing

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

Last Substantive Revision

2019-07-25: First online publication

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