Merton College MS. 250
Former shelfmark: C. 2. 1
GARIOPONTUS, SENECA; S. XII1, XIII in.
Contents
Language(s): Latin
Physical Description
Collation
Binding
Standard Merton s. xvii, rebacked; sewn on four bands; chained from the usual position. Fols. i and 250 are modern paper blanks, iv-v and 248–9 paper binding leaves of s. xvii. Fols. ii-iii are a paper bifolium, tipped in, with notes on the contents by W. Meyer, dated 1892, and A. Gercke. Inside the back board is a paper slip with ‘This MS. was examined by W. Scott MA. in November 1903 for Prof. Kalbfleisch of Marburg.’
History
Provenance and Acquisition
At the head of f. 1 is the James no. ‘82’, at the head of f. 157 ‘91’, s. xvii. However James no. 82 actually covers both parts of the book; his 91 no longer exists. Inside the front board are a table of contents, s. xvii, a sheet of paper with another table, and ‘P. 4. 1. Art:’, canc. and replaced with ‘C. 2. 1 (CCL)’, in red; the College bookplate.
Merton College MS. 250 – Part I (fols. 1–156)
Contents
Language(s): Latin
Pr. Leiden 1526; eTK 0200G, 1459B, 1460N.
The original hand ends at the foot of f. 152v, and the text is completed in an anglicana hand of c. 1400, which also writes the text on the replacement leaf f. 144rv. This hand, apparently Simon Bredon’s, writes also the alphabetical subject-index, referring to folio-nos, on fols. 153–6 (MMBL 3. 682).
Copious but not continuous glossing as far as f. 143v by the scribe of the main text, often framed in red, beg. ‘Libri huius diuersi auctores fuerunt ...’.
Physical Description
Layout
Blind-ruled in 30 long lines.
Hand(s)
Two hands. First, an elegant protogothic bookhand of Italian appearance that ends at the foot of f. 152v. The text is completed in an anglicana hand of c. 1400, which also writes the text on the replacement leaf f. 144rv. This hand, apparently Simon Bredon’s, writes also the alphabetical subject-index, referring to folio-nos, on fols. 153–6.
Decoration
Red initials, some with modest ornament; rubrics and red running heads.
History
Provenance
Simon Bredon: possibly adds the alphabetical subject index, fols. 153–6, and writes the text on the replacement leaf f. 144rv.
Bequeathed to the College by Simon Bredon (Powicke, p. 84). On f. 156 ‘Explicit istud passionarium Gal’ datum fuit collegio per Simonem Bredon’. For Bredon, fellow in 1330, still in 1341, d. 1372, see MS 223.
On f. 156v ‘Liber domus scolarium de Merton’ in Oxonia quod Ric at strk’, s. xv.
Merton College MS. 250 – Part II (fols. 157–247v)
Contents
Language(s): Latin
In the order bks I-III, IVb, VI-VII, IVa. ed. A. Gercke (Leipzig, 1907).
Physical Description
Layout
Ruled with crayon in 25–30 long lines
Hand(s)
A neat though informal French early gothic bookhand.
Decoration
Books open with blue initials, sometimes on a square ground, flourished in red, yellow and green; red or blue initials flourished in the other colour. Rubrics lack.
History
Provenance
At the head of f. 157, s. xiv, ‘Liber de dono Reynham.’ On f. 246v, s. xv, ‘Liber domus de Merton’ in Oxon’ ex legato magistri Iohannis Raynham quondam socii eiusdem domus cuius anime propicietur Deus.’ For John Reynham, fellow 1361–3, d. 1376, see MS 18. II was still independent when it appears in the electio of 1408–9 (UO51. 96).
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
2019-10-01: First online publication