Merton College MS. 256

Former shelfmark: C. 2. 7

NICHOLAS TREVET; S. XIV/XV

Language(s): Latin

f. i^rv blank.

(fols. 1–129; 129v-32v blank.)

NICHOLAS TREVET OP, Annales Sex Regum Angliae

Rubric: Incipit prologus fratris Nicolai Treveth ordinis predicatorum in annales regum Anglie qui a comitibus Andegauensibus suam traxerunt originem secundum lineam masculinam.

Incipit: Atheniensium Romanorum quorum res gestas certissimus auctor Salustius ad inuicem ferens

Explicit: Compleuitque etatis sue annos sexaginta octo et dies uiginti &c.

Final rubric: Expliciunt gesta regis Edwardi Anglie.

Sharpe, Handlist, p. 394; ed. T. Hog (London, 1845).

A few notes in a hand of s. xv ex.

Physical Description

Secundo Folio: terre sue fecit

Form: codex

Support: Parchment

Extent: 132 leaves (i + 132, omitting 12)

Dimensions (leaf): 220 × 170 mm.

Dimensions (written): 160 × 125 mm.

The edges retrimmed and stained yellow. Foliated s. xvii.

Collation

A⁴(lacks 2–4), 1–16⁸, 17⁴(1 canc.); catchwords; quire-signatures of the usual late medieval form, mostly cropped.

Layout

Ruled with crayon in 31 long lines. Running heads, not ruled for.

Hand(s)

Apparently in a single anglicana formata, though gradually changing some letter forms.

Decoration

Red or blue initials intended for flourishing which, however, is only provided on f. 1. At the foot of f. 129 is a note of the number of initials, cropped: ‘letteres ix^fx iiii d. lmdes(?) xvi d.’

Binding

Standard Merton s. xvii, sewn on four bands; formerly chained from the usual position. At the foot of f. 132v is the mark of a brass chain-staple.

History

Origin: S. XIV/XV ; script of English appearance.

Provenance and Acquisition

Ownership inscriptions have probably gone with the three leaves excised after f. i. John Bale saw this book at Merton (Appendix C, no. 33). It is listed in the inventory of 1556: UO65. 207.

On f. 129v is written, in the hand of Anthony Wood, ‘AV: O’, on f. 132v ‘AW: O MDCLIX’.

At the head of f. 1 is ‘Liber Bibliothecae Merton: Oxon’:’, s. xvii. ‘7’ is inked on the foredge. Inside the front board is a table of contents, ‘K. 4, 5’ (canc.), s. xvii, and ‘P. 4. 7. Art:’, canc. and replaced with ‘C. 2. 7’ in red. Also ‘No. 256’ in modern pencil; 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

not in Coxe; Powicke, no. 362; B. Smalley,English Friars and Antiquity(Oxford, 1960), pp. 88, 93; Ker,MMBL3. 659.

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

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