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Merton College MS. 260

Former shelfmark: C. 2. 11

DUNS SCOTUS &c.; S. XV

Contents

Language(s): Latin

Fols. i, ii-iv blank. On f. iv is written a philosophical problem.

Physical Description

Secundo Folio: essendi
Four originally separate volumes, the last two incomplete, probably all together early.
Form: codex
Support: Parchment
Extent: 173 leaves (iv + 169)
Dimensions (leaf): 205 × 145 mm.
Dimensions (written): 140–60 × 106 mm.
The edges heavily retrimmed with loss of marginalia and stained red.

Collation

A4, 110, 214, 312, 414, 512(lacks 11–12) / 6–712, 814 / 9–1212, 1312(7 canc.), 1410, a bifolium.

Layout

Frame-ruled with crayon, written in c. 25–35 lines.

Hand(s)

Several English cursive hands, not very uniform, writing a mixture of anglicana and secretary.

Decoration

Blue initials flourished in red; red titles, marginal guides, paraphs, highlighting and underlining of lemmata.

Binding

Standard Merton s. xvii; sewn on four bands, formerly chained from the usual position.

History

Provenance and Acquisition

All parts made in England.

At the head of f. 1 ‘Ex emptione sociorum huius domus anno Domini M. 452’.

Inside the front board is a sheet of paper with a table of contents, ‘E. 4. 15’, and ‘P. 4. 11. Art:’, s. xvii, the last two items canc. and repeated in the same hand on f. ivv, the last replaced by ‘C. 2. 11 (CCLX)’, in red ink; the College bookplate. ‘11’ is inked on the foredge.

Merton College MS. 260 – Part I (fols. 1–60v)

Contents

Language(s): Latin

1. (fols. 1–33)
ALBERT OF SAXONY, De Modo Significandi
Incipit: Quoniam scire et intelligere contingit in omni scientia
Explicit: (f. 24v) et hec de modis significandi essentialibus et accidentalibus scilicet partium orationis prout pertinent ad etymologiam. Hec dicta sufficiunt.
Final rubric: Explicit modus significandi secundum Albertum.
Incipit: Habito de modis significandi partium orationis sub ratione qua sunt principium formale partium orationis siue sermonis
Explicit: sed quanta per nuper. Et hec dicta de passionibus sufficiunt sermonum.
Final rubric: Deo gracias. Scriptor premissi tractatus nomine Manby.

Ed. T. Bursill-Hall (London, 1972).

2. (fols. 33v-58v)
De Modis Significandi
Incipit: Vt habeatur cognicio regiminis in grammatica secundum modos significandi proporcionales
Incipit: (35v) Nunc unumquodque arbitramur scire cum causas suas cognoscimus
Incipit: (48v) Reuerendi domini quia in contextu presentis sermonis singule partes orationis secundum speciem propter coniunctionem
Explicit: omnis efficacia arguendi que omnia sub specie uere supportationis benigne.
3. (fols. 59–60v)
FRANCISCUS DE MAYRONIS, De Signis Naturae
Incipit: Primum signum nature quiditatum ut quiditas entis siue entitas
Explicit: conceptus autem entis est irresolubile.
Final rubric: Explicit Franciscus de signis.

Unpr. Roth, Franz von Mayronis, p. 213 n. 44, refers to art. 2 and understandably doubted that it was written by Meyronnes. However, the incipit of art. 3 shows it to be the genuine work, of which Roth, pp. 212–13, cites six other copies.

Physical Description

Form: codex
Support: Parchment

Hand(s)

Art. 1 is signed by ‘Manby’ , who should be John Manbe, monk of Durham (BRUO 1212–13; Thomson, Lincoln, p. 200 and pl. 34), occ. 1471–2, 1494, known as an annotator of other books; however, in those cases (perhaps when he was older) he wrote a version of humanistica.

History

Origin: S. XV 2/3 ; England

Merton College MS. 260 – Part II (fols. 61–98v)

Contents

Language(s): Latin

4. (fols. 61–79)
JOHN DUNS SCOTUS, Commentary on ARISTOTLE, De Interpretatione, bk. 1
Incipit: Primum quidem oportet constituere. Notandum circa subiectum huius libri quod Boecius ponit idem esse interpretacionem
Explicit: ad ipsum ut est in propositione ubi distribuitur ut omnis homo currit &c.
Final rubric: Explicit opus Dunce super primum librum Peryarmenias.

DSO (Gál), 2. 43–132.

5. (fols. 79–84v)
JOHN DUNS SCOTUS, Commentary on ARISTOTLE, De Interpretatione, bks. 1–2.
Incipit: Queritur circa secundum librum primo an uerbum infinitum maneat infinitum in oratione
Explicit: ibidem denotantur inesse ideo est propositio plures.
Final rubric: Deo gracias et sic finitur secundus liber. Explicit primum opus Dunce super primum librum Perihermenias. Sequitur secundum opus eiusdem doctoris super primum librum.

DSO (Gál), 2. 193–221; Lohr, p. 191.

6. (fols. 84v-94v; 95–8v blank)
JOHN DUNS SCOTUS, Commentary on ARISTOTLE, De Interpretatione, bks. 1–2 (opus alterum)
Incipit: Sicut dicit philosophus iii. de anima triplex est operatio intellectus
Explicit: in propositione ideo non est de presenti. Finis.

DSO (Gál), 2. 135–90; Lohr, pp. 191–2.

History

Origin: S. XV 2/3 ; England

Merton College MS. 260 – Part III (fols. 99–157v)

Contents

Language(s): Latin

7. (fols. 99–152)
JOHN DUNS SCOTUS, Commentary on ARISTOTLE, Sophistici Elenchi
Incipit: De sophisticis autem elenchis &c. Queritur utrum logica procedat ex communibus quod non
Explicit: non sequitur priuatio respectus ad aliud.
Final rubric: Expliciunt questiones Duns super librum Elencorum. Chapeleyn.

DSO (Gál), 2. 271–527, using four copies including this one (O); Lohr, p. 192.

8. (fols. 152v-6)
THOMAS AQUINAS, De Occultis Operationibus Naturae
Incipit: Quoniam in quibusdam naturalibus corporibus quedam acciones naturales apparent
Explicit: de accionibus occultis ad presens dicta sufficiant.

STO 43. 158–86.

9. (fols. 156–7v)
BOETHIUS, De Hebdomadibus
Incipit: Postulas utrum ex ebdomadibus naturis eius questionis obscuritatem
Explicit: alia quidam iusta at alia uero aliud omnia igitur bona &c.
Final rubric: Explicit Boecius de Ebdomadibus.

CPL 892; ed. and transl. H. F. Steward and E. K. Rand (London, 1918/1973), pp. 38–50.

Physical Description

Form: codex
Support: Parchment

Hand(s)

Art. 7 was written by Chapeleyn, perhaps Peter Chapeleyn (BRUO 388), notary public, who witnessed documents of University College in 1445.

Decoration

On f. 152 Chapeleyn’s colophon, in large capitals, is decorated with skilful pen-and-ink sprays of flowers and foliage.

History

Origin: S. XV 2/3 ; England

Merton College MS. 260 – Part IV (fols. 158–169v)

Contents

Language(s): Latin

10. (fols. 158–67v; 168–9v blank)
De Ente et Essentia
Incipit: Qui errat circa principia multo magis circa principita. Vltima nostra perfectio consistit in intelligibili operatione
Explicit: (ends impf.) quia sunt materialia et materia

Unpr.

History

Origin: S. XV 2/3 ; England

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. 102–3; Powicke, no. 925; Codices Boethiani, no. 224; Dondaine & Shooner, no. 2129; DSO (Gál), 2. 13–14, 258.

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

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