Merton College MS. 266
Former shelfmark: G. 1. 4
JOHN OF FAENZA &c.; S. XIII-XIV
Contents
Language(s): Latin
Physical Description
Collation
Hand(s)
Decoration
Binding
Standard Merton s. xvii, sewn on four bands; formerly chained from the usual position. Fols. i, 303–4 are paper binding leaves; 304 and a former bifolium before i, now only stubs, are from a printed copy of one of Hieronymus Zanchius’s works (cap. xix De dolore ac poena cacodaem[onum]). f. 1 was a pastedown in an earlier binding. It has the marks of two straps and perhaps of an iron chain-staple at the foot, near the foredge.
History
Provenance and Acquisition
At the foot of f. 302v is an erased inscription of 3–4 lines. At the foot of f. 37, in an early hand, ‘Iste quaternus restituatur domino Ioseph uicario de Cestrehunte’ (Cheshunt, Herts.).
At the foot of f. 300v is a note in anglicana headed ‘Barnbye’. This might be Thomas de Barneby (BRUO 111), fellow of Merton in 1276, twenty-third lector of the Oxford Franciscans, c. 1291–2, probably warden of York when on 12 Oct. 1300 he presented to Bp. Dalderby of Lincoln friars from Lincoln, Grimsby and Boston for licences to hear confessions. Nonetheless, it is not known when the book came to the College prior to s. xvii in.
On f. i is a table of contents, s. xvii, and ‘P. 4. 17. Art:’, canc. and replaced with ‘G. 1. 4 (CCLXVI)’ in red. Inside the front board is another title, s. xvii, and the College bookplate.
Merton College MS. 266 – Part I (fols. 1–12)
Contents
Language(s): Latin
Covered with informal notes in an early anglicana hand, mostly concerning the contents of the Decretum. On f. 1 is a prayer in French, and a list, in 2 cols, of the provinces of the Franciscan order, Hungaria—Siria, with the numbers of convents in each, headed ‘Prouincia fratrum minorum si queris denominacio scriptus est fratris beati Bartholomei anno Domini 1242 in capitulo prouincialis[sic].’ Above is ‘Frater Hugo de confessione dixit ...’.
Physical Description
Layout
The leaves, though ruled in crayon for varying numbers of long lines, are effectively unformatted. Running heads run 1 fol. a, 1 fol. b etc. as far as 9 fol. a.
Hand(s)
Rough English gothic rotunda bookhand.
History
Merton College MS. 266 – Part II (fols. 13–142v)
Contents
Language(s): Latin
Unpr.; Schulte 1. 137–40; Kuttner 143–6.
Originally the text ran fols. 13–121v, 130–7v. However, large sections were omitted, and these have been made good on inserted quires (fols. 122–8v and 138–41). The text from f. 121v continues on f. 130 to the penultimate line of col. b; it then continues on fols. 122–8v, then from f. 130b last line to 137v. The text on fols. 138–41 is marked for insertion on f. 136b.
Filled with informal notes on the contents of the Decretum.
Informal notes and mnemonic verses in anglicana hands also occur on fols. 140v-2v, including a long set of verses ‘De primo libro sentenciarum summaria contumelia. A. Res et signum sunt doctrine duo membra’ (WIC 81). At the foot of f. 141 is a very roughly-written note ‘Hic in fine(?) de patronatu(?) Oseneii scripta fidens’. At the foot of f. 142v is a draft letter, written by Dionysia de Monti Canisio (Mountchensey) at ‘Lud’’ to L(aurence) bp. of Rochester (1251–74), concerning a presentation to the church of ‘Ludesddone’ (Luddesdown) in his diocese. Walter of Bibbesworth wrote his Treitiz de Langage for her children (Dean & Boulton, no. 285).
Physical Description
Collation
Layout
Ruled with crayon in 4 cols of 43 lines. The two innermost cols are 100 mm wide. They are occupied by the text of Gratian, the commentary, written in slightly smaller script, extending into the the outer cols as required.
Hand(s)
fols. 13–121v, 130–7v are written in an Italian gothic rotunda bookhand; fols. 122–8v in a French or English bookhand; fols. 138–41 in an anglicana hand, which also glosses throught.
Decoration
On f. 13 is a red and blue florished initial; otherwise red and blue initials and paraphs, chapter-numbers in both colours.
History
Merton College MS. 266 – Part III (fols. 143–240v)
Contents
Language(s): Latin
Also in Bruges, Stadsbibl. 373 (1283), fols. 1–92.
But the list does not always correspond. Followed by mnemonic verses, ‘Consentis operans defendens non reprehendens’ (WIC 3181, this copy only), in the same anglicana hand as earlier.
Also in Basel, Universitätsbibl., C. V. 37, fols. 1–52, and Bruges, Stadsbibl. 373, fols. i-lxxx (AD 1283).
Informal notes and mnemonic verses, incl. (f. 239) ‘Opiniones magistri sententiarum reprobate’, ‘Hec sunt errores contra ueritatem fidei catholice qui dampnati sunt ab episcopo Willelmo Paris’ ...’, dated 1240, followed by other lists of errors. At the head of f. 240v is a table of contents: ‘In hoc uolumine continent | Notabilia supra decreta | liber decretorum abreuiatus | concordancie decretalium | concordancie decretorum’, the last three titles braced together. Nearby are notes of persons holding lands mainly in the area of Worksop (Notts.): frater domini Walteri camerarii, D. Ricardus de Lauhtone (Laughton Le Morehen, Lincs.), Edmundus de Thorp, Thorp in Lindrik (Thorpe Salvin, Notts.), Blithe uersus Sirewude (Blyth, Notts.), Lindrik (now surviving as Lindrick Common and Carlton in Lindrick, Notts.), the abbey of Worksop, Tikehelle (Tickhill, Yorks.), Rufford in Sirewde (Rufford, Notts.), Willelmus de Cressi in Marcham (Markham, Notts.), Nottingham, Henricus de Tiuerlaw, Colingham (Collingham, Notts.). Also a note on distances between Paris, Marseilles, Toulouse, Nantes and other places in southern France.
Physical Description
Layout
Ruled with pencil in 2 cols (4 cols art. 4) of 44 lines
Hand(s)
Written in an English gothic rotunda bookhand of university type.
Decoration
Arts 3 and 6 open with a red and blue flourished initial; red or blue paraphs, red highlighting and underlining. Art. 3 also has blue initials flourished in red. Arts 4–5 and 7–8 are undecorated.
History
Merton College MS. 266 – Part IV (fols. 241–288v)
Contents
Language(s): Latin
Data—Iudicare
Physical Description
Layout
Ruled with pencil in 2 cols of 45 lines.
Hand(s)
Written in an English gothic rotunda bookhand.
Decoration
No decoration except for art. 10, which has red paraphs.
History
Merton College MS. 266 – Part V (fols. 289–302v)
Contents
Language(s): Latin
f. 290v blank.
Physical Description
Layout
Fols. 289–90, frame-ruled with crayon in 2 cols; written in c. 37 lines.
Remainder ruled with crayon in 2 cols of 44 lines.
Hand(s)
In an anglicana hand of the sort found in law books of the period.
Decoration
Unfilled spaces for coloured initials and rubrics.
History
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