Merton College MS. 280
Former shelfmark: O. 1. 12
COMMENTARIES ON ARISTOTLE; S. XIII ex.
Contents
Language(s): Latin
On f. ivv is an informal table of contents, s. xiv.
Physical Description
Collation
Binding
Standard Merton s. xvii; sewn on five bands; formerly chained from the usual position; fols. i-ii, 144–5 are paper binding leaves, the outermost from the same printed book as in MS 118. f. iii was formerly a pastedown in an earlier binding. f. iv has a mark probably of an iron chain-staple at the foredge near the foot. This mark does not appear on f. iii because most of its foot is torn away.
History
Provenance and Acquisition
Probably made at Oxford.
At the College by 1372, when it was in circulation: UO48. 128.
On f. iii is an erased cautio: ‘C⟨autio⟩ … sabati proxima post festum sancti … domini M …bury de …’.
On f. iiiv: ‘Liber domus scolarium de Merton’ in Oxon’ ex assignacione Magistri Willelmi Ingge archidiaconi Surr’ quondam socii dicte domus ita quod a dicta domo non alienetur uel distrahatur quouis modo [erased]’, s. xiv.
‘Liber domus scolarium de Merton’ in Oxon’, twice, in different hands of s. xv; ‘de sorte Hereward’’; ‘De sorte [erased]’; ‘5us De sorte Swyndon’’. Inge (BRUO 1001) was apparently fellow c. 1324; d. 1347. John Swyndon (BRUO 1835) was fellow in 1390–1, still in 1400. John Hereward (BRUO 915–16) was fellow in 1381, still in 1391.
Near the head of f. ii is ‘13 Eye’. On f. ivv are several more erased inscriptions, incl. ‘14’.
At the foot of f. 145v are: ‘Iste liber constat Willelmo de Hordle scolari Oxonie scolatisanti anno Domini millesimo CCCmo XV eodem anno domino magistro Henrico de Harklee cancellario ibidem existente’, and ‘Liber scholarium domus de Mertone in Oxonia’, s. xiv ex. These inscriptions presumably refer to part II. Hordle is not in BRUO.
The book is apparently mentioned by Bale: Thomson, Merton, Appendix C, no. 43 (the first two arts only, ascr. by him to Grosseteste).
Near the head of f. iii is the James no. ‘102’ (recte 92), s. xvii in.
Inside the front board is a sheet of paper with a table of contents, s. xvii, ‘E. 4. 8.’, s. xvii, canc., ‘Q. 1. 12. Art:’, s. xvii, canc. and replaced with ‘O. 1. 12 (CCLXXX)’ in red; the College bookplate. ‘12’ is inked on the foredge.
Merton College MS. 280 – Part I (fols. 1–106v)
Contents
Language(s): Latin
Unpr.; Thomson, Grosseteste, pp. 81–2; Lohr, p. 104; the unique copy.
Pr. (as Giles of Rome) Venice 1499, 1516; Lohr, pp. 111–12.
f. 106rv blank but for faint early pencil-notes on 106.
Physical Description
Layout
Ruled with crayon in 2 cols of 52–62 lines.
Hand(s)
Written in several bookhands of university type, using many anglicana forms.
Decoration
Blue initials flourished in red; running heads in red and blue capitals.
History
Merton College MS. 280 – Part II (fols. 107–30v)
Contents
Language(s): Latin
Ed. P. Rossi (Florence, 1981); Thomson, Grosseteste, p. 84; Lohr, pp. 103–4.
Physical Description
Layout
Ruled with crayon in 2 cols of 53 lines.
Hand(s)
Written in several bookhands of university type, using many anglicana forms
Decoration
Blue initials flourished in red; running heads in red and blue capitals.
History
Merton College MS. 280 – Part III (fols. 131–43)
Contents
Language(s): Latin
The table of contents of s. xvii ascribes this to Giles of Rome.
On fols. 142v-3 are pen-trials of s. xv, including parts of legal documents. The pencilled opening words of an indenture seem to name ‘Iohannes de Rebus alius filius Raguelis’.
f. 143v is filled with specimen examples of libelli, in a neat small anglicana, s. xiv in.
Physical Description
Layout
Ruled with pencil in 2 cols of 52 lines.
Hand(s)
Written in anglicana.
Decoration
Blue initials flourished in red.
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
2019-10-14: First online publication