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

Merton College MS. 294

Former shelfmark: K. 1. 3

PHILOSOPHICAL CONCORDANCE; S. XIV in.

Contents

Language(s): Latin

Fols. i, ii blank. On f. iiv is a contemporary table of contents. Sewn in between the leaves, presumably as strengthening, is a small fragment containing, on one side, ruling in red for a table, on the other text considerably washed out. Another piece from the same book, similarly used, is in MS 275.

(fols. 1–185v)
Concordances to philosophical works
(fols. 1–6, 6v blank)
Index of key words

Aborsus-Zodiacus

(fols. 7–174)
Incipit: Incipit tabula concordanciarum philosophie secundum ordinem alphabeti extracta ex omnibus libris naturalibus Aristotilis et Methaphysica sua, ex libris Platonis, Auicenne, Macrobii, Plinii, Solini, Albumazar, Algazelis, Ciceronis, Trismegisti, Auicebron, Boecii, Senece, Valerii et aliorum philosophorum cum Aueroyo quasi per totum.
(fols. 181v-5v)
Concordance to Aristotle's Meteora,

ending ?unfinished in Aristotle, Meteora iv. 28.

From f. 176 the book was not foliated, and the contents not indexed.

Spaces are left blank passim; entirely blank are fols. 77v, 117v, 174v-5v, 187.

On f. 187v is a single-line note in Hebrew.

Language(s): Hebrew

Physical Description

Secundo Folio: locusta
Secundo Folio: (f. 8) positionem non
Form: codex
Support: Parchment
Extent: 189 leaves (ii + 187)
Dimensions (leaf): 290 × 215 mm.
Dimensions (written): 240 × 165 mm.
The edges savagely retrimmed, with loss of marginalia, running heads and quire-signatures, and spattered with red. Contemporary foliation, i-clxviii, beginning at mod. 7.

Collation

A bifolium at each end, 16, 2–612, 712(12 canc.), 8–912, 1010, 116, 12–1312, 1410, 15–1612, 1710; the quires numbered at the end; quire-signatures of the usual late medieval form, mostly cropped.

Layout

Ruled with crayon in 2 cols of c. 53 lines.

Hand(s)

English gothic rotunda bookhands of university type.

Decoration

On f. 7 is a 10-line historiated initial A in blue, orange and pink on gold, with partial ivy-leaf border, enclosing a seated doctor teaching. On fols. 1–6 are red or blue initials flourished in the other colour; throughout, red or blue paraphs. On f. 186v are pencil-sketches, s. xv, including a skilful representation of a standing man with hands clasped in adoration, in doublet, hose and shoes with pointed toes, and the torso from a crucifix. Another sketch of a standing person, fainter and much less finished, is on f. ii.

Binding

Standard Merton s. xvii, sewn on five bands; formerly chained from the usual position. The outermost leaves were pastedowns in an earlier binding. f. i has a rust-mark in the centre; f. 189v has the mark of the large iron chain-staple. Other rust-marks on both leaves suggest that there were once two straps and catches.

History

Origin: S. XIV in. ; script of English appearance.

Provenance and Acquisition

Given to the College by William Reed in 1374: UO49. 55. On f. iv: ‘Liber Willelmi Red ex empcione de bonis sibi datis per Magistrum Nicholaum de Sandwyco. Oretis igitur pro utroque’ (autograph); ‘Concordancie philosophie et sententie medicinales’; ‘Liber domus scolarium de Merton’ in Oxon’ in communi libraria eiusdem et ad usum communem sociorum ibidem studencium cathenandus. Ex dono uenerabilis patris domini Willelmi tercii episcopi Cicestrie. Oretis igitur pro eodem et benefactoribus eiusdem ac fidelium animabus a purgatorio liberandis. Walterus Roberti.’ For William Reed, fellow from 1344 until at least 1357, d. 1385, see MS 8.

On f. 186: the remnants of an inscription at the head, mostly removed by the binder, not evidently of ownership; ‘Liber domus scolarium de Merton’ in Oxon’ incathenatus in tempore M. Thome Redborne custodis eiusdem domus anno Domini mccccxvi.’ Rodbourne (BRUO 1582–3) was warden 1416, no longer by Apr. 1417.

At the head of f. 1 is the James no. ‘78’, s. xvii in.

Inside the front board is a table of contents, s. xvii in., and a sheet of paper with another table of contents and ‘Q. 2. 10. Art:’, s. xvii, canc. and replaced by ‘K. 1. 3. (CCXCIV.)’, in red ink; 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

    Coxe, pp. 116–17; Powicke, no. 535.

Funding of Cataloguing

Conversion of the printed catalogue to TEI funded by the Warden and Fellows of Merton College .

Last Substantive Revision

2019-10-25: First online publication

See the Availability section of this record for information on viewing the item in a reading room.