Merton College MS. 302

Former shelfmark: H. 3. 4

DIONIGI DA BORGO S. SEPOLCRO; S. XV

Language(s): Latin

f. i blank. On the verso are titles of s. xv ex. and s. xvii.

(fols. 1–336)

DIONYSIUS DE BURGO, Commentary on VALERIUS MAXIMUS

Rubric: Incipit epistola super declaracione Valerii Maximi edita a fratre Dionisio de Burgo Sancti Sepulcri ordinis fratrum heremitarum sancti Augustini sacre theologie dignissimo magistro.

Incipit: Reuerendo in Christo patri et suo domino speciali domino Iohanni de Columpna

Incipit: ⟨C⟩urialium philosophorum attestante sentencia ad uite humane precauendas insideas

Incipit: Vrbis Rome &c. Valerius huic operi suo primo prohemium ponit

Explicit: in cuius cultu sincero eterna uita promittitur in s. s. amen.

Final rubric: Explicit liber nonus et ultimus Valerii Maximi et eius exposicio edita a fratre Dionisio de Burgo Sancti Sepulcri fratrum heremitarum ordinis sancti Augustini sacre theologie magistro

The full text of each chapter is followed by commentary.

Pr. Strassburg, not after 1475 (GW 8411); CTC 5. 326–8.

On f. 336rv are the capitula of each book; 337rv blank.

Physical Description

Secundo Folio: primus sermo

Form: codex

Support: Parchment

Extent: 338 leaves ( i + 337)

Dimensions (leaf): 280 × 205 mm.

Dimensions (written): 190 × 140 mm.

Collation

A bifolium at each end, 1–42⁸; framed catchwords; quire-signatures of the unusual pattern 1. 1, 1. 2 &c, later succeeded by the normal late medieval form. The bifolia at each end are of thick, stiff parchment, the outermost leaves pastedowns.

Layout

Ruled with fine pencil in 2 cols of 45 lines.

Hand(s)

A single cursive hand, probably Continental.

Decoration

On f. 1 a red and blue initial flourished in red and ink of text; plain red or blue initials, obviously intended for flourishing; running heads in red with blue paraphs. At the foot of f. 336v ‘Of grete lettres xxii^C// \\ and xxviii^C and halfe and xx of parrafys.’

Binding

Late medieval; tawed skin over flush, square-edged oak boards, sewn on five bands, slightly raised on the spine and outlined with string; endbands sewn through the spine cover. Pink on the turn-ins was once the colour of the whole cover. Formerly two straps of pink skin from recesses in the front board to catches on the back. Near the foot of the back board are the sheered-off pins with rivets from a large brass chain-staple. There was also formerly a small chain-staple near the head of the front board.

History

Origin: S. XV ; Continental (?)

Provenance and Acquisition

On f. i^v‘Liber domus scolarium de Merton ex dono magistri Henrici Seuer sacre pagine professoris ac custodis eiusdem incathenatus ad communem usum sociorum in libraria studere uolencium anno Domini M. CCCC lxvi’. For Sever, see MS 6.

Also ‘Q. 3. 4. Art:’, s. xvii, canc. and replaced with ‘H. 3. 4. (CCCII)’ in red; the College bookplate. ‘4’ is inked on the foredge.

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, p. 120; Powicke, no. 951.

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

2019-11-05: First online publication

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