Merton College MS. 304
Former shelfmark: I. 2. 4
Philosophical texts; Padua, c. 1581
Contents
Language(s): Greek
Ed. H. Diels and W. Kranz, Die Fragmente der Vorsokratiker, ed. 6 (Berlin, 1952 and subsequently reprinted), vol. II, pp. 405–16.
371v-3v blank.
H. Mutschmann in Rheinisches Museum 64 (1909), p. 246, who assigns this MS the siglum M.; E. Gamillscheg and D. Harlfinger, Repertorium der griechischen Kopisten I (Vienna, 1981), pp. 89 and 121, list the scribes (nos 142 and 212); L. Floridi, Sextus Empiricus, the transmission and recovery of Pyrrhonism (Oxford, 2002), p. 85; M. L. Sosower, ‘Greek Manuscripts acquired by Henry and Thomas Savile in Padua’, Bodleian Library Record 19 (2006), 157–84, esp. 164 and figs 5–8.
Physical Description
Collation
Layout
30 lines. Ruling pattern too faint to be identified with certainty
Hand(s)
Written by Camillus Venetus, using an exemplar belonging to the Paduan Gian Vincenzo Pinelli (1535–1601). The same exemplar was copied in 1589 by James Dalyrimple who wrote f. 10rv (a replacement leaf glued to the stub of its predecessor) of this MS. Brief marginal notes by him on f. 1rv.
Decoration
Titles, initials of simple pen-work ornament and chapter headings in various red inks.
Binding
Oxford, blind-stamped brown leather over reverse-bevelled wooden boards repaired by Maltby in 1953; an elaborate version of Pearson, Oxford Bookbinding, type B2b; his fig. 28 is somewhat similar. Formerly two clasps from the front board to catches at the rear; the marks of a chain staple at the foredge of the front board, near the foot. The front foredge is marked with the numeral 6. A pencilled note records that the binding was repaired by Maltby in 1953.
History
Provenance and Acquisition
Bought by Sir Henry Savile in Padua.
On f. iiv is a list of the chapters of art. 2 in Dalyrimple’s hand, a table of contents, s. xvii, ‘Q. 3. 6. Art:’, canc., and ‘I. 2. 4. (CCCIV)’ in red. The College bookplate.
Merton College MS. 304 - flyleaves (fols. i-ii, 374–5)
Contents
Language(s): Latin
from a pecia copy.
Fols. i-ii from qq. 4–5 (5 inc. ‘Circa Christum arguitur quod anima Christi separata a suo corpore gloria eius fuit diminuta’); fols. 374–5 from ?Bk. 1. q. ?. On f. ii is ‘pecia iiia’.
Physical Description
Collation
Layout
Ruled with pencil in 2 cols of 50 lines.
Hand(s)
Written in proficient gothic rotunda bookhand, probably French. Textual corrections in a small anglicana hand little later than the main text.
Decoration
Red or blue initials flourished in the other colour; red and blue running heads between ruled lines across the whole page; small red or blue initials; red paraphs and highlighting.
History
Additional Information
Record Sources
Availability
For enquiries relating to this manuscript please contact Merton College Library.
Bibliography
Online resources:
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
2019-11-18: First online publication