Exeter College MS. 62

Hugo de S. Caro, In Matthaeum et Marcum; Oxford, England, 1454

Summary of Contents: Exeter College MSS 51–68, most of the texts in which are by or attributed to Hugo de Sancto Caro, were produced in Oxford for Roger Keys, d. 1477, whose many positions included the visitorship of Exeter College (1442), the wardenship of All Souls College (1443–5), the archdeaconry of Barnstaple (1450), and the precentorship of Exeter Cathedral (1459) (see BRUO, ‘Keyes’). His arms are found in the borders of several of the manuscripts (although others have been excised) and several manuscripts include a long ex dono inscription (see MS 53) recording his gift of the books to the rector and fellows of Exeter College on 1 January 1469/70. On Hugo de Sancto Caro see E. Mangenot, Dictionnaire de théologie catholique, vii (Paris, 1921), 221–308. For two other great series of illuminated volumes produced in Oxford contemporaneously with these, then and now at Balliol College and Merton College, see K. L. Scott, ‘Two series of dated illuminated manuscripts made in Oxford 1450–64’, Watson Essays, 43–69. So far as is known from the incomplete series of dated colophons and the ex dono inscription, the manuscripts were written between 1452 and the late 1460s, but it is probable that they were delivered to the College singly or in twos or threes; a 1458 entry in the Rector’s Accounts records payments to John Godysson, stationer, for providing chains for three volumes of the set (Boase¹, 21, Boase², 40). Another series of entries in the Rector’s Accounts reveals, however, that MS 68 and another, probably MS 60, were not completed until after Keys’s death, between 1480 and 1484, perhaps for lack of money until that was supplied by M. John Combe (see Watson, Exeter, p. 85, and MS 68, History). In the whole series three principal scribes took part, assisted by several others in the last volume, MS 68. Four artists shared the illumination of the borders (and some of them also the spray decoration and small initials). For detailed analysis, see Watson, Exeter, pp. 85–87.

Language(s): Latin

1. (fols. 1^r-129^v)

Hugo de S. Caro, Comm. Matth.

Incipit: || et XXXº. ponitur autem solus Iudas

[fol. 4^r]

Explicit: et nomen imponebatur.

Incipit: Cum autem natus esset Iesus in Bethleem Iude etc. In hoc capitulo agitur de natiuitate

Explicit: quam excescuerunt in te.

Final rubric: Explicit euangelium sancti Mathei.

Stegmüller, Bibl., 3717. Because of the loss of the first two leaves of quire 1, our text begins in the commentary on Matthew, 5. 2, Paris, 1545 edn., p. 4^rb/34. There are marginal distinctiones.

2. (fol. 130^r)

Incipit: Undecim apparitiones. Prima Marie Magdalene. Jo. XX

Explicit: Decima in monte Oliueti. luc’ vltimo.

A list of Christ’s appearances after crucifixion, drawn from the Gospels and Acts, the chapters and verses of which are specified. Despite the title the list stops at the tenth.

3. (fols. 130^v-179^v)

Hugo de S. Caro, Comm. Marc

Rubric: [Running title in blue] Prologus

Incipit: Consummatio abreuiata inundabit iustitiam. Ysaie .x. ad literam

[fol. 132^r]

Explicit: ut operi suo graciam prebet.

Rubric: Incipit euuangelium Sancti Marci.

Incipit: Inicium euuangelij id est consecracio uel confirmatio. Exo. XXV.b. postquam iniciaueris etc.

Explicit: Tercium confirmatio iustorum.

Final rubric: Explicit opus Hugonis de Vienna super Marcum.

Stegmüller, Bibl., 3719. There are marginal distinctiones.

4. (fol. 180^rv)

Twenty-two sets of distinctiones on the Gospel of S. Mark, chapters 6, 9, 10, 12, 13, and 14.

In the hand and with the ordinatio of the main text.

Physical Description

Secundo Folio: [intencione].

Form: codex

Support: parchment FHHF

Extent: 180 leaves preceded by one 18th-century paper flyleaf and one half-sheet with the note of Keys’s bequest, and followed by one 18th-century flyleaf.

Dimensions (leaf): 410 × 280 mm.

Dimensions (column): 285 × 80 mm.

Collation

1⁸ (wants 1, 2) 2–22⁸ 23⁸ (wants 7, 8). Catchwords by scribe; no quire signatures or numbers.

Layout

Two columns, 60 lines. Ruled in crayon.

Hand(s)

Written by Scribe 1 (William Salomon): see MS 58, Script, also History, below. DMO, no. 791. Running titles in uncial. In this volume Salomon’s cadell-like ascenders, although infrequent, are quite elaborate.

Decoration

Of the same type as in MS 51 but by Artist A, for a characterization of whose work see Watson, Exeter, pp. 85–87. A major illumination before Matthew has been excised but others survive on fol. 130^v (with Keys’s arms in the lower border) and on fol. 132^r.

There are illuminated initials for chapters, blue and red paraphs, lemmata underlined red, blue running titles and book numbers.

Binding

Stamped leather bindings over square-edged wooden boards, (presumably) rebound; stamp used was employed in Oxford between 1535 and 1621, here in the second phase state, probably c. 1605–10. Two straps held by nails. Refurbished in the 19th century (1839?): that volumes were resewn is indicated by the very tight binding, which makes collation difficult, and by the provision of new endbands; edges were stained red; book was reinforced by pasting long strips of canvas round the spine and attached to the boards, and the old spines were replaced. On eight bands, with the remains of two straps; spine renewed. For other details see Watson, Exeter, p. 87.

History

Origin: 1454 ; Oxford, England

Provenance and Acquisition

On fol. 179^v, ‘Iste liber constat Magistro Rogero Keys qui fuit scriptus Oxonie anno domini millesimo quadringentesimo quadragesmimo quarto per manus Willelmi Salomonis Leonensis diocesis. Cuius anime propicietur omipotens. Amen. Deo gracias.’ On fol. ii^v, ‘Hunc librum Hugonem de Vienna super Matheum et Marcum 2º fo. intencione M. Robertas Keys ... primo die mensis Januarij Anno Domini Millesimo Quadringentesimo Sexagesimo Nono contulit et dedit M. Johanni Philipp Rectori et socijs Collegij Exon’ in Oxon’ Vocati Stapildon halle cathenandum in libraria eiusdem collegij ad vsum predictorum Rectoris et sociorum ac successorum suorum in eodem studere volencium qui diu durare poterit pro quo qua quidem donacione iidem[sic] M. Johannes Phillip Rector et socij collegij predict’ obligarunt se et successores suos Rectores et socios eiusdem collegij prefat’ M. Rogero virtute iuramenti prestiti quod solempniter cum nota postquam idem M. Rogerus ab hac luce migrauerit inperpetuum semel in anno tenebunt obitum suum et benefactorum suorum cum exiquijs et missa in crastino per Rectorem ibidem pro tempore existen’ vel vnum de socijs collegi predict’ in capella eiusdem celebrand’. Si quis autem prefatum librum a collegio predicto alienauerit vel de libraria predicta sine licencia Rectoris et omni sociorum collegij predict’ tam absencium quam presencium pro tempore existencium abstulerit alienauerit vel ad extram cauauerit nisi causa correccionis reparacionis vel ligacionis per predict’ Rectorem et omnes socios predictos prius approbanda auctoritate Dei patris omnipotentis et beatorum apostolorum suorum Petri et Pauli ac Reuerende in Christo patris et domini Johannis Dei gracia Exon’ Episcopi anatentizatus[sic] sit ipso facto’.

Exeter library identifications are, on the front pastedown, bookplate 3, and on it ‘173–11–1’, deleted and replaced by ‘212.G.9’ and on the pastedown ‘Coxe LXI’.

Record Sources

Andrew G. Watson, A descriptive catalogue of the medieval manuscripts of Exeter College, Oxford (Oxford: Oxford University Press), 2000.

Availability

For enquiries relating to this manuscript please contact Exeter College Library.

Funding of Cataloguing

Conversion of the printed catalogue to TEI funded by the Rector and Fellows of Exeter College.

Abbreviations

View list of abbreviations and editorial conventions.

Last Substantive Revision

2020-04-29: First online publication