Hugo de S. Caro, Comm. in libros Genesim–Ruth; Oxford, England, c. 1466?

Title

Hugo de S. Caro, Comm. in libros Genesim–Ruth; Oxford, England, c. 1466?

Shelfmark

Exeter College MS. 51

Place of origin

Oxford, England

Date

c. 1466?

Language

Latin

Contents

Form

codex

Support

parchment FHHF

Physical extent

204 leaves

Hands

Written by scribe 3 (William Osborne?), probably c. 1466, a year apparently unoccupied by work on other volumes in the series: see Table 1 in headnote to MSS 51–68 (Watson, Exeter, pp. 85–87). The script is gothic hybrida formata, with high ascenders and low descenders in some top and bottom lines, the former with cadell-like flourishing, to the use of which he is the most addicted of the three scribes involved in MSS 51–68. Large book forms of letters are used for major headings. Punctuated by low point.

Decoration

By Artist B, for a characterization of whose work see the headnote to MSS 51–68 (Watson, Exeter, pp. 85–87). Ten-line illuminated initials with elaborate floral sprays in outer and central margins form surviving borders on fols. 1r, 82v, 83r, 102r, 124v, 169r, 184r, 202r (i.e. the beginnings of all Old Testament books except Deuteronomy which was excised). There are 3-line gold initials at the beginnings of chapters throughout, on various kinds of blue- or pink-coloured base with white tracery; also red and blue paraphs.

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. Sewn on seven bands. For other details see Watson, Exeter, p. 87.

Provenance

In the border on fol. 1r are the arms of Roger Keys. See MS 53, History, for the ex dono inscription in that volume and some others, which was probably at one time in this volume.

Library identifications are, at the foot of fol. 1r, ‘Coll: Exon’ (s. xvi/xvii?); on the front pastedown, bookplate 3, on which are ‘173–F–1’, deleted and replaced by ‘213.E.2’, also, deleted; ‘MS LI in Catal: MSS’ (pencil), ‘Coxe LI’ (pencil). On fol. 175r is a pencil inscription ‘John Blake of Northmolton Devon 1773 scripsit.’ The eighteen-year-old Blake was admitted as an undergraduate to Exeter in that year: see Boase2, 207.