Hugo de S. Caro, In psalmos 1–68; Oxford, England, 1457/8

Title

Hugo de S. Caro, In psalmos 1–68; Oxford, England, 1457/8

Shelfmark

Exeter College MS. 53

Place of origin

Oxford, England

Date

1457/8

Language

Latin

Contents

Form

codex

Support

parchment FHHF

Physical extent

271 leaves

Hands

Written by Scribe 2 (see Watson, Exeter, pp. 85–87. The script is gothic hybrida formata with cadell-like ascenders in top lines and plain long descenders in bottom lines. Punctuation is by low point and punctus elevatus.

Decoration

Of the same type as in MS 51 but by Artist A (the ‘Chaundler’ illuminator, for whom see Watson, Exeter, pp. 85–87 n. 10, also for a characterization of his work). Major illuminated borders at ferial divisions survive on fols. 92r, 159r, 214v (Pss. 26, 38, 52) very similar to those in Cambridge, Trinity College, MS R.14.5 (Scott, Later Gothic Manuscripts, no. 103), Oxford, Oriel College, MS 6, Bod. Lib., MS Hatton 73 (SC 4119), and MS 36 above. There are no lombards or plain red or blue initials. Lemmata are underlined in red, unlike those in MSS 51 and 52, which are underlined in ink.

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

On fol. 1v is ‘Hunc librum Hugonem de Vienna super primam partem psalterij 2º fo quia hiis M. Rogerus Keys precentor Ecclesie Cathedralis beati Petri Exon’ prima 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 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 sit ipso facto’. On Philipp see BRUO.

On fol. 126r, in a humanistic hand of s. xv/xvi, is a marginal note against Ps. 32, ‘Opinio pelagij’.

Exeter library identifications are, on the front pastedown: bookplate 3, ‘173–F–3’, deleted, and replaced by ‘213 E 4; and ‘Coxe Liii’ (pencil).