DUNS SCOTUS ON I, IV SENT; S. XIV in.

Title

DUNS SCOTUS ON I, IV SENT; S. XIV in.

Shelfmark

Merton College MS. 66

Place of origin

England, Oxford (?)

Date

S. XIV in.

Language

Latin

Contents

Form

codex

Support

Parchment

Physical extent

262 leaves (ii + 259, incl. 11A and 197A, 49 om.)The edges savagely retrimmed with loss of running heads and marginalia, and spattered with red. fols. 258–9 are of thick, stiff parchment.

Hands

A single proficient French gothic rotunda bookhand of university type.

Decoration

Red and blue flourished initials with partial borders; blue initials flourished in red; red or blue paraphs; running heads in the colours.

Binding

Standard Merton s. xvii, repaired and rebacked by Maltby; sewn on five bands; formerly chained from the usual position. fols. i-ii are paper binding leaves, the first from a copy of Nicholas Fuller, Miscellanea Sacra (Oxford, 1615). fol. 259, pasted down in a former binding, has marks of the large iron chain-staple at the foot. A verdigris spot near the head may be from a former strap-pin. The original front pastedown is now MS 141, fol. 236. It has the mark of an iron chain-staple at the foot, and possible traces of straps at head and tail, and two at the foredge.

Provenance

Script and decoration suggest professional manufacture in Oxford. In MS 141, fol. 236v, are ‘[Liber] Willelmi Rede quem emit ab executoribus magistri Iohannis Burcote de bonis sibi datis per Magistrum Nicholaum de Sandwyc’’. Below is an erased inscription, of which ‘Merton’ can be read. Below again ‘Liber domus scolarium de Merton’ in Oxon’ in communi libraria eiusdem et ad usum communem sociorum studencium cathenandus. Ex dono uenerabilis patris domini Willelmi tercii episcopi Cicestrie. Oretis igitur pro eodem et benefactoribus ac fidelium animabus a purgatorio liberandis. Walterus Roberti.’ John de Burcote (BRUO 306) was fellow of the College in 1331, until his death in 1349. Given to the College in 1374 by William Reed (UO49. 71), fellow from 1344 until at least 1357, d. 1385, for whom see MS 8.

Inside the front board is a sheet of paper with contents, s. xvii, and ‘N. 5. 11. Art:’ canc. and replaced with ‘I. 2. 5 (LXVI)’, in red; the College bookplate. ‘8’ is inked on the foredge.