WILLIAM OCKHAM, GILES OF ROME; S. XIV in.

Title

WILLIAM OCKHAM, GILES OF ROME; S. XIV in.

Shelfmark

Merton College MS. 137

Place of origin

script of English appearance.

Date

S. XIV in

Language

Latin

Contents

Form

codex

Support

Parchment

Physical extent

184 leaves (ii + 182) The edges retrimmed, with loss of marginalia and running heads, and spattered with red.

Hands

Several similar gothic rotunda bookhands, probably English.

Decoration

Red initials, paraphs, underlining.

Binding

Standard Merton s. xvii; sewn on five bands; formerly chained from the usual position. The outermost leaves were formerly pastedowns in an earlier binding. fol. i has marks of two straps, a brass chain-staple near the foot of the foredge, and of the large iron chain-staple. fol. 184 has marks of two iron clasps.

Provenance

On fol. iv three inscriptions in the hand of Walterus Roberti: ‘Liber M. Willelmi Reed’ socii domus scolarium de Merton’ in Oxon’ quem de quadam cista ibidem uendicioni expositum emit de bonis sibi datis per reuerendum dominum suum M. Nicholaum de Sandwyco. Oretis igitur pro utroque’; a long table of contents; ‘Liber domus scolarium de Merton’ in Oxon’ in communi libraria eiusdem et ad usum communem magistrorum et sociorum ibidem studencium cathenandus. Ex dono uenerabilis patris domini Willelmi tercii episcopi Cicestrie. Oretis igitur pro eodem et benefactoribus eiusdem ac fidelium animabus a purgatorio liberandis. xxxi uolumen.’ For William Reed, fellow from 1344 until at least 1357, d. 1385, see MS 8. This volume was part of his legacy.

Seen at Merton by John Bale (Appendix C, no. 13).

At the head of fol. 1 is the James no. ‘32’, s. xvii in.

Inside the front board is a sheet of paper with ‘D. 7, 10’ (canc.) and a table of contents, s. xvii, on the board itself ‘O. 3. 9. Art:’, canc. and replaced with ‘L. 1. 8 (CXXXVII)’ in red; the College bookplate.