JOHN CHRYSOSTOM; S. X

Title

JOHN CHRYSOSTOM; S. X

Shelfmark

Merton College MS. 28

Date

S. X

Language

Ancient Greek (to 1453)

Contents

Form

codex

Support

Parchment

Physical extent

328 leaves Parchment of fairly good quality, though many pages are rather yellowish, retrimmed.

Hands

One scribe; since the script on most folios rests on the line, a date in the 10th century and not later seems likely. E. Gamillscheg and D. Harlfinger (1981) list the scribe Petros (no. 351), suggesting however that he may have been the owner rather than the scribe.

Decoration

A cross outlined in ink of the text, tinted yellow, and a prayer by the scribe in majuscules on fol. 1: †κ(ύριε) βοήθει τώ σώ δούλω Πέτρω καί συγχώρισον τάς Άμαρτίασ αύτοϋ, ώς καί ϕίλ(ος)†

On the verso a framed, full-page portrait of Chrysostom in the same technique. An ornamental headpiece on fol. 3r, and some simple pen-work ornament elsewhere; titles and initials are in carmine.

Binding

Presumably s. xix, black leather over wooden boards with gold tooling: the edges gilded; two blank paper flyleaves at each end.

Provenance

Scribe or former owner Petros (E. Gamillscheg and D. Harlfinger (1981) no. 351).

On 1v, in an ?Italian gothic rotunda bookhand, s. xiv: Solidi .xij. Sermones beati Johannis Christostomi. M. Aubineau, op. cit. below, identfied this MS as one referred to by Henry Savile as belonging to 'Croshauii nostri', who is presumably to be identified as William Crashawe (1572–1625/6).

Labels on the spine give the numeral 13 and the out-of-date shelf-mark H. 1. 14. Inside the front board is a College bookplate and previous shelf-marks H. 1. 14 (XXVIII) in red, O. 4. 13 Theol., canc., and in pencil 'olim N. iii. 2'.