ISIDORE; S. XIII

Title

ISIDORE; S. XIII

Shelfmark

Merton College MS. 287

Date

S. XIII

Language

Latin

Contents

Form

codex

Support

Parchment

Physical extent

171 leaves (iii + 168) The edges retrimmed and spattered with red.

Hands

The proficient gothic rotunda bookhand of W. de Holkot. At the foot of f. 83 is pencilled ‘In principio istius quaterni recepit W. de Holkot d. pro scriptura per talliam uidelicet x d. pro sextario et recessit a mensa mea et hospicio. In octabis pasche et medium quod in pecunia numerata recepit ante predictas octabas pasche iiii s.’

Decoration

Large and handsome red and blue flourished initials; red or blue initials flourished in the other colour; plain red or blue initials for capitula; running heads in capitals of the colours. On f. 79 is a table of consanguinity. Rough marginal pencil sketches of mathematical and astronomical instruments, animals &c., passim. In the outer margin of f. 96v, however (against xii. 2 ‘de bestiis’) is a roundel containing a fine tinted drawing of a lioness licking her cubs, in the inner margin a series of four roundels containing bestiary subjects from the text.

Binding

Standard Merton s. xvii, sewn on four bands; formerly chained from the usual position. Fols. i-ii are paper binding leaves, both from the same printed book as in MS 272. Fols. iii and 168 were pastedowns in an earlier binding.

Provenance

On f. 167 ‘Liber magistri Ricardi Fytz james sacre theologie professoris emptus per eundem ultimo die Ianuarii anno Christi 1481 precii xiii s. iiii d.’ On f. iiiv is an erased name, perhaps ‘French’: BRUO lists three of this name. Below is ‘Ysidorus Ethimologiarum Ex dono domini Ricardi Fitz James nuper Cicestrensis episcopi et custodis istius Collegii Cuius anime propicietur Deus Amen.’ Inside the front board is pasted the usual label, formerly nailed to the back cover of an earlier binding, with the title and Fitzjames’s ex dono and arms. For Fitzjames, fellow from c. 1468, warden 1483–1507, see MS 9.

At the head of f. 1 is the James no. ‘204’, s. xvii in. Inside the front board is a sheet of paper with contents, s. xvii, and ‘Q. 2. 3. Art:’, canc. and replaced with ‘K. 1. 1’ in red; the College bookplate. ‘3’ is inked on the foredge.