PHILOSOPHICAL CONCORDANCE; S. XIV in.

Title

PHILOSOPHICAL CONCORDANCE; S. XIV in.

Shelfmark

Merton College MS. 294

Place of origin

script of English appearance.

Date

S. XIV in.

Language

Latin

Hebrew

Contents

Form

codex

Support

Parchment

Physical extent

189 leaves (ii + 187) The edges savagely retrimmed, with loss of marginalia, running heads and quire-signatures, and spattered with red. Contemporary foliation, i-clxviii, beginning at mod. 7.

Hands

English gothic rotunda bookhands of university type.

Decoration

On f. 7 is a 10-line historiated initial A in blue, orange and pink on gold, with partial ivy-leaf border, enclosing a seated doctor teaching. On fols. 1–6 are red or blue initials flourished in the other colour; throughout, red or blue paraphs. On f. 186v are pencil-sketches, s. xv, including a skilful representation of a standing man with hands clasped in adoration, in doublet, hose and shoes with pointed toes, and the torso from a crucifix. Another sketch of a standing person, fainter and much less finished, is on f. ii.

Binding

Standard Merton s. xvii, sewn on five bands; formerly chained from the usual position. The outermost leaves were pastedowns in an earlier binding. f. i has a rust-mark in the centre; f. 189v has the mark of the large iron chain-staple. Other rust-marks on both leaves suggest that there were once two straps and catches.

Provenance

Given to the College by William Reed in 1374: UO49. 55. On f. iv: ‘Liber Willelmi Red ex empcione de bonis sibi datis per Magistrum Nicholaum de Sandwyco. Oretis igitur pro utroque’ (autograph); ‘Concordancie philosophie et sententie medicinales’; ‘Liber domus scolarium de Merton’ in Oxon’ in communi libraria eiusdem et ad usum communem 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. Walterus Roberti.’ For William Reed, fellow from 1344 until at least 1357, d. 1385, see MS 8.

On f. 186: the remnants of an inscription at the head, mostly removed by the binder, not evidently of ownership; ‘Liber domus scolarium de Merton’ in Oxon’ incathenatus in tempore M. Thome Redborne custodis eiusdem domus anno Domini mccccxvi.’ Rodbourne (BRUO 1582–3) was warden 1416, no longer by Apr. 1417.

At the head of f. 1 is the James no. ‘78’, s. xvii in.

Inside the front board is a table of contents, s. xvii in., and a sheet of paper with another table of contents and ‘Q. 2. 10. Art:’, s. xvii, canc. and replaced by ‘K. 1. 3. (CCXCIV.)’, in red ink; the College bookplate.