PROPHETS, GLOSSED; S. XIII in.

Title

PROPHETS, GLOSSED; S. XIII in.

Shelfmark

Merton College MS. 209

Place of origin

script of English appearance.

Date

S. XIII in.

Language

Latin

Contents

Form

codex

Support

Parchment

Physical extent

287 leaves (ii + 285) The edges retrimmed with loss of marginalia, and stained red.

Hands

A single, expert English early gothic bookhand throughout.

Decoration

Red and blue flourished initials; red or blue initials highlighted or flourished in the other colour; plain red or blue initials, red or blue paraphs introduce passages of gloss, associated with initials in the other colour; two-colour chapter-nos in the margins and running heads.

Binding

Standard Merton s. xvii, sewn on five bands; formerly chained from the usual position. The front leaves have marks of clasps at head and foot, of two straps at the leading edge, and of a brass chain-staple near the foot of the foredge. fol. i was a pastedown in an earlier binding.

Provenance

Given to the College by John of Monmouth (BRUO 1295), chancellor of Oxford 1290–1, canon of Lincoln Cathedral, bishop of Llandaff &c., d. 1323. On fol. ii ‘Liber scolarium de Merton’’, s. xiv. On fol. 285v ‘De dono domini Iohannis de Monemue prec’ marc’’: UO47. 52. Also ‘13’, probably an electio number, pen-trials of s. xv, incl. ‘Chambre I’, presumably John Chamber (BRUO 385–6), fellow 1495–1508, physician to Henry VII c. 1506 and Henry VIII 1509–1546, d. 1549. Other inscriptions have been thoroughly erased. On fol. i, reversed, ‘de electione Duffeld’, and ‘.10.’ On fol. iiv ‘24 Eland’. For William Duffield, see MS 91; John Eland (BRUO 633) was fellow in 1411, until 1420.

On fol. 284v ‘Cautio M. Thome Gauge exposita in cista Chycheley 15 die Decembris et habet supplementum 2 fo. transeundi et iacet pro xl. s.’, the year 1445 above, canc. and renewed in the Rede chest, 6 Jan. 1449. The supplement was UO47. 196, a copy of Augustine’s Confessions given by John Staveley, now lost. Both books were redeemed by the College on 7 Dec. 1493 and restored to the library on 2 Aug. 1494 (Registrum, pp. 178, 184). For Thomas Gawge, see MS 43.

Inside the front board is a sheet of paper with the contents and ‘P. 1. 6. Art:’, canc. and replaced with ‘N. 1. 7 (CCIX)’ in red; the College bookplate.