PETER QUESNEL; S. XIV

Title

PETER QUESNEL; S. XIV

Shelfmark

Merton College MS. 223

Place of origin

script of English appearance.

France

Date

s. xiv

S. XIV

Language

Latin

Contents

Form

codex

Support

Parchment

Physical extent

345 leaves (ii + 342, incl. 3a) The edges heavily retrimmed and spattered with red.

Hands

Low-grade French gothic rotunda bookhands.

Decoration

Red and blue flourished initials; blue initials flourished in red; red or blue paraphs; running heads in both colours.

Binding

Standard Merton s. xvii, sewn on six bands; formerly chained from the usual position. Near the foot of f. 342 are the marks of the large iron chain-staple. Marks on f. i suggest a central strap replaced by two, on a previous binding, and perhaps an iron chain-staple at the foot. The outermost leaves were pastedowns in an earlier binding.

Provenance

Made in France.

On f. 340v, is ‘Liber m. Symonis Bredon’ doctoris in medicina quondam socii domus de Merton’ in Oxon’’, s. xv ex. Simon Bredon (BRUO 257–8) was fellow in 1330, still in 1341, canon of Chichester, d. 1372. This book is not among those mentioned in his will (pr. Powicke, pp. 82–6).

Inside the front board is a sheet of paper with titles and ‘P. 2. 6. Art:’, s. xvii, the latter canc. and replaced with ‘N. 3. 6’ and ‘No. CCXXIII’ in red; the College bookplate. ‘6’ is inked on the foredge.