GILBERTUS ANGLICUS ; S. XIV

Title

GILBERTUS ANGLICUS ; S. XIV

Shelfmark

Merton College MS. 226

Place of origin

script probably of French appearance.

Date

S. XIV

Language

Latin

Contents

Form

codex

Support

Parchment

Physical extent

216 leaves (ii + 214) The edges retrimmed and spattered with red. The outer margins of fols. 29, 45–7 excised.

Hands

A single proficient gothic rotunda bookhand, probably French.

Decoration

Red and blue flourished initials with marginal extensions; blue initials flourished in red, red initials flourished in violet; red or blue paraphs; running heads in capitals of the colours.

Binding

Standard Merton s. xvii, sewn on four bands; formerly chained from the usual position. Near the foot of f. 212v are the marks of the large iron chain-staple. Fols i-ii and 213–14 are paper binding leaves, the outermost from the same printed book as in MS 117.

Provenance

Perhaps the copy bequeathed by Simon Bredon (so treated by Powicke, pp. 140–1), in any case at the College by c. 1500.

At the foot of f. 1, against the gutter, are three words, the second and third ‘Galf fl’, perhaps a note of payment to the scribe or decorator.

At the head of f. 1 are ‘Gilbertus’ and the James no. ‘83’, s. xvii in.

Inside the front board is a sheet of paper with titles, s. xvii, and ‘P. 2. 9. Art:’, canc. and replaced with ‘N. 3. 9 (CCXXVI)’ in red. ‘9’ is inked on the foredge; the College bookplate.