Shelfmark
MS 117
Author
Title
R. Grosseteste, etc. manuscript
Varying form of title
Title in M. R. James catalogue: Roberti Grosthede Dicta, etc.
Publication, distribution, etc.
England, between ca. 1350 and ca. 1425.
Physical description
1 volume (v, 212, iii leaves) : parchment ; 33 x 23 cm.
Note
147 dicta of Robert Grosseteste (ff. 1-104v), 14th century, followed by a quire of tables and lists added in the 15th century (ff. 105-111v); "De cessacione legalium" (ff. 113-155); Malachy the Irishman, "De veneno" (ff. 156-165v), previously attributed to pseudo-Grosseteste by Ker; chapters 2-4-26 of a summa of theology (ff. 166-182v); and the commentary on Fulgentius of John Ridevall (ff. 183-201v, 212rv, 202-211).
Note
The content of ff. 113-212 was added at the turn of the 14th/15th century.
Note
Dictum 127 is omitted in its place (f. 86v) and added by another hand on ff. 103-4 together with a second copy of Dictum 134.
Note
Folio 92r was left blank; the verso contains a scheme of linked words to illustrate "non reddentes malum pro malo"; a loose leaf (61*) after f. 61 has diagrams (one of the arms of the Trinity, another referring to "bona temporalis") illustrating Dictum 96 (f. 62); f. 104v is blank.
Note
An earlier copy of the list of the 147 dicta on ff. 111v-112v is on the recto and verso of f. v.
Note
Folio 155v of "De cessacione legalium" is blank.
Note
For the beginning lines of chapters 24-26 of the summa of theology, which quote "Lincolniensis" and William of Auxerre, see Ker as cited in the references below. This section appears to have formed part of MS 117 from the first, on the evidence of the decoration, compare ff. 145 and 179.
Note
For additional details of the commentary on Fulgentius by John Ridevall, see Ker as cited in the references below. The Eton MS includes two books and seventeen chapters found in Pembroke College, Cambridge MS 230 (ff. 97-126v) but not in Cambridge University Library Ii. 2.20 and Mm. 1.18, nor in British Library, MS Royal 7 C. i. More extensive than the edition but incomplete are Cambridge, Queens' College 10; Royal 7 C.i, CUL Mm.1.18, and a MS in Berlin.
Note
Folios 1-104 and 113-165 were paginated in the early 17th century; ff. iii-v, 213 are medieval endleaves; ff. iii recto and 213 verso were once pasted down.
Note
Written space: ca. 250-230 x 155 mm.
Note
Two columns of 57-60 lines.
Note
Collation: 1-4⁸ 5¹² + 1 leaf before 1 (f. 33) 6-7¹² 8¹⁰ (ff. 77-79) 9¹² + 1 leaf, now inserted after 12 as f. 92 but formerly before 1, as the page numbering shows, 10¹² (ff. 93-104) 11⁸ (ff. 105-112) 12¹² 13-14⁸ 15¹² 16¹⁴, blank, after f. 165, 17¹² wants 10, 11, blank, after f. 174 18¹² wants 12, blank, after f. 182 19¹² + 1 leaf inserted after 9 (f. 192) 20 six (ff. 196-201) 21¹² wants 12 (21¹ is misplaced after 21¹¹).
Note
Quires 1-10 numbered a-k in red ink and quires 12-15 numbered l-o in pencil. The rest of the manuscript appears to have been in confusion when signatures were put in; see Ker for details.
Note
Written in anglicana by several hands.
Note
4-linee initial on f. 1 in gold on blue and red ground patterned in white, short sprays in the margin; other initials in blue and red with red ornament (red and blue saw ornament on f. 94), or in blue with red ornament.
Note
Secundo folio: et nobilist.
Note
Rebound at Eton around 1715.
Note
At Eton by 1500 on the evidence of a typical head by Robert Elyot (d. 1499), vice provost of Eton, on f. 72.
Note
Inscription of Nicholas Kempston dated 1477 on f. iv verso, and marginalia in his hand e.g. on f. 48.
Note
M. R. James using a reagent read a now illegible inscription on f. iv as "Liber mag[ist]ri Ioh[ann]is de Rau[er]ton Canonici".
Note
Cautio notes (one dated "mccccl[...]") on f. 211v, including the name "Richardi [...]ord Exposita in cista de Duncan", with initials I inside a D or G, identified by Ker as either John Doll or John Godsond, the Oxford stationers.
Note
Former Eton shelfmark: Bl.3.3.
Note
This catalogue record is based on the work of Neil Ker and M.R. James, as cited in the references below.
Citation/references note
Ker, N. R.. Medieval manuscripts in British libraries, v. 2 (1977), p. 726-728
Citation/references note
James, M. R. A descriptive catalogue of the manuscripts in the library of Eton College (1895), 117
Citation/references note
Bernard, Catalogi librorum manuscriptorum Angliae et Hiberniae, 1697, 50
Citation/references note
Hanna, R., 'Nicholas Kempston and his Books', The Library, 18 (2017), issue 4, 418-427.
Cite as
Eton College Library, MS 117
Additional physical form available
Reproduction available; Bodleian Library; Eton College Library should be contacted for permission to reproduce; SFW 2457
Provenance
At Eton by 1500, with annotations by Robert Elyot.
Provenance
Previously owned by Nicholas Kempston.
Provenance
Inscriptions by Oxford stationers; see notes above.
Binding
18th century English calf binding by Slatter.
Subject
Theology Manuscripts.
Added entry--name
Added entry--name
Kempston, Nicholas, ? - 1477 former owner.
Added entry--name
Elyot, Robert, ? - 1499 annotator.
Added entry--place
England.
Language code
lat
Identifier
B50048