A catalogue of Western manuscripts at the Bodleian Libraries and selected Oxford colleges

MS. Bodl. 220

Summary Catalogue no.: 2103

Contents

Language(s): Middle English

The Book of Ghostly Grace,
Rubric: The boke of seynt Mawte. Incipit liber sancte Maltildis
Rubric: [to capitula] Here begyniyth ... the Boke of Gostely Grace
Incipit: A Ihesu mercy, withdrawe nowe thy rodde
Incipit: A mayd ther was

The Middle English translation of Mechtild von Hackeborn, Liber specialis gratiae; in five parts (see fols. 57, 69, 83, 92), preceded by a list of chapters, and by a preface and two prologues.

Four short pieces follow:

(fol. 101)
‘De duodecim gradibus humilitatis’
Incipit: Seynt Gregore the doctour seith
Colophon: Deo gracias Amen. quod Wellys . et cetera'

Jolliffe G.19

(fol. 103)
⟨Consilia Isidori⟩
Rubric: Here ben the gadred Counseiles off the Wordes off seynt Isidre to enforme man how he shuld flee vices and folow vertues
Incipit: Man, know thy silf

Jolliffe I.22(c); Cf. C. Horstmann, Yorkshire Writers II (1896) 367ff

(fol. 106)
Incipit: Why ys the world belouyd that fals ys and veyn
DIMEV 6670 NIMEV 4160
Incipit: Erthe oute of erthe ys wonderly wrougtht
DIMEV 1170 NIMEV 704
Nearly as in E.E.T.S. xxiv, pp. 86, 88.

Physical Description

Form: codex
Support: parchment, paper
Extent: i + 113 leaves
Dimensions (binding): 12 × 8.875 in.

Hand(s)

Written by Wellys (?) (colophon, art. 2).

Decoration

Illuminated capitals.

Binding

Plain white sheepskin on boards, English 15th (?) cent. work.

History

Origin: 15th century, first half ; English

Provenance and Acquisition

Presented by sir Walter Cope in 1602.

Record Sources

Description adapted (May 2020) from the Summary Catalogue (1922).

Last Substantive Revision

2020-05-18: Description revised to incorporate all information in SC.