MS. Bodl. 296
Summary Catalogue no.: 2467
Contents
Language(s): Middle English with Latin
Fols. 1–2 are paper flyleaves.
[quires I–XXII]
Genesis–Psalms in the Later Version of the Wycliffite Bible without prologuesRunning titles on the rectos consisting of an abbreviated title of the book and a folio number in red (see Foliation). Chapter numbers in red, usually in the form ‘Caᵐ I’. Instructions to the rubricator often survive as part of rubrics (fol. 21v), running titles, capitals at the beginning of chapters and chapter numbers. Glosses very occasionally appear in the margins, explaining individual words and phrases, and sometimes the meaning of passages (e.g., fols. 38r, 45v, attributed to Lyra). Added material within the text is occasionally underlined in black. Cross-references to biblical books occasionally in the margins (e.g., fols. 92r, 123r). Corrections in the original or contemporary hands. Notes in later medieval hands, e.g., ‘Nota bene hoc quomodo dauyd stetit in conspectu saul et perciebat cithara et bene serenabat’ (fol. 89v).
Rubrics in chapters X–XV.
Gloss ‘Iob was a very mon in kind. & his book is a very þinge oon in dede…’ added in the lower margin by the main scribe.
[quires XXIII–XXV]
Ending imperfectly at 148:8. The last leaf (fol. 197) is fragmentary with the second column and the lower part of the first column cut off. Written as prose with each verse starting with a red 1-line initial. Larger initials are at the beginning of psalms 1, 26, 38, 52, 68, 80, 97 and 109. Titles in red in English, psalm numbers as part of titles; incipits in red in Latin in the margins. ‘Title’ glosses at the beginning of some psalms.
Physical Description
Collation
Layout
ruled in plummet for two columns with single vertical and horizontal bounding lines extending the full height and width of page; 52–4 lines per page on fols. 1r–17r; 57 lines per page on fol. 17v; 59–63 lines per page afterwards; written space: c. 190 × 370 mm.
Hand(s)
Anglicana; smaller script is used from fol. 15r onwards; black and brown ink
Decoration
Simple red and blue penwork border at the beginning of Genesis (fol. 1r).
2- to 5-line blue initials with red penwork at the beginning of books; 2- to 3-line similar initials at the beginning of chapters. Initials in a different style (plain red or blue) on fols. 49r–72v (quires VII–IX).
Rubrics in red.
Binding
Brown leather over wood boards, 18th century. Blind floral roll and fillet-line border round the outer edge of both covers. Six raised bands on spine. Gold lettering on spine: ‘296’. Modern paper pastedowns; modern and laid paper flyleaves. A fragment from a 15th-century noted breviary of English origin at fol. vi. Fol. 198 was a pastedown of an earlier binding.
History
Possibly vol. 1 of a two-volume bible. Shares many readings with London, British Library, Arundel MS. 104 and some with Emmanuel College, Cambridge, MS. 21 and Trinity College, Dublin, MS. 67 (Dove, M., The first English Bible: the text and context of the Wycliffite versions (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2007), p. 298).
Dialect survey:
- oni(10), ech(2)/eche(8), fyr(10), ȝoue(4)/ȝouen(6), lif(9)/lyf(1), lik(3)/ like(7), muche(5)/meche(3)/miche(2), siȝ(7) (sg.), sien(2)/siȝen(4)/seien(1) (pl.), self(10), such(9)/suche(1), þouȝ(9)/þuȝ(1), þoruȝ(1)/þorouȝ(6)/þoroȝ(1)/ þorou(2)
- -eþ(10) (pres.ind.3sg.), -en(10) (pres.ind.pl.), -ynge(2)/-inge(5)/-ing(3) (pres. part.), she(8)/sche(2) (3sg.fem.pronoun, nom.), þei(10) (3pl.pronoun, nom.), hem(10) (3pl.pronoun, oblique), her(1)/hir(6)/hire(3) (3pl.pronoun, possessive)
Provenance and Acquisition
‘Fulford iesus maria ffuit homo missus a deo cui nomen erat Ioannes’, 15th century (fol. 198r).
Thomas Herbert, first baronet (1606–1682), traveller and government official; see Oxford Dictionary of National Biography: ‘T. Herbert’ (fol. 1r).
Bodleian Library: given by Herbert on 15 June 1666. Earlier shelfmark: ‘NE F. 10’.
MS. Bodl. 296, fol. vi
Contents
Language(s): Latin
Physical Description
Musical notation.
History
Bibliography
Additional Information
Record Sources
Bibliography
Abbreviations
View list of abbreviations and editorial conventions.
Last Substantive Revision
2023-01-20: Description revised to incorporate all the information in the Summary Catalogue (1922)