MS. Bodl. 358

Summary Catalogue no.: 2453

An account of general history in seven books, the English part chiefly occupying the last three books, and ending with the year 1376 because some leaves have been cut out (see Condition, below)

The title in the prologue is 'Cronica multorumtemporum' or 'Historia polychronica', and in one rubric 'Pollicronica' (fol. 3)

The last words of the text are 'in eorum sermonibus predicantes'

As is well known, the first letters of the first chapters present the author's name 'Presentem cronicam compilauit frater Ranulphus Cestrensis', i.e. Ralph Higden, but the letters are not throughout correct in this manuscript

Language(s): Latin

Physical Description

Form: codex

Support: parchment

Extent: i + 214 leaves

Dimensions (binding): 13.375 × 9.5 in.

Condition

Two leaves have been cut out after fol. 112; one after fol. 170; and a leaf or two (for the years 1354-1361) are missing after fol. 209

Decoration

Illuminated border

Capitals

Additions: There are some notes in the margins

Binding

Stamped leather on boards, worn, with remains of clasp fittings, London work of the 2nd half of the 16th century, re-backed.

History

Origin: 15th century, first half ; England

Provenance and Acquisition

Presented by Sir George More in 1604

Record Sources

Description adapted (January 2022) by Stewart J. Brookes from the Summary Catalogue (1922)

Summary Catalogue, vol. 2, part 1, p. 372

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)

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