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

MS. Bodl. 421

Summary Catalogue no.: 2320

Contents

Language(s): Middle French

1. (fol. 1)
Christine de Pisan, Epistre Othea
Rubric: Lepitre d'Othea
Incipit: (prol.) Loenge a Dieu soit au commencement
Incipit: Othea deesse de prudence

With many illustrations.

2. (fol. 68)
Alain Chartier, De vita curiali (tr., Curial)
Rubric: La Vie curialle, que fist maistre Allain Charrtier
Incipit: Tu me admonestes et exhortes souuent
3. (fol. 73)
Alain Chartier, Le quadriloque invectif
Rubric: Le Quatrelogue de maistre Allain Charretier
Incipit: Enuiron laube du jour

With one uncoloured illustration.

4. (fol. 96)
Alain Chartier, Le livre d'esperance
Rubric: Esperance ou Consolation des trois Vertus
Incipit: Ou dixiesme an de mon dollant exil

With six uncoloured illustrations, and space left for more.

Physical Description

Form: codex
Support: paper
ii + 155 leaves
Dimensions (binding): 11.625 × 8.375 in.

Decoration

Pächt and Alexander i. 728, pl. LVII. Attributed by Jacques-Charles Lemaire ('Les manuscrits lillois de Christine de Pizan. Comparaison matérielle entre les copies Lille, Bibliothèque Municipale 175 et Oxford, Bodley 421', in Contexts and Continuities. Proceedings of the IVth International Colloquium on Christine de Pizan (Glasgow 21-27 July 2000), published in Honour of Liliane Dulac, ed. Angus J. Kennedy (2002), pp. 531-544) to the workshop of the Maître de Wavrin.

Good miniatures (coloured drawings), many unfinished.

Good initials.

Binding

Stamped black leather on boards, clasps lost, contemporary French work, much worn.

History

Origin: 15th century, third quarter ; French

Provenance and Acquisition

'Appartien a F. de Luques', or Lisques, fol. 155r [JONAS: Ferry de Lisques]: also perhaps owned by 'Rozeignier' (?)', 16th century

'a ... de saint Blymont', 16th century, fol. 155r [JONAS: Nicolas de Saint-Blimond, châtelain de Crécy (-1548); the son-in-law of Ferry de Lisques]

Probably acquired about 1615-20.

Record Sources

Description adapted (2025) by Matthew Holford from the following sources, with additional reference to published literature as cited.
Otto Pächt and J. J. G. Alexander, Illuminated Manuscripts in the Bodleian Library, Oxford, I (1966), no. 728
Summary Catalogue (1922)

Digital Images

Digital Bodleian (123 images from 35mm slides)

Bibliography

Last Substantive Revision

2025-06: Description revised to incorporate all information from Summary Catalogue.