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

MS. Bodl. 435

Summary Catalogue no.: 2374

Contents

Customary of Eynsham Abbey
Final rubric: Liber consuetudinum monachorum Eyneshamie quem scripsit frater Johannes de Wodetun monachus eiusdem loci ...

In nineteen chapters, each with distinctiones: a list of the latter precedes each chapter. The Statutes appear to be of about the middle of the 13th century. One leaf is lost at the beginning, two after fol. 43, eight after fol. 55 (parts of capp. vii-viii), two after fol. 73.

On fol. 131v are two early 15th cent. forms of supplication for a novice to assume the Benedictine habit, and between the lines is 'Thomas Stafforde monacus de Eyny⟨s⟩ham' of about the same date.

An erased note of A.D. 1405 is on fol. 131v.

The text incorporates prayers in English and French at fol. 126rb-va:

(fol. 126rb)
Prayer in prose
Incipit: Crist us helpe ant rede . crist us witte and lede . crist us fede and schrude
Language(s): Middle English
(fol. 126va)
Prayer
Incipit: Iesu seyt nostre conduur Sant julien nostre herbergur
Language(s): Anglo-Norman
The customary of the Benedictine abbey of Eynsham in Oxfordshire, ed. Antonia Gransden, Corpus consuetudinum monasticarum 2 (Siegburg: F. Schmitt, 1963), with description of manuscript at pp. 19-20.
Language(s): Latin

Physical Description

Form: codex
Support: parchment
Extent: 131 leaves
Dimensions (leaf): 265 × 175 mm.

Layout

2 cols. of 26 lines; written space c. 205 × 125 (inner bounding lines) mm.

Hand(s)

Textualis libraria: perhaps written by 'frater Johannes de Wodetun' (Wood Eaton), monk of Evesham, (see colophon) although Gransden believed that Wodetun was the author of the text rather than the scribe.

Decoration

Coloured capitals.

Binding

Quarter binding of parchment over pasteboards; medieval (original (?)) sewing.

History

Origin: 14th century, early (?) ; England, Eynsham, Benedictine abbey

Provenance and Acquisition

Eynsham, Oxfordshire, Benedictine abbey of St Mary the Virgin, St Benedict and All Saints: "Liber consuetudinum monachorum Eyneshamie quem scripsit frater Iohannes de Wodetun monachus eiusdem loci ...". (MLGB3: evidence from locally specific contents, including obits, scribbles, etc.).

Given by Walter Stonehouse in 1621: 'Ex dono magistri Stonehouse ... socij Collegij Magdalanensis Anno Domini 1621'.

MS. Bodl. 435 - endleaves (fols. 1-2)

Contents

Language(s): Latin

Two portions of leaves from a Latin Vulgate Bible or Missal written at Eynsham (?) early in the 15th cent., containing most of Matth. xxvi. 22-55, xxvii. 15-44.

Physical Description

Form: codex
Support: parchment
Extent: portions of two leaves

History

Origin: 15th century, early ; England (perhaps Eynsham, Benedictine abbey (?))

Additional Information

Record Sources

Description adapted by Matthew Holford (Jan. 2025) from the Summary Catalogue (1922) with limited additional description.

Availability

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Digital Images

Digital Bodleian (1 image from 35mm slides)

Bibliography

Last Substantive Revision

2025-01: Revised to incorporate all information from Summary Catalogue with limited additional description.