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

MS. Add. C. 285

Summary Catalogue no.: 29639

Contents

1. (fol. 1)
'John Mandeville', Travels
Rubric: Here bigynneth ⟨the boo⟩k of John Maundevyle the knyght...
Incipit: For als moche as þe londe ouer þe see, þat is to saye the holy londe that men calleth the lond of Bethtony
Explicit: Explicit liber Iohannis Manndeuylle
Language(s): Middle English
2. (fol. 70)
Spiritus Guidonis
Rubric: ... Spiritus Guidonis de Ciuitate Alexti
Incipit: For als muche as seint Augstyn seith to Petre in þe book of bileue þat it is a myracle...

The story of an apparition and its disputation with a Dominician prior about purgatory in 1333

Language(s): Middle English

Physical Description

Form: codex
Support: parchment
Extent: iii + 91 leaves, each page mounted separately in a paper frame
Dimensions (binding): 10.75 × 7.5 in.
Dimensions (leaf): 228 × 170 mm.

Condition

Stained. A leaf or two is lost after fol. 75

Decoration

Pächt and Alexander iii. 760

Good borders

Good initials

Binding

Red morocco with gold ornament (19th century English work)

History

Origin: c. 1400 ; England

Provenance and Acquisition

Bought from messrs C. T. Jefferies & Sons of Bristol (Catalogue 115) on 25 June 1886, for £18

Record Sources

Description adapted (July 2025) by Stewart J. Brookes from the Summary Catalogue (1905). Decoration, localization and date follow Pächt and Alexander (1970)

Last Substantive Revision

2025-07-21: Description revised to incorporate all the information in the Summary Catalogue (1905)