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MS. Bodl. 452

Summary Catalogue no.: 2402

Physical Description

Composite: two parts
Form: codex
Support: parchment
ii + 90 leaves
Dimensions (binding): 11.25 × 8.125 in.

Decoration

Coloured capitals

Binding

White leather on bevelled boards, one reversed, clasps lost, injured (15th century English work). Title on back-board. At top of back-board a mark "Y[?] [...]".

History

Provenance and Acquisition

The Summary Catalogue notes that the will of T. Wadelowe (fol. 87) contains 'Item lego ecclesie beate Marie Warr' [Warwick] librum magistri Historiarum ad reseruandum in quodam loco competenti imperpetuum cum i cathena ferrea', and suggests that the present manuscript is referred to; but MLGB (2nd ed. p. 194) rejects a provenance from St Mary's Warwick.

Bretford near Coventry [Warw.] and 'Maister Lambton' occurs among other 15th century scribbling

Windsor, Berkshire, Royal collegiate chapel of St George: "K.C" at top of binding leaf (fol. ii verso) (MLGB3: inferred evidence).

A manuscript described in the Benefactors' Register as 'Magister Historiarum, hoc est Historia ab Orbe condito ad Christi Passionem', was presented by the dean and canons of Windsor in 1612, and can hardly be any volume except the present one, in spite of the extraordinary discrepancy between title and contents. The Magister Historiarum is usually Petrus Comestor, see MS. Bodl. 777. which however has no Windsor marks. But this volume bears several distinctive Windsor marks, and if it is not the one referred to in the Benefactors' Register, then it is not in the list of the Windsor donation at all. (See also Summary Catalogue I, p. 98.)

MS. Bodl. 452 – Part 1

Contents

1. (fol. 1)
Martin of Troppau, Chronicon pontificum et imperatorum
Incipit: Quoniam scire tempora
Explicit: Johannes xxii nacione prouincialis sedit etc.
(Ends in 1316)
Language(s): Latin

Physical Description

Form: codex
Support: parchment

History

Origin: 14th century ; England

MS. Bodl. 452 – Part 2

Contents

1. (fol. 48)
Annals of the first crusade and of English events, 1095–1118
Incipit: Anno Domini millesimo nonagesimo quinto papa Urbanus
Explicit: omnia prima beneficia
(Ends in a chapter 'De origine Ordinis Templariorum')

This piece is not in the French Collection of Historiens des Croisades, but see Hardy's Materials (Rolls Series) ii, p. 136 (but the description is wrongly placed on p. 196)

Language(s): Latin
2. (fol. 87)
A copy of the will of T. Wadelowe of Warwick (?), May 1436
Language(s): Latin
3. (fol. 88v)
A copy of part of the will of Alice Bromeley of Coventry, May 14-
Language(s): Latin
4. (fol. 89r)
Qualiter Robertus Curtheuse obierit, anno 1134
Language(s): Latin
5. (fol. 89r, cf. 89v)
Some Latin prophecies and warnings about 1433
Language(s): Latin

Physical Description

Form: codex
Support: paper

History

Origin: 15th century ; England

MS. Bodl. 452, flyleaves (fols i, ii, 90)

Contents

Latin monastic breviary
Language(s): Latin

Physical Description

Form: codex
Support: Parchment

History

Origin: 14th century ; England

Additional Information

Record Sources

Description adapted (Oct. 2022) by Stewart J. Brookes from the Summary Catalogue (1922) with additional reference to other published literature as cited.
Summary Catalogue, vol. 2, part 1, p. 350
Summary Catalogue, vol. 2, part 1, p. 351

Bibliography

    Online resources:

    MLGB3: Medieval Libraries of Great Britain

    Printed descriptions:

    S. J. P. van Dijk, Latin Liturgical Manuscripts in the Bodleian Library, Oxford, vol. 6: Fragments - Office Books, Rituals, Directories (typescript, 1957), p. 254

Abbreviations

View list of abbreviations and editorial conventions.

Last Substantive Revision

2022-10-20: Description revised to incorporate all the information in the Summary Catalogue (1922)