MS. Bodl. 461
Summary Catalogue no.: 2451
Contents
The romance of Sydrac and Boctus, an encyclopaedia of medieval natural science
Preceded by a prologue (begins 'La porueance Deu le Pere'), arguments of the books, a second prologue (begins 'Le quel prologue & argument furent fais a Tolaite [Toledo] en lan ... M. CC...' [rest of date erased]), and a list of about 560 questions or chapters
The text begins 'Au tens dou rois Boctus'
Fols 274-275, which have been half cut away, bear scribbling of 1466 and later, and fol. 276 has a 14th century prophecy, 'Si uis scire quando mundus, erit finiendus, etc.'
Physical Description
Layout
2 cols
Binding
Plain white sheepskin on oak boards, 15th century English (?) work, worn and repaired.
History
Provenance and Acquisition
The names of John and William Marlynge or Merlynge of Thaxted in Essex, and Thomas Marmyon and Peter (?) Young are scribbled on fols 1, 274v (15th century)
Presented by Sir Walter Cope in 1602
Record Sources
Digital Images
Digital Bodleian (3 images from 35mm slides)
Bibliography
Online resources:
Abbreviations
View list of abbreviations and editorial conventions.
Last Substantive Revision
2023-01-12: Description revised to incorporate all the information in the Summary Catalogue (1922)