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

MS. Bodl. 487

Summary Catalogue no.: 2067

Contents

Common-place book of John Curteys of Winchester College and New College, Oxford

The collector and chief writer was apparently John Curteys, for the writer was born Nov. 12, 1457; entered Winchester College Apr. 23, 1469; entered New College, Oxford, June 29, 1474 (see fol. 121v); and was apparently a Fellow of New College and of Winchester: Curteys died in 1509. A full list of contents is printed in the Old Catalogue of 1697, see also foll. 1 and (in alphabetical order) iii-v, in the present manuscript. Among the more important items are:

(fol. vi, 3, 36). Notes about England, e.g. church revenues, numbers of churches, shires, etc.
(fols. 2, 106, cf. 79v)

Short Latin chronicles of England, 1422–1509, ('Opinio vulgaris') and 1066–1447

(fol. 3v, cf. 11v)

A short general Latin chronicle, with some special references to Dominicans, to 1286, partly ('Aetates mundi') 'ex tabula Cronicarum cathedrali ecclesia[sic] Lincolnie', and at fol. 6 a note on Friday

(fols. 5, 17v, 25v, 29v)

Short Latin poems and proverbs

Incipit: (fol. 5) Tot video gentes
Incipit: (fol. 19v) Exiit edictum Augusto Caesare
(fols. 9v, 27v)

'De Joanne Potadwe' archbp. of Armenia, who came to England in 1228 with tidings of the Wandering Jew

(fol. 15)
Rubric: Problemata Secundi philosophi
(fol. 21)

Latin note of a yearly indulgence at Eton

(fol. 22)
William of Nottingham, Commentary on Unum ex quattuor (extracts)
Rubric: Ex prologo Notyngham de concordia
(fol. 39)
Computus ecclesiasticus manualis
Incipit: Filius esto Dei

With prose commentary

(fol. 51v)

Latin note on the death of King Richard I

(fol. 53)
Donatus, Ars Minor

Here anonymous, cf. fol. 80v

(fol. 60v)
John of Bridlington (?), Versus prophetiales
Rubric: Vaticinium Johannis Brydlyngtone
Incipit: Febribus infectus
(fol. 66)
Poem on chess
Rubric: Ludus scaccorum
Incipit: Si ic[sic] fit famosa sine sanguine pugna iocosa
WIC 8197
(fol. 69)

'Pronostica' astrologica

(fol. 73)

'The way to Rome thorow France', an itinerary

(fols. 75, 87) Calendarial notes, in English

(fol. 83)

Tractatus de generatione hominis

Incipit: Homo inter omnia animalia
eTK 0636J
(fol. 87v)

'Colores versuum' or De modis xxx versificandi

Primus color quo moderni versiste vtuntur

(fol. 91)
Heraldic manual
Rubric: Omnia vtilia ad arma pertinencia
Incipit: Here begynth a scorth informacon of armis, how that
(fol. 95)
Statuta universitatis Oxoniensis

A copy of some early statutes, including the Statuta Aularia (fol. 105)

⟨On William Wykeham

(fol. 115)
Rubric: Testamentum ... domini Willelmi de Wykeham olim episcopi Wyntoniensis ...

Followed at fol. 121 by 'Cursus vite et actorum ... ' ejusdem, a short Latin biography

Incipit: Natus est anno Domini 1334

Ending with statistics about Winchester and New College admissions 1394–1431, written in 1497

Language(s): Middle English and Latin

Physical Description

Form: codex
Support: parchment, paper
Extent: ix + 131 leaves
Dimensions (binding): 8.75 × 6.25 in.

History

Origin: c. 1500 ; English

Provenance and Acquisition

'John Smyth Roberte Sylvest[er?] hys grandfather Elyn Sylvest[er?] late wyff of Sir[?] Edwarde Spenlowe,' early 16th cent.

'Hanley liber,' 'This ys William Hanleys booke,' 16th cent.

Presented by sir Henry Savile in 1620.

Record Sources

Description adapted (May 2020) from the Summary Catalogue (1922).

Last Substantive Revision

2017-07-01: First online publication.