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

MS. Bodl. 531

Summary Catalogue no.: 2249

Contents

(fol. 1)
New Testament (later Wycliffite version)
Rubric: A reule that tellith in whiche placis of the byble ye may fynde the gospels . pistlis & lessons that ben rad in the chirche at masse aftir the uss of Salisbury

With prologues (fol. 37v)

The order of the books is: Matth., Mark, 'Luyk', John, Rom., 1 and 2 Cor., Gal., 'Effecies', Phil., Col., 1 and 2 Thess., 1 and 2 Tim., Titus, Philem., Heb., Acts, James, 1 and 2 Pet., 1, 2 and 3 John, Jude, Rev.

Language(s): Middle English

Physical Description

Form: codex
Support: parchment
Extent: i + 238 leaves
Dimensions (binding): 8.375 × 6.125 in.

Condition

Fol. 1 has its outer margin cut off

Layout

2 cols

Decoration

Illuminated capitals

Binding

Stamped leather, strings lost, English work of about 1600

History

Origin: 15th century, first half ; England

Provenance and Acquisition

On fol. 236v, there is a note in a late fifteenth-century hand in which Richard Merton, 'chanon', denies the 'malicious' charge brought against him by 'Marget Mukkulton' that he multiplied words about the burning of Thomas Donsturfyld's ('where as hyt was alegyt agaynyst me by the malytyose mynde of marget mukkulton to myltiply wordys as conceminge the bronunge of thomas donsturfyld howse whyc I vtterly deny by fathe and pristehode neuer to speke to hym in the cause nor neuer to haue knolege in cause lyk that hyt sholde be soo.'); see Elizabeth Solopova, 'Manuscript Evidence for the Patronage, Ownership and Use of the Wycliffite Bible' in Form and Function in the Late Medieval Bible, pp. 345-346

'John Auncelle, T. Levrett off Chearnys', 'Mary Pygotte' were added on fol. 187v in the 16th century

This volume seems to be the only one which corresponds to a gift of Sir Edwin Sandys of London in 1603, but it escaped the printed catalogue of 1605. See also: Owners of Incunabula

Record Sources

Description adapted (January 2022) by Stewart J. Brookes from the Summary Catalogue (1922)

Bibliography

    Published descriptions:

    Elizabeth Solopova, Manuscripts of the Wycliffite Bible in the Bodleian and Oxford College Libraries (Liverpool, 2016), cat. 5

Last Substantive Revision

2023-01-20: Description revised to incorporate all the information in the Summary Catalogue (1922)