MS. Bodl. 596
Summary Catalogue no.: 2376
Physical Description
Binding
"The binding is no doubt of 1605, in which year bp. William Cotton presented parts 2-3" (Summary Catalogue; subsequently rebound).
History
Provenance and Acquisition
A composite volume of three (not four, as in Summary Catalogue) sections, brought together only in 1605, although parts 2 and 3, which were presented by the same donor, may have been together earlier.
MS. Bodl. 596 – Part 1 (fols. 1-85)
Contents
On the text (later incorporated into the Gilte Legende) see Gilte Legende, ed. Hamer, III.19-20 and 42-6.
Printed in E.E.T.S. xv. 160-8.
In prose
On foll. 25, 34v have been added some short Latin distichs: the first is of st. Christopher
A summula theologica, containing the seven cardinal virtues, the seven deadly sins, the Pater Noster, the seven gifts of the Spirit, the Decalogue, etc., etc.
A dialogue between the devil and an angel, followed by a form of confession in English:
By a man who has fallen into the seven deadly sins and broken the entire Decalogue.
A long Latin petition from the abbey of Westminster to the King, relating to a 'cedula contra immunitatem sanctuarii monasterii Westmonasterii & eiusdem priuilegia: beg. 'Excellentissime regie maiestatis dignetur piissima circumspeccio': apparently of about A.D. 1410.
A short chronicle of England (and Westminster) 1326-77 and 1377-89
A list and account of the kings of England from Alfred to 1377
A list and account of the kings of England who were also saints
A list of the kings of England and their burial places from Alfred to 1377, and (added) to 1413
A short chronicle of England, 600-1377: for fols. 47-53, see art. 8.
A list of the mayors, bailiffs, and sheriffs of London, 1189-1413, with additions to 1472
M.-R. McLare, The London chronicles of the fifteenth century: a revolution in English writing (2002), pp. 124-5.A few 16th cent. notes about Dewsbury, including a copy of the charter of 'Dominus Warren de Sandhal' (Sandall Magna), granting away the town.
Printed in the Henry Bradshaw Society's 2nd volume, see pp. 63, xxxix.
On fol. 53 follow some Latin theological notes on the appearance of the person of Christ,and about st. Anne and the Virgin Mary.
An English translation is printed in Archæologia xx. 275-281, the end after 'les enemys de Fraunce' (Nov. 2, 1399) being wanting.
Physical Description
Decoration
Good initials. (Pächt and Alexander iii. 863)
History
Provenance and Acquisition
This first MS. appears from a contemporary foliation to have lost about 125 leaves at the beginning, but on the first remaining leaf is a coat of arms, (gules, a chevron azure between three garbs or, imperfect). The MS. is clearly connected with Westminster Abbey.
Arms of Baron, fol. 1: perhaps (as suggested by Ralph Hanna, The English Manuscripts of Richard Rolle: A Descriptive Catalogue (2010), p. 155) for William Baron, who also owned MS. Douce 322.
The first part was presented by sir Richard Spencer in 1603
MS. Bodl. 596 – Part 2
Contents
A 16th cent. hand adds the author's name. Spaces are left for miniatures, but only four are filled in with pen-and-ink drawings, on foll. 89, 96, 98, 104v.
Physical Description
Decoration
Pächt and Alexander iii. 1084, pl. CI:
Good miniatures (sketches).
Good borders.
Good initials.
History
Provenance and Acquisition
Fol. 174v annotated by John Stow (Alexandra Gillespie, ‘Stow’s “owlde” Manuscripts of London Chronicles’, in John Stow (1525-1605) and the Making of the English Past: Studies in Early Modern Culture and the History of the Book, ed. by Ian Gadd and Alexandra Gillespie (The British Library, 2004), p. 61).
Presented (with part 3) by bp. William Cotton in 1605.
MS. Bodl. 596 – Part 3 (fols. 175-214)
Contents
Preceded by the 'Prefatio Bedę presbiteri' and a list of chapters: wanting one leaf at the end, the text ending 'tabulis minus diligenter'.
The first part is lost, and the text begins in ° 8 'dedit. Et hi sunt termini', ends 'super congregationem Abyron'.
With neums. Described in detail Hartzell, no. 261.
Physical Description
Hand(s)
Script of fols. 175v-206v attributed by Michael Gullick to Simeon of Durham.
Neums
Decoration
Good initials. (Pächt and Alexander i. 451, pl. XXXVII)
History
Provenance and Acquisition
Although earlier literature suggested that fols. 206v-213r might have been produced in Normandy or Western France, Barker-Benfield demonstrates that the whole of fols. 175-214 was written at Durham (perhaps for export). The Durham bishop William of St Carilef had previously been abbot of Saint-Vincent at Le Mans.
Canterbury, Kent, Benedictine abbey of St Augustine (originally of St Peter and St Paul): "Liber sancti Augustini Cantuarie. Di. ix, Gra. iii [altered to:] v cum A" (fol. 175 (blank recto)), s. xiii/xiv. (MLGB3: evidence from an ex-libris inscription or note of gift to an institution).
Presented (with part 2) by bp. William Cotton in 1605.
Additional Information
Record Sources
Digital Images
Digital Bodleian (13 images from 35mm slides)
Bibliography
Printed descriptions:
Online resources:
Abbreviations
View list of abbreviations and editorial conventions.
Last Substantive Revision
2024-10: Description revised to incorporate all information from Summary Catalogue with reference to published literature.