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

MS. Bodl. 602

Summary Catalogue no.: 2393

Physical Description

Composite: fols. 1–66 || fols. 67–171
Extent: iv + 176 leaves
Dimensions (binding): 9.75 × 7.5 in.

History

Provenance and Acquisition

Presented by sir George More in 1604. From then till about 1660 these treatises were bound up with the printed Postille maiores of Johannes de Nevizanis. In 1697 a 'Tractatus Rhythmicus de Sacramento Altaris' was at the end of the present MS.

MS. Bodl. 602 – Part 1

Contents

Language(s): Latin

1a. (fol. 1)
Bestiary
1b. (fols. 36v–65v)
Hugh de Fouilloy, De avibus

See Clark, 1992. Wants chapters 52-60, ending abruptly in the middle of a sentence and page with 'quia cum negligentias' in the chapter De ansere, twelve chapters from the end.

Physical Description

Form: codex
Support: parchment

Decoration

Fine miniatures (coloured drawings). Attributed "to school of Matthew Paris" by Pächt and Alexander (iii. 371, pl. XXXII) but not in more recent literature.

History

Origin: 13th century, second quarter ; English

Provenance

Newark, Surrey, Augustinian priory of St Mary the Virgin and St Thomas the Martyr: "Iohannes Rosse chanonicus de Newerke et curatus de Weylde est possessor huius libri" (fol. 13v). "Iste liber pertinet domino Iohanni Rosse chanonico de Newerke iuxta Guldeford" (fol. 1v). "Memorandum quod dominus Iohannes Rosse habuit hunc librum ex deliberacione confratris nostri domini Willelmi Thecher canonici de newerke videlicet sexto die octobris anno domini Millesimo quinquecentesimo tricesimo octavo hiis testibus confratre nostro domino Richardo Woods Karolo balye ac benedicto barslayd." (fol. 13v). (MLGB3: evidence from an inscription of ownership by an individual member of a religious house (which may not, however, be evidence for institutional ownership)).

Bibliography

    Morrison, Elizabeth, and J. Paul Getty Museum, eds., Book of Beasts: The Bestiary in the Medieval World (The J. Paul Getty Museum, 2019), cat. 3 (pp. 92-3)
    Clark, Willene B., The Medieval Book of Birds: Hugh of Fouilloy’s De Avibus, Medieval & Renaissance Texts & Studies 80 (1992), p. 297 (cat. 37)

MS. Bodl. 602 – Part 2

Contents

2. (fol. 67)
John Cassian, Collationes (i-x)
Rubric: Incipit prefacio Johannis Heremite in .x. Collationibus ...

Followed by the first ten books, each with a list of chapters.

Language(s): Latin
3. (fol. 135v)
Palladius of Hellenopolis, Historia Lausiaca (Latin translation)
Rubric: Incipit prefacio de Vita Sanctorum ad Lausum prepositum ab Eraclide directa
Rubric: Liber qui appellatur Paradisus
Incipit: (preface) In hoc libro quem
Incipit: Multi quidem multos

Ends 'non precesserat crimen. Episcopus', in the last chapter, a leaf or two being lost.

Language(s): Latin

Physical Description

Form: codex
Support: parchment

Decoration

Illuminated capitals.

History

Origin: 13th century, early ; English

Provenance

Hatfield Regis, Essex, Benedictine alien priory of St Mary the Virgin; cell of St Melaine, Rennes (independent from ?1254) (?): Inscription at top of fol. 171v, partly cut away by binder: "liber prioratus de h[...]". The first letter of the name is almost certainly "h", the second probably "a", then one or two letters, then a descender, then two or three letters, followed by a space, then a descender, probably r, the two letters followed by a long downstroke, probably a mark of abbrevitation - ? read "hattfeld regis". (MLGB3: evidence from an ex-libris inscription or note of gift to an institution).

Additional Information

Record Sources

Description adapted (2024) from the Summary Catalogue (1922) and Pächt and Alexander (1973) with additional reference to published literature as cited.

Digital Images

Digital Bodleian (24 images from 35mm slides)

Bibliography

Last Substantive Revision

2024-11: Description revised to incorporate all information from Summary Catalogue.