MS. Bodl. 978
Summary Catalogue no.: 27716
Contents
Language(s): Middle English with Latin
Paper flyleaves, mostly blank (see Provenance).
[item 1 occupies quires I–XXI]
Oon of FoureStarting with the prologue with a rubric (ed. Smith (1985)).
Running titles in red on both rectos and versos identifying the five parts, e.g., ‘þe firste parte’. Chapter numbers as red Arabic numerals. References to gospels in the margins in red or black. Indexing letters, probably added, in the margins. The beginnings of lections are marked with black paraphs highlighted with yellow wash, probably added. The beginnings of most lections are also accompanied by added notes in English or Latin, identifying feasts for which the lections are intended, e.g., ‘vigilia Iohannis baptiste’ (fol. 6r), ‘to andru day’ (fol. 26v), ‘feria 6 epiphanie’ (fol. 27r), apparently in the hand responsible for the added table of lections (see below). Added glosses, identifying episodes in the narrative in English or Latin, in the same hand, and added drawings illustrating the text, apparently also in the same hand (e.g., drawings of a snake for ‘edderis’ (fol. 14v), axe for ‘axe’ (fol. 15r), jars at the beginning of the narrative about the wedding feast in Cana (fol. 19r), etc.; see Scott, K. L. (gen. ed.), An index of images in English manuscripts from the time of Chaucer to Henry VIII, c.1380–c.1509: the Bodleian Library, Oxford, 3 vols (Turnhout: Harvey Miller Publishers, 2000–02), for a full list. Dark ink, yellow wash, and occasionally red ink are used for both drawings and glosses. Corrections and erasures, some by the original scribe. Fol. 169 is ruled but blank.
[item 2 occupies quire XXII]
Table of lections of Type II, with readings from both Old Testament and New Testament, added in the hand responsible for most liturgical and other added notes in the marginsThe temporal is followed by a short sanctoral, common and commemorations. The entries consist of the name of the liturgical occasion, the opening words of a reading, abbreviated reference to a book and chapter of the Bible and an indexing letter. Most entries for readings from the gospels do not include an indexing letter for the gospels, but instead references to a part, chapter and indexing letter of Oon of Foure. The opening words of the readings are those of WB, not Oon of Foure. The quire on which the table is written is probably added: unlike most quires it contains 12 leaves and its parchment is thinner than elsewhere.
[item 3 occupies quires XXIII–XXXVI]
Catholic epistles, Acts and the Apocalypse in the Later Version of the Wycliffite Bible, in an unusual order, with usual prologuesRunning titles and chapter numbers in red. Indexing letters in the margins, most accompanied by notes in Latin identifying feasts for which the readings were intended.
Fols. 286–291v are paper flyleaves (see Provenance).
Physical Description
Collation
Layout
ruled in ink for a single column with single vertical and double horizontal bounding lines extending the full height and width of page; 24 lines per page; prickings survive; written space: c. 103 × 65 mm.
Hand(s)
textura, black ink
Decoration
3- to 4-line plain blue initials at the beginnings of biblical books and 2- to 3-line similar initials at the beginnings of chapters; 7-line initial at the beginning of the Apocalypse.
Many initials include added drawings, mostly human faces and figures illustrating the text (see Scott, K. L. (gen. ed.), An index of images in English manuscripts from the time of Chaucer to Henry VIII, c.1380–c.1509: the Bodleian Library, Oxford, 3 vols (Turnhout: Harvey Miller Publishers, 2000–02) for a full list). Added drawings in the margins (see Text).
Rubrics in red.
Binding
Brown leather over pasteboard. Gilt fillet-line and roll border with floral corner-pieces on both covers. Four raised bands on spine framed by gilt decoration. ‘978’ in white paint on spine. Edges of textblock dyed green. Upper pastedown of laid paper; lower pastedown removed; laid paper flyleaves.
History
Dialect survey (epistles, Acts and the Apocalypse):
- ony(10), ich(10), fier(9)/fire(1), ȝouen(10), lijf(10), lik(8)/like(2), mych(4)/ mich(6), sauȝ(9)/saw(1) (sg.), sawen(6)/sauȝ(1) (pl.), self(10), such(7), þouȝ(1), þoʳ(1)
- -iþ(6)/-eþ(4) (pres.ind.3sg.), -en(10) (pres.ind.pl.), -yng(3)/-ing(7) (pres. part.), sche(10) (3sg.fem.pronoun, nom.), þei(10) (3pl.pronoun, nom.), hem(6) (3pl.pronoun, oblique), her(10) (3pl.pronoun, possessive)
Provenance and Acquisition
Added table of lections, marginal glosses and liturgical notes in Latin and English, and drawings in the margins and in the initials, all early 15th century.
‘ Homly Chomdesly ’, 17th century, fols. 291v and 290v.
‘To my loving ffriend Mr James Laurence at hereford’, 17th century, fol. 291v.
‘W(illia)m Abrahall His Booke 1711’ and ‘W(illia)m Abrahall His Book 1797’ (fol. 3v); ‘1692’ (fol. 287v); ‘1726’ (fol. 289v).
Robert Jones of Peterstow, co. Hereford, who took his BA degree at Trinity College, Oxford, in 1728, and his MA in 1731 (Foster, J., Alumni Oxonienses: the members of the University of Oxford, 1715–1886, 4 vols (London: Joseph Foster; Oxford: Parker and Co., 1887–88), vol. 2, p. 771). Table of contents on the upper pastedown, followed by ‘Lib. Bibl. Bodl. ex dono Rob. Jones A.B. e Coll. Trin. Oxon’.’
Bodleian Library: given by Jones. Earlier shelfmarks: ‘Arch. D. 112’ (fol. 3v), ‘Arch. E. 120’ (fol. 4r), ‘Super. C. Art. 15.’ (fol. 3r).
Record Sources
Digital Images
Digital Bodleian (2 images from 35mm slides)
Bibliography
Abbreviations
View list of abbreviations and editorial conventions.
Last Substantive Revision
2023-03-24: Add Solopova description.