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MS. Digby 86

Summary Catalogue no.: 1687

Miscellany in French, Latin and English; England (Worcestershire), c. 1271–83

Contents

Summary of Contents: A late thirteenth-century 'common-place book' containing French, Latin and eighteen English texts of various genres including fabliau, romances, devotional and didactic texts, prognostications, charms and prayers, among others written between 1271 and 1283. The manuscript was written by its owner and has amateurish scribal drawings and decoration.

Language(s): Anglo-Norman, Latin, Middle English; scribal dialect: Gloucestershire/south Worcestershire. Linguistic Atlas Grid Reference: 375 232, LP 7790 (McIntosh, Samuels and Benskin 1986, p. 197).

1. ff. 1r–4v
Distinctio peccatorum
Incipit: Set morteus pecches sount
Language(s): Anglo-Norman
Vising 1923, 166; Bloomfield 1952, p. 143.
2. ff. 4v–5r
On confession
Incipit: Pus deyt demaunder si il onques destourbast nul sacrement afere par fest ou par counsail
Language(s): Anglo-Norman
Vising 1923, 168; Bloomfield 1952, p. 170, 387–8, n. 107.
3. ff. 5r–6r
Commandments
Incipit: Dis comaundementz sount
Language(s): Anglo-Norman
Vising 1923, p. 166.
4. f. 6r–v
The twelve articles of faith
Incipit: En apres deuez sauer
Language(s): Anglo-Norman
Vising 1923, p. 166.
5. ff. 6v–7r
The seven sacraments
Incipit: Set sacramens sount
Language(s): Anglo-Norman
Vising 1923, p. 166.
6. ff. 7r–8v
Form of confession
Incipit: A deu et a ma dame seinte marie et a touz les seins noustre seingnour et a vous pere esperitel me reng coupable
Language(s): Anglo-Norman
Sinclair 1979, 2387; Vising 1923, p. 168; Bloomfield 1952, pp. 170, 387–8, n. 107.
7. ff. 8v–15v, 17r–21r
Letter of Hippocrates
Incipit: Ici comence le liure ypocras ki il enuead a cesar lemperour
Language(s): Anglo-Norman
Stengel 1871, 2; Hunt 1990, pp. 100–41, see especially pp. 104–5, 140–1.
8. ff. 21r–26v
The Letter of Prester John
Rubric: Ci comence la lettre ke prestre iohan enuea a la pape de roume
Incipit: Prestres iohans par la grace deu disum roys entre les rois crestiens maunde saluz et amistez et fraternite al empereur de roume
Language(s): Anglo-Norman
Stengel 1871, p. 3; Vising 1923, p. 70.
9.1. f. 26v
Oracio ad deum
Incipit: Cest oreisun fist seint fraunceis en le onour de vn saluz de nostre seignour iesu crist
Language(s): Anglo-Norman
Långfors 1917, p. 34; Sonet 1956, p. 122; Sinclair 1979, no. 2619; Stengel 1871, p. 4; Jeffrey and Levy 1990, pp. 52–6.
9.2. f. 27r
‘Quinque gaudia marie’ followed by rubric ‘Pater noster’
Incipit: Nostre dame seinte marie envea cest oreisun a seint morice eueske de paris
Language(s): Anglo-Norman
Sinclair 1979, 2490, 3221; Vising 1923, 94; Robinson 1952; Ker 1965, p. xv and item 104; Parkes 1979, pl. 1(ii).
9.3. f. 27v
Oracio ad deum
Incipit: Sire deu omnipotent
Language(s): Anglo-Norman
Långfors 1917, p. 395.
9.4. f. 27v
Maurice de Sully, Five joys
Incipit: Gloriouse dame seinte marie ke le fiz deu portastes
Language(s): Anglo-Norman
Långfors 1917, p. 148; Sonet 1956, 663.
9.5. f. 27v
Rubric: Oremus
Incipit: Omnium opifex deus qui nos a brutis racionem eternis in nobis racionem conserua
Language(s): Latin
9.6. f. 28r
Oracio ad sanctam mariam
Incipit: Douce dame seinte marie virgine gente
Language(s): Anglo-Norman
Sinclair 1979, 2781.
9.7. f. 28r
Prayer
Incipit: Omnis virtus te decorat
Language(s): Latin
Chevalier 31302 .
10. ff. 28r–33v
Charms and prognostications
Language(s): Anglo-Norman, Latin
Printed in Hunt 1990. Voigts 1984; Voigts 1979; Ogden 1938, pp. xv-xix; Cockayne, 1866; Henslow 1899.
11. f. 34r
Experimentia and recipes (beginning lost)
Language(s): Latin
eTK 1614A
Thorndike 1923; cf. Item 15 below.
12. ff. 34v–40r
Interpretation of dreams
Incipit: Daniel propheta petabatur a principibus ciuitatis babilone vt somnia que eis videbantur
Language(s): Latin
eTK 0363B; see also Thorndike 1923, 294.
13. ff. 40r–41r
Prognostications according to the day of the week on which Christmas falls
Rubric: Ci comencent les singnes del iour de nouel
Incipit: Si le iour de noel auent par dimaines bon iuer
Language(s): Anglo-Norman
Thorndike 1923, 1, 678–9; Vising 1923, 305;
14. ff. 41r–46r
Prognostications of lucky and unlucky days according to the moon.
Rubric: Ci comence le soungnarie daniel le prophete si est apele lunarie
Incipit: La premere lune fu adam crie bon est de mettre enfaunt a lettre et profitable est a toutes choses comencer
Language(s): Anglo-Norman
Thorndike 1923, 1, 680–2; cf. Långfors, p. 60; cf. Vising 1923, 304; Robbins, p. 248.
15. ff. 46r–48r
Rubric: Hic incipiunt experimencia bona et optima
Language(s): Latin
Dodwell 1961, pp. 17, 29.
16. f. 48r
Rubric: Pur sounge esprouer
Incipit: Si vous volez sauer la verite de voustre sounge
Language(s): Anglo-Norman
17. f. 48r–v
Rubric: Quindecim singna dierum iudicii
Incipit: Quindecim singna quindecim dierum ante diem iudicii
Language(s): Latin
18. f. 48v
Prayers in Latin
Language(s): Latin
19. ff. 49r–62r
On care of hunting birds
Rubric: Ci comence le medicinal des oiseus
Incipit: Si vous auez en aucun luy ayre de houstour ou de esperuer
Language(s): Anglo-Norman
Vising 1923, 311
20. ff. 62v–65r
Gradual Psalms (PS: 119–33 with collects)
Rubric: Les xv saumes
Language(s): Latin
21. ff. 65r–67v
Seven Penitential Psalms
Rubric: Les vii saumes
Incipit: Ne reminiscaris domine delicta nostra vel parentum nostrum' (antiphon in red following psalms).
Rubric: 'et postea dicata letaniam in principio scriptam libri
Language(s): Latin
22. ff. 67v–68r
Veni Creator Spiritus
Rubric: Veni creator spritus et cetera
Incipit: Seint esperit a nous venez Les quers des toens revisitez
Language(s): Anglo-Norman
Sinclair 1979, 3567. Thomson 1939, p. 36. Jeffrey and Levy 1990, pp. 114–115.
23. f. 68r
List of unlucky days in the year
Rubric: Ici sunt escrites les dolerous jours del an
Incipit: Ceo est a sauer ki en geniuer ad vi iours
Language(s): Anglo-Norman
Stengel 1871, 18; Thorndike 1923, 1, 685–9; Vising 1923, 307; repeated as item 91.
24. f.68r (and 67v)
Numbers
Rubric: Le abite de augrim' (Arabic numerals 1–10)
Rubric: Numerus'. (Arabic numerals 11–46, ending at foot of f. 68r and continued in available space at foot of previous leaf, f. 67v).
Rubric: Defectus numeris'. (Arabic numerals 47–60)
Language(s): Latin and Anglo-Norman
Waters 1928, 45–84.
25. ff. 68v–74r
Kalendar. Feasts entered in red and black.
Language(s): Latin
26. f. 74v
Directions for calculating moveable feasts
Language(s): Latin
Wordsworth 1902, pp. 615, 624, 708.
27. ff. 74v–97v
Petrus Alphonsi, Disciplina clericalis
Rubric: Ci comence le romaunz peres aunfour coment il aprist et chaustia sun cher fiz. belement
Incipit: Le pere sun fiz chastioyt Sens et sauoir lui apernoyt
Language(s): Old French
Långfors 1917, p. 208; Stengel 1871, p. 20; Vising 1923, p. 54.
28. ff. 97v–102v
Raoul de Houdenc, Le voie d'enfer
Rubric: Ci comence le romaunz de enfer le sounge rauf de hodenge de la voie denfer
Incipit: En sounge deit fables auoir Si sounge poet deuenir uoir
Language(s): Old French
Långfors 1917, pp. 132–3; Stengel 1871, p. 21.
29. ff. 102v–103v
La bonté des femmes
Rubric: De vn vallet qui soutint dames et dammaiseles
Incipit: A dames et as dammaiseles Weuues espouses et puceles
Language(s): Anglo-Norman
Långfors 1917, pp. 22–3; Stengel 1871, p.22; Vising 1923, p. 279; Printed in Meier-Ewert 1971.
30. ff. 103v–105r
Huon de Saint-Quentin, La complainte de Jerusalem
Rubric: De roume et de gerusalem
Incipit: Roumeet ierusalem se pleint De coueitise ki vous ueint
Language(s): Old French
Långfors 1917, p. 352; Stengel 1871, p. 23, and pp. 106–25.
31. ff. 105r–109r
Robert Biket, Le lai du corn
Rubric: Le lai du corn
Incipit: De vne auenture qui auint A la court al bon rei qui tint
Language(s): Anglo-Norman
Långfors 1917, p. 111; Vising 1923, 40; Printed in Erickson, 1973.
32. ff. 109v–110r
Rubric: Le fablel del gelous
Incipit: Deu ne fist ounkes gelous nestre Ne deu ne set ren de sun estre
Language(s): Anglo-Norman
Långfors 1917, p. 93; Vising 1923, 269; Printed in Stengel 1871, pp. 28–30; Meier-Ewert, 1971.
33. ff. 110r–111r
Thibaut d'Amiens, Le prière Nostre Dame
Rubric: De vn pecheour ki se repenti
Incipit: Ieo ay vn quer mout let Qui souent mesfet
Language(s): Old French
Långfors 1917, p. 173; Sinclair 1979, 2977; Woledge 1960, pp. 131–9.
34. ff. 111r–112v
'Richard', La bestournee
Rubric: Ci comence la beitournee
Incipit: Estraungement par est mun quer dolent
Language(s): Anglo-Norman
Långfors 1917, p. 140; Vising 1923, 266; Printed in Meier-Ewert 1971.
35. ff. 113r–v and 113v–114r
Three French Verse Texts
35.1. ff. 113r–113v
Les quatre souhais saint Martin
Incipit: ||'Toust auez huy iournee feste Tes ta sere ne te deshete
Långfors 1917, p. 435; Stengel 1871, 28. Levy 1978.
35.2. ff. 113v–114r
Le blasme des fames (extract)
Incipit: Ne est mie saie qui femme creyt Morte ou viue quele qui seyt
35.3. f. 114r
Le Chastie-musart (extract)
Incipit: Femme est de mal atret et de male nature Morte ou viue quele qui seyt
Långfors 1917, pp. 325–6; Vising 1923, 60; Printed in Stengel 1871, pp. 38–9.
Language(s): Anglo-Norman
36. ff. 114r–116v
La vie de vn vallet amerous
Rubric: La vie de vn vallet amerous
Incipit: Iolifte me fest aler ad pe
Language(s): Anglo-Norman
Långfors 1917, p. 189; Vising 1923, 270; printed in Stengel 1871, pp. 40–49.
37. ff. 116v–118v
Robert Grosseteste, Le Chasteau d'amour (extract)
Rubric: De iiii files
Incipit: Un rois estoit de grant pouer De bon valour de grant sauer
Language(s): Anglo-Norman
Thomson, 1940, pp. 152; Långfors 1917, pp. 313–14, 431–2; Stengel 1871, p. 30; Vising 1923, p. 289; Murray 1918.
38. ff. 119r–120v
Harrowing of Hell ( IMEV 1850 )
Rubric: Hou iesu crist herowede helle Of hardegates ich will telle
Incipit: Leue frend nou beþ stille Lesteþ þat ich tellen wille
Language(s): Middle English
Hulme 1907.
39. ff. 120v–122v
The Fifteen Tokens of Domesday ( IMEV 796 , IMEV 1823 )
Rubric: Les xv singnes de domesdai
Incipit: Fiftene toknen ich tellen may Of xv dayes er domesday
Language(s): Middle English
Printed in Stengel 1871, pp. 53–7; Furnivall, 1867, pp. 118–25.
40. ff. 122v–125v
Life of St Eustace

( IMEV 211 )

Rubric: Ci comence la vie seint eustace qui out noun placidas
Incipit: |Alle þat louieþ godes lore |Olde and ȝonge lasse and more
Language(s): Middle English
Stengel 1871, p. 34; Horstmann 1969, pp. 211–19.
41. ff. 125v–127r
Sayings of St. Bernard: Man's Three Foes ( IMEV 3310 )
Rubric: Les diz de seint bernard comencent ici tres beaus
Incipit: þe blessinge of heuene king And of his moder þat swete þing
Explicit: 'þou sei me soþ par charite þer of þat þou ne lie'.
Language(s): Middle English
Furnivall 1901, pp. 757–761
42. f. 126v
Ubi Sunt
Rubric: Vbi sount qui ante nos fuerount
Incipit: Uuere beþ þey biforn vs weren Houndes ladden and hauekes beren
Explicit: 'In ioye wiþ outen hende. Amen'.
Language(s): Middle English
Brown 1932, pp. 85–87; Furnivall 1901, pp. 761–763.
43. f. 127r–v
Dialogue between the Virgin and Christ on the Cross ( IMEV 3211 )
Rubric: Chauncoun de noustre dame
Incipit: Stond wel moder ounder rode Bihold þi child wiþ glade mode
Explicit: 'So serwfull deþ nes never non'.
Language(s): Middle English
Brown 1932, pp. 87–9; Furnivall 1901, pp. 763–765. Dobson & Harrison 1979, pp. 152–60, 254, 300.
44. ff. 127v–130r
The Sayings of St. Bede ( IMEV 1229 )
Rubric: Her beginneþ þe sawe of seint bede prest
Incipit: Holi gost þi miȝtte Ous wisse and rede and diȝte
Explicit: 'Among þe hengles briȝtte Amen so hit be mote. Amen'.
Language(s): Middle English
Furnivall 1901, pp. 765–776; Bloomfield 1952, pp. 153, 405.
45. ff. 130r–132r
Miracles of the Virgin: How Our Lady's Psalter was Found ( IMEV 1840 )
Rubric: Coment le sauter noustre dame fu primes cuntroue
Incipit: Leuedi swete and milde For loue of þine childe
Explicit: 'Boþe loude and stille þese aue maries'.
Language(s): Middle English
Furnivall 1901, pp. 777–785; Horstmann 1881, pp. 220–4.
46.1. ff. 132r–134v
Vision of St. Paul ( IMEV 3828 )
Incipit: Oiez seynours vne demaunde Que le deble fist estraunge
Incipit: Hounseli gost wat dest þou here þou were in helle nou for ȝere
Language(s): Middle English
Printed in Horstmann 1879, pp. 403–6; ed. Morris 1872, pp. 147–55.
46.2. f. 134v
Sweet Jesus King of Bliss ( IMEV 3236 )
Incipit: Swete ihesu king of blisse
Explicit: 'And wite hit þat hit springe mote'.

Three stanzas copied as part of the above text but actually part of a separate work.

Language(s): Middle English
Printed in Duncan 1995, p. 67; Brown 1932, pp. 91–92; Bennett and Smithers 1968, p. 131.
47. ff. 134v–136v
Maximian ( IMEV 1115 )
Rubric: Le regret de maximian
Incipit: Herkneþ to mi ron As hic ou tellen con
Explicit: 'Wel heye i shulde hire honge'.
Language(s): Middle English
Printed in Brown 1932, pp. 92–101.
48. ff. 136v–138r
Thrush and the Nightingale ( IMEV 3222 )
Rubric: Ci comence le cuntent par entre le mauuis et la russinole
Incipit: Somer is comen wiþ loue to toune Wiþ blostme and wiþ brides roune
Explicit: 'Awai ich wille driue'.
Language(s): Middle English
Printed in Conlee 1991, pp. 237–248. Holthausen 1919, pp. 52–60; Brown 1932, pp. 101–7; Utley 1944, no. 273.
49. ff. 138r–140r
The Fox and the Wolf ( IMEV 35 )
Rubric: Of þe vox and of þe wolf
Incipit: A vox gon out of þe wode go Afingret so þat him wes wo
Language(s): Middle English
Bennett and Smithers 1968, pp. 65–76.
50. ff. 140v–143r
The Proverbs of Hending ( IMEV 1669 )
Rubric: Hending þe hende
Incipit: Iesu crist al þis worldes red þat for oure sunnes wolde be ded
Language(s): Middle English
Schleich 1927, pp. 220–77, and 1928, pp. 350–61; Arngart 1981, p. 289.
51. ff. 143r–149v
Les prouerbes del vilain
Rubric: Les prouverbes del vilain
Incipit: Ici ad del vilain Meint prouerbe certein
Language(s): Anglo-Norman
Långfors 1917, pp. 161, 145; Stengel 1871, p. 45; Tobler 1895.
52. ff. 150r–161r
Wace, Vie de seint nicholas
Rubric: Les miracles de seint nicholas
Incipit: A ceus ki nount lettres aprises Ne lor ententes ni ount mises
Language(s): Anglo-Norman
Långfors 1917, p. 3; Stengel 1871, 46; Ronsjo 1942.
53. f. 161r–v
Prayers and suffrage in Latin
53.1. f. 161r
Rubric: Oracio ad sauntam mariam
Incipit: Salue virgo uirginum
Language(s): Latin
Chevalier 2270
53.2. f. 161v
Rubric: Quinque gaudia saunte marie
Incipit: Gaude mundi gaudium Maria laus virginum
Language(s): Latin
Wordsworth 1920, p. 64.
53.3. f. 162r
Rubric: Oracio ad sauntam mariam
Incipit: Regina clemencie maria vocata
Language(s): Latin
Chevalier 17165; WIC 16515
54. ff. 162r–163v
A game of chance
Rubric: Ragemon le bon
Incipit: Deu vous dorra grant honour E graunt ioie et grant uigour
Language(s): Anglo-Norman
Långfors 1917, p. 98; Vising 1923, pp. 59, 150, 151; Printed in Wright 1844, p. 76; Långfors, 1920.
55. ff. 163v–164v
Chauncun del secle ( IMEV 4223 )
Rubric: Chauncun del secle
Incipit: Uuorldes blisse ne last non þrowe Hit wint and went awei anon
Language(s): Middle English and Anglo-Norman
Ed. Brown 1932, pp. 78–82. Duncan 1995, p. 38.
56. f. 164v
Rubric: Hic demonstrat veritatem seculi isti
Incipit: Fides hodie spitur uigilatque prauitas
Language(s): Latin
WIC 6492.
57. ff. 165r–168r
Dame Siriþ ( IMEV 342 )
Rubric: Ci comence le fablel et la cointise de dame siriz.
Incipit: As I com bi an waie Hof on ich herde saie
Language(s): Middle English and Anglo-Norman
Printed in Bennett and Smithers 1968, pp. 77–95.
58. f. 168r–v
Charms invoking 77 names for a hare ( IMEV 3421 )
Rubric: Les nouns de vn leure en engleis
Incipit: þe mon þat þe hare imet Ne shal him neuere be þe bet
Language(s): Middle English and Anglo-Norman
Ross 1932–5, pp. 347–77.
59. ff. 169r–177r
Hermann de Valenciennes, L'Assumption de Nostre Dame
Rubric: Ci comence la vie nostre dame.
Incipit: Seingnours ore escoutez ke deus vous beneie Sur sa mort dolerouse ki nous dona la uie
Language(s): Old French
Långfors 1917, p. 377; Stengel 1871, p. 54; Bonnard 1884, pp. 11–4.
60. ff. 177r–182v
Le doctrinal Sauvage
Rubric: Ci comence le doctrinal de enseingnemens de curteisie
Incipit: Si il estoit vns frauncs houme ki me vousit entendre Cheualers clers et lais ben i purreit aprendre
Language(s): Anglo-Norman
Långfors 1917, pp. 394, 377–8; Printed in Stengel 1871, pp. 69–72.
61. ff. 182v–186v
Guischart de Beaulieu, Le Sermon du siecle
Rubric: Ci comence le romaunz de temtatioun de secle
Incipit: Entendez ca vers moi les petiz et les graunz Un deduit vous dirai beus ert et auenaunz
Language(s): Anglo-Norman
Långfors 1917, p. 134; Vising 1923, p. 22; Stengel 1871, pp. 72–80; Hill 1977, pp. 97–144, esp. 123–6.
62.1. ff. 186v–188v
Prayer to the Virgin
Rubric: Ci comencement les aues noustre dame
Incipit: Aue seinte marie mere al creatour
Language(s): Anglo-Norman
Långfors 1917, pp. 36–7; Sonet 1956, p. 145; Vising 1923, p. 88; printed in Meier-Ewert, 1971.
62.2. f. 188v
The five joys of the Blessed Virgin Mary
Incipit: Ma dame pur icele ioie ke taunt fuites le
Language(s): Anglo-Norman
Långfors 1917, p. 77; Sonet 1956, p. 325; printed in Meier-Ewert, 1971.
62.3. f. 188v
Prayer to the Virgin
Incipit: Gloriouse reine heiez de moi merci
Language(s): Anglo-Norman
Långfors 1917, p. 149; Sonet 1956, p. 669; Vising 1923, pp. 151, 184; printed in Meier-Ewert, 1971.
63. ff. 190r–191r
Prayer to the Virgin
Rubric: De ii cheualers torz ke plederent a roume
Incipit: Il auint ia ke en flaundres out vn cheualer tort Qui ama vne dame de ceo nout il pas tort
Language(s): Anglo-Norman
Långfors 1917, p. 164; Vising 1923, p. 274; printed in Stengel 1871, pp. 82–3.
64. ff. 191r–192v
St. Edmund of Abingdon, archbishop of Canterbury, Contemplation of the Wounds of Christ
Rubric: Bone preere a nostre seingnour iesu crist
Incipit: Douce sire iesu crist ke vostre seint pleisir De femme deingnastes neitre et houme deuenir
Language(s): Anglo-Norman
Långfors 1917, p. 107; Sonet 1956, p. 541; cf. Vising 1923, p. 74; printed in Meier-Ewert, 1971; and Stengel 1871, pp. 83–4.
65. ff. 192v–195v
Rubric: Ci comence lestrif de ii dames
Incipit: Iuer le periceus ki touz iours frit et tremble E ke lez le fu despent quant ke autre tens assemble
Language(s): Anglo-Norman
Långfors, p. 168; printed in Stengel 1871, pp. 84–93.
66.1. ff. 195v–200r
Debate Between Body and Soul ( IMEV 1461 )
Rubric: Hic incipit carmen inter corpus et animam
Incipit: Hon an þester stude i stod an liutel strif to here
Explicit: 'Wo werþe þat ilke stounde bodi þat þou boren was'.
Language(s): Middle English
Conlee 1991, pp. 10–17.
66.2. f. 197v
Doomsday

( IMEV 3967 )

Incipit: Uuen i þenke on domesdai wel sore mai me drede
Explicit: 'Amen'.
Language(s): Middle English
Cf. Brown 1932, pp. 42–54.
66.3. ff. 198r–200r
( IMEV 3517 )
Language(s): Middle English

Items 62 and 63 follow sequentially in four MSS. See Brown 1932, p. 187.

Cf. Brown 1932, pp. 42–54 and pp. 187–191.
67. f. 200r
What Love is Like ( IMEV 2009 )
Rubric: Ci comence la manere quele amour est pur assaier
Incipit: Loue is sofft loue is swet loue is goed sware Loue is muche tene loue is muchel kare
Explicit: 'Mid lauedi mid wiue mid maide mid quene'.
Language(s): Middle English
Printed in Brown 1932, pp. 107–108.
68. f. 200v
Rubric: Chauncoun de noustre seingnour
Incipit: Couuard est ki amer ne ose vilein ki ne veut amer Saunz amour ne se repose le quer del houm ne le penser
Language(s): Anglo-Norman
Långfors 1917, p. 75; Sonet 1956, p. 286, no. 1745; Vising 1923, p. 159; printed in Stengel 1871, pp. 128–129.
69. f. 200v
St. Edmund of Abingdon, archbishop of Canterbury, Oracio ad deum
Rubric: Oracio ad deum
Incipit: Beaus sire iesu crist eiez merci de mai Qui de cel en tere veneites pur mai
Language(s): Anglo-Norman
Långfors 1917, pp. 106–7; Sonet 1956, p. 540.
70. f. 201r
Latin verses on the four humours.
Rubric: Sanguinevs multum apetit quia calidus et multum potest quia humidus
Incipit: Largus amans
eTK 1374D eTK 0811N
Language(s): Latin
71. f. 201r
Macaronic proverb.
Incipit: Welcome ki ke bringe ki ne bringe fare wel
Language(s): Middle English and Anglo-Norman
72. f. 201r
Incipit: Intus quis tu quis ego sum quid queris vt intrem Fers aliquid non esto foras fero quid satis intra
Language(s): Latin
WIC 9518.
73. f. 201r
Rubric: Hic sunt distincta mala feminarum
Incipit: Femina res ficta res subdala res maledicta Femina ventosa res fallax res venenosa
Language(s): Latin
WIC 6396; printed in Stengel 1871, pp. 102–103.
74. f. 201r–v
Rubric: Widete istos versus et intendite quia vera sunt
Incipit: Wita quid est hominis nisi res vallata ruinis Est caro vita cuius modo principium modo finis
Language(s): Latin
Chevalier 21975; WIC 20687.
75.1. f. 201v
Rubric: Hic sunt versus quas diabolus fecit pro puero
Incipit: Nexus ouem binam per spinam duxit equinam
Language(s): Latin
WIC 11754, followed by a couplet.
75.2. f. 201v
Incipit: Est desolata mea meus qua carmine solor
Language(s): Latin
76. f. 201v
Incipit: Cum fueris rome ramano viute more
Language(s): Latin
WIC 3621.
77. f. 201v
Rubric: Hic sunt virtutes scabiose distincte
Incipit: Fert scabiosa pilos verbena non habet illos...Probatum est quod scabiosa habet omnes virtutes prenominatos in istos sex versus
Language(s): Latin
WIC 6449 eTK 0555B
78. f. 201v
Rubric: sequere istud
Incipit: Audite … omnes populi et rectores ecclesie auribus percipite
Language(s): Latin
79. f. 202r–205v
A series of prayers and devotions in Latin
79.1. f. 202r
Alcuin
Incipit: Deus inestimabilis misericordie deus inmense pietatis deus conditor et reparator vmani generis
Leroquais 1927, 1, p. 40. cf. Wilmart 1930, pp. 198–216, esp. p. 210.
79.2. f. 203r
Rubric: Oracio
Incipit: Domine saunte et septiformis spiritus deus spiritus sapientie
79.3. f. 203r
Rubric: De beata maria matre domini
Incipit: Benedicta et celorum regina et mundi tocius
Chevalier 2428.
79.4. f. 203v
Incipit: Gaude gloriosa mundi vernans rasa
Chevalier 6817; WIC 7047.
79.5. f. 203v
Private prayers at Mass
79.6. f. 204r
Rubric: Oracio domini
Incipit: Domine deus omnipotens eterne et ineffabilis sine fine
Leroquais 1927, vol. 1, p. 315.
79.7. f. 204r
Rubric: Oremus
Incipit: Omnipotens deus misericors pater et bone domine miserere mihi
79.8. f. 204r
Incipit: Deus propicius esto mihi peccatori
79.9. f. 205v
Rubric: Oracio
Incipit: Dulcis et benigne domine iesu criste qui exibuisti caritatem qua maiorem nemo habet
Language(s): Latin

Physical Description

Form: codex
Support: Parchment of varying thickness and quality. Some of the folios have been patched. The first and last paper endleaves are modern. The parchment endleaves (ii-iii, 208–9) are seventeenth century.
Foliation:

ff. iii + 207 + iii. Foliated i–iii, and 1–210. First and last paper end leaves are modern.

Collation

Now 27 quires of eights. Collation: [Quire missing]; 18, ff. 1r-8v; 28, ff. 9r-17v; 38, ff. 18r-25v; 4 8, ff. 26r-33v; [Quire missing]; 58, ff. 34r-41v; 68 (wants 8 after f. 48), ff. 42r-48v; 78, ff. 49r-56v; 88, ff. 57r-64v; 98, ff. 65r-72v; 108, ff. 73r-80v; 118, ff. 81r-88v; 128, ff. 89r-96v; 138, ff. 97r-104v; 148, ff. 105r-112v; [Quire missing]; 158 ff. 113r-120v; 1612, ff. 121r-132v; 178, ff. 133r-149v; 188, ff. 141r-148v; 198, ff. 149r-156v; 208, ff. 157r-164v; 214, ff. 165r-168v; 228, ff. 169r-176v; 238, ff. 177r-184v; 248, ff. 185r-192v; 258, ff. 193r-200v; 266 (wants 2 after f. 201), ff. 201r-205v; 27, ff. 206, 207 - singletons.

Condition

The first quire was lost before the sixteenth century. Pieces of parchment sewn on to the top and bottom of f. 192 are now missing. Lengths of twisted thread on the top fore edge of f. 26 and the bottom fore edge of f. 192 are all that remain.

Layout

Scribe 1: Pricking evident in both margins. Inconsistent writing space - 165–175 mm x 110–130 mm. Single columns and 32 lines: ff. 1–74r - 32 long lines. Double columns and 33 lines: ff. 74v-80v, 97r-168v, 206–207. Single columns and 33 lines: ff. 169r-205v. Ruled in grey plummet.

Scribe 2 (Quires xi and xii, ff. 81r-96v): Double rows of pricking in each margin. Writing space: Quire xi - 165 × 125 mm; Quire xii - 160 × 120 mm. Double columns with 33 lines. Ruling in drypoint.

Hand(s)

Scribe 1: Anglicana script improving with experience. Responsible for most of the copying. Characteristics: Pronounced leftward slope. Double compartment a; short r, z with cross bar; headstroke of final s turns upwards at the end; formation of ascenders of b, h, k, and l by upward loop converting to a long curved, downward approach stroke to the tops of the stems, and second stroke of the 'fork' traced lower down; long curved, oblique hairline stroke above the letter i.

Scribe 2: Anglicana. Responsible for quires xi and xii, ff. 81–96. Characteristics: upright hand; two compartment a; double headed forms of f and s, headless a; y formed with a loop; '2'-shaped r in medial position; long tailed r; no cross-bar on z; short s in medial position; final s with headstroke turned downwards at end.

Scribe 3: A late fourteenth-century hand copied a text on the recto of f. 16, an inserted leaf.

Other early fourteenth-century hands filled in the Kalendar and were responsible for pen trials (Tscahnn and Parkes 1996, pp. xxxviii-liii).

Decoration

Marginal sketches. List of English kings to Edward I with addition over erasure giving the date 1282. (Pächt and Alexander iii. 470)

Marginal red sketches - heads, birds etc. with Latin tags. F. 4v sketches with captions 'presbiter', 'calix', and 'altare' appear with a group of texts of religious instructions (Items 1–2). F. 8v - head with caption 'ipocras' (reference to author of text); f. 34v - man with goblet at his lips with caption 'bibo' and coffin with caption 'toumba'; f. 35r pattern of wiggly lines with caption 'celum' (cf. f. 48r); f. 36v ?churches with flags; f. 37r, drawing of a tree with caption 'arbor'; f. 41r drawing of a crescent moon with caption 'luna'; f. 46v sphere with caption 'sol', 'aqua'; f. 47r picture of a bird with caption'gallus'; f. 48r pattern of wiggly lines with caption 'mare'; f. 79v head of woman with caption 'rosa', pointing hand with caption 'manus', head of man with caption 'homo' and ?tool in front of face (cf. f. 80r); f. 80r head of woman facing a spindle and bobbin with caption 'femina', pointing hand, cross; f. 82v finger pointing to head of a woman; f. 83v ?box with swaddled body next to it and caption 'mortuus', swaddled body in a tomb with caption 'tomba'; f. 84r hand pointing to head of woman; f. 84v two heads with hands pointing to them (later additions?); f. 102v heads of a man and a woman; f. 150r head wearing a mitre; f. 103r man's head; f. 205v sketch of owner 'scripsi librum'. Armorial - f. 47r (bottom) two armorial shields drawn in red; f. 68r (bottom) three armorial shields outlined and shaded in red thought to be the arms of three families who held land in the Worcester diocese - de Vesci, Beaumont, and Fitzjohn - probably copied from the original exemplar (Tschann and Parkes 1996, p. lix).

Hands, e.g, f. 164v.

Three, four, and five-line coloured Lombardic capitals. For each new line of verse the initial is emphasised in size and colour. Large coloured, decorated initial are used at the beginning of texts. Large initials are decorated with a variety of patterns, i.e. zig-zag, bands of colour running down the middle.

Additions:

F. 205v: 'scripsi librum in anno et .iii. mensibus' (written in a year and three months) written by the main scribe. Texts have been copied into spaces between previously copied texts as and when they became available. Texts also appear to have been copied on pieces of parchment that were subsequently sewn onto existing folios within gatherings, such as those, now missing, on the top fore edge of f. 26 and the bottom fore edge of f. 192.

F. 16 appears to be a singleton that was placed among the leaves at a later date. It carries the evidence of having been kept separately for some time. It has both relaxed horizontal and vertical folds. According to Tschann and Parkes this indicates that it was 'folded rather like a letter' (1996, p. lvi). The text on this folio (Item 101) was copied by a late fourteenth-century scribe and is further evidence that the quires copied out by the thirteenth-century scribes probably remained unbound during the medieval period.

Binding

Not contemporary. Rebound between 1632 and 1634. Coverered in light-brown calf mitred and pasted onto board. Fillet border in gold at the edges of the board with a Vesica figure in gold containing Sir Kenelm Digby's arms and inscription. Resewn on four bands. Earlier sewing probably late sixteenth century. Four raised bands on the spine. Remains of two clasps on exterior fore edge and two catches on the back cover.

The first three quires have had their corners folded inwards creating a 'v' shaped fold (See Tschann and Parkes 1996, p. lv, fig. 2). On the fore edge of the first three leaves of these quires there is piercing and a rust spot, possibly evidence of the device used for holding the quires together. The remainder of the quires do not show this folding of the corners. Vertical folds in the leaves suggest that the quires were kept unbound and just lightly folded in a wallet or wrapper prior to their late sixteenth century binding.

History

Origin: 13th century, end (c. 1272–82) ; English, Worcestershire

Provenance and Acquisition

The book was produced by the scribe for his own use who, from evidence in the Kalendar, was possibly Richard de Grimhill (c. 1263 - c. 1308). The major scribe, 1, has entered the obit of 'Alexander de Grimehull' (18 July).

The manuscript seems to have passed after the death of Richard Grimhill, via his daughter Amice, to the Underhill family (Tschann and Parkes, p. lviii). A further two obits have been entered in the first half, or middle, of the fourteenth century. These are 'Obitus Amiscie vxoris Symonis Vnderhull' (11 July), Amice Underhull and 'Obitus symonis vnerhul' (23 July), Simon Underhull.

Pen-trials in the hand probably of William Underhill (Tschann and Parkes, p. lvii): f. 34v: 'Simon dehud' (probably an abandoned entry for Simon de hu(n)d⟨erhulle⟩). Ff. 39v-40r: part of a will is written in typical formulaic style supposedly by Robert de Penedok. The will begins with the usual references to the soul and earthly remains, in this case to be interred at 'ridmarleye' but ends at the bequest of a colt 'pullum' to William de Underhulle. However, given that the pen trial is in the hands of William it is thought that this 'will' is the result of 'youthful high spirits rather than a copy of or a draft for a genuine document' (Tschann and Parkes, 1996, pp. lvii-lviii). Ff. 40r and 141v: 'Willelmus de underhulle'. F. 89v: 'Galfridus Willelmus Robertus de Penedok scripsit'. Ff. 39v and 98v carry 'Robertus filius Roberti de penedok'. F. 99v 'Galfridus' Penedok is described as 'filius simonis de underhulle'. F. 111v: 'Iohannes dominus de penedoch'.

Thomas Allen (1540–1632, member of Trinity College, Oxford) acquired the book in Oxford in the sixteenth century. The catalogue of his collection drawn up in 1622 lists Digby 86 as '80 A.I' with the reference number I being written on f. 1r of the manuscript.

Bequeathed by Allen to Kenelm Digby, 1603–1665.

Donated by him to the Bodleian, 1634.

Record Sources

Description adapted (May 2018) with some updates and corrections from description of July 2003 by Rebecca Farnham for Manuscripts of the West Midlands: A Catalogue of Vernacular Manuscript Books of the English West Midlands, c. 1300 - c. 1475, v.2 (University of Sheffield: 2009), Wendy Scase with the assistance of Rebecca Farnham and Orietta Da Rold, funded by the AHRC and the University of Birmingham, used by permission. Previously described in the Quarto Catalogue (W. D. Macray, Bodleian Library Quarto Catalogues IX: Digby Manuscripts, repr. with addenda by R. W. Hunt and A. G. Watson, 1999).
Quarto Catalogue, cols. 91–92
Quarto Catalogue, cols. 93–94
Quarto Catalogue, cols. 95–96
Quarto Catalogue, col. 97
Quarto Catalogue (addenda), p. 45
Quarto Catalogue (addenda), p. 46
Quarto Catalogue (addenda), p. 47
Quarto Catalogue (addenda), p. 48
Quarto Catalogue (addenda), p. 49
Summary Catalogue, vol. 2, part 1, p. 72
Summary Catalogue, vol. 2, part 1, p. 73

Availability

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Digital Images

Digital Bodleian (full digital facsimile)
Digital Bodleian (23 images from 35mm slides)

Bibliography

Abbreviations

View list of abbreviations and editorial conventions.

Last Substantive Revision

2025-04-22: Sebastian Dows-Miller. Regularised handNote script.