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

MS. Add. A. 268

Summary Catalogue no.: 29387

Religious pieces in Middle English and Latin

Physical Description

made up of at least three MSS. written early in the 15th cent.
Form: codex
Support: parchment, paper
Extent: ii + 164 leaves
Dimensions (binding): 8.75 × 6.625 in.

History

Origin: 15th century, early ; English

Provenance and Acquisition

The name 'Bradshawe' occurs twice in red in the margin of fols. 63, 65, and may be the name of the scribe or rubricator.

'Constat domino Gylbarto Barton viginti dinariorum vel viginti dinarijs a bibliapolis[sic] cuj erit nomen Thomas' (late 15th cent.: fol. 36v)

'Rich. Wills' (16th cent.) is on the old cover (fol. 161).

Thomas Percy, 1729-1811, Bishop of Dromore, collector of ballads; his sale, Sotheby's, 29 April 1884 (lot 83)

Bought for £6.

MS. Add. A. 268 - part A

Contents

Language(s): Latin

(fol. 1)
'Ars moriendi'
Incipit: Quamvis secundum philosophum

A series of Temptationes diaboli and Bonae inspirationes angeli.

(fol. 11)
Rubric: De gaudiis celi
Incipit: Notandum circa gaudia
(fol. 30)
Ps.-Bernard, Speculum peccatoris
Rubric: Incipit speculum peccatoris secundum Augustinum et secundum Bernardum
Incipit: Quoniam karissime in huius via vite
(fols. 37)
Speculum Christiani
Language(s): Latin with Middle English

The latter part of the Latin and English treatise, here imperfect, beginning in the 'Quarta Tabula' with the words '-tibus superbit non gladio': ends 'consilia tua in ipso permaneant. Amen. Explicit Speculum Christiani.' The Latin is interspersed with pieces of English verse and prose. Some theological notes follow.

MS. Add. A. 268 - part B

Contents

Language(s): Latin

(fol. 85)
Thomas of Hales, Vita Sanctae Mariae
Rubric: Genealogia beate Virginis & Infancia Christi auctenti⟨c⟩a a diuersis ortodoxis excerpta
Incipit: Sancta & semper laudabilis

Thomas de Hales, The Lyf of Oure Lady: the Middle English Translation of Thomas of Hales' Vita Sancte Marie, ed, Sarah Horrall, Middle English Text Series, vol. 17 (Heidelberg: Carl Winter Universitatsverlag, 1985), pp. 12-14

(fol. 108v)
Rubric: […] Incipit Meditacio breuis & ualida ad excitandum hominem ad timorem Dei […]
Incipit: Hec est prima racio cum suis causis. Digitus primus. Meditare quod mortaliter peccaueris
(fol. 111)
Short theological chapters

Physical Description

Form: codex

Layout

2 cols.

MS. Add. A. 268 - part C

Contents

Language(s): Middle English

(fol. 117)
'Speculum huius vite'
Incipit: Before that any creature was wrozt
DIMEV 788, 'an abridged and altered text of the Pricke of Conscience' ed. Guy Alan Trudel, DPhil thesis, Oxford, 1999.
(fol. 139)
The virtues of the mass
Incipit: That blessed barn in Bedlem borne
DIMEV 5128
(fol. 146)
Rubric: All myzty God that all has wrozt
Final rubric: Explicit Historia de Passione Domini etc.

The last leaf hardly legible

DIMEV 436
(fols. 152v, 153v)
Medical recipes

Physical Description

Form: codex

Layout

2 cols.

MS. Add. A. 268 - binding fragments (fols. 154-160)

Contents

Language(s): Old French

Physical Description

Form: codex
Support: parchment

History

Origin: 13th century

Additional Information

Record Sources

Description adapted (May 2022) from the Summary Catalogue (1905) with reference to other published literature as cited.

Bibliography

Last Substantive Revision

2022-05-20: Description revised to incorporate all information in Summary Catalogue.