MS. Lat. liturg. f. 5
Summary Catalogue no.: 29744
St Margaret’s Gospels
The Gospel book of Saint Margaret
Contents
Language(s): Latin
Private collection of some liturgical pericopes from the four gospels (fols. 4, 14, 22, 31), including the passions (fols. 7, 15, 24, 32v).
Hexameter poem added fol. 2, late 11th cent.
Physical Description
Layout
30 lines
The Genealogy of Christ according to St. Matthew (fol. 4) with musical notation.
Decoration
Pächt and Alexander iii. 44, pl. V:
Fine miniatures. Each set of gospels is preceded by a full-page miniature of the evangelist and an illuminated title.
Fine borders.
Fine initials.
History
Provenance and Acquisition
Margaret, queen of Scotland (d. 1093) (poem on fol. 2).
Possibly Durham Cathedral Priory. Reginald of Coldingham records the gift by Queen Margaret to Durham of a gospel-book, which is perhaps the same gospel-book described in an inventory of 1383 (see Bodleian Quarterly Record iv.202–3), but the identification of either with the present manuscript is uncertain.
'Liber Ihois this ys bouke', 16th cent., fol. 20v.
'Claytoun Sudlaw', 16th cent., fol. 38v.
'John Stowe', fol. 38v, probably the antiquary (?1525–1605).
William Howard, 1563–1640: 'William Howard', fol. 3
Fane Edge, vicar of Nedging, Suffolk: 'Fane Edge, 1716', fol. 3; inherited from his mother, Catherine Fane (see Rushforth, 2007, pp. 103–4).
Brent Ely parish library: 'Brentely Library', 'L. i. 30', 18th cent., fol. 3
Sold by the library as part of the William Brice sale, Sotheby's, 26 July 1887, lot 104, for £6.
Record Sources
Availability
To ensure its preservation, access to this item is restricted, and readers are asked to work from reproductions and published descriptions as far as possible. If you wish to apply to see the original, please click the request button above. When your request is received, you will be asked to contact the relevant curator outlining the subject of your research, the importance of this item to that research, and the resources you have already consulted.
Please note in addition that this item will be on display in the exhibition 'Treasured' (6 June – 26 October 2025, ST Lee Gallery, Weston Library). It will not be orderable during that period or for a short time before and after.
Digital Images
Digital Bodleian (18 images from 35mm slides)
Microfilm
Microfilm available in the open shelf collections in the Weston Library (R. Films 101)
Bibliography
Online resources:
Abbreviations
View list of abbreviations and editorial conventions.
Last Substantive Revision
2017-07-01: First online publication.