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

MS. Rawl. D. 913

Summary Catalogue no.: 13679

Guardbook of fragments

Contents

Fragments: collection of English and French verse and prose.

Language(s): Middle English, Anglo-Norman, Old French, and Dutch

Physical Description

Form: codex
Support: paper, parchment

Binding

Nineteenth century half leather binding.

Front board is loose from the book block; front endpaper fully torn off.

History

Origin: 14th century – 16th century ; English, French, Netherlandish

Provenance and Acquisition

Richard Rawlinson, 1690–1755

A miscelleous group of fragments from the collection of Richard Rawlinson, bequeathed to the Bodleian in 1755 along with the rest of his collection. Several have come via the libraries of Thomas Hearne and John Bagford; see individual item decriptsions for details.

Some have been extracted from the bindings of other items in the Rawlinson collection, although there is no longer a record of their host manuscripts.

Codex in current form dates to c.1861. Bound under Macray's direction.

Formerly at the shelfmark 'Rawlinson Misc 1370'. Note that the Quarto Catalogue erroneously numbers it as 'Misc 1390'.

As well as the present shelfmark, the front board bears the following inscriptions: "This may perhaps be placed as Rawl. D. 913 which is vacant, the vol. formerly there having been moved to Rawl. D. 400". "Poetry"; "MS. Rawl.s Misc. 1262 1370"; "1370" These last three have been struck out.

Contents

Language(s): Middle English with some French

(fol. 1r–1v)
"The Rawlinson Lyrics"

Selection of short anonymous verses. See Wilson (1952), Dronke (1961), Hirsh (2014), and especially Burrow (1984) for discussion and edition.

Contents include DIMEV record numbers: 4162, 5301, 2171, 3684, 1647, 3328, 6222, 351, 327, and 6834.

Physical Description

Support: Parchment
Extent: 1 leaf
Dimensions (leaf): 273 × 91 mm.

Condition

Leaf no longer attached to guardbook; loose in box. Recto side badly stained. Parchment heavily creased. One small hole.

Layout

Single column of text, 41 lines on recto, 8 lines on verso. Individual texts arranged in paragraphs, without breaks between lines of verse. Written area 257 × 80 mm.

Hand(s)

Anglicana. Carefully written, regular letter forms.

History

Origin: England ; 14th Century, early (For discussion, see Burrow 1984)

Provenance

Original format of leaf unclear; may have been roll or separate leaf.

MS Rawl D. 913 fols. 2-3

Contents

Language(s): Middle English

(fols. 2r–3v)
John Lydgate, Troy Book

Text from Book 1 of Lydgate's Troy Book (DIMEV 3995), Fol. 1r-v ll.623-702. Fol. 2r-v ll.460-567 as printed in H. Bergen Lydgate's Troy Book : A.D. 1412-20 (1906)

Physical Description

Form: codex
Support: Paper Watermark visible on fol.3: bull’s head topped with six-point star. Situated between two vertical chainlines spaced 39mm apart. Orientated upside-down. Similar to (e.g.) Briquet 15049; Piccard 76253 and 75193) but too common a motif to definitively identify.
Extent: 2 leaves
Dimensions (leaf): 272–284 × 173–184 mm.
Foliation: Foliated as leaves 15 and 13 in parent codex, for which see under Provenance

Layout

One column per side, 38-40 lines. Written space 222 × 64–91 mm.

Hand(s)

Secretary Hand

Decoration

Seven line tall initial 'T' in gold on folio 2r. (Pächt and Alexander iii. 1083, pl. C)

Simple strapwork initials highlighted in red at beginning of each other page

Decorated descenders in final lines of each page

History

Origin: England, London ; 15th Century, middle (For discussion, see Scott 1968)

Provenance

Formerly part of a codex. Leaves foliated 3-12 bound in Rawlinson Poet 223. Folios 17 onwards preserved in Cologny, Fondation Martin Bodmer, Cod. Bodmer 110. For notes on foliation, see Mooney (2001).

MS Rawl D. 913 fol.4

Contents

Language(s): Middle English

(fols.4r–4v)
Robert Mannyng, Robert Mannyng of Brunne's Chronicle

Text from Part One of Robert Mannyng's Chronicle (DIMEV 3253), also called 'The Story of England'. Fol. 4r: ll.12550-12613. Fol. 4v: ll.12614-12699 as printed in I. Sullens, "The Chronicle of Robert Mannyng of Brunne" (1996)

Physical Description

Form: codex
Support: Parchment
Extent: 1 leaf
Dimensions (leaf): 300 × 200 mm.

Condition

Dark stains around edges of recto side indicate it has been used as a pastedown. Text on recto side is badly faded, with large parts of the right column now illegible. Faint bleedthrough on both sides. Several small holes and rips, the largest being in the lower outside corner, measuring 15x8mm.

Layout

Two columns per side, columns 46 lines of text on recto side, 45 on verso. On both sides, the word 'Arthurus' is written in red in the upper margin. Written space: 260 × 155–185 mm.

Hand(s)

Anglicana

Decoration

Each section is introduced with a two-line tall initial in blue ink decorated with red pen flourishing.

Sections divided with rubricated Latin headings

Additions:

Marginalia in English, upper margin of verso side. "O man what arte thow that de[spu]test | wyth god Romaynes ye nynth", followed by "delyuered to thomas woulse ix platt[ers?] | ix dishes iiij sawseres upon new3eres day".

Marginalia written vertically in left, central and right margin of verso side. Three variations on the same phrase: "St Ambros in his ixth chapter of his worke intituled de his qui misteris initianter [sic initiantur]".

Both sets of marginalia presumably from when leaf was pasted down in another codex.

History

Origin: England ; 14th Century, late ; or 15th Century, early

Provenance

Fragment of same codex survives, also as a pastedown ; see Merton College MS 23.b.6 and Davies (1969) pp.51-2. Text in the Merton Fragment is from Part 2 of the Chronicle (Recto: ll.3779-3810. Verso: ll.3737-3768). The original complete form of this text can be associated with 'P' Text of the Chronicle contained in Inner Temple Petyt MS 511, Vol. 7 (See Sullens 1996)

Fragment in the Merton codex appears in Ker's "Fragments of Medieval Manuscripts used as Pastedowns in Oxford Bindings" as no.919, erroneously identified as a fragment of 'Richard Coer de Lyon'. See Davies (1969) for further discussion.

MS Rawl D. 913 fol.5

Contents

Language(s): Middle English

(fol.5r)
Stanzas dedicating a book to the Earl of Surrey
Incipit: 'O thow pore boke vnworthy and…'

Single leaf containing verses dedicating a book to an unnamed Earl of Surrey. Text not present in DIMEV or Folger First Line Index. Partial transcription provided in Quarto Catalogue. Cataloguer identifies Henry Howard (1516/17–1547) as the Earl in question. On verso side: 'du[m] sumus in mu[n]do vivamus corde iocu[n]do'. Proverb of unclear origin.

Physical Description

Form: codex
Support: Parchment
Extent: 1 leaf
Dimensions (leaf): 202 × 155–162 mm.

Condition

Badly stained and hard to read on recto. Three lines of text above the verses perhaps containing titles or dedication, now illegible. Three or four lines below them in similar condition. Small vertical tear along left vertical ruling, messily sewn up. Lower outside corner torn with section approx. 35x23mm missing.

Layout

Single column with at least 22 lines of text, not all of them legible. Arranged in 2 stanzas [7 lines, 10 lines] with additional lines above and below that are now largely too faint to read. 153 × 95 mm.

Hand(s)

Letter forms mostly Secretary.

History

Origin: England ; 1450–1550

Provenance

Ruling similar to fol. 6. Both leaves have similar stains and circular warping. May have some shared origin.

MS Rawl D. 913 fol.6

Contents

Language(s): Middle English

(fol.6r)
Incipit: 'O painefull harte in peiyns syȝht'
Explicit: '[and] yet me lade dotthe me exchu'

'O painful heart in pains sight' (DIMEV 4022). 2 stanzas, 4 lines each. See Frankis (1955)

(fol.6r–v)
Incipit: 'lett lowe to lowe go kynly and sowfte'
Explicit: 'w[ith] the grett god of lowffe in th[e] etarnall Iohe'

'Let love to love go kindly and soft' (DIMEV 3057). 7 stanzas, 4 lines each. See Frankis (1955)

Physical Description

Form: codex
Support: Parchment
Extent: 1 leaf
Dimensions (leaf): 260 × 203 mm.

Condition

Ink of first text faded to pale brown; hard to read. Staining around outer edge. Diagonal tear across top of leaf, now backed with paper.

Layout

Single column of text. Both texts arranged in stanzas of 4 lines, 7 on recto and 3 on verso. 208 × 77–124 mm.

Hand(s)

First hand has a reaonably careful appearance with many long, looped ascenders and descenders. Aspect of second hand is bold but rather scribbled. Mixed Secretary and Anglicana features in both.

History

Origin: England ; 15th century, possibly late.

Provenance

Ruling similar to fol. 5. Both leaves have similar stains and circular warping. May have some shared origin.

MS Rawl D. 913 fols.7-8

Contents

Language(s): Macaronic Middle English and Latin.

(fols. 7r–8v)
Metrical paraphrase of the Creed
Incipit: 'I by leve that cryst was borne of mari the virgen'
Explicit: 'to my blysse endles et ad vitam eternam amen'
Final rubric: 'finis the credo'

Metrical paraphrase of the Creed in Middle English with Latin phrases interspersed (DIMEV 2139). Latin quotations taken from Apostles' Creed, Athanasian Creed, the Canons of the Fourth Lateran Council, and partly from scripture.

Physical Description

Form: codex
Support: Paper
Extent: 2 leaves
Dimensions (leaf): 203 × 140–145 mm.

Condition

Leaves are in good condition with no tears or holes. Text clear and legible throughout. Outer sides of leaves (f.7r and f.8v) darker than inner sides.

Layout

Text in single column, with 23-24 lines per side. Fol. 8v contains only 17 lines before the text finishes. Written space 151 × 70–115 mm.

Hand(s)

Mix of Anglicana and Secretary forms.

History

Origin: England ; 15th century, possibly early 16th.

MS Rawl D. 913 fol.9

Contents

Language(s): Middle English

(fols.9r–9v)
The Prick of Conscience

Text from Book 7 of The Prick of Conscience (DIMEV 5398). Fol.9r ll.1661-1686, Fol.9v ll.1687-1717 as printed in J. H. Morey's edition (2012)

Physical Description

Form: codex
Support: Pachment
Extent: 1 leaf
Dimensions (leaf): 208 × 160 mm.

Condition

Leaf darkened and badly faded on both sides; verso in slightly worse condition. Hard to read the in places. Several horizontal fold lines, two of which are close together in the centre of the leaf, suggest it may have been used as a wrapper of some kind.

Layout

One column per side, 31 lines each. Written space 170 × 59–91 mm.

Hand(s)

Anglicana; reasonably formal but with some Secretary features.

Decoration

Two line tall initial 'N' in blue with red penwork flourishes, four lines from the bottom of verso side. Very faded.

First letter of each line is tipped with red ink.

Single line of Latin written in red ink.

History

Origin: England ; 15th Century

Provenance

Fol.62 of this volume also contains text from 'The Prick of Conscience', however these fragments are clearly of different origin.

MS Rawl D. 913 fols.10-21

Contents

Language(s): Middle English

(fols.10r–19r)
Sacerdos Parochialis

The instructional treatise known as Sacerdos Parochialis, in seven chapters. Edition of text can be found in Pattwell (2004), pp.261-283, and discussion on pp.xlvii-xlix.

Physical Description

Form: codex
Support: Paper Partial watermark visible on fols. 14, 16, possibly 18. Rectangular or trapezoid shape with unidentifiable symbols in the middle. Could be the base of a gauntlet, or similar. Chainlines 43mm apart.
Extent: 12 folios, one quire of 8, one of 4.
Dimensions (leaf): 270–282 × 178–197 mm.
Foliation: As well as current foliation, fol.10r has the numbers '41' and a large 'V'. Fol.18r labelled '42'. Correspond to a change in quires. Catchword on fol.17v.

Layout

Single column of text with 34 written lines per side. 198 × 140 mm.

Hand(s)

Anglicana with secretary features.

Decoration

First initial 'I' is four lines tall in blue ink with red pen flourishing.

Many further initials throughout the text in same style, each two lines tall.

Blue section dividers used throughout.

Consistent use of underlining and rubrication. especially at the beginning and ends of sections.

Additions:

After the final line, a smaller, less formal hand has added 'one synnes hastely but one p[re]somptuously truste on m[er]cy of god. þis is baskerfeld[?]'

Final leaf of the fragment bears the inscription 'Itm for as much as I have payed'. Highly calligraphic execution.

History

Origin: England; 15th Century

MS Rawl D. 913 fols.22-42

Contents

Language(s): Middle English

(fols.23r–41v)
Geoffrey Chaucer, Treatise on the Astrolabe

Chaucer's Treatise on the Astrolabe. Complete text containing introduction and two chapters.

Physical Description

Form: codex
Support: Parchment
Extent: Three quires. First quire(s) is of five bifolium and is now separated from the manuscript. Note on guard strips indicates "Fols. 22-30 removed for exhibition by S.P. 28/5/04". Second quire is of four bifolium with an additional half-leaf pasted at the end (fol.39). Final quire is a single bifolia with an additional leaf bound at the front (fol.40).
Dimensions (leaf): 220 × 150 mm.

Layout

Text arranged in single column, 35 lines per side. Written space 151 × 106 mm. Large spaces left between sections of text for diagrams.

Hand(s)

Bastard Anglicana. See Late Medieval English Scribes description.

Decoration

Five line tall initial 'L' at start of text on folio 23r. Blue and red square backing with gold illumination on letter and foliage border designs. See(Pächt and Alexander iii. 866)

Blue initials with red pen-work designs at section headings throughout. See in particular fol. 38v.

Simple line fillers in black ink used at the end of sections.

Supplementary diagrams supplied on fols. 24v, 25v, 26v, 27v, 28r, and 29r.

History

Origin: England ; c.1420 (See Skeat 1872)

MS Rawl D. 913 fol.43

Contents

Language(s): Middle English

(fols.43r–v)
Romance of Merlin

Prose Romance of Merlin. See Wheatly and Mead's 1965-9 EETS edition. Recto side contains text from p.315 (l.15) to p.316 (l.17); verso contains text from p.316 (l.17) to p.317 (l.24).

Physical Description

Form: codex
Support: Paper
Extent: 1 leaf
Dimensions (leaf): 380 × 204–245 mm.

Layout

Two columns per side, 37 lines each. Written space 290 × 170 mm.

Hand(s)

Hybrid Anglicana with Secretary features

Doyle (1959) and later Mooney (2000) attribute this manuscript to the Hammond Scribe.

Decoration

Three line tall blue initial 'W' in lower quater of first column on verso side. Decorated with red pen work that extends up and down the margins.

History

Origin: England ; 15th century, late

Provenance

See Doyle (1959) pp.433-4 and Mooney (2000) p.114 on this manuscript's attribution to the Hammond Scribe

MS Rawl. D. 913 fols.44-51

Contents

Language(s): Middle English

(fols.44r–51r)
Ordinances of the Guild of St. George, Norwich Cathedral

Contains the Ordinances of the Guild of St George, along with the names of members of the guild. For edition of this manuscript, See Smith (1870) pp.443-460.

Physical Description

Form: codex
Support: Parchment
Extent: Four bifolia bound in the centre to make 8 folios.
Dimensions (leaf): 316 × 208 mm.
Foliation: Leaves foliated 1-8.

Layout

Text arranged in two columns. Vertical margins ruled, but not individual lines. Approx. 36 lines per column, but actual number varies owing to variation in height of the letters and size of breaks between paragraphs. 245 × 160–184 mm.

Hand(s)

Secretary.

Majority of text written by one scribe; seems to have left spaces at the beginning of paragraphs for another scribe to add a more calligraphic initial, but not all spaces have been filled in. A second scribe (or possibly the same one at a later date) has made some additions to the text, noticable as the ink is darker and the letters are smaller

Decoration

Calligraphic initials inserted at the beginning of paragraphs (mostly 'A's for 'Also) - incomplete.

Tall and sometimes clubbed ascenders in the top lines.

History

Origin: England Norwich ; 14th Century, possibly middle.

Provenance

For discussion of manuscript and the guild of St George, see Smith (1870)

MS Rawl D. 913 fols.52-53

Contents

Language(s): Middle English

(fols.52r–53v)
Recipe for 'Charlett'

Folios of a recipe book containing instructions for various dishes. Nearly all these recipies have counterparts transcribed in Austin 'Two fifteenth-century cookery books' (1888).

Text very close to recipe of the same contained in MS Douce 55. See Austin p.117.

(fol.52r–v)
Recipe for 'Gelee de chare'

Similar to recipe of the same in BL MS Harley 279. See Austin p.25.

(fol.53r)
Recipe for 'Hagys de almaygne'

Similar to recipe of the same in BL MS Harley 279. See Austin p.44.

(fol.53r–v)
Recipe for 'Crustade'

Similar to recipes of the same in BL MS Harley 279 and Harley 4016. See Austin p.50 and p.74.

(fol.53v)
Recipe for 'Crustade yn lente'
(fol.53v)
Recipe for 'Oues ou capon forcez'

Simialr to recipe of the same in BL MS Harley 4016. See Austin p.81.

Physical Description

Support: Paper
Extent: 2 leaves
Dimensions (leaf): 197 × 145 mm.

Layout

One column per side; no ruling apparent and number of lines varies. 26-30 lines per side. 148 × 102 mm.

Hand(s)

Secretary; informally written and heavily abbreviated. Quite bold aspect.

History

Origin: England ; 15th Century

MS Rawlinson D. 913 fol.54

Contents

Language(s): Middle English and Latin

(fol.54r–v)
Medulla grammaticae

Section of the medieval Latin glossary known as the 'Medulla grammaticae', covering part of 'I' from 'Ingredior' to 'Interpretor'. For the text, see McCarren's edition of letters G H I and K in Stonyhurt College MS 15 (2019), pp.31-34. Note that there are many variations between different manuscripts of the Medulla.

Physical Description

Form: codex
Support: Parchment
Extent: 1 leaf
Dimensions (leaf): 269 × 197 mm.

Condition

Recto badly worn from having been pasted down; illegible in places. Two sharp creases in parchment, one horizontal, one diagonally across top corner. Outer lower corner torn off. One small hole. Verso side much better preserved.

Layout

Two columns per side, 45 lines each. Written space 228 × 153 mm.

Hand(s)

Anglicana Formata

Additions: Three additional entries in a different hand in bottom left corner of recto side. Various pen trials in margins of verso; some quite badly smudged. Small stylised figure at top of central margin.

History

Origin: England ; Early 15th Century

MS Rawl D. 913 fols.55-60

Contents

Language(s): Starts in Latin and changes to Middle English on fol.56v; original codex is mostly in Latin.

(fols.55r–60v)

Chronicle of London containing details of events in 1460. Latin text of the Chronicle is written in red, with the English text of the articles of accord in recognistion of the right of succession of the duke of York (Oct 1460) is in black.

Physical Description

Form: codex
Support: Parchment
Extent: 6 leaves in a single quire.
Dimensions (leaf): 200 × 145 mm.
Foliation: Numbering in the lower right corners of some verso sides; may refer to sheet numbers.

Layout

Single columns with 32 lines each. Written space 133 × 75 mm.

Hand(s)

Hybrid forms; mostly secretary.

Decoration

Latin text written in red ink; English in black.

Space left for a decorated 'B' on fol.55v that has not been filled in.

Two decorated capital 'I's in English section of the text, rendered in a simple style. Four lines tall in black ink and tipped with red.

Blue section markers divide up Latin text.

Red section markers divide up the English text.

History

Origin: England, London ; Late 15th Century; after 1460.

Provenance

Formerly part of MS. Rawlinson B. 355, containing various works relating to the history of London in the fifteenth century.

MS Rawl D. 913 fol.61

Contents

Language(s): Middle English

(fol.61r–v)
Epistle of Machari

See Hanna (1987) pp.436-442 for edition. The front of the recto (outer) side (i.e. the first lines visible on the fragment) begins with the closing lines of the text (ll.114-116). The legible text from the inner (verso) side of the leaf includes ll.20-30 and ll.51-60. Rear side of the outer (recto) side contains ll.82-93.

(fol.61r)
Epistle of Iohan

Text begins with the illuminated 'G', five lines down on the recto side of the fragment. The preceeding five lines are from the Machari text. For edition, see Horstmann (1851) pp.122-3, there erroneously attributed to Richard Rolle and given the title "Against Boasting and Pride".

Physical Description

Form: codex
Support: Parchment
Extent: Half a leaf, inserted into the manuscript folded in half.
Dimensions (leaf): 192–202 × 258 mm.

Condition

Leaf has been cut in half, with only the lower part remaning. This half-leaf has been inserted into the guardbook folded in half, so 'recto' side makes up the outer pages, with the 'verso' as the inner sides.

Patches of faded ink and staining (possibly from water exposure) means legibility is patchy. Extent of fading may suggest folio has been used as some kind of wrapper; signs of adhesive in places but pattern does not immediately suggest use as a pastedown. Traces of paper and dark black ink on the verso (inner) side.

Parchment has several very small holes.

Layout

Written space 110 × 120 mm.

Hand(s)

Anglicana with some Secretary features.

Decoration

Illuminated 'G' five lines down on recto side; gold badly flaked leaving only trace remnants. Initial decorated with red and blue background and gold foliate designs that extend into the margins.

History

Origin: England ; 14th century, late

Provenance

Inscription: "An old fragment about the danger of Pride". Quarto catalogue attributes the inscription to Thomas Hearne.

MS Rawl. D. 913 fol.62

Contents

Language(s): Middle English

(fol.62r–v)
The Prick of Conscience

Text from Book 6 of The Prick of Conscience (DIMEV 5398). Fol.6r contains ll.96-121 and ll.126-142; Fol.6v contains ll.158-177 and ll.66-91 as printed in J. H. Morey's edition (2012)

Physical Description

Form: codex
Support: Parchment
Extent: A single bifolum inserted into the manuscript as one leaf.
Dimensions (leaf): 150 × 258 mm.

Condition

Verso side very worn and hard to read; was kept folded closed before insertion to Rawlinson MS. Large diagonal section of lower corner cut off, as well as small strip from top right.

Layout

One column per side; currently 23-26 lines per column, although originally 30 lines per side. Written space 110 × 120 mm.

Hand(s)

Anglicana

Decoration

Ascenders in the first lines (visible on recto side, but not verso) are roughly three times taller than other characters.

Red square brackets used to mark rhyming couplets.

History

Origin: England ; 14th Century

Provenance

Inscription:"This Fragment about Hell, I had of Mr. Bagford". Quarto catalogue attributes the inscription to Thomas Hearne. Refers to the antiquarian John Bagford [1650-1716].

MS Rawl D. 913 fol.63

Contents

Language(s): Middle English

(fol.63r–v)
Thomas Hoccleve, De regimine principum

Eight stanzas from Hoccleve's 'Regiment of Primces' (DIMEV 3581). Recto side contains ll.2184-2211; verso contains ll.2219-2245, as printed in Blyth's 1999 edition. Stanza in the middle (ll.2212-18) is absent in this text.

Physical Description

Form: codex
Support: Parchment
Extent: 1 leaf
Dimensions (leaf): 167 × 111 mm.

Condition

Large tear across the middle of the leaf that has been repaired with translucent tape that has discoloured over time. Minor spots of staining across the leaf that does not affect legibility. Recto side slightly discoloured. Traces of paper residue along inner margin of verso side.

Layout

One column per side, 28 lines (four rhyme-royal stanzas) each. Text is continuous with no line breaks between stanzas. Written space 150 × 59–81 mm.

Hand(s)

Mixed Anglicana and Secretary features. See Late Medieval English Scribes description.

Decoration

First letter of each line is tipped with red.

Initial 'L' in first line of verso side three lines tall with small embellishments in black ink.

History

Origin: England ; 15th century, mid to late.

Provenance

Inscription:"About a King’s Coronation Oath. This Fragment I had of Mr. Bagford". Quarto catalogue attributes the inscription to Thomas Hearne. Refers to the antiquarian John Bagford [1650-1716].

Of common origin with London, BL MS. Harley 5977 (See Green 1978)

MS. Rawl D. 913 fols.64-65

Contents

Language(s): Early Modern English

(fols.64v)
"When ye entre into prayer"

The first of a series of prayers for different occasions.

(fols.64v–65r)
"Another, when ye entre into prayer"
(fol.65r–65v)
"A prayer to be delivered from error"
(fol.65v)
"In Collegio Trinitatis 8 Januarii 1562"

Quarto Catalogue adds the expansion "[apud Cantabr.]" to the title.

Physical Description

Form: codex
Support: Paper
Extent: 2 leaves
Dimensions (leaf): 221 × 160 mm.

Condition

Paper quite worn around the edges of the leaves, obscuring parts of the text. Paper strips used to insert the leaves to the codex slightly cover the inner margins. Otherwise good condition.

Layout

One column per side, maximum 33 lines per side. Written space 237 × 146 mm.

Hand(s)

Secretary. Quickly and informally written.

History

Origin: England, Cambridge (tentative attribution) ; 1562.

Provenance

Quarto catalogue attributes to Thomas Cartwright (1534-1603), fellow of Trinity College Cambridge from 1562. Attribution seemingly based on the date and contents of the prayers.

MS Rawl D 913 fols.66-67

Contents

Language(s): Middle English

(fols.66–67)
A Maltster's Ledger

Record of malt delivered to various persons between November 1493 and January 1495.

Physical Description

Form: codex
Support: Paper Simple watermark on fol.67 of a hand topped with a star, situated with chainline running through the middle of motif. Similar design to Briquet 155679, although dimensions are different. 82mm tall, 24mm wide. Chainlines 38mm apart.
Extent: 2 leaves
Dimensions (leaf): 288 × 202 mm.

Condition

Leaves in good condition; staining on fol.67v suggests it has been used as a pastedown.

Layout

One column per side, 18-33 lines. Written space 250–259 × 160–165 mm.

Hand(s)

Mix of Anglicana and Secretary forms.

History

Origin: England ; 28th Nov 1493 ("xxviii day of Novembr Ao ix H vii") – 10th Jan 1495 ("xxth day of Ianyver Ao x H vii")

MS Rawl D. 913 fols.68-82

Contents

Language(s): Early Modern English

(fols. 68r–70v)
Letter from S. Powle to T. Powle, 22nd Jan. 1579

First letter from Stephen Powle (c. 1553–1630) to his father, Thomas Powle (1514–1601), concerning the former's desire to quit the study of law to pursue divinity.

(fols. 70v–72r)
Letter from S. Powle to T. Powle, 30th Jan. 1579

Second letter from Stephen Powle to his father on the same subject.

(fol. 72v)
Letter from S. Powle to W. Reed, 8th Jan. 1579

From Stephen Powle to a Mr. William Reed, regarding the credit of a Mr. Buttes.

(fol. 72v)
Letter from W. Reed to S. Powle

From Mr. William Reed to Stephen Powle in response to the above.

(fols. 72v–73r)
Letter from James Buttes to Ms. Audrey Buttes, 21 Febr. 1579

Love letter to ‘Ms. Audrey Butte’ signed ‘I.B.’; Stern believes this letter was written by Powle on behalf of James 'Buttes', a servant previously in the employ of the Buttes of Thornage, Norfolk. A later letter identifies James Buttes as a "little blacke man whose chamber is in the same coort that I [Powle] lodged in". The recipient is apparently a young lady named Audrey, still employed at Thornage. See Stern (1992) p.33.

(fol. 73r)
Letter from Ms. Audrey Buttes to James Buttes, 28 Febr. 1579

In response to the above.

(fols.73r–73v)
Letter from S. Powle to a Mr. Hopkins

From Stephen Powle to one Mr. Hopkins, thanking him for providing a commendation and expressing his desire that Hopkins would write to him more frequently.

(fols.73v–74r)
Letter from S. Powle to his cousin, T. Rooper, 25 May 1579

From Stephen Powle to his cousin, Tho[mas] Rooper, offering Rooper advice and assistance.

(fols.74r–74v)
Letter from T. Rooper to his cousin, S. Powle, 24 May 1579

From Tho[mas] Rooper to Stephen Powle, informing him that he is unable to pay back money he has borrowed.

(fols.74v–75r)
Letter from T. Rooper to S. Powle, 25 May 1579

Tho[mas] Rooper's response to Powle's above letter dated 25th May 1579.

(fols.75r–75v)
Letter to Mrs. Buttes of Thornage, Norfolk, 15 May 1597

Concerning the union of James and Audrey Buttes. Unclear if this was written on behalf of James Buttes, or was sent by Stephen himself.

(fols.75v–76r)
Letter by S. Powle, "For Butts", 15 May 1579

Letter unsigned and with ambiguous recipient. Possibly another written on James' behalf, intended for Audrey.

(fols.76r–78v)
Letter from S. Powle to his father, T. Powle, 25 May 1579

Third letter from Stephen Powle to his father, Thomas Powle, concerning the former's desire to quit the study of law to pursue divinity.

(fol.78v)
Letter from S. Powle to his cousin "Shout", 4 Jul. 1579

Concerning correspondance between Powle and his father.

(fol.79r)

Note describing letters sent to Mr Hopkins and Mr. Dethick making arrangements for travel to Geneva.

(fol.79r)
Letter from S. Powle to "his very good lord" Sir Thomas Bromley "knight lord Chancellor of England", 5 Aug.

From Stephen Powle to Sir Thomas Bromley (c. 1530–1587), asking Bromley to intercede with Powle's father concerning Powle's desire to study in Geneva.

(fol.79r–79v)

Notes describing two letters to Mr. Dethick concerning travel arrangements to Geneva, 1 Aug. and 20 Nov.

(fol.79v)

List of letters sent in December and January 1579, with the names of courriers that sent them.

(fol.79v)
Letter from S. Powle to his father, T. Powle, 10 Dec. 1579

Concerning details of Powle's travel arrangement in Paris and Geneva.

(fols.80r–80v)
Letter from S. Powle to Mr. Wheeler

Containing an account of Powle's journey to Paris.

(fols.80v)
Letter from S. Powle to Mr. Bodley

Concerning Powle's travel arrangements. Mr. Bodley identified as "the merchaunt [tha]t dwelleth in Maiden Lane" in Powle's previous letter to Mr. Wheeler.

(fol.81r)
Letter from S. Powle to his father, T. Powle, 2 Dec 1579

Concerning Powle's stay in Paris.

(fols.81r–81v)
Letter from S. Powle to Sir Thomas Bromley, 31 Dec.

Concerning a gift of books from Powle to Bromley.

(fol.82r)
Letter from S. Powle to his brother, 31 Dec.

Concerning Powle's stay in Paris.

(fol.82v)
Letter from S. Powle to Mr. Wheeler, 31 Dec.

In which Powle expresses concern that he has not received any correspondance while in Paris.

(fol.82v)
Letter from S. Powle to Mr. Angelo, 11 Jan.

Concerning various business matters, including dealings with his father and money owed by James Buttes.

(fol.82v)

Note describing a letter sent from S. Powle to Mr. Bodley on the 18th January, on the same subject the above letter to Mr. Angelo.

(fol.82v)
Letter from S. Powle to Mr. Rooper, incomplete.

Physical Description

Form: codex
Support: Paper Watermarks visible on fols.69, 70, 71, 74, 75, 77, 80 and 81. Clearest on fol.74. 56mm x 23mm. A crowned vase situated between two vertical chainlines (20mm apart). Orientated upside down. No matches found in Briquet or Piccard. Briquet 12528 is similar, but with key differences: the decorative topping of the vase is more like a crown than foliage, and the leaf-topping has three leaves, not four. The handle is on the opposite side.
Extent: 15 leaves
Dimensions (leaf): 287 × 203 mm.
Foliation: Folios 68-79 were originally numbered as leaves 30-41. Folios 80-82 have no obvious numbering.

Condition

Some worm damage across several leaves. No staining or tearing. Small blots of ink and sealing wax on fol. 82v.

Layout

One column per side, usually 45-50 lines long. Letters vary in length.

Hand(s)

Mostly written in a late 16th century Secretary Hand, with occasional additions by Powle himself in a more formal script.

History

Origin: Letters mostly written while in England, London, with some written while travelling in Paris. ; Dated between 23 Jan 1578[79] and 11 Jan 1579[80]

Provenance

Part of a commonplace book belonging to Stephen Powle (c. 1553–1630), largely written during his time at Middle Temple. Several other of Powle's manuscripts survive, many of which are now part of the Bodleian's Tanner collection (See Stern 1992, Appendix A for full details). In particular, MS Tanner 309 contains duplicates of three of Powle's letters to his father contained in this fragment.

MS. Rawl. D. 913 – fols 83–84

Contents

Language(s): Anglo-Norman

Wace, Roman de Brut
Filiation: Probably the oldest extant manuscript of the Roman de Brut, as dated by Hans-Erich Keller on palaeographical and orthographical grounds.

Lines 7029–7148 and 7391–7510

Printed in Hans-Erich Keller, ‘Les fragments oxoniens du Roman de Brut de Wace’, in Mélanges de langues et de littératures romanes offerts à Carl Theodor Gossen, ed. by Germán Colón and Robert Kopp (Bern, 1976), pp. 453–67.
Discussed in Maria Careri, Christine Ruby and Ian Short, Livres et écritures en français et en occitan au XIIe siècle: Catalogue illustré (Rome, 2011), item 65.I, pp. 146–47.
Cf. Wace, Roman de Brut, ed. by Ivor Arnold (Paris, 1938).

Physical Description

Form: codex
Support: parchment
Extent: 1 bifolium
Dimensions (leaf): 209–215 × 150–160 mm.

Collation

1 bifolium missing between the two leaves.

Layout

166 × 127 mm. 2 cols, 30 lines, with very faint leadpoint ruling, written above topline.

Hand(s)

Protogothic.

Decoration

2-line red initials and rubricated running heads.

Additions:

Various later annotations, mainly illegible, of the 15th or 16th centuries.

History

Origin: England ; 12th century, last quarter, or 13th century, first quarter.

Provenance

On fol. 83r a very faded annotation in the upper margin seems to read ‘De astrolabio’. The dimensions of the bifolium match those of the leaves of Geoffrey Chaucer's Treatise on the Astrolabe on fols 23–42, for which it could have served as a wrapper.

MS. Rawl. D. 913 – fol. 85

Contents

Language(s): Anglo-Norman

1. (fol. 85ra)
Verses on infernal punishment
Explicit: Ardra salme ⁊ ses cors ia merci ||

The last 32 lines of an otherwise unknown Anglo-Norman poem on infernal punishment in alexandrine couplets (Dean no. 600).

Printed in La Cancun de saint Alexis und einige kleinere altfranzösische Gedichte des 11. und 12. Jahrhunderts, nebst vollständigem Wortverzeichniss zu E. Koschwitz’s: Les plus anciens monuments de la langue française und zu beifolgenden Texten, ed. by E. Stengel (Marburg, 1882), p. 173 n. 1.
See Ruth J. Dean, with Maureen B. M. Bolton, Anglo-Norman Literature: A Guide to Texts and Manuscripts (London, 1999), item 600, pp. 331–32.
2. (fol. 85rb–85vb)
Benedeit, Le Voyage de saint Brendan
Incipit: De Mahalt la reine. par qui ualdra lei diuine.
Filiation: A manuscript belonging to a separate group from all other extant manuscripts of the Voyage de saint Brendan, and the only one to ascribe its commissioning to Matilda of Scotland (1080–1118) rather than Adeliza of Louvain (1103–1151).

Lines 1–311

Edited (MS C) in The Anglo-Norman Voyage of St. Brendan by Benedeit, ed. by E. R. G. Waters (Oxford, 1928).
Discussed in Maria Careri, Christine Ruby and Ian Short, Livres et écritures en français et en occitan au XIIe siècle: Catalogue illustré (Rome, 2011), item 65.II, pp. 148–49.

Physical Description

Form: codex
Support: parchment
Extent: 1 leaf
Dimensions (leaf): 295 × 195 mm.

Condition

Former pastedown leaf, as shown by dark stains in the upper margin of fol. 85r. There is extensive damage to the text on fol. 85r.

Layout

245 × 156 mm. 2 cols, 51–52 lines, with very faint leadpoint ruling, written above topine.

Hand(s)

Protogothic. 3 different hands, with one hand responsible for the end of the poem on infernal punishment on fol. 85ra, a second hand beginning the Voyage de saint Brendan on fol. 85rb–va, and a third, smaller hand continuing on fol. 85va–vb. The Voyage de saint Brendan is lineated as one couplet per line, with a punctus elevatus marking the end of a verse and a punctus marking the end of a couplet.

Decoration

2-line red initial to mark the beginning of the Voyage de saint Brendan.

History

Origin: England ; 12th century, last quarter, or 13th century, first quarter.

Provenance

Former pastedown leaf.

MS. Rawl. D. 913 – fols 86–89

Contents

Language(s): Anglo-Norman

Gui de Warewic

Lines 8486–8518, 8526–8558, 8567–8605, 8614–8651 (fol. 86); 8892–8940, 8948–8978, 8987–9020, 9027–9060 (fol. 87); 11084–11119, 11209–11252 (fol. 88); 11265–11299, 11389–11421 (fol. 89)

Partly printed in Oskar Winneberger, ‘Eine Textprobe aus der altfranzösischen Überlieferung des Guy de Warwick’, in Frankfurter Neuphilologische Beiträge (Frankfurt, 1887), pp. 86–107.
Cf. Gui de Warewic: Roman du XIIIe siècle, ed. by Alfred Ewert (Paris, 1932–33).

Physical Description

Form: codex
Support: parchment
Extent: fragments of 2 bifolia
Dimensions (fragment): 160–165 × 87–150 mm.

Condition

Former pastedown leaves, heavily trimmed on fols 88–89.

Layout

2 cols, at least 34 lines, with faint leadpoint ruling.

Hand(s)

Gothic textualis rotunda. Every verse line is marked with a punctus.

Decoration

2- and 3-line red and blue initials.

History

Origin: England ; 13th century, last quarter, or 14th century, first quarter.

Provenance

Canterbury, Kent, Franciscan convent: ‘Hoc volumen conceditur ad vsum fratrum minorum de observantia cantuarie’, 15th century (second half), fol. 87v. An inscription of the same form is also found in London, Lambeth Palace Library, 1483.5, a printed book. (MLGB3)

Formerly MS. Rawl. poet. 137, fols 42–45. It is argued in MLGB3 that the bifolia were used as pastedown leaves in the binding of MS. Rawl. poet. 137 itself, although this assertion is doubtful. (MLGB3)

MS. Rawl. D. 913 – fol. 90

Contents

Language(s): Anglo-Norman

Hugh of Rhuddlan, Protheselaus

Lines 323–476

Edited (MS C) in Hue de Rotelande, Protheselaus, ed. by Anthony J. Holden (London, 1991–93).

Physical Description

Form: codex
Support: parchment
Extent: 1 leaf
Dimensions (leaf): 256 × 174 mm.
Foliation: The original recto and verso have been reversed in the binding of the fragment.

Condition

There is extensive damage to the text on fol. 90r.

Layout

224 × 153 mm. 2 cols, 40 lines, with very faint leadpoint ruling, written below topline.

Hand(s)

Gothic textualis rotunda.

Decoration

Spaces left empty for 1- and 3-line initials.

History

Origin: England ; 13th century, last quarter.

Provenance

Probably once part of the same manuscript as fol. 91, and subsequently used as a pastedown in the same binding.

MS. Rawl. D. 913 – fol. 91

Contents

Language(s): Anglo-Norman

Hugh of Rhuddlan, Ipomedon

Lines 10173–10332

Edited (MS C) in Hue de Rotelande, Ipomedon, ed. by Anthony J. Holden (Paris, 1979).

Physical Description

Form: codex
Support: parchment
Extent: 1 leaf
Dimensions (leaf): 252 × 174 mm.

Condition

Former pastedown leaf. There is significant damage to the text.

Layout

224 × 151 mm. 2 cols, 40 lines, with very faint leadpoint ruling, written below topline.

Hand(s)

Gothic textualis rotunda.

Decoration

Spaces left empty for 3-, 4- and 8-line initials.

History

Origin: England ; 13th century, last quarter.

Provenance

‘William’, ‘William Redman’, ‘Hardress’, in the outer margin of fol. 91r: probably William Redman, d. 1602, Rector of Upper Hardres, Kent, from 1578 to 1594 and later Bishop of Norwich. (ODNB)

A later hand adds a largely illegible inscription ending on ‘Leadsham his book’ in the upper margin.

MS. Rawl. D. 913 – fol. 92

Contents

Language(s): Old French

Wace, Roman de Brut

Lines 4346–4364, 4453–4471

Filiation: The gap between lines on the same leaf suggests a substantial lacuna in the exemplar.
Printed in Hans-Erich Keller, ‘Les fragments oxoniens du Roman de Brut de Wace’, in Mélanges de langues et de littératures romanes offerts à Carl Theodor Gossen, ed. by Germán Colón and Robert Kopp (Bern, 1976), pp. 453–67.
Cf. Wace, Roman de Brut, ed. by Ivor Arnold (Paris, 1938).

Physical Description

Form: codex
Support: parchment
Extent: fragment of 1 leaf
Dimensions (fragment): 149 × 73–77 mm.

Layout

Upper inner quarter of the leaf: 1 col., 19 lines, with leadpoint ruling.

Hand(s)

Gothic textualis quadrata.

Decoration

Rubricated letters at the beginning of almost every verse line.

Additions:

A largely illegible annotation is added in the margin of fol. 92v.

History

Origin: France, Picardy (as shown by Keller on linguistic grounds) ; 14th century.

Provenance

‘Fragmentum in quo mentio de Cassibellano’, fol. 92v: added by Thomas Hearne, 1678–1735, according to the Quarto Catalogue.

MS. Rawl. D. 913 – fol. 93

Contents

Language(s): Old French

Jean de Meun, Roman de la Rose

Lines 11721–11890

Cf. Guillaume de Lorris and Jean de Meun, Le Roman de la Rose, ed. by Félix Lecoy (Paris, 1965–70).

Physical Description

Form: codex
Support: parchment
Extent: fragment of 1 leaf
Dimensions (fragment): 263 × 117 mm.
Foliation: The original recto and verso have been reversed in the binding of the fragment.

Collation

The last leaf of a quire.

Condition

Formerly used in a binding, probably as a spine lining, as indicated by the vertical crease. There are large tears along the crease, and there is significant damage to the text on fol. 93ra and fol. 93vb.

Layout

Originally 3 cols (as suggested by the gap of 43 lines between the last legible line and the catchword), 2 cols extant, 42–43 lines, with leadpoint ruling.

Hand(s)

Gothic textualis rotunda, but with frequent single-compartment a.

Decoration

2-line red and blue initials.

Rubricated letters at the beginning of every line, and a rubricated verse line serving as a catchword in the lower margin of fol. 93r.

History

Origin: France ; 14th century.

Provenance

Taken from MS. Rawl. poet. 162.

MS. Rawl. D. 913 – fols 94–97

Contents

Language(s): Old French

Guillaume de Lorris; Jean de Meun, Roman de la rose

Lines 646–682, 753–792 (fol. 94a); 696–722, 725–751 (fol. 94b); 1587–1613, 1692–1720 (fol. 95a); 1629–1653, 1668–1690 (fol. 95b), 3922–3951, 4029–4057 (fol. 96a); 3952–3991, 3992–4028 (fol. 96b); 12036–12075, 12140–12177 (fol. 97a); 12093–12113, 12121–12139 (fol. 97b)

Cf. Guillaume de Lorris and Jean de Meun, Le Roman de la Rose, ed. by Félix Lecoy (Paris, 1965–70).

Physical Description

Form: codex
Support: parchment
Extent: 8 fragments of individual columns taken from 4 leaves
Dimensions (fragment): 109–212 × 77–87 mm.

Layout

Originally 2 cols (now separated into fragments of 1 col.), 40 lines, with ink ruling.

Hand(s)

Gothic textualis rotunda.

Decoration

Decorated 2- and 4-line gold initials, accompanied by rubrics. (Pächt and Alexander i. 600)

Additions:

An anglicana hand of the 15th century adds line 792 at the bottom of fol. 94av.

History

Origin: France (?) ; or England (?) ; 14th century.

Provenance

Provenance prior to Rawlinson unknown.

MS. Rawl. D. 913 – fol. 98

Contents

Language(s): Middle Dutch

Jacob van Maerlant, Spiegel historiael

Part III, book I, chapter xxxiii, line 94–chapter xxxiv, line 95 (Malchus and Jerome)

Cf. Jacob van Maerlant, Spiegel historiael, ed. by M. de Vries and E. Verwijs (Leiden, 1863).

Physical Description

Form: codex
Support: parchment
Extent: 1 leaf
Dimensions (leaf): 250 × 161 mm.
Foliation: The original recto and verso have been reversed in the binding of the fragment.

Layout

215 × 137 mm. 2 cols, 39 lines, with leadpoint ruling.

Hand(s)

Gothic textualis rotunda.

Decoration

2-line red initial, following the rubric announcing the chapter on Jerome.

Additions: The number ‘xvi’ has been added in the upper margin of fol. 98v.

History

Origin: Flanders (?) ; or Netherlands (?) ; 14th century.

Provenance

Former endleaf.

‘Knyvett’, along with the motto ‘Manet alta mente repostum’, fol. 98r: in the hand of Sir Thomas Knyvett of Ashwellthorpe, c.1539–1618.

MS. Rawl. D. 913 – fol. 99

Contents

Lost from the volume.

Language(s): Old French

Theological treatise in prose

Edmund Stengel noted the existence of this item in 1882 and transcribed the rubric ‘Chy s’ensieult che que on doibt dire quant aucune creature gist en son lit mortel et en son derrain extremtei’; its loss was already noted by the Quarto Catalogue in 1898.

See E. Stengel, ‘Hs. Rawlinson Miscellanea 1370 alt 1262’, Zeitschrift für romanische Philologie 6 (1882), 390–96 (p. 392).

Physical Description

Form: codex
Support: parchment
Extent: 1 fragment of a leaf

Layout

2 cols.

History

Origin: 14th century, as dated by Stengel.

MS. Rawl. D. 913 – fol. 100

Contents

Language(s): Old French

Treatise on wisdom and repentance

Fragment of an otherwise unknown prose treatise on the degrees of wisdom and on repentance. A section begins 'La .vj. degre. ⟨L⟩i siesime de gre de proesce e⟨st⟩ apelee magnificence

Physical Description

Form: codex
Support: parchment
Extent: 1 fragment of a leaf
Dimensions (fragment): 255 × 107 mm.

Layout

At least 1 col., at least 31 lines, with very faint leadpoint ruling.

Hand(s)

Gothic textualis semiquadrata.

Decoration

Spaces left empty for 2-line initials.

Rubric reading ‘La .vi. degre.’ on fol. 100r, as well as rubricated letters at the beginning of sentences.

Additions:

An 18th-century hand notes ‘Vertue and Xtian magnificence’ in the margin of fol. 100v.

History

Origin: France (?) ; or England (?) ; 14th century.

Provenance

Provenance prior to Rawlinson unknown.

MS. Rawl. D. 913 – fol. 101

Contents

Language(s): Anglo-Norman

Britton

Book I, chapter 24 (De Apels de Homicides)

Cf. Britton, ed. by F. M. Nichols (Oxford, 1865), pp. 109–14.

Physical Description

Form: codex
Support: parchment
Extent: 1 fragment of a leaf
Dimensions (fragment): 204 × 148 mm.

Condition

The verso is heavily worn, and a marked horizontal crease indicates use in a binding.

Layout

1 col., at least 35 lines, with faint leadpoint ruling.

Hand(s)

Anglicana.

Decoration

Flourished 3-line red initial on fol. 101r.

Additions:

Marginal annotations in the scribal hand. A later hand adds what appears to be ‘goflid’ in the inner margin of fol. 101r.

History

Origin: England ; 14th century, first quarter.

Provenance

Formerly used in a binding.

MS. Rawl. D. 913 – fol. 102

Contents

Language(s): Anglo-Norman

Year Book

Fragment of an unidentified (perhaps otherwise unknown) year book, connected by the Quarto Catalogue to the year book fragments on fols 106–11 but not obviously part of the same volume. One case relates to 'lay de marche' and in another 'Edward Charles' is a party.

Physical Description

Form: codex
Support: parchment
Extent: 1 fragment of a leaf
Dimensions (fragment): 200 × 160 mm.

Condition

Dark stains and a vertical crease indicate previous use in a binding.

Layout

1 col., at least 31 lines, unruled.

Hand(s)

Anglicana.

History

Origin: England ; 14th century, first quarter

Provenance

Formerly used in a binding.

MS. Rawl. D. 913 – fols 103–105

Contents

Language(s): Old French

Alexandre en prose
Filiation: fragment of the Second Redaction
Cf. Der altfranzösische Prosa-Alexanderroman nach der Berliner Bilderhandschrift: nebst dem lateinischen Original der Historia de preliis (Rezension J2), ed. by Alfons Hilka (Halle, 1920), pp. 76–97.

Physical Description

Form: codex
Support: parchment
Extent: half of 1 leaf and 2 full leaves
Dimensions (fragment): 263–285 × 91–190 mm.

Collation

Fol. 105 has been misbound and should precede fols 103–104.

Condition

Fol. 103 has been trimmed down to half a leaf. Dark stains indicate previous use as pastedowns.

Layout

199 × 125 mm. 1 col., 28 lines, with leadpoint ruling.

Hand(s)

Anglicana.

Decoration

Spaces left empty for illustrations and 2-line initials.

Rubrics: ‘Conment alixandres renuoie a d’ (fol. 103r); ‘alixandres li roys trouua sa mere ’ (fol. 103v); ‘Conment chiaus qui estoient ou lieu de dayres li manderent le respons des lettres conment alixandres auoit destruite sa prouince’ (fol. 105r).

Additions:

Various later scribbles and annotations in the margins and between sections of the text, partly upside-down and frequently illegible. On fol. 103, the annotations predate the trimming of the leaf.

History

Origin: England ; 14th century, second or third quarter.

Provenance

Formerly used as pastedowns in a schoolbook at Magdalen College School.

‘Thomas Grey’, ‘Ricardus Grey’, ‘Jhon Grey’, ‘Antony Grey’, fol. 104r: probably Thomas Grey, 1477–1530, 2nd Marquess of Dorset, who from 1495 was educated at Magdalen College School together with his brothers. (ODNB)

On fol. 105v is scribbled a letter from the schoolboy ‘Robert Yall’ to his master, beginning: ‘Master Mullysworth I wold pray and beseytt yow that yow wold be my good master’. Dated between c.1504 and 1509 and transcribed in Nicholas Orme, Education in Early Tudor England: Magdalen College Oxford and Its School, 1480–1540 (Oxford, 1998), p. 76.

‘2196, Disp. 46’, fol. 104v: added by Thomas Hearne, 1678–1735, according to the Quarto Catalogue, in reference to his early printed copy of the Historia preliis, now Auct. 2Q 4.7(1), although it is not clear that this is the volume in which these leaves served as pastedowns.

MS. Rawl. D. 913 – fols 106–111

Contents

Language(s): Anglo-Norman and Latin

Year Books

Fragments of year books for Edward I and Edward II, dated to regnal year 29 (probably Edw I, 1301) on fol. 108r and regnal year 4 (probably Edw II, 1311) on fol. 111v.

See J. H. Baker, English Legal Manuscripts, Vol. II (Zug, 1978), p. 183.

Physical Description

Form: codex
Support: parchment
Extent: 6 leaves
Dimensions (leaf): 280 × 190 mm.
Foliation: Fols 106–110 were previously foliated as fols 59, 60, 57, 58, 61.

Collation

The leaves have been bound in the wrong order. The correct order, following the earlier foliation, is fol. 108, fol. 109, fol. 106, fol. 107, fol. 110, fol. 111.

Condition

Heavily worn.

Layout

1 col., 25–56 lines, largely unruled.

Hand(s)

Anglicana. 2 distinct hands: the first is responsible for fol. 106r and fols 108–109, the second for fols 106v–107 and fols 110–111.

Additions:

Marginal annotations in the scribal hand. A later hand adds what appears to be ‘29 E. 1 Bastard 27’ in the outer margin of fol. 111r.

History

Origin: England ; 14th century, first quarter.

MS. Rawl. D. 913 – fols 112–129

Contents

Language(s): Middle French

1. (fols 112–121)
Ci nous dit

Exempla on St Hilary, Abbot Helies, St Anthony and others not otherwise attested in the tradition of the Ci nous dit.

Cf. Ci nous dit, ed. by Gérard Blangez (Paris, 1979).
2. (fols 122–129)
Theological manual

Unidentified manual covering the Ten Commandments, the five senses, the seven deadly sins, the seven sacraments, the celebration of Mass and priesthood. Fol. 122r, 'Des cinc sens natureulx', begins 'Dieu ta donne le sens et les membres et tout le corps pour garder le cuer', fol. 122v, 'Des .vij. pechiez mortielx', begins 'Saint Iohan dit en son apocalice que il vit issir'.

Physical Description

Form: codex
Support: parchment
Extent: 18 leaves: 1 quire of eight (fols 112–119), 1 bifolium (fols 120–121), 1 quire of eight (fols 122–129).
Dimensions (leaf): 255 × 170 mm.
Foliation: Contemporary foliation as fols 194–201 (fols 112–119), fols 205–206 (fols 120–121), fols 210–217 (fols 122–129).

Collation

The gap in the medieval foliation corresponds to the missing leaves of the second quire, of which only the central bifolium remains.

Layout

155 × 115 mm. 1 col., 30 lines, with very faint leadpoint ruling.

Hand(s)

Gothic textualis semiquadrata.

Musical Notation:

Added notation: see below, Additions.

Decoration

Flourished 2-line red and blue initials.

Additions:

Latin marginal annotations in the same 15th-century hand as the contemporary foliation.

Various scribbles, doodles and annotations of the 16th century, including a note beginning ‘Right wourshippefull and my Synguler good Maister’ on fol. 117v. Several attempts at adding musical notation: an empty 4-line staff on fol. 113, two 4-line staves with square notation on fol. 117v, an empty 7-line staff on fol. 127r, several notes on fol. 127v, one 4-line and one 5-line staff with square notation on fol. 128r.

History

Origin: England (?) ; 15th century.

Additional Information

Record Sources

Fols. 1-8 described by Ruth Allen, Nov. 2023. Fols. 83-129 described by Michael Angerer, Sept. 2023. Otherwise abbreviated from the Quarto Catalogue (W. D. Macray, Catalogi codicum manuscriptorum Bibliothecæ Bodleianæ...viri munificentissimi Ricardi Rawlinson, J.C.D., codicum...complectens, Quarto Catalogues V, 5 fascicles, 1862–1900), with decoration, localization and date following Pächt and Alexander (1973).

Digital Images

Digital Bodleian (10 images from 35mm slides)

Bibliography

    Online resources:

    Thomas Austin, Two Fifteenth-Centry Cookery Books, (London, 1888)
    Henry Bergen, Lydgate's Troy Book : A.D. 1412-20, (London, 1906)
    Charles Blyth (ed.), Thomas Hoccleve, The Regiment of Princes, (Kalamazoo, 1999)
    John A. Burrow, 'Poems Without Contexts: The Rawlinson Lyrics' in Essays on Medieval Literature, (Oxford, 1984)
    Norman Davies, 'Another Fragment of 'Richard Coer de Lyon'' Notes and Queries, Vol.16 Iss.12 (1969) pp.447–52 esp. pp.451–2
    A. I. Doyle, 'An Unrecognised Piece of Piers the Plowman's Creed and Other Work by Its Scribe', Speculum Vol.34 No.3 (1959), pp.428-436
    Peter Dronke, 'The Rawlinson Lyrics' Notes and Queries Vol.8 Iss. 7 (1961), pp.245-6
    P. J. Frankis, 'Some Late Middle English Lyrics in the Bodleian Library' Anglia, Vol.73 (1995), pp.299-305 esp.299-301.
    R. F. Green, 'Notes on Some Manuscripts of Hoccleve's "Regiment" of Princes', The British Library Journal, 4.1 (1978), pp.37-41
    Ralph Hanna, 'The Middle English Vitae Patrum Collection', Medieaval Studies, Vol.49 (1987), pp.411-442
    John C. Hirsh, 'The Rawlinson Lyrics: Context Memory and Performance' in Middle English texts in transition : a festschrift dedicated to Toshiyuki Takamiya on his 70th birthday, (Woodbridge, 2014)
    Carl Horstmann, Yorkshire Writers: Richard Rolle of Hampole, (London: 1895)
    Neil Ker, Fragments of medieval manuscripts used as pastedowns in Oxford bindings : with a survey of Oxford binding c. 1515-1620 ,(Oxford, 1954)
    McCarren, An Edition of the Letters G, H, I, and K of the Medulla Grammatice Stonyhurst MS. 15 (A.1.10), (University of Michigan, 2019)
    Linne Mooney, 'Two Fragments of Lydgate's Troy Book in the Bodleian Library', Journal of the Early Book Society, (2001) pp.259-266
    Linne Mooney, 'A New Manuscript by the Hammond Scribe' in The English medieval book: studies in memory of Jeremy Griffiths, (London, 2000), pp.113-123
    J. H. Morey, Prik of Conscience, (Kalamazoo, MI, 2012)
    Niamh Pattwell, Sacerdos Parochialis edited from British Library MS Burney 356, PhD thesis, Trinity College Dublin (2004)
    Kathleen L. Scott, 'A Mid-Fifteenth-Century English Illuminating Shop and its Customers', Journal of the Warburg and Courtauld Institutes, Vol. 31 (1968): 170-196, esp. 189-191.
    Walter Skeat (ed.), Geoffrey Chaucer, A Treatise on the Astrolabe, (London, 1872)
    Toulmin Smith (ed.), English Gilds: The original ordinances of more than one hundred early English gilds, (London, 1870)
    Virginia Stern, Sir Stephen Powle of court and country, (Selinsgrove, 1992)
    Idelle Sullens, The Chronicle of Robert Mannyng of Brunne ; edited with introduction, notes, and glossary by Idelle Sullens, (Binghamton, N.Y, 1996), esp. pp.22-39; pp.395-402.
    H. B. Wheatley and W. E. Mead, Merlin or the early history of King Arthur: a prose romance (about 1450 - 1460 A. D.), (London, 1865-9)
    Richard M. Wilson, 'Lyrical Poetry' in The Lost Literature of Medieval England, (London, 1952) pp.159-186

Last Substantive Revision

2025-04-23: Sebastian Dows-Miller. Corrected typo in handNote @script and normalised use of locus.