MS. Rawl. poet. 223
Summary Catalogue no.: 14714
The Canterbury Tales; England, 1450s × 1460s
Contents
Language(s): Middle English, using forms attested in Kent and Essex; with Latin
(fols. 1r–270r)
, Canterbury Tales Incipit: There as this lord was keper of the selle | The rule of seint Maure or of seint Beneit
Explicit: Beth fructuous and that in litil space | And to do wel god send you his grace
Begins at I.172. Verse ends fol. 232r.
DIMEV 6414(fols. 1r–11r)
The General Prologue Incipit: ||There as this lord was keper of the selle | The rule of seint Maure or of seint Beneit
Explicit: And he bigan with riȝt a mery chiere | His tale anon & seide as ye may here
I.1–171 lost.
DIMEV 6415(fols. 11r–42v)
The Knight’s Tale Rubric: Iamque domos patrias scithice post aspera gentis prelia lauri gero & cetera.
Rubric: Hic incipit fabula militis.
Incipit: WHilom as olde stories tellen us | Ther was a duc that hiȝt Theseus
Explicit: Thus endeth Palamoun and Emelie | And god saue all this faire company Amen
I.1374–59, 2655 omitted; ‘Hic deficit’ in margin next to 1360.
DIMEV 6530(fols. 43r–44r)
The Knight-Miller link Rubric: Here beginneth the prolog of the Millere
Incipit: Whan that the knight had thus his tale Itolde | In al the company nas ther yong ne olde
Explicit: Auiseth you and put me out of blame | And eke men shal not make ernest of game
Final rubric: Here is ended the Prolog of the Meller
I.3155–6 omitted.
DIMEV 6427(fols. 44r–54r)
The Miller’s Tale Rubric: And here beginneth his tale folwing
Incipit: Whilom ther was dwelling at Oxenford | A riche gnoff that gestes helde to borde
Explicit: And Nicholas is scalded in his toute | This tale is don and god saue all the route
Final rubric: Here is ended the Millers tale
I.3155–6 omitted.
DIMEV 6537(fols. 54r–55r)
The Reeve’s Prologue Rubric: And here beginneth the Prolog of the Reue
Incipit: Whan folk had laughen at this nise caas | Of Absolon and hende Nicholas
Explicit: He can wel in myn ye seen a stalk | But in his owne ye he cannot seen a balk
Final rubric: Here endith the Prolog of the Reue
DIMEV 6307 (fols. 55r–60v)
The Reeve’s Tale Rubric: And here beginneth his tale folwing
Incipit: At trompington nat fer fro cambrigge | Ther goth a brook and ouer that a brigge
Explicit: A gilour shal him self be giled be | And god that sitteth hy in mageste…
I.4323–4 lost.
DIMEV 724(fol. 61r–v)
The Cook’s Tale Incipit: ||And ther they setten steuene for to mete | And playen at the dys in such a strete
Explicit: And had a wif that helde for contenaunce | A shoppe and swyued for her sustenaunce
Final rubric: Here endith the Cookes tale
Prologue and I.4365–82 lost.
DIMEV 145(fols. 61v–63r)
The Introduction to the Man of Law’s Tale Rubric: And here beginneth the lawiers prolog with his tale folwing
Incipit: Oure oost sauȝ wel þat the brigt sonne | The Ark of his artificiall day hath ronne
Explicit: And with that word he with a sobir chiere | Began his tale as ye shall aftir here
Final rubric: Here endith the Prolog of the Man of Lawe
DIMEV 4315 (fols. 63r–63v)
The Man of Law’s Prologue Rubric: And here beginneth his tale folwing
Incipit: O hateful harme condicion of pouierte | With thirst with colde with hunger so confounded
Explicit: Nor that a Marchaunt goon is many a yere | Me tauȝt a tale as ye shall aftir here
DIMEV 3929 (fols. 63v–79r)
The Man of Law’s Tale Incipit: In surrye somwhile dwelt a company | Of chapmen riche and therto sad and true
Explicit: Ioye aftir woo gouerne vs in his grace | And kepe us alle that beth in this place
Final rubric: Here endeth the tale of the man of lawe
DIMEV 2587 (fols. 79r–79v)
The ‘Epilogue’ of the Man of Law’s Tale Rubric: And here beginneth the Prolog of the Squier
Incipit: Oure oost upon his stiropes stood anon | And seide gode men herkeneth euerichon
Explicit: Ne Phisilias ne termes of queynt lawe | Ther is but litill latyn in my mawe
Final rubric: Here endith the prolog of the Squier
Functions as a link to the Squire’s Tale but has ‘sompnour’ at 1179.
DIMEV 4316(fols. 79v–89r)
The Squire’s Tale Rubric: And here beginneth his tale folwing
Incipit: At sarray in the land of tartary | Ther dwelt a kyng that werried Russy
Explicit: ffor Canacee or that he miȝt hir wynne | And there I left I wil agein bigynne
Final rubric: Explicit prima pars
V.671–2 omitted. Following verso ruled but blank.
DIMEV 725(fols. 90r–90v)
The ‘Squire-Franklin Link’ Rubric: Here beginneth the Prolog of the Marchaunt
Incipit: In feith squire thou hast the wel quit | And gently I preise wel thi wit
Explicit: I pray to god that I may plese you | Than wot I wel that it is gode Inow
Final rubric: Here endith the Prolog of the Marchaunt
The link here functions to conjoin the Squire’s and Merchant’s Tales, with ‘Merchant’ appearing instead of ‘Franklin’ in V.675, 696, and 699.
DIMEV 2499(fols. 90v–107v)
The Merchant’s Tale Rubric: And he beginneth his tale folwing as ye shal here
Incipit: Whilom ther was dwelling in Lombardye | A lusty kniȝt that was born at Pauye
Explicit: Thus endid is my tale of Ianuarie | God blisse vs and his moder seint Marie Amen
Final rubric: Here endith the Marchauntes tale
IV.1305–6, 1607–8, 1650, 1883–6 omitted.
DIMEV 6535(fols. 107v–108v)
The Clerk’s Prologue Rubric: And here beginneth the Prolog of the Clerk of Oxenford
Incipit: Sir clerk of oxenford our oost said | Ye ride as stille and coy as doth a mayde
Explicit: Saue that he wole conueyen his matere | But this is his tale which ye may here
Final rubric: Hic finitur Prologus Clerici Oxonie
DIMEV 4860 (fols. 108v–125r)
The Clerk’s Tale Rubric: Et hic Incipit bona fabula nuncupata Grisilde de qua dam muliere que Raro Videtur et cetera
Incipit: Ther is right at the west side of ytayle | Doun at the roote of vesulus the colde
Explicit: Be ay of chere as liȝt as lief on lynde | And lete him care wepe wrynge and wayle
Final rubric: Here endith the tale of the Clerk of Oxenford and his good song
DIMEV 5573 (fols. 125r–136r)
The Wife of Bath’s Prologue Rubric: And here beginneth the Prolog of the wif of Bathe
Incipit: Experience thouȝ non auctorite | Were in this world is right I now for me
Explicit: If I haue licence of this worthi frere | Yes dame telle forth quod he and I will here
Final rubric: Here endith the Prolog of the wif of Bathe
III.696–766 lost; 575–84, 609–12, 619–26, omitted; spurious lines follow 543, 544.
DIMEV 1242(fols. 136r–142r)
The Wife of Bath’s Tale Rubric: With here tale folwing
Incipit: In the olde dayes of kyng arthour | Of which that bretons speken gret honour
Explicit: And olde and angry nygardes of dispence | God send hem sone verry pestilence
Final rubric: Here endith the tale of the Wif of Bathe
DIMEV 2618 (fol. 142r–v)
The Friar’s Prologue Rubric: And here beginneth the Prolog of the ffrere
Incipit: This worthy limitour this noble frere | He made alwey a maner louryng chere
Explicit: And aftir this he said vnto the frere | Telle forth your tale leue maystir dere
Final rubric: Here endith the Prolog of the ffrere
DIMEV 5802 (fols. 142v–148r)
The Friar’s Tale Rubric: And here beginneth his tale folwing
Incipit: Whilom there was dwellyng in my contre | An Archedeken a man of hiȝe degre
Explicit: And praieth that this sompnour him repente | Of his mysdedes or that the fend han hent
Final rubric: Here endith the tale of the ffrere
DIMEV 6536 (fols. 148r–149r)
The Sommoner’s Prologue Rubric: And here beginneth the Prolog of the sompnour
Incipit: This sompnour in his stiroppes high he stood | Vpon this frere his herte was wood
Explicit: God saue you alle saue this cursed frere | My prolog wol I ende in this manere
Final rubric: Here endith the Prolog of the Sompnour
DIMEV 5756 (fols. 149r–157v)
The Summoner’s Tale Rubric: And here beginneth his tale folwing
Incipit: Lordinges ther is in Yorkeshire as I gesse | A merssh contre I callid holdernesse
Explicit: And Iankyn hath I wonne a newe gowne | My tale is don we ben almost at towne
Final rubric: Here endith the sompnors tale
III.2205–10 omitted.
DIMEV 3255(fols. 157v–159r)
The Prologue of the Second Nun’s Tale Rubric: And here beginneth the seconde Nonnes tale
Incipit: The ministre and norice vnto vices | Which that men clepen in englissh ydilnesse
Explicit: And brenne euer in charite full briȝt | Now haue I declared what she hiȝt
VIII.5 left blank.
DIMEV 5405(fols. 159v–165v)
The Second Nun’s Tale Rubric: Fabula Sancta Cecilia
Incipit: This maiden briȝt Cecely as her lif seith | Was come of romayns and of noble kynde
Explicit: In which into this day in noble wise | Men do to crist and to his seint seruice
Final rubric: Here endith the seconde Nonnes tale
VIII.404 omitted.
DIMEV 5729.4(fols. 165v–167v)
The Pardoner’s Prologue Rubric: And here beginneth the Prolog of the Pardoner
Incipit: Lordinges quod he in chirche whan I preche | I peyne me to han an haute speche
Explicit: Which I am wont to preche for to wynne | Now holde your pees my tale I will begynne
Final rubric: Here endith the Prolog of the Pardoner
DIMEV 3251 (fols. 167v–175r)
The Pardoner’s Tale Rubric: And here beginneth his tale folwing
Incipit: In flaundres whilom was a companye | Of yong folk that haunted foly
Explicit: And as we did let us lauȝe and pley | Anon they kissed and riden forth her wey
Final rubric: Here endith the Pardoners tale
VI.809–10, 817–18, 867, 926 omitted; spurious line follows 868.
DIMEV 2502(fols. 175r–176v)
The Manciple’s Prologue Rubric: And here beginneth the Manciples Prolog
Incipit: Wote ye not where ther stont a litel toun | Which that clepid is Bobbe vp and doun
Explicit: Telle on Manciple I they[sic] prey | Wel sir quod he now herkeneth what I sey
Final rubric: Here endith the Prolog of the Manciple
DIMEV 6711 (fols. 176v–180v)
The Manciple’s Tale Rubric: And here beginneth his tale folwing
Incipit: Whan phebus dwellid in this world adoun | As olde bokes make mencioun
Explicit: Where so thou come among hiȝe or lowe | Kepe well thi tonge and thenke vpon the crowe
Final rubric: Here endith the Manciples tale
IX.148, 219–20 omitted; 319–20 reversed.
DIMEV 6390(fols. 180v–182v)
The Sir Thopas Rubric: And here beginneth A tale of Maister Chaucer
Incipit: Listenith lordinges in good entent | And I will telle you verralment
Explicit: As did the kniȝt Sir Percyuelle | So worthi vnder wode
VII.805, 918 omitted; 810–11 reversed.
DIMEV 3097(fols. 182v–183r)
The ‘Thopas-Melibee Link’ Incipit: Nomore of this for goddis dignite | Quod oure oost for thou makest me
Explicit: And herkeneth what that I shall say | And late me telle my tale I pray
Final rubric: Here endith the tale of Maister Chaucer
VII.939 omitted.
DIMEV 3700(fols. 183r–194r)
The Tale of Melibee Rubric: And here ye shuyl fynde a moral tale of Melibe and Prudence
Omits 2996 and parts of 2182, 2263–4, 2266–7, 2432, 3058–9; lacks 2484–959, i.e. 475 prose sentences of irregular length, through loss of leaves after fol. 191; ends 11 lines down fol. 194r, leaving remainder of page blank.
(fols 194v)
Rubric: Here beginneth the Nonnes Prestes tale of Chauntecler & Pertelote
Blank apart from rubric. Reverses 4113–14, 4163–4, 4603–4, 4607–8.
(fols. 195r–204r)
The Nun’s Priest’s Tale Incipit: A pore widewe somdel stope in ag | Was whilom dwelling in a narwe cotage
Explicit: As seith my lord so make us alle gode men | And bringe us to his hiȝe blisse Amen
Final rubric: Here endith the Nonnes Prestes tale
VII.2923–4, 2973–4, 3413–14, 3417–18 reversed.
DIMEV 142(fols. 204r–208v)
The Physician’s Tale Rubric: And here beginneth A tale of the Maister of Phisik
Incipit: There was as telleth us Titus liueus | A kniȝt that Cleped was Virgeneus
Explicit: Therfor I rede ye this counseill take | fforsake synne or synne you forsake
Final rubric: Here endith the tale of the Maister of Phisik
DIMEV 5599 (fols. 208v-214v)
The Shipman’s Tale Rubric: And here beginneth the Shipmannes tale of a Marchaunt
Incipit: A marchaunt whilom duelled at seint Denys | That riche was for which men helde him wyse
Explicit: Thus endeth now my tale and god us sende | Talkyng I nouȝ vnto oure lyues ende
Final rubric: Here endith the shipmannes tale
DIMEV 120 (fols. 214v–215r)
The ‘Shipman-Prioress Link’ Rubric: And here beginneth the Prolog of the Prioresse
Incipit: Wel said be corpus dominus quod oure oost | Now longe mot thou saile be the coste
Explicit: Now wol ye vouchesaf my lady dere | Gladly quod she and seid in this manere
DIMEV 6206 (fol. 215r–v)
The Prioress’s Prologue Incipit: O lord oure lord thi name hou merueilous | Is in this large world sprad quod she
Explicit: Riȝt so faire I and therfor I you pray | Endeth my song that I shall of you say
Final rubric: Here is ended the Prolog of the Prioresse
DIMEV 3970 (fols. 215v–218v)
The Prioress’s Tale Rubric: And here beginneth her tale folwing
Incipit: Ther was in Asie in a gret citee | Among cristen folk of Iury
Explicit: On vs his gret mercy multiplie | ffor reuerence of his moder Marie
Final rubric: Here endith the Prioresse tale
DIMEV 5601 (fols. 218v–219r)
The Franklin’s Prologue Rubric: And here beginneth the Prolog of the Marchaunt
Incipit: This olde gentil bretons in her d⟨aies⟩ | Of dyuers aduentures maden layes
Explicit: My spirit feleth nouȝt of such matere | But if ye list my tale ye may here
Final rubric: Here endith the Prolog of the Marchaunt
Although structured as a ‘Merchant’s Prologue’, the link is followed by Franklin’s Tale.
DIMEV 5617(fols. 219r–232r)
The Franklin’s Tale Rubric: And here beginneth his tale folwing
Incipit: In armorik that called was britayne | Ther was a kniȝt that loued and did his payne
Explicit: Now telleth me or that ye further wende | I can no more my tale is at an ende
Final rubric: Here endeth the tale of the Marchaunt
Although referred to as the ‘Merchant’s Tale’ in the incipit and explicit, the text is that of the Franklin’s Tale. V.1455–6, 1493–8 omitted; 731–2, 893–4 reversed; 999–1000 follow 1006; 1541–4 follow 1550.
DIMEV 2476(fols. 232r–233r)
The Parson’s Prologue Rubric: And here beginneth the Prolog of the Person
Incipit: Than the marchaunt had his tale endid | The sonne fro the south side is discendid
Explicit: Beth fructuous and that in litil space | And to do wel god send you his grace
DIMEV 941 Physical Description
Form: codex
Support: parchment
Extent: ii (modern paper, 1985) + i (paper, Rawlinson) + 271 leaves
Dimensions (leaf): 410 × 275 mm.
Foliation: Modern foliation.
Collation
112 (fols. 1–5; wants 1–7), 2–512 (fols. 6–53, signed ‘q’, ‘r’, ‘t’, ‘σ’ [?]), 612–1 (fols. 54–64, signed ‘x’, wants 8th after fol. 60), 712 (fols. 65–76, signed ‘y’), 812+one (fols. 77–89, signed ‘z’; fol. 89, a singleton, signed ‘A’[?]), 912 (fols. 90–101, signed ‘b’), 108–1 (fols. 102–108, with the stub glued to fol. 108v; wants 8th after fol. 108), 1112–1 (fols. 109–119, signed ‘+’, wants 12th after fol. 119), 1212 (fols. 120–131, signed ‘a’), 1312–1 (fols. 132–142; wants 4th after fol. 134), 14–1712 (fols. 143–190, signed [?], ‘d’, ‘c’), 1812–10 (fols. 191–192, signed ‘g’; wants 2nd–11th after fol. 191), 19–2412 (fols. 193–264, signed ‘h’, ‘i’, ‘k’, ‘l’, ‘m’, ‘n’), 258–1 (fols. 265–270; wants 6th after fol. 268). Catchwords. Signatures from fol. 6r with ‘q 1’, ending with ‘z 6’ on fol. 82r; fol. 89 is a singleton. A new series begins on fol. 121 with ‘a 1’. It is thus possible that 14 or 15 quires once preceded fol. 1.
Layout
Ruled in violet ink in 34 long lines, ruled space 260 × 140 mm.
Hand(s)
Gothic hybrida, designated the work of a ‘Hooked-g’ scribe or scribes; see Daniel W. Mosser and Linne R. Mooney, ‘The Case of the Hooked-g Scribe(s) and the Production of Middle English Literature, c. 1460–c. 1490’; Holly James-Maddocks, ‘The Illuminators of the Hooked-g Scribe(s) and the Production of Middle English Literature, c. 1460–c. 1490’ (who refers to the copyist as ‘Hooked-g Scribe 2’).
Decoration
Pächt and Alexander iii. 1062, pl. XCVIII: fine borders, historiated and other initials. In two styles. Pen flourishes, and initials.
Initials and borders, decorated with sprays of foliage, flowers and gold disks, at the beginning of Tales and Prologues on fols. 44r, 55r, 63r, 79v, 90v, 149r, 165v, 175r, 204r, 115v, 219r, 233v.
fol. 142r
- Type initial T
- Subject Friar with raised hand, standing in pulpit (Prologue to the Friar's Tale).
fol. 183r
- Type initial A
- Subject Melibee(?) or Geoffrey Chaucer(??) in fine dress, seated at lectern with an open book (The Tale of Melibee).
Rubricated with enlarged display script and added flourishes. Running heads, with instructions for copying found occasionally at the right foot of pages, such as fol. 255r (‘dorigen’) and 255v (‘arveragus’).
Binding
Formerly in an 18th-century binding, tanned calf over laminated pulpboard.
Rebound in brown buckram with calf spine, sewn on six thongs, 1985.
History
Origin: 1450s × 1460s ; England
Scott, Later Gothic Manuscripts 1390–1490 (London, 1996), 2:141, argues for the date. On a linguistic basis, the scribe was presumably from the Thames Estuary.
Provenance and Acquisition
On fol. 169v, below the writing space, in drypoint, is ‘wyke’.
Sixteenth-century inscriptions, ‘John Opowell’ (fol. 270v), ‘T. Hull’ (fol. 240r), ‘Ann Taylor’ (fols. 43r and 249r), ‘John Crowland’ (fol. 270r). The word ‘pope’ has been erased at II. 234 and elsewhere. John M. Manly and Edith Rickert, eds., The Text of the Canterbury Tales Studied on the Basis of All Known Manuscripts (Chicago, 1940), 1:468–71 suggest possible identifications.
Sir Norton Knatchbull (1602-1685): at his sale, Bullord S.C. 22 June 1698, lot 39; bought by:
Thomas Sclater Bacon (d. 1737): at his sale, Bullord S.C. 14 March 1736/7, lot 2075; bought by:
Likely bequeathed to the Bodleian c. 1748, separately from his 1755 bequest. Former shelfmark, ‘Arch. C. Bodl. 83’
MS. Rawl. poet. 223, fragment
Contents
Summary of Contents: Lydgate fragment from Cologny, Fondation Martin Bodmer, Cod. Bodmer 110, once forming endleaves to MS. Rawl. poet. 223 and now housed separately following rebinding in 1985. Another part of the manuscripts survive in Oxford, Bodleian Library, MS. Rawl. D. 913, fols. 2r–3v.
Language(s): Middle English
(fols. i recto–x verso)
, Troy Book Incipit: ||To rede Bookes of thantiquitie | To fyn oonly vertue forto sue
Explicit: þus deme I fully in myn oppynioun | ffor of þyn age thy wytt þi providence||
(fragment, with MS. Rawl. D. 913, fols. 2–3). Fragment: Prologue, lines 80–384 (end) and Book I, lines 1–459.
DIMEV 3995Physical Description
Form: codex
Support: paper
Extent: 10 leaves
Dimensions (leaf): 298 × 210 mm.
Foliation: Leaves foliated separately from the host volume: the detached leaves have the same style of foliation as that in the Bodmer 110 manuscript.
History
Origin: 15th century, third quarter ; London, according to Kathleen Scott, ‘A Mid-Fifteenth-Century English Illuminating Shop and Its Customers’
Additional Information
Record Sources
Description by Andrew Dunning (July 2022), with contents revised from the Digital Index of Middle English Verse and reference to earlier published descriptions. Decoration, localization and date previously described in Pächt and Alexander (1973), with additional description of decoration by Elizabeth Solopova (2000); also described in the Summary Catalogue:
Digital Images
Digital Bodleian (full digital facsimile)
Digital Bodleian (4 images from 35mm slides)
Bibliography
Abbreviations
View list of abbreviations and editorial conventions.
Last Substantive Revision
2022-07-29: Andrew Dunning Revised with consultation of original.