Chronicle, English, 1447 × 1490s; Trilingual poetic anthology, Herefordshire, 1272 × 1290s

Title

Chronicle, English, 1447 × 1490s; Trilingual poetic anthology, Herefordshire, 1272 × 1290s

Shelfmark

Jesus College MS. 29

Place of origin

Herefordshire, England

England

Date

?1272 × 1290s

1447 × 1490s

Language

Latin

Middle English (1100-1500)

Anglo-Norman

Contents

Form

codex

Physical extent

ii + 144 + 114 + ii leaves

Binding

Mottled calf binding executed for Thomas Wilkins, finished 9 January 1693, according to his memorandum (Hill, p. 276, who argues that the two parts were already in a single volume at this time). A pattern of three-line fillets in two rectangles, one placed inside the other, mitred at each corner, back and front. Bruce Barker-Benfield notes that two parchment stubs precede the upper and lower paper flyleaves: one has a gilt stamp from 17th-century binder’s waste, probably from a small notebook; the other is from the same book, folded over the spine. Remnants of clasps.

Rebacked in the early 20th century, with the remnants of the Wilkins spine affixed to the inside of the lower board.

Acquisition

Given to Jesus College; inscribed, Bibliothecae Coll. Jesu Oxon. hoc Manuscriptum (cum duobus alijs) humillimè D.D.D. Tho. Wilkins L.L.B. Rector B.M. super Montem in Agro Glamorganensi (fol. ii recto), with similar notes in MSS. 27 and 119. Wilkins gave these three books on 9 January 1693, according to his note in a copy of John Prise’s Historia Brytannicae defensio (1573) in the National Library of Wales, W.s. 1573(a), signed Tho. Wilkins on the upper flyleaf, with the following note on the lower flyleaf: Memorandum that on Munday the 9th of January 1693 I gave three velom MSpts to Jesus College Library, & sente them up with Rees Bowen: All three new bound & claspt viz 1 One large thicke 4to, a viry necessary Canon law-book Latine 2 One other 4to being 17 of Brittish Storyes, & written for Griffydd ab Ifan, ab Trehaiarn of Cantref maior, now in Carmarthenshire Anno Domini 1346 3 An Antient Cronicle ab Anno 900 usque ad Annum 1444. Latine, & a Saxon-Manuscript bound with it, Being the Poetry of Mr Johan of Guldeuorde now called, Gifford.

Provenance

Thomas Wilkins (1625/26–1699), rector of St Mary’s church, Llanvair Discoed, Monmouthshire, who attended Jesus College in 1641. Inscribed prior to the book being trimmed, fols. 1r (twice), 56r, 143v, 143b verso, 155r, 192r, 257r.