Ivo of Chartres — 12th century, third quarter; English

Title

Ivo of Chartres — 12th century, third quarter; English

Shelfmark

MS. Laud Misc. 226

Place of origin

English

Date

12th century, third quarter

Language

Latin

Contents

Form

codex

Support

parchment

Physical extent

ii (medieval parchment) + 100 + i (medieval parchment)

Hands

Protogothic; apparently one main hand with items 2-4 added by two contemporary hands.

Decoration

7-line arabesque initial, fol. 1r

3-line coloured initials at the beginning of each letter: typically alternating blue and red, but on fols. 81r-90r the colours are blue, red and and a light brown, not in regular sequence.

Binding

Late medieval binding (dated early 15th century in the revised Quarto catalogue). In-board binding of uncoloured alum-tawed sheepskin over wooden oak boards with a 'Gothic' structure, boards slightly larger than bookblock, cover turned in on all edges with tongued mitres. Sewn on four double raised alum-tawed supports. Separate endleaves of stiff parchment: front, bifolium (fols. i-ii), both now free but fol. i a lifted pastedown; back, one leaf (fol. 101) with faint drawings in leadpoint, a former pastedown. Fastenings: clasp (lost; bar catchplate survives) closing from left to right. Unexplained layer of alum-tawed skin between spine and head endband, possibly originally covered with secondary endband sewing. Compound endbands sewn in green and brown.

Rebacked, Bodleian, 1957.

Acquisition

Part of his first donation to the Bodleian, 1635.

Provenance

Medieval provenance not known. Strips from one or more medieval documents were used to reinforce leaves, especially at the beginning of the manuscript, but provide no evidence of provenance.

William Laud, 1634 (ex libris, fol. 1r).

Title

Ivo of Chartres, Letters

Shelfmark

MS. Laud Misc. 226

Date

12th century, third quarter

Language

Latin

Physical extent

100 Leaves

Custodial history

Manuscript 1930 acquired by the Bodleian Library