Institutes and statutes of the Gilbertine order, 13th century-early 16th century

Title

Institutes and statutes of the Gilbertine order, 13th century-early 16th century

Shelfmark

MS. Douce 136

Date

13th century, first half, with additions to c. 1511

13th century

Language

Latin

Contents

Form

codex

Support

parchment

Physical extent

ii (modern paper endleaves) + IV (medieval parchment endleaves of manuscript waste) + 120 + II (medieval parchment endleaves)

Hands

Fols. vi r-87v: early textualis

Decoration

Fleuronnée initials on fols. 1–87. (Pächt and Alexander iii. 401)

Binding

Early 16th-century (?) binding: bevelled wooden boards, covered in velvet for Douce in 1834 (Douce Legacy, no. 215).

Acquisition

Bequeathed to the Bodleian in 1834

Provenance

Dominus Christopherus Persons Persons rector ecclesiarum Scladburne et Bottyll. Memorandum quod hic fuit qondam R. W. supprior domus istius. Et in tempore dicti R. fuit quidam versepellis homo hospitans ibidem dictus Christopherus qui fuit valde assiduus in omnibus materiis, ita quod multe diuisiones fiebant inter canonicos fraude et subtilitate illius Christopheri, quia ex quo cepit ipse regnare, magis cupiebant canonici sibi placere quam suo priori. Immo et clientes prioris antedicti eodem modo regebantur, tam plane quod multi ciuitatis sussurabant multique palani loquebantur dicentes ipsum Christopherum fore priorem. Hoc scripsit quem Christopherus antedictus odio nimis habuit habuit. A. Ideo caueant religiosi tales hospites qui magis diligunt discordiam quam virtutem et sic per gratiam dei conuertetur turbacio eius super ipsum. Amen. Et hoc tibi denuncio qui futurus es supprior post me.. For Christopher Parsons (fl. 1474-1508) see Fasti Parochiales IV (Yorkshire Archaeological Society Record Series 133, 1971), p. 115.

Evidently belonged to an unidentified Gilbertine house: perhaps St Andrew's, York (cf. fol. 112r and the heading 'Saynt Andrew' on fol. 107v, which does not appear to relate to the text).

'Cottam' (?), fol. iii r, 16th century.

'Thomas Bates' (16th cent., fol. 115r)

'Ric: Reade' (early 17th cent., fol. 115r). Early modern notes, fol. 115r, 116r.

Sir 'Roger Twysden, 1620', who writes notes on fol. 115v, cf. 87v; for whom see R. Ovenden, 'Sir Roger Twysden' in W. Baker (ed), Pre-19th century British book collectors (1999), 350-6; sold around 1715 by with Twysden's library by his grandson to:

Sir Thomas Sebright (1692-1736) of Beechwood, Hertfordshire; number 15 in the catalogue of the Sebright library by Thomas Carte (MS. Carte 108, fol. 388r, '15 De institutione monialium et regula', cf. '15' on fol. iii r of the present manuscript); by descent to

Sir John Sebright (1767-1846): his sale, April 1807, lot 1141; bought for 13s. 6d. by:

Francis Douce, 1757–1834 (Douce Legacy, no. 215).

Title

Gilbertine institutions and statutes, with additions to 1525

Shelfmark

MS. Douce 136

Summary

'Incipiunt Institutiones beati Gileberti & successorum eius per capitula generalia instituta & de exordio & ordinatione . institutione ordinis Canonicorum Sanctimonialium fratrum & sororum laicarum ordinis de Sempringham . & de electione magistri & eius auctoritate', preceded by lists of the chapters. At fol. 88 follows a (rather later) copy of the revision of the statutes made in 1268, in seventy-five chapters.

At fol. 95 are later (nearly contemporary) copies of fresh statutes, orders, or documents of 1200, 1287, 1298, 1304, 1493, etc., and (fol. 106) 1501 - 25. On foll iii - vi is an alphabetical list of Latin words, Cia--Sod, often with cognate simpler words added.

'Dominus Christopherus Parsons parsons [sic] rector ecclesiarum Scladburne [Slaidburn, co. York] & Bottyll' (15th cent.: fol. 115v): the name is follwed by a note apparently testifying that he was sub-prior 'domus istius' in the time pf R. W. and given to intriguing. 'Thomas Bates' (16th cent.): 'Ric: Reade- (early 17th cent.): sir 'Roger Twysden, 1620', who writes notes on fol. 115v, cf. 87v.

Date

written chiefly in the 13th cent. in England

Language

Latin

Physical facet

On parchment, with coloured capitals, etc.

Physical extent

116 Leaves