Table of lections of Type I, New Testament in the Later Version of the Wycliffite Bible with usual prologues, Wycliffite table of lections of Type I with Old Testament readings written out in full — 15th century, middle; England

Title

Table of lections of Type I, New Testament in the Later Version of the Wycliffite Bible with usual prologues, Wycliffite table of lections of Type I with Old Testament readings written out in full — 15th century, middle; England

Shelfmark

MS. Douce 265

Date

15th century, middle

15th century, first quarter

Language

Latin

Middle English (1100-1500)

Contents

Form

codex

Support

parchment

Physical extent

267 leaves, c.

Hands

textura, black ink; the table of lections is by a different scribe

Decoration

4-line gold initials on blue and pink background, decorated with penwork sprays and gold leaves, at the beginnings of books.

2-line blue initials with red penwork at the beginnings of prologues and chapters.

Rubrics in red ink.

Binding

Red morocco over thick pasteboard, made for Thomas Rawlinson early in the 18th century. Gilt fillet lines and floral roll border round the outer edge of both covers. Gilt scallop shells in the four corners. A heraldic crest in the form of a bird with a scallop shell in its beak, surrounded by a wreath, at the centre of both covers. Six raised bands on spine edged with double gilt fillet lines. Gilt decoration on the panels between the raised bands. Gilt lettering ‘N. TESTAMENT IN ENGLISH’, ‘MSS.’ and paper label with ‘265’ on spine. Marbled paper pastedowns; laid paper flyleaves.

Acquisition

Bodleian Library: received in 1834 with the bequest of Douce.

Provenance

Extract from Heinrich Suso’s Horologium Sapientiae added on empty leaves in a 15th-century hand.

Note by Robart Hornbe on fol. 13v recording that his mother gave him this book on 17 March 1543: memorandum (?) yt my mother hathe gyvin to me Robart Hornbe herfore this newe testament yn xvij day of marche ye yere of ower lord god xliij in ye yere of ower soverayne lord king henry ye viij xxxiiij. Followed by more text in the same hand, crossed out.

Title ‘pope’ erased in the table of lections, presumably at Reformation.

Thomas Rawlinson (1681–1725); see Oxford Dictionary of National Biography: binding; fol. i verso.

Sir Peter Thompson (1698–1770), merchant and book collector; see Oxford Dictionary of National Biography: bought at Rawlinson’s sale in 1733 (lot 365) for £4 (note on fol. 3v).

May have been owned by William Herbert (1718–1795); see Oxford Dictionary of National Biography: notes on fol. 1r–v. He is known to have bought books from Peter Thompson and to have collected bibles (see Oxford Dictionary of National Biography).

Gustavus Brander (1719/20–1787), merchant and antiquary; see Oxford Dictionary of National Biography: lot 1096 in his sale 13 February, 1790.

Francis Douce (1757–1834); see Oxford Dictionary of National Biography: bought at Brander’s sale for £3 13s. 6d.; bookplate on the upper pastedown, notes on fols. i verso, 2r, 3v, stamp on fol. 4r. Added a bifolium from a Wycliffite table of lections (?).

Title

The New Testament in English, by John Wycliffe, in the later version: preceded by a table of Epistles and Gospels 'after the uss of Salisburie'

Shelfmark

MS. Douce 265

Summary

Two leaves of a similar table from some other MS.

Date

written in about the middle of the 15th cent.

Language

English

Physical facet

On parchment, binding: red leather with gold ornament, made for Thomas Rawlinson early in the 18th cent.

Physical extent

266 leaves, in double columns

Custodial history

A note on fol. 13 by 'Robart Hornbe' states that his mother gave him this book on Mar. 17, 1542/3. Bought at sir Thomas Rawlinson's sale in 1733/4 (lot 365) by sir 'Peter Thompson' for £4: notes by William Herbert, who may have owned the MS., are on fol. 1.