John Gower — 1400s × 1420s; English, London

Title

John Gower — 1400s × 1420s; English, London

Shelfmark

MS. Laud Misc. 609

Date

1400s × 1420s

Language

Middle English (1100-1500)

Latin

Contents

Form

codex

Support

parchment

Physical extent

i + 170 + ii leaves

Hands

Gothic textualis, written by the ‘Trevisa-Gower Scribe’, which Linne R. Mooney attributes to Princeton, Taylor 5; London, University College, frag. Angl. 1 (olim Phillipps 22914); Oxford, Bodleian Library, MS. Bodl. 693; MS. Bodl. 902, fols. 17-184; and Tokyo, Senshu University, MS 1 (olim Schøyen 194). See Linne R. Mooney, ‘The Production of Trinity College, Cambridge MS R.3.2 Revisited’, Journal of the Early Book Society for the Study of Manuscripts and Printing History 24 (2021): 1-25.

Decoration

Fine miniatures, badly rubbed. School of Herman Scherre (Pächt and Alexander iii. 814, pl. LXXIX). Scott, Later Gothic Manuscripts, 2:109–110 attributes the miniatures to the Pentecost Master of the Neville Hours. (fol. 5r) Nebuchadnezzar and the Man of Metal (fol. 10r) Lover and the confessor Genius

Prologue marked with a four-sided border with floral sprays (fol. 1r). Other books have similar half-borders.

Initials in colours with gold leaf.

Pen-flourished initials in blue and red for major text divisions. At first two-line, three-line from fol. 38v.

Rubricated Latin verse headings and running heads, the latter introduced by blue paraphs.

Binding

Crushed morocco, 19th century.

Acquisition

Given to the Bodleian in Laud’s first donation of 1635.

Provenance

Numerous unidentified inscriptions: Iohan mvrton god saue syr (fol. 39r, late 15th cent.)

Ryc Ryche Rycherd Challis wryt this vpon saynnt Lawran’ Day and this ye shall (fol. 98r, late 16th century); Thomas baly ys a knaue testys Alleandur brayne and Who þat euer wryte this I beschrewe hym Twis For he toke moche payne I trust to deserue yt ageyn And to make hym glad and ffeyn Thou some fayre maye he wuld retain So þat she were not Berrayne (fol. 138r, early 16th century); per Me Thomas Boughten (fol. 146r, 16th cent.).

Elyzabeth Makllelam (alternatively Makwellam or Mabwesham), late 15th century (fol. 170v).

Simon Elrington, chief butler to Edward VI. Inscribed, Symon Elrington (fol. 89r), 16th century. See Kate Harris, ‘Ownership and Readership: Studies in the Provenance of the Manuscripts of Gowers Confessio Amantis’ (PhD thesis, University of York), 229. Passed to his son:

Thomas Elrington; inscribed, Thomas elrinton (fol. 170v), 16th century.

William Laud. Inscribed, Liber Guilielmi Laudi Archiepiscopi Cantuar: et Cancellarii Vniuersitatis Oxon: 1633 (fol. 1r).

Title

John Gower, Confessio amantis (first version, unrevised)

Shelfmark

MS. Laud Misc. 609

Date

15th century, beginning

Language

English

Physical extent

170 Leaves

Custodial history

Manuscript 2033 acquired by the Bodleian Library