Poetic anthology written by John Wylde after 1469

Title

Poetic anthology written by John Wylde after 1469

Shelfmark

MS. Rawl. B. 214

Associated place

Norfolk

Date

c. 1469-1480

Language

Latin

Contents

Form

codex

Support

Parchment and paper. Watermarks: quires i–iii, vii, balance in circle (cf. Briquet Nos. 2445 ff., all mid-fifteenth century); quires iv–vi, viii–x, xii–xiv, xvii, stag’s head surmounted by star (Briquet Nos. 15498 ff., 1360–87; Mosin–Traljic Nos. 2219 ff., 1387–90); quire xi, flower on stalk (Briquet Nos. 6463, 6512, etc.; Mosin–Traljic No. 4035, 1398); none visible in quire xvi. Thus, the same paper (stag’s head) was used in all five parts of the manuscript, and different kinds of paper were used to make up Part I.

Physical extent

228 leaves (formerly 234)

Hands

The whole manuscript, except fols. 137–148, was written in a fine Bastard Anglicana by a single scribe, John Wylde; the inserted leaves are written in a small neat script, perhaps also Wylde’s in a different style.

Decoration

Red ink is used lavishly, for running heads, chapter headings (in the text or the margin), proper names, initials, and decoration, and initials are often touched in red. Wilde wrote continuously, using brown or red ink as necessary, for example, the ‘auctoritas’ for each stanza of Nos. 8 and 20 is written in red, at the same time as the rest of the text. Running heads are provided for the first few folios of each book of No. 1, and throughout Nos. 12 and 30. Proper names are frequently given capital initials.

Fine miniatures (coloured drawings) on fols. 195–201, illustrating the Ovidian text. Leaves inserted in a composite volume written by John Wylde of Waltham Abbey. They have been enlarged to match the rest of the MS. (Pächt and Alexander iii. 1024, pl. XCVI) fol. 197v Type miniatures (coloured drawings) Subject Saturn, devouring his son, castrated by Jupiter, surrounded by other gods and goddesses. Jupiter, seated on the throne, striking giants with lightning. Ganymede and eagle. fol. 198r Type miniatures (coloured drawings) Subject Mars in a carriage; wolf. Apollo and muses, standing around a laurel tree; raven; three-headed dragon. Python pierced with spear. fol. 198v Type miniatures (coloured drawings) Subject Venus, standing in water, surrounded by flowers and doves. Cupid with bow and arrow. Apollo. Vulcan with hammer. Mercury with goat’s head, winged feet and helmet, holding a wand with a snake twined around it, playing pipe. Cock. Argus asleep. fol. 199r Type miniatures (coloured drawings) Subject Diana, hunting with bow and arrow, surrounded by attendants. Minerva in armour, with spear and shield with Medusa’s head. Rainbow, cock, laurel tree, owl. fol. 199v Type miniatures (coloured drawings) Subject Juno, with head covered with clouds, supported by peacocks; rainbow. Cybele in a chariot pulled by lions; three cocks. fol. 200r Type miniatures (coloured drawings) Subject Venus, embracing Mars, confronted by Vulcan with hammer and four dij etherei. Hercules with staff and lion’s head. Asclepius with serpent-entwined staff.

Binding

The original leather and wood binding has been repaired.

The manuscript has been rebound and single paper flyleaves added at the beginning and end.

Acquisition

Bequeathed to the Bodleian in 1755.

Provenance

Marginal notes in a near-contemporary hand on the diagrams (No. 28) and the treatise on Ovid (No. 30).

The names Johannes Laure (or Lanre) and Joh. Lar. appear on fol. 233v in a sixteenth-century hand.

A few eighteenth-century notes.

Richard Rawlinson, 1690–1755

Title

Poetic anthology written by John Wylde after 1469

Shelfmark

MS. Rawl. B. 214

Date

c. 1469-1480

Language

Latin

Physical extent

1 item