Fifteenth-century single text codex of Thomas Hoccleve's Regiment of Princes.

Title

Fifteenth-century single text codex of Thomas Hoccleve's Regiment of Princes.

Shelfmark

MS. Ashmole 40

Place of origin

English

Date

Inserted paper leaves from the early seventeenth century

15th century, third quarter

Language

English

Contents

Form

codex

Support

Parchment with paper leaves supplied and paper endleaves. Supply leaves watermark similar to Briquet 206 ('Aigle'). Paper endleaves consist of two types: a thin outer paper leaf with watermark initials DV, and four thick paper bifolium with watermark similar to Briquet 7207 ('Fleur de lis').

Physical extent

i (modern endleaf, paper) + viii (modern endleaf, paper) + 98(parchment with paper leaves supplied at ff. 65, 70, 74) + viii (modern endleaf, paper) + i (modern endleaf, paper).

Hands

Anglicana Formata, in a professional and bold hand of the late fifteenth century. Typical double-compartment a, looped d, and sigma-shaped s. The tight form g and the angular looped d with a triangular lower lobe suggest a hand of the third quarter of the fifteenth century with Secretary influences.

Decoration

Fols. 1r, 44v, 59v, 62v, 80v, 84v, 86v, 89v contain large seven-line gold illuminated initial on a red and blue background with white details. These mark the beginning of the Dialogue and the Regement Proper, and each section within the Regement Proper (excluding supplied leaves).

Fol. 97r contains a three-line illuminated initial in the same style.

Every stanza opens with a blue lombardic capital with red flourishes, predominantly one-line, but also two-line (fols. 41r-v, 46r-v, 49v, 51v, 54v, 55v, 56r-v, 57v, 58v, 59r, 63v, 67r, 68v, 69r-v, 72r-v, 73r, 75r, 78v, 79r, 81r, 95v) and three-line (fol. 22v). Occasionally flourished initials extend down the margin without impeding the text (fols. 46v, 48v, 61v, 68r, 71r).

Glosses and running titles rubricated.

Blue paraphs mark glosses.

Binding

Late seventeenth-century binding typical of Elias Ashmole's collection. Leather over pasteboard, rebacked.

Acquisition

The manuscript was kept in the Ashmolean until 1860, when the collection was transferred to the Bodleian Library .

Provenance

The manuscript formerly belonged to the poet William Brown(e), author of Britannia’s Pastorals (1613–16) and Oxford alumnus (matriculated 30 April 1624). He acquired the book in 1612, noted in his ownership inscription on the first folio: Liber W. Browne 1612. In the same year, he acquired Durham University MS Cosin v.ii.15 and Longleat MS 50 (see A.S.G. Edwards, 'Medieval Manuscripts owned by Browne of Tavistock'). Brown(e) supplied three paper leaves that were excised (fols. 65, 70, 74) two marginal stanzas (fols. 40v, 80r), and missing lines (fols. 7r, 10v, 52v) in his own hand from an unknown exemplar. His annotations to the poem can be seen throughout, and it is likely that he was at one point preparing an edition of the text.Brown(e) also describes Hoccleve in one of his pastorals, The Shepheards Pipe (1614), and owned other manuscripts which contained his works (Durham University MS Cosin v.iii.9, MS Cosin v.ii.13). Brown(e) is thought to have died in 1645, and left no will. It is unclear if the manuscript was still in his possession, and his widow was granted administration of his estate.

The manuscript was later owned by Elias Ashmole, who signs his name on folio 1r in the upper right margin: E. Ashmole. Ashmole also acquired other manuscripts formerly belonging to Brown(e), now MS Ashmole 59 and MS Ashmole 767, possibly after Browne(e)'s death.

Bequeathed to the Ashmolean Museum by Elias Ashmole in 1692 as part of his donation of 1,100 printed books and 600 manuscripts.