New Testament in the Later Version of the Wycliffite Bible, Table of lections of Type I — 15th century, first half; England

Title

New Testament in the Later Version of the Wycliffite Bible, Table of lections of Type I — 15th century, first half; England

Shelfmark

MS. Douce 240

Date

15th century, first half

Language

Middle English (1100-1500)

Latin

Contents

Form

codex

Support

parchment, paper flyleaves; trimmed in rebinding

Physical extent

214 leaves, c.

Hands

textura

Decoration

The four gospels, Romans, 2 Corinthians, Acts and the Apocalypse probably originally started with illuminated initials and borders, now excised (a border at the beginning of St John’s gospel left an offset on fol. 65v). Other books start with 4- to 5-line gold initials on blue and pink background, decorated with penwork sprays, gold disks and leaves (e.g., fols. 106r, 111v, 114r, 116v); some initials are excised.

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

Added sketches, second half of the 15th century: (fol. 193v) buildings (?), one with a standard on a pole (bottom of the page); cross; standard with a cross (top of the page), all faded; (fol. 194v) crucifix on a mound with two scrolls, one with ‘Thomas Peuere’, another with a faded inscription; chalice collecting blood from wounds, bones and skull and three nails at the bottom; (fol. 195r) shield with a coat of arms and a scroll with ‘ARMA THOME PE’.

Rubrics in red ink.

Binding

Brown leather over pasteboard. Double blind fillet lines round the outer edge of both covers. Blind fillet and roll rectangular decoration with floral corner-pieces on both covers. Four raised bands on spine framed by gilt decoration. Red paper label with faded lettering and white paper label with ‘240’ on spine. Edges of textblock speckled red.

Acquisition

Bodleian Library: received in 1834 with bequest of Douce.

Provenance

Belonged to Thomas Peuere in the second half of the 15th century: arms, lections on scrolls, sketches on fols. 193v–195r (see Decoration).

Lucas Campion, 16th century (fol. 195v).

Mr Bennett, 18th century (fol. 195v).

Armorial bookplate of Frederick Ekins, rector of Morpeth, Northumberland (d. 1842), see Foster, J., Alumni Oxonienses: the members of the University of Oxford, 1715–1886, 4 vols (London: Joseph Foster; Oxford: Parker and Co., 1887–88), p. 416; ‘Revᵈ Fred. Ekins’ (upper pastedown).

Francis Douce (1757–1834); see Oxford Dictionary of National Biography: bookplate on the upper pastedown.

Title

Wycliff's English translation of the New Testament, with prologues, in the later version

Shelfmark

MS. Douce 240

Summary

Wycliff's English translation of the New Testament, with prologues, in the later version: leaves containing Matth. i. 1--ii, 1 John xxi. 21-end, Rom. i. 1-31 are lost, and several others are damaged. At the end is a table of lessons, epistles and gospels. On fol. 194v is a picture of a Crucifix with 'Thomas Peuere', and on the opposite page a shield bearing the 'arma Thome Pe' (early 16th cent. ?).

Date

written in about the middle of the 15th cent.

Language

English

Physical extent

206 leaves, in double columns

Custodial history

Owned by 'Lucas Campion' in the 16th cent., and 'Mr Bennett' in the 18th: there is also the armorial bookplate of the 'Revd Fred. Ekins' (d. 1842).