London, British Library, Royal 17 A.xxvii
England |
London |
British Library |
Royal 17 A.xxvii |
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s. xiiiin and s.xiv/xv |
English |
Part I - Scribal Dialect: north Herefordshire (Thompson 1958, p. lvi). Linguistic Atlas Grid Reference: not mapped. Part 2 - Scribal Dialect: (prose introduction to a poem - ff. 86v-88v) 'prose is clearly NW Midland, possibly Staffs' (McIntosh, Samuels and Benskin 1986, p. 239). Linguistic Atlas Grid Reference: not mapped but language the same as London, British Library, MS Additional 37787, north Worcestershire (404 268). |
Part 1
A manuscript in two distinct parts. Part 1 is an early thirteenth-century copy of
Sawles Warde and the
Katherine Group whilst part 2 is an early fifteenth-century collection of devotional texts including verses on the
Arma Christi accompanied by miniatures.
Item: 1ff. 1r-10v |
Sawles Warde (IPMEP 594) |
'Vre lauerd i şe godspel'. |
'In şreo had abuten ende. Amen'. |
'Si sciret pater familias'. |
'Par seinte charite biddeğ a pater noster for iohan şat şeos boc wrat', followed by nine lines to the same effect, beg. 'Hwa se şis writ haueğ ired'. |
Printed from Oxford, Bodleian Library, MS Bodley 34, collated with this copy, by Morris 1868, p. 245. Wilson 1938. d'Ardenne 1977, pp. 165-85.
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Item: 2ff. 11r-37r |
Life of St. Katherine of Alexandria (IPMEP 138) |
'Constantin ant maxence weren on ane'. |
'Ant inherunge in alre worldene world aa on ecnesse. Amen'. |
Printed from this manuscript in d'Ardenne and Dobson 1981, pp. 4-131 with facsimile of f. 12r on frontispiece. Hardwick 1849, pp. 21-40.
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Item: 3ff. 37r-56r |
Life of St. Marherete (IPMEP 29) |
'Efter ure lauerdes pine ant his passiun ant his değ on rode'. |
'of eorliche men abuten ende. Amen'. |
'Her seinte Marherete uie şe meiden ant martyr her'. |
Mack 1934; d'Ardenne 1977, pp. 53-94.
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Item: 4ff. 56r-70r |
Life of St. Juliana (IPMEP 359) |
'In ure lauerdes luue şe is feader of frumschaft ant on his deorewuğ sunes nome'. |
'world abuten ende. Amen'. |
'Her cumseğ şe uie of seinte Iuliane ant telleğ of liflade hire'. |
Cockayne 1872. Millett 1990. d'Ardenne 1977, 94-127.
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Item: 5ff. 70r-70v |
Oreisun of St. Marie (IPMEP 617) |
'Swete lefdi seinte marie meiden ouer meidnes'. |
'ant te unwurğe wohes şat he for us sinfule willeliche'. |
'Her cumseş şe oreisun of seinte marie'. |
Printed in Thompson 1958, p. 19. Morris 1868, p. 305.
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Codex |
Parchment |
160 x 120 mm. |
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Heavily cropped but where pricking is seen it has largish round holes. Writing space of 125 x 95-100 mm. Single columns with 22 lines. Frame and lines ruled in drypoint. |
Scribe 1: ff. 1r-5r, 11r-50v.
Scribe 2: ff. 9r-10v, 58r-70v.
Scribe 3: ff. 50v-58r. |
Red paraphs.
Red and green line filler in rows of m-like shapes.
One-line green initials with red dots or red with green dots within texts. Two-line red initials. Three-line initials outlined in green and infilled with red surrounded by a green box. Six/seven-line red or green coloured initials with either red or green penwork. From f. 45r use of green ceases.
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ff. i + 70
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'Iohannes Theyer' is written on a piece of parchment attached to the front fly-leaf (f. 1) and on f. 70v, upper margin. |
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Part 2
An early fifteenth-century manuscript of c. 1403 (erased date f. 97r - '1403'). The manuscript contains various didactic and devotional texts in English and Latin.
Item: 1ff. 71r-72v |
Form of Confession with prayer |
'Confiteor tibi domine pater celi et terre tibique karissime ihesu'. |
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Item: 2ff. 72v-81r |
Arma Christi/Symbols of the Passion (IMEV 2577) and indulgence (IMEV 3305). |
'O vernacule i honoure him and the'. |
'For man loue şi moder fre amen'. |
Morris 1871, pp. 170-196. At the end, in red, verses on the indulgences attributed to St. Peter and other popes in connection with these Arma Christi (cf. London, British Library MS Additional 37787, f. 62v).
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Item: 3.1ff. 81r-82r |
Prayer to the Virgin (IMEV 1030) |
'Heyl be şow mari modur queen of heuen'. |
'And ?yue me grace i crye sinne to rewe sare amen'. |
Cf. Horstmann 1892, pp. 30-32.
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Item: 3.2ff. 82r-83v |
Prayer to the Virgin (IMEV 2119) |
'Marie modur wel şe be'. |
'Şat neuer more schal ne misse'. |
Cf. London, British Library, MS Harley 2382, f. 86v, London, British Library, MS Additional 37787, f. 156v, and Horstmann 1892, p, 22. |
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Item: 4.1ff. 83v-84r |
Vision of St. Thomas of Canterbury concerning the Seven Joys |
'Legitur quod dum beatus thomas martir'. |
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Text in red throughout. Nearly as in London, British Library, MS Additional 37787, f. 178. |
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Item: 4.2ff. 84v-86r |
Hymn accompanying Vision of St. Thomas on the Seven Joys with prayers. |
'Gaude flore uirginali honoreque speciali'. |
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Chevalier 1892, no. 6809.
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Item: 5ff. 86v-88v |
Eight Verses of St. Bernard (IMEV 908) |
?yf li?t unto myn e?e si?t'. |
'Şat al my lyst be layd on şe'. |
'We reden in şe lyf of seint bernard şat şe deuelle seyd ...& he answered & sayd he wold ra?wr telle him whyche şey were & ?efe hit amen'. |
It is possible that the same text was originally in London, British Library, MS Additional 37787, f. 81v, although only the first few lines now remain. |
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Item: 6f. 88v-95r |
Fifteen Oes |
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'femina quedem solitaria et reclusa...'. |
Rubric covers ff. 88v-90v. Rubric as in London, British Library, MS Additional 37787, f. 71r. |
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Item: 7ff. 95r-97r |
Prayer with note of 6,000 years' indulgence from Pope John. |
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Codex |
Parchment |
165 x 120 mm |
18, ff. 71r-78v; 28, ff. 79r-86v; 38, ff. 87r-94v; 4?, ff. 95r-??, ff. ?-98v. |
Some pricking slits visible on fore edge. Writing space of 130 x 85 mm. Single columns with 20 lines. Frame and lines ruled in drypoint. |
One scribe, expert Textura Semi-Quadrata, late fourteenth/early fifteenth century.
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Initial A on f. 71r - first page of part II and text. Perhaps gold with red infill. Much rubbed.
Drawings accompanying the Legends of the Holy Rood. F. 72v - drawing of the vernicle. Christ's head on a sheet with angels either side. Christ's halo in bright orange and blue. Angels with blue wings and rose collars. Bar-frame of miniature in rose with pairs of blue and rose single leaves and blue balls. Monks in white habits. Text: 'O veronicle i honoure him & the'.
F. 73v top: title - 'pellicanus'; text beginning, 'şe pelicane his blod did blade şer with his briddus for to fede şit be tokenet on şe rode oure lord us fede with his blode'; four-line miniature of a bird feeding her young; double bar - blue on outside and rose on inside; 'brown' background with white patterning; green nest; red/brown bird; pairs of single leaves alternately blue and rose.
F. 73v bottom: title - 'triginta denarii'; text beginning 'şe pens also şat iudas tolde'; three-line miniature; overlapping coins now oxidised; bar-frame in salmon pink and white with pairs of leaves.
F. 74r top: title - 'lanterna'; text beginning 'şe lantern şat me bar in şe ly?t when crist was taken in şe ni?t'; four-line miniature; man putting something into the 'lantern'; man in red top, face light salmon; 'cauldron' base and top (placed in right side of miniature) in brown and highlighted with light salmon; green and then rose frame; blue background with white 'filigree/twiggish' decoration.
F. 74r bottom: 'gladii', text beginning 'swerdus & battus şat şey bere ihesu crist şer with to fere'; four-line miniature, outer frame green with white line decoration; inner frame in salmon pink; background rose with small white circles; crossed swords on left and crossed bones on right; pairs of single leaves at corners with green balls at mid points and between pairs of leaves (floating).
F. 74v: top - title 'arundines'; text beginning 'Crist had astroke with a rede şer with şe iewes brak his hed with gud chere'; three-line miniature; blue then rose frame; blue background; pairs of leaves; two poles crossed.
F. 74v middle: title 'velamen ante oculos'; text beginning 'şe cloth before'; outer frame rose, inner frame blue/green; Christ with creamy face and brown hair and beard; halo in blue and rose with white line decoration; background faded rose with white stars; white cloth; hand and arm either side with salmon pink sleeves.
F. 75r: title 'tunica inconsutilis et uestis purpuria; text beginning 'şe whit cote şat hade sem none'; two pale brown 'habit'-like costumes; bar frame in blue and then green; burgundy background with 'filigree' white decoration.
F. 75r middle: title 'scurge & flagelle'; text 'with ?erdes gret şow were to dachud with scourges smert al to lachud şat peine me loke of sinnis of slouth & of idelnes'; three-line bar frame blue then salmon pink, pairs of crossed scourges either side of miniature; blue then salmon pink frame; rose background with white cross decoration.
F. 75r bottom: title 'corona spinea'; text 'şe coroune'; two-line miniature; blue then rose frame with leaves; Christ's crown of thorns.
There are 13 more miniatures all in the same fashion and by the same artist: f. 76v - pillar - 'columpna cum corda', nails - 'claui', hammer - 'malleus', 'uas cum felle' - vessel of eysel and gall; 77r - sponge on stick - 'spongea'; spear 'lancea'; 77v - ladder - 'scala'; tongs - 'forceps'; f. 78r - Christ flanked by two heads - 'iudeus spuens in facie christi'; christ on cross flanked by Mary and John the Baptist - 'christus portans crucem in humero'. F. 78v - sepulchre-'sepulcrum christi'; f. 79r christ risen from sepulchre with angels either side.
Line drawings of miniatures (omitting frame) printed in Morris 1871, pp. 170-196.
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Not contemporary. 165 x 120 mm. Five raised bands across the spine.
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ff. 71-97. |
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Good. |
Erased contemporary note referring to 1403, f. 97r. |
Possibly produced at Bordesley Abbey, Worcestershire (See Related Manuscripts). |
Catalogued and encoded: Rebecca Farnham, University of Birmingham, August 2003.
Related Manuscripts and other documents
Textual
Part I - related to Oxford, Bodleian Library, MS Bodley 34, and London, British Library, MS Cotton Titus D. xviii (C). Part II shares textual and scribal similarities with London, British Library, MS Additional 37787.
- Baugh, N. S., ed, 1956. A Worcestershire Miscellany, Compiled by John Northwood, c. 1400, edited from British Museum MS Add. 37,787, Philadelphia: prvt prt, pp. 33-35.
- Chevalier, U. 1892-1919, rpt. 1971. Repertorium Hymnologicum: Catalogue de Charts, Hymnes, Proses, Sequences, Tropes en Usage dans lEglise Latine depuis les Origines jusqua nos Jours, Subsidia Hagiographica, 6 vols, Louvain-Brussels: Lefever, rpt. Hildesheim, 4.
- Cockayne, O., ed. 1872. Liflade of S. Juliana, EETS, os, 51, London: Trübner.
- dArdenne, d, S. R. T. O. and Dobson, E. J., ed, 1977. Seinte Katerine: re-edited from MS Bodley 34 and other manuscripts, EETS, ss, 7, Oxford: Oxford University Press.
- dArdenne, S. R. T. O. and Dobson, E. J. 1981. Seinte Katerine: re-edited from MS Bodley 34 and the other Manuscripts, EETS, ss, 7, Oxford: Oxford University Press.
- Hardwick, C. 1849. An Historical Inquiry Touching Saint Catharine of Alexandria: To which is Added a Semi-Saxon Legend, Cambridge: J. Deighton.
- Horstmann, C., ed, 1892. The Minor Poems of the Vernon Manuscript, 2 vols, EETS, os, 98, London: Kegan Paul & Trübner, 1, p. 30.
- Mack, F. M. 1934. Seinte Marherete şe Meiden and Martyr, EETS, os, 193, London: Oxford University Press.
- McIntosh, A., Samuels, M. L. and Benskin, M. 1986. A Linguistic Atlas of Late Medieval English: County Dictionary, 4 vols, Aberdeen: Aberdeen University Press, 4.
- Millett, B. 1990. The Textual Transmission of Seinte Iuliene, Medium Aevum, 59, 41-54.
- http://searcharchives.bl.uk.
- Morris, R., ed, 1868. Old English Homilies, series 1, EETS, os, 29, London: University Press, p. 245.
- Morris, R., ed, 1871. Legends of the Holy Rood; Symbols of the Passion and Cross Poems In Old English of the Eleventh, Fourteenth and Fifteenth Centuries, EETS, os, 46, London: Trübner, pp. 170-196.
- Thompson, W., ed. 1958. şe Wohunge of Ure Lauerd, EETS, os, 241, London: Oxford University Press, p. xi.
- Warner, G., W. and Gilson, J. P. 1921. Catalogue of Western Manuscripts in the Old Royal and Kings Collections, 2 vols, London: Oxford University Press, 2, pp. 220-221.
- Wilson, R. M., ed, 1938. Sawles Warde: an early Middle English homily, Leeds School of English Language Texts and Monographs, 3, Kendal: Printed by T. Wilson for members of the School of English Language in the University of Leeds, p. xxxi.