Wycliffite bibles, written in about A.D. 1390

File

MS. Douce 369

Held at the Weston Library

Made up of two MSS., comprising:

(fol. 1) Part of the Old Testament in English, in the earlier version of Wycliff, in three hands, from Numb. xx. 2 ('whan the puple nedede water') to Baruch iii. 20 'in the place of hem risen the Ʒunge', with prologues. Here the translation breaks off abruptly, the next line containing only a nearly contemporary addition 'Explicit translacionem [-lacōm] Nicholay de herford', and the rest of the leaf being blank. The first hand goes to fol. 131v, the second to the end of fol. 134, the third to fol. 251. Judges i. 21-iv. 4 ('of Beniamin'--'wife of Lapidoth' or its equivalent) are wanting, a leaf being lost. The break in Baruch shows that the writing is probably not before 1382.
(fol. 251) Part of the Bible in English, in the earlier version of Wycliff, in two hands, from the prologue of Isaiah to Acts xxviii. 15 ('Thre Tauernes who whanne'), with prologues, the end being lost. The first hand extends to the end of fol. 391v, the second from that point onward. Ezech. i. 26-xxxii. 23 (after 'lickenesse of'--before 'titude of hym is maid') are wanting.

See no. 3093, and Forshall and Madden's edition (1850), pp. xvii, 1.

Dates

492 leaves, in double columns

MS. Douce 369

Falconer Madan, et al., A summary catalogue of western manuscripts in the Bodleian Library at Oxford which have not hitherto been catalogued in the Quarto series (7 vols. in 8 [vol. II in 2 parts], Oxford, 1895-1953; reprinted, with corrections in vols. I and VII, Munich, 1980), vol. IV, no 21944

Our best descriptions for medieval items in this collection are in Medieval Manuscripts in Oxford Libraries under MSS. Douce.

On parchment, imperfect, binding: red velvet

15 3/8 × 10 7/8 in.

Part of the Bodleian Libraries Repository

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