Shelfmark
MS 27
Main entry--uniform title
Bible.
Title
Biblia. manuscript
Varying form of title
Title in M. R. James catalogue: Biblia sacra
Publication, distribution, etc.
England, between ca. 1200 and ca. 1225.
Physical description
1 volume (v, 377, vi leaves) : parchment, ill. (initials) ; 31 x 22 cm.
Note
A Bible beginning at f. 14, with two quires of capitula and prologues at the beginning of the volume, and the usual alphabetical dictionary of Hebrew names at the end (ff. 359v-377v).
Note
Five of the prologues are in the body of the text (all New Testament, four of the common set); the other 49 are on the two quires at the beginning (32 of the common set). See Ker for details.
Note
Baruch is absent; Ezra and Nehemiah are one book of 23 chapters.
Note
The text is continuous within books except for a little paragraphing in Matthew and chapters are shown only by a number in the margin and sometimes a coloured letter in the text; the chapter numbers are the modern ones except in Genesis and Deuteronomy where there is a double numbering.
Note
The only stichometric note is after Ruth.
Note
Isaiah and Psalms begin new quires; Matthew begins on leaf 301 following blank f. 300v.
Note
Written space: 213 x 132 mm.
Note
Two columns of 54 lines except for the dictionary of Hebrew names (ff. 359v-377v) in three columns.
Note
The first line of writing is above the top line.
Note
Pricks in both margins to guide ruling.
Note
Collation: 1⁸ 2 five (ff. 9-13) 3-18⁸ 19-20¹⁰ 21¹⁰ + 2 leaves after 10 (ff. 172-3) 22-29⁸ 30-31¹⁰ 32¹⁰ + 2 leaves after 20 (ff. 268-9) 33-41¹².
Note
A continuous series of pencil signatures, a-x, Ɔ, ^, > is on versos of first three leaves of each quire from f. 1v to 56v (quires 1-8) and the same signatures are repeated on the facing rectos.
Note
The hand changes at f. 174 (quire 22, leaf 1). A corrector wrote 'Cor' and the end of quires 23 (f. 189v) and 30 (f. 247v).
Note
Historiated initials in colours on gold grounds edged in green on ff. 1 (bishop with mitre and crozier, seated), 2v (man and monkey) and 14 (seven days of Creation, with Christ holding the globe in the first five); decorated initials to Exodus, Leviticus and most other books, the ten main divisions of the psalter; other initials described in Ker.
Note
Secundo folio: Impromptu est.
Note
Rebound at Eton around 1715.
Note
Leaves iii-iv and 378-380 are binding leaves of medieval parchment (ff. iii recto and 380 verso were pasted down), taken from a copy of the Decretals of Gregory IX, book 4, no apparatus, in 2 colums of 45 lines, in late 13th/early 14th-century English hand.
Note
Scattered marginalia in pencil and ink.
Note
Late 15th/early 16th-century inscription on f. v: 'Liber M' hyle vicarii collegii sancti georgii infra castrum de Windesor super quo ego Io Esterfeld' canonicus ibidem exposui domino Thome petyt capellano x s' de pecunia magistro stokes'. See provenance note below.
Note
Former Eton shelfmark: Bk.3.3.
Note
This catalogue record is based on the work of Neil Ker and M.R. James, as cited in the references below.
Citation/references note
Ker, N. R.. Medieval manuscripts in British libraries, v. 2 (1977), p. 656-7
Citation/references note
James, M. R. A descriptive catalogue of the manuscripts in the library of Eton College (1895), 27
Cite as
Eton College Library, MS 27
Provenance
Inscription by John Esterfield, canon of St George's Chapel, Windsor, 1500-1513, noting that the book belonged to 'Mr Hyll', probably John Hyll, minor canon at St George's Chapel, 1478-1499, and naming John Stokes, canon of St George's Chapel, 1486-1503.
Binding
18th century English calf binding by Slatter.
Subject
Bible. Manuscripts.
Added entry--name
Slatter, John, active 1693 - 1721 bookbinder.
Added entry--name
Esterfield, John, f. 1500 - 1513 inscriber.
Added entry--name
Hyll, John, fl. 1478 - 1499 former owner.
Added entry--place
England.
Language code
lat
Identifier
B49975