Identity area
Reference code
Title
Date(s)
- [mid-15 cent.] (Creation)
Level of description
File
Extent and medium
102 ff. : Parchment ; 245 x 165 mm. Written space 150 mm. 28 lines.
Apparently original thongs, the original boards wanting. The lower thongs are now tied into holes cut into an old oak board (270 x 180 mm., bevelled edges) which has holes and grooves showing earlier use for another book.
Context area
Name of creator
Biographical history
Archival history
Written in England, mid-fifteenth century. Among marginal scribbles the following names occur: Rys Llwyd vab John ap Howel, XVIc (f. 102), Thomas Som[er]e (in a legal hand, f. 99), Robert Salsbry (f. 36 verso), Jhon ap Ievan Lloyd (f. 42), Rees Powell and Rhes Thomas (f. 58), all XVI or XVIIc., Robert Humpherey (f. 42), Margeret Wenn (95. 79, 100 verso), Margry Baugh (f. 100 verso), John Lloyd (ff. 87 verso, 89 verso), John Davis (f. 82), E.H. (f. 50), all XVIIc. Appears as MS 85 in HMC Cat. and on f. 1, as lot 75 in the Mostyn sale at Sotheby's 13 July 1920 when it was presumably bought in. Lot 1480 in the Christie's (Mostyn Sale), 24 October 1974.
Immediate source of acquisition or transfer
Content and structure area
Scope and content
Lydgate's Life of our Lady, 'O thoughtful! herte plunged indistresse ...' (ff. 2-102 verso). The text includes 'The white lillie of the chosen vale' (f. 3 verso), 'That al maydens myzte ensample take' (f. 4), 'The beutee causith to be of more delyte' (f. 25 verso), and 'Amydeys this welle from fylthe of synne cold ...' (f. 26). The text is defective at two points due to the loss of leaves. It breaks off in ch. I (after f. 3) and resumes near the end of ch. 2; it breaks off again in ch. 19 and resumes in ch. 20. The tags follow the text in the hand of the scribe. It has not yet been possible to compare the text with the edition of J. A. Lauritis, R. A. Klinefelter and V. F. Gallagher.
Written in one hand, an Anglicana formata with Secretary influence, professional-looking. On f. 2 is a 10-line historiated initial O (birth of the Virgin, the picture somewhat rubbed) with a full page frame and border of foliage, flowers and sprays (gold, maroon, blue, white, green, orange), reproduced in the Christie's catalogue (see below). Blue initials for chapters, with red penwork, mostly 2-line, a few 3 or 4-line. Alternating red and blue paragraphs marks with contrasting penwork. Chapter numbers in red at the head of each page, with blue paragraph mark and red penwork. Sidenotes in red with blue paragraph marks.
Appraisal, destruction and scheduling
Accruals
System of arrangement
Conditions of access and use area
Conditions governing access
Access to the original manuscript by authorised permission only. Readers are directed to use surrogate copies.
Conditions governing reproduction
Language of material
- English
Script of material
Language and script notes
English.
Physical characteristics and technical requirements
Finding aids
The description is also available, with a few additional details, in NLW, Catalogue of Mostyn MSS Purchased in 1974 (1975), pp.7-8, available at the Library.
Allied materials area
Existence and location of originals
Existence and location of copies
Available on microfilm at the Library.
Related units of description
Notes area
Note
Formerly Mostyn MS 85.
Note
Collation: 1 [8] (wants 1, 3, 6, 7), 2-3 [8], 4 [8] (wants 6, 7, 8), 5-13 [ 8], 14 [8] (wants 6, 7, 8, probably blank). Catchwords.
Note
Sec. fol. Bysshopis (capitula) So lat (text).
Note
Title based on contents.
Note
Preferred citation: NLW MS 21242C [RESTRICTED ACCESS].
Alternative identifier(s)
Virtua system control number
Access points
Subject access points
Place access points
Name access points
Genre access points
Description control area
Description identifier
Institution identifier
Rules and/or conventions used
Status
Level of detail
Dates of creation revision deletion
Language(s)
- English