Hard-coded id of currently selected item: . JSON version of its record is available from Blacklight on e.g. ??
Metadata associated with selected item should appear here...
Egerton MS 2863
- Record Id:
- 032-001984922
- Hierarchy Root Ancestor Record Id:
- 032-001984922
- MDARK:
- ark:/81055/vdc_100000000057.0x00030f
- LARK:
- ark:/81055/vdc_100142963747.0x000001
- SLARK:
- Format:
- ISAD(G)
- Reference (shelfmark):
- Egerton MS 2863
- Title:
- Geoffrey Chaucer, The Canterbury Tales ('The Norton MS')
- Scope & Content:
-
Contents:
f. ii verso: a note in a 19th or early 20th-century hand, stating that the book formerly belonged to the Priory of Southwick in Hampshire, that it was given by Richard Norton Esquire to his brother John Chichely Esquire, and that the medieval scholar John Urry (b. 1666, d. 1715) made use of the manuscript for his edition of Chaucer's works printed at London in 1721.
ff. 1r-214v: Geoffrey Chaucer, The Canterbury Tales, imperfect, wanting many leaves, particularly at the beginning of each of the Tales. The Tales are arranged in the following order:
ff. 1r-24v: The Knight's Tale, imperfect, beginning at A, l. 909, and wanting four leaves after f. 6 (A, ll. 1365-1668) and one leaf after f. 15 (A, ll. 2351-2426).
ff. 24v-33v: The Miller's Prologue and Tale, imperfect, wanting one leaf after f. 24 (A, ll. 3115-3191).
ff. 33v-36v: The Reeve's Prologue and Tale, imperfect, wanting one leaf after f. 33 (A, ll. 3876-3950).
ff. 36v-37r: The Cook's Tale.
ff. 37r-49r: The Tale of Gamelyn.
ff. 49r-61v: The Man of Law's Prologue, Tale, and Epilogue, imperfect, wanting one leaf after f. 49 (B1, ll. 73-146), two leaves after f. 55 (B1, ll. 586-737) and one leaf after f. 61 (B1, ll. 1182-1190).
ff. 62r-69v: The Squire's Tale, imperfect, beginning at F, l. 75, and wanting one leaf after f. 69 (F, ll. 682-708).
ff. 70r-82v: The Merchant's Tale, imperfect, beginning at E, l. 1293 and wanting one leaf after f. 80 (E, ll. 2135-2210) and f. 82 (E, ll. 2364-2418).
ff. 83r-91v: The Wife of Bath's Prologue and Tale, imperfect, beginning at D, l. 21, and wanting two leaves after f. 83 (D, ll. 97-248), five leaves after f. 86 (D, ll. 478-882) and one leaf after f. 91 (D, ll. 1263-64).
ff. 92r-95v: The Friar's Tale, imperfect, beginning at D, 1. 1335, and wanting one leaf after f. 95 (D, ll. 1643-1714).
ff. 96r-103v: The Summoner's Tale, imperfect, beginning at D, l. 1715.
ff. 103v-114v: The Clerk of Oxford's Prologue and Tale, imperfect, wanting one leaf after f. 103 (E, ll. 29-102), two leaves after f. 105 (E, ll. 255-406), one leaf after f. 109 (E, ll. 711-786) and two leaves after f. 114 (E, ll. 1167-1212).
ff. 115r-123v: The Franklin's Tale, imperfect, beginning at F, l. 803, and wanting one leaf after f. 115 (F, ll. 879-954) and f. 118 (F, ll. 1185-1266).
ff. 123v-128v: The Second Nun's Prologue and Tale, imperfect, wanting two leaves after f. 126 (G, ll. 261-426).
ff. 128v-137v: The Canon's Yeoman's Prologue and Tale, imperfect, wanting one leaf after f. 129 (G, ll. 654-727), f. 134 (G, ll. 1108-1183), and f. 135 (G, ll. 1260-1336).
f. 137v: The Physician's Prologue, imperfect.
ff. 138r-142v: The Pardoner's Tale, imperfect, beginning at C, l. 517, and wanting one leaf after f. 138 (C, ll. 593-670).
ff. 142v-146v: The Shipman's Tale, imperfect, wanting one leaf after f. 142 (B2, ll. 1-73) and one leaf after f. 143 (B2, ll.149-224).
ff. 146v-148v: The Prioress's Prologue and Tale, imperfect, wanting one leaf after f. 146 ( B2, ll. 451-524) and f. 148 (B2, ll. 677-690).
ff. 149r-150v: The Tale of Sir Thopas, imperfect, beginning at B2, l. 750, and wanting one leaf after f. 150 (B2, ll. 911-966).
ff. 151r-167v: The Tale of Melibee, imperfect, beginning at B2, l. 977; f. 159* is a fragmentary leaf, with almost all the text wanting (B2, ll. 1361-1411).
ff. 168r-176v: The Monk's Tale, imperfect, beginning at B2, l. 2014, and wanting one leaf after f. 174 (B2, ll. 2548-2623).
ff. 176v-182v: The Nun's Priest's Prologue and Tale, imperfect, wanting one leaf after f. 176 (B2, ll. 2774-2847) and f. 179 (B2, ll. 3034-3159), and three leaves after f. 182 (B2, ll. 3388-3462).
ff. 183r-186r: The Manciple's Tale, imperfect, beginning at H, l. 120.
ff. 186r-214v: The Parson's Prologue and Tale, imperfect, wanting one leaf after f. 186 (I, ll. 60-99), f. 190 (I, ll. 227-259), f. 191 (I, ll. 291-320), and f. 206 (I, ll. 720-745), and six leaves after f. 214 (I, ll. 937 to the end).
Decoration:
Large initials in gold on red and blue grounds with foliate extensions into the margins (ff. 24v, 33v, 37r, 49r, 61v, 65v, 69v, 103v, 105r, 106r, 108v, 123v, 125r, 128v, 133r, 137v, 142v, 146v, 155v, 164v, 165r, 169r, 176v, 186r, 194v, 198r, 199v, 205r, 209v, 210v). Small initials in gold with blue or purple pen-flourishing or in blue with red pen-flourishing. Added marginal drawings of zoomorphic figures, ornaments, shields, and flowers (ff. 1r, 64r, 67r, 153r, 174r, 190r).
- Collection Area:
- Western Manuscripts
- Project / Collection:
- Egerton Manuscripts
- Hierarchy Tree:
- [{ "id" : "032-001984922", "parent" : "#", "text" : "Egerton MS 2863: Geoffrey Chaucer, The Canterbury Tales ('The Norton MS')" , "li_attr" : {"class": "orderable"} }]
- Hierarchy Record Ids:
- 032-001984922
- Is part of:
- not applicable
- Hierarchy:
- 032-001984922
- Container:
- not applicable
- Record Type (Level):
- Fonds
- Extent:
- 1 volume
- Digitised Content:
- http://access.bl.uk/item/viewer/ark:/81055/vdc_100142963747.0x000001 (digital images currently unavailable)
- Thumbnail:
-
- Languages:
- English, Middle
Latin - Scripts:
- Latin
- Start Date:
- 1425
- End Date:
- 1449
- Date Range:
- 2nd quarter of 15th century
- Era:
- CE
- Access:
-
Please request the physical items you need using the online collection item request form.
Digitised items can be viewed online by clicking the thumbnail image or digitised content link.
Readers who have registered or renewed their pass since 21 March 2024 can request physical items prior to visiting the Library by completing
this request form.
Please enter the Reference (shelfmark) above on the request form.If your Reader Pass was issued before this date, you will need to visit the Library in London or Yorkshire to renew it before you can request items online. All manuscripts and archives must be consulted at the Library in London.
This catalogue record may describe a collection of items which cannot all be requested together. Please use the hierarchy viewer to navigate to individual items. Some items may be in use or restricted for other reasons. If you would like to check the availability, contact our Reference Services team, quoting the Reference (shelfmark) above.
- User Conditions:
- Letter of introduction required to view this manuscript
- Physical Characteristics:
-
Material: Parchment.
Dimensions: 340 x 220 mm (written space: 215 x 115 mm).
Foliation: ff. ii + 214 + 159* (+ 3 unfoliated paper flyleaves at the beginning and end); f. i is a paper label affixed to the inside upper cover; f. ii is an inscribed paper note affixed to f. [iii] verso; f. 159* is a fragment of a parchment leaf.
Collation: Originally in quires 8; many folios are now wanting.
Catchwords. Quire signatures.
Script: Gothic cursive.
Binding: Post-1600. Gold-tooled brown leather; marbled endpapers.
- Custodial History:
-
Origin:
England.
Provenance:
? The priory of Southwick in Hamphire: a note in a 19th or early 20th-century hand, stating that 'This book formerly belonged to the Priory of Southwick in Hampshire...' (f. [iii] verso). Following the Dissolution of the Monasteries, the Priory and its possessions were granted to John White (d. 1567), one of the Esquires of the Body and a servant of Thomas Wriothesley (b. 1505, d. 1550), 1st Earl of Southampton. The manuscript may have passed from him to his great-granddaughter Honora, who married Sir Daniel Norton (for a discussion of this, see Manly and Rickert, Text of the Canterbury Tales (1940), I, pp. 141-42).
Inscription, 15th/16th century: 'Thom Shatt' (f. 130r).
Inscription, 16th century: 'In merthe & iolyte oure lyf to Ilyuen / george Roceter' (f. 140r).
Inscription, 16th century: 'dodynton', written in drypoint (f. 141r).
Inscription, 16th/17th century: 'ffadenando / Bye / of' (f. 214v).
Thomazine Stourton, wife of William (d. 1523), 5th Baron Stourton: her name inscribed, 'Tomysin, Lady Stourton' (ff. 54r, 78r, 116r).
Members of the Worth family: entries detailing the births of 'Morryse Worthe ... 1564', 'Frauncis ... 1565', 'Henry 1567', and 'John ... 1574' (f. 84r); inscribed, 'By me / John Worth' and 'By me Tho. Worth', with a partially-erased note concerning Charles Worth (f. 106r); inscribed and partially crossed out, 'hymfrye wortht wrought this' (f. 38v).
Richard Norton (b. c. 1666, d. 1732) of Southwick House, Hampshire: gave the manuscript to his 'brother John Chicheley Esquire', who was a fellow of All Souls College, Oxford in 1699 and died in 1727 (see the note on f. [iii] verso). During this time, the manuscript was consulted by the scholar John Urry (b. 1666, d. 1715), who used it for his edition of Chaucer's works, published at London in 1715.
Laurence William Hodson (b. 1864, d. 1933), Wolverhampton brewer and collector: his book-label, 'From the Library of Laurence W. Hodson, Compton Hall, near Wolverhampton' (inside upper cover); his sale, Sotheby's, 3 December 1906, lot 115.
Bought by the British Museum, together with Egerton MS 2864, for £346.10s, using the Bridgewater fund (£12,000 bequeathed in 1829 by Francis Henry Egerton, 8th Earl of Bridgewater (b. 1756, d. 1829) (see note on f. [ii] recto).
- Information About Copies:
- Select digital coverage available for this manuscript; see the Catalogue of Illuminated Manuscripts, https://bl.uk/catalogues/illuminatedmanuscripts/.
- Publications:
-
A Catalogue of Additions to the Manuscripts in the British Museum in the years 1906-1910 (London: British Museum, 1912), no. Eg. 2863.
A Guide to the Exhibition of Some Part of the Egerton Collection of Manuscripts in the British Museum (London: British Museum, 1929), no. 98.
Eleanor P. Hammond, Chaucer: A Bibliographical Manual (New York: Peter Smith, 1933), p. 196.
Sir William McCormick and Janet E. Heseltine, The Manuscripts of Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales: A Critical Description of Their Contents (Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1933), pp. 127-35.
Wilma Anderson Kirby-Miller, 'Scribal Dialects in the C and D Manuscripts of the Canterbury Tales', PhD Dissertation (University of Chicago, 1938), pp. 37-38.
The Text of the Canterbury Tales: Studied on the Basis of All Known Manuscripts, ed. by John M Manly and Edith Rickert, 8 vols (Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1940), I, pp. 136-42, 614.
Medieval Libraries of Great Britain: A List of Surviving Books, ed. by N. R. Ker, 2nd edn, Royal Historical Society Guides and Handbooks, 3 (London: Royal Historical Society, 1964), p. 168 [rejected].
Andrew G. Watson, Catalogue of Dated and Datable Manuscripts c. 700-1600 in the Department of Manuscripts, the British Library (London, 1979), no. 195.
Charles A. Owen, The Manuscripts of the Canterbury Tales, Chaucer Studies, 17 (Cambridge: Brewer, 1991), pp. 40-41.
Michael C. Seymour, A Catalogue of Chaucer Manuscripts. Volume II, The Canterbury Tales (Aldershot and Brookfield: Scolar Press, 1997), pp. 107-11.
William Askins, 'The Brothers Orléans and their Keeps', in Charles D'Orléans in England, ed. by Mary-Jo Arn(Cambridge: D. S. Brewer, 2000), pp. 27-46 (p. 44).
Sources and Analogues of the Canterbury Tales, ed. by Robert M. Correale and Mary Hamel, 2 vols (Cambridge: D. S. Brewer, 2002-2005), I, p. 77.
Daniel W. Mosser, ''Chaucer's Scribe', Adam and the Hengwrt Project', in Design and Distribution of Late Medieval Manuscripts in England, ed. by Margaret Connolly and Linne R. Mooney (York: York Medieval Press, 2008), pp. 11-40 (p. 39).
A. S. G. Edwards, 'The Canterbury Tales and Gamelyn', in Medieval Latin and Middle English Literature: Essays in Honour of Jill Mann, ed. by Christopher Cannon and Maura Nolan (Cambridge: D. S. Brewer, 2011), pp. 76-90 (pp. 83, 84).
'London, British Library Egerton 2863', in The Digital Index of Middle English Verse , https://www.dimev.net/Records.php?MSS=BLEge2863 [Accessed 27 October 2021].
'London, British Library MS Egerton 2863', in Late Medieval English Scribes : https://www.medievalscribes.com [Accessed 27 October 2021].
'Manuscript: En2', in A Digital Catalogue of the Pre-1500 Manuscripts and Incunables of the Canterbury Tales: https://www.mossercatalogue.net/record.php?recID=En2 [Accessed 27 October 2021].
- Material Type:
- Archives and Manuscripts
- Legal Status:
- Not Public Record(s)