Stowe MS 15

LESSONS from the Four Gospels, in Latin, containing the narratives of the Nativity, Baptism, and Passion, from the Synoptists, and the whole of the Gospel of St. John except the portion from ch. xx. 19 to the end, which is lost. The Lessons occupy seven quires and one leaf of the eighth, which is imperfect (ff. 26-84), and are written in a band. of the late 12th century. They are preceded by five quires (some imperfect) and followed by one quire, containing miscellaneous notes and records, chiefly relating to the business of the Exchequer: viz. (1) Notes of committal of sheriffs' attorneys and others, for debts due to the Exchequer, and of their release, dated in the reigns of Henry VI., Edward IV., and Henry VII. ff. 3-5, 8, 88. With a mandate of Edw. I. on the subject, 26 Nov. a^o 32 [1303]. f. 19b; — (2) Notes of dues from various counties, and of the value of various quantities of "summonitiones."ff. 5b-7, 15b-18, 85; — (3) The oath of fealty to King Henry VIII. and the heirs born to him and his queen Jane (two copies, the name "Jane "in the second being written over an erasure of "Anne") ff. 8b, 9; — (4) Hymns for the vigils of the Ascension ("Eterne rex altissime "), St. Katherine ("Disputando vicit virgo "), and St. Nicholas ("Sospitate dedit egros"), in a hand of the l5th cent. ff. 9b, 10b, 11b; — (5) Extracts from the Red Book of the Exchequer. ff. 13-15, 83-84b;- (6) Contemporary notes of the capture of Berwick, 30 March, 1296, the departure of Edward III. from Harwich on 16 July, 1338, and his return on 20 Feb. 1339/40. f. l9; — (7) Calendar, in a 14th-cent. hand, with additions, among which are notes of the marriage of Anne of Bohemia to Richard II., 20 Jan. [1382], the days on which Easter fell in various years of Richard II. and Henry VI., a great earthquake in London, 21 May, 1382, obit of S[imon,] Archbishop of Canterbury [killed by rebels], 14 June, 1382 [should be 1381], the fight with the followers of Cade [described as "capitaneus Kantiae"] on London Bridge, 5 July, 1450, coronation of Richard III., 6 July, 1483, obit of William Laysyngby [Lasingby, Chief Baron of the Exchequer], 2 Aug. 1419, obit of Blanche, Duchess of Lancaster, 13 Sept. [1369], coronation of Henry VI., 6 Nov. 1428 [should be 1429]. ff. 20-25. Vellum; ff. 92, including two leaves lining the cover and containing fragments of a theological treatise of the 14th cent. Ff. 2, 9 are modern paper leaves. XIIth-XVIth centt. Bound in thick oak boards, covered with leather; brass corner-pieces, stamped with fleurs-de-lis. To the lower cover is attached a crucifix, bronze-gilt. The volume may be the "little booke with a crucifix "mentioned in Powell's Repertoire, of Records, 1631, p. 123, as preserved in the chest of the King's Remembrancer, at the Exchequer, and was probably used for administering oaths. A note (f. 2) by John Ives, dated 18 Oct. 1772, states that T. Madox [author of the History of the Exchequer] told T. Martin that he believed it "was used to take the Coronation Oath upon by all our Kings and Queens till Henry VIII. "; but there does not appear to be any evidence of this. The book belonged to Richard Hodgis in 1545 (f. 12 b); to Thomas Martin of Palgrave, the antiquary [1697-1771]; to John Ives in 1772 [ob. 1776]; to John Jackson in 1779; and to T. Astle 11735-1803]. Octavo.

Liturgies LATIN: Lessons from the Gospels: 12th cent.

Bindings ENGLISH: Oak boards, covered with leather, brass corner-pieces: 15th cent.

includes:

• ff. 3-8, 13-18, 83-88 Exchequer: Notes on Exchequer business: 15th cent.
• ff. 19-25 Chronology: Contemporary notes of historical events: 14th and 15th centt.