Harley MS 82

This composite manuscript contains three parts that were separately produced:

I: ff. 1r–3v (Register);

II: ff. 4r–34v (Martyrology);

III: ff. 35r–104v (Voyage d'outre mer).

The martyrology was written in the 12th century at the Benedictine abbey of St Mary the Virgin in Reading. The first part of Harley MS 82, containing a register for the abbey, was added to the Martyrology in the early 13th century. The manuscript may have belonged to the abbey until its dissolution in 1538. It was then owned by Sir Simonds D’Ewes (b. 1602, d. 1650), who also owned a copy of Voyage d’outre mer, what is now the third part of Harley MS 82. The two manuscripts may have been joined together either in the library of D'Ewes family or that of Robert Harley.

Contents:

ff. 1r–3v: Three leaves from a register of Abbot Nicholas of Whapelode (r. 1305–28), containing entries for 1305–11.

ff. 4r–34v: Usuard, Martyrology, organized by calendar (January through December, ff. 4r–32v) with a second section by the church year (beginning with Advent, ff. 32v–34v). Many sections lacking.

ff. 35r–104v: ‘Sir John Mandeville’, Voyage d’outre mer, Latin translation, ending imperfectly (contains a Greek alphabet on f. 39r).

Decoration:

The second part (ff. 4r-24v) contains large and small initials that alternate in colour between red, blue, and green. Some of the large initials contain penwork decoration in red, blue or green. The first letter of each sentence usually is highlighted in yellow.

The third part (ff. 35r-104v) contains a marginal drawing in brown ink (possibly of one of the nails of the Crucifixion) in the margin of f. 35v.