Oxford, Bodleian Library, Bodley 579 (2675)

Present Location
Repository
Collection
Shelfmark

579 (2675)

Contents
Date
Medieval Provenance

General Information

Ker

315

Gnuess/Lapidge

585

Summary

Additions to the 'Leofric Missal', a service book written in s. ix2 or s. ix/x. The book also contains items typical of the pontifical, the ritual and the computus, and a calendar from Glastonbury written in s. x. Ten quires (Quires 1, 4, 5, 6, 22, 43-47) were added in to the manuscript in s. ximed-2. The Old English additions are mainly manumissions (fols 1, 8 and 377v), a list of sureties for land at Stoke Canon between Abbot Leofric and Abbess Eadgifu (fol. 11v) and Leofric's Inscription recording the gift of the manuscript to Exeter by Bishop Leofric (fol. 1r). The origin of the book is still a matter of debate (see History below), but it was given to Exeter by Leofric in s. xi3/4.

Digital Surrogate

https://digital.bodleian.ox.ac.uk/inquire/p/594d08d3-f73f-4e04-94bc-d9c…

Manuscript Items
  1. Item: fol. 1r/1-10

    • Title (B.16.10.5): Exeter: Leofric Inscriptions

      Addition: (fol. 1r/1-5) Hunc missalem Leofricus episcopus dat ęcclesię sciˉ petri apƚi in exonia ad utiliatem succes_ | _sorū suorū · Si quis illū inde abstulerit · ętˉnę | subiaceat maledictioni · FIAT · FIAT · Confirma hoc | deus quod operatus es in nobis ·

      Addition: (fol. 1r/6-9) Ðas boc Leofric bisceop gef sancto petro · ˥ | eallū his æfter gengum into exancestre | gode mid to ðenienne · ˥ gif ⁁ hig ænig man ut | abrede hæbb [e] he goddes curse and þræððe | ealra halgena ·

      Text Language: Latin and English

      Other versions of the text:

      Other manuscripts with the Leofric inscription are:

      Collated in Exeter Book, 1933, p. 11, n. 3, as M.

      Date: s. xi3/4

      Hand: Ker 315 SC3

      Note: This item is in the second leaf of a preliminary quire added in s. xi (fols iv, 1-7). The initials 'H' and 'Ð' are in the same ink as the rest of the text.

      Bibliography:

      Earle, 1888, p. 253

      Ker, 1957, item 315, article b

      Exeter Book, 1933, p. 11, n. 3

      Orchard, ed., 2002,

      Warren, ed., 1883, p. 1

  2. Item: fol. 1r/10-13

    • Title (B.16.10.6.1.EM): Exeter: Manumissions

      Incipit: (fol. 1r/10) halƿun hoce on execstre freode

      Explicit: (fol. 1r/13) hiˉ ƿurþe ƿrað þe hi hæfre ge þyƿie amˉ

      Text Language: English

      Date: s. xi/xii

      Hand: Ker 315 SC5

      Note: A manumission granted at Exeter. This item was added in at a comparatively late date between the Inscriptions and the manumission at the end of fol. 1r.

      Bibliography:

      Earle, 1888, p. 253

      Ker, 1957, item 315, article c

      Orchard, ed., 2002,

      Rose-Troup, 1937, p. 441

      Warren, ed., 1883, p. 1

  3. Item: fol. 1r/14-21

    • Title (B.16.10.6.2.EM): Exeter: Manumissions

      Incipit: (fol. 1r/14-15) Her kyð on thisse bec þæt æilgyuu gode alysde | hig ˥ dunna ˥ heora of spring .

      Explicit: (fol. 1r/20-21) þe þis æfre | un do á on ecnysse. Amen.

      Text Language: English

      Date: s. xiex

      Hand: Ker 315 SC4

      Note: A manumission granted at Exeter. Probably added after fol. 1v was filled with other manumissions.

      Bibliography:

      Earle, 1888, p. 253

      Ker, 1957, item 315, article c

      Orchard, ed., 2002,

      Rose-Troup, 1937, p. 441

      Warren, ed., 1883, p. 1

  4. Item: fol. 1v/1-7

    • Title (B.16.10.6.3.EM): Exeter: Manumissions

      Incipit: (fol. 1v/1-3) Her kyð on þyssere bec þæt godƿine blaca bohte | hine sylfne ˥ his ƿyf ˥ his ofspring æt ƿyl | lēlme hosethe mid ·xv· sciƚƚ ·

      Explicit: (fol. 1v/6-8) ˥ ælfric | hasl nā þæt toll for þæs kynges hand ˥ hæbbe he | godes curs þe hit æfre un do · amˉ ·

      Text Language: English

      Date: xiex

      Hand: Ker 315 SC4

      Note: A manumission granted at Exeter.

      Bibliography:

      Earle, 1888, p. 253

      Ker, 1957, item 315, article c

      Orchard, ed., 2002,

      Rose-Troup, 1937, p. 441

      Warren, ed., 1883, p. 1

  5. Item: fol. 1v/8-15
  6. Item: fol. 1v/16-22

    • Title (B.16.10.6.5.EM): Exeter: Manumissions

      Incipit: (fol. 1v/16-18) Her kyð on þyssere bec þæt ediuuu sæuugeles | laf bohte gladu æt coleƿine ƿyð healfe | punde to cepe ˥ to tolle ·

      Explicit: (fol. 1v/21-22) ˥ hæbbe he godes | curs þe þis æfre un do on ecnisse · Amˉ ·

      Text Language: English

      Date: s. xiex

      Hand: Ker 315 SC4

      Note: A manumission granted at Exeter.

      Bibliography:

  7. Item: fol. 8r-v

    • Title: Tavistock: Manumissions

      Text Language: English

      Note: Rubbed and partly illegible.

      Date: s. xi1

      Bibliography:

      Ker 1957, item 315, article e

  8. Item: fol. 11v

    • Title (B.15.5.12): Charters: Bishops' Charters: Sureties between Abbes Eadgifu and Abbot Leofric Sawyer 1452

      Incipit: (fol. 11v) Ðis synt þa men þe synt anburge

      Text Language: English

      Note: Partly over the erasure of four lines of French script; partly in the margin.

      Hand: Ker 315 SC1 and Ker 315 SC2

      Date: ximed

      Bibliography:

      Ker 1957, item 315, article a

  9. Item: fol. 377v

Object Description

Form

Codex

Support: Parchment.

Extent: The page dimensions vary; s. xi3/4 quires are smaller than the earlier sections. The average is: ca. 203 mm x ca. 157 mm (dimensions of - size of leaves)

Foliation/Pagination: Fols iv + 198

Collation: 48 quires in all with varied composition.

Condition: The two manumissions on fol. 8r are rubbed and partly illegible. Wormholes and the mark of a central nail from the cover of an old binding do not reappear on fol. 9 which was the first leaf of the missal for a long time. Fol. 8 is probably a stray leaf from the end of this manuscript or another manuscript bound in or after s. xi.

Hand Description

Hand

Number of Hands: 6 between 1060 to 1220

Summary: The list of sureties (fol. 11v) is in two hands, s. ximed; the inscription (fol. 1r) is in one hand, s. xi2; the last four manumissions on fol. 1 are 'perhaps all in one [...] hand of s. xiex' and the first manumission probably a later hand (Ker 1957, p. 379); the manumission of Brihtmær of Holcombe (fol. 377v) is s. xiex and the ten manumissions on fol. 8 'were probably written at different times early in the eleventh century' (Ker 1957 , p. 379).

Hand: List of sureties

Scope: Major

Script: English Vernacular Minuscule

Ker reference: Ker 315 SC1

Description: Fol. 11v/18-19. The first line and first five letters of the second line of the list of sureties, item 8.

Summary of the characteristics of the hand: A 'neat, upright script' (Ker 1957, p. 379). 

  • a Caroline.
  • d the ascender is very short and parallel to the line.
  • e round-backed.
  • g long neck and closed bowl.
  • y straight left arm, curved right arm and descender.
  • ascenders are split at the top.

Date: s. ximed

 

Hand: List of sureties

Scope: Major

Script: English Vernacular Minuscule

Ker reference: Ker 315 SC2

Description: Fol. 11v/19-23. Item 8

Summary of the characteristics of the hand: 'Rougher and sloping' (Ker 1957, p. 379).

  • a round.
  • d the ascender slopes up at an angle.
  • e horned.
  • g shorter neck than SC1 and the bowl is not always closed.
  • s the descender of long s is shorter than that of SC1.
  • y straight-armed.
  • ascenders are wedged.
  • descenders curve to the left, including the descender of ˥.

Date: s. ximed

 

Hand: Inscription

Scope: Major

Scribe: Drage Scribe 2 

Script: English Vernacular Minuscule I

Ker reference: Ker 315 SC3

Description: Fol. 1r/1-10. Item 1. This scribe also added many items in Latin, including the inscription in Latin, which precedes the English inscription. Broad and round script, which conforms to an Exeter type.

Summary of the characteristics of the hand:

  • æ: a and e are in the same height.
  • e is horned.
  • ð the ascender has a distinctive finishing stroke. The left-down serif at the top of ascender of ð is distinct and the cross bar has a pronounced downward serif at the right end.
  • The height of the ascenders is equal to that of the body of the letter. Their heads are wedge-shaped or slightly split at the top.
  • The length of the descenders is equal to that of the body of the letter. Their ends turn slightly to the left.

Date: s. xi3/4

 

Hand: Manumissions

Scope: Major

Script: English Vernacular Minuscule

Ker reference: Ker 315 SC4

Description: Fol. 1r/14-1v. Items 3, 4, 5 and 6. Probably in one hand, although written at different times and in different inks.

Summary of the characteristics of the hand: 'Uncalligraphic but clear' (Ker 1957, p. 379).

  • a tall in the word 'amen'.
  • d the ascender 'may be short or very short'.
  • g long, curved neck and closed bowl.
  • þ an unusually large bowl.
  • y is straight or rounded.

Punctuation: Punctuation is by low point.

Abbreviations: The tironian nota has a distinctive approach stroke.

Date: s. xiex

 

Hand: Manumissions

Scope: Major

Script: English Vernacular Minuscule

Ker reference: Ker 315 SC5

Description: Fol. 1r/10-13. Item 2. The first manumission on fol. 1r. As Ker argues, this is probably a later insertion (1957, p. 379), as the text is compressed and begins immediately after the inscription on the same line.

Summary of the characteristics of the hand:

  • d the ascender is very short but curls back.
  • g the head is wavy.
  • h according to C11 project, h 'has only vestigial feet'.
  • ð has a very small bowl and a long ascender which is not transected by the cross- bar, which has a finishing stroke which turns sharply down. 
  • ascenders are notched.
  • descenders tend to curve towards the left.

Abbreviations: The tironian nota has a distinctive approach stroke.

Date: s. xi/xii

 

Hand: Manumission of Brihtmær

Scope: Major

Script: English Vernacular Minuscule

Ker reference: Ker 315 SC6 Description: Fol. 377v/1-18. Item 9. Neat Exeter-type hand.

Summary of the characteristics of the hand:

  • e varies between round and broken-backed.
  • h tends towards Caroline.
  • s is long in all positions; low s occasionally in final position; one round s in line 16.

Date: s. xiex

Decoration Description

No decoration on the leaves containing Old English. For a detailed analysis of decoration within the manuscript, see Deshman 1977.

Additional Information

Administration Information

Manuscript described by Takako Kato with the assistance of Hollie Morgan, with reference to published scholarship (2012).

Surrogates

History

Origin

History of the manuscript is much disputed. Scholars such as Warren 1883 and Orchard 2002 divide the book into three categories: 'Leofric A', the original core of the volume written c. 900; 'Leofric B', a Glastonbury calendar dated to around 980; and 'Leofric C', short liturgical texts inserted into gaps, over erasures and on new quires (Hohler 1975, pp. 69-70; Hayward 2004, pp. 817-18). Scholars agree that 'Leofric A' was copied by scribes trained on the continent (Hayward 2004, p. 818). Warren 1883 thought that it was copied at St. Vaast or Cambrai and was later brought to England by Leofric (Hayward 2004, p. 817). Orchard 2002 argues that the text was not copied for a house in Northern France, but for the use of Plegmund, Archbishop of Canterbury 890-923. Because of this, Orchard 2002 argues that 'Leofric B' is a series of additions made for Plegmund's successors to the end of the tenth century. 'Leofric C' therefore was written after the book was given to Exeter. Provenance The manuscript remained in Exeter until 1602.

Acquisition: Given to the Bodleian Library by the Dean and Chapter in 1602.

Provenance

Exeter

Bibliography

The Exeter Book of Old English Poetry: Facsimile, R. W. Chambers, Max Förster and Robin Flower (London: for the Dean and Chapter of Exeter Cathedral by Humphries, 1933)

Alexander, J. G, Illuminated Manuscripts in the Bodleian Library, Oxford (Oxford, Oxford University Press, 1973)

Barlow, F., Leofric of Exeter: Essays in Commemoration of the Foundation of Exeter Cathedral Library in A.D. 1072 (Exeter: University of Exeter, 1972)

Bishop, Terence Alan Martyn, and Albinia Catherine De la Mare, English Caroline Minuscule, Oxford Palaeographical Handbooks (Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1971)

Deshman, Robert, 'Anglo-Saxon Art after Alfred', Art Bull, 56 (1974), 183-6

---, 'The Leofric Missal and the Tenth-Century English Art', Anglo-Saxon England, 6 (1977), 145-73

Drage, E., 'Bishop Leofric and the Exeter Cathedral Chapter, 1050-1072: A Reassessment of the Manuscript Evidence' (unpublished doctoral thesis, University of Oxford, 1978)

Dumville, David N., Liturgy and the Ecclesiastical History of Late Anglo-Saxon England: Four Studies (Woodbridge: Boydell, 1992)

Earle, John, A Hand-Book to the Land-charters and Other Saxonic Documents (Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1888)

Finberg, H. P. R., 'The House of Ordgar and the Foundation of Tavistock Abbey', English Historical Review, 58 (1943), 190-201

Hayward, Paul Antony, 'Review of Nicholas Orchard, ed. The Leofric Missal', Speculum, 79, no. 3 (2004), 817-19

Heimann, Adelheid, 'Three Illustrations from the Bury St. Edmunds Psalter and Their Prototypes', Journal of the Warburg and Courtauld Institutes, 29 (1966)

Hohler, Christopher, 'Some Service-Books of the Later Saxon Church', in Tenth-Century Studies: Essays in Commemoration of the Millennium of the Council of Winchester and Regularis Concordia, ed. by David Parsons (Chichester: Phillimore, 1975), pp. 60-83, and 217-27

Ker, N. R., Catalogue of Manuscripts Containing Anglo-Saxon (Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1957; repr. 1990)

Orchard, Nicholas, ed., The Leofric Missal, 2 vols (London: Boydell, for the Henry Bradshaw Society, 2002)

Pächt, O., and J. J. G. Alexander, Illuminated Manuscripts in the Bodleian Library, 4 vols (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1966-1973), vol. 3

Parsons, David, ed., Tenth-Century Studies: Essays in Commemoration of the Millenium of the Council of Winchester and Regularis Concordia (Chichester: Phillimore, 1975)

Robertson, A. J, Anglo-Saxon Charters, 2nd edn (1939; Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1956)

Rose-Troup, Frances, 'The Ancient Monastery of St. Mary and St. Peter at Exeter', Transactions of the Devonshire Association, 63 (1931)

---, 'Exeter Manumissions and Quittances of the Eleventh and Twelfth Centuries', Devonshire Association Transactions, 64 (1937), 417-45

Scragg, Donald, Alexander Rumble, and Kathryn Powell, C11 Database Project (Manchester Centre for Anglo-Saxon Studies, http://www.arts.manchester.ac.uk/mancass/c11database/; accessed in 2009). Available for limited viewing on the Internet Wayback Machine.

Wallis, Faith The Calendar & the Cloister: Oxford, St. John's College MS 17 (McGill University Library, Digital Collections Program, http://digital.library.mcgill.ca/ms-17/index.htm, 2007; accessed July 2018)

Warren, F. E., The Leofric Missal as used in the Cathedral of Exeter during the episcopate of its first bishop, A.D. 1050-1072. Together with some account of the Red book of Derby, the Missal of Robert of Jumièges, and a few other early manuscript service books of the English church (Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1883)

Wilson, H. A., The Missal of Robert of Jumièges, Henry Bradshaw Society, 11 (London: Harrison and Sons, 1896)

Wormald, Francis, 'Decorated Initials in English MSS from A.D. 900-1100', Archaeologia, 91 (1945), 107-35

---, English Drawings of the Tenth and Eleventh Centuries (London: Faber and Faber, 1952)

Catalogue Entry Authored By

Takako Kato

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