MS 147

Summary

Described Thomas James 156; Stanley R. 3; Nasmith 147; FM I: lv–lvi (no. 116); James, Corpus 147; Dove, pp. 235–237. Christopher de Hamel, The Book: A History of the Bible (London, 2001), plate 123 (of f. 18ra); Index of Images 48.

[1]

f. 1^ra

Fyue and twenty bookis of þe olde testament ben bookis of feiþ & fully bookis of hooly writ þe first is genesis þe ii is exodi þe iii is leuitici þe iiij is numeri & þe v is deutornomye & þese fyue ben þe bookis of mouses whiche ben clepid propurly þe lawe …

f. 18^rb

… trewe vndirstondinge of holy writ seeme it neuere so hard at þe bigynnyng god graunte to vs alle grace to kunne wel & kepe wel hooly writ & suffre ioifully sum peyne for it at þe laste amen.

The General Prologue to the Wycliffite Bible. Wells VIII:41; Wells Rev. 2.547:52; IPMEP 205. Ed. FM I:1–60. Last chapter ed. Hudson, Selections, pp. 67–72 (from CUL Mm.2.15, collated i.a. with present MS). Text, and ascription to John Purvey discussed Hargreaves, pp. 409–411; Hudson, Selections, pp. 173–174; de Hamel (2001), pp. 175–176.

Other texts: BL Harley 1666, ff. 1–111^v (ends imperfectly in ch. xv); BL Royal 1.C.viii, ff. 1^r–1^v (first chapter only); BodL Bodley 277, ff. 1^ra–1^rb (first chapter only); Oxf. Lincoln Col lat. 119 (first chapter inserted after II Maccabees at f. 279; further parts of the General Prologue prefixed to the books they describe (cf. IMEP 8)); Oxf. University Col 96, ff. 1–94; CUL Kk.1.8, ff. 1^ra–29^rb; CUL Mm.2.15, ff. 275^ra–290^va (inserted after II Maccabees); Dublin Trinity Col 75, ff. 218^ra–251^ra. (NT with General Prologue inserted after Apoc. and before first prologue to the Wycliffite Psalter). From IPMEP's list of eleven MSS should be removed BL Harley 6333 and Manchester John Rylands Eng 77 (olim Ashburnham App. xx (FM's Ashburnham 3)), none of which contain the General Prologue, but rather the Prologue to the Gospel of Matthew beginning ‘Seynt austin seith …’ which is printed FM 1:44–49.