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Manuscript Description
Liverpool, Liverpool Public Library MS f909 HIG
 
MS Appellation:L (Waldron)
Title:Polychronicon
Author:Trevisa's translation of Higden
Contents:Trevisa, Polychronicon (Latin and English Indexes folios 1-13; Text 13rb-220v
Language:English
Date Range:1440-1465
Scribal Hands:
Examples of the hand. Click on the link above for full details and images of individual letter forms.
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Material:Parchment
No of Folios:ii flyleaves + text block 220 folios + ii flyleaves
Pagination:1-220; Ker notes that last four leaves misbound and should be in order 217, 219, 218, 220 (that is, inner bifolium turned over).
Quiring:8s
Catchwords:According to Waldron catchwords present on ff 8, 16, 24, 32, 39, 55, 63, 71, 79, 87(?), 93, 101, 109, 117, 125, 133, 141, 157, 165(?), 173, 181, 189, 197.
Page Size:365 x 255
Writing Space:250 x 170
Marginal Headings:Chapter Headings.
Table of Contents:Latin index ff1-7, English index ff7-13 with references to book and chapter, not to folios.
Borders:Waldron p. xxxvi: 'At major sections, six- to twelve-line illuminated initials in blue, magenta, green and gold, extended to broad floreate border in one to three margins'.
Flourished Initials:'For chapters, three-line initials in blue with red penwork flourishing. Folio 52vb: double Noah's Ark illustration, red pen-drawn outlines only, with rubrics in red and black ink.'
Other Names (not owners):Arms in the initial on f1 'party per pale sable and gules' (Ker, 3.270) but this not enough to identify. Ownership by Canford School, Wimborne, and known to have belonged ('traditionally' according to Ker, 3.270) to A. H. Layard, died 1894; sold Sotheby's 12 December 1966, lot 202, to Traylen; Traylen Catalogue 77 (1972), item 18, acquired by Liverpool Public Libraries from him.
Further Information:Ker, MMBL, 3.269-270. Ronald Waldron, John Trevisa's Translation of the Polychronicon of Ranulph Higden, Book VI, Middle English Texts 35 (2004), pp. xxxv-xxxvi.
Centre for Medieval Studies, University of York, King's Manor, York YO1 7EP