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Manuscript Description
Cambridge, Cambridge University Library MS Gg.4.31
 
Title:Piers Plowman, B version
Author:Langland
Contents:Piers Plowman, ff1-101, a Tabula headed Here ynsuethe the table off pyers plowman on f101v-103 by scribe's hand; A goodly preaer in verse by scribe's hand, f104-105v
Language:English and Latin
Date Range:Script late 15th or early 16th centuries.
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:Paper
No of Folios:2 paper flyleaves + ff1-105 text, 106 blank original, now with note by a contemporary hand on top of verso, 'Nota in prime passus de do better for Clerkes ad signum w h' and below also contemporary hand 'The profecy of pers' + stub + 2 paper flyleaves.
Pagination:Modern pencil, i-ii, 1-106, iii-iv.
Quiring:Various, 8-16
Signatures:Signatures A on f1, B on f12, C on f20, D on f36, E on f48, F on f60, G on f72, H on f97; cross on first leaf of second half of each quire, so eg on ff16 and 28. Note there may have been original ink foliation by hand of scribe, 'fo' followed by arabic; mostly cropped but bottoms can be seen on some leaves, and would have corresponded to folios referenced in table of contents.
Page Size:250 x 174
Frame:Left margin only in drypoint.
Writing Space:238 x c.140
Marginal Headings:Rubric used for headings, for Latin, even a single word of Latin in an English line; rubric by scribe attempting more formal script.
Title by Scribe:At the top of f1, 'Hic Incipit Petrus plow[man] / de visione liber primus', partly cropped at top, written by contemporary hand but not scribe's; see also f106v above 'The profecy of pers'.
Flourished Initials:Enlarged black initials to begin each passus.
Other Names (not owners):W. H.: see note on f106v re clerks (under 'number of folios' above); note on table of contents, f103 to right of top entry on that page of the table of contents, 'W H a prophecie of Byschoppes f72.
Miscellaneous Info:Late 15th-16th century; very interesting as evidence of interest in Piers at this period
Further Information:Luard, vol. 3, p. 177.
Centre for Medieval Studies, University of York, King's Manor, York YO1 7EP