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Manuscript Description
Oxford, Bodleian Library MS Ashmole 39
 
MS Appellation:Life of Our Lady
Title:Life of Our Lady
Author:Lydgate
Contents:Lydgate, Life of Our Lady
Language:English
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:Parchment pastedown with writing + 109 paper leaves and parchment pastedown with writing.
Pagination:Modern pencil foliation in upper outer corners recto.
Quiring:12s, though some appear incomplete and some are longer. Parchment stub between 7-8, 11-12, 23-24, 37-38, 49-50, 61-62, 75-76, 90-91, 97-98, 103-104
Signatures:No signatures remain.
Catchwords:7v, 15v, 31v, 43v, 55v, 67v, 83v, 97v in a smaller font than the text, not as formal and written by the scribe.
Page Size:288 x 205
Frame:A plain square extending to edges of folios in fine grey/brown
Writing Space:207 x 110 ruled space, but scribe uses 183 x 90
Marginal Headings:In rubric, by the scribe, in space between stanzas. Initials touched with red and initials of glosses and chapter numbers in outer margins also touched with red. Looped underlining for glosses.
Table of Contents:Sub-headings for portions of text rubric with initials; list of chapters by main scribe's hand on ff1-3; text begins f3v, possibly initials in strapwork in upper margin of f3v.
Title by Scribe:Rubric heading on f1, 'This boke was compiled by Daun John Lydgate monke of Bury at þe exitacion & sterynge of oure wyrshipfull prince kyng henry the vth in the honoure & wirship of the birthe of þe most glorious maide wyf & modir of oure lord Ihu Crist Ahapitrid & markid aftyr this table that foloweth'.
Flourished Initials:Black initials 2-3 lines high with red shadow strokes. Both black and red form strap-work above the letter. Pine-cone patterns free-standing to the left of the letters.
Further Information:On boards with white leather, probably not the original binding since clearly covers knobs where clasps attached on previous binding which never came through the current leather cover.
Centre for Medieval Studies, University of York, King's Manor, York YO1 7EP