Important Notice: This site will be taken offline in July 2026.
The data from this project will remain available through our data archive at
https://www.dhi.ac.uk/data/medievalscribes
Manuscript Description Oxford, Bodleian Library, Bodley 851 | |
| Title: | Piers Plowman |
| Author: | Langland |
| Contents: | Walter Map, De Nugis Curialum, anthology of Latin poems, Piers Plowman Z text with C continuation. |
| Language: | English and Latin |
| Datable: | Fratri Iohanni Monacho de Ramesey died in 1388, but Piers texts likely later additions. |
| Date Range: | 1375-1400 |
| Scribal Hands: | Examples of the hand. Click on the link above for full details and images of individual letter forms. ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() Examples of the hand. Click on the link above for full details and images of individual letter forms. ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
| Dialect: | Z text Worcs (LP 7700), ff139-40 Suffolk/N.E. Norfolk, ff141-208 Worcs. |
| Material: | Parchment |
| No of Folios: | 209 |
| Pagination: | Top right hand corner in pencil. |
| Quiring: | Piers Z text quired in 8s; continuation quired in 6s, 8s and a single quire of 10. |
| Signatures: | Traces of quire signatures, eg ff132-5. |
| Page Size: | 180 x 240 |
| Frame: | Ruled in drypoint |
| Writing Space: | 185 x 125 |
| Marginal Headings: | Passus numbers in form ‘passus primus’ in blank space at beginnings of passus. |
| Table of Contents: | No table of contents |
| Title by Scribe: | No heading for Piers Plowman |
| Flourished Initials: | 2-3 line decorated initials in blue/red with red penwork at opening of individual passus. |
| Further Information: | Brewer and Rigg 1994 |

































