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Manuscript Description
Cambridge, Cambridge University Library MS Ll.4.14
 
Title:Piers Plowman, B version
Author:Langland
Contents:Piers Plowman ending f107r, 'Explicit hic Dialogus Petri Plowman
plus on ff107v-119r Poem on the Deposition of Richard II in same hand and written in alliterative long lines (so Luard guesses intended as a continuation of Piers Plowman). Then other works by different hands, possibly separate booklets originally: ff27-148v treatise on The Art of Nounbring; ff153-156v The Wise Book of Philosophy and Astronomy, which continues as if same work, ff156v-1159v treatise on Phisiognomy, ff161-163r Tabula Psalmorum, ff164-167r Sententiae Doctorum, ff158, 168 gone and f169 blank, f170 a short glossary to Piers Plowman, ff173-174v Piers of Fulham, Doctrine of Ffisshing and Foulynge.
Language:English and Latin
Date Range:15th century
Scribal Hands:
Examples of the hand. Click on the link above for full details and images of individual letter forms.
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Dialect:LP : 673; County : Ely
Material:Paper
No of Folios:2 new blank paper flyleaves + 2 older paper flyleaves the second only inner half with note running bottom to top + text block ff 1-119 Piers Plowman, then note that ff 120-125 gone on f126 which is blank otherwise + Ll.4.14 No 2 (Part 2) ff127-148, and on verso of f148 a note that ff149-152 gone + on f153 'Ll.4.14 No 3' ff153-163 + on f164 'Ll.4.14 No 4' ff164-174 + 2 new paper flyleaves.
Pagination:Modern pencil foliation upper outer corners recto after f119, some numbers that didn't count missing folios have been crossed through and the new ones written in place. so eg goes from f119 to f120 to f127; modern foliator has also added the references to Luard's item numbers as noted above, in upper outer corner recto where each item begins.
Quiring:14s; collation (possibly by Jane Ringrose?) inside back cover: 2 flyleaves, a-h14 i14 (wants 8-13) / A16 B10 (wants 7-10) / C8 (wants 8) / D12 (wants 8, 11, 12) / E2 : ii + 160 ff (out of 174).
Signatures:Some signatures survive, in ink, probably by scribe as ink colour same, arabic number above lower case letter or reversed letter over number, as ff15-21 have '1' over 'b' through '7' over 'b', whereas ff29-34 have 'C' over '1' through 'C' over '6
ff43-49 have 'd' over '1' through 'd' over '7', so also e, f, g, and h.
Page Size:285 x 212
Frame:Looks like only left edge drawn possibly drypoint, and then chain lines used to keep lines straight.
Writing Space:In Piers 203 x c. 100
Incipits and Explicits:On f107r 'Explicit hic Dialogus Petri Plowman'.
Marginal Headings:Passus headings just as 'Passus xj-us' by scribe in margin beside new passus which begins with 2-line red initial; red underlining under this marginal heading.
Flourished Initials:At beginning of Piers, 3-line plain red initial I, thereafter plain 2-line red initials for breaks; fine red underlining for Latin and for proper names, red half box around some marginalia eg f39; scribe decorates ascenders in top line on some leaves.
Miscellaneous Info:Poem on deposition of Richard II begins, f107v, 'And as I passid in my preiere þes prestis were at messe / In blessid borugh þat bristow is named...
Further Information:Luard, 4.66-68.
Centre for Medieval Studies, University of York, King's Manor, York YO1 7EP