Copy number: T-052(1)

Bound after 76 leaves of a fifteenth-century English manuscript, containing interpretations of obscure words in the Bible in Revening's hand.

Binding: Fifteenth-century parchment and textile laminate long-stitch binding, the lower board extending to form a fore-edge flap. Cover turn-ins, the perimeter sewn with zigzag stitching in white thread. Binding sewn in three phases. Phase I (manuscript only): long-stitch in blue thread through cover. Internal and external parchment reinforcement guards for each gathering. Phase II: Phormio sewn, using long-stitch in white or pink thread, after leaf 76 (ult.) of manuscript, and before stubs of two further leaves with external guard. Each gathering of the incunable contains blank parchment internal reinforcement guards. Text block of Phormio untrimmed, retaining deckle-edges and pin-holes, an indication that this is its first binding. Phase III: the first three gatherings of the manuscript resewn with long-stitch in white thread, with different parchment internal and external guards from a twelfth-century manuscript with musical notation. For a similar binding structure, compare with Shrewsbury School Library MS. 14 in J. A. Szirmai, The Archaeology of Medieval Bookbinding (Aldershot, 1999), 289 pls 10.11 [a–c]. For zigzag perimeter sewing see Public Record Office E101/401/2, Account book (1383) of William de Pakyngton, keeper of the wardrobe for the King's household, deposited in the King's Remembrancer's Office. ‘Obscura Verba Bibl Explicantur' in manuscript vertically along the spine (ex informatione Andrew Honey). On the textile cover inside the upper cover are drawn the Cross and the Symbols of the Crucifixion.

Size: 226 × 173 × 28 mm.

Size of leaf: 216 × 146 mm.

A few marginal notes and interlinear notes in a contemporary English hand, supplying synonyms, pen-trials including the name ‘Pantaleo Massa(?)', and a sketch of three figures in a cell, probably based on a woodcut. The name ‘Revenyng' in black ink in blocked letters on the textile cover inside the rear pastedown.

Provenance: [ ] Revening (fifteenth century?); rear pastedown, and inscription ‘ . . . esto michi . . . quod Revening' at head of verso of last leaf of item 1. Richard Morys (fl. 1522?); inscription ‘magister(?) Rychard morys' on d8v. Thomas, Lord Fairfax (1612-1671); shelfmark: ‘Fairfax 18' in manuscript on the upper cover; ‘18' both manuscript and stamped in white ink horizontally at the head of the spine; see SC 3898. Bequeathed in 1671.

SHELFMARK: MS. Fairfax 18.