Texts and manuscripts

This database contains a selection from the rich seam of texts and manuscripts studied by our project collaborators. It is a work in progress and entries will be added over the course of the project.

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Take a look at our Google map that shows the location of the manuscripts in the Project database.

Database

Entries are arranged alphabetically according to the name of the manuscript. This database was compiled by Lynette Kerridge.

If you have any questions or comments regarding the database please contact Diane Watt.

Title	Author	Date	Country of Origin	Location of Manuscript	Significance
ABC	Translated by Chaucer	14^thcentury	England	Cambridge University Library, MS Gg.iv.27	Possibly translated at the request of Blanche, Duchess of Lancaster.
Alma Redemptoris in A Book of Hours	Anonymous	Early 1460s	England	Cambridge, Sydney Sussex College, MS 37, early 1460s
Ancrene Wisse	Anonymous	Early 13^thcentury	England	London, British Library, MS CottonVitellius F.vii. 16 other surviving medieval MS	Monastic rule for anchoresses.
Barking Lives	Goscelin of St-Bertin	11th century	England	Dublin, Trinity College, MS176
Benois seront les misericordieux	Translated and compiled by Nicolas Finet	15th century	Low Countries	Brussels, Royal Library, MS 9296	Commissioned by Margaret of York, the Duchess of Burgundy. Companion volume to Le Dyalogue de la duchesse de Bourgogne a Jesus Christ.
Bisclavret	Marie de France	12^thcentury	France/ England	London, British Library, Harley MS 978	An early woman writer engages with themes associated with male courtly writers.
Boniface Correspondence			Germany	Karlsruhe, Badische Landesbibliothek. Cod. Rastatt 22
Book of Hours	Commissioned by Joan FitzAlan for her daughter, Mary.	d1419	England	Copenhagen, Kongelige Bibliotek, MS 547.4	Example of female patronage.
Book of Hours	Mary de Bohun			Copenhagen, Kongelige Bibliotek, MS 547
Book of Hours	Mary de Bohun			Oxford, Bodleian Library, MS Auct.D.4.4
Book of Hours	Owned by Hawisia du Bois	14th century		London, British Library	Contains Matilda Becket's prayer Click here to see this manuscript.
Book of Hours	Anonymous	Late 15th century	Netherlands	Den Haag, Museum Meermanno-Weststreenianum & Koninklijke Bibliotheek, KB, 76 F 2. fol. 277r
Book of Hours	Anonymous	13th century	Netherlands	Den Haag, Museum Meermanno-Weststreenianum & Koninklijke Bibliotheek, KB, 132 F 21 fol. 484v
Book of Hours	Marguerite D'Orleans		France	Paris, BNF, Departement des manuscrits Latin 1156B
the Book of Margery Kempe	Margery Kempe	c1373-1438	England	London, British Library, MS Additional, 61823	Considered the first autobiography in English.
the Book of The Dean of Lismore	Various	Mid 16th century	Scotland	National Library of Scotland Adv. 72.1.37	Earliest collection of Gaelic poetry to have survived from the medieval period. Contains poems by women.
Book of Gostlye Grace	Mechtild of Hackeborn	13th century
Cent Balades				London, British Library Harley MS 4431, f. 4r	Click here to see this manuscript.
the Chastising of God's Children	Anonymous		England	Cambridge, Magdalene College, MS Pepys 2125 Oxford, Bodleian Library, MS Rawlinson C57 and MS Bodley 505 Survives in 9 other MS	Addressed to a female reader in all but the first MS.
Chronicon AEthelweardi (fragments)	Anonymous			London, British Library, MS Cotton Otho A.x and A.xii
Collected works of Christine de Pizan	Christine de Pizan			British Library MS Harley 4431, f.1r	Works of a significant medieval writer. Click here to see this manuscript
Collection of Sermons				The National Library of Iceland JS602 4to	The manuscript was made for the author's daughter.
Commentary on the Penitential Psalms	Translated into English by Eleanor Hull	15^thcentury	France	Cambridge, CUL, MS Kk.1. 6	Eleanor Hull is the first named female translator in Middle English.
Confessio Amantis	John Gower	c1386	England	Cambridge, Trinity College MS R.3.2
Composite Ely manuscript	Anonymous			London, British Library, MS Cotton Caligula A.viii
a Daily Exercise in Death (see also A Work for Householders)	Richard Whitford	1537	England		Describes itself as written for the Syon nuns “at the request of the reverende Mother Dame Elizabeth Gybs,” abbess of Syon from 1498 to 1518.
De Virginitate and Carmen de virginitate	Aldhelm	c675-680	England	London, British Library, MS Royal 7D.XX1V Oxford, Bodleian Library, MSS Bodley 49,97 and 577 and Digby 146 and numerous others	Written for the nuns at Barking.
the Devonshire Manuscript		1450s	England	Tokyo, Takamiya, MS 8	Received by Margaret Beaufort (1443-1509) as a wedding gift.
Disce Mori	Anonymous	1453-1464	England	Oxford, Jesus College, MS39 (J) Later version Oxford Bodleian Library, MS Eng. th. C.57 (L)
'Drops of Blood'	Anonymous	c1490	England	London, British Library, MS Egerton 1821	MS begins an abstract representation of suffering and redemption through the blood. Click here to see the manuscript.
Ecclesiastical History	Bede		England	Oxford, Bodleian Library, eg MSS Hatton 43 and Tanner 10
Ellesmere Manuscript				San Marino, CA Huntington Library MS EL 26 C 9, f. 02v,
Encomium Emmae Reginae (or Gesta Cnutonis Regis)	Emma of Normandy	1041/2	England: believed to be Flemish	London, British Library, MS Additional 33241	Dowager queen provides her account of the Danish conquest, the reign of Cnut, and aftermath.. An illustration shows Queen Emma of Norway, mother of Edward the Confessor, receiving the Encomium Emmae Reginae from the author
Encomium Emmae Reginae (or Gesta Cnutonis Regis)	Emma of Normandy	late 14th century	England: believed to be Flemish	Copenhagen, Kongelige Bibliotek, Acc. 2011/5	Second "Edwardian" recension of the Encomium completed shortly after the accession of Edward the Confessor
Epistre Othea	Christine de Pizan	Early 15th century	France	London British Library, Harley MS 4431,fol.107r	Female authorship
Equitan	Marie de France	12^thcentury	France/ England	London, British Library, Harley MS 978	An early woman writer explores courtly themes such as loyalty and adulterous love.
Estoire de St Graal	Anonymous	1315-1325	France	London, British Library, Royal MS 14 E III f. 6v	Click here to see this manuscript.
Exeter Book	Anonymous. Donated to the library of Exeter Cathedral by Leofric the first bishop of Exeter in 1072	10th century	England	Exeter Cathedral Library, MS 3501, ff 8-130	Contains the poems Wulf and Eadwacer, the Wife's Lament, The Wanderer, and The Seafarer.
Exhortation addressed to Mary and Anne and other nuns of the convent of Amesbury	Anonymous	15th century	England	Oxford, Bodleian Library, MS Add A 42	Owned by the nuns of Amesbury.
the Fifteen Ioyes Of Mary	John Lydgate		England	Cambridge, Trinity College MS R.3.2	Marian text
the Formation of Anchoresses (De institutione inclusarum)	Aelred, Abbot of Rievaulx	12^thcentury	England	Oxford, Bodleian Library, MS Bodley 423 The Vernon Manuscript and numerous others.	Written for his sister.
Hagiographic vitae: Vita of Elizabeth of Spaalbeck: Vita of Christna Miribilis; Vita of Marie D'Oignies	Anonymous	13th century, written in Latin	Low Countries	London, British Library, Douce MS 114	Translated into the vernacular in the 15th century showing ongoing interest in gendered devotional modes
Hodoeporic	Hugeberc	Late 8th century	Germany
Horologium Sapientiae	Henry Suso		England	London, Lambeth Palace, MS 436
the Hours of the Virgin etc	Anonymous	14^thcentury	England	Cambridge, University Library, MS Ee 6.16	Owned by the nuns of Amesbury.
the Hours of the Virgin and Psalter	Anonymous	c1389-c1397	England	Edinburgh, National Library of Scotland, MS Advocate 18.6.5	Example of female patronage.
a Hymn to the Virgin	An holy anchoress of Mansfield		England	Oxford, Bodley, MS Ashmole 59, Folios 68-69v	Marian text authored by women.
Icelandic Book of Drawings	Many	15th century	Iceland	Iceland, Arni Magnusson Institute, AM 673a III 4to	Compiled in the scriptorium in Möðruvellir, Iceland under the auspices of Margrét Vigfúsdóttir, a woman who reigned over the district for forty years after she became widowed. Click here to see this manuscript.
Ignorancia Sacerdotum				Oxford, Bodleian Library, MS Eng. th. C.57 (E)
Itinerarium Egeriae (Travels of Egeria)	Egeria
the King's Mirror			Iceland	Copenhagen, Arnamagnæan Collection, Copenhagen University, AM 243 a fol. I	Compiled in the scriptorium in Möðruvellir, Iceland under the auspices of Margrét Vigfúsdóttir, a woman who reigned over the district for forty years after she became widowed. Click here to see this manuscript.
the Knight’s Tale	Geoffrey Chaucer	14^thcentury	England	The two most well-known manuscripts are held in the National Library of Wales, Aberystwyth Peniarth MS 392 D – The Hengwrt Chaucer and the Huntingdon Library, San Marino, California MS EL 26 C 9 – The Ellesmere Manuscript.	One of the tales included in The Canterbury Tales and thus an example of a medieval male authored canonical text.
Latin Letter to John Kempe	Anonymous	1431	Poland	Gdańsk, Archiwum Państwowe, APG 300, 27/3, fol. 12r.
a Lawbook on parchment				The Árni Magnússon institute for Icelandic studies AM 334 fol	Many Icelandic women owned such books and used them for teaching children how to read.
Lawbook	Anonymous	Mid 15th century	Iceland	Árni Magnússon Institute for Icelandic Studies, AM 132 4to.	Compiled in the scriptorium in Möðruvellir, Iceland under the auspices of Margrét Vigfúsdóttir, a woman who reigned over the district for forty years after she became widowed. Click here to see this manuscript.
Le Dyalogue de la duchesse de Bourgogne a Jesus Christ	Nicolas Finet	c1468	France/England	London, British Library, Add. MS 7970	Commissioned by Margaret of York, the Duchess of Burgundy. Companion volume to Benois seront les misericordieux. Click here to see this manuscript. Click here for the catalogue description.
Legendys of Hooly Wummen	Osbern Bokenham	?1393-?1464	England	London, British Library, MS Arundel 327	Female patronage MSS probably owned by nuns of Denney.
Letter from Agnes Paston to her husband	Agnes Paston	1140	England	London, British Library, Additional MS 43488.f. 4r
Letter to the Treasurer of the Crown of Aragon	Queen Mary de Luna		Spain	Archives of the Crown of Aragon, ACA R. 2350
Liber Celestis	Bridget of Sweden		England		Click here to see this manuscript.
Liber Confortatorius	Goscelin of St-Bertin	c 1080-1082	S England possibly Sherbourne	London, British Library, MS Sloane 3103, fols. 1-114	Addressed to the recluse, Eve of Wilton.
Liber Manualis	Dhuoda, wife of Duke Bernard	9th century	Uzes (in Septimania)	Paris, BNF, ms. 12293, XI, 2, 3-12
Life of Christina Markyate	Anonymous monk of St Albans	Mid 12^thcentury	England	London, British Library, MS Cotton Tiberius E.1	This text seems to have been based on interviews with Christina and her followers and supporters.
Life of Gregory	Whitby			St Gallen, Stiftsbibliothek, Sang, 567
Live of Edward the Confessor	Anonymous		England	Cambridge, CUL Ee.3.59,fo 11v
Life of our Lady	John Lydgate	15^thcentury	England	Durham University Library, MS Cosin V.II.16 Oxford, Bodleian Library, Douce 322 and Hatton MS 73	Marian text
Life of Leoba	Rudolf of Fulda		Germany	Munich, Bayerische Staatsbibliothek, Cod. Clm 11321
Life of St Mildreth	Goscelin of St-Bertin	11th century	England	London, British Library, MS Cotton Vespasian B.xx
Life of St Mildreth (fragment)	Goscelin of St-Bertin	11th century	England	London, British Library, MS Cotton Caligula A.xiv
Lives of Willebald and Winnebald	Hugeburc		Germany	Munich, Bayerische Staatsbibliothek, Cod, Clm 8112
Livre de la Cité des Dames	Christine de Pizan	Early 15th century	France	Paris, Bibliothèque nationale de France, fr. 1178,fol 3r	Feminist text adapted in modern times for radio and referred to in Amanda Foreman's the Ascent of Woman
the Manere of Good Lyvyng	Bernard of Clairvaux	12th century		Oxford, Bodleian Library, MS Laud misc. 517	Conduct book.
Manuscript compilation		Complied between 1479 and 1488		Oxford, Bodleian Library, MS Ashmole 61
Manuscripts concerning genealogies		Mid 14th century		London, British Library, Cotton Tiberius EI 12.v and 13.r and Royal 14 B VI	Click here and here to see these manuscripts.
Manuscript containing a letter in support of Catherine of Siena's canonization	Stephen Maconi		England	Oxford, Bodleian Libary MS Douce 114
Meditation to the Name of Jesus	Translated into English by Eleanor Hull			Dublin, Trinity College MS 374, fols 35r-43v	Eleanor Hull is the first named female translator in Middle English.
Meditacyons vpon the VII Dayes of the Woke	Translated into English by Eleanor Hull	15^thcentury	France	Cambridge, CUL, MS Kk.1. 6.	Eleanor Hull is the first named female translator in Middle English.
Minster-in-Thanet foundation narrative			England	Oxford, Bodleian Library, MS Bodley 285
the Mirror of Simple Souls	Marguerite Porete	Early 14th century	English translation (France)	British Library, MS Add 37790	The author is the only female Christian mystic to be burned for heresy. The English translation circulated anonymously.
Old English Martyrology	Anonymous	Late 9th century	Mercia	Cambridge, Corpus Christi College, MS 196 Trinity College, MS 0.2.1 London, British Library, MS Cotton Julius A.x
Oratio Elinore percie Ducissa Buckammie	Eleanor Percy	1474-1530	England	London, British Library, Arundel MS 318	Translation of Gaude virgo, mater Christi.
the Orcherd of Syon	St Catherine of Siena	15th century	England		Middle English translation of Catherine of Siena’s Dialogue
Passio Edwardi				Oxford, St John's College, MS 96
the Passio of St Margaret		14th century		London, British Library, MS Egerton 877	Click here to see this manuscript.
Pearl	Anonymous	Late 14^thcentury	NE England	London, British Library, Cotton Nero A.X, fols. 37-55	Relationship to anchoritic tradition; of interest to female readership.
Percy Hours		Early 15th century		London, British Library, MS Harley 1260, ff 176b-178b	Contains Matilda Becket's prayer
the Pore Caitif	John Wycliffe	Late 14^thcentury	England	London, Society of Antiquaries, SAL/MS/300	An inscription indicates that Dame Margaret Hasley, Sister in the Order of Minoresses, presented this work to another Sister.
the Prick of Conscience	Anonymous	1300-1350	England	Leeds University, Brotherton Library, BC MS 500
a Revelation of Divine Love	Julian of Norwich	Late 14^thcentury or early 15^thcentury	England	London, British Library, MS Sloane 2499 (MS S1) MS Sloane 3705 (MS S2)	Expanded revision of A Vision Showed to a Devout Woman c1380s or 1390s.
the Romance of the Rose	Guillaume de Lorris	1230	France	Oxford, Bodleian library, MS Douce 364 Folio 8r
the Rothschild Canticles				Yale University, Beinecke Rare Book & Manuscript Library MS 404. f.94r.
Siege of Thebes & Regiment of Princes	John Lydgate & Thomas Hoccleve	Mid 15^thcentury	England	London, British Library, & London, British Library, MS 18632	Presented to the nuns of Amesbury in 1508
Sir Gawain and the Green Knight	Anonymous	Late 14^thcentury	England	London, British Library, MS Cotton Nero A.x	Example of a medieval male authored canonical text. Includes transgressive female characters.
Sir Orfeo	Anonymous	c1330	England	London, British Library, Auchinleck MS, Advocates 19.2.1 and two later versions	Felicity Riddy suggests possible female ownership. Click here for more information.
the St Alban’s Psalter	Anonymous	c1096/8 – c1160	England	Hildesheim, Dombibliothek, MS St Godehard 1	Created for Christina of Markyate by Abbot Geoffrey.
the Taymouth Hours				London, British Library, Yates Thomson 13, f. 68v
Topography of Ireland	Gerald of Wales	12^thcentury	Wales	London, British Library, Royal MS 13 B VIII http://www.bl.uk/manuscripts/FullDisplay.aspx?ref=Royal_MS_13_b_viii	Contains the courteous werewolf trope and therefore useful in comparison with Marie’s depiction of Bisclavret.
Translatio of Edith of Wilton	Goscelin of St-Bertin	11^thcentury	England	Oxford, Bodleian Library, Rawlinson, C938 ff 1-29	Bears a close relationship to Liber confortatorius.
the Tretyse of Love			England	London, British Library, Incunabula Short Title Catalogue	Addressed to a ‘dere suster’
the Vienna Boniface Codex				Vienna, Oestereichische Nationalsbibliothek Cod. Lat.Vindobonensis 751
a Vision Showed to A Devout Woman	Julian of Norwich	14^thcentury	England	London, British Library, MS Add 37790
Vita AEdwardi Regis	Anonymous	c1067	England	London, British Library, Harley MS 526	Written for Edith, Queen consort of England
Vita of Edith of Wilton	Goscelin of St-Bertin	11^thcentury	England	Cardiff, Public Library, MSI.381, ff 181-120 Oxford, Bodleian Library, Rawlinson, C938 ff 1-29	Bears a close relationship to Liber confortatorius.
Vita of St Godric of Finchale	Reginald of Durham	1170s	England	British Library, MS Royal 5F vii	Early notated vernacular songs in a female context
Vita of St Godric of Finchale (Anglo-Norman translation)		13th century	France	Paris, Bibliotheque Mazarine 1716	A Saints' legendary, addressed to a female aristocrat.
Wilton Psalter		13th century	France	Cologny, Fondation Martin Bodmer, Cod Bodmer 82	Click here to see this manuscript.
a Work for Householders (see also A Daily Exercise in Death)	Richard Whitford	1537	England		Constructs a model of household governance organized around the contemplative life of the lay male householder and his pastoral command of his familia

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