English Historical Review 54 (1939) pp. 88-95


'Leland's' Lists of Manuscripts in Lincolnshire
Monasteries

THE following book-lists,1 generally attributed to Leland, are not
mentioned by Miss Lucy Toulmin-Smith in the bibliography of
Leland MSS. in the first volume of her edition of the Itinerary,
nor have they previously been printed in full, although they have
been used in the catalogues of the Royal MSS. in the British
Museum and of the manuscripts in the Lincoln Chapter Library,
and in the Victoria County History of Lincolnshire—in the last
with some erroneous identifications of the books.

These lists of the more interesting books of history and
divinity in Lincolnshire religious houses, prepared for and anno-
tated by Henry VIII, who has apparently marked 2 which volumes
he desired for the Royal Library, are most likely to have been
compiled by Leland, the king's antiquary ; they resemble similar
lists in the Collectanea, and the ' elegant variation ' of the style
is strongly reminiscent of Leland's latinity.

In the 'laborious journey' of which the Collectanea was the
fruit, Leland appears to have travelled northwards through
Lincolnshire, where he visited Spalding, Revesby, Tupholme,
Bardeney, and Thornton. The thirty-three houses here listed
(not all visited) represent no geographical order, the arrangement
seems to be quite fortuitous, but they include no house South of
Boston or West of Lincoln. Revesby, Tupholme, Bardeney, and
Thornton were revisited for the purpose of this fuller list of books.

Leland, if he was the author, must have visited these houses
at least before the surrender of Sixhill on 29 September 1538, for
he mentions that the pest prevented him from seeing the books
there. It is probable that his visit was made before the Pilgrimage
of Grace in 1536.

It is noteworthy that in the library of the Lincoln Carmelites
he saw a copy of Osbern of Gloucester's dialogue on the Penta-
teuch, whereas in his article on that author 3 he says that his
works, formerly at Gloucester, were now in Henry VIII's hands,
' quos modo nusquam alibi gentium extare arbitror '. Such a lapse
of memory would be extraordinary on Leland's part, and is enough
to make his authorship of this document uncertain ; his accurate
memory of books he had seen is shown throughout his work, e.g.
in the article on Joseph of Exeter,4 in which he mentions copies of
Dares Phrygius seen at Magdalen, and, when he was a student at

1 Brit. Mus. MS. Roy., Appendix 69.

2 In the following lists the volumes marked with an asterisk are in the manuscript
marked by a cross. In some cases the total number required from individual houses
was marked in the margin thus, ' R. 6 ', ' R. 3 ', &c.

3 De Scriptoribus, p. 183. 4 Ibid. pp. 236-7.


|p89

Paris, in the Victorian Library and in the house of Francis Sylvius,
and copies of Joseph of Exeter seen at Thorney and among the
dust and cockroaches of the library at Abingdon. He was not
likely to forget an almost unique work.

A list of extant manuscripts from these houses has in each
case been appended here ; it may serve to illustrate the principles
of selection adopted. It seems strange that at Greyfriars, Lincoln,
Leland did not note the history of Arator (now Westminster Abbey
MS. 17) or at Barlings the Itinerarium Hierosolymitarum of Peter
Tudebod (now Escorial MS. d. III, 11). At Lincoln cathedral
he appears to have made use of the old catalogue, whose inaccuracy
he repeats.

Whether by Leland or not, these book-lists throw some light
on the similar lists in the Collectanea, and suggest that the books
there marked are not only marked with a view to mention in his
bibliography of English writers, and that the purpose of his journey
was not only to record the monuments of antiquity, but also to
look out for desirable additions to the Royal Library.

J. R. LIDDELL.


Tabula librorum de Historiis antiquitatum ac divinitate tractancium in
librariis et domibus religiosis subscriptis repertorum nulla mencione
habita de libris communiter impressis seu de materiis predictis minime
tractancibus.

LlBRARIA ECCLESIE CATHEDRALIS SANCTE MARIE LINCOLNIENSIS 1

       * Ivo Carnotensis episcopus ante collectionem catharisticarum
regularum.2
Historia de Vita et gestis sancti hugonis lincolniensis episcopi.3
* Petrus de Aureolis.4
* Culton abbreviatio super librum sententiarum.5
* Pronosticon futuri seculi.6
liber Canonum romanorum pontificum.7
* liber statutorum romanorum pontificum.8
Vegesius de re militari.9

1 This list is printed in Catalogue of the Manuscripts of Lincoln Cathedral Chapter
Library,
by R. M. Woolley (Oxford 1927), pp. xvi-xviii; see the old catalogue of Lincoln
(ibid. pp. x ff.) for other Lincoln MSS. not here mentioned.

2 No. 60 in old cat. ; 2 fo Votum vero. Now B.M. Roy. 11, D. VII.

3 No. 104 in old cat. ; 2 fo Nu . . . hereticos. Unidentified.

4 No. 4 in old cat.; 2 fo Canticorum octavo. Now B.M. Roy. 8, G. III.

5 No. 32 in old cat.; 2 fo Ciat. Now B.M. Roy. 11, B. I (Snedisham's abbreviation
of Cowton on the Sentences, &c.).

6 No. 35 in old cat. ; 2 fo divinus sapor. Unidentified (no doubt Juliani Toletani
Pronosticon).

7 No. 50 in old cat.; 2 fo Oportune. Now Lincoln cath. lib. 161.

8 No. 51 in old eat.; 2 fo cicius. Unidentified.

8 No. 86 in old cat.; 2 fo Confidenciam. Now Lincoln cath. lib. 15 (really Radulphus
Niger). ' Leland ' follows the errors of the old catalogue.


|p90

 

Cassiodorus super psalterium.1
Breviarium Barnardi papiensis prepositi.2
R. 6. * Cronica cestrensis.3

fol. 2V

PRIORATUS SANCTE KATERINE EXTRA LINCOLNIAM

vel omnes vel  { Robertus de Bridlington super Vetus testamentum.
antiquior  -{ Magister Gilbertus super Vetus testamentum.
istorum { Willelmus de Monte super Vetus testamentum.4

DOMUS FRATRUM CARMELITARUM INFRA LINCOLNIAM

      Cronica Martini de gestis summorum pontificum et imperatorum.

Vita Sancti Edwardi anglorum regis et confessoris edita per
Ethelredum abbatem Rivallis.

Dialogus osberni glocestrensis monachi de questioni- }
bus in libros genesis, exodi, levitici numeri et  } in uno
deuteronomii. Tractatus eiusdem super librum  } volumine.5
Iudicum. }
*

Historia romana per Paulum Diaconum soripta que incipit ante
inicium historie quam composuit eutropius.

* Historia anglorum per Henricum Huntingdonensem.
R.3  

Vincencius de morali principis instrucione et de puerorum nobilium
erudicione.

fol.3

DOMUS FRATRUM MINORUM IBIDEM 7

          

Historia albigensium hereticorum que quidem heresis incepit in
provincia Narbonensi et in civitate Tholosana.

Hamo super Isaiam usque ad capitulum xlvtum.
Breviarium eutropii  }
De origine et gestis Francorum }-  in uno volumine
Frigius de Bello troiano }

 

DOMUS FRATRUM PREDICATORUM IBIDEM

Alexander super Proverbia salamonis.
      

Historia anglorum per Henricum Huntingdonensem Archidia-
conum contexta.8

1 No. 97 in old cat. ; 2 fo virtutibus. Now Lincoln cath. lib. 174.

2 No. 101 in old cat.; 2 fo mire . . . non fuerit (?) Now Lincoln cath. lib. 163 ?

3 No. 102 in old cat.; 2 fo est ab octo. Now B.M. Roy. 13, E. I (Ranulphi Higden
Polychronicon).

4 Perhaps now B.M. Roy. 4, B. VIII. 5 See above, p. 88.

6 Now B.M. Roy. 13, C. IV.

7 Extant manuscripts from this house are : Cambridge, Peterhouse 89, Lambeth
57, Lincoln cath. lib. 41 and 208, Westminster Abbey 17.

8 Now B.M. Roy. 13, B. VI.


|p91

fol. 3V

DOMUS FRATRUM AUGUSTINIENSIUM IBIDEM

Quamquam sunt ibidem nonnulli libri tamen aut communi in usu
aut impressi vel de materiis huiusmodi minime tractantes.

 

PRIORATUS SANCTE KATERINE EXTRA LINCOLNIAM

vacat quere antea.

MONASTERIUM DE BARLINGIS 1

Ammonius Alexandrinus de quattuor evangeliis.2
       Haymo super apocalypsim.
Haymo super cantica canticorum.

 

fol.4

MONASTERIUM DE THORNTONIA 3

Ivo Carnotensis de communibus regulis sacre scripture.
Libellus de Iuribus et consuetudinibus Normannorum.
Tractatus Willelmi de Abyndonia de septem viciis.
* Libellus de gestis pontificum anglorum.
        

Summa magistri Petri de Vineis super gestis Frederici Imperatoris
et regum romanorum.4

R. 3.

 

MONASTERIUM DE NEWSOMIA

Sunt ibidem complures libri communes tamen arteque impressoria
litteris dediti.

fol. 4V

 

MONASTERIUM DE HUMBERSTONIA

Similiter sunt ibidem Nonnulli libri minime tamen ad rem perti-
nentes.

 

PRIORATUS DE THORNHOLMIA 5

Sunt eciam in hoc prioratu complures codices sed vel communes
arteve impressoria litteris imbuti.

 

MONASTERIUM DE NEWSTED

Sunt etenim in huiusmodi monasterio multi libri qui tamen vel
sunt impressi vel de materiis nostris minime tractantes.

 

1 Extant manuscripts from this house are : Cambridge, Emmanuel 17, Madrid,
Escorial d. III. 11.

2 Now B.M. Roy. 3, B. XV.

3 Cf. Collectanea, iv. 34. Extant manuscripts from this house are : B.M. Harl. 2,
Lambeth 486.

4 Now B.M. Cotton Vespas. A. XI.

5 Bodl. Hatton 28 (S.C. 4066), probably came from this house.


|p92

fol. 5

PRIORATUS DE ELSHAMIA

Sunt eciam in hoc loco complures libri communes tamen vel
impressi vel ad materias minime spectantes.

 

PRIORATUS DE BULLINGTONIA

Robertus de Bridlingtonia super epistolas Pauli.
        Concordia quattuor evangelistarum secundum interpretacionem.
Clementis quondam prioris lanthoniensis ecclesie.
* Libellus de libertatibus anglie.
Egidius de Regimine principum.

 

PRIORATUS DE ORMESBY

Multi sunt ibidem libri non tamen ad rem pertinentes vel com-
muniter impressi.

fol. 5V

MONASTERIUM DE BARDENEY 1

      * Radulphus de peccatore.2
Petrus super epistolas pauli.
Tertulianus super quatuor evangelia.
Petrus Amfulsus de contemptu mundi.
Isidorus super vetus testamentum.
Sentencie magistri Hugonis de sancto Victore.
*   Sentencie magistri petri parisiensis.3
Distinctiones magistri Willelmi lincolniensis.4

Opusculum magistri Hugonis de archa ecclesie et de archa matris
nostre.

* Vita Anachoritarum Utriusque sexus.
* Cronica fratris Martini.5
Historia regis Macedonum.
R. 4.   Libellus fulcheri de captatione Jerusalem.

fol. 6

 

MONASTERIUM DE WELHOW

Sunt ibidem complures codices sed vel impressi seu de materiis
non tractantes.

 

DOMUS FRATRUM MINORUM APUD GRYMESBY

Similiter sunt in libraria eiusdem nonnulli sed tamen vel communes
impressive.

1 Cf. Collectanea, iv. 33.                     2 Now B.M. Roy. 7, A. III.

3 Perhaps now B.M. Roy. 9, B. IX, which was at Bardeney in the thirteenth
century but later at Tatteshall—it may have returned to Bardeney.

4 Now B.M. Roy. 10, A. VII.                5 Now B.M. Roy. 13, A. VII.


|p93

DOMUS FRATRUM AUGUSTINIENSIUM IBIDEM

Sunt eciam in eadem domo plures codices vetustissimi tamen vel
impressi seu ad rem non pertinentes.

 

PRIORATUS DE SIXHILL

Ibidem non interfui causa pestis in eodem prioratu regnantis.

fol. 6V

 

MONASTERIUM DE LOUTH PARK 1

In huiusmodi Cenobio sunt complures libri neque ad materias
pertinentes nisi sint litteris impressi.

MONASTERIUM DE TUPHOLMIA 2

* Concordancia Eusebii super quattuor evangelistas.3

MONASTERIUM DE HANGEBY 4

Cronica regum anglie ab anno domini Millesimo usque ad annum.
{ Eiusdem Millesimum cccxiimum.
R. 2.   {   Heraclides episcopus de Vita sanctorum patrum.

fol. 7

 

PRIORATUS DE MARKBY

R. 1.  

* Pantheon Gotifredi Viterbiensis de mundi principio, de universo
veteri et novo testamento, de statibus omnibus et temporibus
seculorum, de omnibus mundi regnis regibusque. et gestis
eorum de omnibus romanis pontificibus et imperatoribus
romanorum ab inicio mundi usque ad tempora gregorii pape
octavi et Frederici imperatoris primi et filii eius Regis Henrici
sexti.5

 

CELLA DE FRESTON

Eusebius episcopus super ecclesiasticum.
Beda de situ terre sancte et locis in ea.

 

DOMUS FRATRUM AUGUSTINIENSIUM IN BOSTON

Bibliothecam ibidem non visitavimus causa pestis ibidem reg-
nantis.

fol. 7v

 

DOMUS FRATRUM MINORUM IN BOSTONIA

Libros ibidem non vidimus propter absenciam Prioris eiusdem
domus.

1 Extant manuscripts from this house are: Cambridge, Univ. lib. Dd. I. 29, and
Kk. 4. 15; Lincoln cath. lib. 47, ? Bodl. Fairfax 17 (S.C. 3897).

2 Cf. Collectanea, iv. 32.                                    3 Now B.M. Roy. 4, A. IV.

4 B.M. Roy. 5, F. V, came from this house.           5 Now B.M. Roy. 14, C. XI.


|p94

DOMUS FRATRUM PREDICATORUM IBIDEM

Historia turpini remensis Archiepiscopi de Karolo magno quomodo
terram hispanie de proprietate saracenorum liberavit.

Cronica summorum pontificum et imperatorum }
{ De gestis troianorum }
* -{  Historia grecorum } in uno
       { Historia Britonum } volumine.1
{ Albertus de mirabilibus }
Lugdunensis de virtutibus et vitiis.
Petrus de tharentasia super epistolas Pauli.
Idem Petrus super quartum sententiarum.
Gorham super Lucam.


DOMUS CARMELITARUM IBIDEM

R. 1.          Multi sunt ibidem libri sed tamen communes impressive.

 

MONASTERIUM DE KIRKSTED 2

     

Tractatus de legibus et consuetudinibus regum anglie tempore
Henrici secundi compositus.

Hugo in cronicis.
Imago mundi cronica ab Adam usque ad henricum imperatorem.
Omelie quedam Domini gilberti quondam abbatis de Hoylandia.
Robertus de Bridlingtonia super Exodum.
*

Differencia mundane theologie et divine et de demonstracionibus
earum.

* Radulphus flaviasensis monachus super leviticum.3
R. 3.  Stephanus Archiepiscopus super Isaiam thobiam Judith et Hester.

 

MONASTERIUM DE REVESBY 4

Baldwynus de sacramentis et de fide.
{ Alredus de spiritali amicicia }
* -{ Allegorie magistri Richardi super vetus et novum } in uno
{ testamentum } volumine.5
{ Meditaciones Hugonis Prioris cartusie }
       Robertus de Bridlingtonia in xii prophetas.
Rabanus super libros regum.
Bricius de trinitate.
* Sermones Roberti grosted lincolniensis episcopi.6
Hugo de sacramentis.

 

1 Now perhaps B.M. Roy. 13, A. V, which contains Martini Poloni chronicon,
Dares Phrygius, Geofirey of Monmouth, and Albertus de mineralibus.

2 Extant manuscripts from this house are : Cambridge, Univ. lib. Ff. 4, 1 and ?
Ii. 2, 3 (I am indebted for this reference to Mr. H. L. Pink), B.M. Roy. 7, F. V.

3 Now B.M, Roy. 3, D. IX.                 4 Cf. Collectanea, iv. 32.

5 Now B.M, Roy. 8, F, I.                    6 Now B.M. Roy. 7, D. XV.


|p95

fol. 9

COLLEGIUM DE TATTESHALL

*   Compendium morale cum aliis et de indulgenciis.1
* Distinctiones Johannis laithorp.2
Lincolniensis de penitencia.
Idem de occulo morali et aliis.
* Cawton super libros sententiarum.3
* Lincolniensis de pronosticacione cum aliis.4
Lincolniensis de mandatis.
* Distinciones Willelmi de montibus lincolniensis cancellarii.5
R. 7.  Distinciones per grosthede.6

 

PRIORATUS DE KYMA

Multi sunt ibidem libri communes tamen impressive vel de
materiis minime tractancibus.

fol.9v

PRIORATUS DE HAVERHOLMIA

Quamvis multi in bibliotheca eiusdem domus sint libri, communes
tamen impressive.

PRIORATUS DE NOCTONIA 7

Sunt ibidem similiter nonnulli libri de causis predictis minime
tractancibus saltem non impressi.

1 Now B.M. Roy. 8, G. VI.

2 Now B.M. Roy. 11, A. XIII (Distinctiones Johannis Lathbury).

3 Now B.M. Roy. 11, B. VI (Cowton super libros sententiarum).

4 Now B.M. Boy. 12, E. XXV.

5 Now Bodley 419 (S.C. 2318), formerly owned by Henry VIII, and presented to the
Bodleian. by Charles Howard, earl of Nottingham, 1604.

6 Now B.M. Roy. 8, G. II.

7 Nocton Park, Lincoln cath. lib. 73, came from this house. 


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