On this page, you can learn more about the various Bibles in the St John’s collection of western medieval manuscripts. You may also be interested in the Bibles section of our western post-1500 manuscripts collection.
MS 4
MS 4, a Vulgate Bible, was produced in England at the end of the thirteenth century. At the beginning of Genesis, a large illustration depicts the work of the six days (the Sabbath drawing has been defaced). Two of the seven compartments can be seen here.
MS 8
MS 8 contains glossed copies of Job, Acts, and the Catholic Epistles. This manuscript was produced in England at the beginning of the fourteenth century.
MS 9
MS 9 is a glossed copy of the Gospels produced in France c. 1225. Numerous corrections, glosses, and cross-references were added to the manuscript later in the thirteenth century. There is manuscript material from the turn of the fifteenth century in the pastedowns.
MS 16
MS 16 contains glossed copies of Joshua, Judges, Tobit, Judith, Esther, and Acts. This manuscript was produced in England in the middle of the thirteenth century.
MS 21
MS 21 is a glossed copy of two books of the Old Testament, namely Joshua and Judges. It was produced in England at the beginning of the thirteenth century. The manuscript has a complex and variable layout to accommodate text, gloss, and decorated initials.
MS 26
MS 26 is a glossed copy of two books of the Old Testament, namely Isaiah and Daniel. It was produced in England in the late twelfth century. This manuscript is notable for its illuminated initials, which are often attributed to ‘the Simon master’ of St Albans.
MS 27
MS 27 is a glossed copy of the book of Ezekiel. This manuscript was produced in England in the second half of the twelfth century. MSS 26 and 27 are companion volumes, both of which have compelling associations with the Abbey of St Albans c.1167–1183.
MS 29
MS 29, a Vulgate Bible, was produced in England at the end of the thirteenth century. This manuscript includes two elaborate decorative initials. The second of these (shown here) is a full-column initial ‘I’ depicting God holding the book. This initial is further ornamented with a border.
MS 39
MS 39 contains glossed copies of the Gospels of Matthew and Mark (the latter up to 16:18 only). This manuscript was produced in England c. 1225. A section from a twelfth-century copy of Jerome’s Commentarii in Esiam, now in the flyleaves, once formed a wrapper for the book.
MS 42
MS 42 is a glossed copy of Jeremiah and Lamentations. It was produced in England in the thirteenth century. Many marginal notes were added in the sixteenth century, perhaps by former owner John Backhouse.
MS 48
MS 48 is a Vulgate Bible produced in England in the thirteenth century. The initial ‘F’ shown here depicts the tonsured Jerome teaching Ambrose from the book.
MS 100
MS 100, a Vulgate Bible, was produced in England at the beginning of the thirteenth century. The text is not complete; it breaks off in Titus 2:13. MS 100 has a considerable amount of marginalia added by later users. A large decorative initial ‘I’ with a nimbed angel at the top appears on folio 1v (shown here).
MS 101
MS 101 contains glossed copies of the Gospels. This manuscript was produced in England, variously at the end of the twelfth century and the beginning of the thirteenth.
MS 104
MS 104 is a glossed copy of Deuteronomy, the fifth book of the Old Testament. This manuscript was produced in England at the end of the twelfth century. At the head of the text, there is a red arabesque initial (shown here). An unfinished leaf from an earlier monastic service book was reused as a flyleaf in MS 104.
MS 110
MS 110 is a Vulgate Bible that was produced in England c.1225–1250. It was donated to the college by Edward Bernard, who was professor of Astronomy at Oxford University from 1673–1691. This manuscript retains a seventeenth-century binding.
MS 111
MS 111 contains a glossed copy of Matthew. This manuscript was produced in Northern France in the twelfth century.
MS 119
MS 119 contains the Sapiental books of the Vulgate Bible, specifically Wisdom, Ecclesiasticus, Job, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, and the Song of Songs. However, the text lacks Ecclesiastes 9:18–12:1. This manuscript was produced in England at the turn of the thirteenth century.
MS 123
MS 123, a Vulgate Bible, was produced in France in the thirteenth century. There is a full-column decorative initial with birds at the beginning of Genesis, shown here.
MS 129
MS 129 is a glossed copy of John, the fourth of the canonical Gospels. This manuscript was produced in England at the end of the twelfth century. MS 129 is notable for including various drawings, including the nails(?) that can be faintly seen on the folio reproduced here.
MS 143
MS 143 contains the Hebrew Joshua, Judges, Song of Songs, and Ecclesiastes. The Vulgate translation is in the margin, and there are also interlinear literal Latin translations. Although the Hebrew text reads right to left (as is usual), the book reads from front to rear.
MS 157 (pastedowns only)
MS 157, an early modern manuscript, contains medieval binding materials. The front and rear pastedowns are extracts from the Book of Job, with the ordinary gloss. These fragments originate from England in the middle of the thirteenth century.
MS 193
MS 193, a Vulgate bible, was produced in England in the late thirteenth century. A number of texts have been added, especially on the flyleaves. These additions include theological notes and two proverbs.
MS 194
MS 194 is a copy of the Gospels produced at the end of the ninth century, possibly in Brittany. The illustration on folio 1v (shown here) is just one of several aspects of the manuscript suggesting a connection to Christ church, Canterbury.
MS 207
MS 207 is a Vulgate Bible produced in France in the middle of the thirteenth century. It includes numerous historiated initials, one of which can be seen here. This manuscript was donated to the college by William Laud in 1610.