Annotations to Berkeley, Bancroft Library, PR 2010 .A1 1561

This page provides a full transcription of the annotations left by sixteenth- and seventeenth-century readers on the Bancroft Library’s copy of the Owen Rogers Piers Plowman (Berkeley, Bancroft Library, PR 2010 .A1 1561). Lines are keyed to the Athlone edition of the B text, but juxtaposition of comment and lines should not necessarily be seen to imply a connection. All abbreviations have been expanded; when possible, letters lost to trimming have been supplied as well. Wordless pentrials have not been noted.

The notes have been linked to the following hands:

A: Hand that repeatedly drafts an address to Anthony Bate.
B: Richard Bynnyngley. A messy and quickly-written secretary, characterised by a u-like minuscule ‘e’ and tendency to sprawl horizontally. Generally written in black ink.
C: Clemence CropitoneA hand similar to Doughtie’s in appearance, but messier, defined by a long tail to the single-stroke minuscule ‘e’ and flattened ascender in minuscule ‘d’.
D: Robert Doughtie. A relatively careful facile secretary for English notes, while Latin is written in italic with some embellishments; both in brown ink.
I: ‘Indenture hand’. Experiments in a variety of formal styles; may be identical with one of the other hands.
N: ‘Non’ hand. May be identical with one of the other hands.
R: ‘Reformist’ hand. A careful late Elizabethan engrossing secretary in brown ink.
T: John Tynker. Responsible for a sole signature.

Folio B text position Hand Nonverbal marks Verbal notes
*.ir Title page Many partial signatures, pentrials, tally marks
*.iv Title page verso B Richard Bynnyngley… of maye in ye yeare of our Lord god
T Johannes Tynker 1561 1551
D Robertus doughtye est verus possessor huius lybry

Finis quod.

*.iir Rogers’s ‘brefe summe’ R Line follows text: ‘shamefull Simonye raigneth in the church’
A.ir Prol. 13-16 D Robert doughtye
A.iiir Prol. 132 D? Sum rex
B.ir 1.25 B? Ra
B.iiir 1.167-71 Bobbila
B.ivv 2.39-39a B? Three stars above Rogers’s marginal note: ‘Psalm xv’ 
D.iiir 3.227 and following D   Robert Doughtye in the county
E.ir 3.339-40 Marginal scribble Non
E.iiiv 4.120 Six lines in margin
F.iiir 5.120-45 C   clamance cropitone of rapton in darby  hrere in the conty of darby husband manne
F.iiiv 5.149-65 B   Rychard Bynnynglye of dounkaster on his bouke god giue him grace on to
G.ir 5.242-62 B   Rychard Bynnyngley of doncastar on this  booke god geue him grace on it to
h.iir 5.520-21

5.525-26

D?

D?

W [probably a nota]

pop^u^lus

h.ivr Rogers’s ‘argument’ to passus 6 D   of this boke yif be It loust and youe  It Fynde I praye you restore to my agent  Robart Doughty W
I.iiir 6.158-75 D   Robert Dought of derby in the county of conty of Darby
L.ir 7.171 D   Robert Doughty
L.iiir 8.62-86 B   sere knaue and take up your beter  name is Johne name is les because I woulde be blamles
M.ivr Close of passus 9, argument to 8 D

R

  Robert Doughtye

Willm †Smitnish†  Admund He  my comasin  my  the Lord

N.iiiir 10.216-17 D W [probably a nota]
Q.ir 11.238 and following A Comendations not omyted unto you good … Antony bayte  unto  unto unto you good
Q.iiiv 11.396 and following D Robart doughty in the Is the rightye woner of this boke god  him
R.ir 12.28 A Bryte this indenture made this
R.iv 12.63-78 A Unto you good Antony bate Unto you good Antony bate
R.iir 12.92 D that sake
S.ir 12.271 and following D and others Copre  humfr  hawsdyn  White  ex  Abraham  Abra Elizabeth illusima
S.iiir 13.74 and following B Rychard Bynnyglye of dnc Rychard By
Y.iiv 15.165 B you  bynn
z.ir 15.306-15 B A made
z.iiv 15.386-97 B W  binn  your  your  your
z.iiiiv 15.541-66 R

D

Questio oriebatur  Fransis pie

Robte prufe

Aa.ir 15.570 and following R Lines in margin
Aa.iv Beneath 15.613 D   This bylle mayd exday
Aa.iiiv 16.90-91 D   boome
C[c].iiiv 17.286-88 Lines in margin
Ee.iv 18.251-57 R   For he some  tyme and  please  rene Yroye  C
Ff.iiv 19.39-66 I   This Indenture made the twentye day of June  This Ind
Ff.iiv 19.103 following I   … be not omise and think of the that good you this
Ff.iiir 19.139 and following B   Rych  Rych
Ff.iiiv Beneath 19.196 A   Unto you good brother Antonye Bate
Ff.iiiiv 19.229 and following I Doodle This Indenture F  Doncaster This Indenture
Gg.iir 19.325-26 Lines in margin
Gg.iiv 19.359; 362; 364 Marks in margin
Hh.ir 20.22 and following B?   his sonne ys is
Hh.iiiiv After 20.263 B?   FIN
J[j].iv 20.295-319 R   F roger Thom  Amidst the stonie rocks I say  I sawe a man enclined to wickednes [heavily trimmed:] ge that  ruled  I null  middest  & Rome  im kils
J[j].iir 20.326-58 D   Unto you good Robart doughtye  Robertus doughty est verus possesor huius libri
Jj.iiv 20.359 to end D   Robarte Doughtye Roberte Doughtye  Robarte