From the “Bohun Bible”, Likely Commissioned by the Black Prince, 14th Century England

“A good name is better than great riches: and good favour is above silver and gold.”

 

The subsequent page of this manuscript is housed at the University of Chicago’s Library.

Edward the Black Prince (1330-1376) was the oldest son of Edward III, King of England, and set to take on that title himself but fell victim to dysentery in 1376. During his life, he distinguished himself during the Hundred Years War and was a supporter of the religious order the Carmelites of Chester between 1353-1358, exactly the period during which the so-called “Bohun Bible” was commissioned.

The Bohun family, a long established, influential Norman family, had close connections with the royal court. This family of earls of Hereford in East Anglia are also considered the “most important patrons of book illumination in England in the fourteenth century” (de Hamel 56).

Despite the name given to the book by scholars since 1986 (based on style), the “Bohun Bible” was not likely the actual family Bible used by the Bohun family. Rather this manuscript was likely commissioned by the Black Prince Edward.

The sequence of the Bible in the Middle Ages was still in flux and the order and inclusion (or exclusion) of certain parts indicates time, location, or a specific audience. In the case of the “Bohun Bible,”, the format of Ezekiel indicates that the intended audience of this book was the Carmelites, a group of monks founded on Mount Carmel in the Holy Land the century prior to the book’s creation. The Black Prince chose to have his gift created in the style of the notable bibliophilic Bohun family’s books. The families would eventually intermarry. Though the Black Prince died before the Bohun family became part of the royal family, Mary Bohun eventually married Henry IV, grandson of Edward III, and their son would become the future King Henry V, hero of one of Shakespeare’s greatest plays.

Manuscript origin

The manuscript’s production location within England is uncertain. East Anglia is probable with Cambridge being a possible candidate (see Lynda Dennison, “Stylistic sources, dating, and development of the Bohun workshop, ca. 1340-1400, 1988). After the Middle Ages, some leaves from the disassembled manuscript were sold in cycles between the 17th and 20th century.

A later owner of the original whole manuscript wrote on fol. 413, before it was broken that:

“Richards Legh me possidet Anno D(omi)ni 1613”
[Richard Legh owns me year of Our Lord, 1613]

This ownership inscription was later amended to:

“Ex lib’s Petri Leicester de Nether-Tabley: qui liber mihi done dater a Riccardo-Maria Dumvill de Lime Armigero 27th die Martii, Anno Domino 1665.”

[From the books of Peter Leycester of Nether-Tabley, which book was given to me as a gift by Master Richard Maria Domville of Limm, 27th of March in the year of Our Lord 1665]

These ownership inscriptions are from closely related, Cheshire families. This post-Medieval Cheshire ownership further suggests the Black Prince’s gift of the manuscript to the Carmelites of Cheshire.

In 2008, Christopher de Hamel compiled a list of known leaves from the Bohun Family Bible. According to Christopher de Hamel’s research, the manuscript originally consisted of 413 leaves in four volumes, comprising the Bible’s complete text as it would have been compiled in contemporary England (de Hamel, “Bohun Family Bible”, 50). At this time, this leaf presented here, containing the end of Proverbs 22 and the beginning of Proverbs 23, was still in private hands or was otherwise not known to the public. This leaf was originally the 21st page of vellum (more commonly referred to as a folio) in the Bohun Family Bible. The immediate continuation of the text, Proverbs 23:3 on fol. 22, however, is listed and is currently housed as MS 122 at the University of Chicago’s Library.

Provenance:

1. 14th century. Possibly commissioned by the Black Prince, son of Edward III for the Carmelites of Chester; prepared and presented in the style of the Bohun family patronage of south-east England (de Hamel, 60).

2. 1613. Richard Legh, Cheshire.

3. Richard Maria Domville of Limm

4. 1665, Peter Leycester of Nether-Tabley (near Manchester).

More details

England (East Anglia, possibly Cambridge), 1350-1360. Leaf excised from larger manuscript called “Bohun Bible”. Approximately 450 by 120 mm, or 11 by 17 inches. One 2-line initial Q in gold on a ground of alternating blue and pink with white penwork with terminal foliation of descender; running head in alternating red and blue letters. 22 lines, ruled in red ink, written in rounded Gothic texualis, in brown ink, with pen-line ornamentation on the first letter of each verse. Very faint, small marginal annotation next to line 12, Column A, on recto, possibly a “17th c. note of mutilation” (de Hamel, “Bohun”, 51). Text from Proverbs 22:1-29, 23:1-3. Leaf from fourteen century Bohun Bible manuscript, possibly taken from original manuscript in 1927 by Meyer & Co.

Translation:

A good name is better than great riches: and good favour is above silver and gold.

2 The rich and poor have met one another: the Lord is the maker of them both.

3 The prudent man saw the evil, and hid himself: the simple passed on, and suffered loss.

4 The fruit of humility is the fear of the Lord, riches and glory and life.

5 Arms and swords are in the way of the perverse: but he that keepeth his own soul departeth far from them.

6 It is a proverb: A young man according to his way, even when he is old he will not depart from it.

7 The rich ruleth over the poor: and the borrower is servant to him that lendeth.

8 He that soweth iniquity shall reap evils, and with the rod of his anger he shall be consumed.

9 He that is inclined to mercy shall be blessed: for of his bread he hath given to the poor. He that maketh presents shall purchase victory and honour: but he carrieth away the souls of the receivers.

10 Cast out the scoffer, and contention shall go out with him, and quarrels and reproaches shall cease.

11 He that loveth cleanness of heart, for the grace of his lips shall have the king for his friend.

12 The eyes of the Lord preserve knowledge: and the words of the unjust are overthrown.

13 The slothful man saith: There is a lion without, I shall be slain in the midst of the streets.

14 The mouth of a strange woman is a deep pit: he whom the Lord is angry with, shall fall into it.

15 Folly is bound up in the heart of a child, and the rod of correction shall drive it away.

16 He that oppresseth the poor, to increase his own riches, shall himself give to one that is richer, and shall be in need.

17 Incline thy ear…

VERSO:

[17]… ear, and hear the words of the wise: and apply thy heart to my doctrine:

18 Which shall be beautiful for thee, if thou keep it in thy bowels, and it shall flow in thy lips:

19 That thy trust may be in the Lord, wherefore I have also shewn it to thee this day.

20 Behold I have described it to thee three manner of ways, in thoughts and knowledge:

21 That I might shew thee the certainty, and the words of truth, to answer out of these to them that sent thee.

22 Do no violence to the poor, because he is poor: and do not oppress the needy in the gate:

23 Because the Lord will judge his cause, and will afflict them that have afflicted his soul.

24 Be not a friend to an angry man, and do not walk with a furious man:

25 Lest perhaps thou learn his ways, and take scandal to thy soul.

26 Be not with them that fasten down their hands, and that offer themselves sureties for debts:

27 For if thou have not wherewith to restore, what cause is there, that he should take the covering from thy bed?

28 Pass not beyond the ancient bounds which thy fathers have set.

29 Hast thou seen a man swift in his work? he shall stand before kings, and shall not be before those that are obscure.

CHAPTER 23:

23 When thou shalt sit to eat with a prince, consider diligently what is set before thy face.

2 And put a knife to thy throat, if it be so that thou have thy soul in thy own power.

3 Be not desirous of his meats, in which is the bread…

See:
De Hamel, Christopher, “The Bohun Bible Leaves,” Script & Print, 32:1 (2008)
Dennison, Lynda, “The stylistic sources, dating and development of the Bohun workshop,
ca 1340-1400,” PhD thesis for Queen Mary, University of London (1988).
University of Chicago, MS 122, “Guide to Latin Bible, Scattered Leaves. Manuscript c.
1350”
University of Western Michigan, MS 162
Guara, David T. “Recent Acquisition: A Leaf from the Bohun Family Bible,” Rare Books
and Special Collections at Notre Dame (2020).
No. 132 in Gothic Manuscripts 1285-1385, by Lucy Sandler.