14. Bodley 686; no. 2527 in Bernard’s list; in Tyrwhitt, ‘B α.’ A neat
MS., with illuminations. Of the A-type; imperfect. The latter part of
the Cook’s Tale is on an inserted leaf (leaf 55), and concludes the
Tale in a manner that is not Chaucer’s. After the Canterbury Tales
occur several poems by Lydgate.
15. Bodley 414; not noticed by Tyrwhitt. Given to the library by B.
Heath in 1766. A late MS. of the D-type, and imperfect. No Cook,
Gamelyn, Squire, or Merchant.
16. Laud 739: no. 1234 in Bernard’s list; in Tyrwhitt, ‘B β.’ A poor
and late MS. of the D-type, but containing Gamelyn; imperfect at the
end; ends with Sir Thopas, down to B 2056.
17. Laud 600; no. 1476 in Bernard’s list; in Tyrwhitt, ‘B γ.’
Imperfect; several leaves ‘restored.’ Apparently, of the B-type; but
Group D and the Clerk’s Tale follow Gamelyn. Some extracts from it are
given in the Six-text, viz. B 2328-61, D 717-20 (no other Oxford MS.
has these scarce lines), F 673-708.
18. Arch. Selden B 14; no. 3360 in Bernard’s list; in Tyrwhitt, ‘B δ.’
Perhaps the best and earliest of the Bodleian MSS., but not very good.
Sometimes here quoted as SELD. Apparently of the A-type, having no
copy of Gamelyn; but it practically [xi] represents a transition-state
between the A and B types, and has one correction of prime importance,
as it is the only MS. which links together all the Tales in Group B,
making the Shipman follow the Man of Law. Frequent extracts from it
occur in the Six-text; e.g. A 1-72, B 1163-1190, &c. In particular, a
large portion of the Parson’s Tale, I 290-1086, is printed from this
MS. in the same.
19. Barlow 20; no. 6420 in Bernard’s list; in Tyrwhitt, ‘B ζ’ A clearly
written MS. of the D-type, including Gamelyn; imperfect after Sir
Thopas, but contains a portion of the Manciple’s Tale. It contains
the somewhat rare lines F 679, 680, which are quoted from it in the
Six-text.
20. Hatton, Donat. 1 (not the same MS. as Hatton 1); no. 4138 in
Bernard’s list; in Tyrwhitt, ‘B ε.’ The Tales are in great disorder,
the Man of Law being thrust in between the Reeve and the Cook, as in no
other MS. It contains Gamelyn. Lines F 679, 680 are quoted from it in
the Six-text; and a few lines are again quoted from it at the end of
the Parson’s Tale.
21. Rawlinson Poet. 149. Apparently of the D-type, but it is very
imperfect, having lost several leaves in various places. A late MS.
22. Rawlinson Poet. 141. Not a bad MS., but several Tales are omitted, and
the Shipman follows the Clerk. Groups C and G do not appear at all. The
Latin side-notes are numerous.
23. Rawlinson Poet. 223; the same as that called Rawl. Misc. 1133 in the
Six-text ‘Trial-table.’ No copy of Gamelyn. The Tales are strangely
misplaced. Slightly imperfect here and there.
24. Corpus Christi College (Oxford), no. 198; denoted by CP. The best of
the Oxford MSS., printed in full as the fourth MS. in the Six-text edition.
Of the C-type; collated throughout. It contains a copy of Gamelyn, which is
duly printed. It is rather imperfect from the loss of leaves in various
places; the gaps being usually supplied from the Selden MS. (no. 18 above).
25. Christ Church (Oxford), no. 152. Contains Gamelyn. The Tales are
extraordinarily arranged, but the MS. is nearly perfect, except at the end.
A large part of the Parson’s Tale, after I 550, being lost from the Hengwrt
MS., the gap is supplied, in the Six-text, from this MS. and Addit. 5140.
The Second Nun follows the Shipman. Of the A-type.
[xii] 26. New College (Oxford), no. 314; called ‘NC’ in Tyrwhitt. Of the
D-type; imperfect at the beginning. No copy of Gamelyn.
27. Trinity College (Oxford), no. 49; containing 302 leaves; formerly in
the possession of John Leche, temp. Edw. IV. It contains Gamelyn. The Tales
are misplaced; the Pardoner and Man of Law being thrust into the middle of
Group B, after the Prioress.