Orchard of Syon.
Ms. devotional prose; written and illuminated in England, ca. 1470.
The text contains the matter later printed by Wynkyn de Worde in 1519 under the title 'The Orchard of Syon,' with the exception of a first Prologue by Marcus Civilis and an Envoy of Dane James 'the translater.' The text is in 170 chapters, ending on fol. 182a--Cf. Sister Mary Denise, p. 272.
Fol. 1a-7b constitute the translator's Prologue and begin with the words, 'Religious modir and devout sustern, clepid and chose bisili to laboure at þe hous of Syon.' Part I begins on fol. 8a: 'Here begynneþ þe boke of diuine doctrine, þat is to seie, of Goddis techinge [yogh]ouen bi þe Persone of God þe Fader to þe intellect of þe glorious virgyne Seint Katerine of Seene....' Each page is headed IHC--Cf. Sister Mary Denise, p. 272.
Collation: A⁴, I⁸, A⁸-Y⁸ (wants 7, 8)--Cf. Sister Mary Denise, p. 271.
The last four leaves are blank.
Scribe: Leyc[ester] (?); colophon on fol. 182 ends: worschip be to þee wiþouten ende. Amen. quod leyc.
Decoration: eight large gold-illuminated initials introducing the divisions of the text and many small initials in blue, outlined with red scroll work extending along the text--Cf. Sister Mary Denise, p. 271.