The Bohun Psalter (BL Egerton MS 3277)

Four scenes from the life of David, f. 29v.

Colloquial name(s): The Bohun Psalter

Official name(s): British Library Egerton MS 3277

Date: second half of 14th C (source)

Origin: London (?), England (source)

Online facsimile available via: The British Library Catalogue of Illuminated Manuscripts

The Bohun Psalter consists of a psalter and hours, written for a member of the Bohun family - thought to be either the 6th or 7th Early of Hereford (both named Humphrey Bohun, d. 1361 and d. 1373, respectively) or for Mary de Bohun (married Henry of Bolingbroke in 1380, d. 1394). This attribution is based on the presence of the Bohun family arms at ff. 29v, 120v, 133r and 145v (source).

The complete list of Bohun manuscripts include (source):

• the Vienna Bohun Psalter (Vienna, Österreichische Nationalbibliothek Cod. 1826; c. 1350-c. 1353)
• a fragmentary Book of House (in a private collection; c. 1345-50)
• another Psalter (Oxford, Exeter College MS. 47; c. 1360-c. 1390)
• a third Psalter (Cambridge, Fitzwilliam College MS. 38-1950; c. 1380-c. 1394)
• this manuscript - a Psalter and Hours of the Virgin (BL MS. Egerton 3227; after 1361-1380s)
• another Psalter and Hours of the Virgin (Bodleian Library MS. Auct. D. 4. 4; c. 1380-94)
• Lancelot du Lac (BL MS. Royal 20 D IV; c. 1300, miniatures repainted c. 1360-1380)
• a Psalter and Short Office of the Cross (Baden-Baden, Lichtenthal Abbey Archive MS. 2; c. 1380-1394)
• Legends of the Virgin Mary, St. Margaret and St. Mary Magdalene (Copenhagen, Kon. Bib. MS. Thott 517.4o; c. 1380-1394)
• Hours of the Virgin (Copenhagen, Kon. Bibl. MS. Thott 547.5o; c. 1380-1394)
• a Memoriae and Cospel Sequences from a Book of Hourse (Pommersfelden, Fräflich Schönbornische Bibliotek MS. 348; c. 1380-1394)
• Hours of the Virgin and Psalter made for Eleanor de Bohun (Edinburgh, N. Lib. MS Adv. 18.6.5; c. 1387-1397)

Its illustrations consist of numerous historiated initials and illustrations, principally depicting biblical scenes. Basic descriptions of the illustrations are provided by the British Library with the facsimile.

A list of the folios containing illustrations will be added here in due course.