ABSTRACT
Rawlinson B 502 is a vellum and paper composite manuscript now housed in the Bodleian Library, Oxford, and known after its pressmark there. It is one of the manuscripts received by the Bodleian in 1756 as part of the bequest of Richard Rawlinson (1690-1755), a graduate of the University of Oxford (St. John’s College). In 1909 a collotype facsimile edition, with introduction and indexes, was published by Kuno Meyer. The manuscript is described in great detail by Brian Ó Cuív (2001) and his description has been drawn on heavily below. There are a total of 175 folios, which also includes binder’s leaves. There are two vellum sections that were originally independent of one another. Their combination in this volume together with the paper leaves is due to Sir James Ware (1594-1666), auditor general under the English administration in Ireland. During his lifetime, Ware was very active in collecting manuscripts, both in Irish and in Latin, and in using them in his historical researches. Rawlinson B 502 is one of thirteen manuscripts in the bequest of Richard Rawlinson that were part of the collection of Irish manuscript material built up over a number of years by Ware.
