Irish Poems

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  In epistulam ad Hebraeos: fragment

  Manuscripts

  This manuscript is a fragment from a binding; copied out by an unknown scribe. The majority of the fragment appears to be from Chapter 10, Homily 17, which is concerned with the Book of Hebrews 9:24-26. The text is in Greek in black ink with red initials; it is undated but possibly from the 11th through 13th centuries. The leaf is damaged, with an old repair; also stained, with missing text.

  mssHM 83587

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  Agnus castus with additional medical recipes : [manuscript]

  Manuscripts

  ff. 1-40v. [Agnus castus]. Incipit: Agnus castus is an herbe that men clepyn Tutsayn other parkeleuys and this herbe hath leuys sumdele red yleke to the levys of Arage. Explicit: Also if a man haue grete itchyng in his Bodi take the Ius//. English. G. Brodin, ed., Agnus Castus: a Middle English Herbal Reconstructed from Various Manuscripts. Essays and Studies on English Language and Literature 6 (Copenhagen and Cambridge, Mass., 1950) 119-201; HM 58 not recorded; the text shares characteristics with Brodin's groups I and II, but many readings resemble the variants listed for London, Brit. Lib., Roy. 18.A.VI, the representative of group II. One leaf missing after f. 8 with loss of most of the entry for "Betonia"; between the entries for "Costus" and "Dragancia," ff. 15v-16, fourteen herbs not copied (contemporary note, f. 16, lists seven missed herbs); on f. 18v, ten lines cancelled and f. 19, a singleton, inserted by the scribe to allow for otherwise missed entries; other herbs occasionally missed; breaks defectively in the entry for "Rosa marinus," although the text may have been completed on the 4 leaves now missing after f. 40. See also A. Zettersten, "A Manuscript of 'Agnus Castus' in the Huntington Library," Notes and Queries 216 (1971) 130-31. ff.8v, 11v, 19v, 23v, 31v, 33, 34, 38v, 39, 41-42v. [Medical recipes]. English. Twenty-nine medical recipes added by several contemporary and later hands in the blank spaces left by the scribe of Agnus Castus in order to begin a new letter of the alphabet at the top of a page; ff. 41-42 were blank leaves completing the quire at the end of Agnus Castus; the recipe on f. 41 begins defectively. On f. 19v, a charm in verse against worms in children; on f. 41v, a charm "For to wynne at dyce." A recipe on f. 31v ends "probatum est per Iohannem Denys," referring to the surgeon John Denyse, whose name appears in records 1475-96/97; see C. H. Talbot and E. A. Hammond, Medical Practitioners in Medieval England (London 1965) 140-41. In a seventeenth century hand in the lower margin of f. 41v: "Master Whettons electuarie for the stone. It is to be sold at Master Spichforkes an apothicarie in chepeside nere the greate cundit there...it is also to be had att the golden morter next shopp to Master Spichforke in chepeside...". f. 43-93v. Forto make a water that is ycleped maidons melke that shal don awai sausefleme and the rede Goute in the visage [i.e. Medical recipes and charms]. Incipit: Take lytarge of Golde and stamp itt ynto poudre. Explicit: And then stille itt yn a lymbak with eesy fyre. Rubric: Forto make a water that is ycleped maidons melke that shal don awai sausefleme and the rede Goute in the visage. English. Approximately 253 recipes, including 2 for the ointment Gracia dei, "that the Ladi Beauchamp used the Erlis wiff of Warweke" (f. 52v) and another "that þe gode Erle of herforde used þat was yhold a noble and Gracyus Surgierer" (f. 53); the non-medical recipes are: f. 69, an incantation against thieves; f. 75v, an incantation to staunch blood; ff. 81v-82, indices to determine if a sick person will live or die; f. 82r-v, means of determining if a pregnant woman is carrying a boy or a girl; f. 84, an incantation for a speedy delivery in childbirth; f. 84r-v, an incantation to deliver a stillborn child; ff. 87v-88v, a passage on the virtues of "betayne." In the margins next to the 4 incantations, in the hand of the scribe, "Prohibitum est exercicium ab Ecclesia catholica." Nine recipes added in contemporary and later hands on ff. 76, 86, 88v, 93v. On ff. 43-62 only, initials added in the margin representing the main word of the rubric, as if in preparation for an alphabetical subject index, e.g. f. 43: "m" for "maidons melk," "p" for "polus rubius," "o" for "oynement"; f. 43v: "c" for "cancrum," "w" for "webbe." On ff. 94-95v (misbound), part of a table of contents for these recipes but possibly copied from a different book.

  mssHM 58

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  An epistle to a gentleman of the temple ; a hymn to God in Christ

  Manuscripts

  An unsigned contemporary copy; the Epistle is a verse paraphrase of William Law's Spirit of Prayer, and the Hymn is copied into the final two pages in a different hand. These pages were removed from a book, possibly a commonplace book; a small amount of the spine remains but is flaky and fragile.

  mssHM 82767

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  Selections by Bede, including his Historia ecclesiastica : [manuscript]

  Manuscripts

  Part 1. f. i verso: [Biographical note on Bede, written in the hand of Robert Elyot]. Part 1. ff. 1-109v: [Bede, Historia ecclesiastica]: f. 1: preface; f. 2: chapter list of Book 1; f. 2v-109v: Incipit: Britannia occeani insula quondam albion nomen fuit ... Explicit: et parere semper ante faciem tuam. [Caedmon's hymn in Old English in the outer margin of f. 82 in the hand of the scribe]. Part 1. f. 109v: [Verses on Bede]: Incipit: Suscipe nostrorum rex historiam populorum/ Quam lege scribe proba cunctos hanc nosse labora/ Scribens in sceda sedet hic sua dogmata Beda/ Ex anglis natus doctissimus atque probatus/ Nam Scripturarum tractando profunda sacrarum/ Mundum doctrinis ceu sol perlustrat opimis ... Explicit: Scriptor, Nunc pater o Beda tibi supplico tu michi te da/ Hostis ne preda sim per mea crimina feda. Sancte pater Beda temptantis deprime feda/ Ne sibi sim preda protectoris michi te da. Part 1. f. 110: [Seven couplets using the name "Beda" in the different grammatical cases, labelled in the margin "in nominativo casu" (twice), "in genitivo," etc.; also in the margin, "Isti versus extracti erant de quadam parva rotula doctoris gaskun," apparently in reference to Thomas Gascoigne (d. 1458), followed by the verse, Iaru non Iarum sancto Bede dedit ortum; all in the hand of Robert Elyot]: Incipit: Extitit hic Beda doctor venerabilis idem. [f. 110v blank] Part 2. ff. 111-130: [Bede, Expositio Actuum Apostolorum]: Preface: Incipit prefacio Bede presbiteri in Actus Apostolorum missa Acce episcopo, Domino in christo desiderantissimo et vere beatissimo acce episcopo beda perpetuam in domino salutem. Accepi creberimas beatitudinis tue litteras ... Rubric: Incipit expositio in Actus Apostolorum, Primum quidem sermonem. Incipit: De omnibus se dicit christi factis et dictis se scripsisse. Explicit: cursum consumavi fidem servavi. Amen. Part 2. ff. 130-131v:[Place names in Bede]: Rubric: Descriptio situs terre a Beato Beda provinciarum civitatum insularum huic libro conggruendum [sic]. Incipit: Acheldemach est ager sangwinis qui usque monstratur in bely. Explicit: quod in eo populus stans desuper atque spectans ludos scenicos contemplaretur. Explicit expositio bede presbiteri in Actus Apostolorum. Part 2. ff. 131v-170: [Bede, In epistolas VII catholicas]: Rubric: Incipit in epistola Iacobi Apostoli Exposicio venerabilis Bede presbiteri, Iacobus dei et domini nostri ihesu christi servus duodecim tribubus que sunt in dispersione salutem. Incipit: Dixit de hoc Iacobo apostolus paulus ... Explicit: Et hoc non ab inicio temporis alicuius sed ante omne seculum et nunc et in omnia secula seculorum. Amen. Amen. Amen. Explicit exposicio venerabilis bede in epistola iude apostoli. Part 2. f. 170: [Quaestio; added in a cursive script]: Incipit: Queritur utrum virgo maria in concepcione filii sui spiritu sancto in aliquo cooperata fueret ... Explicit: ipsa sola a deo sicud mulier viro commixta unde tota substancia christi filii de matre sua. Part 2. f. 170:[Hugh of St. Victor, De arca Noe morali; added in a cursive script]: Incipit: Inter amorem huius mundi et amorem dei hoc distare ... Explicit: bibatur suavissimum poculum caritatis. [f. 170v blank, except for erased pen trials, including "Edwardus dei gratia Rex Anglie dux ybernie; domine labia mea; Pater noster"].

  mssHM 35300

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  Album of English manuscripts : poems, epigrams and letters written between 1450 and 1790 : [manuscript]

  Manuscripts

  1. ff. 1-2. Prophecy of the Tiburtine Sibyl. Incipit: //autem illum honorant eternam vitam hereditabunt perpetuum cuius ipsi hereditabunt paradisum sicut amenissimum ortum. Mortuorum vero resurrectio erit. Explicit: Et ipsi regnabunt cum eo in secula seculorum amen. Latin. Prophecy of the Tiburtine Sibyl, see E. Sackur, Sibyllinische Texte und Forschungen (Halle 1898), here beginning defectively and corresponding to Sackur's edition only on pp. 180-87, from the interpretation of the 5th Sun on; what remains here of the 4th Sun (most of the first column) is expanded with respect to Sackur. For the verses, see Walther, Initia 9907. 2. f. 2r-v. [Pseudo Anselm] De conceptione beate Marie. Incipit: Anselmus cantuariensis archiepiscopus et pastor anglorum coepiscopis suis salutem et benedictionem. Conceptio veneranda sancte dei genitricis Marie fratres dilectissimi quemadmodum multa signorum experimenta in anglia et in francia ceterisque cosmi climatibus olim sit declarata me narrante audiat dilectio vestra. Helsino ramensis ecclesie abbate. Explicit: utramque sacratissimam eius conceptionem spiritualem videlicet et humanam ut ipsius suffragio a terrenis contagiis exuti conceptioni in sinu abrahe mereamur ascribi Annuente filio virginis unico domino nostro ihesu christo cui cum patre et spiritu sancto est honor et gloria in secula seculorum amen. Latin. Abbreviation of the sermon, Ps. Anselm,"De conceptione beate Marie"; PL 159:319-324. Added in the in the lower margin in a contemporary hand, an excerpt from the same sermon (but not abbreviated): the miracle of the Virgin in saving Elsinus, abbot of Ramsey, so that he could honor the feast of the Immaculate Conception ("[T]empore illo quo divine placuit pietati anglorum gente de malis suis corrigere. . .et que viderat et audierat quibus potuit notificavit."); PL 159:319-320. 3. ff. 2v-3v. [Suidas] Lexicon. Incipit: Narratio ex libro qui grece vocatur Suda quem composuerunt viri sapientes isti Eudemus rethor, helladius qui tempore Theodosii iuvenis, Eugenius Frigius, Zosimus, Gazeus. Explicit: Sed vere ut familiari amico philippo apud iudeos absconditum secretum propalavit. Latin. Other creator(s): Robert Grosseteste, translator. Grosseteste's translation of the second article of Suidas' Lexicon on Ἰησοῦς or"De probacione virginitatis beate Marie"; see S. Harrison Thomson, The Writings of Robert Grosseteste, Bishop of Lincoln 1235-53 (Cambridge 1940) 64-65. 4. f. 3v. [Hichecoke?] This Worlde is but a Vanyte. Incipit: How schal a mann in pes abide/ Hy hert and enuy set aside. Explicit: Eche man wel beholde his degre/ For this worlde is but a vanyte. Quod hichecoke. English. IMEV 1261. R. H. Bowers,"Hichecoke's 'This Worlde is but a Vanyte'," MLN 67 (1952) 331-33 from this manuscript, taking the signature"quod hichecoke" to be that of the author; Hichecoke may also, or only, be the scribe. Some previous printed texts have mistakenly supplied the initial"W." for"quod." On f. 4, a modern leaf, 2 transcriptions of the poem, one imitating the fifteenth century script of f. 3v, the other in a modern hand by Joseph Haslewood; f. 4v, blank. Another transcription by Joseph Haslewood of this poem is London, Brit. Lib., Add. 11307, f. 120r-v. 5. f. 5. Incipit: As I walkyd vppon a day/ To take þe aere of feld and flowre. Explicit: And withyn his gloryus blysse thatt we all may dwell/ And geve vs there licence to lyve yn ese. English. IMEV 373. C. Brown, ed., Religious Lyrics of the XVth Century (Oxford 1939) 273-77 from this manuscript. A transcription by Joseph Haslewood of this poem is Add. 11307, f. 121. 6. f. 5v. [John Lydgate] Dietary. Incipit: For helth of body couer fro colde þine hede/ Ete no raw mete take good heede þer too. Explicit: And all sayntes reioisyng in þe trinyte/ Bryng vs to þat hy glorious towre Amen for charyte. Rubric: A dietorie. English. IMEV 824. John Lydgate, A Dietary, printed by J[oseph] H[aslewood] in Censura Literaria 7 (London 1808) 345-49 from the 1618 edition, from London, Brit. Lib., Harley 2251 and from this manuscript, noting the variants. On f. 6, a modern leaf, a transcription by Joseph Haslewood of the 1618 edition of this poem; f. 6v, blank. Another transcription by Joseph Haslewood of this poem is Add. 11307, ff. 124, 126. 7. 3 leaves mounted on ff. 7-9. [Francis Bryan, attributed] Proverbes of Salmon. Incipit: The proverbes of Salmon do playnly declare/ That wysdome ys the vessell that longest will endure. Explicit: When thowe spekest let men marvell at thy shamefacenes/ When thow spekest not let them wondre at thy sobernes. Withe leavinge honour to women I ende, quod Bryan. English. R. S. Kinsman,"The Proverbes of Salmon Do Playnly Declare': a Sententious Poem on Wisdom and Governance, Ascribed to Sir Francis Bryan," HLQ 42 (1978-79) 279-312;"Bryan" may also, or only, be the scribe. 8. 18 pages between ff. 9-10. The lay of Dame Sirith. Transcript of Saxon poem by J.J. Conybeare (1779-1824) from Digby manuscript 86. 9. Leaf mounted on f. 11. Incipit: Thou hidd & secret deitye I worshipp & adore/ I glorifye & honor thee devoutly more & more. Explicit: with face reveled cleare & bright yat I may blessed bee/ As yat sweet light so glorious all glory be to thee. Amen. Blessed Thomas Aquinas. Rubric: Confession & honor to the Blessed Sacrament. English. A verse translation of Thomas Aquinas, Adoro te devote latens deitas [RH 519]. On the verso of this leaf, upside down, accounts for stabling dated 1552; on the following leaf, f. 12, a modern transcription of the poem, possibly not in the hand of Joseph Haslewood. 10. 16 pages (2 blank) interleaved between ff. 13-14. A Nosegaie alwaies sweet for lovers to send for tokens of love at NewYeares tide. Appears to be a transcript made at the end of the eighteenth century of an unidentified fifteenth century source. Text is incomplete, final page ends with catchword"And". 11. Interleaved between ff. 15-16. 1 page. [Samuel Rowlands]. In condemnation of bald heads. Late eighteenth century copy. 4 pages. Arthur Saul. Game of Chess. A transcript of an unidentified pamphlet in rhyme, signed by Arthur Saul. 12. Mounted on f. 17. 3 poems including"To Rosania and Lucasia, articles of friendship" by Katherine Philips (1632-1664). 13. Interleaved beween ff. 21-22. 4 poems including: A new song on ye 25th of September. An original composition on the marriage of King James II. On the reverse is a satirical poem about the birth of the James Francis Edward Stuart, Prince of Wales (the Old Pretender) mentioning Bishops Thomas Sprat, and Nathaniel Crew. 14. 1 page mounted on f. 22v. A newe elegie on ye much lamented death of captaine Thomas Green who was executed with others of his crew under ye pretence of being a pyrate in Scotland, 11th April, 1705. 15. Mounted on f. 25. 1 page. On General Wolfe slain at the taking of Quebec on the 1t8h Sept., 1799. 1 page. On the King's illness, 1789. An epigram which references to America. Note reads:"Copied from an edition of Tom Paynes Common Sense belonging to Mr. Ritson and written on the back of the title-page in his handwriting."

  mssHM 183

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  Regiment of princes : [manuscript]

  Manuscripts

  ff. 1-82v. [Thomas Hoccleve]. Regiment of Princes. Incipit: Musyng vpon the restelesse besynesse/ Wyche that this troubly worlde hath ay on honde. . .[f. 32:] Hic incipit prologus de principum regimine, Hy noble and myȝty prince excellent/ my lord the prince o my lorde gracious. Explicit: Hic trattat de principum regimine incipiendo de fide servanda, Now gracious prince agayn that the corone/ honour thou schal with ryal dignite. . .In swyche a cas ys wysdam to schaunge/ good ys your counsell be to your foos straunge//. Latin. IMEV 2229. F. J. Furnivall, ed., Hoccleve's Works. EETS es 72 (London 1897); 1 leaf missing after f. 29 with loss of stanzas 233-240; 4 leaves missing after f. 30 with loss of stanzas 249-280; 1 leaf missing after f. 67 with loss of stanzas 577-584; text ends defectively at the end of stanza 704 with loss of the final 76 stanzas, presumably 9 to 10 folios. Disorder in the text with respect to the printed edition: on f. 39v, in stanza 352, line 2460 precedes line 2458; on f. 76v, stanza 659 is copied between stanzas 654 and 655. That the scribe was copying from his exemplar page by page is shown by the disorder on f. 51: stanzas 421 and 422 were copied in their correct order at the top of f. 48v; they were then repeated after stanza 440 at the top of f. 51 (conjunct to f. 48, in positions 5 and 8 of quire 5); the scribe evidently became aware of his error at the end of stanza 422, because its last line was not copied; the scribe then placed the required stanza 441 in the outer margin, copied stanzas 442 and 443 in the normal text space, but was forced to place stanza 444 in the outer margin to recoup space and catch up with his exemplar for the beginning of f. 51v. For a list of 43 manuscripts, including HM 135, see M. C. Seymour,"The Manuscripts of Hoccleve's Regiment of Princes," Edinburgh Bibliographical Society Transactions 4 pt. 7 (1974) 253-97. ff. 83-86v. [Mirror of the Periods of Man's Life]. Incipit: //Go from me & make the a frere/ Myn age ys now in xl ȝere. Explicit: Wyth outen synne thedyr to wende/ Wyth loue to sen that fayre face. Amen. [space] Here ys wryten how mankynde dothe wende/ Wanne the lyf ys browȝt to the ende. Explicit totum. Latin. IMEV 1259. F. J. Furnivall, ed.,"Mirror of the Periods of Man's Life," Hymns to the Virgin and Christ. EETS os 24 (London 1867) 58-78; with respect to the printed edition, the stanzas in HM 135 are: 39, 41-43, 46-47, 44-45, 35, 54, 52-53, 49, 63, 59, 55-58, 48, 50, 61-62, with a leaf missing after f. 85, 74 (last 2 lines only), 77-81.

  mssHM 135