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Life of St. Norbert : [manuscript]

1 of 5
Description
Part 1. ff. 1-59v. [John Capgrave]. [Life of St. Norbert]. Incipit: There was a man sumtyme dwelling here/ As our book seith in þat ilk same tyde. Explicit: The freris name þat translate þis story/ Thei called Ion capgraue whech in assumpcion weke/ Made a ende of all his rymyng cry/ The ȝere of crist oure lord witȝ outen ly/ A thousand four hundred & fourty euene/ Aftyr þis lyf I pray god send us to heuene. Feliciter. English. The text is precede by a prologue that begins,"Ioye grace & pees loue feith & charite/ Euyr rest up on ȝour goodly religious breest..." and ends with an Envoy that begins," Go litil book to hem þat wil þe rede/ Sey þe were made to þe abbot of derham..." IMEV 1805. C. L. Smetana, ed., The Life of St. Norbert by John Capgrave O.E.S.A. (1393-1464). Pontifical Institute of Mediaeval Studies 40 (Toronto 1977) from this manuscript, evidently autograph (witness the hand and the"signature" on f. 59v,"Feliciter" with the trefoil); interlinear corrections in the author's hand. For discussions of the identity of the copyist, see P. J. Lucas,"John Capgrave O.S.A. (1393-1464) Scribe and 'Publisher,'" TCBS 5 (1969) 1-35 ; E. Colledge,"The Capgrave 'Autographs,'" TCBS 6 (1974) 137-48 ; Smetana, op. cit., 5-7. On the linguistic forms in HM 55, see E. Colledge and C. Smetana,"Capgrave's Life of St. Norbert: Diction, Dialect and Spelling," Mediaeval Studies 34 (1972) 422-34. Part 2. f. i recto-verso. [Breviary, fragment]. Incipit: //pulus. Numquid aliud iudex nunciat aliud preco clamat. An simul et odisse possumus et diligere. Explicit: Nam et ihesus vester dum hec predicaret iudei illum crucis patibulo affixerunt. Andreas respondit O si//. Latin. Unfinished leaf of a breviary from the end of a homily of Gregory (PL 76:1275 ) in the common of a martyr, presumably for Saturninus through part of the 4th lesson for Andrew.
Type
Manuscripts(Opens in new tab)
Date
[1440]
Call number
mssHM 55
Creator
Capgrave, John (1393-1464)(Opens in new tab)
Provenance
Written in England, possibly in the Augustinian house at Lynn, Norfolk in 1440, as the presentation copy made by John Capgrave for John Wygenhale, alias Saresson, abbot of the Premonstratensian house of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary in West Dereham, Norfolk from 1429 to 1455; see P. J. Lucas, "On the Date of John Capgrave's Life of St. Norbert," The Library ser. 6, vol. 3 (1981) 328-30. Possession notes throughout the manuscript are: s. XVIIin: f. 28v, "frances Barnad" who also did the reckonings mentioned above; s. XVII: f. 13, "Richard Clarke est verus possessor huius libri"; s. XVII2: f. 49, "Ferdinand Newington his Booke 1670"; s. XVIII: on the front pastedown and on ff. 1 and 49, "Newington, ladbrooke" to which he added on the pastedown "Ye men of Orde" and on f. 49 (where his name was erased) "His Book 1729"; on ff. 3, 27 and 45, the signature of the Rev. Ar. Hubbard, lecturer in the parish of Watford, Hertfordshire, 1846-56; on f. 45 his name is followed by "Epping Essex." On the back flyleaf, the initials "R.P." of the late sixteenth or early seventeenth century. Savile sale, Sotheby's, 6 February 1861, lot 80 (this number on a round label on the front cover) to "Powis," a pseudonym for Sir Thomas Phillipps; his MS 24309. Acquired by Henry E. Huntington through A. S. W. Rosenbach in 1923.
Restrictions
RESTRICTED. Available with curatorial approval. Requires extended retrieval and delivery time.
Associated people
Capgrave, John, (1393-1464,)
Phillipps, Thomas, (1792-1872,)
Associated organizations
Catholic Church.
Henry E. Huntington Library, Art Museum, and Botanical Gardens.
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  • Translation of Higden's Polychronicon, along with other translations of works into Middle English : [manuscript]

    Translation of Higden's Polychronicon, along with other translations of works into Middle English : [manuscript]

    Manuscripts

    ff. 1-5v: [Pseudo William Ockham, translation of Dialogus inter militem et clericum]: Rubric: Dialogus inter militem et clericum. Incipit: Clericus y wonder sir noble knyȝt þat in fewe daies tymes beþ chaungid riȝt is yburied lawes biþ ouertorned. Explicit: Also in þe tyme of gospel hit is writen þe holy day is made for man and nouȝt man for þe holy day. Explicit dialogus inter clericum et militem. ff. 5v-20v: [Richard FitzRalph, translation of Defensio curatorum]: Rubric: Incipit sermo domini archiepiscopi Armacani. Incipit: Demeþ nought by þe face but riȝtful dome ye deme. John 8o co. Holy fadir in þe bigynnyng of my sermoun I make a protestacioun. Explicit: þerfore I conclude & pray mekelich & deuoutlich as I prayed in þe first þat I touchid: demeþ nouȝt bi þe face et cetera. Explicit. ff. 21-23v: [Pseudo Methodius, translation of Beginning of the World and the End of Worlds]: Incipit: In þe name of crist here bigynneþ þe boke of methodii þe bisshop of þe chirche of paterenis and martir of martir of [sic] crist. Explicit: And wicked men wiþout ende shul suffre peyne. Wherefore þe lord vouche he saaf to delyuer vs. qui cum patre et cetera. Explicit liber metodii episcopi. ff. 24-40v: [Alphabetical subject indexes to the Polychronicon in Latin and then in English with reference to books and chapters]. ff. 41-42: [Dialogue between a Lord and a Clerk upon Translation]: Incipit: Siþþe þat babel was ybuld men spekiþ diuerse tonges. Explicit: þan alle þat ben ywrite in þe boke of lyf shal wynde wiþ him into þe blisse of heuen and be þere in body and soule and se & knowe his godhed and manhed in Ioy wiþout eny ende. Explicit dialogus. f. 42r-v. [John Trevisa, Epistle to Sir Thomas of Barkley]: Incipit: Welþe and worshipe to my worthy and worshipful lord sir Thomas lord of Berkley. I Iohan Treuysa youre prest and youre bedman. Explicit: to se god on his blisful face in ioy wipout eny ende. Amen. Explicit epistola. ff. 43-319v: [Ranulph Higden, translation of Polychronicon]: Prologue: Incipit prefacio prima, Aftir solempne and wise writers of art and of science þat had swetnesse & likyng al her liftyme ... Prologue [f. 44v]: Prefacio secunda ad historiam, And for þis cronicle conteyneþ beringes and dedes of meny tymes ... Prologue [f. 44v]: Prefacio tercia ad historiam, To hem þat wole haue ful knowelech of stories it nedeþ eiȝte þinges to knowe ... Rubric: De orbis dimensione priscianus in Cosmagraphia [sic]. Incipit: Iulius Cesar by Counsaile of þe senatours and elder men of Rome loked and serched stories ... Explicit: þis translacion is endide in a þursday þe xviii day of Aueril þe yere of oure lorde a þousande þre hundred foure score and seuen þe tenþe yere of king Richard þe second aftir þe conqueste of englande þe yere of my lordis age sir Thomas lorde of Berkeley þat made me make þis translacion fiue and þritty. Explicit. ff. 320-325v: [115 verses on the kings of England from Alfred to Henry VI; followed by several documents concerning Richard II (his renunciation of the throne), Henry IV, Henry V, Henry VI and Edward IV (his claim to the throne of France with 2 genealogical tables]: Rubric: Hic metrice tractatur de regulis ab aluredo primo fundatore universitatis Oxoniensis circiter Annum domini D CCC lxiii usque ad henricum sextum. Incipit: Aluredus rex anglorum primusque monarcha/ Belliger invictus in scripturis bene doctus ... Explicit: Hoc tunc in fine verborum queso meorum/ Prospera quod statuat regna futura deus. Amen. [f. 325v, ruled but blank]. ff. 326-337v: [Pseudo Turpin, translation of Historia Karoli Magni; ending defectively in the 26th of 36 chapters]: Prologue: Turpine the Archebisshop of þe Bataille of Rouncivale. Here begynneth þe prologe of Turpines Story, Tvrpyne by the grace of god Archebiship of Reynes a bisye ffoluere and of grete Emperoure Charlis a ffelow with leoprande Dene of Akim gretinge and helthe euerlastinge in god ... ; [Chapter list]: B[rubricator's error for H]ere beginneth the Titulus of þe Chapitres of the Storye of the Bataille of Rouncivale of grete Charles the Emperoure, Capitulum 1m, [H]ow seynt Iame aperid to Charlis; Capitulum ii, [H]ow þe wallis of pampilione fylle down by hem selffe ... Rubric: How seint Iame apered to king Charles, Capitulum 1. Incipit: After oure lord ihesu criste had sufferid deþe and paid þe Rawnsome for synfulle man. Explicit: þen Roulonde lete him goo, and he callid to god to helpe him. And anone//. The text is preceded by a prologue and a chapter list:

    mssHM 28561

  • Pricke of conscience : [manuscript]

    Pricke of conscience : [manuscript]

    Manuscripts

    ff. 1-100; f. 100v blank. [Pricke of Conscience]. Incipit: Here bygynnepþ þe firste part of þis bok, Ferste whan god all þynge made of noȝte/ Man of þe fouleste mater was ywroȝte. Explicit: To whiche ioye he vs brynge __torn___/ þat for oure loue made alle þ__torn___. Here endeþ þe pricke of concie__torn___. Finem composui penite__torn___. English. IMEV 3429; Southern Recension; R. Morris, ed., The Pricke of Conscience. The Philological Society (Berlin 1863), from London, Brit. Lib., Cotton Galba E.ix. See also Stacy Waters,"The Pricke of Conscience: The Southern Recension, Book V," unpublished Ph.D. thesis, University of Edinburgh, 1976 (this manuscript the base text). R. E. Lewis and A. McIntosh, A Descriptive Guide to the Manuscripts of the 'Prick of Conscience.' Medium Aevum Monographs n.s. 12 (Oxford 1982) 145-46. The text is preceded by a prologue," þe myȝt of þe fader of heuene/ þe witte of þe sone with hys ȝiftes seuene . . .". ff. i-ii verso. [Canon law]. Incipit: //subintelligitur si comode potest alii dicunt quod potest dispensari in voto peregrinationis et non in voto continencie. Explicit: quia filius approbavit, pecuniariam vero satisfactionem bene potest iniungere. Et numquam//. Latin. Questions on canon law or moral theology concerning vows. Script: Littera textualis. Layout: 2 columns of 36 lines, ruled in dry point; prickings in outer and upper margins remain. Span folios: ff. i-ii verso. Inner bifolium of a quire. Assigned Date: s. XIII/XIV.

    mssHM 125

  • Prose and poetry in English : [manuscript]

    Prose and poetry in English : [manuscript]

    Manuscripts

    ff. 1-32. [Richard Rolle, attributed to]. [Contemplations of the Dread and Love of God]. Incipit: Whi ech man schulde desire to love god, Amonge alle creatures whiche god of his endeles myȝte made. Explicit: whiche be þe techinge of almiȝti god have write to þe þes fewe wordes in helpinge of þi soule. Ardeat in nobis domini fervor amoris. English. Text here preceded by a chapter list (labelled a-z, the last entry with no sign:"This schort pistil þat folweþ is deuided in sundri materes ech mater be himself in titlis as þis kalender shewes . . .), and by a prologue (In þe begynnynge and endynge of alle goode werkys: worshipe and þonkynge be to almyȝti god makere and byere of all mankind . . .). Contemplations of the Dread and Love of God (title used in Wynkyn de Worde's edition, 1506), or Fervor amoris, as on f. 33v, including the following three texts, Tractatus de quattuor gradibus amoris. P. S. Jolliffe, A Check-list of Middle English Prose Writings of Spiritual Guidance. Pontifical Institute of Mediaeval Studies, Toronto, Subsidia Mediaevalia 2 (Toronto 1974), H.15. C. Horstman, ed., Yorkshire Writers: Richard Rolle of Hampole (London 1896) 2:72-105. ff. 32-33. [Prayers]. Incipit: A Goode curteis angel ordeined to my gouernaisse I knowe wel myn feblenes. . .yow also in him aftir his holi techinge. I þanke him with þis holi preier. Pater noster et cetera. Et ne nos inducas in temptacionem Set libera nos a malo. Per defensionem angeli commissi nobis ad custodiam amen. Ave maria. [A]ngele qui meus custos pietate superna/ me tibi commissam salva defende guberna. . . Latin; English. A. Wilmart, Auteurs spirituels et textes dévots du moyen âge latin (Paris 1932; repr. 1971), 556-58], with versicle, response and prayer, Deus qui sanctorum angelorum tuorum aliquos tibi benigne concedis assistere. . . ; devotions to one's guardian angel, the English prayer pr. in Horstman, p. 105, followed by a suffrage in Latin. On ff. 32v-33, two prayers to Jesus in Latin: Ihesu fili dei vivi omnium cognitor adiuva me ut vanis cogitacionibus non delector. . .; O bone ihesu tibi sine te placere non possum clementer. . . Some prayers in feminine form. f. 33r-v. [De quattuor gradibus amoris]. Incipit: I ffinde and rede bi holi mennis writinge þat aftir oure ladies assumpcion Seint Johan euangelist gretliche desirid to se þat blessid ladi. Explicit: and þan seie an antem wiþ a deuout orison suiche as we þenkemost plesinge to oure soule. Explicit tractatus de quatuor gradubus [sic] amoris. English. N. S. Baugh, A Worcestershire Miscellany Compiled by John Northwood c. 1400 (Philadelphia 1956) 151-52. ff. 34-50v. [Richard Rolle] [Form of living]. Incipit: In euery sinful man or woman þat is bounden in dedeli sinne is þre wrecchednesses þe whiche bringeþ hem to þe deþ of helle. Explicit: and praye for me þe grace of ihesu crist be wiþ deþ and kepe þe. Amen. Rubric: Incipit liber nuncupatus Amore langueo. English. Richard Rolle, Form of Living, in Horstman, 1:3-49; H. E. Allen, Writings Ascribed to Richard Rolle, Hermit of Hampole (New York 1927) 256-68; H. E. Allen, English Writings of Richard Rolle Hermit of Hampole (Oxford 1931) 82-119. f. 51. [Poem]. Incipit: Crist made to man a faire present/ His blody body wiþ loue y brent. . .þan schal my loue be trewe. Explicit: & fin/ and loue in loue schal make fin. English. C. Brown and R. H. Robbins, Index of Middle English Verse (New York 1943) and Supplement by R. H. Robbins and J. L. Cutler (Lexington 1965) 611. C. Brown, ed., Religious Lyrics of the XIVth Century (Oxford, 2nd ed., 1952) 113-14, with collations from this manuscript on pp. 273-74. ff. 51-52v. [Poems]. Incipit: Hyt is yfounde and ywrite þat oure lady apered to seint Thomas of caunterbury and badde him and tauþt him to worschipe here. . .Be glad of al maydens flourre/ þat hast in heuene swich honoure. Explicit: Bringe me to þe blisse of heuene/ þorwe grace of clene lyfe. Latin; English. Text preceded by a Latin legend ("Legitur quod dum beatus Thomas martir Cantuariensis Arche episcopus septem gaudia temporalia . . ."), several short Latin texts (Gaude flore virginali; O sponsa dei electa mater domini nostri ihesu christi benedicta; Domine ihesu christe fili dei vivi qui beatissimam genitricem tuam). See C. Brown and R. H. Robbins, Index of Middle English Verse (New York 1943) and Supplement by R. H. Robbins and J. L. Cutler (Lexington 1965) 465. C. Brown, ed., Religious Lyrics of the XVth Century (Oxford 1939) 59-60, English portions only from this manuscript. U. Chevalier, Repertorium hymnologicum, Louvain 1892-1912, Brussels 1920-21, n. 6809 for the hymn, Gaude flore virginali. ff. 53-62v. [Richard of St. Victor]. [Benjamin Minor]. Incipit: A Greet Clerc þat men callaþ Richard of seint victor in a book þat he makeþ of þe studie wisdam. Explicit: Ibi Beniamin adolescentulus in mentis excessu: þat is þer is Beniamin ȝe ȝonge child in rauissyng of mynde. Mercy help. Gremercy help. English. A Tretyse of þe Stodye of Wysdome þat Men Clepen Beniamyn (translation of Richard of St. Victor's Beniamin Minor), in P. Hodgson, Deonise Hid Divinite. Early English Text Society original series 231 (London 1955) 11-46; HM 127 collated as C. f. 62v. [Seven Works of Mercy]. Incipit: The seuene dedis of mercy/ I wole do as god us bede. Explicit: Cherishe þe sinful to turne fro vys/ And wys him in to þe riþt way. English. Index of Middle English Verse 3459. The seven Works of Mercy,"Bodily" and"Gostly.". f. 62v. [Seven Gifts of the Holy Spirit]. Incipit: Septem dona spiritus sancti, Domum [sic] sapiencie castitas contra luxuriam. Explicit: Domum [sic] timoris domini humilitas contra superbiam. Latin.

    mssHM 127

  • Here bygynneth þe proheme of þe boke þat men cleped þe mirrour of þe blessede lyfe of oure lord Ihesu criste et cetera : [manuscript]

    Here bygynneth þe proheme of þe boke þat men cleped þe mirrour of þe blessede lyfe of oure lord Ihesu criste et cetera : [manuscript]

    Manuscripts

    ff. 1-108v. [Nicholas Love] [Mirrour of the Blessed Lyf of Jesu Christ]. Incipit: After þe tyme þat man was exiled out of þe hyȝe cyte of heuene. Explicit: þus hauen holy doctoures tauȝt and holy chirche determined and þerfore þus y trowe and fully byleue þat it ys in soþenesse þogh my kyndely reson aȝeynseye it et cetera. Gode helpe at nede, quod Thomas Ad. Rubric: Here bygynneth þe proheme of þe boke þat men cleped þe mirrour of þe blessede lyfe of oure lord Ihesu criste et cetera, Quecumque scripta sunt ad nostram doctrinam scripta sunt ut per pacienciam et consolacionem scripturarum spem habeamus. Ad Romanos xvo capitulo. þese bene þe wordes of þe grete doctour & holy Apostle Poule. English. L. F. Powell, ed., The Mirrour of the Blessed Lyf of Jesu Christ, A Translation. . .by Nicholas Love. Roxburghe Club 151 (Oxford 1908) 7-308, here without the 2 Latin prefatory passages and finishing incomplete with respect to Powell's edition, but apparently intended so, as the scribe's colophon occurs at the end. See E. Salter, Nicholas Love's"Myrrour of the Blessed Lyf of Jesu Christ." Analecta Cartusiana 10 (Salzburg 1974) 8 and, for a revised list of the manuscripts, E. Salter,"The Manuscripts of Nicholas Love's Myrrour of the Blessed Lyf of Jesu Christ and Related Texts," in A. S. G. Edwards and D. Pearsall, eds., Middle English Prose: Essays on Bibliographical Problems (New York 1981) 115-27.

    mssHM 149

  • Medical treatises : [manuscript]

    Medical treatises : [manuscript]

    Manuscripts

    ff. 1-15v: [Approximately 150 medical recipes, including 2 on f. 3 for determining if a sick man will live or die]: Incipit: [Broþir] in crist þat þyng þat ȝe desyreþ of me y wol don hyt wyþ goddes grace her beþ medycynes þat beþ ydrawen out of goode leches bokes. For þe hed ache mak lye of verueyne oþer of beteyne ... Explicit: & ȝef þe arm be broke let hym bere a bal of herbes in hys hond for crokynge of hys fyngeres deo gracias Amen. f. 15v. [Pharmacuetical weights]: Incipit: Forto rede & vnderstonde þe wrytynge þat comeþ heraftur & such oþer wrytynge as leaches wryteþ in makynge of hur medycynes wheþer it be in englysch oþer in latyn þow schalt vnderstonde þat a pound is þus ywryte li. i & half a pound ... Explicit: & þus þey beþ ywryten in latyn bokes. ff. 16-237: [Treatise on sicknesses, arranged from the head down (headache to hemorrhoids) defining for each the humors, diagnostic symptoms and remedies]: Rubric: Hed Ache. Incipit: A mon þat wol helpe men in hure seknesses hym byhofeþ to knowe þe enchesones & þe kyndes of þe seknesses þat is to sugge wheþer þey ben hote oþer colde oþer druye oþer moyst And þys is yknowe by mony dyuerse tokenes as by þe vryn & by þe pous ... And furst we wolleþ bygynne at þe seknesses of þe hed & furst of þe hed ache þat may come to a mon þroȝ hete oþer colde oþer druyenesse. Explicit: Anoynte hem wyþ þe oyle of eyren oþer of roses oþer wyþ þe mys of þe lylye rote oþer wyþ fresch botter oþer wyþ lard ymedled wyþ botter oþer wyþ oyle of whete oþer wyþ þe whyt of an ey. f. 237v: [Notes on the preparation of violet, saffron and iron rust for medicinal use]: Incipit: In al þys bok þer as þou seest vyolet idon in electewaryes. Explicit: it restoreþ colere & consumeþ malencolye & it sleþ þe cancre & þe festre & it druyeþ qwyture & abateþ a monnes fatuesse. Deo gracias. Amen. ff. 238-242: [Table of contents to ff. 16-237, listing par tof the body affected and appropriate medicines with reference to folio numbers]. ff. 16v, 18v, 50v, 96, 141v, 203, 208v, 209, 241v, 242v, 243, 244: [Medical recipes in Latin and in English added by several different hands, 15th-16th century].

    mssHM 19079

  • Mirrour of the blessed lyf of Jesu Christi : [manuscript]

    Mirrour of the blessed lyf of Jesu Christi : [manuscript]

    Manuscripts

    ff. 1-107v: [Nicholas Love, Mirrour of the Blessed Lyf of Jesu Christ]. Rubric: A deuoute meditacioun of þe grete consell in heuene for þe Restorynge of man & his sauacioun. Capitulum primum et prima pars libri. Incipit: Afftir þe tyme þat man was exiled oute of þe hiȝ cite of heuene ... Explicit: with þe to liff euerlastynge Ihesu lorde bi vertue & grace of þi lif blissed withoute endynge. Amen. Amen. Amen. Ihesu lorde þi blissed lif, helpe & conforte oure wrecch[ed lif]. Amen. Explicit speculum v[...leaf damaged] Drede Shame and Thynkon. [Some text lost from f. 97 to the end, due to damaged leaves; ff. 105v-107v blank]

    mssHM 1339