Henry the Sixth Part 7

The first (Royal 13. c. viii.) is the parent of the other (Harley 423).

13. c. viii. is on paper, a fairly well written volume of cent. XV-XVI.

It has the names of Abp Cranmer (Tho. Cant.) and Lord Lumley.

It contains:

1. Letter from the Compiler.

In Christo Ihesu salutem plurimam. c.u.m acceperis epistolam hanc, magister venerande ... _ends_: huius fructiferi palmitis Christi botris expendere non cessabo. Vale et ora ut tec.u.m in eternum valeat tuus et orator et socius cuius nomen est in libro vite. No proper name occurs.

2. f. 1 _b_. Salutacio gloriosi militis Christi henrici regis Anglie s.e.xti c.u.m oraciuncula brevi.

Salue miles preciose rex henrice generose Palmes vitis celice In radice caritatis vernans flore sanct.i.tatis Viteque angelice Salue flos n.o.bilitatis laus et honor dignitatis seu corone regie Pie pater orphanorum vera salus populorum Robur et ecclesie Salue forma pietatis exemplar humilitatis Decus innocencie Vi oppressis vel turbatis mestis atque desolatis Scola paciencie Salue fax superne lucis per quam serui summi ducis Ill.u.s.trantur undique Dum virtute lucis vere meruisti prefulgere Tantis signis gracie Salue quem rex seculorum choris iungens angelorum Ciuem fecit patrie Te laudare cupientes hac ut semper sint fruentes Tec.u.m vita glorie. Amen.

_Vers._ Veniant ad te qui detrahebant tibi. Et adorent vestigia pedum tuorum.

_Oracio._ Salus et saluator omnium in te credencium, piissime domine Ihesu Christe, qui dilectum famulum tuum regem henric.u.m s.e.xtum variis tribulacionum pressuris opprimi voluisti, ut ex eius pacientissime et innocentissime vite meritis quasi quibusdam botris uberrimis copiosa tue gracie dulcedo per miraculorum gloriam distillaret in plebem: largire, quesumus, eos omnes qui tante eius glorie congratulantes aut illum propter te aut in illo te pocius glorificando dignis gestiunt collaudare preconiis ipsius beat.i.tudinis consorcium et hic habere per meritum et in futuro consequi per effectum: qui c.u.m deo patre et spiritu sancto viuis et gloriaris deus per omnia secula seculorum. Amen.

3. f. 16. Exemplar epistole a pauperculo quodam monacho olim directe ad preclarum virum d. Johannem Morgan[48] tunc decanum capelle collegialis castri de Wyndesore, modo vero episcopum meneuensem c.u.m infrascriptis quibusdam beati regis henrici miraculis.

Eternam in Christo Ihesu quam sibimet salutem c.u.m reverencia speciali tanto viro dignissima etc. Richard Combe had brought to the writer of the letter 'exemplaria quedam pulcerrima' of Henry's miracles, in English, with a request from a Bishop that he would translate them into Latin.

4. f. 3 _b_. Another letter from the Dean of Windsor. Indeficientis votiua salutis preconia, tuas etenim, virorum contemplatissime, suauissimas kalendis januarii animo quidem gratissimo recepi litteras.

Gives his consent to the translation of the Miracles. Scriptum apud Regale castrum Wynsor' stilo rudissime profluente 4 Nonas Januarii.

Hec tibi describens tuus est ad vota Johannes.

5. f. 4 _b_. Prologue. Solet plerumque la.s.sascenti stomacho obesse dapium plenitudo.

Among other matters he apologizes for styling Henry beatissimus, sanctissimus, and so forth.

6. f. 6. Capitula (28).

7. f. 7. Text. Annotatur hic qualiter puer quidam bis biennis in molendino aquatico submersus fuerat (et) ad inuocacionem beati regis henrici resuscitatus a mortuis anno dominice incarnacionis 1481. qui erat annus regni Edwardi quarti regis famosissimi vicesimus primus. Et primo ponitur exordium breue et deinde narracio subinfertur.

Quia sacro dictante eloquio sacramentum regis abscondere bonum esse didicimus etc.

There are various marginal notes in a large hand, on the proofs of the Miracles, e.g.:

f. 8. Westwel Cancie, probatum: 9 _b_ somerseschyr' non reperitur: 10 savernak Foreste non inuenitur: 11 Examinentur Thomas Hayward, Johannes Parmyter, D. Wyllelmus Edwardes: 11 _b_ Holyngton Sowths.e.x probatum.

After cap. 28 (f. 26) is a slip with a note on Capitula of Lib. II: f.

27 Capitula (58) of Lib. II.

Slip, with t.i.tle of Prologue: In miracula quedam famosiora et euidenciora quibus ill.u.s.trissimum virum Henric.u.m regem Anglie s.e.xtum diuina decorauit clemencia, que et infra biennium post eius in ecclesia collegiali castri de Wynsore tumulacionem ibidem manifestata nosc.u.n.tur pret.i.tulatur hic prologus.

The same in a shorter form in the lower margin of f. 30.

f. 30. Lib. II. Prol. Quanta ex florigero diuine plenitudinis agro, etc.

On f. 32 the capitula are continued, from 59 to 67. A blank unnumbered leaf follows.

The text proceeds to cap. 30 (de calice et portiforio). (Here the other copy, Harl. 423, ends; its last leaf is a fragment.) Then follow 11 blank pages: then a slip (recto blank) numbered 148, which has the beginning of cap. 67.

The text then continues on ff. 59-85.

The miracles up to this point are variously and irregularly numbered: there seem to be about 40.

Then follows a list of 24 miracles, and text; then on f. 101 a list of 13 miracles, followed by text. At the end of the last is: 1500

There is some ground for thinking that this volume was utilized, or to be utilized, for the process of the canonization of Henry VI which proved abortive.

The other MS Harl. 423 is of cent. XVI early, and occupies ff. 72-128 in one of Foxe's volumes. It is plainly a copy of the first part of the Royal MS.

III. ON JOHN BLACMAN'S BOOKS.

The following lists are found in MS. Laud. Misc. 154, in the Bodleian library, one on a flyleaf, the other--somewhat mutilated--in the lower margin of a leaf. The first enumerates the whole contents of each volume, the second gives the t.i.tle of one tract only, but supplies the opening words of the second leaf of each volume, the usual medieval expedient for identifying a book.

I combine here the data of the two lists, calling the list on the flyleaf A and that on the lower margin B.

The MS in which they occur is a volume of Nic. de Lyra's commentary on the Bible: and list B begins by describing it.

(B) 1. Liber domus beate virginis de Witham Cartusiensis ex dono magistri Johannis Blacman.

(A) Lyra: Genesis ... Job.

_This is MS. Laud. Misc._ 154.

(B) 2, 3. c.u.m duobus comparibus: primi 2 fo. _cognicio intellectiua_.

2 fo. secundi _et cetera R[=o]_.

sed pro ligatura et illuminacione domus soluit xs et vjd.

(A) 2. Lyra: Psalterium--Prov.--Ecclus. Isa.--Malachias.

1, 2 Macc.

3. Lyra: Evv., Paul. Epp., Act., Cath. Epp. Apoc.

capitulaciones epistolarum et euangeliorum secundum cartus'.

_No._ 2 _is Laud. Misc._ 152. _No._ 3 _is not known._

(B) 4. Item librum policronicon. 2 fo. _adhibere._

(A) 4. les pedegrues reg. angl. _b._ tabula noua policronici _a._ policronicon cestrense.

_No. 4 is in Eton College Library MS. 204: formerly Ashburnham Appendix 105: then belonged to Mr George Dunn._

(B) 5. Item Bartholomeus de casibus consciencie. 2 fo. _hic_ (?) _suus_ (?) _pars._

(A) 5. magna carta Bartholomeus de casibus consciencie principia et fines originalium librorum forma audiendi confessionem t.i.tuli decretorum libri vjti et Clementis.

(B) 6. Item librum vocatum lucerna consciencie. 2 fo. _malorum ex._

(A) 6. lucerna consciencie meditaciones Anselmi. credo ritmicacio tocius scripture sacre oraciones Anselmi ut apparet tractatus de virtutibus et viciis interrogaciones fori penitencialis Alfonsus contra iudeos.

6. _This is MS. Bodl. 801._