Add MS 8151

'THE MIRROR OF LIFE': an English verse translation by the 14th cent. writer William of Nassyngton from a Latin work by John of Waldby, with other verses; mid-late 15th cent. Origin: England. The contents are listed in Carleton Brown, A register of Middle English Religious and Didactic verse, pt. 1 (1916), p. 387. Lists of MSS. of the texts and bibliography can be found at the appropriate entry in Carleton Brown and R. H. Robbins, The Index of Middle English Verse (1943) and Supplement (1965). Owned by Sir Edward Hoby (d. 1617), see signature and motto 'Aurea Libertas', f. 3. Possibly among the MSS of Sir Edward's grandson, Sir John Hoby, 2nd Bart., of Bisham, in 1697, see CMA, no. 3810. Memorandum on contents in an 18th cent. hand, f. 2v. Pencil memorandum, f. 1, by Sir Frederic Madden. Purchased from 'Mr Leslie' [John Leslie, bookseller?], Nov. 1830.

Paper; ff. 203. Sec. fol. 'Ande what e schull chese'. 220 x 145mm. Gatherings (18) generally of 12: i10, ii14, iii8, viii lacks 1-3, xi lacks 12, xvii lacks 1, 2, xviii18 (lacks 8). The modern gathering structure of quires i-iii (ff. 3-34) does not reflect the pattern of signatures, quire numeration and catchwords. Catchwords: ff. 13v and 24v (both within modern quire ii), regular ff. 46v-70v, regular from f. 138v. Quires marked and folios numbered at foot recto with small letter and roman numeral. The pattern for the first three quires is irregular, as follows: i10 (a i-x), ii14 (a xi, b i-x, c xii, d i-ii), iii8 (d iii-x). Quire vii (ff. 71-82) is marked h, followed by quire viii (ff. 83-91), which is marked l, suggesting that a quire is missing between ff. 82-83. Signatures: small letters a-g, k-t and roman numerals i-vi from f. 14, some cropped. Pattern irregular in quires ii-iii. Single columns. One main cursive book script, mid-late 15th cent. Art. 3 in a late 15th cent. script. Capitals, etc., in red. Three water marks: A. Unicorn's head. Quires i-v. ff. 3-58; B. Mont. Quires vi-xiii. ff. 59-150, 154 and 159 (both in quire xiv); C. Hunting horn. Quires xiv-xviii. ff. 151-203.

Contents:

1. ff. 3-200v. William of Nassyngton 'The Mirror of Life'. Beg. 'Alle my tty gode in trynyte', f. 3. Material missing at f. 5 is supplied at the end,

ff. 199v-200v. Brown and Robbins, op. cit., no. 245. See also V. C. Nelson, 'Problems of transcription in the Speculum Vitae MSS', Scriptorium, xxxi (1977), pp. 254-259.

2. f. 200v. 22 lines of verse, headed 'De Prophecia', comprising four separate items. Printed from the present MS in Queen Elizabeth's Academy, ed.

F. J. Furnivall, EETS, Extra Series, viii (1869), p. 85. See also R. Hope Robbins, 'Popular prayers in Middle English Verse', Modern Philology, xxxvi (May 1939), no. 4, pp. 337-350. As follows: (a) Eight lines beg. 'Whene pryde is moste in prys'. Brown and Robbins, op. cit. no. 4006;-

(b) Four lines beg. 'All hyt is fantome'. Ibid. no. 190;- (c) Eight lines beg. 'Gyfte is domusumane'. Ibid., no. 906; (d) Couplet beg. 'Ande euere in weele and in woo'. See ibid., no. 3274.

3. ff. 201v-203v. 'The Litlle Childrens Book'. Beg. 'Lytelle childrene here ye may lere'. Ibid., no. 1920. Printed in The Babees Book, ed. F. J. Furnivall, EETS, o.s., xxxii (1868), even pages 16-24.