Add MS 15225

ff. 1r–60v: A collection of poems and songs, chiefly of a religious character, written in the reign of James VI and I, but containing many of an earlier date. It is likely to have been composed by a Catholic.

ff. 1r–2r: Ballad, ‘A jollie sheppard that sate on Sione hill.’ Printed in Old English Ballads, pp. 101–07.

ff. 2v–3r: Ballad, ‘Caluarie mount is my delight: a place I loue so well.’ Printed in Old English Ballads, pp. 147–51.

ff. 3v–6v: A unique, Catholic ballad, ‘A mounte my soule from earth a whyle.’ Printed in Old English Ballads, pp. 152–62.

ff. 7r–v: ‘Jesus my louing spouse.’ Printed in Old English Ballads, pp. 198–202.

ff. 7v–9v: Poem entitled ‘against nigardie and riches.’ Begins, ‘Noe wight in this world that wealth can attaine.’ Printed in Old English Ballads, pp. 108–13.

ff. 10r–v: Ballad on the life of Christ. Begins, ‘A word once said Adam was made.’ Printed in Old English Ballads, pp. 203–05.

f. 11r: Poem with the heading ‘I loue hime I loue him the truth for to say/ I purpose to loue him, wh[o]e euer sais nay.’ Begins, ‘Whoe is my loue. I shall you tell.’ Printed in Old English Ballads, pp. 206–08.

ff. 11v–13r: Ballad beginning ‘O blessed god o sauiour sweete.’ Printed in Old English Ballads, pp. 114–18.

ff. 13r–15r: ‘A song of the Duke of Buckingham.’ Begins ‘The noble Peere while he liued heere.’ Concerns the betrayal of Henry Stafford, Duke of Buckingham, by his servant Banister. Printed in Old English Ballads, pp. 349–58.

ff. 15r–16r: ‘A doleful daunce & song of death/ Intituled: the shakeing of the Sheetes.’ See Old English Ballads, p. xxix.

ff. 16r–v: A song in praise of a lady. Begins, ‘Give place yea ladies & begone.’

ff. 16v–17r: ‘A pleasant ballad of the just man Jobe, shewing his patience in extremitie.’ Begins (on f. 17r) ‘Walking alone. not long agone.’ Printed in Old English Ballads, pp. 210–12.

ff. 17v–18r: Song, begins ‘To passe the place where pleasure is.’ Printed in Old English Ballads, pp. 213–15.

f. 18r: Stanza, beginning ‘What wisdome haue our wicked with.’

ff. 18r–v: Song, ‘I might haue liued merelie.’ Printed in Old English Ballads, pp. 216–18.

ff. 19r–20r: Ballad beginning ‘Ould Tobie calde his lovinge sonne.’ Printed in Old English Ballads, pp. 219–22.

ff. 20r–22v: Ballad, beginning ‘Behould our sauiour crucifide.’ Printed in Old English Ballads, pp. 119–26.

ff. 23r–25r: A song made by John Thewlis, before his execution for refusing to become a Protestant. Begins, ‘True Christian hartes cease to lament.’ Printed in Old English Ballads, pp. 80–86.

ff. 25r–27v: Song on the death of Thewlis. Begins, ‘O god aboue relent.’ To be sung to the tune of Daintie, come thou to mee. Printed in Old English Ballads, pp. 87–100.

ff. 27v–29v: ‘A song of the crosse.’ Begins, ‘When as mankind through Adams fale.’ Printed in Old English Ballads, pp. 127–33.

ff. 29v–30v: ‘Heere followeth a songe of the puritan.’ Begins, ‘In dayes of yore when words did passe for bandes.’ Printed in Old English Ballads, pp. 134–36.

ff. 31r–33r: ‘A songe of foure Preistes that suffered death at Lancaster to the tune of Daintie, come thou to me. Printed in Old English Ballads, pp. 70–78.

f. 33r: The first two stanzas of ‘A jollie sheppard that sate on Sione hill’, arranged in seven lines. See ff. 1r–2r.

ff. 33v–35r: A song on the change of religion, and execution of Roman Catholic priests. Begins, ‘Winter could into summer hoate.’ Printed in Old English Ballads, pp. 137–41.

ff. 35r–36r: ‘A songe in praise of Musiuqe.’ Begins, ‘Sweete musiuqe mournes, and hath donne longe.’ Printed in Old English Ballads, pp. 142–46.

ff. 36v–37v: ‘A song mad by f:B:P: To the tune of Diana.’ Begins, ‘Hierusalem my happie sonne.’

ff. 38r: Ballad, beginning ‘The thoughtes of man doe daylie change.’ Printed in Old English Ballads, pp. 223–25.

ff. 38v–39r: Ballad beginning ‘Seeke wisdome chiefly to obteine.’ Printed in Old English Ballads, pp. 226–28.

f. 39r: ‘A prisoners songe.’ Begins, ‘My thirstie soule desyres for drought.’

ff. 39v–42v: Ballad, beginning ‘Jherusalem thy ioyes devine.’ Printed in Old English Ballads, pp. 170–79.

ff. 43r–v: Song, beginning, ‘My mynd to mee a kingdome is.’ See Old English Ballads, p. xxix.

ff. 43v–44v: Ballad, beginning ‘O man that runneth heere thy race.’ Printed in Old English Ballads, pp. 229–32.

f. 44v–45v: Figurative work, ‘A singular salve for a sicke soule.’ Begins ‘Take a quart of the repentance of Niniuie…’ Printed in Old English Ballads, pp. 405–06.

ff. 45v–47r: ‘The bellmans goodmorrowe to the tune of awake, awake, o England.’ Begins, ‘From sluggishe sleepe and slumber.’ Printed in Old English Ballads, pp. 233–37.

f. 47v: ‘A carall for Christmas Day.’ Begins, ‘Reioyce, Reioyce with hart and voice.’ Printed in Old English Ballads, pp. 238–39.

ff. 48r–55v: Catholic poem entitled ‘The Parlament of Devills.’ Begins, ‘When marie was great with Gabriell.’ Printed in Old English Ballads, pp. 348–404.

ff. 56r–58r: ‘A dittie most excelent for euerie man to reade, that doth intende for to amende & to repent with speede, to the tune of A rich merchant man, or John come kiss me now.’ See Old English Ballads, p. xxix.

ff. 58v–60v: A unique, curious ballad on drunkards. Begins, ‘All you that with good ale do hould.’ Printed in Old English Ballads, pp. 331–39.