Stowe MS 38

"A TRETIS þat suffisiþ to eche cristen man and womman to lyuen þeraftir," beg. "This tretis compilid of a pore caitif," and hence commonly known as "The Poor Caitiff." The authorship has been attributed to Wiclif, but see Shirley, Fasciculi Zizaniorum, 1858, p. xiii. n. 3. The headings of the different sections of the work are as follows: — (1) the bileeve; (2) of þe ten heestis; (3) Pater noster; (4) the counceil of Crist; (5) of virtuous pacience; (6) of temptacioun; (7) chartir of hevene; (8) horis eiþir armer of hevene; (9) the name of Jesus; (10) desir of Jesus; (11) of verri mekenesse; (12) the effect of wille; (13) actif lijf and contemplatif lijf; (14) myrrour of chastite; (15) of glorious virgynyte. The colophon runs, "Here eendiþ þis blessid tretis þ^t is counceilour of wrecchis . deo gratias." At the beginning of the volume is a calendar, of which the last leaf, containing Nov. and Dec., is missing. Vellum; ff. 161. xvth cent. Initials of months in the calendar and of chapters illuminated. On the first fly-leaf (f. 1b) are rules for ascertaining the date of the moon's changes, in a I6th-cent. hand; and at the end (f. 159) are some doggrel rhymes concerning one Bentley of Cheveley [Cheveley, co. Cambr., or Chieveley, co. Berks?], in a similar hand. The last leaf (f. 161) is from a moral treatise of the same character as that contained in the body of the volume, and of the same date, the passage being explanatory of Cant. Cantt. i. 2. On f. 159b are the names, as owners, of Denis Beke and Isabella Beke [16th cent.]; and on ff. 1b, 158 the name of John Bridges (ob. 1724), "ex dono — Rickman." Large Octavo.

John Wiclif: "The Poor Caitiff," falsely attributed to: 15th cent.

Art. Illuminations and Drawings ENGLISH: Initials: circ. 1200, early 13th cent., 15th cent., A.D. 1578.

includes:

• f. 159 Poetry: Doggrel verses: 16th cent.
• f. 159 Bentley, of Cheveley: Doggrel verses on: 16th cent.