Stowe MS 951

1. HISTORY of the three Kings or Magi, Jaspar, Melchior and Balthasar, with an account of the three translations of their bodies until they were finally deposited at Cologne by Rainald of Dassel, archbishop, in 1164: an abridged English translation of the Historia Trium Regum of John of Hildesheim, Prior of the Carmelite house of Marienau, who died in 1375. f. 1. The text agrees with that of Royal MS. I8 A. x., the second of the two texts edited by C. Horstmann, The Three Kings of Cologne, E.E.T.S., 1886. lt is, however, imperfect, the first page beg. " Þes iii Kynges were come in to Jerusalem" (ed. cit., p. 59, 1. 21), and the second leaf being almost entirely torn away.

2. The Mirror of Life: a religious poem generally attributed to William of Nassyngton, and founded on "La Somme des vices et des vertus." f. 32. Begins: "Alle myghty God in Trynyte." Its nature is explained in the course of the Introduction: "Fyrste I wille speke of þe grete profitt Of þe Pater Noster þat comes of itt; And of þe fruyte and þe dignite Of þat prayer als men may se; And specially of þe seuen askynges Þat on þe Pater noster hynges; And of þe seuen gyftes of þe haly gaste And [leg. þat ] þe seuen askynges may to vs haste; And of seuen synnes þat maste may smerte Þat þe seuen gyftes puttes out of herte; And specially of vertues seuen Þat may sett in þaire stedes euen," etc.

The present copy does not include the lines at the end, printed by Sir F. Madden in a note in Warton's Hist. of English Poetry, ed. 1840, vol. ii. p. 368, from Royal MS. 17 C. viii., attributing the original Latin to Friar John of Waldby and the English vei.sion to William of Nassyngton.

3. "Exhortacio contra vicium adulterii": a translation in English verse, with Latin prose argument to each stanza (written in red), of a French poem by John Gower. f. 313. In 57 seven-line stanzas, preceded by one by the translator:-

"Who þat liste loke in þis litel tretice May fynde what meschief is of auouttrie. Wherfore he þat will eschewe þat vice, He may see here to beware of folie. Gower it made in frenshe with grete studie In balades ryale; whos sentence here Translated hath Qvixley in this manere."

For the original see Balades and other Poems by John Gower, Roxburghe Club, London, 1818; and also Warton, Hist. of Engl. Poetry, ed. 1840, ii. p. 248, and H.J. Todd, Illustrations of Chaucer and Gower, 1810, p. 98. Paper, the first and last leaf of each quire vellum; ff. 322. XVth cent. Bound in oak boards, flush with the leaves, with backing (modern) of leather. Quarto.

Romances: History of the three Kings: 15th cent.

John of Hildesheim, Prior of Marienau: Abridged translation of his " Historia Trium Regum ": 15th cent.: Engl.

includes:

• f. 32 William de Nassyngton: The Mirror of Life: 15th cent.
• f. 313 Quixley: Exhortacio contra vicium adulterii: 15th cent.: Engl. verse.
• f. 313 John Gower: Translation of French poem by him: 15th cent.