Add MS 6716

THEOLOGICAL COLLECTION: two separate manuscripts bound together; mid - late 15th cent. Chiefly Latin. Origin: England. See Cat. Romances, iii, pp. 686-692. Memoranda at

ff. 81-81v connect the MS. with Southwell, co. Notts., in the late 15th-early 16th cent. Both items may have been the property of Southwell Minster, a secular college of canons and vicars choral, to which the parochial vicar of Southwell was attached (see f. 81). Owned, 1623, by William Burton, antiquary, of Lindley, co. Leics. (d. 1645), whose ex libris occurs f. 1. Wolley Collection.

Vellum and paper; ff. 146. Composite manuscript. The main hand of Section I occurs in Section II, suggesting a common origin.

SECTION I.

Vellum; ff. 80. 15th cent. foliation in arabic numerals, ff. 1-3. Sec. fol. 'corpus mulieris a se factum'. 280 x 200mm. approx. Gatherings: i-v12, vi10, vii14(lacks 11-14, stubbs remain). Catchwords, ff. 24v, 36v, 48v. Double columns. One bastard script, which also occurs in Section II, throughout articles 1-12. Art. 6 begins on a new quire. Final stubb of quire vii bears writing, apparently miscellaneous memoranda. Some headings, etc., in red. Crayon sketches of faces, 15th cent., f. 34.

Contents:

1. ff. 1-58. Collection of theological and moral discourses, illustrated with exempla, lives of saints, etc. Imperfect? at beginning. Beg. 'Nota quod oraciones et alia bona opera in corde fetido'. Bloomfield, no. 3362. Ends 'Finis sermonum est hec collectio morum', f. 58. Most of the exempla are listed in Cat. Romances, iii, pp. 686-691. At f. 4 is the 'Carta humani generis', a forgery assuming the form of Christ's last will. See W. R. Jones, 'The Heavenly Letter in Medieval England', Medievalia et Humanistica, n.s. 6 (1975), p. 174.

2. ff. 58-58v. Miscellaneous theological memoranda, including sentences, and quotations from St Augustine and St Bernard. The following occur in Walther, Carmina. (a) 'Spernere mundum, spernere nullum, spernere sese'. Ibid., no. 30154. f. 58v;- (b) 'Post hominem vermis, post vermen fetor'. Ibid., no. 22006. f. 58v.

3. f. 59. 'Quam homo laborat in extremis'. Beg. 'Si agonizans loqui et usum'.

4. f. 59v. 'Summa Medicina pro morbo caduco'. Beg. 'Infirmus qui patitur penitenciam Beati Cornelij'.

5. ff. 60-60v. Tales: (a) The story of the Wandering Jew from Roger of Wendover, 'Flores Historiarum'. Beg. 'Anno Domini MoCoxxviijo venit in Angliam quidam archiepiscopus Armenie'. Cat. Romances, iii, p. 691.

ff. 60-60v;- (b) Tale of a priest near Lindisfarne. Ibid., p. 691. f. 60v.

6. ff. 61-63. 'Septem peccata mortalia'. Beg. 'Si seperauimus preciosum a vili'. Latin, each sin being introduced by verses in English. Bloomfield,

no. 1779.

7. ff. 63-71v. Works of Robert Grosseteste on confession and penance. See

S. Harrison Thomason, The Writings of Robert Grosseteste (1940), no. 83, where the two items in the present MS. are classed as one. (a) 'Modus siue forma confitendi'. Beg. 'Primo dicat sacerdos confitenti. Frater venisti ad me causa'. ff. 63-67;- (b) 'Forma iniugendi penitencias'. Beg. 'Penitencias a sanctis patribus traditas ex diuersis libris'. Followed (f. 67v) by a definition of sins. ff. 67-71v.

8. 71v-72. Theological memoranda: (a) On the seven sacraments. ff. 71v-72;- (b) On the penitential seasons. f. 72;- (c) From St Augustine. f. 72.

9. ff. 72-73v. 'Epistola a Deo transmissa in ierusalem'. Beg. 'Mandatum sanctum dominici diei de celo venit'. A forged letter purporting to have fallen from Christ in Heaven. For a discussion of this text with full bibliographical references, see Jones, op. cit., pp. 163-178.

10. ff. 74v-75. 'De adventu Christi in ventre virginis'. Beg. 'Figura de adventu Christi in ventre virginis'.

11. ff. 75v-76. Regimen animarum. Beg. 'Inter omnes labores occupaciones et officio in hoc mundo'.

12. ff. 76-79v. What it is necessary to know, believe and practice in matters of religion. English. Beg. 'Fyrst it is to know and to belefe'.

13. f. 80. Miscellaneous recipes, to catch birds, etc.

SECTION II.

Paper; ff. 81-146. 290 x 210 approx. Gatherings: i18, ii12, iii10 (lacks 2? without loss of text, and 9), iv8 (lacks one folio), v10 (lacks one folio), vi irregular (see art.8 below). Quires iv-vi are heavily repaired and tightly bound. Catchwords: ff. 110v, 125v. The catchword on f. 125v indicates a missing quire after quire iv. Single columns. Three main hands: A. The hand of Section I. Articles 3, 5, 8 and material on ff. 81-81v;- B. Secretary hand. Articles 2, 4, 6 and 7 (part - ff. 111-115v);- C. Cursive book script. Art. 7 (part - ff. 116-125v). Articles 2, 4 and 7 begin on new quires. Capitals in red. Watermarks: (a) Shield. Briquet 2064. See Add. 6666, f. 73. Quires i, ii, f. 127;- (b) Tête de boeuf. nr. Briquet 15046. Quires iii, iv;- (c) Ring. Briquet 689. f. 128;- (d) Hand. See Briquet 11159. f. 131;- (e) Boeuf. nr. Briquet 2786. f. 134, quire vi. The section has suffered water damage.

Contents:

1. ff. 81-81v. Miscellaneous memoranda, including the following: (a) Memo-randa of feoffments, including one at 'Esthorp', i.e. East Thorpe, in Southwell; late 15th-early 16th cent. f. 81;- (b) Formula letter to parish clergy, rel. to banns for matrimony. f. 81;- (c) Memorandum by Edmund Kyngston, parochial vicar of Southwell, co. Notts.; 9 March 1516. f. 81;- (d) Verses on the Incarnation. Beg. 'Ecce quod natura mutat sua'. f. 81v;- (e) Sentence beg. 'Mors iusti subita'. Walther, Carmina, no. 15169. f. 81v;- (f) Quotations from St Bernard and Bede, etc. f. 81v.

2. ff. 82-96v. Pope Innocent III, 'De contemptu mundi'. Beg. 'Quare de uulua mee egressus sum'. Migne, PL, ccxvii, 701-746. Other examples of this text include Royal MS. 4 B.VIII, ff. 248-255.

3. ff. 96v-98v. Miscellanea, as follows: (a) Tale of a hermit and an angel. Cat. Romances, iii, p. 691. ff. 96v-97;- (b) On prayer. f. 97;- (c) Quotation from Bede. f. 97;- (d) Memoranda from St Gregory the Great. f. 97v;-

(e) Prayers and medical remedies to ward off plague. English. f. 98;-

(f) Forms of absolution. f. 98v;- (g) Medical recipes; late 15th - early 16th cent. English. f. 98v.

4. ff. 99-104v. St Isidore, Bishop of Seville, 'Abbreviacio Synonomorum'. Beg. 'Anima mea in angustis posita est'. For the full text of the 'Synonomorum' see Migne, PL, lxxxiii, 825-868.

5. f. 104v. Theological memoranda.

6. ff. 105-110v. Prayers ascribed to St Anselm. All are printed in Migne, PL, clviii. As follows: (a) 'Dulcissime et benignissime domini'. Ibid., 910.

ff. 105-106;- (b) 'Summe sacerdos et maior'. Ibid., 913. ff. 106-107v;-

(c) 'Dulcissime et super omnia'. Ibid., 917. ff. 107v-108;- (d) 'Summe sacerdos et vere pontifex'. Ibid., 921. ff. 108-109;- (e) 'Ignosce domine, ignosce pie, ignosce miserie'. Ibid., 871. ff. 109-109v;- (f) Four prayers for a priest celebrating mass. Beg. (first item) 'Impellit me Domine Deus'. Printed, ibid., 925-926, in the same order as in the present MS. ff. 109v-110;- (g) 'Domine Deus omnipotens'. Ibid., 927-928. ff. 110-110v.

7. ff. 111-125v. St Augustine, 'Soliloquiorum animae ad Deum'. Beg. 'Agnoscavi te domini cognitor meus'. Imperfect at end. Ch. 16 (part), ch. 17 and ch. 18 (part) missing between ff. 117-118. Migne, PL, xl, 863-898.

8. ff. 126-146. Collection of theological and moral memoranda, quotations from scripture and sacred authors, prayers, tales, etc. Imperfect at beginning. ff. 137-142 are misbound: the order should be 137, 139, 138, 141, 140, 142. Included are the following: (a) 'Incipiunt temptaciones demonis temptantis hominem . . . Dyabolas temptans dicit: Superbus sis'. Bloomfield, no. 1843. ff. 126v-128;- (b) On purgatory. Beg. 'De purgatorio tria sunt videnda'. ff. 130-131;- (c) Catechism on the sacraments. Beg. 'Quot sunt sacramenta ecclesie septem'. See Cambridge University Library MS. Gg.I.1, f. 397v. ff. 131v-132;- (d) Questions to ask a dying man; late 15th cent - early 16th cent. English. f. 132v;- (e) Exempla: (i) Miracles of the Rosary. Cat. Romances, iii, pp. 691-692. ff. 140v, 142-144v;- (ii) The archer and the nightingale. Ibid., p. 692. f. 146v.

Theology LATIN: Theological collection: mid-late 15th cent.

includes:

• f. 1 William Burton, antiquary, of Lindley, county Leicestershire: Signature: 1623.
• ff. 1-58 Tales: Theology LATIN: Collection of theological and moral discourses, exempla, etc.,: mid-late 15th cent: Lat.
• f. 4 Theology LATIN: 'Carta humani generis': mid-late 15th cent.
• f. 34 Art. Illuminations and Drawings ENGLISH: Crayon sketches: late 15th cent.
• ff. 58-58v Theology LATIN: Memoranda, sentences, etc.,: mid-late 15th cent.
• f. 59 Theology LATIN: 'Quam homo laborat in extremis': mid-late 15th cent.
• f. 59v Medicine and Surgery: Treatment for epilepsy: mid-late 15th cent: Lat.
• f. 60v Tales: Tale of a priest near Lindisfarne: mid-late 15th cent: Lat.
• ff. 60-60v Tales: The Wandering Jew: mid-late 15th cent: Lat.
• ff. 61-63 Virtues and Vices: Theology LATIN: 'Septem peccata mortalia': mid-late 15th cent: Lat and Engl.
• ff. 61-63 passim Virtues and Vices: Poetry ENGLISH: Verses on the seven deadly sins: mid-late 15th cen.
• ff. 63-67 Theology LATIN: Robert Grosseteste, Bishop of Lincoln: On confession , by Robert Grosseteste: mid-late 15th cent: Lat.
• ff. 67-67v Theology LATIN: Robert Grosseteste, Bishop of Lincoln: On penance , by Robert Grosseteste: mid-late 15th cent: Lat.
• ff. 67v-71v Theology LATIN: Definition of sins: mid-late 15th cent.
• ff. 71v-72 Theology LATIN: Memoranda on the seven sacraments and penitential seasons: mid-late 15th cent: Lat.
• f. 72 Saint Augustine,; Bishop of Hippo: Theology LATIN: Memoranda from works of St Augustine: mid-late 15th cent: Lat.
• ff. 72-73v Theology LATIN: 'Epistola a Deo transmissa in ierusalem': mid-late 15th cent.
• ff. 74v-75 Theology LATIN: 'De adventu Christi in ventre virginis': mid-late 15th cent.
• ff. 75v-76 Theology LATIN: 'Regimen animarum': mid-late 15th cent.
• ff. 76-79v Theology ENGLISH: Articles of faith, etc.,: mid-late 15th cent.
• f. 80 Agriculture: Recipes: Medicine and Surgery: Medical and domestic recipes: late 15th cent: Lat.
• f. 81 Southwell, Nottinghamshire: Memoranda of feoffments at East Thorpe in: late 15th cent: Lat.
• f. 81 Law CANON: Formula letter to clergy rel. to matrimonial banns: mid-late 15th cent: Lat.
• f. 81 Southwell, Nottinghamshire: Edmund Kyngston, parochial vicar of Southwell: Memorandum by E. Kyngston, vicar of Southwell: 1516: Lat.
• f. 81v Theology LATIN: Saint Bernard,; Abbot of Clairvaux: Quotations from St Bernard: mid-late 15th cent: Lat.
• f. 81v Poetry LATIN: On the Incarnation: mid-late 15th cent.
• ff. 81-110, 127 Watermarks: Shield: 15th cent.
• ff. 81v, 96v-98v, 104v Theology LATIN: Miscellanea, sentences, etc.,: mid-late 15th cent.
• ff. 81v, 97 Beda: Theology LATIN: Quotations from Beda: mid-late 15th cent: Lat.
• ff. 82-96b Theology LATIN: Innocent III; Pope: 'De contemptu mundi' by Pope Innocent III: mid-late 15th cent: Lat.
• ff. 96v-97 Tales: The hermit and the angel: mid-late 15th cent: Lat.
• f. 97 Theology LATIN: On prayer: mid-late 15th cent.
• f. 97v Theology LATIN: Gregory I; Pope; the Great: Memoranda from works by Pope Gregpory I: mid-late 15th cent: Lat.
• f. 98 Plague, The, and Pestilences: Recipes: Prayers and Devotions: Medicine and Surgery: Prayers and medical recipes against plague: mid-late 15th cent.
• f. 98v Recipes: Medicine and Surgery: Medical recipes: mid-late 15th cent.
• f. 98v Liturgies LATIN: Form of absolution: mid-late 15th cent.
• ff. 99-104v Theology LATIN: Saint Isidore,; Bishop of Seville: 'Abbreviacio Synonomorum': mid-late 15th cent: Lat.
• ff. 105-110v Liturgies LATIN: Prayers and Devotions: Saint Anselm,; Archbishop of Canterbury: Prayers ascribed to St Anselm: mid-late 15th cent: Lat.
• ff. 111-125 Watermarks: Tête de boeuf: 15th cent.
• ff. 111-125v Saint Augustine,; Bishop of Hippo: 'Soliloquiorum animae ad Deum': mid-late 15th cent: Lat: Imperf.
• ff. 126-146 Theology ENGLISH: Theology LATIN: Theological and moral memoranda: mid-late 15th cent: Lat and Engl: Imperf.
• ff. 126v-128 Virtues and Vices: Theology LATIN: On temptation: mid-late 15th cent: Lat.
• f. 128 Watermarks: Ring: 15th cent.
• ff. 130-131 Theology LATIN: On purgatory: mid-late 15th cent.
• f. 131 Watermarks: Hand: 15th cent.
• ff. 131v-132 Theology LATIN: Catechism on the sacraments: mid-late 15th cent.
• f. 132v Theology ENGLISH: Questions to ask a dying man: circa 1500.
• ff. 134, 135-146 Watermarks: Boeuf: 15th cent.
• ff. 140v, 142-144v Tales: Miracles of the Rosary: mid-late 15th cent: Lat.
• f. 146v Tales: The archer and the nightingale: mid-late 15th cent: Lat.