Arundel MS 168

Paper and Vellum, folio, ff. 85, xv. Cent.

1. A poem to the Virgin Mary, consisting of an introductory stanza and 22 others, of which the initial words follow the succession of the letters of the alphabet; the stanzas are of eight lines. fol. 1. Beginning, "Criste God me spede now in my litylle tretyse, And gyfe me grace so for to lerne." End, "That oure soules be saf and principally thenne, Whanne ye canne say no more but titille est, [-----------------?] Amen." 2. The legend of St. Cristyne, in eight-line stanzas. fol. 2. Beginning, "Seynte Cristyne was a maide bryglite As clerkis in bokes hathe rede and seene." End, "To se trie sitte there in thi blisse With Seint Cristyne thi maydyne brighte." 3. The Legend of St. Dorothe, in eight-line stanzas. fol. 5. Beginning, "0 glorius virgyne, 0 martire Dorothe, Whos fadire was called Dorotheus." End, "Criste graunte vs with hire to fede In presence of the holy Trinite." 4. Versus de virtute imaginis S. Dorotheæ contra ignem, fures, etc. fol. 6. b.

5. Oratio brevis ad S. Dorotheam. fol. 7.

6. Cato's Morals, translated into English verse by Benedict Burgh, in stanzas of eight lines. fol. 7.

7. Seven stanzas upon Prudence, Justice, Temperance, Deserecione, Resone, Plesaunce and gode Wylle, and Curtesye and Norture. fol. 14. Beginning, "By sapience tempere thi corage of hasty ire dawnt thi passions." End, "With hoole hert, body, wille and mynde To be content with such as thei may fynde." 8. Directions for the preservation of health, by Lydgate. fol. 14. b.

9. The Legend of St. Kataryne, by Capgrave, in seven-line stanzas. fol. 15-65 A better copy is contained in the Arundel Ms. 396.

10. A short prayer to St. Kataryne, in prose. fol. 65. b-85.

11. The life of the Virgin Mary, by Lydgate. fol. 66. Fifty-nine stanzas are wanting at the beginning, and the scribe has ended abruptly, omitting about 300 stanzas at the end.

English Language, Early: The chief Mss. illustrative of the state of the language prior to the Year 1500, are to be found in the volumes marked.

includes:

• f. 1 Saint Mary,; the Blessed Virgin: Poem to the Virgin Mary, in twenty-three stanzas.: Cent. xv.
• f. 2 Saint Christina,; Virgo et Martyr; ix. kal Aug: The Legend of St. Christina, in verse.: Cent. xv.
• f. 5 Saint Dorothea,; Virgo et Martyr; viii. id. Febr: The legend of St. Dorothy in eight-line stanzas.: Cent. xv.
• f. 6. b Saint Dorothea,; Virgo et Martyr; viii. id. Febr: Versus de virtute imaginis ejus contra ignem, etc.: Sec. xv.
• f. 7 Saint Dorothea,; Virgo et Martyr; viii. id. Febr: Oratio brevis ad S. Dorotheam.: Sec. xv.
• f. 7 Dionysius Cato: His morals translated by Benedict Burgh into English verse.: Cent. xv.
• f. 7 Benedict Burgh, Archdeacon of Colchester; died in the year 1483: Cato's Morals translated into English verse.: Cent. xv.
• f. 14 Poetry, Anonymous: Seven stanzas upon Prudence, Justice, Temperance, etc.: Cent. xv.
• f. 14. b John Lydgate, died in the middle of the fifteenth century: Directions for the preservation of health.: Cent. xv.
• f. 15 Katharina, S Virgo: Life of St. Katharine, in five books, by John Capgrave.: Cent. xv.
• f. 15 John Capgrave, theologian and historian: Life of St. Katharine, in five books, in verse.: Cent. xv.
• f. 65. b Katharina, S Virgo: A short prayer to St. Katharine, in prose.: Cent. xv.
• f. 66 John Lydgate, died in the middle of the fifteenth century: The life of the Virgin Mary, in verse.: Cent. xv.