Arundel MS 285

ff. 1r–224r: A collection of Scottish devotional poetry and prose by various authors.

ff. 1r–4v: William Dunbar (d. circa 1530), 'The tabill of confessioun', in twenty-one eight-line stanzas.

ff. 5v–46v: Walter Kennedy, 'The passioun of Crist', a poem in stanzas of eight lines. A woodcut, representing the scourging of Christ is on f. 5v. The prologue, consisting of ten stanzas, commences "Haill Cristin knyght, haill etern confortour, Haill Riall king, in trone celistiall." The poem begins thus, "God of his grace and gudnes infinit, Sa nobill maid the man his creatour." In the body of the poem we find the Conversation between the Virgin and the Cross, which proceeds much in the same manner as in the early English poem in Royal MS 18 A X, f. 8v.

ff. 47r–84r: William of Toures, 'The contemplacioun of Synnaris, compilit be frer William of Touris of the ordour of the frer minoures'; a poem divided into seven parts, or contemplations, corresponding with the seven days of the week.

Printed in a work entitled Contemplacyon of Synners (London: Wynkyn de Worde, 1499), where each chapter as given above is preceded by a prose dissertation upon the same subject. Another copy is in Harley MS 6919.

ff. 85r–94v: A series of prayers in rhyme to our Saviour, commonly known by the name of the Fifteen Oes. The first perfect prayer begins 'O Jhesu of the warld maker/ And of it als the gouernour' (f. 86r). The last ends, 'To the quhilk joy and lestand blis/ We mot cum quhair all sanctis is.'

ff. 94v–106v: 'Heir followis ane dewoit exercitioun to be said euer ilk Sonday in the honour of the croun of thorne and pains quhilkis our Salluour Jhesu thollit in hys blist heid.'It begins 'O susit Jesu Crist sone of God of life, I synfull and vnworthy creatour desiris now hertlie with gret blithnes', and ends 'And I beseik zou gif me grace that I may euery Sonday say thir prayeris to the honour and worschip of thi horrabill pains that ze suffert in zour blist body and held the tyme of zour bitter passioun and corronacioun, O sucit Jhesus.'

ff. 107r–116r: A series of prayers in prose addressed to Jesus.

ff. 116v–184r: 'The Goldin Latany', prefixed by a woodcut of Christ standing in his tomb and supporting the cross on his back (f. 116v). Beginning, 'Lord have marcy on ws, Crist haue marcy on ws, and grant ws vertu of the saule baith inwart and outwart, that we my serue the at thy will.' End, 'And grant ws in this wrachit and flowand lif that is neidfull baith to saule and body, and efter this life euer leif with the in euirlestand blithnes. Amen.'

f. 125r: 'Here followis the xii fruttis that eumis of the remembrance of the passion of cristist.'

ff. 125v–144r: Meditations upon the sufferings and death of our Saviour, in seven parts, corresponding to the days of the week, prefixed by a woodcut of a half-length figure of Jesus, crowned with thorns, and exhibiting the wounds in his hands (f. 125v). Beginning, 'For Monunday the first Artickill; think how Jhesus witand quhat pane he wes to suffer was sad and dolorus.' End, 'to the quhilk God Almichty bring ws throw the meritis of his susit sone Jhesu Crist that levis and ringnis.'

ff. 144r–161v: A series of prayers to the Trinity and our Saviour, some adapted to particular occasions, such as prior to confession, to receiving the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper, etc.

ff. 159v–161r: 'The passioun of christ', a poem in eight stanzas of eight lines.

ff. 161r–162v: 'The maner of passyng to confessioun', a poem in ten stanzas of seven lines, ascribed to [William] Dumbar on f. 162v. Beginning, 'O synfull man, thir are the xl dayls That euery man sulde wilfull pennence dre.' End, 'Small merit is of synnis for to irke, Quhen thou art ald and ma na wrangis wyrke.'

ff. 163r–164v: 'Ane deuoit orisoun to be said in the honour of the sevin wordis that our Saluiour spak apoun the croce' a poem in ten stanzas of seven and eight lines. Beginning, 'O Lord God, O Jhesu Crist, O sueit Saluiour I the salewe.' End, 'Euer mair that I may sing, And thair se thy fair face.'

ff. 164v–168r: 'The dollorus complant of oure Lorde apoune the croce crucifyit', a poem in twenty-three stanzas of seven lines. Beginning, 'Now herkynnis wordis wunder gude How Jhesu Crist hang on the rude.' End, 'And grant ws grace, To se thy face In hewin but end.'

ff. 168r–170r: 'The passioun of Crist', a poem in sixteen eightline stanzas.

ff. 170r–174v: 'Ane devoit Remembrance of the passioun of Crist', a poem in seventeen stanzas of eight lines. Beginning, 'Behald man, lift vp thy ene and see Quhat mortall panis I surferit for thy trespas.' End, 'Cum on my freind, my brother maist enteire, For the I offerit my blud in sacrifice.'

ff. 174v–175v: 'Off the Resurrectioun of crist', a poem in five eight-line stanzas. Beginning, 'O mothir of God, Innolat virgin mary/ Exult in joy and consolatioun.' End, 'Quhois glaid vprissing blithis euery wy[gh]t.'

ff. 175v–176v: 'Off the Resurrectioun', a poem in five stanzas of eight lines. Beginning, 'Thow that in prayeris hes bene lent/ In prayaris and in abstinance.' End, 'And seillit agane is thy remissioun/ To rise with him fra ded to life.'

ff. 176v–178r: 'Ane orisoun to the naim of Jhesu Crist', a poem in twelve four-line stanzas. Beginning, 'Jhesu Lord that maid me, And with thy blissit blude hes boeht.' End, 'For quhom I haue had ony gud/ And forgif thame all thair miss.'

f. 178r: 'Ane vthir orisoun to the name of Jhesu', a stanza of six lines. Beginning, 'Jhesu for thy haly name.'

ff. 178r–181v: A prayer in prose in honour of the Virgin, called 'O Clementissime', with an image on f. 178v.

ff. 181v–183r: 'Ane vthir dsuoit orisoun till oure lady callit O Illustrissima et excellentissima', with a woodcut on f. 182r.

ff. 183r–v: 'Ane deuoit orisoun till oure lady callit sancta maria mater dei', with a woodcut on f. 183r.

ff. 183v–185r: 'Ane deuoit orisoun till oure lady callit sancta maria mater dei regna celi et terre', with an image on f. 183v.

ff. 185r–186v: A prayer called 'O Intemerata', with an image on f. 185r.

ff. 186v–187r: A prayer called 'Ave Maria alta stipes.'

ff. 187r–188v: A prayer called 'Stabit [sic] mater dolorosa', with an image on f. 187r.

ff. 188v–189r: A prayer called 'Ave, cuius conceptio', with an image on f. 188v.

ff. 189v–190r: A prayer by Saint Bernard, 'shawin to him be the Angell', with a woodcut on f. 189v.

ff. 190r–193r: A prayer called 'Obsecro', with an image on f. 190v. Beginning, 'I pray zow lady Mary deir, Goddis mothir and madin cleir.' End, 'Goddis mothir ay maichty, Well of piete and mercy.'

ff. 193v–196v: A prayer to the Virgin called 'Ave Gloriosa', in verse, with a woodcut on f. 193v. Beginning, 'Haill glaid and glorius, Haill virgin hevinns queyne.' End, 'The bliss of hevin ws brace/ Off this warld quhen we wend.'

ff. 196v–197r: Another prayer to the Virgin, in two stanzas. Beginning, 'Haill quene of hovin and sterent of bliss/ Sen that thi sone thi fader is.' End, 'Thou polist gem without offence/ Thou bair the lambe of innocence.'

ff. 197r–213r: 'Here begynnis the thre Roiss Garlandis of the Glorius Virgin mary contenand the life and passioun of Jhesu Crist.' Beginning, 'Giff thou desiris to be cleny of syn, and to be riche of verteuis.' End, 'tak my saule in thi virgin handis and offer it to thi sueit sone Jhesus that bocht me apoun the croce with his precius blud and dede.' With woodcuts and images on f. 198v, f. 204v and f. 208v.

ff. 213r–224r: 'The lang Rosair of the glorius vergin mary, contenand the lif and passioun of our sueit Salviour Jhesu.' Beginning, 'Mothir of God quhilk hes consauit and borne our salviour Jhesu be vertu of the haly gaist.' End, 'to be to the with ineffabill beatitude and felicite of the maist exellent and glorius Trinite.'