Harley MS 955

Contents:

ff. 1r-26r: Office of the Dead, use of Syon; with English saints listed in the Litany (ff. 8v-11v).

ff. 27r-28v: Stabat Mater, with a rubric offering indulgences: 'In honore beate marie virginis magna indulgencia concess a bonefacio papa hanc oracionem dicentibus'; beginning: 'Sal[ve] mater dolorasa iuxta crucem lacrimosa dum pendebat filius'

ff. 28r-36r: Prayers to the Virgin Mary: 'In honore beate virginis Marie'), beginning: 'Gaude virgo mater Christi'; 'Gaude cui symeon senx prophetavit'; 'Gaude flore virginali'; 'O Intemerata'; 'Sancta maria mater domini nostri ihesu Christi'.

ff. 38r-39v: Prayer to the Holy Face, with a rubric offering indulgences: 'Magna indulgencia concessa a sancta gregorio papa omnibus vere confessis et contritis talem figuram in dentibus et coram illo genuflectantibus et dicentibus quinque oraciones dominicas cum tot salutacionibus angelicis in honore passionis domini'; beginning: 'Salve sancta facies nostri redemptoris'.

ff. 39v-41r: Prayer to Christ, entitled: 'In honore passionis domini'; beginning: 'Salve plaga lateris nostri redemptoris'.

ff. 41r-42r: Prayer to Christ, entitled: 'In honore passionis domini'; beginning: 'Crucem coronam spineam clauos diramque lanceam devote veneremur'.

ff. 42r-46v: Prayers to Christ, beginning: 'Auxilientur mihi Domine Jesu Christe omnes passiones tue'; 'O bone ihesu duo in me agnosco naturam'; 'Domine ihesu christe fili dei vivi te deprecor per sacratissimam carnem quam assumpsisti'; 'Concede mihi domine spacium vite'; 'Domine ihesu Christe fili dei vivi salvator mundi'; 'Domine ihesu Christe qui septem verba in ultimo die vite tue in cruce pendens dixisti'; 'Salvator mundi salvum me'.

ff. 46v-48r: Narrative of Christ's passion based on John, 19:1-36 and Matthew, 27:30, 34, with a rubric offering indulgences: 'Magna indu[l]gencia concessa a domino iohanne papa apud avionem dicentibus audientibus hoc evangelium in honore passionis domini Passio domini nostri ihesu cristi secundum iohannem'; beginning: 'In illo tempore apprehendit pilatus ihsum et flagellavit eum'.

ff. 48r-48v: Antiphon for St Christopher.

ff. 48v-49v: Antiphon for St George.

ff. 49v-50r: Antiphon for St James the Apostle.

ff. 50r-50v: Antiphon for St Anthony.

ff. 50v-51r: Antiphon for St John the Baptist.

ff. 51v-52r: Antiphon for St John the Evangelist.

ff. 52v-53v: Antiphon for St Thomas of Canterbury.

ff. 53v-54r: Antiphon for St Cedd.

ff. 54r-54v: Antiphon for St Francis.

ff. 54v-55r: Antiphon for St Sigismund.

ff. 55r-56v: Antiphon for St Erasmus, with a Middle English rubric: 'who that is able to reseyve pardon and worshipes on the sonday god and seynt herasmi schal have r[e]sonable good. his enemis schal not overcome hym. he schal come out of tribulacion. he schal have his resonable desire. he schal have repentaunce. howselle and schrifte at his last ende'.

ff. 55v-56r: Antiphon for St John of Beverley.

ff. 56r-56r: Antiphon for St John of Bridlington.

ff. 56v-57r: Antiphon for St Augustine of Canterbury, beginning: 'Alme pater Augustine cum tuo collegio'; with a prayer to St Augustine and other Archbishops of Canterbury: Laurence, Mellitus, Justus, Honorius, Deusdedit, Theodore, Jaenberht, Berhtwald, Æthelhard, Nothhelm, Tatwine, Mildred, and Sts Adrian and Mildrith of Canterbury, followed by a rubric: 'Celebrata erat hec sacrosancta canonizacio sanctorum per beatissimum papam alexandrum. Et translacio eroundem solempnizata erat anno millesimo. lxxx. xl. et tertio decimo die septembris. Et iste augustinus venit in angliam. anno domini Dc nonogesimo quarto'.

ff. 57r-57v: Antiphon for St Alban.

ff. 57v-58v: Antiphon for Sts Joachim and Anna

f. 58v: Antiphon for St Elizabeth.

ff. 58v-59v: Antiphon for St Katherine.

ff. 59v-60r: Antiphon for St Margaret.

ff. 60r-60v: Antiphon for St Barbara.

ff. 60v-61r: Antiphon for St Appolonia.

ff. 61r-61v: Antiphon for St Magdalene.

ff. 61v-62r: Antiphon for the Eleven Thousand Virgins.

ff. 62r-62v: Antiphon for All Saints.

ff. 62v-64r: The Annunciation according to the Gospel of Luke, beginning: 'In illo tempore Missus est angelus Gabriel a Deo in civitatem Galilee nomen Nazareth'.

ff. 64r-65r: The Nativity according to the Gospel of Matthew, beginning: 'Cum natus esset ihesus in bethleem Iude in diebus herodis regis ecce magi ab oriente venerunt ierosolimam'.

ff. 65r-66r: The Resurrection according to the Gospel of Mark, beginning: 'In illo tempore recumbentibus unde cim discipulis apparuit illis ihesus'.

ff. 66r-66v: Prologue to the Gospel of John, beginning: 'In principio erat verbum et verbum erat apud dei'.

ff. 66v-67r: A prayer, beginning: 'Protector in te sperancium deus'

ff. 67r-67v: The eight benefits of Mass according to Augustine of Hippo, entitled: 'Beneficia misse secundum Augustinum', beginning: 'Augustinus de civitate dei dicit quod visio corpus Christ confert substanciam corpori et tot beneficia in se continet'.

ff. 67v-68r: Prayer to St Winifred ('Oracio devota ad Sanctam Wenefridam').

ff. 68r-68v: Antiphon for St Etheldreda.

ff. 68v-72r: Relics of saints at Santiago de Compostela, with indulgences, entitled: 'Indulgencia ecclesie compostelene'; beginning: 'Hic sunt reliquie sequentes que habentur in ecclesia Composteleum in quare quiescit corpus sancti iacobi zebedei'.

ff. 72r-74v: The Syon Pardon, entitled: 'Indulgencia monasterij de Syon', beginning: 'To alle veraye contrite and confessid that comen by cause of devocioun to this cherche or monasterye and there kneling saye a pater noster and Ave or what other devoute prayer hit be or in the same monasterye praye hertli for the pees tranquillite and satublenes of this reme or for the unite of holy churhce or for the encrece of charitie'.

ff. 74v-76r: Pardons for prayers at Rome, entitled: 'This pardon that folowith is funde writen in a tabull at rome in a churche of owre lady clepid Ara cil', beginning: 'The furst whoso ever contrite and schryven sayth in the laste ende of his Ave maria this holy name ihesus schalle have .lx. daies of pardon relesed of penaunce enioyned'.

ff. 76r-77r: Prayer to Christ for the Elevation, with a rubric offering indulgences: 'Omnibus confessis et contritis hunc oracionem dicenbitus inter elevacionum corporis Christi et tercium Agnus dei. Dominus papa bonefacius concessit duo milia annorum indulgencie ad supplicacionem philippi regis ffrancie'; beginning: 'Domine ihesu Christe qui hanc sacratissimam carnem et hunc preciosum sanguinem tuum de gloriose virginis utero assumpsisti'

ff. 77r-77v: Instruction for praying Paternosters and Aves for Christ's 5475 wounds, with a rubric: 'Dominus deus sic docuit per sanctum angelium suum et ad singulam Christi Pater noster et Ave maria scilicet .xv. cotidie per annum aut in finis ea reddere ut sic in fine ann numerum compleat vulnerum Christi', beginning: 'Summa quinque milia. CCCC. lxxv. omnibus in honore plagarum Christi'; with added indulgences.

ff. 77v-78v: Prayers for the dead, with a rubric offering indulgences: 'Innocencius papa quartus omnibus vere confessis et contritis oracionem sequentem cum psalmo De profundis et precibus consuetis in cimiterio vel ecclesiam dicentibus. Concedit pro quolibet ibidem sepulto .xl. dies indulgencie'; beginning: 'Avete, omnes animae fideles'.

f. 78v: Rubricated note on prayer: 'Qui orat pro alio ut pro papa pro episcopo pro rege pro defunctis facit elemosinam et prodest ei nam et si forte non prosit ei pro quo orat oracio revertetur in sinum proprium. Sancta ergo et salubris est congitacio pro defunctis exorare ut a peccatis solvantur'.

f. 79r: The Eight Verses of St Bernard of Clairvaux, beginning imperfectly, and including only Psalm 38:5, Psalm 115:16, Psalm 141:5, Psalm 141:6, and Psalm 85:17.

f. 79v: Prayer for sailors, entitled: 'Pro navigantibus', beginning: 'Deus qui transtulisti patres nostros per mare rubrum'.

ff. 80r-80v: Prayer and collect for the Gift of Tears, entitled: 'Pro peticione lacrimarum oracio', beginning: 'Omnipotens et misericors deus qui scicienti [sic] populo fontem viventis aquae de petra produxisti'.

f. 80v: Prayer against evil thoughts, entitled: 'Contra malas cogitaciones oracio', beginning: 'Omnipotens mitissime deus respice propicius ad preces nostras'.

ff. 80v-82v: Prayer on the Holy Name, entitled: 'De hoc nomine Jhesu oracio devota', beginning: 'O bone iheus o piissime ihesu o dulcissime ihesu'.

f. 82v: Short prayer to Christ, beginning: 'Ihesu rex clementissime tu corda nostra posside ut tibi laudes debitas reddamus omni tempore Amen'.

ff. 82v-83r: Prayer sequence for the Virgin Mary, beginning: 'Gloria sanctourm decus angelorum ave maria'.

ff. 83v-84v: Computus, entitled: 'Computus manualis sic incipit', beginning: 'Filius esto dei celum bonus accipe grates'; imperfect at the end.

ff. 85r-86v: Confessional formulary, beginning imperfectly due to the loss of folios: 'sis. in contumelijs. in mendacis. in falsitatibus et iuramentis multimodis et diversis'.

f. 86v: Prayer for a deceased woman, entitled: 'Pro femina defuncta', beginning: 'Quesimus domine pro tua pietate miserere anime famule tue'.

ff. 87r-92v: Indulgence for the feast of Corpus Christi (Basel, 1434), entitled: 'Indulgencie de festo corporis Christi'; beginning: 'Sacrosancta generalis Basiliensis [sinodus] in spiritu sancto legitime congregata universalem ecclesiam representans deo cunctipotenti laudes debitas'.

ff. 92v-94v: 'The pardoun of corpus Christi in Englyssh'; beginning: 'Here folowith the pardon of corpus Christi fest which is graunted bi pope urban the fourth and bi pope martin the fift and bi pope Eugeny the fourthe and is witnessed bi the generalle counselle of Basille'.

ff. 95r-96v: Latin sayings, beginning: 'Nunc lege, nunc ora sacra vel in arte labora. Sic erit hora brevis et labor ipse levis'.

The manuscript contains several additions:

f. 1*recto: A note added at the British Museum: 'Memorandum Processionale Monasterii S. Salvatoris et Brigitt. in Collectione [? A. G.] . Jul. 14 1777'.

f. 1*recto: A note added at the British Museum: 'That this MS was wrote in the XV cent. appears from the mention of Pope Martin 5 & Eugenius & the Council of Basil, f. 92b.'.

f. 1*recto: A note added at the British Museum: 'From several passages it seems to have belonged to one of the religious of the Monastery of Syon which was founded by k. Henry V (f. 8 etc).'.

f. 26v: A hymn for Christmastide: 'Nesciens mater virgo virum peperit sine dolore salvatorem saeculorum ipsum regem angelorum sola virgo lactabat ubere de celo pleno [...]'; added in the 2nd half of the 15th century.,

f. 26v: Chant for the Virgin Mary: 'Beata dei genetrix Maria virgo perpetua templum domini sacrarium spiritus sancti sola sine exemplo placuisti domino Jesu Christo ora pro populo interveni pro clero intercede pro devoto femineo sexu [...]'; added in the 2nd half of the 15th century.

f. 26v: Chant for the Virgin Mary, beginning: 'Alma redemptoris mater que pervia celi porta manens et stella maris succurre cadenti'; added in the 2nd half of the 15th century.

f. 37r: Three prayers to the Holy Cross, begining: '[O] crux gloriosa o crux adoranda o lignum preciosum et admirabile signum per quod et diabolus est victus et mundus Christi sanguine redemptus Amen'; added in the 2nd half of the 15th century or 1st half of the 16th century.

f. 37v: Collect of the Votive Mass of the Holy Cross: 'Deus qui unigeniti filij tui domini nostri Christi precioso sanguine vivifice crucis vexillum sanctificare voluisti concede quaesumus eos qui eiusdem sancte crucis gaudent honore tua quoque ubique protectione gaudere per eundem Christum dominum nostrum Amen'; added in the 2nd half of the 15th century or 1st half of the 16th century.

f. 38r: Latin note on indulgences; added in the late 16th or early 17th century.

f. 92v: 'Latin note on the the indulgence of Corpus Christi; added inthe (?) 17th century.

f. 96v: Erased 15th-century notes on St Osmund and the translation of his remains at Salisbury Cathedral on 14 July 1457 (legible with UV light).

Decoration:

Large 2-line initials in red with brown pen-flourishing. Smaller plain initials in red. Rubrics in red. Line fillers in red.