Harley MS 2445

This prayer book was made for a female user as is indicated by prayers throughout the manuscript that have been grammatically phrased for a woman. This could account for the manuscript's high number of Marian prayers, including the Hours of the Compassion of the Virgin. It may also explain an unusual Middle English rubric (f. 115v) that directs one to petition St Denis together with his mother 'Ethee' for protection against the sweating sickness and deadly fever. While St Denis was a popular healing saint, his mother is not known to have been venerated and her name has not been found elsewhere. She may have been included to create a prayer that was relatable to the intended female reader, possibly a laywoman. The latter is also suggested by the inclusion of a suffrage to St Zita [Sitha] (ff. 113r-113v), the patron saint of housekeepers and domestic servants.

The manuscript appears to have been written in different stages. The original part (ff. 1r-25r, 29r-66r, 68r-70r) was written in Latin with some Anglo-Norman rubrics in the fourth quarter of the 14th century or first quarter of the 15th century. To it were added Latin prayers in a late 14th-century or early 15th-century hand (ff. 25r-28v, 66r-67v, 70r-80v). Subsequently, a scribe who identifies themselves as 'A.H.' copied a large section of Middle English and Latin prayers in the first half of the 15th century (ff. 70v-140v).

Contents:

ff. 1r-1v: Three Psalms for the Trinity, with a rubric: ‘Si quis in aliqua tribulacione fuerit et ex toto corde in nomine sancte trinitatis hos tres psalmos cantaverit sine dubio liberabitur: Primus de auxilio dei. Secundus de misericorida dei. Tercius de redempcione dei’; beginning: ‘Psalmus: Levavi oculos’.

f. 1v: Fragmentary prayer to God, containing only the opening words: ‘Domine sancte pater omnipotens me fa [...]’.

ff. 2r-2v: Fragmentary prayer to the Five wounds, beginning mid-sentence: ‘Quando fuit perforata Planta pedis dexteri’.

ff. 2v-3r: Prayer to the Cross (‘Oracio’), beginning: ‘Salve crux sancta salve crux gloriosa salve crux benedicta’.

ff. 3r-5r: Prayer to Christ (‘Alia oracio’), beginning: ‘Juste iudex ihesu Christe’.

f. 5r: Prayer to Christ (‘Oracio’), beginning: ‘Signa me domine signaculo sancte crucis’.

ff. 5v-7r: Stabat Mater, with a rubric: ‘Quicumque sequentem oracionem devote dixerit septem annos indulgencie et quatuor karennas misericorditer consequetur et hoc confirmatum est a pape Bonefacio’; beginning: ‘Stabat mater dolorosa’.

ff. 7r-7v: Anima Christi, with a rubric: ‘Dominus papa Johannes vicesimus secundus concessit omnibus sequentem oracionem dicentibus .CCC. dies indulgencie’; beginning: ‘Anima Christi sanctificet me’.

f. 8v: Prayer for the Elevation (Ave verum corpus), with a rubric: ‘Innocencius papa concessit dicentibus hanc oracionem ab elevacionem hostie sancte tres annos indulgencie’; beginning: ‘Ave verum corpus domini nostri ihesu Christi’.

ff. 9r-9v: Prayer for the Elevation, with a rubric: ‘Item Innocencius papa omnibus dicentibus sequentem oracionem ab elevacionem hostie sancte concessit vij annos indulgencie’; beginning: ‘Ave principium nostre creacionis’.

f. 9v: Eucharistic prayer (Ave caro Christi cara), with a rubric: ‘Johannes papa concessit dicentibus sequentem oracionem C. dies indulgencie’; beginning: ‘Ave caro Christi cara. immolata crucis ara’.

ff. 9v-11r: Salutation to Christ, with a rubricated narrative about its origin: ‘ffuit quidam clericus qui cotidie salutavit beatam mariam per hec verba .Ave maria. Die quadam apparuit ei salvator mundi et dixit tu salutas matrem meam et es amicus eius. et si me salutavis eris amicus meus. Respondit clericus et ait. Domine si scirem libenter facerem. Tunc dedit ei dominus hec verba salutaciones subscripta; beginning: ‘Ave Jesu Christe verbum patris filius’.

ff. 11r-12r: Prayer for the Elevation, with a rubric: ‘Omnibus dicentibus hanc oracionem inter elevacionem corporis Christi et tercium agnus dei duo Milia annorum conceduntur per papam Bonefacium ad supplicacionem Philippi Regis ffrancie’; beginning: ‘Domine ihesu Christ qui hanc sacratissimam carnem et preciosum sanguinem de glorioso virginis utero assumpsisti’.

ff. 13r-13v: Prayer to the Side Wound, with a rubric: ‘Hanc oracionem Innocencius papa quatuor annis indulgencie dotavit’; beginning: ‘Ave vulnus lateris nostri redemptoris’.

ff. 13v-14r: Verse prayer on Christ’s body, with a rubric: ‘Oracio ad dominum ihesum in discurrendo per ipsius membra et contemplando que per ipsa pro nobis misericorditer pati dignatus est ut sic sua gracia oranti confidencius impetretur’; beginning: ‘Ihesu princeps maiestatis / fons perennis pietatis’.

ff. 14r-14v: Verse prayer on Christ’s head, with a rubric: ‘Oracio ad dominum contemplando ipsius faciem speciosam’; beginning: ‘Ihesu cuius gloriosa / ffacies que speciosa’.

ff. 14v-15r: Verse prayer on Christ’s head, with a rubric: ‘Oracio ad ihesum contemplando eius caput venerandum’; beginning: ‘Ihesu cuius venerandum / Caput cunctis adorandum’.

f. 15r: Verse prayer to Christ’s sight, with a rubric: ‘Oracio ad ihesum contemplando ipsius oculos beatos’; beginning: ‘Ihesu dulcis spes reorum / Qui pro statu salvandorum’.

ff. 15r-15v: Verse prayer on Christ’s hearing, with a rubric: ‘Oracio ad ihesum contemplando ipsius pures aures’; beginning: ‘Ihesu cuius aures pure / Pacienter gentis dure’.

ff. 15v-16r: Verse prayer on Christ’s fragrance, with a rubric: ‘Oracio ad ihesum contemplando suos odoratus immaculatos’; beginning: ‘Ihesu cuius odoratus / Nullos prorsus maculatus’.

ff. 16r-16v: Verse prayer on Christ’s taste, with a rubric: ‘Oracio ad ihesum contemplando eius gustum amarum’; beginning: ‘Ihesu salus animarum / Potum fellis qui amarum’.

ff. 16v-17r: Verse prayer on Christ’s lips, with a rubric: ‘Oracio ad ihesum contemplando ipsius [? misericordia] labia’; beginning: ‘Ihesu dulcis qui docendo / Plebem preces que fundendo’.

ff. 17r-17v: Verse prayer on Christ’s hands, with a rubric: ‘Oracio ad ihesum contemplando eius sacras manus perforatas’; beginning: ‘Ihesu bone qui sacratas / Manus clavis perforatas’.

ff. 17v-18r: Verse prayer on Christ’s feet, with a rubric: ‘Oracio ad ihesum contemplando eius bonos pedes cruci clavatos’; beginning: ‘Ihesu pie qui beatos / Pedes cruci conclavatos’.

ff. 18r-18v: Verse prayer on Christ’s side, with a rubric: ‘Oracio ad dominum ihesum contemplando ipsius pium latus’; beginning: ‘Ihesu veri fons amoris / Et tocius mel dulcoris’.

f. 18v: Verse prayer on Christ’s compassion, with a rubric: ‘Oracio ad dominum contemplando suam sanctissimam pietatem’; beginning: ‘Ihesu tuam pietatem / Per hinc miram caritatem’.

ff. 18v-19r: Verse prayer on Christ’s consolation, with a rubric: ‘Oracio ad dominum contemplando sua dulcissima medicamentum et solacium’; beginning: ‘Ihesu dulce medicamen / Esto cordis consolamen’.

ff. 19r-19v: Verse prayer on Christ’s salvation, with a rubric: ‘Oracio ad omnipotentem salvatorem’; beginning: ‘Ihesu dulcis mi salvator / Pius orbis reparator'.

ff. 19v-20r: Verse prayer on Christ’s mercy, with a rubric: ‘Oracio ad dominum contemplando suam sanctissimam clemenciam’; beginning: ‘Ihesu clemens ob amorem / Dire mortis qui dolorem’.

ff. 20r-20v: Verse prayer on Christ’s Passion, with a rubric: ‘Oracio ad dominum contemplando suam venerandam et sanctissimam passionem’; beginning: ‘Ihesu fons dileccionis / Jugem tue passionis’.

ff. 20v-22v: Pseudo-Richard Hampole, Prayer to the Holy Name, with a rubric: ‘Hanc bonam oracionem sequentem composuit Richardus de Hampul heremita oracio’; beginning: ‘O bone ihesu O dulcissime ihesu O pijssime ihesu’; ending with a line of Middle English: ‘Jhesus on me have mercy’.

ff. 24r-25r: Verse prayer on the Arma Christi, beginning: ‘Culter virga. cum flagello / fforceps clavicum martello’.

ff. 25r-26r: Prayer to the Guardian Angel, beginning: ‘Sancte angele dei minister celestis imperii’.

ff. 26r-27r: Evening prayer to Christ, beginning: ‘Gracias ago tibi domine ihesu Christe fili dei vivi qui me miseram peccatricem atque indignissimam famulam tuam [? omnium] serviencium hodie’. ff. 27v-28v: Eucharistic prayer, beginning: ‘Ave sanctissimum corpus dominicum in hoc sacramento contentum te toto corde diligo’.

ff. 29r-32r: Litany of the Virgin Mary, with an Anglo-Norman rubric: ‘Ky ceste letanie dirra nostre dame devaunt sa mors luy aperra’; beginning: ‘Kyrieleyson Christeleyson Christe audi nos’.

ff. 32r-33r: Prayer to the Virgin Mary (‘Oracio’), beginning: ‘O domina dulcissima tu ornamentum seculi tu margaritam celeste’.

ff. 33v-34r: Prayer to the Nine Choirs of Angels, begining: ‘Precor nos sancti angeli et archangeli throni et dominaciones principatus et potestates virtutes cherubyn que et seraphin milia milium decies centena milia qui statis ante conspecum dei vivi ut omnipotentem dominum pro me peccatrice deprecemini’.

f. 34r-34v Prayer to the Archangels, beginning: ‘Obsecro vos sancte Michael. sancte Raphael. sancte Gabriel cum socijs vostris qui astatis ante claritatem die cotidie dicentes. Sanctus Sanctus Sanctus dominus deus sabaoth. intercedite pro me fragili et peccatrice’.

ff. 34v-36r: Suffrages to St John the Baptist, beginning: ‘O beatissimo Johannes baptista’; phrased for a woman on f. 35v: ‘queso supplicem tibi famulam’.

ff. 36r-36v: Suffrages to St Peter, beginning: ‘Sancte Petre princeps apostolorum’.

ff. 36v-37r: Suffrage to St Paul, beginning: ‘Sancte Paule apostole predicator veritatis et doctor gencium intercede pro me misera peccatrice’.

ff. 37r-37v: Suffrage to St Andrew, beginning: ‘Sancte Andrea apostolorum mitissime’.

ff. 37v-38r: Suffrage to St James the Great, beginning: ‘Sancte et beate Jacobe apostole qui calicem domini in tua passione bibisti’.

ff. 38r-38v: Suffrage to St John the Evangelist, beginning: ‘Sacnte iohannes ewangelista et dilecte dei apostole’.

ff. 38v-39r: Suffrage to St Thomas, beginning: ‘Sancte thoma apostole perlustracione laterum domini’.

ff. 39r-39v: Suffrage to St James the Less, beginning: ‘Sancte iacobe frater domini et apostole’.

ff. 39v-40r: Suffrage to St Philip, beginning: ‘Sancte Philippe summe veritatis’.

ff. 40r-40v: Suffrage to St Bartholomew, beginning: ‘Sancte bartholomee ecclesie dei pastor’.

ff. 40v-41r: Suffrage to St Matthew, beginning: ‘Sancte Mathee sacre nativitatis domini relator et ewangelij’.

ff. 41r-41v: Suffrage to St Simon the Zealot, beginning: ‘Sancte symon chananee. Apostole dei per magnam sanctitatem tuam’.

ff. 41v-42r: Suffrage to St Jude, beginning: ‘Sancte iuda qui taddeus germanus sancti iacobi’.

ff. 42r-42v: Suffrage to St Matthias, beginning: ‘Sancte Mathia summe fidei’.

ff. 42v-43r: Suffrage to St Barnabas, beginning: ‘Sancte Barnabe qui et ioseph ex septuaginta discipulis dei’.

ff. 43r-44r: Prayer to Christ, beginning: ‘Domine miserere mei; Jhesu bone miserere mei; Rex pie miserere mei’.

ff. 44r-48v: Prayer to Christ, petitioning for the merits of the Apostles, beginning: ‘Domine ihesu Christe qui dedisti potestatem apostolis tuis infirmos curare’.

ff. 49r-49v: Prayer to the Apostles, beginning: ‘Sanctissimi apostoli electi dei nos elegit dominus in salutem populi sui vobis dedit dominus potestatem ligandi atque solvendi et remittendi peccata’; phrased for a woman: on f. 49r: ‘ego misera peccatrix’.

ff. 49v-50v: Hymn to St Anne (‘Bona oracio de sancta Anna’), beginning: ‘Gaude felix anna que concepisti prolem que erat paritum’; followed by a petition for her intercession, beginning: ‘Deus qui beatam Annam dilecte genetricis tue matrem egregiam ad celestis vite sublevasti gaudia’.

ff. 50v-51v: Hymn to the Seven Joys of St Mary Magdalene (‘De Maria Magdalena oracio’), beginning: ‘Gaude pia magdalena / Spes salutis vite vena’; followed by a petition for her intercession, beginning: ‘Deus tue beatissime Marie Magdalene penitenciam tibi gratam acceptam que fecisti’.

ff. 52r-61r: Missus est angelus, with a long Anglo-Norman rubric on how the Virgin taught Canon Arnaud a new prayer: ‘Un bon homme estoit de religiouns Chanoun ert Arnaud a noim [etc.]’ [a previously unidentified Anglo-Norman copy, not recorded in Dean and Boulton, Anglo-Norman Literature (1999), p. 311 (no. 562)]’; beginning: ‘Missus est angelus Gabriel ad Mariam virginem desponsatam Joseph nuncians ei verbum’.

ff. 61r-61v: Prayer to the Virgin Mary, beginning: ‘Te ergo precor mitissimam piisimam misericordissimam castissimam sanctissimam sacratissimam speciosissimam preciosissimam dei genitricem mariam’.

ff. 61v-62v: Prayer to the Virgin Mary, beginning: ‘Sancta Maria mater misericordie et pietatis obsecro te per patrem et filium et spiritum sanctum’.

ff. 62v-63v: Pseudo-Bernard of Clairvaux, prayer to the Virgin Mary, with a rubric: ‘Sequentem oracionem composuit beatus Bernardus de sancta Maria et ea bona’; beginning: ‘Ave sydus lux dierum Ave gemma mulierum’.

ff. 63v-64v: Prayer to the Virgin Mary, beginning: ‘Ave celorum regina Ave morum disciplina’.

ff. 64v-65r: Prayer to the Virgin Mary, beginning: ‘Salve celi ianua porta paradisi / Virgo ingenua genitrix occisi’.

ff. 65v-66r: Prayer to the Virgin Mary, beginning: ‘Gaude virgo mater Christi que per aurem concepisti Gabriele nuncio’.

ff. 66r-67v: Short prayers for the Eucharist, with a rubric: ‘Hec oracio dicetur ante percepcionem [Corporis Christi]’; beginning: ‘Domine non sum digna ut in tres sub tectum meum’; ‘

ff. 68r-70r: Suffrage to the Holy Helpers, named as St Denis, St Eustace, St Christopher, St Blaise, St Giles, St Katherine, St Margaret, and St Barbara, beginning: ‘Gloriosi et insuperabiles pro Christo pugiles constantissimi et infatigabiles bellatores robustissimi’.

ff. 70r-71r: Suffrage to St John the Evangelist (‘Oracio ad sanctum Johannem Ewangelistam’), beginning: ‘Gaude nate zebedei et cognate nostri spei regis regni glorie’.

ff. 71v-72r: Prayer after communion (‘Post communionem’), beginning: ‘Gracias tibi ago omnipotens pater qui me refecisti de sacratissimo corpore et sanguine tibi tui domini nostri ihesu Christi’.

f. 72r: Prayer to Christ (‘Oracio’), beginning: ‘Domine ihesu Christe misericordie tue recommendo’.

ff. 72v-73r: Prayer to Christ (‘Oracio’), beginning: ‘Domine ihesu Christe rex glorie filii dei vivi qui pro peccatoribus corpus tuum in manibus inimicorum tradisti’.

ff. 73r-73v: Suffrage to St Dorothy, beginning: ‘[O] castitate fallerata humilitate coronata [P]aciencia ornata virtutum floribus fulcita [T]emperancia polita O preciosa margarita sancta virgo Dorothea’.

ff. 74r-77r: Hours of the Holy Cross and Compassion of the Virgin, beginning: ‘Matris cor virgineum trena tocium trivit’.

ff. 77r-79r: Suffrage to St Ivo of Kermartin, beginning: 'Domine sancte pater Ivo semper placens deo'.

ff. 79r-80v: Suffrage to John Schorne (d. 1313), rector of North Marston, Buckinghamshire, beginning: ‘Ave gemma curatorum / O Johannes, flos doctorum / Rector de Morstonia’.

ff. 80v-83v: Prayers on the Five Sorrows of the Virgin Mary, with a rubric: ‘Dolores [quam] sancta Maria habuit de filio suo in isto mundo’; beginning: ‘Gracyows lady goodys moder ffor þe sorwe þat ȝe had whan symeon sayde ȝat þe swerd of sorw schuld passe þorw ȝorw herte’.

ff. 83v-92v: Meditation on the Passion of Christ in Middle English, being Chapter AB of the Contemplations of the Dread and Love of God: ‘A short metycacyon of þe Passyon of owr lord ihesu cryste [etc.]’; followed by a prayer: ‘A lord god almyghty / blessyd mote þou be / þou madest me / þou boughtest me / þi sufferans is ful grete in me’; and ending with te rubric: ‘In suche maner þou may praye in þi begynnyge [sic] and whan þou art well entred in to devocyon þou shalt paraventure have better felyng in prayers and in holy medytacyons other wysse than I can saye or shewe. Good broder or syster praye than for me whiche by þe techeng of almyghty god have wryten to þe these fewe wordes in helpyng of thys soule’.

ff. 92v-94r: Prayer to the Guardian Angel, beginning: ‘A good curtyes aungell ordyned to my governale I knowe wele my feblenes and my unconnyng’.

ff. 94r-95r: Three Psalms for the Trinity, with a rubric: ‘Si quis in aliqua tribulacione fuerit Ex toto corde in nomine sancte trinitatis hos tres psalmos cantaverit sine dubio liberabitur: Primus de auxilio dei. Secundus de misericorida dei. Tercius de redempcione dei’; begining: ‘Psalmus: Levavi oculos’; phrased for a woman on ff. 94v-95r: ‘famulam tuam’.

ff. 95r-95v: Prayer to God, beginning: ‘Omnipotens sempiterne deus respice propicius ad preces meas’; phrased for a woman on f. 95v: ‘Da mihi peccatrici’.

ff. 95v-98r: Prayer to the Virgin Mary, beginning: ‘O beata et intemerata et in eternum benedicta specialis et incomperabilis virgo dei genitrix maria’.

ff. 98r-100r: Bede, Prayer on the Seven Last Words of Christ on the Cross, beginning: ‘Domine ihesu Christe qui septem verba in ultimo fine vite tue in cruce pendens dixisti’.

ff. 100r-100v: Prayer to the Virgin Mary, beginning: ‘O Maria piissima stella maris clarissima mater misericordie et aula pudicicie ora pro nobis'.

ff. 100v-101r: Prayer to the Virgin Mary, beginning: ‘Ave Maria mitis et pia gracia plena custodi me a pena’.

ff. 101r-101v: Prayer of thanksgiving for the Guardian Angel, beginning: ‘Gracias ago tibi domine ihesu Christe qui unum de sanctis angelis tuis mihi ad custodiam depicasti’.

ff. 101v-102r: Prayer to God for protection from the Guardian Angel, beginning: ‘Omnipotens et mesiricors [sic] deus suppliciter deprecor clemenciam tuam ut sicut angelum sanctum ad me custodiendam de celo misisti ad terram’.

ff. 102r-102v: Prayer to the Guardian Angel, beginning: ‘Sancte angele die minister celestis imperii’.

ff. 103r-103v: Prayer to Christ; beginning: ‘Domine ihesu Christe qui pro peccatoribus ex virgine nasci dignatus es’.

f. 103v: Prayer to the Virgin Mary, beginning: ‘Ave et gaude sancta maria virgo templum trinitatis mater dei’.

ff. 103v-104r: Prayer to God for the living and the dead, beginning: ‘Pietate tua quaesumus domine nostrorum solve vincula omnium delictorum’.

f. 104v: Prayer to God, beginning: ‘Deus cui omne cor patet et omnis voluntas loquitur’.

ff. 104v-105r: Prayer to God, beginning: ‘Deus qui contritorum non dispicis gemitum et merencium non spernis affectum’.

ff. 105r-105v: Prayer to God, beginning: ‘Deus qui caritatis dono per graciam sancti spiritus tuorum cordibus’.

ff. 105v-106v: Prayer to God, beginning: ‘Domine sancte pater omnipotens eterne deus sancta trinitas'.

ff. 106v-107r: Suffrage to St Christopher, beginning: ‘O sancte Christofore martyr Ihesu Christi et pro eius nomine penas pertulisti’.

ff. 107r-108r: Suffrage to St Katherine, beginning: ‘Gaude dulcis katerina virgo martyr et regina sponsa regis glorie’.

ff. 108v-109v: Prayer to the Virgin Mary, beginning: ‘Gaude flore virginali honore que speciali transcendis splendiferum’.

ff. 109v-110r: Prayer to Christ, beginning: ‘Dulcissima domine ihesu Christe fili dei qui vivi beatissimam gloriosissimam humilimam [sic: ‘humillimam’] benignem et pulcerimam virginem mariam matrem tuam’.

ff. 110r-110v: Suffrage to St George, beginning: ‘Georgi martyr inclite te decet laus et gloria predotatum milita per quem puella regia existens in tristicia’.

ff. 110v-112r: Account of the Passion according to the Gospel of St John, with the heading: ‘Passio domini nostri ihesu Christe secundum Johannem’. ff. 112r-112v: Prayer to God, beginning: ‘Deus qui manus tuas et pedes tuos et totum corpus tuum pro nobis peccatoribus in ligno crucis posuisti’.

ff. 113r-113v: Suffrage to St Zita [Sitha], beginning: ‘Salve sancta famula sitha ihesu Christi’.

f. 113v: Suffrage to the Virgin Mary, beginning: ‘Sancta Maria virgo intercede pro toto mundo’.

ff. 114r-115r: Suffrage to St Erasmus, with a Middle English rubric: ‘A pryyer [sic] to saynte herasme’; beginning: ‘Sancte herame [sic] martyr Christi preciose’.

ff. 115v-116v: Suffrage to St Denis for protection against the sweating sickness and deadly fever, with a Middle English rubric: ‘Who worschyppyth allmyghty god for þe love of saynt dionise and namyth hys name and hys moder Ethee. iij tymes in j moneth seyng .v. Pater noster .v. Aves and i Crede in þe worschyp of our Lordes .v. princypalles Wondes he schall nat be vexed with þe swetyng seeknesse nor with non feveres pestelens nor none in þe howse þat þei beth namyd in’; beginning: ‘Sancte dionisi pro amore matris tue Ethee. Ora pro nobis’.

ff. 117r-117v: Prayer for salvation, beginning: ‘Deus qui liberasti susannam de falso crimine et Ionam de ventre ceti et danielem de lacu leonum et tres pueros de camine ignis ardens et petro mergenti dexteram porrexisti tu me liberare digneris ut animam meam de inferno inferiori salves’; phrased for a woman on f. 117r: ‘famule tue’.

ff. 117v-118r: Prayer for protection against evils and infirmities, beginning: ‘Deus abraham + deus isaac + deus iacob [...] Ista nomina dei protegat et defendat me ab omni malo et periculo et ab omnibus insidiis diaboli et ab omnibus infirmitatibus’.

f. 118r: Prayer against sins, beginning: ‘Ihesu fili dei miserere mei qui liberasti Susannam de falso crimine. Ita libera me ab omnibus peccatis meis’.

ff. 118r-119r: Prayer against enemies, beginning: ‘Deus qui si mihi mala volunt aut faciunt et inimici mei sunt et mihi contrarii et persecutores sunt domine da illis indulgenciam et requirem sempiternam et co[n]verte eos ad tua voluntatem’.

ff. 119r-119v: A prayer in tribulation, beginning: ‘Illumina oculos meos ne unquam obdormiam in morte’.

ff. 119v-120r: Prayer to Christ, beginning: ‘Domine ihesu Christe qui pro peccatoribus ex virgine nasci dignatus es’.

ff. 120r-122r: Prayer invoking St Thomas Becket and Susanna, with a rubric: ‘Quicumque in munda vita constitutus cotidie dixerit oracionem sequentem cum bona devocione ob honorem patris et matris gloriosissimi matris et Thome Cantuariensis sine dubio bonum finem habebit et desiderium suum in bono ad implebitur’; beginning: ‘Benedicatur hora in quam Thomas natus est et in archiepiscopum Cantuariensem electus est et qua ab exilio reversus est’.

ff. 122r-122v: Suffrage to St Gabriel the Archangel, beginning: ‘Gabriel archangele fortitudo dei’.

ff. 122v-124r: Prayer on the Five Joys of St Anne, beginning: ‘Anne gracia gaudias prole Maria predicta proli ihesu respondens sit ut donent debita Amen’.

f. 124r: Prayer for intercession from St Anne, ‘Da bone ihesu quaesumus ut perpetue virginis Marie matris tue piissime piam matrem Annam nitimur venerari eius ad iuti precibus a malis mereamur omnibus liberari: Qui vivis et regnas .d.’.

f. 124r: Prayer to St Anne, beginning: ‘Dulce nomen Anne benedictum sit sine fine’.

f. 124v: Prayer to St Anne, beginning: ‘Anne of grace I preye þe to ihesu cryst answere for me þat þorw þi dowtir and þorw þe my synnys ben for ȝove me’.

f. 124v: Prayer to St Anne, beginning: ‘Celeste beneficium introivit venerabilem Annam de qua nate est nobis dulcsissima virgo Maria’.

ff. 124v-125v: Hail Mary, with a Middle English rubric: ‘Who so evyr seyth this Ave Maria as ys wryten here folowyng shall have [a Ml yere] of pardoun. What man or woman þat wyll sey þe sautur of ower lady with þe sayd Ave Maria shal have iij .C. Ml. yeris of pardoun ffor this is wreten in ower ladyes chapell in Jerusalem and is regestrid in Rome for trewth’; beginning: ‘Ave maria gracia plena dominus tecum’.

f. 125v: Prayer to God, beginning: ‘Spem in alium nunquam habui pater [sic: ‘praeter’] in te deus israel’.

ff. 125v-126r: Prayer to God, beginning: ‘Protector in te sperancium deus sine quo nichil est validum nichil sanctum multiplica super nos misericordiam tuam’.

ff. 126r-126v: Suffrage to St Roch (‘Ad sanctum Rochum Antiphona’), beginning: ‘O quam magnificum est nomen tuum beate Roche’.

ff. 126v-127v: Suffrage to St Armel [Armagilus], beginning: ‘Sancte dei preciose advocate gloriose confessor armigile salvatorem depricare nos a malis liberare gutteque gravamine’.

ff. 127v-128v: Verse suffrage to St Anthony, beginning: ‘Salve pater mei Antone / Salve serva sum meloni / Si laus Christe ut patrone / Sanet in deficiens’.

ff. 129r-130r: Prayers allegedly revealed by Christ to St Bridget of Sweden, with a Middle English rubric: ‘Thyse shorte prayers foloyng taught our lorde Saynt Brygytte lay þe them of [...] in þe day’; begininng: ‘Domnine ihesu Christe ego cognosco me graviter pecasse’; ‘Domine ihesu Christe rogo te protecione’; ‘Ihesus autem transiens per medium illorum ibat'; ‘Ecce signum crucis + fugite partes adverse vicit leo de tribu Juda’; ‘Benedictum sit dulce nomen domini nostri ihesu Christi’; ‘O ihesu nazarene resicipe ad miserias tribulaciones et angustias’.

ff. 130v-131r: Prayer to Christ, beginning: ‘O ihesu Nazarene respice ad miserias tribulaciones et angustias que circumdant me’.

ff. 131r-131v: Prayer to the Virgin Mary, with a rubric: ‘Subscripta oracione edidit dominus sixtus papa quartus et concessit omnibus eam devote legentibus coram imagine beate virginis marie in sole: xi Milia annorum vere Indulgencie'; beginning: ‘Ave sanctissima maria mater dei’.

ff. 131v-133r: Prayer to the Virgin Mary allegedly revealed by an angel to St Bernard of Clairvaux, with a rubric: ‘Sequens hec oracio data fuit beato Bernardo ab angelo quae et dixit. Sicut aurum est et preciosissimum metallum; sic ista oracio praecellit alias oraciones’; beginning: ‘Ave maria ancilla trinitas humilima’.

ff. 133r-133v: Prayer for the souls of the dead, with a Middle English rubric: ‘To every cristen creature able to reseyve pardon sayng this antiphona et colecte folowyng with in þe chirche or þe chirche yerd ys grantyd for every crysten creature there bereyd .xl. dayes of pardon and xiii lentes’; beginning: ‘Avete fideles omnes anime in sancta dei pace requiescite’.

ff. 133v-134r: Prayer to Christ, beginning: ‘Miserere domine per tuam gloriosam resurrecionem animabus omnium fidelium defunctorum’.

ff. 134r-134v: Prayer for the blessing of water, beginning: ‘Aqua benedicta sit mihi salus et vita’.

f. 134v: Prayer to Christ, beginning: ‘Sana me domine ihesu salvator’.

ff. 134v-135v: Prayer to God, beginning: ‘Holy god in whom is alle goodnese whos pyte and mercy made þe to descendeþ fro þi heye trone down into þis weylynge world valey of wo and wepyng’.

ff. 136r-136v: Prayer to Christ, beginning: ‘Ihesu for þi holy name and for þi bitter passyon Save us fro synne and schame and endles dampnacion and bryng us to þi blesse þat never shall have ende swete ihesu’.

ff. 136v-137v: Prayer to Christ, beginning: ‘Moste dere lorde and savyour swete ihesu I be seche þe moost curteys goodnenes [sic] and benygne savour to be to me most wretched creature favourable lord. protector. keper and defender’.

ff. 137v-138r: Prayer to the Virgin Mary, beginning: ‘O blessid lady moder of ihesu and virgyne immaculate þat art wel of comforte and moder of mercy singuler helper to all þat trust to þe’.

ff. 138r-138v: Prayer to the Guardian Angel, beginning: ‘O gloryous angell to whom our blessyd lord of his most mercyful grace hath taken me to kepe’.

ff. 139r-140v: Prayer to Christ, beginning: ‘A sweyt Ihesu I þat am caus of yowr peynfull wondys hys nott worthy to loke apon them’.

The manuscript contains later additions:

f. 23r: Prayer to St Francis, beginning: ‘suscipere sancte pater omnipotens eterne deus officium servitutis nostre meritis beate marie virginis beati patris nostri benedicti sancti francisci et omnium sanctorum [...] Divinum auxilium maneat semper nobiscum Amen’; added in the late 15th or early 16th century.

f. 23r: A request for prayers, beginning: ‘Hartyly I beseche ȝow prey for them þat prey for ȝow’; added in the late 15th or early 16th century.

Marginal annotations in Latin with manicules throughout; added in the (?) 17th century.

Decoration:

Numerous initials in gold and colours (including a bright orange) with foliate decoration including daisy buds and besants extending into the margins to form partial borders. Numerous smaller initials in gold with purple pen-flourishing or in blue with red pen-flourishing. Line-fillers in blue and gold with pen-flourishing in purple and/or red. Rubrics in red. Large coloured initials in red in the additional sections (ff. 25r-28v, 66r-67v, 70v-140v).