Harley MS 3363

This composite manuscript contains theological and legal works in Latin and English that were copied in the 15th and early 16th centuries.

The manuscript can be divided into eight parts (Part 1 is ff. 2r-18r; Part 2 is ff. 19r-47v; Part 3 is ff. 48r-58v; Part 4 is ff. 59r-66v; Part 5 is ff. 67r-87v; Part 6 is ff. 88r-93v; Part 7 is ff. 94r-103v; Part 8 is ff. 104r-115r), but the script in Parts 1, 3, 4, 5 and 6 ff. 88r-91r, suggests that these sections were copied by the same scribe in the 15th century. This scribe may be the 'Jon Benet' who signs his name at the end of the Speculum peccatoris on f. 64r. Since his hand does not match with that of the priest and chronicler John Benet (d. 1474), vicar of Harlington, Bedfordshire (1443-1471), and rector of Broughton, Hungtindonshire (1471-1474), who compiled a commonplace book, now Dublin, Trinity College, MS 516, between c. 1461 and c. 1471, this scribe remains unidentified [for Dublin, Trinity College, MS 516, see Scattergood, Manuscripts and Ghosts (2006), p. 47]. Parts 2 and 7 were also written in the 15th century, while Part 8 may date to the early 16th century. The same (?) two hands have added legal formularies that date from around the year 1540 to Parts 6 and 8, suggesting that these different parts were kept or bound together at an early point in time.

Contents:

Part 1:

ff. 2r-17r: Meditationes ad quendam monacum anachoritam [supplied title], beginning: 'Incipit prefaciuncula versificata in quasdam motivas meditaciones ex sacre scripture et sanctorum sentenciis compilatas presertim ex sentenciis beati augustini, beati Bernardi et venerabilis Anselmi que scripte sunt ad quendam monachum Anachoritam'.

f. 17r: 'Oracio sancti augusti contra luxuriam'.

ff. 17r-17v: 'Brevis et utilis informatio hominis morituri'.

f. 18r: Confession of sins, beginning: 'Scio omnibus presentibus et absentibus dico culpam'.

Part 2:

ff. 19r-47v: First copy of Edward the Confessor [here attributed], Speculum sacerdotum, beginning: 'Sanctus Edwardus Rex et confessor in extrimitate vite positus per revelacionem divinam vidit spiritualibus oculis qualiter impii et male viventis in inferno sunt puncti '.

Part 3:

ff. 48r-58v: Second copy of Edward the Confessor [here attributed], Speculum sacerdotum, beginning: 'Sanctus Edwardus Rex et confessor in extrimitate vite positus per revelacionem divinam vidit spiritualibus oculis qualiter impii et male viventis in inferno sunt puncti'; ending imperfectly with a chapther entitled: 'Capitulum divini amoris et de .x. signis divini Amoris' (ff. 58r-58v), beginning: 'Scire debent viam divini amoris agnoscere cupientes quo amore omnis amant deum et boni et mali'. This chapter is continued on ff. 88r-91r.

Part 4:

ff. 59r-64r: Speculum peccatoris, beginning: 'Quoniam karissimi in via huius vite'; ending: 'quod Jon Benet'.

ff. 64v-65r: Theological diagrams.

ff. 65r-66v: Speculum conversacionis honestae.

Part 5:

ff. 67r-87v: Doctrina laicorum or Tractatus de ignorancia sacerdotum (see Bloomfield, Latin Works on the Virtues and Vices (1979), p. 163 [no. 1772]).

Part 6:

ff. 88r-91r: Fragmentary Latin tract, with a title added by Samuel Knott: 'Decem signa divini amoris et de malis sacerdotis'; a continuation of the 'Capitulum divini amoris et de .x. signis divini Amoris' on ff. 58r-58v.

Part 7:

ff. 94r-103v: Legal formulary; imperfect at the beginning and end due to the loss of folios, with the first heading entitled: 'Carta feodi simplicis / Deterris per quisitis diversis feofatis ubi quidam habent statum ad trivium vite et reliqui in feodo simplici'; most of the example indentures are situated in Berkshire and Oxfordshire.

Part 8:

ff. 104-114r: Legal formulary; imperfect at the beginning due to the loss of folios, with the first heading entitled: 'Procuratorum ad nanciscendum corporalem possessionem'.

ff. 114v-115v: 'Articulus in causa correccionis Anime'; with examples from the parish of Colebrooke in Devon and Exeter.

The manuscript contains several additions:

f. 1r: Exhortations to the Virgin Mary and Christ in English: 'Lady helpe' and 'Jhesus helpe'; added in the late 15th or early 16th century.

f. 1r: List of payments for items in Latin; added in the late 15th or early 16th century.

f. 1r: 'Memorandum quod W B Brystow recepit quatuor nobilia a John Carow in die Maris post festum Simonis inde Anno regni regis h. sexti post conquestum anglie tricesissimo secundo'; added in the late 15th or early 16th century.

f. 1r: Words in cypher, partially decoded in a later hand: 'Bristow' and 'Borport'; added in the late 15th or early 16th century.

f. 1r: A note on Bristol in English: 'Brystow ys a myry Toune of gode whyte b[…]e'; added in the late 15th or early 16th century.

f. 1r: A note in English: 'Jon Pascow ys in londun with the chefe Justys'; added in the late 15th or early 16th century.

f. 1r: Latin verses in cypher, partially decoded in a later hand: 'Munera pauca seni, juveni des aut mulieri […] femina mutat'; added in the late 15th or early 16th century.

f. 1r (written vertically): 'Qui scripsit scripta, sua dextera sit benedicta - Wylliam Harewode'; added in the late 15th or early 16th century.

f. 1v: Proverbial sayings, beginning: 'Haec tria privatum commodum, consilia juvenum et latens odium sunt causae destructionis civitatis omnis'; added in the late 15th or early 16th century.

f. 18v [Addition (?) to part 1]: Fragment of a Latin (?) inventory, with, written vertically, fragmentary English words in a different hand: 'Indentid therof'; written in the late 15th or early 16th century.

ff. 91v-93v [Addition to Part 6]: Legal formulary in English and Latin for Recognizances and Obligations, beginning with a list of payments ('For a warrant of peace' etc.); most example indentures are situated in Devonshire, with one dated to the year 1540/1; probably added by the same hands who copied the additions on f. 115v [below].

f. 115v [Addition to Part 8]: Formulary for a Deposition and an Obligation in English; with one dated to the year 1540/1; probably added by the same hands who copied the additions on ff. 91v-93v [above].

Decoration:

f. 1v: Two sketches of human figures (? a man and a woman) added in brown ink to the top of the page.

Part 1:

Large and small plain red initials. Capitals highlighted in red.

Part 2:

1 large (3-line) blue initial in a frame of red penwork decoration (f. 19r). Capitals highlighted in red. Paraphs in blue and red.

Part 3:

Title inscription in a red frame with a yellow ground (f. 48r). 1 large (3-line) red initial with minor decoration (f. 48r). Capitals highlighted in red. Cadels in red. Paraphs in red. Underlining in red.

Part 4:

1 large (3-line) plain red initial (f. 59r).

Part 5:

1 large (5-line) red initial with minor penwork decoration and pen-flourishing (f. 67r). Large (2-line) initials in red. Capitals highlighted in red. Rubrics in red. Underlining in red.

Part 6:

No decoration.

Part 7:

Capitals highlighted in red. Underlining in red.

Part 8:

Capitals highlighted in yellow.