Harley MS 5444

This composite manuscript consists of four parts that were separately produced and joined together at a later point, possibly in the Harleian Library.

The first part (ff. 1r-8v) is a single booklet with votive masses that was commissioned by Alicia Lygh (d. in or after 1525) of Chippenham, Wiltshire, most likely in the last quarter of the 15th century and certainly before 1503.

The second part (ff. 2r-91v) contains a copy of Hugh Ripelin of Strasburg (b. c. 1205, d. c. 1270), Compendium theologicae veritatis, which consists of two different parts: one part was probably written in the 15th century (ff. 9r-59v) to supplement a missing section from a 14th-century copy (ff. 60r-91v) of the work.

The third part contains a macaronic sermon in Latin and Middle English, and William of Pagula (d. 1332), Oculus Sacerdotis, copied in the 14th century.

The fourth part (ff. 118r-226v) contains biblical commentaries by Jacobus de Lausanne (d. 1321), copied in the 14th century.

Contents:

Part 1 (ff. 1r-8v):

ff. 1r-3r: Mass of the Holy Name of Jesus, preceded by an indulgence issued by Robert Hallam, Bishop of Salisbury (1408-1417), from Sherborne Castle in 1411: 'Quicumque devote celebraverit, vel celebrari fecerit, vel audierit, habebit pro qualibet Missa tria milia annorum indulgencie a Domino papa Bonifacio quarto. Et Robertus Halam Episcopus Sarum, in castro suo de Sherborne, 30 die in diebus, anno Domini 1411 concessit omnibus vere contritis, hanc Missam dicentibus vel audientibus, 40 dies indulgencie, tociens quociens, perpetuis temporibus duraturis'; beginning: 'In nomine ihesu omne genu flectatur'.

ff. 3r-5v: Mass of the Five Wounds ('Missa de v. vulneribus domini'), beginning: 'Humiliavit semetipsum dominus ihesus christus usque ad mortem'.

ff. 5v-7v: Mass against the plague ('Missa pro pestilencie'), beginning: 'Recordare domine testamenti tui'.

ff. 7v-8v: Mass of St Gabriel ('Missa sancti gabrielis archangeli'), beginning: 'Gaudeamus omnis in domino die festum celebrantes sub honore gabrielis archangeli'.

Part 2 (ff. 9r-91v):

ff. 9r-91v: Hugh Ripelin of Strasburg, Compendium theologicae veritatis; but attributed by a later hand to Ulrich of Strasburg [Ulricus de Argentina] (b. c. 1225, d. 1277): 'Veritas theologie secundum vlricum de argentiam [...] ut asseret magister henricus in actua suo basiliens[is]'.

Part 3 (ff. 92r-116r):

ff. 92r-94v: A Latin sermon with sentences in Middle English; followed by exempla in Latin.

ff. 95r-116r: William of Pagula, Oculus Sacerdotis; followed by notes on feast days.

This section contains a few additions:

f. 117v: A list of French nobility 'le noms de prisoneres on lui roy de ffraunce; a list of (?) leaders at a battle in 1340 (probably related to the Hundred Years' War); and a calculation of the sum of all the bannerets, knights, and squires present ('ij M C'); with the name 'M[agister?] Thomas Blake' written above; added in the 14th century.

f. 117v: Names for the falling sickness: 'Epilencia / Analencia / Apeplexia / Cathalencia'; with the note 'Vide in Gadsden' [i.e. John of Gaddesden (d. 1348/1349)]; added in the 15th century.

f. 117v: A poem on the three marriages of St Anne: 'Ex ioachim cleopha salome tres anna marias'; added in the 15th century.

Part 4 (ff. 118r-226v):

ff. 118r-226v: Jacobus de Lausanne [Losanna], Commentaries on Genesis ['Reportatio super genesim'] (ff. 118r-167v; imperfect at the beginning), Exodus ['Lectura super libri exodi 2'] (ff. 168r-202v), and Job (ff. 203-226v; imperfect at the end).

Decoration:

Part 1 (ff. 1r-8v):

Large (2- to 5-line) initials in gold on a coloured ground (pink, green, and/or blue) with foliate feathering. Large (2-line) initials in blue with red pen-flourishing. Rubrics in red. Capitals (1 line) marked in yellow or red. An inscription in a decorative scroll in brown ink in the margin of f. 1r.

Part 2 (ff. 9r-91v):

Small (1- to 2-line) initials in red. Capitals highglihtted in red. Rubrics in red. Paraphs in red.

Part 3 (ff. 92r-116r):

Small (1-line) initials in red. Capitals highglihtted in red. Rubrics in red. Paraphs in red.

Part 4 (ff. 118r-226v):

2 large (4-line) puzzle initials in blue and red with red penwork decoration inside the the letters and partial (2-sided) 'J-borders' in blue and red (ff. 168r, 203r); capitals (1 line) highlighted in red. Rubrics in red. Paraphs alternating between blue and red. Underlining in red. Added marginal notes in shields in brown ink.