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Add MS 37790

Record Id:

040-002054226

Hierarchy Root Ancestor Record Id:

032-002054220

MDARK:

ark:/81055/vdc_100000000984.0x000122

LARK:

ark:/81055/vdc_100057739533.0x000001

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ISAD(G)

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Add MS 37790

Title:

A Carthusian anthology of theological works in English (the 'Amherst Manuscript')

Scope & Content:

Contents:

An anthology of texts about contemplation as follows:

ff. 1r-18r: Richard Rolle of Hampole, 'De emendatione vitae', translated into Middle English by the Carmelite monk, Richard Misyn. The rubric begins, 'This boke is off mendynge of lyfe or ellys off the rewle of lyfynge'. The translator's name is given in the colophon: 'Thus endis the xii chapetyrs off Richarde Hampole into Englys translate be frere Rycharde Misyn to infformacioun off crystyn saulis anno domini millesimo ccccxxxiiii' (1435);

ff. 18v-95r: Richard Rolle, 'Incendium amoris', translated by Richard Mysin. The colophon states, 'Explicit liber de incendio amoris Ricardi Hampole heremite translatus in Anglicum instanciis domine Margarete Heslyngton recluse per fratrem Ricarduni Misyn sacre theologie bachalarium tunc priorem Lyncoln ordinis Carmelitarum anno domini mccccc xxxv (1435) in festo translacionis sancti Martini episcopi quod est iiii Nonas Julii per dictum fratrem Ricardum Misyn scriptum et correctum';

ff. 95v-96v: 'The Golden Epistle of Saint Bernard', an anonymous work wrongly attributed to Saint Bernard, translated into Middle English. The rubric states, "This pistill made saynt Barnarde vnto his cosyn the whiche is calde a goldyn pystill: Wor the grete abundaunce of gostely ffruyt that is contynede in itt'; at the end is the monogram, 'I.S.';

ff. 97r-115r: Julian of Norwich, 'Revelations of Divine Love', in the short version, with the rubric, 'Here es a vision schewed be the goodenes of god to a devoute woman and hir name es Julyan that is recluse atte Norwyche and zitt ys on lyfe anno domini millesimo ccccxiii' (1413);

f. 115r-130r: Jan van Ruusbroek, 'Vanden Blinckenden Steen' (the Latin original is 'De calculo candido'), translated into Middle English by Willem Jordaens, as 'A trettesse the whiche is called the trettesse of perfeccion off the Sonnys of God', with the preface beginning, 'In the name of the blissed Trinite.....I intende to transpose for myne owne lernynge a trettese from Latyn into Englyseh compiled bi dan John Rusbroke';

ff. 130v-135v: Richard Rolle, Excerpts from 'Forma vivendi 'and 'Ego dormio' with the rubrics, 'De triplici genere amoris spiritualis' and 'Tractatus de diligendo deo';

ff. 135v-136v: 'Formula compendiosa rite spiritualis', part of the English abridged version of the 'Horologium Sapientiae';

ff. 137r-225r: 'The myrroure of symple saules' a Middle English translation of Marguerite Porète, 'Miroer des Simples Ames'; the text concludes with a songe which begins and ends 'Therfore his ize behaldes me; th[a]t he loves noon mare than me', The verse colophon is, 'Here endeth the Boke that Love calles the myrroure of Symple Saules. Who that this booke wille undirstande Take t[ha]t lorde to his spouse lovande That is god in Trinite. Iesu mercy and grace Marie praye for us. En dieu desormes. M.P.', followed by a prayer to the Trinity ending 'magnifie everlastingly withouten ende. Amen. Jesu merci. Amen.';

ff. 226r-233v: A Latin compilation, titled, 'Quedam introductiva ad contemplacionem extracta ex diversis deuvtis tractatibuset precipue ex libro soliloquiorum beati Augustini episcopi. Capitulum quadragesimum octavum', including fragments from Pseudo-Augustine, Anselm of Canterbury and Bernard of Clairvaux;

ff. 234r-236r: 'Via ad contemplacionem', an extract in Middle English on three ways of contemplation (purgative, illuminative and unitive), based on parts of 'The Cloud of Unknowing' and related texts;

ff. 234r-236r: A short text on contemplation, beginning, 'Labure hastely for the tyme is schorte' and ending 'more compassioun of a synnere than a synnere can have of hym selfe';

ff. 236v-237r: St. Bridget of Sweden, 'Revelationes', 2.16, translated into Middle English, imperfect at the end as f. 237 is mostly lacking.

Decoration: A pencil drawing of the Virgin and Child on the end flyleaf (f. 238r). Initials in blue with pen-flourishing in red, or in red. Rubrics in red.

Collection Area:

Western Manuscripts

Project / Collection:

Additional Manuscripts

Hierarchy Record Ids:

032-002054220
040-002054226

Is part of:

Add MS 37785-37790 : Belonged to William Amhurst Tyssen-Amherst, Baron Amherst of Hackney, forming Part of the second portion of his library, sold…

Add MS 37790 : A Carthusian anthology of theological works in English (the 'Amherst Manuscript')

Hierarchy:

032-002054220[0006]/040-002054226

Container:

View / search within Archive / Collection: Add MS 37785-37790

Record Type (Level):

File

Extent:

A parchment codex, 238 folios

Digitised Content:

https://iiif.bl.uk/uv/#?manifest=https://bl.digirati.io/iiif/ark:/81055/vdc_100057739533.0x000001

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Languages:

English

Scripts:

Latin

Start Date:

1430

End Date:

1470

Date Range:

Middle of the 15th century

Era:

Access:

Available for research unless otherwise stated

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User Conditions:

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Physical Characteristics:

Materials: Parchment.

Dimensions: 265 x 175mm (text space: 190 x 115mm).

Foliation: ff. ii + 238 (ff. i and ii are bookplates pasted on the upper inside binding + 4 unfoliated paper flyleaves at the beginning and 4 at the end).

Script: Gothic cursive.

Binding: BM/BL in-house. Rebound in 1978.

Custodial History:

Origin: England.

Provenance:

The scribal monogram, 'I.S.' occurs in the rubrics on ff. 96v, 226r and is repeated in black ink on ff. 1r and 226r.

James Grenehalgh (b. c. 1465/70) Carthusian monk of Sheen, annotated by him and his monogram on ff. 23r, 33r, 110v, 114r.

Vincent Wings, perhaps the astronomer (b. 1619, d. 1668), inscribed 'Vincit Winge his Booke' (f. 1r);

Francis Peck (d. 1743), antiquary and rector of Godeby by Melton, Leicestershire, as noted by Francis Blomefield (see Colledge and Walsh, Book of Showings (1978), p. 11-12).

William Constable, F.R.S. (b. 1721, d. 1791), scientist and collector, of Burton Constable Hall, Yorkshire, his bookplate on the inside upper binding and remained in his collection: in the Burton Constable sale, Sotheby's, 14 June 1889, lot 148;

William Amhurst Tyssen-Amherst, Baron Amherst of Hackney (b. 1835, d. 1909), politician and collector, his bookplate on upper binding and in his sale, Sotheby's, London, 24 March 1910, lot 813; bought by the British Museum.

Publications:

Catalogue of Additions to the Manuscripts in the British Museum in the Years 1906-1910 (London: British Museum, 1912), pp. 153-56.

A book of showings to the Anchoress Julian of Norwich, ed. by Edmund Colledge and James Walsh (Toronto: Pontifical Institute of Mediaeval Studies, 1978), pp. 11-12.

Michael G. Sargent, James Grenehalgh as Textual Critic', Analecta Cartusiana, 85, 2 vols. (Salzburg: Institut für Anglistik und Amerikanistik Universität Salzburg, 1984), p. 549.

Vernacular Mysticism in the Charterhouse: A Study of London, British Library, MS Additional 37790, ed. by M. Cré (Turnhout: Brepols, 2006).

Domenico Pezzini, The Translation of Religious Texts in the Middle Ages: Tracts and Rules, Hymns and Saints' Lives, Studies in Language and Communication, 69 (Oxford: Peter Lang, 2008) pp. 23, n. 4, 42-43, 201.

Ralph Hannah, The English Manuscripts of Richard Rolle, A Descriptive Catalogue (Exeter: University of Exeter Press, 2010), no. 42.

T'he Julian of Norwich British Library Amherst Project,' online at http://www.umilta.net/amherst.html [accessed on 6 October, 2015].

Exhibitions:

Hearing Voices: Suffering, Inspiration and the Everyday, Palace Green Library, Durham, 5 November 2016 - 26 February 2017

Material Type:

Archives and Manuscripts

Legal Status:

Not Public Record(s)

Notes:

Julian of Norwich, Revelations of Divine love, short text. Exhibited: Hearing Voices: Suffering, Inspiration and the Everyday, Palace Green Library, Durham, 5 November 2016 - 26 February 2017.

Names:

Related Material:

From the printed Catalogue of Additions (1912):

'ENGLISH TRANSLATIONS of theological works, viz.:- 1. "This boke is off mendynge of lyfe or ellys off the rewle of lyfynge," etc.: the De emendatione vitae of Richard Rolle of Hampole. The translator's name is given in the colophon: "Thus endis the xii chapetyrs off Richarde Hampole into Englys translate be frere Rycharde Misyn to infformacioun off crystyn saulis anno domini millesimo ccc^mo xxxiiii." The text is closely akin to the Oxford MS. (Corpus Christi College ccxxxvi.) from which the Rev. R. Harvey printed Misyn's works, Fire of Love, etc. (Early Engl. Text Soc., 1896), but neither appears to be his autograph. Another English version of Hampole's tract is in Lansd. MS. 455, f. 41. Beg. "Tary pou not to oure lord to be turnyd," and ends "with dedys of thankynge in warlde of warldys. Amen." f. 1.

2. "Incendium amoris": by the same author and translator. Printed as above. Colophon: "Explicit liber de incendio amoris Ricardi Hampole heremite translatus in Anglicum instanciis domine Margarete Heslyngton recluse per fratrem Ricarduni Misyn sacre theologie bachalarium tunc priorem Lyncoln ordinis Carmelitarum anno domini m^oecccxxxv^to in festo translacionis sancti Martini episcopi quod est iiii Nonas Julii per dictum fratrem Ricardum Misyn scriptum et correctum" (the colophon to lib. i. is dated the same year). Beg. "At the reuerence of oure lorde Jesu Criste. To the askynge of thy desire," and ends "sarif to the hie emprowre in warlde of warldys. Amen." f 18 b.

3. "This pistill made saynt Barnarde vnto his cosyn the whiche is calde a goldyn pystill: Wor the grete abundaunce of gostely fruyte that is contynede in itt"; a translation of the brief spurious tract (beg. "Si plene vis assequi") printed in the appendix to St. Bernard's works (Migne, Patr. Lat. clxxxiv. coll. 1173, 1174). There are at least two other English versions of this tract: one by Richard Whitford of Syon, printed by Wynkyn de Worde, A goodly treatyse and it is called a notable lesson otherwyse it is called the golden pystle (reprinted by Wyer, 1531, etc.), the other printed by Thomas Godfray with St. Bridget's Revelations. Beg,. "My ffrende yf ye will come perfitely to tho thynges," and ends "I that he of my syns will have mercye. Amen. Jesu mercy, lady helpe," with monogram I.S. f. 95 b.

4. "Here es a vision schewed be the goodenes of god to a deuoute woman and hir name es Julyan that is recluse atte Norwyche and zitt ys on lyfe anno domini millesimo ccccxiii^o," etc. : the text is doubtless abridged, but is much older and better than that printed by Hugh Paulin (or Serenus) Cressy, Sixteen Revelations of Divine Love, 1670 (reprinted 1843), that (Sloane MS. 2499) used by Henry Collins, Mediaeval Library of Mystical and Ascetical Works, 1877, or Sloane MS. 3705. Beg. "I desyrede thre graces be the gyfte of god," and ends "and to oure even cristen. Amen. Explicit Juliane de Norwych." f 97.

5. "A trettesse the whiche is called the trettesse of perfeccion off the Sonnys of God," anonymous translation into English from the Latin version (by, Willem Jordaens ?) of the Flemish mystical tract Dat Hantvingherlijn oft van den Blickenden Steene of Jan van Ruusbroec, al. Buysbroeck, prior of the Augustinian Monastery of Groenendael near Brumels. The Flemish is published by the Maetschappy der Vlaemsche Bibliophilen, 1868, 3^e Ser. no. 12, p: 195; also a Gelders version by A. von Arnswaldt, Vier Schriften von Johann Ruysbroeck (Hanover, 1848), p. 169. In the Latin paraphrase by Laurentius Surius, 0pera Joannis Busbrochii (Cologne, 1549, etc.) the title is De calculo sive de perfections filiorum dei. Cf. also W. de Vreese, De Handschriften van J. van Ruusbroec's Werken (Ghent, 1900-1902). Preface beg. "In the name of the blissed Trinite.....I intende to transpose for myne owne lernynge a trettese from Latyn into Englyseh compiled bi dan John Rusbroke"; and text, "Who so euer will lyffe in the moste perfytt state." Ends "and euer to praye for pe writer, whilke graunt Iesus. Amen. Explicit the tretyse of perfeccioun off the sonnes of god conteynynge xvi. chapitures to man sawle ryghte behofulle and necessary. Jesu mercy. Deo gracias." f. 115.

6. Portions of Richard Rolle's Forma vivendi and Ego dormio, but differently arranged from the text printed by Horstmann, Richard Rolle and his Followers, vol. i., viz. (a) "De triplici genere amoris spiritualis," an abridgement of Forma vivendi, ch. viii.-x., pp. 31- 45. Beg. "The fyrste degre of loue is called Insuperabile," and ends "as I was in saule." f. 130b;-(b) "Incipit tractatus de diligendo deo," consisting of ch. vii. (pp. 29, 30) of Forma vivendi, followed by an abridgement of Ego dormio, pp. 50-61. Beg. "Amore langueo: thys two wordes are writtene in the boke of luf," and ends "botte ay be in thy louynge. Amen. The fyrste degree of luf is Insuperabill the secounde Inseperabill, the thyrde Synguler." f. 132.

7. "Formula compendiosa rite spiritualis" part of ch. iv. of the English abridged version of the Horologium Sapientiae (in the Latin lib. ii. cap. iii.), which is itself translated from the German of St. Amandus (Henricus de Suso, Heinrich von Berg). The dialect is different from the text printed by Horstmann in Anglia, x. p. 353, cf. also Add. MS. 37049, f. 43 b. Beg. "In the felaschippe of sayntis, whilke as pe morne sterne schone," and ends "principles of gostely hele. Deo gracias." f. 135 b.

8. Þe myrroure of symple saules": English version of an unidentified French mystical work of some length, mainly in the form of a dialogue between Reason and Love. The translator in his preface gives the initials of his name and surname, M. N., which he uses to mark the beginning and end of his own insertions in the text, and states that he made the translation long before and has now revised it. In the author's preface three persons are mentioned as having seen the work, a friar minor, "frere Johan of Querayum," a Cistercian, "daun Franke, chauntour of the abbay of Viliers [Villers, dioc. Liège]," and a doctor of divinity, "maister Godfrey of Fountaynes." The last is possibly Godefroi de Fontaines; chancellor of Paris in 1280. Translator's preface beg. "This boke the which is called the myrroure of symple saules"; author's preface, "I creature made of the makere bi me that the makere hase made"; and text "O soule touched of god disseuered of synne." The text concludes with a. songe which begins and ends "Therfore his ize behaldes me; pat he loues noon mare than me." Colophon, "Here endeth the Boke that Loue calles the myrroure of Symple Saules. Who that this booke wille vndirstande Take pat lorde to his spouse louande That is god in Trinite. Iesu mercy and grace Marie praye for us. En dieu desormes. M.N. Sizhe and sorowe deepelie Morne and wepe ynwardlie Pray and thenke deuoutly Loue and longe contynuely." Followed by a prayer to the Trinity ending "magnifie euerlastingly withouten ende. Amen. Jesu merci. Amen." f. 137.

9. "Sequitur hic quedam introductiua ad contempla ionem extracta ex diuersis deuotis tractatibuset precipue ex libro soliloquiorum beati Augustini episcopi. Capitulum quadragesimum octauum": possibly a chapter from some large treatise. In Latin. It includes the greater part of ch. xxxi.-xxxvii. of the spurious Liber soliloquiorum animae ad deum in vol. vi. of St. Augustine's works (Migne, Patr. Lat.. xl. coll. 888-898), extracts from St. Bernard, etc. Beg. "Qui diuinitatem domini nostri Iesu Christi," and ends "donee intrem in gaudium domini mei, qui est trinus et unus deus benedictus in secula seculorum. Amen." f. 226.

10. "Via [sic] ad contemplacionenm capiat qui potest capere quia gracia est ductrix," etc.: an extract in English on three ways of contemplation (purgative, illuminative and unitive). Beg. "Therefore euere new discipull ascende to the perfeccioun of this seyence," and ends "pou hase woundyd my herte in on of thyne eyne." f. 234.

11. Short extract, beg. "Labure hastely for the tyme is schorte," and ending "more compassioun of a synnere than a synnere can haue of hym selfe, etc." f. 236.

12. Brief note on the visions of St. Bridget. Imperfect by the cutting out of f. 237. Beg. "God almyghty appered to Seynte Bryde sayings to hyr on this wyse, Doughter, he sayde, be meke." f. 236 b. On the flyleaf (f. 238) is a rough pencil-drawing of the Virgin and Child. Vellum; ff. ii. + 238. 10¾ in. x 6¾ in. Middle of xv. cent. On ff. 96 b, 226 is possibly a scribe's monogram I.S. See. fol. "sais Oculi." Initials in blue (thickly laid on) flourished in red. On f. 1 is a 16th cent. owner's name "Vincit Winge his Booke." Bookplates of arms of William Constable, F.R.S., of Burton Constable, co. York (d. 1791) and Lord Amherst. Burton Constable sale-cat. 1889, lot 148; Amherst sale-cat. lot 813.'