Royal MS 7 B XIV

SPECVLVM SPIRITALIVM': parts i-iv ofthe anonymous theological compilation called Speculum Spiritualium, apparently the work of an Englishman, since he often quotes Walter Hilton (d. 1396) and incorporates (end of pt. ii, f. 83) a long English passage from Richard Rolle's Form of Living (he uses a Southern text). In the old catalogue of Syon Monastery (ed. Bateson, 1898, P. 107) the work is ascribed to 'dompnus Henricus domus Cartusiensis de Bethleem monachus', and in Cambridge University MS. Dd. iv. 54 to 'Henricus de Balnea (mistake for Bethleem?) Cartusiensis'. The work (seven parts in all) was printed at Paris in 1510. Prologue beg. 'Hunc librum sequentem cui hic prologus prescribitur'; text, 'Superbia nichil aliud est quam amor proprie excellencie'. At the end (one page, f. 195 b) is a fragment of a variant version of the miracle-tale of Plegils related (as 'in gestis Anglorum') by Paschasius Radbertus, De Corpore et Sanguine Domini, ch. 14, and many other writers (cf. Cat. of Romances, iii, p. 618). Beg. 'Sacerdos quidam religiosus nacione Teutonicus nomine Plegis'. Breaks off 'sed ille qui pro nobis'. Vellum; ff. 196. 121/4 in. x 81/2 in. First half of XV cent. Gatherings, i⁸, ii-iv¹⁰, v-xix⁸, xx9, xxi-xxiii⁸, xxiv⁴, the first four or five leaves lettered and numbered; a new alphabetical series begins after p (f. 127). Double columns. Sec. fol. 'uis occulta'. Initials in red and blue. Belonged to [John,, Lord] Lumley. Lumley cat. f. 121; cat. of 1666, f, 5 b ; CMA. 8090.