Royal MS 8 F VII

THEOLOGICAL TRACTS, in Latin and English, by Richard Rolle of Hampole and others, viz.

1. 'Incipiunt scripta super totam passionem Christi a quatuor euangelistis formatam editam (sic) a quodam fratre heremitarum ordinis sancti August[in]i nomine Michael de Massa': a tract on the narratives of the Passion by Michael of Massa, an Italian Augustinian, probably the same who had a papal mandate for the degree of Master of Theology at Paris, 1333. Another copy (with abridged preface) is in Add. MS. 28783, f. 56b. A French paraphrase is noticed by P. Meyer in Romania, xv, p. 174. Preface beg. 'Angeli pacis amare flebunt, Ysaie 33 cap. [xxxiii. 7]: In sacra scriptura invenitur multiplex flctus'; text, 'Circa istius historiam passionis tria sunt'. Ends 'celestis fruicionis. amen. Explicit compilacio Michaelis de Massa super totam passionem Christi'. f. 1.

2. 'Incipit libellus Ricardi de Hampole heremite qui intitulatur Iudica me deus, viz. de meditati[oni]bus sanctis', &c. : a treatise, or series of tracts, similarly put together in other MSS., e. g. Burney 356, f. 65 b (the collection called Flos Florum), and Burney 359, f. 1 (see

also Horstmann, Richard Rolle and his followers, 1896, ii, p. xxxvi), but three at least of the following four parts are probably really distinct works, viz.:-(a) A letter replying to animadversions on his changing his cell and exhorting to spiritual aims. Beg. 'Iudica me deus, &c. [Ps. xlii. 1]: A deo qui scrutatur cor et renes'; ends 'uitam interrumpere'. f. 16;-(b) A 'compendium' on charity and knowledge of the Scriptures, addressed to priests. Prologue beg. 'Cupienti mihi petitioni vestre satisfacere' ; text, 'Quoniam igitur necesse est ut vnusquisque ad celestia'. Ends 'rapieris iubilare'. f. 19;-(c) Tract on confession, possibly continuous with the preceding. Beg. 'Istis autem dictis ad vttilitatem vestram'. f. 20;-(d) Tract on the resurrection. Beg. 'In die iudicii resurgant (sic) omnes incorruptibiles'; ends 'valeatis peruenire. amen. Explicit Iudica me deus'. f. 23.

3. 'Speculum peccatoris' (so colophon, title in a 16th cent. hand 'The glass fora sinner'): a work of doubtful authorship (cf. 7 F. XI, art. 2). Beg. 'Quoniam, karissime, diuini (sic) huius uia uite fugientis sumus'; ends 'prudenter prouideas'. A later hand adds (by mistake?) '2^a pars deest'. f. 24 b.

4. 'Speculum sacerdotis secundum visionem sancti Edwardi regis et confessoris' (so colophon): a discourse against immorality in the priesthood, doubtless composed in England. There are two brief references to Edward the Confessor's vision, and some other tales, including that of a bishop named Odo who was seen to be tormented by devils until he cursed God (cf. the English Gesta Romanorum, ed. E. E. Text Soc., 1879, no. lxv, p. 380, and Ward and Herbert, Cat. of Romances, iii, p. 258). This version of the story is particularly full and places it at Winchester. Other variants put it at Magdeburg (Magnum Speculum Exemplorum, dist. ix. 175) or Hildesheim (see 12 E. I, f. 157 b). The latter see alone had a bishop of that name (Odo of Gleichen-Reinhausen, d. 1115). Other copies of the Speculum are in Harley MSS. 2379, f. 80 b, 2388, f. 38, &c. Beg. 'Tractus (for Sanctus) Edwardus rex et confessor in extremitate positus'; ends 'recusat viuere. amen'. f. 27.

5. Thcological commonplaces, de sensibus, de custodia cordis, de temptatione, de uiciis, de penitencia, &c. Beg. 'Lucifer videns de visu in se suam formositatem'. f. 34.

6. 'Vtilis tractatus de confessione': a tract beg. 'Con. uertimini ad me in tolo corde, &c. [Joel ii. 12]: Non est mirum, fratres'; ends 'vix veniam meretur'. Colophon, 'Qui scripsit carmen sit benedictus. amen'.' f. 38 b.

7. 'De horis canonicis' (so colophon): the same note as in 8 C. I, art. 7. Beg. 'Hore enim canonice propter laudem humanam'; ends 'dimittet vobis peccata vestra'. f. 40.

8. 'Hic notatur in Anglicis quomodo sacerdos (sic) quibus committitur regimen animarum debent suos parochianos in fide et mandatis dei breuiter informare' (so the Latin rubric, which begins 'Quia modernis temporibus'): an English (Southem dialect) treatise on the Deadly Sins, Commandments, Creed, and Sacraments. A few of the rubrics are in French. Beg. 'Dere frendys, ofte ze haue me bysozt that I zow wolde teche'; ends 'thedur vs bryng'. f. 41 b. 'Remedium contra omnia peccata': a brief note in Latin. Beg. 'Quando tu temptaris de aliquo peccato debes intime cogitare'. f. 45.

10. An English tract (perhaps by Richard Rolle) on the nine things best pleasing to God, &c. Three versions are printed by Horstmann (R. Rolle, i, p. 110), the nearest to the present text being from Harley MS. 1704, f. 48 b. It includes a rhyming version of the Commandments. Beg. 'Hyt was an holy man and bysouzt God'; ends 'schal neuer dye sape we alle'.

45.

11. Quatrain (Latin hexameters) on the transience of human friendship. Beg. 'Reges prelati fortunae dote beati'. f. 45 b.

12. 'Baculus viatoris' (so colophon): a dialogue between Clericulus and Bubulcus. The latter repeats in English the Lord's Prayer, Ave Maria, and Creed, together with English verse lists of the Commandments, Sins, and Works of Mercy. These, and the Sacraments, Virtues, Gifts of the Holy Ghost, and five senses, are expounded in Latin by the other. Beg. 'Peregre proficiendo itinere prelutoso nimium fatigatus' f. 54.

13. 'Secreta nature' (so colophon): a medical (gynaecological) treatise. Beg. 'Nota quod luna dicitur a Phebe secundum tabulas'. f. 51 b.

14. 'Phisoncom' (so colophon, for Physiognomicon): an extract from the Pseudo-Aristotelian Secreta Secretorum (cf 5 F. XIV, art. 5). Beg. 'Cum videris hominem in te frequentatem (sic) visum'; ends 'Ieticiam rotunditatem'. f 53.

15. Questions relating to natural philosophy, modelled on the Aristotelian Problemata. Beg. 'Quare habent quedam animalia vnctum'. f. 53b. Artt. 16 and 17 are separate pieces bound with the rest of the volume.

16. Sermon, in English, on the four ages and on seven kinds of stones. Beg. 'Dic vt lapides isti Panes fiant. Matt. iv. [3]: Worschypfull and feithfull frendys, ye schall vndirstonde'. f. 55.

17. Part of the Oculus Sacerdotis (cf. 6 E. i, art. dealing with excommunication and pcnance, and including the texts of Magna Charta and the Charta de Foresta. Imperfect at beginning and end. Beg. ' . . . ecclesiam violando vii annis penitere debet'; breaks off 'ante satisfaccionem. extra. de [appellacione]'. f. 58. Scribbling on blank leaves includes:-(a) A couplet 'Talia nigrorum consumunt res monachorum, / Renes et venter et pocula sumpti ( ) frequenter'. f. 54;-(b) Medical recipes in English Beg. 'Take a laumber bede';-(c) A quatrain in English, partly torn off, beg. '...a myrow and led vs with pryd'. f. 54 b; -(d) Note on Arabic notation with the date 1448. f. 54b; -(e) Note on unlucky days. f. 54 b;-(f) Couplet on the date of the battle of Shrewsbury, 1403, 'Anno milleno quadriagentesimo trino / bellum Solopie fuit in Mag. nocte Marie', and the first battle of St. Albans, 1455, 'l (sic) post Dunstanuni c quartum lv scribitur mille / Dux apud Albanum Sumersed prosternitur ille'. f. 54b;-(g) Names of witnesses 'feoffamenti Reginoldi Bluet quod habuit de matre sua'. f. 54b;-(h) Accompt of certain 'recepciones', i. e. fees for burials, &c. f. 57 b. Paper; ff. 69. 11 in. x 8 in. Mid. XV cent. Leaves mounted on guards. Sec fol.'caritatis'. Belonged to [John, Lord] Lumley (f. 27). Lumley cat. f. 89; cat. of 1666, f. 6; CMA. 8 x 17-8120.