Royal MS 18 B XXIII

HOMILIES and Sermons, in Latin and English, viz.:-

1. Seventeen Latin homilies, chiefly exegetical, on the Sunday gospels, Advent-First Sund. after the Octave of Epiphany. Beg. '[I]n illo tempore cum appropinquasset Ihesus (&c.) : Dominus ac redemptor noster, fratres karissimi, qui semper equalis'. A couplet added in a later hand at the end (beg. 'Si tibi copia, seu sapientia') is copied from f. 74 b. f. 1.

2. Latin sermon in another hand on Matt. xv. 13. Beg. 'Omnis plantacio quam non plantauit: Homo dicitur planta siue arbor'. f. 21.

Artt. 3-5 are in the hand of a scribe whose signature 'quod Thomas Looke' is appended to most of the sermons, both Latin and English, in these articles.

3. Seventeen short Latin sermons on various festivals. The series is interrupted (f. 27 b) by some theological commonplaces and (f. 28 b) the common mythical statistics of parishes, &c., in England (cf. 7 D. XXI, f. 2 b, &c.). At the end is a table of sermons in artt. 1, 3. Beg. 'Hodie, fratres karissimi, redemptor noster in celum ascendit cum carne nostra'. f. 24.

4. Sermon (in two parts) in English [by Thomas Wimbledon, preached at St. Paul's Cross, I389, see 18 A. XVII, art. 2]. Beg. 'Redde racionem villicacionis tue, Luc. 16: Worschippful frendys, ze shull vndirstond'. f. 39.

5. Forty-four sermons in English, not arranged in any consistent scheme, though certain groups evidently hang together. There is no name of author, and the difference of styles may indicate that they are by several authors. The first and last and one other, however, are certainly by John Myrcus or Mirk, prior of Lilleshall (cf. 17 C. XVII, art. 5, and 18 B. XXV), and several of the others containing exempla are much in the same style. Contents:-(a) For the dedication-day of a church. Printed as no. 68 of Mirk's Festial, ed. Th. Erbe, Early Engl. Text Soc., 1905. Beg. 'Worschippfull sirs and frendes, suche a day []e shall haue youre churche holydaye'. It contains a tale of an abbot of Lilleshall. At the end is appended (f. 50 b) another tale in English of a woman whom Christ in a vision bade to thrust her hand into his side, whereupon it remained red till her sin was shriven, the fingers (in this version) being stained with five lines of Latin verse, beg. 'Casus (sic, for Casu) cecidisti carne cecata'. The tale, without the verses, is used again in sermon (pp) below and by Mirk, Festial, no. 21 (cf. Ward and Herbert, Cat. of Romances, iii, pp. 55, 259, 381, 681, 682, 690, 698). f. 49;-(b) For S. Clement. Beg. 'Adest nomen tuum et munera tua accepta erunt, psalmo sexto (sic) et in officio diei iam instantis: Good men and wymmen, that lord þat made all thynge of now[]th'. f. 51;-(c-g) Five sermons, evidently a course, for the 17th-21st Sund. after Trinity (but the 17th stands fourth in order), on the Lord's Prayer, Creed, Works of Mercy, Commandments, and Sacraments. Beg. (18th Sund.) 'Gracias ago deo meo, [1] ad Cor. [i. 4]: Seynt Powle þe chefe doctoure'. f. 54;-(h) For Palm Sunday. Beg. 'Quid vultis mihi dare et ego vobis eum tradam, Matt. [xxvi. 15]: The glorius apostell seynt Powle in þe pistell of þis daye'. f. 61;-(i) Probably for 22nd Sund. after Trinity. Beg. 'Redde quod debes, Matt. 8⁰ [sic, for xviii. 28]: Seynt Mathewe in ys gospell spekeþ of many lyknes'. f. 62 b;-(k) Another sermon on the Lord's Prayer. Beg. 'Vigilate et orate, Mathei vicessimo sexto [xxvi. 41]: The and þe grace (sic) of almyghty god . . . worshippull bretheren and susteren ze shall vndirstond'. f. 65. Between this and the next sermon has been inserted in the same hand a miracle. tale from 'Johannes de Vetrioco' (? Jacques de Vitry) of a repentant robber whose body was quartered by fiends, but the quarters were brought back by angels and restored by Christ, with verses recited by the devils and angels. f. 69 b;-(1) On Matt. xxii. 37, incomplete. Beg. 'Diliges dominum deum tuum: Þise wordes be not myn þat I sey'. f. 70;-(m) Sermon with exempla [for the Sat. before Palm Sunday?]. Beg. 'Qui manducat meam carnem [&c., John vi. 57]: Worshippull sirs, þese wordes þat I haue taken to sey at þis tyme'. The tale of a Christian slain by Jews after receiving the Host and restored to life is given both in English and Latin. f. 71;-(n) 'In die pasche': no. 30 of Mirk's Festial. Beg. 'Vorshippefull frendes, ze knowe well þat þis daye in sum place is called Esture daye'. At the end is a note on the cries of souls in purgatory. f. 72 b;-(o) 'De muliere Chananea', probably for the 2nd Sund. in Lent. Beg. 'Miserere mei, domine fili Dauid, Matt. 15 [XV. 22]: Þese wordes of þis gospell were taken to þe letture'. f. 74;-(p) Incomplete sermon. Beg. 'Quid dicit scriptura, ad Galathas iiii^to [iv. 30]: Reuerent frendes, iii thinges þer bene'; ends 'myght and grace þat I may etcetera. caret finis quod Thomas Looke'. f. 75;-(q) For the 3rd Sund. in Lent, or one of twelve other days named, to the epistle or gospel of which it may be adapted. Beg. 'Ambulate, ad Eph. quinto capitelo [V. 2]: Wurschipfull sirs, []e knowe well a man þat is in parlouse place'. f. 76;-(r) Sermon with exempla on Matt. xx. 13. Beg. 'Seynte Gregore sayþ þat god allmyghty tau[]the mankeend'. f. 79 b;-(s) For 3rd Sund. in Advent. Beg. 'Gaudete in domino semper, ad Phil. quarto [iv. 4]: Þat is to sey make []e ioye in oure lord god alveye'. f. 82 ;-(t) Against swearing. Beg. 'Almyghty god conpleyneþ hym of þise grett swerers'. f. 84 b ;-(u, v, w, x) For 1st-3rd Sund. in Advent (two for 1st Sund.). Beg. 'Abiciamus opera tenebrarum, Rom. 13 [xiii. 12]: Good men and wymmen, þise be þe wordes of þe holy apostell seynt Poule and ben þus much to sey'. f. 86 ;- (y) On John vi. 59, with exempla in a similar style to (m) above. Beg. 'Qui manducai hunc panem viuet in eternum, Joh. v^o (sic): In þe helpe and þe grace . . . . Worshipfull frendes in Crist, þise wordes'. f. 94 b;-(z) For 1st Sund. after Easter. Beg. 'Good men and wymmen, now is passed þe holy tyme of Ester'. f. 97 .-(aa) 'In die pasche'. Beg. 'Þise iii Maries ben exsampled'. f. 97 b;-(bb) 'Dom.ii post pascha'. Beg.'Ego sum pastor bonus &c. [John x. ii]: Oure lord Crist Ihesus sheweþ vs in þe gospell of pis day'. f. 99;-(cc) For 4th Sund. after Trinity. Beg. 'Estote misericordes sicut et pater, &c. [Luke vi.

36]: Oure lord god almyghty techeþ vs'. f. 99 b ;-

(dd) For 1st Sund. in Lent. Beg. 'Ductus est lhesus, &c. [Matt. iv. i]: Good men, þe tyme of lenten entred'. f. 100;-(ee) For 2nd Sund. in Lent, with exemplum. Beg. 'Miserere mei, fili Dauid: A glorius myracle telleþ þe gospell'. f. 101;-(ff) For 3rd Sund. in Lent, with exemplum. Beg. 'Erat Ihesus eiciens [&c., Luke xi. 14]: þe gospell of þis day telleþ a fayre myracle'. f. 102 ;-

(gg) For 4th Sund. in Lent, with exemplum. Beg. 'Abiit Ihesus Irans mare [&c., John vi. i]: Oure lorde Ihesus Crist vent ouer þe see'. f. 103 b ;-(hh) On Is. lviii. i, with exempla. Beg. 'Clama ne cesses, Ysaie lviii^o : þe helpe and þe grace of oure lorde. . . . Frendis, I rede in þe boke of Iudithe'. f. 105;-(ii) On Luke XV. 2. Beg. 'Hic recipit peccetores, Luc. xv: Frendes, þese wordes ben wrytyn in þe gospell of seynt Luke'. f. 109;-(kk) On Matt. xxi. 9, with exemplum, probably for 1st Sund. in Advent. Beg. 'Benedictus qui venit in nomine domini, Matt. 21: The helpe and þe grace of almyghty god . . . frendes, þise wordes þat I haue seid in latyn'. f. 112;-(11) Probably for Sexagesima, with exempla. Beg. 'Ministri sunt Christi, Cor. xi [2 Cor. xi. 23]: Frendes, þise wordes þat I haue taken to seye'. f. 114;-(mm) On 1 Cor. iv. 5, perhaps for 3rd Sund. in Advent. This and the four following sermons have each a sort of prefatory portion to be followed by a prayer before the sermon proper begins. Beg. 'Nolite iudicare quousque venial dominus, 1 ad Cor. x (sic): Frendes, as towchyng þe glose . . . . Leue frendes, þese wordes þe wiche I haue seid in latyn'. f. 117 b;-

(nn) On Matt. xxii. 37 (cf. 1, above), with exempla. Beg. 'Diliges deum tuum: Worschippfull sirs, []e shall vndirstonde þat right as mans sowle . . . . Worchippull sirs and frendes, þese wordes þat I haue taken to speke. f. 121 ;-(oo) 'Sermo pro pace', with exempla. Beg. 'Quis ibit ad rogandum pro pace, Jer. iii (sic, for xv. 5): Worschippull sirs, þise wordes þat I haue taken . . . . Þe helpe and þe grace þat we haue besouthe '. f. 123 b;-

(pp) For 4th Sund. in Lent, with exempla. Beg. 'Erumpe et clama, ad Galathas 4 [iV. 27] et in epistola hodierna: Þe helpe and þe grace of þe holy trinite thorowe þe beschynge, &c., worshippull sirs, I fynde in þe olde lawe . . . . Ryght worshippull frendes, []e shall vndirstond þat þeso wordes'. f. 126 b;-(qq) For Christmas. Beg. 'Natus est rex [Matt. ii. 2]: O þou victorius prynce of powre almyghty . . . these wordes in oure moders tonge be vnderstonden in þis wize'. f.128 b; -(rr) On John i. 14. Beg. 'Verbum caro factum est (&c.), lohannis primo capitulo: These wordes in oure modur tounge ben vndirstond'. f. 131;-(ss) For the Assumption, with exempla, imperfect at the beginning of the prefatorypart. Beg. . . . 'the drynkes of þis world makeþ þise lesson to be for[]ete . . . . Quam pulcra es ei decora (&c.), Cant. 7 cap^o [vii. 6]: Allmy[]thy god, to whos powere and goodenes'. f. 135;-(tt) For 1st Sund. in Lent. Beg. 'Si filius dei es, dic, Matt. 4to cap^o [iv. 3]: Oure verry gracious lord Ihesu god and man'. Between this and the next are a few commonplaces. f. 141;-(uu) De nupciis: nearly as in Mirk's Festial, no. 70. Beg. 'Man and woman as þe law techeþ ben wedded toþeþer'. f. 148 b.

Art. 6 is in several hands of about the same date as what precedes.

6. Sermons for 5th-7th Sundays after Trinity. Beg. 'Christum sanctificate in cordibus vestris, I^a Petri iii^o [1 Pet. iii. 15] Cum turbe multe irruerent ad Ihesum, Luc. quinto [v.i]: The gospell þis day telles'. f. 150. At the end (ff. 157 b-158 b) are theological commonplaces in several hands in Latin and English, partly on the same gathering as art. 6, but partly on the same as art. 7.

7. General table, with short heads, in Latin, of the sermons in artt. 5, 6, 8. f. 159.

Art. 8 is in the same hand as artt. 3-5.

8. Sermons, resembling some of those in art. 5, viz.: -(a) For 1st Sund. in Lent. Beg. 'Wurchippfull frendes, a gret clerke Aristotill in a boke þat he made ca^o xv de animalibus'. f. 166;-(b) For the same. Beg. 'Ecce nunc tempus acceptabile &c., [2 Cor. vi. 2]: Þerfor þis tyme euery man ow[]th to knalage is treppase'. f. 167 b; -(c) For Advent. Beg. 'Venturus est omnipotens, apocalipsis primo [i. 4]: Frendes, I rede in þe first boke of þe hold lawe'. f. 168;-(d) For the Annunciation. Beg. 'Maria, invenisti graciam, Luc. primo cap^o [i. 30] et in euangelio hodierno: Syrs, amonge all creatures'. f. 169 b;-(e) On Ecclus. xxiv. 25. Beg. 'In me erit gracia uie (&c.): Frendes, []e shall vndirstond þat philosophers seyþ'. f. 171 b;-(f) For the Annunciation. Beg. 'Ave gracia plena, Luc. i^o cap^o et in euangelio hodierno: Frendes, as wittenes a gret clerke s[eynt I]erome'. Imperf. at end. f. 172.

Inserted at the end (f. 174) is a vellum licence from Sir Gyles Alyngton, J.P. for co. Suffolk, under the Act 6 Edw. VI against forestallers, &c., to Peter Cooke of Exning to be a common buyer of barley for malting and of fish, butter, and cheese for a year. Dat.

13 March, 2 Eliz. [1560].

Paper and (outer and inner leaves of quire vi, last leaf of quire vii, and f. 174) vellum ; ff. 174. 111/2 in. x 81/4 in. Middle of XV cent. Gatherings i^l2, ii¹¹ (three cut out), iii¹², iv³ (one cut out), v¹², vi^l4, vii¹¹, viii¹⁰, ix-xi¹⁴, xii¹², xiii¹⁰, xiv⁸ (four cut out), xv⁸, xvi⁸. Sec. fol' 'autem que'. Scribbled names (15th-16th cent.) occur of James Robinson, Giles Robynson, f. 16, John Graunge, f. 21, and Oleuer Bregmen, f. 64. Belonged (f. 1) to [John, Lord] Lumley. Lumley cat. f. 121 (?) not in the other old catalogues.