Harley MS 1706, ff 96r-214v

1. Complainte of the dying creature (ff. 96r-105v);

Apart from this manuscript, this text is found only in four editions by Wynkyn de Worde (1506, 1507, 1514, and without a date, perhaps of 1531-34), but with different rubrics. According to Doyle 1958 (p. 230), both versions may have had a common model. A change of hands and layout from one to two columns occures on f. 104v.

2. The Mirror of the Sinners and the Three Arrows (ff. 106r-114v);

3. Richard Rolle, Form of Perfect Living, extract on four profitable things, used as a preface to a treatise on remedies against spiritual temptations (a Middle English adaptation of William Flete, De remediis contra temptaciones) (ff. 114v-139v);

4. ‘Gadered counseylles of seynte Isodre’ (ff. 140r-154v);

The text is appended with the same pieces as its version earlier in the volume (ff. 90r-93r), with an addition of the Nine Points of Perfection and another moral sentence in prose.

5. The Contemplation of the Dread and Love of God (ff. 154v-204r);

6. 3 couplets, incipit 'Looke before the how thi lyfe wastych' (New Index, no. 1937) (ff. 204r-204v);

7. Didactic and devotional poems on the ten commandments (f. 205r, incipit: 'Thou schalte haue on god and no moo', New Index, no. 3685), the deadly sins (ff. 205v-206r, incipit: 'Pryde ys hede of alle kynne synne, New Index, no 2770), seven virtues (f. 206r-206v, incipit 'Be meke and mylde of herte and tunge', New Index, no 469), the seven works of bodily mercy (ff. 206v-207r, incipit: 'Saynt paule þe apostyl þus sais he', New Index, no. 3040), the five witts, 'The Five Bodyly Wyttys (f. 207v, incipit: 'Kepe thy syght fro vanyte / that þou coveite not þat evil may be', New Index, no. 1815) and 'þe fyue wittis goostly'(ff. 207v-208r, incipit: 'Haue mynde on the blys þat neuer schall blyne, New Index no 1126) the three theological virtues (f. 208r, incipit: 'Byleue in god þat alle haþ wrou3te'; New Index, no 505) the four cardinal virtues (ff. 208r-208v, incipit: 'Be ry3twys man what eur betyde', New Index, no 475), paraphrase of the beatitudes (ff. 208v-209r, incipit: ' Ihesus seynge peplys comynge hym tylle', New Index, no. 1746), a lesson for a child (ff. 209r-210r: incipit: 'Iff y lye bacbyte or stele / iff y curse scorne or swere', New Index, no. 1416), a meditation on the Passion (ff. 210r-211v, incipit: 'Ihesu that alle this worlde has wroghte', New Index, no. 1748), a prayer (ff. 211v-212v, incipit: 'Now noe Ihesu for thy circumcisioun / Whan thou was kut', New Index, no. 2352), a didactic lyric (ff. 212v-214v, incipit: 'From þe tyme þat we were bore, New Index, no. 880) (ff. 205r-214v).

Decoration:

Puzzle initials in red and brown with red and brown pen-flourishing forming marginal extensions. Initials in red with pen-flourishing in brown. Paraphs in red.