Short English religious pieces, in verse and prose, written in the 15th cent. in two hands
The chief are poems by John Lydgate, with:
- (fol. 2) a metrical calendar, assigned to him in a rubric
- (fol. 8) 'Canticus Amoris', beg. 'Ihesu thy swetnesse' (by him?)
- (fol. 8v) 'Canticus Amoris', beg. 'In a tabernacle', often called 'Quia amore langueo' (by him?)
- (fol. 9v) 'Prayers', beg. 'Now now, Ihesu.' This article and the list of contents on fol. 1v are written in a different hand to that of the rest of the volume; and are in fact separate.
Also comprises pieces by Richard Rolle of Hampole:
- (fol. 10)... The nyne lessons of the Dirige whych Job made ... declared ... by ... Rychard Hampole. and ys cleped Pety Job ...', in verse
- (fol. 15) '... A tretyse of Parce michi Domine', in verse, beg. 'By a forest' (by him ?)
- (fol. 17) '... The seuyn dedely synnes', in prose (by him ?)
- (fol. 18) 'Hec sex observanda sunt omni Christiano in extremis' in Latin prose and English verse (by him ?).
- (fol. 20) '... Balades ... owte of the book of John̄ Lucas [Luck ?] ...', a short poem.
- (fol. 20) '... A tretyse called Orilogium Sapiencie ...', by Richard Rolle.
- (fol. 26v) ' ... The booke of crafte of Dying': (fol. 39) '... A tretyse of gostly batayle': (fol. 52v) '... a Laddre of foure Rongys ... to heuen', the first two by R. Rolle, the third by Adam Carthusianus, with the colophon 'Explicit Ars Mortis cum Spirituali bello & Scala celi.'.
Also comprises:
- (fol. 62v) '... A lytell shorte tretyse ... of tribulacion̄', a story of 'syx masteres assembled', in prose: by Adam Carthusianus.
- (fol. 64) '... The xij Profetes and Euangelistes of Tribulacion̄', with prologue, in prose: by Adam Carthusianus, whose name is attached to a small piece on the same leaf.
- (fol. 78) '... The xij chapitres whyche Richard Hampole the eremyte made, howe that a man shulde lyue in contemplacion̄ ... Libellus Ricardi heremite de Hampole de emendacione peccatoris, qui obijt anno Domini millesimo [ccc°] xlix°. apud Sanctimoniales de Hampole ...', in English.
- (fol. 94) ' Meditatio Sancti Augustini', in English: by Richard Rolle. A leaf is wanting after fol. 97, which bore among other things 'a prayer made by seynt Brandon.'.
- (fol. 100) 'De carta celestis hereditatis', in English: part of the 'Poor Caitiff', with similar small pieces, imperfect at end.
On fol. 10 are the arms of Baron (gules a chevron embowed azure between three garbs or): and on fol. 78 are the cross-moline arms of Knollys quartering the above coat. Thomas Knollys of North Mimms, co. Herts, who died in 1445, is stated to have had a daughter Beatrice, who was a nun at Dartford, and a daughter Joan who married William Baron.
'These booke ... ys of the gifte of Wylliam Baron esquyer to remayne for euyr to the place and nonrye of Detforde [Derteford, now Dartford in Kent] and specially to the vse of dame Pernelle Wrattisley sister of the same place by licence of her abbas, the whiche Pernelle is nece to the for seyde gentylman William Baron' (15th cent.). Dame Petronilla or Parnel Wrottesley was a daughter of sir Walter Wrottesley, who married Joan Baron, presumably a sister of Will. Baron. But if 'nece' is here used loosely, as Shakespeare used it, for 'granddaughter', then the 'William Baron' will be the person known to have been father of Joan, and the unknown brother of Joan will disappear.
Dates
- Creation: written in the 15th cent. in two hands
Extent
102 leaves, in double columns
Language of Materials
- English
Shelfmark
MS. Douce 322
Other Finding Aids
Falconer Madan, et al., A summary catalogue of western manuscripts in the Bodleian Library at Oxford which have not hitherto been catalogued in the Quarto series (7 vols. in 8 [vol. II in 2 parts], Oxford, 1895-1953; reprinted, with corrections in vols. I and VII, Munich, 1980), vol. IV, no 21896
Our best descriptions for medieval items in this collection are in Medieval Manuscripts in Oxford Libraries under MSS. Douce.
Custodial History
'From Ebenezer Mussel's library', Douce's note. on MS. Douce 322.
Physical Facet
On parchment, with some small miniatures, illuminated borders, capitals, etc., binding: purple velvet
Dimensions
11 1/2 × 7 5/8 in.
Repository Details
Part of the Bodleian Libraries Repository
Weston Library
Broad Street
Oxford OX1 3BG United Kingdom
specialcollections.enquiries@bodleian.ox.ac.uk