O blyssed king so full of vertue
The flowr of all knyghthood that never was fyled
Thou pray for us to Christe Jhesu
And to hys modyr Mary myld
In all thi warkys thu was never wyld
Bott full of grace and of charyte
Mercyfull ever to man and chylde
Now sweyt kyng Henre pray for me.

O crownyd kyng with sceptur in hand
Most nobyll conqueror I may thee call
For thou hast conqueryd I undyrstand
A hevynly kyngdome most imperyall
Hwar joye haboundeth and grace perpetuell
In presens of the holy Trenite
Off wych grace thou make me parcyall
Now swet kyng Henre praye for me.

All Apostels and Patriarchs shall thee honor
Martyrs and Confessors with all their delygens
And eke Virgynes in the hevynly towr
Ar glad and joyfull of thi presens
Angelys and Archangelys with ample(?) reverence
Schall mynystyr and ‹giftes› bryng(?) to the
The well of pety and of pacyens
Now swet kyng Henre praye for me.

Thy prayer I trust is herd in hevyn
With the Fadyr omnipotent
Now blyssyd be thy name to nemyne
For ever att neyd thou art present
In trowbyll or payn wen I am schent
Or stand in warely juberte
Thy socur to me full son thu sentt
Now sweyt kyng Henre praye for me.

Thy trowblas life and grett vexacion
With pacyens that thu had therein
And thi constans in contemplacion
Has mad the hevyn for to wyne
Thy sett is ordenyd with seraphyn
As langhyght ((be)longeth) to thi regalyte
With mor melody than I can myn
Now swet kyng Henre praye for me.

O blessyd kyng so gracios and gud
Thou pray to sett this reme in rest
Unto our Saveyour that dyed on roud
And to hys modyr that madyn blessyd
That alkyn wrangys may be redressyd
To plesor of the Deyte
Thys I besech at my request
Now swet kyng Henre praye for me.

II. ON THE MANUSCRIPT MIRACLES OF HENRY VI.

There are two manuscripts of these Miracles, both in the British Museum. The first (Royal 13. c. viii.) is the parent of the other (Harley 423).

13. c. viii. is on paper, a fairly well written volume of cent. xv-xvi. It has the names of Abp Cranmer (Tho. Cant.) and Lord Lumley.

It contains:

1. Letter from the Compiler.

In Christo Ihesu salutem plurimam. Cum acceperis epistolam hanc, magister venerande ... ends: huius fructiferi palmitis Christi botris expendere non cessabo. Vale et ora ut tecum in eternum valeat tuus et orator et socius cuius nomen est in libro vite. No proper name occurs.

2. f. 1 b. Salutacio gloriosi militis Christi henrici regis Anglie sexti cum oraciuncula brevi.

Salue miles preciose rex henrice generose
Palmes vitis celice  
In radice caritatis vernans flore sanctitatis
Viteque angelice  
Salue flos nobilitatis laus et honor dignitatis
seu corone regie  
Pie pater orphanorum vera salus populorum
Robur et ecclesie  
Salue forma pietatis exemplar humilitatis
Decus innocencie  
Vi oppressis vel turbatis mestis atque desolatis
Scola paciencie  
Salue fax superne lucis per quam serui summi ducis
Illustrantur undique  
Dum virtute lucis vere meruisti prefulgere
Tantis signis gracie  
Salue quem rex seculorum choris iungens angelorum
Ciuem fecit patrie  
Te laudare cupientes hac ut semper sint fruentes
Tecum vita glorie.Amen. 
 Vers. Veniant ad te qui detrahebant tibi. Et adorent vestigia pedum tuorum.
 Oracio. Salus et saluator omnium in te credencium, piissime domine Ihesu Christe, qui dilectum famulum tuum regem henricum sextum variis tribulacionum pressuris opprimi voluisti, ut ex eius pacientissime et innocentissime vite meritis quasi quibusdam botris uberrimis copiosa tue gracie dulcedo per miraculorum gloriam distillaret in plebem: largire, quesumus, eos omnes qui tante eius glorie congratulantes aut illum propter te aut in illo te pocius glorificando dignis gestiunt collaudare preconiis ipsius beatitudinis consorcium et hic habere per meritum et in futuro consequi per effectum: qui cum deo patre et spiritu sancto viuis et gloriaris deus per omnia secula seculorum. Amen.

 3. f. 16. Exemplar epistole a pauperculo quodam monacho olim directe ad preclarum virum d. Johannem Morgan[48] tunc decanum capelle collegialis castri de Wyndesore, modo vero episcopum meneuensem cum infrascriptis quibusdam beati regis henrici miraculis.

Eternam in Christo Ihesu quam sibimet salutem cum reverencia speciali tanto viro dignissima etc. Richard Combe had brought to the writer of the letter 'exemplaria quedam pulcerrima' of Henry's miracles, in English, with a request from a Bishop that he would translate them into Latin.

 4. f. 3 b. Another letter from the Dean of Windsor. Indeficientis votiua salutis preconia, tuas etenim, virorum contemplatissime, suauissimas kalendis januarii animo quidem gratissimo recepi litteras. Gives his consent to the translation of the Miracles. Scriptum apud Regale castrum Wynsor' stilo rudissime profluente 4 Nonas Januarii.

Hec tibi describens tuus est ad vota Johannes.

 5. f. 4 b. Prologue. Solet plerumque lassascenti stomacho obesse dapium plenitudo.

Among other matters he apologizes for styling Henry beatissimus, sanctissimus, and so forth.

 6. f. 6. Capitula (28).

 7. f. 7. Text. Annotatur hic qualiter puer quidam bis biennis in molendino aquatico submersus fuerat (et) ad inuocacionem beati regis henrici resuscitatus a mortuis anno dominice incarnacionis 1481°. qui erat annus regni Edwardi quarti regis famosissimi vicesimus primus. Et primo ponitur exordium breue et deinde narracio subinfertur.

Quia sacro dictante eloquio sacramentum regis abscondere bonum esse didicimus etc.

There are various marginal notes in a large hand, on the proofs of the Miracles, e.g.:

 f. 8. Westwel Cancie, probatum: 9 b somerseschyr' non reperitur: 10 savernak Foreste non inuenitur: 11 Examinentur Thomas Hayward, Johannes Parmyter, D. Wyllelmus Edwardes: 11 b Holyngton Sowthsex probatum.

After cap. 28 (f. 26) is a slip with a note on Capitula of Lib. ii: f. 27 Capitula (58) of Lib. ii.

Slip, with title of Prologue: In miracula quedam famosiora et euidenciora quibus illustrissimum virum Henricum regem Anglie sextum diuina decorauit clemencia, que et infra biennium post eius in ecclesia collegiali castri de Wynsore tumulacionem ibidem manifestata noscuntur pretitulatur hic prologus.

The same in a shorter form in the lower margin of f. 30.

 f. 30. Lib. II. Prol. Quanta ex florigero diuine plenitudinis agro, etc.

On f. 32 the capitula are continued, from 59 to 67. A blank unnumbered leaf follows.

The text proceeds to cap. 30 (de calice et portiforio). (Here the other copy, Harl. 423, ends; its last leaf is a fragment.) Then follow 11 blank pages: then a slip (recto blank) numbered 148, which has the beginning of cap. 67.

The text then continues on ff. 59-85.

The miracles up to this point are variously and irregularly numbered: there seem to be about 40.

Then follows a list of 24 miracles, and text; then on f. 101 a list of 13 miracles, followed by text. At the end of the last is: ·1500·

There is some ground for thinking that this volume was utilized, or to be utilized, for the process of the canonization of Henry VI which proved abortive.

The other MS Harl. 423 is of cent. xvi early, and occupies ff. 72-128 in one of Foxe's volumes. It is plainly a copy of the first part of the Royal MS.

III. ON JOHN BLACMAN'S BOOKS.

The following lists are found in MS. Laud. Misc. 154, in the Bodleian library, one on a flyleaf, the other—somewhat mutilated—in the lower margin of a leaf. The first enumerates the whole contents of each volume, the second gives the title of one tract only, but supplies the opening words of the second leaf of each volume, the usual medieval expedient for identifying a book.

I combine here the data of the two lists, calling the list on the flyleaf A and that on the lower margin B.

The MS in which they occur is a volume of Nic. de Lyra's commentary on the Bible: and list B begins by describing it.

(B) 1. Liber domus beate virginis de Witham Cartusiensis ex dono magistri Johannis Blacman.

(A) Lyra: Genesis ... Job.
This is MS. Laud. Misc. 154.

(B) 2, 3. cum duobus comparibus: primi 2° fo. cognicio intellectiua. 2° fo. secundi et cetera Rō.
sed pro ligatura et illuminacione domus soluit xs et vjd.

(A) 2. Lyra: Psalterium—Prov.—Ecclus. Isa.—Malachias.
1, 2 Macc.
3. Lyra: Evv., Paul. Epp., Act., Cath. Epp. Apoc.
capitulaciones epistolarum et euangeliorum secundum cartus'.
No. 2 is Laud. Misc. 152. No. 3 is not known.

(B) 4. Item librum policronicon. 2° fo. adhibere.

(A) 4. les pedegrues reg. angl. b.
tabula noua policronici a.
policronicon cestrense.
No. 4 is in Eton College Library MS. 204: formerly Ashburnham Appendix 105: then belonged to Mr George Dunn.

(B) 5. Item Bartholomeus de casibus consciencie. 2° fo. hic (?)
suus (?) pars.

(A) 5. magna carta
Bartholomeus de casibus consciencie
principia et fines originalium librorum
forma audiendi confessionem
tituli decretorum libri vjti et Clementis.

(B) 6. Item librum vocatum lucerna consciencie. 2° fo. malorum ex.

(A) 6. lucerna consciencie
meditaciones Anselmi. credo
ritmicacio tocius scripture sacre
oraciones Anselmi ut apparet
tractatus de virtutibus et viciis
interrogaciones fori penitencialis
Alfonsus contra iudeos.
6. This is MS. Bodl. 801.

(B) 7. Item librum sancti Thome de veritatibus. 2° fo. sic dicit Augustinus.

(A) 7. Sanctus Thomas de veritatibus.
tabula super eodem.
7. This is MS. Harley 1032.

(B) 8. Item Bibliam. 2° fo. damasci.

(A) 8. interpretacio nominum hebreorum
biblia
capitulacio epistolarum et euangeliorum per annum.

(B) 9. Item magister historiarum (sententiarum). 2° fo. pedito post.

(A) 9. magister sententiarum
theorica planetarum
tituli eiusdem libri sententiarum
Item in quibus non tenetur. (i.e. a list of the passages in the Sentences which were considered unsound.)

(B) 10. Item Crisostomus in opere imperfecto. 2º fo. erat futurus.

(A) 10. Crisostomus in opere imperfecto
tabula eiusdem.

(B) 11. Item vita Alexandri magni. 2° fo. voluminis que est poa.

(A) 11. Defensorium logicale Ockam
vita Alexandri magni
dialogus inter Mariam et Johannem euangelistam
Ysidorus de ciuitate (? unitate) dei
Augustinus de uisione sancti Pauli apostoli
de celebracione horarum quidam processus
Siluester de decimis
Ieronimus de signis iudicii
Marbodus episcopus de vinculis beati Petri
oracio deuota: domine Ihesu Christe qui in hoc
de uirtutibus fide dileccione et humilitate
purgatorium sancti Patricii (partly erased)
Seneca de 4or virtutibus cardinalibus
de beneficiis ad Liberalem libri 4
de fortuitorum bonorum contemptu
de remediis fortuitorum
diffiniens virtut' et vic'
regula beati Benedicti.

(B) 12. Item Aristotiles de regimine principum. 2° fo. voluminis simul omnia.

(A) 12. Aristoteles de regimine principum
Gwydo de excidio Troianorum
idem in metro.

(B) 13. Item Anticlaudianus. 3° fo. voluminis affluit exundans.

(A) 13. nova poetria Galfridi Anglici
Anticlaudianus de restitucione.
13. This is MS. Digby 104 (part).

(B) 14. Item librum distinccionum. 3° fo. quia sicut.

(A) 14. notabiles distincciones
sermones dominicales.

(B) 15. Item martilogium. 5° fo. voluminis Trone est en ancieme.

(A) 15. tractatus gallicus
Martilogium
gesta Karoli in gallicis
miracula beate Marie versificata (erased)
miracula beate Marie rithmicata
Alexander Neckam Qui vult bene disponere
phale tolum
deuota meditacio in anglicis
themata festiuitatum per annum
tabula concordancie 4or euangelistarum
epistole et euangelia per totum annum
capitula speculi moralis Gregorii
canon pro predicatore
speculum morale Gregorii.

(B) 16. Item pastorale beati Gregorii. 2° fo. pastoralis cure.

(A) 16. Gregorius in pastoralibus
Anselmus de 12 beatitudinibus
Anselmus de vanitate mundi
quidam processus de sacramento altaris
Athanasius de ymagine domini Ihesu.

(B) 17. Item gesta Romanorum. 2° fo. tu es.

(A) 17. gesta Romanorum
regula beati Augustini.

(B) 18. Item vite sanctorum. 2° fo. voluminis Et quod bonum.

(A) 18. narraciones bone exemplace
summa magistri J. Belet de officiis ecclesie
sermo bonus de libro consciencie
compilacio bona de vitis sanctorum
item de officiis ecclesie.

(B) 19. Item tabula Petri Blesensis. 2° fo. voluminis hospita signa bonos.

(A) 19. reportorium poeticum
lapidarius cum tractatu herbarum
tabula epistolarum 163 Blesensis
exposicio notabilis super Boecium de consolacione
ars conficiendi colores.

(B) 20. Item meditaciones beati Bernardi. 2° fo. voluminis de hiis.

(A) 20. moralia dicta originalia bona
meditaciones sancti Bernardi 13
Anselmus de passione Christi 3
Anselmus de amore dei 42
Augustinus de vera innocencia 56
Augustinus de laude psalmorum 100.
dulcis Ihesu memoria.

(B) 21. Item Boecius de consolacione philosophie. 2° fo. segetem necant.

(A) 21. Boecius de consolacione philosophie
Galfridus in noua poetria
canon tabularum Rede.

(B) 22. Item librum vocatum pharetra, 2° fo. idem de coniugiis.

(A) 22. pharetra
quindenarius Gregorianus.

(B) 23. Item repertorium diuersorum. 2° fo. voluminis Incipiens guerras.

(A) 23. Commentaciones prophetiales
liber facescie communis.
Ex agro veteri (i.e. Matthew of Vendôme's poem on Tobit)
a chartuary aftre penkarr
tractatus de armis in anglicis
disputacio inter corpus et animam
processus de mundi vanitate
quedam commendacio artium liberalium
utilis tractatus rethorice.
Cirillus de transitu beati Jeronimi
12. capitula Hampol
Bernardus ad Eugenium papam
disputacio inter graciam et intellectum.

(B) 24. alia manu. Item Lucidarium cum aliis. 2° fo. Illa itaque.

(A) 24. alia manu. Lucidari
tractatus Petri Alfonsi clericalis disciplina
tractatus de penitencia Roberti Grostest
tractatus inquirendi peccata in foro penitenciali
diuersa notabilia de canone juris.

Another MS which does not occur in the above list is Lambeth 436, Horologium Sapientiae, of cent. xv, which has in it: Liber cartusie de Witham. Orate pro Johanne Blacman.

MS. 182 at S. John's College, Oxford, containing lives of saints, formerly belonged to William and John Blacman.

In Laud Misc. 152, no. 2 in the list, dated 1463, are these doggerel lines:

Me dedit albus homo John Blacman ipse vocatus
In presente domo qui redditus est graduatus
Extitit Oxonie vir in artibus iste magister,
Cantor et Etonie dignus dum rege minister
Pro quo defuncto seu viuo queso precare
P............ quicumque solet celebrare
Ut deus hunc Hominem Nigrum cognomine dictum
Post vite finem det sumere lucis amictum.
Amen.

In list B the catalogue of books is followed by a short note of vestments given by Blacman to Witham. The last item is interesting:

Item circa diuersas reparaciones factas in uita sancti Hugonis (the founder of the house) in ecclesia de-laffrery sumptus fert non exiguos.

 

 

Footnotes:

[48] Morgan was dean of Windsor 1484-96; bp of S. David's 1496-1504

 

 

CAMBRIDGE: PRINTED BY J. B. PEACE, M.A., AT THE UNIVERSITY PRESS

 

 

Transcriber's Notes:

Long "s" has been modernized.

Bold font represents Black Letter font used in original.

The original text contains two types of footnotes. The set of footnotes used to mark page breaks in the original document has been placed in the text of this document. The second set of footnotes, used for commentary on the text, is accessed through hyperlinks in this document.

Additional spacing after some of the quotes is intentional to indicate both the end of a quotation and the beginning of a new paragraph as presented in the original text.