p. 19. ex miraculorum ubi corpus ejus humatur diutina continuatione. A large collection of Henry's miracles is preserved in two MSS, Royal 13. c. viii. and Harley 423. The latter is a partial copy of the former. See a special note on them below.

Cognatus noster de Marchia, i.e. Edward IV, Earl of March.

p. 20. in festo S. Edwardi etc. The depositio of S. Edward the Confessor which falls on 5 January.

vox corporalis. Probably means a voice audible to the bodily senses.

p. 21. magistris Bedon et Mannynge. On these companions of Henry VI at his capture see above in the note on Tunstall. John Bedon, clerk, receives a general pardon from Edward IV in 1467 (Cal. Pat. R. p. 11). Holinshed and those who copy him call him Bedle. He may be the John Bedon who took a B.D. degree at Oxford in 1455. Thomas Mannynge, though called a monk by Will. Worcester, seems undoubtedly to be the man who was dean of Windsor from 1452 to 1462, and is indicted (1 Ed. IV, Rot. Parl. V. p. 477 etc.) of treason in the first year of Edward IV: he is described as late of New Windsor in Berkshire, clerk. On Nov. 7, 1465, he has a general pardon for all offences up to the 26th of August previous. Earlier, in 1451 (Aug. 24) when Henry VI grants him the prebend of Nassington in Lincoln cathedral, he is described as the king's clerk and chaplain.

On 29 Nov. 1469 he is dead; the king is informed by his executor that Thomas was in debt and indigent in his life, and had made forfeiture to the king, so that a licence to administer was necessary.

The Rev. J. N. Dalton, Canon of Windsor, has kindly informed me that no records in the possession of the Dean and Chapter of Windsor throw light on Dean Mannynge's life.

a dextra sua. Corrupt: I suppose the meaning to be that the king saw the woman out of his window: camera or fenestra is wanted.

I. A PRAYER TO HENRY VI IN ENGLISH VERSE.

An English prayer in verse to Henry VI from a Primer of 1408 (in which it has been inserted on the flyleaf) in the Library of St Cuthbert's College, Ushaw, was printed in the Ushaw Magazine of 1902, p. 279. I have the kind permission of the authorities to quote it here:

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 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. 2 fo. erat futurus.

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

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

(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 Vendome'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:

Passages in italics are indicated by italics.

Passages in Black Letter font are indicated by text.

Long "s" has been modernized.

Letters with macrons are represented by x.

Letters with tildes are represented by x.

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 is in the original text.

The original text contains two types of footnotes. The set of footnotes used to mark page breaks in the original document have been placed in the text of this document. The second set of footnotes are used for commentary on the text.