Cambridge, Corpus Christi College, MS 142: Nicholas Love OCarth, The Mirrour of the blessyd Lyf of Christ. Treatise on the Sacrament of Christ's Body. Lives of Saints Nicholas, Katherine and Margaret. Form of Confession. Tretys of goostly batayle. Articles of Excommunication

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Abstract/Contents

Summary
CCCC MS 142, dating to the fifteenth century, is a copy of translation by Nicholas Love OCarth (d. 1423/4) of the pseudo-Bonaventuran Meditationes uitae Christi, an expansion of the Gospel narrative of the life of Christ. This text in both its Latin versions and translations into the vernacular was very popular throughout Europe in the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries. Nicholas Love, a Carthusian, was prior of Mount Grace in Yorkshire. His translation of the Meditationes, The Mirrour of the blessyd Lyf of Christ, was submitted for approval to Archbishop Arundel in 1410, and the Memorandum of the licence of approval is in this manuscript.
Contents
The Mirrour of the blessyd Lyf of Christ -- Treatise on the Sacrament of Christ's Body -- Life of St Nicholas -- Life of St Katherine -- Life of St Margaret -- Form of confession -- Tretys of goostly batayle -- Articles of excommunication

Description

Alternative title Mirror of the Life of Christ etc.
Type of resource mixed material
Extent ff. 126 + 2
Date created [ca. 1400 - 1499]
Language English, Middle (1100-1500); Latin
Material Vellum
Layout double columns of 40 lines
Height (mm) 330
Width (mm) 225
Collation 1 flyleaf, 1(8)-11(8) 12(4) 13(8)-16(8) 17(2), 1 flyleaf.
Writing in a rather ugly hand
Foliation ff. i-iii + 1-127 + iv-v
Decoration There are good partial borders and initials in gold and colour of the characteristic English work of the time.

Bibliographic information

M.R. James Date xv
Downloadable James Catalogue Record
Title
https://stacks.stanford.edu/file/druid:vs600hd8633/MS_142.pdf
Superseded Interim Catalogue Record
Title
https://stacks.stanford.edu/file/druid:cf767js2277/142.pdf
Contains
Title
Nicholas Love OCarth, The Mirrour of the blessyd Lyf of Christ. 1r-85v
Nasmith
The mirrour of þe blessid lyf of Ihesu [translated from the Latin of cardinal Bonaventure by John Morton]. 1r-85v
James
Mirror of the Life of Christ. 1r-85v
Author
Nicholas Love OCarth
Note
Ad frontem operis Attende lector hujus libri prout sequitur in Anglico scripti, quod ubicunque in margine ponitur litera N verba sunt translatoris sive compilatoris in Anglicis praeter illa quae inseruntur in libro scripto secundum communem opinionem a venerabili doctore Bonaventura in Latino de meditatione vitae Ihesu Christi, et quando pervenitur ad processum et verba ejusdem doctoris inseritur in margine litera B. prout legenti sive intuenti istum librum speculi vitae Christi lucide poterit apparere. Memorandum quod circa annum Domini 1410, originalis copia hujus libri scilicet speculi vitae Christi in Anglicis presentabatur per compilatorem ejusdem N. reverendissimo in Christo patri, et domino Thomae Arundell Cantuar. archiepiscopo ad inspiciendum et debite examinandum antequam fuerat liber communicatus: qui post inspectionem ejusdem per dies aliquot retradens istum librum memorato translatori ejusdem libri propriae vocis oraculo ipsum in singulis commendavit et approbavit, necnon et auctoritate sua metropolitica utpote catholicum publice communicandum fore decrevit et mandavit ad fidelium edificationem et hereticorum sive Lollardorum confutationem. AMEN.
Rubric
(1r) At þe bygnnyng þe proheme of þe booke þt is clepid the myrrour of þe blessid lijf of ihesu
Note
Capitula follow
At the foot of f. 1r in red is the date 1560
The notices Adtende lector and Memorandum quod circa are on f. 2r. The translator N. was Nicholas Love, Prior of the Carthusian house of Mount Grace in Yorkshire. The text was printed for the Roxburghe Club in 1905
(2v) Prohemium
Rubric
(2v) Quecumque scripta sunt etc.
Incipit
(2v) These ben þe wordis of þe grete doctour
Explicit
(3r) bigynneþ in þis manere sentence
Rubric
(3r) Bonaventure incipit
Incipit
(3r) Among oþere vertues commendingis of þe holi virgine Cecile
Rubric
(4v) A devout meditacioun of þe grete counseile in hevene etc.
Incipit
(4v) Afftir þe tyme þat man was exilid
Note
Ends
Explicit
(85v) to confusioun of alle fals lollardis and eretikis. Amen
Rubric
(85v) Blessid be þe name of oure lord Ihesu and his modir marie now and ever wiþouten ende. Amen
(85v) Thus eendiþ þe book þt is clepid þe myrrour of þe blessid lijf of oure lord Ihesu Criste
(85v) Explicit speculum uite Christi
Title
Treatise on the Sacrament of Christ's Body. 85v-92v
Nasmith
A tretice of þe hiȝest and moste worþy sacrament of Crists blessid body and þe merveilis þerof. 85v-92v
Rubric
(85v) Now sueþ a tretice of þe hiȝest and moste worþy sacrament of Cristes blessid body and þe merveilis þer of
Incipit
(85v) Memoriam fecit mirabilium etc.
(85v) These wordis of Dauid in þe sauter seid in prophecie
Note
Ends
Explicit
(92v) by vertu and grace of þy lijf blissid wiþ owten endynge. Amen
Rubric
(92v) Ihesu lord þy blessid lijfHelpe and coumfort our wrecchid lijf. Amen
(92v) Explicit speculum vite Christi complete
Note
This is also by Nicholas Love
Title
Life of St Nicholas. 93r-96v
Nasmith
þe lyfe of seynt Nicolas bisschop of Myrre. 93r-96v
Incipit
(93r) Seynt Nicholas was bore in the citee of patras
Explicit
(96v) and thonkynge to owre lord god. and to þe merite of þe holy seynt Nicolas
Title
Life of St Katherine. 96v-106r
Nasmith
þe lyfe of þe holy virgyn seynt Kateryne. 96v-106r
Incipit
(96v) Here bygynneþ þe right excellent and most glorious life of seynt Kateryn whiche by dissent of lyne was of þe noble kynredis of þe Emperours etc.
Explicit
(106r) as it is conteyned in þe Invencioun of þe crosse how Maxence was ponysshid for þis felony and for oþere
Title
Life of St Margaret. 106r-107v
Nasmith
þe lyfe of þe holy virgyn seynt Margarete. 106r-107v
Incipit
(106r) Seynt Margarete was of þe cite of Antioche doughter of Theodosyen a paynym patriarche
Explicit
(107v) She was hatefull to her fadir and frende and love to owre Lord Ihesu Crist
Title
Form of confession. 107v-110v
Nasmith
A form of confession. 107v-110v
Incipit
(107v) Benedicite. I knowleche to our lord Almyȝty God Ihesu
Explicit
(110v) and also þat ye wolde vouchesafe to prey for me. Amen
Rubric
(110v) And þus eendiþ þis Confessioun
Title
Tretys of goostly batayle. 111r-121r
Nasmith
A tretys of goostely batayle. 111r-121r
Incipit
(111r) Brothir or sustre þt desirist to come to þe eendles blisse
Explicit
(121r) to eendles blisse whiche man was ordeyned to in his fyrst creacioun. Amen
Rubric
(121r) Deo gracias
Title
Articles of excommunication. 121r-126r
Nasmith
General sentence, or, Articuli majoris excommunicationis in lingua materna. 121r-126r
Incipit
(121r) Goode men and wommen it is ordeyned by the counseil of al holy chirche
Note
Ends
Explicit
(126r) for to dwelle in the peynes of helle for ever without ende. ffiat fiat. Amen
Note
See Maskell, Monumenta Ritualia II 286-301
On f. 126v is: Thys ys betrys (Beatrice) beuerleys book (xv) and on the last flyleaf f. 127v: Thys Booke ys Wylliam bodleys and Elizabethe hys wyffe (xv-xvi)
TJames 155
Stanley R. 2
Location https://purl.stanford.edu/kd037vh5815
Location MS 142
Repository UK, Cambridge, Corpus Christi College, Parker Library

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