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diff --git a/29689-8.txt b/29689-8.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..525ab6f --- /dev/null +++ b/29689-8.txt @@ -0,0 +1,2664 @@ +The Project Gutenberg EBook of Henry the Sixth, by John Blacman + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: Henry the Sixth + A Reprint of John Blacman's Memoir with Translation and Notes + +Author: John Blacman + +Translator: M.R. James + +Release Date: August 19, 2009 [EBook #29689] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK HENRY THE SIXTH *** + + + + +Produced by Paul Murray, Stephanie Eason, and the Online +Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net. (This +file was produced from images generously made available +by The Internet Archive/Canadian Libraries.) + + + + + + + + + + HENRY THE SIXTH + + + + + CAMBRIDGE UNIVERSITY PRESS + + C. F. CLAY, MANAGER + + LONDON: FETTER LANE, E.C. 4 + NEW YORK: G. P. PUTNAM'S SONS + BOMBAY } + CALCUTTA } MACMILLAN AND CO., LTD. + MADRAS } + TORONTO: J. M. DENT AND SONS, LTD. + TOKYO: MARUZEN-KABUSHIKI-KAISHA + + ALL RIGHTS RESERVED + + + + + Henry the Sixth + + A REPRINT OF + JOHN BLACMAN'S MEMOIR + WITH TRANSLATION + AND NOTES + + BY + + M. R. JAMES, LITT. D., F.B.A., F.S.A. + + PROVOST OF ETON + FORMERLY PROVOST OF KING'S COLLEGE + + CAMBRIDGE + AT THE UNIVERSITY PRESS + 1919 + + + + +CONTENTS + +PREFACE PAGE vii + +TEXT 1 + +TRANSLATION 23 + +NOTES 45 + +SPECIAL NOTES + + I. A PRAYER TO HENRY VI IN ENGLISH VERSE 50 + + II. ON THE MANUSCRIPT MIRACLES OF HENRY VI. 51 + + III. ON JOHN BLACMAN'S BOOKS 55 + + + + +PREFACE + + +The tract on the Personality of King Henry VI (as I may perhaps be +allowed to call it), which is here reprinted, has hitherto been almost +inaccessible to ordinary students. It is not known to exist at all in +manuscript. We depend ultimately for our knowledge of it upon a printed +edition issued by Robert Coplande of London, of which the date is said +to be 1510. Of this there may be two copies in existence. This text was +reprinted by Thomas Hearne in 1732, in his edition of the Chronicles of +Thomas Otterbourne and John Whethamstede, of which 150 copies were +issued. + +I have here reprinted Hearne's text, and have collated it with +Coplande's. This I was enabled to do through the great kindness of the +authorities of St Cuthbert's College at Ushaw, who most generously lent +me a copy of the tract preserved in their Library. This copy I will +endeavour to describe. + +It is in a modern binding lettered: _Hylton's Lives of British Saints. +Blackman's Life of Henry VI_. The pressmark is + + XVIII + C 4 + 7 + +The size is 185 × 130 mm. There are 32 lines to a full page. + +_Collation_: A6 B4. + +_Signatures_: A I (2 not signed): A III (4-6 not signed). + +B I (2 not signed): B III (4 not signed). Ab I _a_ has the title at +top: + + ¶Collectarium Mansuetudinum et bono- + rum morum regis Henrici. VI. ex col- + lecti[=o]e magistri Joannis blak + man bacchalaurei theo + logie / et post Car + tusie monachi + Londini. + + +Below this is a woodcut measuring 99 × 76, and representing a bearded +king in hat with crown about it, clad in ermine tippet, and dalmatic +over long robe. He holds a closed book in his _R._ hand, a sceptre in +his _L._: on the _L._ wrist is a maniple. His head is turned towards +_R._ On _R._ a tree, plants across the foreground: a mound on _L._ with +two trees seen over it. + +I feel confident that the woodcut is not intended for a portrait of +Henry VI, and that it really represents some Old Testament personage: +but I have not attempted to trace it in other books. + +It has a border in three pieces. Those on _R._ and _L._ are 115 mm. in +height and contain small figures of prophets standing on tall shafts: +that at bottom was designed to be placed vertically, and contains a +half-length figure of a prophet springing out of foliage, and with +foliage above. + +On A I _b_ the woodcut is repeated without the border. + +Then follows the text as given by me. After it, on B IV _a_, is Robert +Coplande's device, measuring 80 × 95; a wreath of roses and leaves, +comprised within two concentric circles: within it the printer's mark. + +Outside in the upper _L._ corner a rose slipped and leaved: in the upper +_R._ corner, a pomegranate. + +Below, a scroll inscribed: Robert (_rose_) Coplande. + +On B IV _b_ the woodcut of the king, without border. + +Below it, in a neat hand: + + R. Johnson. prec. 1d. + 1523. + + +For the rest, the volume contains: + + Capgrave's _New Legende_, beginning imperfectly in the Table + + De S. Esterwino abbate. fo. xxxviii. + + +This is preceded by two inserted leaves of paper: on the first are the +missing items of the Table, supplied in a rough hand of cent. XVI. On +the second, in a hand of cent. XVIII, is: + + Printed at London by Richard Pynson + Printer to the Kings Noble Grace the 20th + day of February 1516. Vid. Page 133. + + Newcastle upon Tyne. + + This book was found in the Town Clerk's + Office about the latter end (of) the year 1765. + + (?) A P G. + + +At the end of the Table (before A I) is written in a hand of cent. XVI: + + The abbridgement of henry the syxthes lyfe ys fastned to the ende + of this booke. + + +At top of A I (cent. XVI) is: T. T. Collected by Caxton. + +On A VIII _b_, B II _a_ is the name (cent. XVI): + + Alexander Ridley of ye brom hills. + + +He has written a good many marginal notes in the book. + +_Collation_: Table 2 ff. A8 B4 C8 D4 E8 F4 G8 H4 I8 K4 L8 +(i-iii signed) M4 N8 (as L) O4 (i-iii signed) P8 (as L) Q4 R8 (as +L) S4 (i-iii signed: ii, iii both numbered i) T8 (+ 1: 4 leaves +CIX-CXII on the 11000 Virgins inserted after CVII* instead of after +CVIII) U6 (6 blank unnumbered) X8 (Life of S. Byrgette) Y6. + +Followed by tract of Walter Hylton: 'to a deuoute man in temperall +estate howe he shulde rule hym' etc. A8 B8 (leaves not numbered). + +On CXIX _b_ is Pynson's device: no date. + +On CXXXIII _a_ (Life of S. Byrgette) the date M.CCCCCXVI. XX Feb. On the +verso Pynson's device with break in lower border. + +At the end of Hylton's tract B VIII _a_ the date MCCCCCXVI last daye of +Feb. + +On the verso Pynson's device with break in lower border. + +Hearne's preface to _Otterbourne_ (I, p. xliv) contains some interesting +matter bearing on the tract, which I summarize here. + + No one, he says, except John Blakman has yet written a special + life of Henry VI, and Blakman's is not an _opus absolutum_ but a + "fragmentum duntaxat operis longe majoris alicubi forte nunc etiam + latentis." + + Vita haecce qualiscunque in lucem prodiit Londini A.D. M.D.X. a + Roberto Coplandio ... excusus. Eiusdem exemplaria adeo rara sunt ut + vix reperias in bibliothecis etiam instructissimis. Penes se autem + habet amicus excultissimus Jacobus Westus, qui pro necessitudine + illa quae inter nos intercedit, non tantum mutuo dedit, sed et + licentiam concessit exscribendi. Id quod feci. + + +West had acquired his copy by purchase, among a number of printed books +formerly the property of Archbishop Sancroft. + +On p. xlix Hearne tells us that Sancroft had written the following note +in his copy of the tract: + + Hunc libellum conscribendum curavit Henricus VIIus, cum Julio papa + II agens de Henrico VI in Sanctorum numerum referendo. De quo vide + Jac. Waraei annales H. 7. Aº 1504. + + +Ware (and Hearne) print the Bull of Julius, directing an inquiry into +Henry's sanctity and miracles. I may add that some part of the results +of this negotiation may be seen in the manuscript collection of Henry +VIth's miracles preserved in the Royal MS. 13. C. VIII and in the MS. +Harley 423 (a partial copy of the other), both in the British Museum.[1] + +Furthermore Hearne reprints what is properly called a _Memoria_ of King +Henry VI such as is to be found in a fairly large number of Books of +Hours or Primers both manuscript and printed. Hearne's text is taken +from _Horae_ printed by Wynkyn de Worde 1510, f. cli _a_, and is as +follows. + + _A prayer to holy kynge Henry._ + Rex Henricus sis amicus nobis in angustia + Cuius prece nos a nece saluemur perpetua + Lampas morum spes egrorum ferens medicamina + Sis tuorum famulorum ductor ad celestia. + Pax in terra non sit guerra orbis per confinia + Virtus crescat et feruescat charitas per omnia + Non sudore uel dolore moriamur subito + Sed viuamus et plaudamus celis sine termino. + _Ver._ Ora pro nobis deuote rex Henrice. + _Resp._ Ut per te cuncti superati sint inimici. + Oremus. Presta, quesumus, omnipotens et misericors deus, ut qui + deuotissimi regis Henrici merita miraculis fulgentia pie mentis + affectu recolimus in terris, eius et omnium sanctorum tuorum + intercessionibus ab omni per te febre, morbo, ac improuisa morte + ceterisque eruamur malis, et gaudia sempiterna adipisci mereamur. + Per Christum dominum nostrum. Amen. + + +Here is another form, which occurs in the Fitzwilliam MS. 55 (a Norfolk +book of about 1480): + + _Antiphon_. Rex Henricus pauper(um?) et ecclesie defensor ad + misericordiam semper pronus in caritate feruidus pietati deditus + clerum decorauit, quem deus sic beatificauit. + _Vers._ Ora pro nobis deuote Henrice. + _Resp._ Ut digni efficiamur promissionibus Christi. + Oremus. Deus sub cuius ineffabili maiestate vniuersi reges + regnant et imperant, qui deuotissimum Henricum Anglorum regem + caritate feruidum, miseris et afflictis semper compassum, omni + bonitate clemenciaque conspicuum, ut pio (pie) creditur inter + angelos connumerare dignatus es: concede propicius ut eo cum + omnibus sanctis interuenientibus hostium nostrorum superbia + conteratur, morbus et quod malum est procul pellatur, palma + donetur et gratia sancti spiritus nobis misericordiam tuam + poscentibus ubique adesse dignetur. Qui uiuis, etc. + + +Yet another form is seen in a manuscript (V. III. 7) in Bishop Cosin's +Library at Durham, of cent. XV late: it is written, with a good many +other miscellaneous verses, at the end of the book. + + O rex Henrice vincas virtute pudice + Anglorum vere cum recto nomine sexte + [Es] wynsorie natus et ibi de fonte leuatus + Atque coronatus in Westm(ynster) veneratus + Et post ffrancorum rex es de iure creatus + Post mortem carnis miracula plurima pandis + Confirmante deo qui te preelegit ab euo + Et tibi concessit plures sanare per illum + Cecos et claudos cum debilitate retentos + Atque paraliticos egrotos spasmaticosque + In neruis plures contracti te mediante + In te sperantes sanantur et auxiliantur + Et laudes domino per te semper tribuantur. + Ora pro nobis dei electe rex Anglie Henrice sexte. + Ut digni, etc. + Oremus. Omnipotens eterne deus qui electis tuis multa mirabilia + operaris: concede quaesumus ut electi tui Anglorum regis Henrici + sexti meritis et precibus mediantibus et intercedentibus mereamur + ab omnibus angustiis anime et doloribus membrorum liberemur(-ari). + Et cum illo in vita perpetua gloriari. Per, etc. + + +These three forms of _Memoriae_ are probably not all that exist; but +they will suffice as representative specimens of the popular devotions +used in honour of our Founder. + +Besides the _Memoria_ Hearne gives two prayers, attributed to the King +himself, and largely identical in language with that which is prefixed +to Blakman's tract. He takes them from the same printed _Horae_ of 1510 +whence the _Memoria_ comes. They are on p. lv _a_ and run thus: + + _Two lytell prayers whiche King Henry the syxte made._ + + Domine Ihesu Christe, qui me creasti, redemisti, et preordinasti + ad hoc quod sum: tu scis quid de me facere vis: fac de me secundum + voluntatem tuam cum misericordia. + + Domine Ihesu Christe, qui solus es sapientia: tu scis que michi + peccatori expediunt: prout tibi placere[2] et sicut in oculis tue + maiestatis videtur, de me ita fiat cum misericordia tua. Amen. + Pater noster. Aue Maria. + + +Of John Blacman or Blakman, the author of our tract, not a great deal is +known. He was admitted Fellow of Merton College, Oxford, in 1436, and of +Eton in 1447: he was Cantor of Eton College, and, as we read in the +title of his book, a bachelor of Divinity, and later a Carthusian monk. +But before he 'entered religion' he held an important post in University +circles, for, in 1452, on the death of Nicholas Close, he was appointed +by the Provosts of Eton and King's (who at that time owned this piece of +patronage) Warden of King's Hall at Cambridge, that royal foundation +which was eventually absorbed into Trinity College. As Warden (I quote +from Mr W. W. Rouse Ball's privately printed account of King's Hall) he +introduced into the College "some scheme of reorganization, which +involved a division of the Society into four classes, fellows, scholars, +commoners, and servi-commoners.... The scheme, whatever it was, was +abandoned on Blacman's resignation" which took effect on 11 July 1457. +Blacman then entered the Carthusian house of Witham in Somerset, and +subsequently that of London, where he probably died. When, and for how +long, he held the post of spiritual director or confessor to Henry VI, I +have no evidence to show. + +Of one thing about him, namely, his literary possessions, we know more. +The Bodleian manuscript Laud. Misc. 154 contains two lists, one short, +and one long and elaborate, of books given by him to the Witham +Charterhouse. Several of these exist in the Bodleian and other +libraries, and one, a notable copy of the Polychronicon, which contains +the earliest known picture of Windsor Castle (and of Eton), very +probably drawn by Blacman himself, has in recent years been acquired by +the library of Eton College. The full list of Blacman's books is given +in a separate note. + +In reprinting Hearne's text I have retained his spelling, which does not +correspond completely with that of Coplande's print. Hearne gives _æ_ +for _e_ throughout, and expands contractions without notice. Had I had +access to the original tract before Hearne's text was put into type, I +should have retained the medieval spelling; but I did not think it worth +while to make the change _après coup_. The actual words of the text +represent Blacman as faithfully as possible; and that is the chief +matter. + +I need not, I think, say much by way of commending this little memorial +of our Founder to the _pietas_ of the many who have owed and still owe +to his bounty such pleasant and peaceful years, and such opportunities +for the gaining of knowledge and the forming of friendships, as he +himself never enjoyed. The evils which his weak rule brought upon +England have faded out of being: the good which in his boyhood he +devised for coming generations lives after him. _Pro eo quod laborauit +anima eius, uidebit et saturabitur._ + + M. R. J. + + + +Footnotes: + +[1] See a special Note on these. + +[2] Read _placet_, as in a vellum-printed Paris _Horae_ of 1572 (?), +reported to Hearne by a friend. + +Mr Cosmo Gordon of King's College tells me that these prayers also occur +in W. de Worde's Primer of 1494 (sig. F 8 _b_). In this edition the +words read "prout tibi placeret," but a copy at Lambeth in which the +page has been reset, has "prout tibi placet." The prayers also occur in +some Sarum _Horae_ printed in France, e.g. Jean Jehannot's of 1498, of +which there is a copy in the Sandars collection in the University +Library. + + + + + COLLECTARIUM + MANSUETUDINUM ET BONORUM MORUM + REGIS + HENRICI VI. + + EX COLLECTIONE + Magistri JOANNIS BLAKMAN bacchalaurei theologiæ, + et post Cartusiæ monachi Londini. + + + +[A II _a_] _Oratio ejus devota._ + +Domine Jesu Christe, qui me creasti, redemisti, et ad id quod sum +prædestinasti, tu scis, quid de me facturus sis, fac de me secundum tuam +misericordissimam voluntatem. Nam scio et veraciter confiteor, quod in +tua manu cuncta sunt posita, et non est qui possit tibi resistere: quia +Dominus universorum tu es. Ergo Deus omnipotens, misericors & clemens, +in potestate cujus sunt regna omnia atque dominationes, et cui omnes +cogitationes, verba et opera nostra præterita, præsentia et futura +continue sunt cognita et aperta, qui solus habes scientiam & sapientiam +incomprehensibilem. Tu scis, Domine, quæ michi misero peccatori +expediunt: prout tibi placet, et in oculis tuæ divinæ majestatis videtur +de me fieri, ita de me fiat. Suscipe, pater clemens et misericors Deus +omnipotens, preces mei indignissimi servi tui: et perveniant ad aures +misericordiæ tuæ orationes, quas offero coram te et omnibus sanctis +tuis. Amen. + + +PROHEMIUM. + +Scriptum est, quod neminem laudabimus ante mortem suam, sed in fine erit +denudatio operum ejus, unde, cessante jam omni impedimento veræ laudis, +Quia coeli gloriam Dei omnipotentis enarrant, & omnia quæ fecit +Dominus ipsum in factura sua laudant, idcirco in laudem Dei & +serenissimi principis regis Henrici. VI. corpore jam defuncti, quem +licet minime peritus laudare anticipavi, aliqua tractare necessarium +duxi. Maxime quia sanctos Dei laudare, quorum in cathologo istum puto +regem eximium, ob sancta sua merita quoad vixit per eum exercitata, +merito computari, omnipotentis Dei laus est & gloria, ex cujus +coelesti dono est, ut sancti sint. De prænobili ejus prosapia, quomodo +scilicet ex nobilissimo sanguine & [A II _b_] stirpe regia antiqua Angliæ +secundum carnem progenitus erat, et qualiter in duabus regionibus, +Angliæ s. & Franciæ, ut verus utriusque regni heres coronatus fuerat, +tacere curavi, quasi manifestum & notum. Maxime propter casum ejus +infaustissimum, qui eidem inopinate postea evenit. + + +_Virtutum ejus commendatio._ + +Verum ut de virtutibus non paucis istius regis, quibus Deus omnipotens +animam ejus insignivit, aliquid edicam, &[3] pro modulo meo Deo propicio +prout noverim, & ex relatu fidedignorum, quondam ei assistencium, +didicerim, propalabo. Fuerat enim, quasi alter Job, vir simplex, & +rectus, Dominum Deum omnino timens, & à malo recedens. Erat autem vir +simplex, sine omni plica dolositatis aut falsitatis, ut omnibus constat. +Nulli enim dolose egerat: aut falsum aliquod cuiquam proferre solebat: +sed veridica semper exercuerat eloquia. Fuerat & rectus et justus, per +lineam justiciæ semper in actis suis procedens. Nulli vero injuriam +facere voluit scienter. Deo & omnipotenti quod suum erat fidelissime +tribuerat. quia decimas & oblationes, Deo et ecclesiæ debitas, +amplissime persolvere studuit. simul cum religiosissimo cultu etiam hoc +peregit, ita quod ipse & regalibus infulis trabeatus, diademateque regio +coronatus, tam profundas sibi instituit exhibere Domino inclinativas +supplicationes, ac si fuisset juvenis quispiam religiosus. + + +_Timor Domini inerat ei._ + +Quod & princeps iste timorem habuerat filialem ad Dominum, patet in +quammultis ejus actis et devotionibus. Primo referre solebat quidam +Angliæ reverendus antistes, se per decem annos confessoris sui officio +functum apud ipsum regem Henricum fuisse. Sed neque per tantum tempus +mortalis alicujus [A III _a_] criminis maculam animam ejus tetigisse +asserebat. O! quanta vigilantia! O! quanta diligentia placendi Deo in +tam sublimi et juvenili persona reperta est! Attendite reges & principes +universi, juvenes et virgines & populi quique, & laudate Dominum in +sanctis ejus. Hunc quoque regem virtute imitamini, qui malum fecisse +poterat & non fecit: sed omnino dum vixit refugit, in quantum potuit, +propter Dei displicentiam, hujuscemodi malum vel noxam. + + +_Cultor Dei sedulus erat._ + +Sedulus & verissimus Dei cultor erat rex iste, magis Deo et devotioni +orationum deditus, quam mundanis vel temporalibus rebus tractandis, aut +vanis ludis vel occupationibus exercendis: qualibus ut frivola ab eo +despectis, aut in orationibus, aut in scripturarum vel cronicarum +lectionibus assidue erat occupatus, ex quibus non pauca eloquia +hauserat, ad ipsius aliorumque consolationem spiritualem. Unde omni +statui, omnique conditioni hominum et ætati sedulus hortator & consultor +extiterat, juvenibus consulens, ut à vitiis declinarent, et virtutis +viam assequerentur. Provectæque ætatis viros et presbiteros, ut virtutis +complementum, braviumque æternæ vitæ prosequendo attingerent, ammonuit, +proferens id psalmi: _Ite de virtute in virtutem: videbitur enim hinc +Deus deorum in Syon._ + + +_Devota habitudo ejus in ecclesia._ + +In ecclesia vel oratorio nunquam sedere sibi complacuit super sedile, +aut huc illuc ve, ut moris est mundanorum, deambulare: sed nudato semper +capite, dum divina saltem celebrarentur officia, rarissime regios +erigens artus, quasi continue coram libro genua flectens, oculis ac +manibus erectis, missalia, oracula, epistolas, euangelia +internis visibus[4] promere gestiebat cum celebrante. Nonnullis etiam +solebat clericis destinare epistolas [A III _b_] exhortatorias, coelestibus +plenas sacramentis et saluberrimis admonitionibus, in stuporem multorum. + +Item & ubic[~u]que fuerat rex iste, semper devotissimus sanctæ crucis, +aliorumque Christianæ religionis sacramentorum vel sacrorum, cultor et +sedulus adorator extiterat. In hujusmodi enim opere nudato capite +devotius insedere[5] solebat, etiam in itineribus equitando. ita quod +regale caputium terram petere ultro sæpius faciebat, etiam dextrario +insidens, nisi id manus suorum sitius[6] apprehenderet. Unde et maluit +sanctæ crucis signorum seriem in corona sua regia situari, quam florum +vel foliorum similitudines quasc[~u]que, juxta illud sapientis: _Corona +aurea super caput ejus, expressa signo sanctitatis_. &c. Tempestive +valde, et quasi in initio divinorum officiorum solebat interesse. Sed et +de prolixa protractione divinorum officiorum nusquam fastidium passus +erat, quanquam ultra meridiem protelabantur. + +Item in ecclesia nullatenus accipites,[7] gladios, basillardos,[8] +contractus, confabulationes ve fieri sinebat: sed orationibus etiam +suis potentatibus & proceribus, juxta illud Salvatoris eloquium, _Domus +mea domus orationis est_, jussit crebrius esse vacandum, quod et +fecerunt devote. + + +_Pudicitia ejus._ + +Pudicus enim & purus fuerat rex iste H. ab ineunte ætate sua. Omnem vero +lasciviam verbo & opere dum juvenis erat declinaverat, quoadusque +duxerat, nubilibus venientibus annis, prænobilem dominam, dominam +Margaretam, regis Ceciliæ[9] filiam, ex qua unicum tantummodo procreavit +filium, Edwardum s. prænobilem & virtuosum principem, cum qua & cui +conjugale foedus syncerissime omnino servaverat, etiam in ipsius +dominæ absentia, quæ aliquando perlonga fuerat: nullam aliam à sua +feminam tota sua [A IV _a_] vita impudice tangens. Non etiam ad præfatam +suam conjugem effrenate, vel more impudicorum, habere solebat accessum dum +insimul commanserunt: sed tantummodo ut ratio et rei necessitas, servata +semper inter eos honestate conjugali et cum magna gravitate. + +_Exemplum._ + +In argumentum vero suæ servatæ pudicitiæ, omnino consueverat effugere +nuditatem et virorum et mulierum incantius[10] aspicere. ne, ut David, +amore illicito caperetur, cujus animam, prout legimus, oculi deprædati +fuerant. Propterea princeps iste pepigerat cum oculis suis foedus, ut +nec saltem impudice quamlibet aspicerat[11] feminam. + +_Aliud exemplum._ + +Unde semel contigit, quod tempore natalis Domini choreas, vel +spectaculum quoddam generosarum juvencularum, resolutis sinibus suis +nudatas mamillas proponentium, quidam adduceret magnus dominus coram eo, +ut ante regis aspectum juvenes illæ mulierculæ sic denudatæ +tripudiarent, ad probandum forsan eum, vel ad alliciendum regis +juvenilem animum. Sed rex iste non improvidus, nec diabolicæ fraudis +ignarus, his spretis præstigiis, nimium indignatus, oculos avertens, +dorsum ejus citius posuit, et ad cameram suam exivit dicens, =Fy fy, for +shame, forsothe ye be to blame.= + +Aliàs juxta Bathoniam equitans, ubi calida sunt balnea, quibus, ut +dicitur, se refocillant et lavant se homines illius patriæ ex +consuetudine, dum introspiceret rex balnea, vidit homines in eis quasi +in toto nudos et vestibus plene exutos. Ad quod indignans rex citius +abiit, nuditatem hujusmodi quasi grande facinus abhorrens, non immemor +illius Francisci Petrarchæ assertionis: _Nuditas beluina in hominibus +non placet: sed pudori amictûs honestate consulitur._ Præteria,[12] non +tantum sibiipsi, sed et domesticis suis, de castimonia magnam [A IV _b_] +cautionem adhibere solebat. Nam ante nuptias suas adoloscens[13] +castitatis alumnus existens, curiose per secretas suæ cameræ fenestras +aspicere solebat, ne feminarum introeuntium stulta debacharetur +insolentia, in suorum saltem domesticorum ruinam. Eandem etiam cautionem +adhibuerat idem rex duobus suis fratribus utriuis,[14] Dominis +videlicet Jaspere[15] et Edmundo, dum pueri et juvenes erant: quibus pro +tunc actissimam[16] & securissimam providebat custodiam, eos ponens sub +tutela virtuosorum et honestissimorum sacerdotum, tum ad erudiendum, tum +ad virtuose vivendum, et conversandum, ne scilicet indomitæ +adolescentulationes succrescerent, si omnino suppressore carerent. Non +minorem iterum diligentiam adhibere solebat rex iste, ut dicitur, circa +alios sibi attinentes, ut vitia declinarent vel vitarent simul cum +contione viciosorum vel dissolutorum, et virtutes apprehenderent, +ammonens eos. + + +_Contra avaritiam._ + +_Liberalitas ejus._ + +Contra pestem avaritiæ, qua quamplurimi inficiuntur et languent, etiam +terreni principes, Rex iste H. de quo loquimur, cautissimus, et +erectissimus omnino fuerat. Quia nec donariis præfulgidis sibi donatis, +nec excellentissimis divitiis, quas ipse possiderat[17] aliquotiens +illicito amore captus fuerat. Sed ad pauperes omnino liberalis erat, +eorum inopiam sublevando. Alios etiam quamplures largitate ditabat +donorum, aut officiorum, vel saltem omnem ab eis egestatem amovebat. +Nequaquam suos opprimebat subditos immoderatis exactionibus, ut ceteri +agunt principes et magnates: sed tanquam pius pater inter filios +conversatus, eos decentissime ex suis relevans, propriis contentus +maluit [A V _a_] sic juste inter eos vivere quam ipsi deficerent egestate, +sua suppressi crudelitate. Quod de suis contentus fuerat, alienarum rerum +minime cupidus, patet variis exemplis verissimis. Unde quidam magnus +dominus optulit eidem regi preciosum coopertorium, ad lectum suum +cameralem, undique nobilibus aureis in magna multitudine stratum, cum +talibus verbis dicens: _De talibus sit vobis cura._ Sed regis animus, +coelestia et spiritualia magis inhians, hujusmodi terrena postponens, +minime attendebat hujusmodi munera. + +Aliàs venientibus ad eundem regem executoribus reverendissimi domini +cardinalis et episcopi Winto[=n]. sui avunculi, cum prægrandi summa, +duorum videlicet millium lib. auri eidem regi conferend'. ad suos +usus, & ad necessaria regni pondera sublevanda, penitus respuit munus, +nec quoquomodo habere voluit, dicens, _ipse fuerat pergratus mihi +avunculus, & multum nobis beneficus, dum vixerat: Dominus retribuat ei. +facite vos de bonis suis prout tenemini. nos nolumus ea recipere._ Ad +quod dictum regium attoniti executores illi, supplicaverunt magestati +regiæ, ut saltem reciperet donum illud de manibus eorum, ad dotationem +duorum collegiorum suorum, quæ tunc quasi de novo fundasset, apud +Cantabrigiam et Eton. Cui supplicationi et donationi libentissime +favebat rex, mandans, ut, pro relevamine animæ præfati sui avunculi, +conferrent donum prædictis collegiis. Qui concito gradu mandatum regium +expleverunt. + +Item in suæ liberalitatis ostentationem, qua cum aliis pollebat +virtutibus rex iste, in confusionem avariciæ largissimus erat in donis, +ut sui quondam testabantur. Donaverat enim uni de capellanis suis, dum +audierat eum intentum ad sacerdotalia vestimenta resarcienda, plus quam +decem mutatoria casularia de pannis suis sericis, ad missas in ecclesia, +cui tunc præerat idem sacerdos, celebrandas. Aliàs audiens unum de +famulis suis multis furtive expoliatum [A V _b_] bonis, misit ei idem rex, +in recompensationem sui dampni, XX nobilia, cum hoc consulens, ut ammodo +magis providus esset de custodia bonorum suorum, et nec quicquam juris +ageret cum fure illo. Ecce quomodo misericordia & veritas obviaverunt +sibi, justicia & pax osculatæ sunt in nostro terreno principe. +O! rara[18] pietas & piissima charitas in homine inventa! Unde & idem +princeps, tandem utroque privatus regno, Angliæ videlicet & Franciæ, +quibus ante imperaverat, cum rebus & bonis suis, non fracto, sed æquo id +tulit animo, omnia temporalia parvipendens, dummodo Christum lucraretur +et æterna. Non tantum in temporalibus distribuendis largus, sed etiam in +ecclesiasticis et spiritualibus benefitiis[19] conferendis, multum cautus +et providus erat rex iste & discretus, ne indignis, vel quoad seipsum +indigne, i. symoniace, talia conferret, prout res ostendit in personis +ab eo promotis: immunis semper erat à symonia. Nam virtuti semper +intendens, virtuosorum promotioni omnino vacabat, atque eos plurimum +amabat. Accensæ vero charitatis perurgebatur affectu, quando successori +celeberrimi cardinalis Winto[=n] dixerat præfatus rex H. magistro +Wilelmo Waynflet: _Accipe Wintonicam intronizationem, ut sis illic, +sicut solent prædecessores præsules esse. sis longævus super terram, et +in virtutis via succrescens et proficiens._ Episcopos etiam Wurcestriæ +et Cestriæ[20] simul, cum multis aliis, pari liberalitate promovit, ut +res satis innotuit. Unde ad ampliandum domum Dei, et cultum divinum, +duo præclara principatus sui tempore fundavit collegia prædicta, quæ +amplissimis dotavit prædiis et redditibus, ad sustentationem pauperum +scholarium non paucorum, in quibus non tam divina cotidie devotissime +celebrantur officia, ad Dei omnipotentis laudem, quam scolastica dogmata +cum ceteris actibus continue exercentur, ad scientiæ incrementum. Ad +istorum vero duorum collegiorum [A VI _a_] iniciationem et fundamen, +perquisivit ubique optimos lapides vivos, optime expeditos in virtute & +scientia juvenculos, et sacerdotes qui ceteris præessent ut doctores & +tutores. Unde quoad presbyteros habendos dixerat rex suo legato in hac +causa, _Minorascere eos potius tolleramus in musicalibus, quam in +scripturarum scientiis._ Et quo ad pueros vel juvenculos, ei adductos ad +scholatizand'. voluit eos rex omnino educari et nutriri, tam in virtute, +quam in scientiis. Unde cum aliquos eorum sibi obviam habuit aliquoties +in castro de Wyndesoor, quo interdum irent, ad servos regis, eis notos, +visitandos, comperto quod sui essent, admouit[21] eos de virtutis via +prosequenda, dando cum verbis etiam pecunias ad alliciendum eos, dicens: +_Sitis boni pueri, mites et docibiles, et servi Domini._ Et si aliquos +eorum curiam suam visitare deprehenderit, aliquando cohibuit corripiendo +eos, ne hoc amodo iterarent, ne agnelli sui perditos suorum curialium +actus vel mores saperent: vel proprios bonos mores in parte vel in toto +amitterent, more agnorum vel ovium, quæ inter vepres vel spinas +pascentes, sua vellera dilaniant, et sæpius in toto amittunt. + + + +_Humilitas regis._ + +Loquendo de magna regis istius humilitate, sciendum, quod multum clarus +fuerat virtute illa humilitatis. Non enim erubuit rex iste piissimus +sacerdoti, celebranti coram eo, diligens minister fieri, respondendo ad +missam, _Amen._ _Sed libera nos_, et similia. Ita vero fecit etiam michi +communiter indigno sacerdoti. In mensa etiam succinctam faciens +refectionem, quasi religiosus cum concitata surrectione silentium +servans stando Deo gratias totiens quotiens devotissime persolvit. Unde +etiam, teste magistro doctore Tow[=n]. instituit idem rex, quod per +elemosinarium suum quidam discus, V. Christi vulnerum, quasi +sanguinerubentium, repræsentativus, [A VI _b_] mensæ suæ, quando se +reficere habuit, ante omnia alia fercula poneretur, quibus effigiebus +devotius intentis,[22] ante quorumlibet ciborum attactum mirabiles Deo +persolvebat devotiones. + +Item equitando semel in strata quadam, jacente extra cemiterium ad +orientem cujusdam ecclesiæ, ubi pixis super altare pendens carebat +sacramento eucharistiæ, eo igitur non nudante caput, ut semper aliàs vel +ante assolet agere cum magna devotione propter reverentiam sacramenti: +admirantibus inde suis dominis et compluribus magnatibus, rationem +reddit rex dicens: _Scio,_ inquit, _ibi non esse Dominum meum Iesum +Christum, ob cujus honorem tanta facerem._ Quod ita repertum est ut +dixit. unde et dicunt, qui eidem secreti erant, quod rex iste +frequenter viderat Dominum nostrum Iesum, in forma humana repræsentantem +se in sacramento altaris inter manus sacerdotis. + +Consueverat etiam, ex permaxima humilitate & devotione, nocte et +Dominicæ resurrectionis tempore propria manu gerere magnum tortum, ob +reverentiam Dominicæ resurrectionis et fidem. + + +_Humilitas regis._ + +De ipsius etiam humilitate in incessu, in vestibus et aliis corporalibus +indumentis, in verbis et ceteris corporis gestibus compluribus, +constat, quam[23] obtusis sotularibus et ocreis à juventute uti +consueverat adinstar coloni. Togam etiam longam cum capucio rotulato ad +modum burgensis, et talarem tunicam ultra genua demissam, caligas, +ocreas, calceos omnino pulli coloris &c. omnimoda curiositate per +eum prohebita[24] in consuetudine habuit. + +Voluit etiam in principalibus anni festis, sed maxime quando ex +consuetudine coronaretur, indui ad nudum corpus suum aspero cilitio, ut +per asperitatem talem corpus ejus [B I _a_] arctaretur à lascivia, potius +vero ut omnis arrogantia vel inanis gloria, quæ ex hujusmodi oriri solet, +reprimeretur. + + +_Labor et exercitium ejus._ + +De occupatione regis, qua[25] bene dies et tempora transigerat,[26] +compluribus notum est adhuc viventibus, quod omnino dies solemnes, & +Dominicos in divinis officiis audiendis, et devotis orationibus ex parte +sua pro se et populo suo omnino dedicare solebat, ne sabbata ejus hostes +deriderent. Et ad similiter agendum etiam alios inducere diligenter +studuit. unde et nonnulli, quondam eidem assistentes, asserunt, quod +tota ejus exultatio et gaudium erat in Dei laudibus et divinis servitiis +rite & devote persolvendis. Ceteros vero dies etiam minus solemnes, non +in ocio aut vanitatibus, non in commessationibus aut ebrietatibus, non +in vaniloquiis aut ceteris nocivis dictis aut loquelis (quæ amnia[27] +semper dum viveret declinabat,) immo paucissimis eloquiis, ut verbis +ædificariis vel ceteris utilibus omnino usus fuerat: Sed dies illos aut +in regni negotiis cum consilio suo tractandis, prout rei exposcerat +necessitas, aut in scripturarum lectionibus, vel in scriptis aut +cronicis legendis non minus diligenter expendit. Unde et de eo testatus +est miles quidam honorandus, quondam sibi camerarius fidelissimus, +dominus Ricardus Tunstall, verbis et scriptis suis testimonium de eo +dedit dicens: _In lege Domini fuit voluntas ejus die ac nocte._ In hujus +etiam rei testimonium ipse Dominus rex graviter conquestus est michi in +camera sua apud Eltham, quando solus cum eo ibidem essem in sanctis suis +libris cum eo laborans, ejus salubribus monitis & profundissimæ +devotionis suspiriis intendens: dato pro tunc interim sono super hostio +regio à quodam potentissimo regni duce, rex ait: _Sic inquietant me, ut +vix raptim per dies et noctes valeam sine [B I _b_] strepitu aliquorum +sacrorum dogmatum lectione refici._ Simile etiam quoddam huic semel +contigit, me præsente apud Wyndesor. In attestationem etiam suæ eximiæ +devotionis ad Deum, dicunt complures adhuc superstites, eidem etiam +principi quondam familiares, quod quasi continue oculos suos ad coelum +attollere consueverat, quasi coelicola quidam aut raptus, nec seipsum +pro tempore, nec se circumstantes sentiens, quasi esset homo extaticus, +vel subcoelestis, conversationem suam in coelis habens, juxta illud +apostoli, _Conversatio nostra in coelis est._ + + +_Juramenta ejus._ + +Item nulla unquam habere solebat alia juramenta, ad confirmanda dicta +sua veredica, quam hæc verba proferendo, =Forsothe, and forsothe.= Ut +ceteros[28] faceret, quos alloquibatur,[29] de dictis suis. Unde et +quamplures, tam magnates, quam plebeos,[30] à gravibus juramentis, tum +blande consulendo, tum dure corripiendo, compescuit. Quoniam +abhominabilis erat eis[31] quisque jurans. Audiens autem rex quendam +magnum dominum, sibi camerarium, ex abrupto et improvise graviter +jurare, graviter increpavit eum, dicens: _Prohdolor! vos dominus familiæ +multæ dum juramenta sic editis contra Dei mandatum, pessimum exhibitis[32] +exemplum servis et subditis vestris. ipsos enim similia facere provocatis._ + + +_Pietas et patientia ejus._ + +De patientia istius regis, & benignissima ejus misericordia, quas per +totam suam vitam in transgredientes sibi exercuit, dum regnaret, +complurima verissime dici possunt. + +Primo, cum semel descenderet à villa sancti Albani Londonias per +Crepylgate, videns supra portam ibi quartarium hominis positum super +sudem sublimem, quæsivit, quid hoc esset? Et respondentibus [B II _a_] sibi +dominis suis, quod erat IIII. pars cujusdam proditoris sui, qui falsus +fuerat regiæ majestati, ait rex, _Auferatur. Nolo enim aliquem +Christianum tam crudeliter pro me tractari,_ & continuo sublatum est +quartarium. Qui hoc vidit, testimonium dicit. + +Item IIII. nobiles generosos, de proditione & crimine læsæ majestatis +regiæ convictos, et super hac re legittime per judices condemnatos, et +morte turpissima plectissima"[33] plectendos piissime relaxavit, et à +morte illa acerbissima eripuit, cartulam suæ perdonationis pro eis +liberandis ad locum supplicii citissime emittens. + +Aliis tribus magnis dominis regni, in necessitate ejusdem[34] regis +conspirantibus, infinita quasi multitudine armatorum hominum congregata, +ambitione quadam regii culminis intentata, prout res postea manifestius +claruit, rex iste non minorem exhibuit misericordiam. Condonabat enim +omnibus tam capitaneis, quam ceteris sibi subditis, quod ei tunc maligne +intenderant, dummodo se ei submitterent. + +Consimilem etiam misericordiam compluribus aliis ostendit, specialiter +autem duobus, mortem ei intendentibus, quorum unus collo suo grave +vulnus inflixit, volens excerebrasse, vel decollasse eum, quod tamen rex +patientissime tulit, dicens, =Forsothe, & forsothe, ye do fouly to smyte +a kynge enoynted so.= + +Alter vero cum sicca[35] percussit eum in latere, dum in turri fuerat +carcere detentus, qui post hoc commissum facinus putans, se regem ex suo +ictu nephario occidisse, timens se capiendum fore, citissime aufugit, +deprehensum tamen eum, & eidem regi postea adductum, convalescens rex, +et è carcere illo eductus, et ad regalia fastigia, Deo favente et +agente, iterum sublimatus sine bellis post longa exilia et diutinam ejus +incarcerationem, pardonavit eum ex summa sua clementia, sicut et +prædictum suum persecutorem. + +Unde et famuli quondam eidem regi asserunt, quod nullam personam, +quantumcunque [B II _b_] sibi noxiam, voluit aliquoties mulctari. Quod +etiam in quam multis liquet personis, quibus valde fuerat gratiosus et +misericors imitator effectus illius qui ait: _Misericordiam volo, & nolo +mortem peccatoris, sed magis ut convertatur & vivat._ qui etiam, ut +apostolus ait, _Omnium hominum salutem affectabat._ nec mirum. Quoniam +etiam non inerat ejus animæ vana illa gloriatio, qua etiam venatores +potiuntur captis bestiis ex nimia complacentia, videlicet ut intueretur +appetitum animal in interitu suo cum truculentia contaminari, nec cædi +innocui quadrupedes[36] aliquando voluit interesse. Quid plura? Certe +inter quos et quibus tam benignus et misericors extiterat rex iste, hos +tandem invenit ingratissimos, ut Christus Judæos. Nam quem dextera Dei +in tantam sublimaverat gloriam, ut supra habetur, isti patriales,[37] +insimul conglobati, rabie quadam crudilissima[38] præfatum regem +misericordissimum potestate regia privaverunt, et à suo regno et +regimine expulerunt, qui tandem post latebras, quas ad tempus, propter +sui tutelam, secretioribus fovebat locis, inventus etiam captus, velut +proditor & maleficus Londonium adductus in turri ibidem incarceratus +erat, ubi famem, sitim, obprobria, irrisiones, blasphemeas,[39] aliasque +injurias complurimas, ut verus Christi sequester, patienter tolleravit, +et tandem mortis ibi corporis violentiam sustinuit propter regnum, ut +tunc sperabatur, ab aliis pacifice possidendum. Anima autem ipsius, ut +pie credimus, ex miraculorum, ubi corpus ejus humatur, diutina +continuatione, cum Deo in coelestibus vivente, ubi, post istius seculi +ærumnas, cum justis in æterno Dei contuitu feliciter gaudet, pro terreno +& transitorio regno hoc patienter amisso, æternum jam possidens in ævum. + + +_Revelationes ei ostensæ._ [B III _a_] + +Præterea, de coelestibus sacramentis, eidem regi ostensis, silendum +esse non puto. In turri enim Londoniarum detentus, interrogatus erat à +quodam sibi capellano erga festum Paschæ, quomodo anima ejus concordaret +in hoc sacratissimo tempore cum instantibus suis tribulationibus +inevitabiliter emergentibus? Et respondit rex dicens, _Regnum +coelorum, cui me semper ab infantia mea devovi, appellans exposco. De +regno isto transitorio & terrestri non magna nobis cura est. Cognatus +noster de Marchia se interponit, ut sibi placet. Hoc ipsum tantummodo +requiro, quatinus sacramenta Paschalia & ecclesiastica cum aliis +Christicolis in die coenæ recipiam, ut moris nostri est,_ unde & +propter nimiam suam devotionem, quam ad Deum, et ad ejus sacramenta, +semper habuerat, non incongrue videtur, quod coelestibus sacramentis +fuisset sæpius illustratus, & in suis tribulationibus consolatus. Fertur +enim à nonnullis secretioribus sibi personis, quibus solebat secreta sua +reserare, quod frequenter viderat Dominum Iesum in manibus celebrantis +tractatum in forma humana ei apparere sub sacramento. Dixerat iterum +apud Waltha[=m] olim existens cuidam in secretis, aliis tamen à retro +hoc audientibus, de multiplici revelatione Dominica sibi facta per tres +annos continuos in festo sancti Edwardi, quod in vigilia Epiphaniæ +accidit de gloria Domini, in effigie humana apparentis, de ejus corona, +& de assumptione beatæ Mariæ in corpore & anima ostentione. + +Item de absentia sacramenti à pixide, dum per quoddam equitaret +cimiterium, propter quod desiit à veneratione solita sacramenti, ut +supra habetur. + +In ipso etiam arcto guerrarum discrimine in boriæ partibus, deficiente +ad tempus pane commilitonibus vel turbis suis, dicitur ab inde +venientibus, quod de exigua [B III _b_] tritici annona meritis ejus et +precibus à[40] Deo multiplicati fuerant panes, ut querentibus[41] et +petentibus sufficientia cum superfluo respondebat suis, ceteris vero +suis hostibus penuriam panum patientibus. + +Insuper continuata longo tempore dira ac ingratissima suorum rebellione, +post plurima bella à suis rebellantibus ei gravissime illata, tandem cum +paucis ad locum secretum, à suis fidelibus sibi provisum, fugit. unde +dum per aliquod spacium diliteret,[42] vox corporalis insonuit per XVII. +dies antequam caperetur insinuans ei, quod proditione traderetur, ac +sine honore, quasi fur aut exul quidam, Londonias, & per medium ejus +manu duceretur, multa ac varia pravorum hominum ingeniis mala exquisita +subiturus, et infra turrim illic incarcerandus, quæ omnia ex beatæ Mariæ +virginis revelatione, Sanctorumque Joannis baptistæ, Dunstani, & +Ancelmi, quorum consolationibus ad tunc, sicut etiam aliàs, potitus +fuit, per eosdem ad patientiam edoctus & confirmatus ad hæc et similia +patienter tolleranda. Quæ cum quibusdam de suis tunc retulerat, +videlicet magistris Bedon & Mannynge, incrudeli[43] illi minime credere +voluerunt, sed diliramenta et vana quædam deputaverunt, quoadusque rei +exitus eos certos fecit. + +Fertur etiam, quod rex iste, dum in turri fuisset inclusus, viderit +mulierem quandam à dextra sua infantulum submergere nitentem, quam per +nuncium ammonuit, ne tantum flagitium & Deo odiosum peccatum +perpetraret. Cujus ammonitione correpta illa, ab incepto opere cessavit. + +Item quæsito ab eodem rege H. dum in turri fuerat incarceratus, quare +injuste vendicaverat et possiderat[44] coronam Angliæ tot annis, +respondere solebat, _Pater meus rex fuerat Angliæ[45] pacifice, +coronam Angliæ possidens per totum regni sui tempus. Et suus pater, +avus meus, ejusdem regni rex fuit. Et ego puer, quasi in cunabilis[46] +[B IV _a_] pacifice, et sine omni interruptione coronatus approbatus fueram +rex à toto regno, coronam Angliæ gerens quasi per_ XL. _annos, +singulis mihi dominis homagium regium facientibus, et fidem michi +præstantibus sicut & aliis antecessoribus meis. Vnde, et cum +Psalmista dicere possum_: Funes ceciderunt michi in præclaris: etenim +hereditas mea præclara est michi. Justum enim adjutorium meum à +Domino, qui salvos facit rectos corde. + + +Laus Deo. + + + +Footnotes: + +[3] _omitte_ et. + +[4] _Lege_, vocibus. + +[5] incedere M. R. J. + +[6] _Sic, pro_ citius. + +[7] _Sic. Lege_, ancipites. [_potius_ accipitres M. R. J.] + +[8] _Id est_, pugiones, =daggers=. + +[9] _Potius_, Siciliæ. + +[10] _Sic. L._ incautius. + +[11] _Sic. L._ aspiceret. + +[12] _Sic._ + +[13] _Sic._ + +[14] _F._ uterinis. + +[15] _Sic. Potius_, Jaspero. + +[16] _Sic. L._ artissimam. + +[17] _Sic._ + +[18] _L._ cara M. R. J. + +[19] _Sic._ + +[20] Cicestriae M. R. J. + +[21] _Sic. L._ admonuit. + +[22] _An_, intentus? + +[23] _F._ quoniam. + +[24] _Sic._ + +[25] _F._ quam. + +[26] _Sic, perinde ac si_ transegerat _reponend. esset_. _Rectius tamen + forsitan_ transigeret. + +[27] _Sic, pro_ omnia. + +[28] _Sic. F._ certos. + +[29] _Sic._ + +[30] _Sic._ + +[31] _F._ ei. + +[32] _Sic._ + +[33] _Sic. Sed delend. ni fallor._ + +[34] [_Sic. qu._ necem M. R. J.] + +[35] _Sic. pro_ sica. + +[36] _Sic. F._ quadrupedis. + +[37] [=pr]iales. + +[38] _Sic._ + +[39] _Sic._ + +[40] _F._ adeo. + +[41] _Malim cum diphthongo._ + +[42] _Sic, pro_ deliteret. + +[43] _Sic, pro_ increduli. + +[44] _Sic._ + +[45] _Commate forsitan post_ Angliæ _non post_ pacifice _distingui malint + alii. Sed distinctioni nostræ favet Codex, quo usus sum._ + +[46] _Sic, pro_ cunabulis. + + + + + A COMPILATION + OF THE MEEKNESS + AND GOOD LIFE + OF + KING HENRY VI. + + GATHERED BY + Master JOHN BLAKMAN, Bachelor of + Divinity and afterward monk of the + Charterhouse of London. + + + + +_A devout Prayer of his._ + +O Lord Jesu Christ, who didst create me, redeem me, and foreordain me +unto that which now I am: Thou knowest what Thou wilt do with me: deal +with me according to thy most compassionate will. I know and confess in +sincerity that in thy hand all things are set, and there is none that +can withstand Thee: Thou art Lord of all. Thou therefore, God Almighty +compassionate and pitiful, in whose power are all realms and lordships, +and unto whom all our thoughts, words, and works, such as have been, +are, and shall be, are continually open and known, who only hast wisdom +and knowledge incomprehensible: Thou knowest, Lord, what is profitable +for me poor sinner: be it so done with me as pleaseth Thee and as +seemeth good in the eyes of thy divine Majesty. + +Receive, O compassionate Father and merciful God Almighty, the prayer of +me thy most unworthy servant; and let my supplications, which I offer +before Thee and thy saints, come unto the ears of thy mercy. Amen. + + +PROLOGUE. + +It is written that we are to praise no man before his death, but that in +the end shall be the exposing of his works: hence, now that every +obstacle to sincere praise is out of the way, and inasmuch as the +heavens declare the glory of Almighty God, and all things that the Lord +hath made praise Him by the fashion of them, I have therefore thought +fit to treat of some matters to the praise of God and of the serene +prince King Henry VI now deceased; whom, though I be of little skill, I +have taken in hand to celebrate; and this especially because to praise +the saints of God, (in the register of whom I take that excellent king +to be rightly included on account of the holy virtues by him exercised +all his life long) is to praise and glorify Almighty God, of whose +heavenly gift it cometh that they are saints. + +Now of his most noble descent, how he was begotten according to the +flesh of the highest blood and the ancient royal stock of England, and +how in the two lands of England and France he was crowned as the +rightful heir of each realm, I have purposely said nothing, as of a +matter plainly known to all, and not least known because of that most +unhappy fortune which befell him against all expectation in +after-times. + + +_A commendation of his virtues._ + +But that I may set forth somewhat concerning the many virtues of that +king, wherewith Almighty God adorned his soul, I will according to my +small ability, with God's help, publish such things as I have known and +have learned from the relation of men worthy of credit who were formerly +attendant on him. + +He was, like a second Job, a man simple and upright, altogether fearing +the Lord God, and departing from evil. He was a simple man, without any +crook of craft or untruth, as is plain to all. With none did he deal +craftily, nor ever would say an untrue word to any, but framed his +speech always to speak truth. + +He was both upright and just, always keeping to the straight line of +justice in his acts. Upon none would he wittingly inflict any injustice. +To God and the Almighty he rendered most faithfully that which was His, +for he took pains to pay in full the tithes and offerings due to God and +the church: and this he accompanied with most sedulous devotion, so that +even when decked with the kingly ornaments and crowned with the royal +diadem he made it a duty to bow before the Lord as deep in prayer as any +young monk might have done. + + +_The fear of the Lord was in him._ + +And that this prince cherished a son's fear towards the Lord is plain +from many an act and devotion of his. In the first place, a certain +reverend prelate of England used to relate that for ten years he held +the office of confessor to King Henry: but he declared that never +throughout that long time had any blemish of mortal sin touched his +soul. + +O what great watchfulness, O what care to please God was found in this +creature so high-placed and so young! Consider it, all ye kings and +princes, young men and maidens, and all peoples, and praise the Lord in +His saints. Imitate, too, this king in virtue, who could have done ill +and did it not, but utterly eschewed, to his power, while he lived, in +view of the displeasure of God, all evil and injury of this sort. + + +_He was a diligent worshipper of God._ + +A diligent and sincere worshipper of God was this king, more given to +God and to devout prayer than to handling worldly and temporal things, +or practising vain sports and pursuits: these he despised as trifling, +and was continually occupied either in prayer or the reading of the +scriptures or of chronicles, whence he drew not a few wise utterances to +the spiritual comfort of himself and others. So to every sort and +condition and age of men he was a diligent exhorter and adviser, +counselling the young to leave vice and follow the path of virtue; and +admonishing men of mature age and elders (_or_ priests) to attain the +perfection of virtue and lay hold on the prize of eternal life, with +those words of the Psalm 'Go from strength to strength[47]; hence shall +the God of gods be beheld in Sion.' + + +_His devout habit in church._ + +In church or chapel he was never pleased to sit upon a seat or to walk +to and fro as do men of the world; but always with bared head, at least +while the divine office was being celebrated, and hardly ever raising +his royal person, kneeling one may say continuously before his book, +with eyes and hands upturned, he was at pains to utter with the +celebrant (but with the inward voice) the mass-prayers, epistles, and +gospels. To some clerics also he used to address letters of exhortation +full of heavenly mysteries and most salutary advice, to the great wonder +of many. + +Moreover, wherever this king was, he always showed himself a venerator +and most devout adorer of the Holy Cross and of other symbols and holy +things of the Christian religion. When engaged in such devotion he went +always with bared head, even when riding on a journey: so that many +times he would let his royal cap drop to the ground even from his +horse's back, unless it were quickly caught by his servants. So too he +preferred a row of signs of the Holy Cross to be set in his royal crown +rather than any likenesses of flowers or leaves, according to that word +of the wise: 'A crown of gold _was_ upon his head marked with the sign +of holiness.' He would be at the divine office quite early, nay at the +very beginning: nor did he ever grow weary at the lengthy prolonging of +it, even though it were continued until after noonday. + +Moreover he would never suffer hawks, swords, or daggers to be brought +into church, or business agreements or conferences to be carried on +there: even his great men and nobles he enjoined to give themselves +frequently to prayer, according to the word of the Saviour 'My house is +a house of prayer': and they obeyed him devoutly. + + +_His chastity._ + +This king Henry was chaste and pure from the beginning of his days. He +eschewed all licentiousness in word or deed while he was young; until he +was of marriageable age, when he espoused the most noble lady, Lady +Margaret, daughter of the King of Sicily, by whom he begat but one only +son, the most noble and virtuous prince Edward; and with her and toward +her he kept his marriage vow wholly and sincerely, even in the absences +of the lady, which were sometimes very long: never dealing unchastely +with any other woman. Neither when they lived together did he use his +wife unseemly, but with all honesty and gravity. + +_Example._ + +It is an argument of his watch upon his modesty that he was wont utterly +to avoid the unguarded sight of naked persons, lest like David he should +be snared by unlawful desire, for David's eyes, as we read, made havoc +of his soul. Therefore this prince made a covenant with his eyes that +they should never look unchastely upon any woman. + +_Another example._ + +Hence it happened once, that at Christmas time a certain great lord +brought before him a dance or show of young ladies with bared bosoms who +were to dance in that guise before the king, perhaps to prove him, or to +entice his youthful mind. But the king was not blind to it, nor unaware +of the devilish wile, and spurned the delusion, and very angrily averted +his eyes, turned his back upon them, and went out to his chamber, +saying: + + Fy, fy, for shame, forsothe ye be to blame. + + +At another time, riding by Bath, where are warm baths in which they say +the men of that country customably refresh and wash themselves, the +king, looking into the baths, saw in them men wholly naked with every +garment cast off. At which he was displeased, and went away quickly, +abhorring such nudity as a great offence, and not unmindful of that +sentence of Francis Petrarch 'the nakedness of a beast is in men +unpleasing, but the decency of raiment makes for modesty.' + +Besides, he took great precautions to secure not only his own chastity +but that of his servants. For before he was married, being as a youth a +pupil of chastity, he would keep careful watch through hidden windows of +his chamber, lest any foolish impertinence of women coming into the +house should grow to a head, and cause the fall of any of his household. +And like pains did he apply in the case of his two half-brothers, the +Lords Jasper and Edmund, in their boyhood and youth: providing for them +most strict and safe guardianship, putting them under the care of +virtuous and worthy priests, both for teaching and for right living and +conversation, lest the untamed practices of youth should grow rank if +they lacked any to prune them. Not less diligence did he use, I am told, +towards others dependent on him, advising them to eschew vice and avoid +the talk of the vicious and dissolute, and to lay hold on virtue. + + +_Against avarice._ + +_His liberality._ + +Against that pest of avarice with which so many are infected and +diseased, even princes of the earth, this king Henry of whom we speak +was most wary and alert. For neither by the splendid presents given to +him nor by the ample wealth which he owned was he ever entrapped into +the unlawful love of them, but was most liberal to the poor in +lightening their wants; and enriched very many others with great gifts +or offices, or at least put all neediness far from them. Never did he +oppress his subjects with unreasonable exactions as do other rulers and +princes, but behaving himself among them like a kind father, relieved +them from his own resources in a most comely sort, and contenting +himself with what he had, preferred to live uprightly among them, rather +than that they should pine in poverty, trodden down by his harshness. +Now that he was content with his own substance and in no way coveted +that of others is shown by many true instances. Among them is this: a +certain great lord offered the said king a precious coverlet for the +bed in his chamber, which was all over set with gold nobles in great +number, and then he said: 'Be you careful of these and their like.' But +the mind of the king thirsting rather for heavenly and spiritual things +and making the things of earth of less account, regarded lightly the +gift. + +At another time when the executors of his uncle, the most reverend lord +cardinal the bishop of Winchester came to the king with a very great +sum, namely £2000 of gold to pay him, for his own uses, and to relieve +the burdens and necessities of the realm, he utterly refused the gift, +nor would receive it by any manner of means, saying: 'He was a very dear +uncle to me and most liberal in his lifetime. The Lord reward him. Do ye +with his goods as ye are bound: we will receive none of them.' The +executors were amazed at this his saying, and entreated the king's +majesty that he would at least accept that gift at their hands for the +endowment of his two colleges which he had then newly founded, at +Cambridge and Eton. This petition and gift the king gladly accepted, and +ordered them to make the gift to the said colleges for the relief of the +soul of his said uncle; and they fulfilled the king's command with all +speed. + +Moreover to show the liberality for which with other virtues he was +distinguished, to the confusion of avarice he was very bountiful in his +gifts, as his former servants bore witness. For to one of his chaplains +he gave, on hearing that he was busy repairing his priestly vestments, +more than ten changes of chasubles of his own silk for the saying of +masses in the church which that priest then held. + +At another time, hearing that one of his servants had lost much of his +substance by theft, the king sent him in compensation for his loss +twenty nobles, advising him at the same time to be henceforth more +careful in keeping his stuff, and not to take the law of the thief. See +how mercy and truth met together, how righteousness and peace kissed +each other, in the person of our earthly prince. O what loving pity and +pitiful love to be found in a man! + +The same prince when in the end he lost both the realms, England and +France, which he had ruled before, along with all his wealth and goods, +endured it with no broken spirit but with a calm mind, making light of +all temporal things, if he might but gain Christ and things eternal. + +Not only in the distribution of secular goods was he bountiful, but also +in conferring ecclesiastical and spiritual benefices he was very wary, +thoughtful, and discreet, lest he should give them to unworthy persons, +or, as touched himself, in an unworthy, I mean a simoniacal, way, as was +proved in those whom he did promote. From simony he was always free. +Having his eyes always fixed on virtue, he was wholly concerned to +prefer virtuous men, and to these he was greatly attached. + +But most strongly was the said king Henry moved by the passion of +enkindled affection when he said to Master William Waynflete, the +successor of the most renowned cardinal of Winchester: 'Receive the +enthronement of Winchester, so to be there as was the custom of the +bishops before you. Be your days long in the land, and grow and go +forward in the path of virtue.' + +With like bounty did he prefer the bishops of Worcester and of +Chichester together, and many others also, as is sufficiently known. + +Also to enlarge the house of God and His worship, in the time when he +bore rule he founded the two noble colleges before mentioned, which he +endowed with large lands and revenues, for the maintenance of poor +scholars not a few; wherein not only are the divine offices celebrated +daily in the most devout manner, to the praise of Almighty God, but also +scholastic teaching and the other arts pertaining thereto are constantly +carried on, to the increase of knowledge. And for the beginning and +foundation of these two colleges he sought out everywhere the best +living stones, that is, boys excellently equipped with virtue and +knowledge, and priests to bear rule over the rest as teachers and +tutors: and as concerned the getting of priests the king said to him +whom he employed in that behalf: 'I would rather have them somewhat weak +in music than defective in knowledge of the scriptures.' And with regard +to the boys or youths who were brought to him to be put to school, the +king's wish was that they should be thoroughly educated and nourished up +both in virtue and in the sciences. So it was that whenever he met any +of them at times in the castle of Windsor, whither they sometimes +repaired to visit servants of the king who were known to them, and when +he ascertained that they were of his boys, he would advise them +concerning the following of the path of virtue and, with his words, +would also give them money to attract them, saying: 'Be you good boys, +gentle and teachable, and servants of the Lord.' And if he discovered +that any of them visited his court, he sometimes restrained them with a +rebuke, bidding them not do so again, lest his young lambs should come +to relish the corrupt deeds and habits of his courtiers, or lose partly +or altogether their own good characters, like lambs or sheep, which, if +they feed among briars and thorns, tear their fleeces and oftentimes +wholly lose them. + + +_The humility of the king._ + +When I speak of the great humility of this king, I would have you know +that he was most eminent for that virtue of humility. This pious prince +was not ashamed to be a diligent server to a priest celebrating in his +presence, and to make the responses at the mass, as _Amen_, _Sed libera +nos_, and the rest. He did so commonly even to me, a poor priest. At +table even when he took a slight refection, he would (like a professed +religious) rise quickly, observe silence, and devoutly give thanks to +God standing on every occasion. Also on the testimony of Master Doctor +Towne, he made a rule that a certain dish which represented the five +wounds of Christ as it were red with blood, should be set on his table +by his almoner before any other course, when he was to take refreshment: +and contemplating these images with great fervour he thanked God +marvellous devoutly. + +Again, once when riding in a street which lay outside the graveyard to +the east of a certain church, wherein the pyx that hung over the altar +did not contain the sacrament of the Eucharist, he on that account did +not bare his head, as he was wont always at other times to do most +reverently in honour of the sacrament; and when many of his lords and +nobles wondered thereat, he gave them his reason, saying: 'I know that +my Lord Jesus Christ is not there for me to do so in His honour.' And it +was found to be so as he had said. Nay, those who were his privy +servants say that the king often saw our Lord Jesus presenting Himself +in human form in the sacrament of the altar in the hands of the priest. + +It was also his custom of his very great humility and devotion to bear +in his own hands a great taper on the eve and at the season of the +Lord's resurrection for his reverence and belief in the same. + + +_The humility of the king._ + +Further of his humility in his bearing, in his clothes and other apparel +of his body, in his speech and many other parts of his outward +behaviour;--it is well known that from his youth up he always wore +round-toed shoes and boots like a farmer's. He also customarily wore a +long gown with a rolled hood like a townsman, and a full coat reaching +below his knees, with shoes, boots and foot-gear wholly black, rejecting +expressly all curious fashion of clothing. + +Also at the principal feasts of the year, but especially at those when +of custom he wore his crown, he would always have put on his bare body a +rough hair shirt, that by its roughness his body might be restrained +from excess, or more truly that all pride and vain glory, such as is apt +to be engendered by pomp, might be repressed. + + +_His work and pursuits._ + +As concerning the employments of the king and how well he passed his +days and his time, it is well known to many yet alive that he used +wholly to devote the high days and Sundays to hearing the divine office +and to devout prayer on his own behalf and his people's, lest his +enemies should scorn his sabbaths; and he was earnest in trying to +induce others to do the like. So that some who were once attendant on +him declare that his whole joy and pleasure was in the due and right +performance of the praise of God and of divine service. The other days +of less solemnity he passed not in sloth or vanities, not in banquetings +or drunkenness, not in vain talk or other mischievous speech or chatter +(all such he ever avoided in his lifetime and indeed used but very brief +speech, of words tending to edification or profitable to others), but +such days he passed not less diligently either in treating of the +business of the realm with his council as need might require, or in +reading of the scriptures or of authors and chronicles. Such witness of +him was borne by an honourable knight who was once his most trusty +chamberlain, Sir Richard Tunstall, who gave this testimony of him both +in speech and in writing: 'His delight was in the law of the Lord by day +and by night.' And to prove this, the Lord King himself complained +heavily to me in his chamber at Eltham, when I was alone there with him +employed together with him upon his holy books, and giving ear to his +wholesome advice and the sighs of his most deep devotion. There came all +at once a knock at the king's door from a certain mighty duke of the +realm, and the king said: 'They do so interrupt me that by day or night +I can hardly snatch a moment to be refreshed by reading of any holy +teaching without disturbance.' + +A like thing to this happened once at Windsor when I was there. + +Further, to confirm his notable devotion to God, many who yet survive +and were once of his household say that he was wont almost at every +moment to raise his eyes heavenward like a denizen of heaven or one +rapt, being for the time not conscious of himself or of those about him, +as if he were a man in a trance or on the verge of heaven: having his +conversation in heaven, according to that word of the apostle: 'Our +conversation is in heaven.' + + +_His oath._ + +Also he would never use any other oath to confirm his own truthful +speech than the uttering of these words: 'Forsothe and forsothe,' to +certify those to whom he spoke of what he said. So also he restrained +many both gentle and simple from hard swearing either by mild admonition +or harsh reproof; for a swearer was his abomination. + +When he heard a great lord who was his chamberlain suddenly break out +and swear bitterly, he sternly rebuked him, saying: 'Alas! you, that are +lord of a great household, when you utter oaths like this contrary to +God's commandment, give a most evil example to your servants and those +that are under you, for you provoke them to do the like.' + + +_His pitifulness and patience._ + +Of the patience of this king and his most kind compassion which he +showed throughout his life to them that sinned against him, while he was +in power, many things may be related with all truth. + +First; once when he was coming down from St Albans to London through +Cripplegate, he saw over the gate there the quarter of a man on a tall +stake, and asked what it was. And when his lords made answer that it was +the quarter of a traitor of his, who had been false to the king's +majesty, he said: 'Take it away. I will not have any Christian man so +cruelly handled for my sake.' And the quarter was removed immediately. +He that saw it bears witness. + +Again, four nobles of high birth were convicted of treason and of the +crime of lèse-majesté and were legally condemned therefor by the judges +to suffer a shameful death. These he compassionately released, and +delivered from that bitter death, sending the writ of his pardon for +their delivery to the place of execution by a swift messenger. + +To other three great lords of the realm who conspired the death of this +king (_or_ conspired in the king's troubles) and assembled an +innumerable host of armed men, aiming ambitiously to secure the kingly +power, as manifestly appeared afterwards, the king showed no less mercy: +for he forgave all, both the leaders and the men under them, what they +had maliciously designed against him, provided they submitted themselves +to him. + +Like compassion he showed to many others, and especially to two who were +compassing his death; one of whom gave him a severe wound in the neck, +and would have brained him, or cut off his head; but the king took it +most patiently, saying: 'Forsothe and forsothe, ye do fouly to smyte a +kynge enoynted so.' The other smote him in the side with a dagger when +he was held prisoner in the Tower, and after the deed, believing that he +had killed the king with his wicked blow, and fearing to be taken, fled +with all speed; but was caught and brought before him, when the king, +now recovered, and set free from that prison, and once more by the +favour and act of God raised to the kingly dignity without a battle +after a long course of exile and imprisonment, pardoned him of his great +clemency, as he did also his aforesaid persecutor. + +So the former servants of this king declare that he never would that any +person, however injurious to him, should ever be punished: and this is +plain in the case of many to whom he was exceeding gracious and +merciful; for he was become an imitator of Him who saith, 'I will have +mercy' and 'I will not the death of a sinner but rather that he should +turn and live,' who also, as the apostle saith, 'desired the salvation +of all men.' Nor is this to be wondered at: for in his soul there was +not even that vain satisfaction which hunters take in capturing +beasts,--a misplaced pleasure: he did not care to see the creature, when +taken, cruelly defiled with slaughter, nor would he ever take part in +the killing of an innocent beast. + +But what need of more? It is certain that the men among whom and towards +whom the king was so kind and merciful proved at the last wholly +ungrateful to him, as the Jews to Christ. For whereas God's right hand +had raised him to so glorious a place, these [murderous ones], as has +been said, conspiring together with savage rage, deprived even this most +merciful king of his royal power, and drove him from his realm and +governance; and after a long time spent in hiding in secret places +wherein for safety's sake he was forced to keep close, he was found and +taken, brought as a traitor and criminal to London, and imprisoned in +the Tower there; where, like a true follower of Christ, he patiently +endured hunger, thirst, mockings, derisions, abuse, and many other +hardships, and finally suffered a violent death of the body that others +might, as was then the expectation, peaceably possess the kingdom. But +his soul, as we piously believe upon the evidence of the long series of +miracles done in the place where his body is buried, liveth with God in +the heavenly places, where after the troubles of this world he rejoiceth +with the just in the eternal contemplation of God and in the stead of +this earthly and transitory kingdom whereof he patiently bore the loss, +he now possesseth one that endureth for ever. + + +_The revelations shown to him._ + +Furthermore I think it not well to pass over the heavenly mysteries +which were shown to this king. + +When he was imprisoned in the Tower of London, a certain chaplain of his +asked him, about the time of the feast of Easter, how his soul agreed +at that most holy season with the troubles that pressed upon him and so +sprouted forth that he could by no means avoid them. The king answered +in these words: 'The kingdom of heaven, unto which I have devoted myself +always from a child, do I call and cry for. For this kingdom which is +transitory and of the earth I do not greatly care. Our kinsman of March +thrusts himself into it as is his pleasure. This one thing only do I +require, to receive the sacrament at Easter, and the rites of the church +on Maundy Thursday with the rest of Christendom, as I am accustomed.' +And for the much devotion which he always had to God and His sacraments, +it seems not unsuitable that he should often have been enlightened by +heavenly mysteries and comforted thereby in his afflictions. He is +reported by some in his confidence, to whom he was used to reveal his +secrets, to have often seen the Lord Jesus held in the hands of the +celebrant and appearing to him in human form at the time of the +Eucharist. Again, when he was at Waltham he told some one privately +(though others also _standing_ behind him heard it) of a repeated +revelation from the Lord vouchsafed to him three years running at that +feast of St Edward which falls on the vigil of the Epiphany, of the +glory of the Lord appearing in human form, of His crown, and of a vision +of the assumption of the Blessed Mary both corporal and spiritual. + +Also there is the matter of the absence of the sacrament from the pyx +when he rode by a certain churchyard, on account of which he refrained +from his wonted reverence to the sacrament, as is told above. + +Also in the extreme pressure of his wars in the parts of the North, it +is told by some who came from that region, that when there was for a +time a scarcity of bread among his fellow-soldiers and troops, out of a +small quantity of wheat, bread was so multiplied by his merits and +prayers that a sufficiency and even a superfluity was forthcoming for +all of his who sought and asked for it, whereas the rest that were +opposed to him had to suffer from lack of meat. + +Moreover, after the horrid and ungrateful rebellion of his subjects had +continued a long time, and after these rebels had fought many hard +battles against him, he fled at last with a few followers to a secret +place prepared for him by those that were faithful to him. And, as he +lay hid there for some time, an audible voice sounded in his ears for +some seventeen days before he was taken, telling him how he should be +delivered up by treachery, and brought to London without all honour like +a thief or an outlaw, and led through the midst of it, and should endure +many evils devised by the thoughts of wicked men, and should be +imprisoned there in the Tower: of all which he was informed by +revelation from the Blessed Virgin Mary and Saints John Baptist, +Dunstan, and Anselm (whose consolations he did then as at other times +enjoy) and was thereby strengthened to bear with patience these and like +trials. But when he told this to some of his people, and namely to +Masters Bedon and Mannynge, they were incredulous and believed it not, +but thought all to be but vain wanderings until the event assured them +of the truth. + +It is also said that when the king was shut up in the Tower he saw a +woman on his right hand (_or_ out of his window) trying to drown a +little child, and warned her by a messenger not to commit such a crime +and sin, hateful to God; and she, rebuked by this reproof, desisted from +the deed she had begun. + +Also, when this king Henry was asked during his imprisonment in the +Tower why he had unjustly claimed and possessed the crown of England for +so many years, he would answer thus: 'My father was king of England, and +peaceably possessed the crown of England for the whole time of his +reign. And his father and my grandfather was king of the same realm. And +I, a child in the cradle, was peaceably and without any protest crowned +and approved as king by the whole realm, and wore the crown of England +some forty years, and each and all of my lords did me royal homage and +plighted me their faith, as was also done to other my predecessors. +Wherefore I too can say with the Psalmist: The lot is fallen unto me in +a fair ground: yea, I have a goodly heritage. For my right help is of +the Lord, who preserveth them that are true of heart.' + + +Praise be to God. + + + +Footnotes: + +[47] _Lit._ from virtue to virtue. + + + + +NOTES + + +The style and literary ability of John Blacman must be rated very low. +In translating him one is forced to neglect his use of particles and +tenses in order to produce a tolerable sense. He uses the pluperfect +apparently as an equivalent of the preterite, and begins sentences with +_unde_ where _unde_ has no meaning at all. There is no shape or +proportion in the composition of his tract as it stands. At the end of +the section on _Pietas et patientia_ he comes to a dignified close, but +immediately continues with a chapter on _Revelationes_ which, one would +think, ought not to have been an afterthought. This chapter ends in +mid-air; there is no kind of finality about it. It must be either +unfinished by the author or mutilated (as Hearne conjectured). If +mutilated, political considerations may have been responsible, for the +subject of the last paragraph is the question of Henry's right to the +crown (and not any revelation vouchsafed to him); and I see signs that +the tract was written before the accession of Henry VII, in the +vagueness of such allusions to the reigning sovereign as are to be found +in it. The clause 'propter regnum, ut tunc sperabatur, ab aliis pacifice +possidendum' is the most overt of these, and no one can say that it is +too explicit. The next sentence speaks of the long series of miracles +done where Henry's body is buried. This may mean that the body is still +at Chertsey, though in after years miracles occurred at Windsor. It will +be remembered that Richard III transferred it hastily from Chertsey to +Windsor because the reports of the miracles were testifying to a growth +of interest in the good king which was not healthy for the dynasty of +York. + +So also in the prologue, Blacman will not dwell upon the descent, the +coronation, and so on, of Henry, because these things are known to +everyone and because of his subsequent fall. The latter is the more +cogent reason. + +To what has been said of Hearne's connexion with the book, it may be +added that in the new edition of his _Collections_ (Oxf. Hist. Soc. vol. +X. p. 442) he tells us under date July 31, 1731, that "Mr West lately +met with a small Pamphlet in 4to bound up with the Arminian Nunnery, at +Little Gidding, and intituled 'Collectarium mansuetudinum (etc.).' 'Tis +printed in the old black Letter by Cowpland, with the figure of a king +in his Robes,... I do not remember to have ever seen this Book. +Archbishop Usher had seen John Blacman's MSS Collections wch probably +contained a great many other things relating to the Carthusians and +their Benefactors ... (Henry VI) was a pious, tho' very weak Prince. The +Carthusians had most deservedly a great opinion of him,... and did what +they could for his honour." + +I think Hearne is mistaken about Ussher, who does no more than quote a +passage from Blacman in his Historia Dogmatica (Opp. XII. 363). + +It may further be remarked that Holinshed and other chroniclers make +small extracts from Blacman without naming their source. I have not +discovered who is actually the earliest writer to cite him: but Hall +(1548) does not appear to do so. + + * * * * * + +p. 4. _quidam Angliæ reverendus antistes._ This bishop who was Henry's +confessor for ten years I suppose to have been William Ayscough, bishop +of Salisbury 1438-1450, who was much in Henry's confidence. It is +remarked in the _Dict. Nat. Biog._ that it was "a novelty in those days +for a bishop to be a king's confessor." + +p. 6. _missalia, oracula._ I take these words together and regard them +as a 'refined' way of saying 'orationes in missa' or the like. + +_sanctæ crucis signorum seriem in corona._ These crosses on the ring of +the crown are seen alternating with fleur de lys in the (early XVIth +century) representation of Henry in painted glass in the Hacomblen +chantry in King's College Chapel. + +p. 8. _Francisci Petrarchæ._ This, Blacman's one literary quotation, is +a garbled one from Petrarch's _De Vita Solitaria_, lib. II. sect. vi. c. +I. + +p. 9. _Jaspere et Edmundo._ The sons of Owen Tudor by Katherine, widow +of Henry V. + +p. 10. _cardinalis et episcopi Winton._ Cardinal Beaufort, d. 11 April +1447. The gift to Eton and King's was in fact made by a codicil to the +cardinal's will executed two days before his death. See Maxwell Lyte, +_Eton College_, p. 27. + +p. 11. _decem mutatoria casularia._ I suppose this to mean enough silk +to make ten or more sets of mass-vestments for a single priest. + +_Episcopos Wurcestriæ et Cestriæ._ Chester had no bishop till 1541. +Chichester must be meant. The bishop was doubtless Adam Moleyns 1445-50, +and he of Worcester John Carpenter 1443-76. Both appear in the king's +will as his feoffees for Eton and King's. + +p. 12. This is the most interesting page of the tract to those who have +enjoyed King Henry's bounty. A happy thought has of recent years +dictated the use of his words _Sitis boni pueri_ and the rest on the +occasion of the admission of the new King's Scholars at Eton. + +p. 13. _Sed libera nos._ It is at this point in the Lord's Prayer that +the congregation responds, at the end of the Prayer of Consecration (or +Canon) of the Roman Mass. + +_magistro doctore Town._ William Towne was scholar of Eton in 1443, and +passed on to King's. He died in 1484: his chantry and brass are in one +of the side-chapels on the N. of King's College Chapel. + +_quidam discus._ It is not clear to me whether a piece of plate +representing the Five Wounds in enamel is meant, or some edible +'subtilty': probably the former. + +p. 14. _cum capucio rotulato._ Perhaps a hood with a liripip (i.e. +tapering into a tail) is meant. + +_caligas, ocreas, calceos_: foot-gear for walking, riding and indoor +use respectively. + +p. 15. _dominus Ricardus Tunstall._ Sir Richard Tunstall of Thurland in +Westmorland (or Lancashire) appears frequently in the Patent Rolls etc. +of Henry VI, Edward IV and Henry VII. Under Edward IV his lands are +naturally granted to other people and he is attainted. In 1470, at +Henry's restoration, he is 'king's chamberlain' (_Cal. Pat. R._ p. 227). +Under Henry VII he is in favour and holds many important posts. + +An entry in William Worcester's Annals (Rolls, _Wars of the English in +France_, II. pt. 2 [785]), wrongly printed, is of interest here. Under +1464 he writes: "Mense Julii, dolo cujusdam monachi Abendoniæ, rex +Henricus in comitatu Lancastriæ capitur per quendam Johannem Talbois et +Ricardum Tunstalle milites, ibidem captus evasit. Dictusque rex Henricus +una cum monacho Thoma Mannyng et Bedone doctore ... versus Londoniam +adducebatur etc." We should certainly read 'et Ricardus T. miles ... +evasit.' + +Tunstall was afterwards taken in Wales by Lord Herbert, and confined in +the Tower, but soon pardoned (_Warkeworth's Chron._ Camd. Soc. p. 43). + +Another entry (_Three Fifteenth Cent. Chronicles_, Camden Soc. p. 80) +says: + +"Kynge Harry was take in the northe contre, and ii doctors with him, the +whiche wer called Doctor Mannynge and Doctor Beden, the whiche were all +thre brought to London." + +On the whole episode see Sir J. H. Ramsay, _Lancaster and York_, II. 316. + +What follows in the text is Tunstall's story. Blacman adds that he +himself witnessed a similar occurrence. + +p. 17. I do not know that the four nobles or the three great lords who +were pardoned can be certainly identified. Nor is it plain whether the +first of the two men who wounded him attacked him when confined in the +Tower. + +p. 18. _isti [=pr]iales._ Blacman intends a word of the sense of +'parricidiales.' But either he or the printer has gone wrong. + +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 <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 1481º. 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 2º fo. _cognicio intellectiua_. +2º fo. secundi _et cetera R[=o]_. + 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. 2º 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. 2º 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. 2º 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. 2º fo. _sic dicit +Augustinus._ + +(A) 7. Sanctus Thomas de veritatibus. + tabula super eodem. + 7. _This is MS. Harley 1032._ + +(B) 8. Item Bibliam. 2º fo. _damasci._ + +(A) 8. interpretacio nominum hebreorum + biblia + capitulacio epistolarum et euangeliorum per annum. + +(B) 9. Item magister historiarum (sententiarum). 2º 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. 2º 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. 2º fo. voluminis _simul +omnia._ + +(A) 12. Aristoteles de regimine principum + Gwydo de excidio Troianorum + idem in metro. + +(B) 13. Item Anticlaudianus. 3º 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. 3º fo. _quia sicut._ + +(A) 14. notabiles distincciones + sermones dominicales. + +(B) 15. Item martilogium. 5º 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. 2º 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. 2º fo. _tu es._ + +(A) 17. gesta Romanorum + regula beati Augustini. + +(B) 18. Item vite sanctorum. 2º 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. 2º 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. 2º 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. 2º fo. _segetem +necant._ + +(A) 21. Boecius de consolacione philosophie + Galfridus in noua poetria + canon tabularum Rede. + +(B) 22. Item librum vocatum pharetra, 2º fo. _idem de coniugiis._ + +(A) 22. pharetra + quindenarius Gregorianus. + +(B) 23. Item repertorium diuersorum. 2º 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. 2º 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. + + + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Henry the Sixth, by John Blacman + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK HENRY THE SIXTH *** + +***** This file should be named 29689-8.txt or 29689-8.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + http://www.gutenberg.org/2/9/6/8/29689/ + +Produced by Paul Murray, Stephanie Eason, and the Online +Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net. (This +file was produced from images generously made available +by The Internet Archive/Canadian Libraries.) + + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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