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 Morgan48 tunc decanum capelle collegialis castri de Wyndesore, modo vero episcopum meneuensem cum infrascriptis quibusdam beati regis henrici miraculis.
Eternam in Christo Ihesu quam sibimet salutem cum reverencia speciali tanto viro dignissima etc. Richard Combe had brought to the writer of the letter ‘exemplaria quedam pulcerrima’ of Henry’s miracles, in English, with a request from a Bishop that he would translate them into Latin.
4. f. 3 b. Another letter from the Dean of Windsor. Indeficientis votiua salutis preconia, tuas etenim, virorum contemplatissime, suauissimas kalendis januarii animo quidem gratissimo recepi litteras. Gives his consent to the translation of the Miracles. Scriptum apud Regale castrum Wynsor’ stilo rudissime profluente 4 Nonas Januarii.
Hec tibi describens tuus est ad vota Johannes.
5. f. 4 b. Prologue. Solet plerumque lassascenti stomacho obesse dapium plenitudo.
Among other matters he apologizes for styling Henry beatissimus, sanctissimus, and so forth.
6. f. 6. Capitula (28).
7. f. 7. Text. Annotatur hic qualiter puer quidam bis biennis in molendino aquatico submersus fuerat (et) ad inuocacionem beati regis henrici resuscitatus a mortuis anno dominice incarnacionis 1481°. qui erat annus regni Edwardi quarti regis famosissimi vicesimus primus. Et primo ponitur exordium breue et deinde narracio subinfertur.
Quia sacro dictante eloquio sacramentum regis abscondere bonum esse didicimus etc.
There are various marginal notes in a large hand, on the proofs of the Miracles, e.g.:
f. 8. Westwel Cancie, probatum: 9 b somerseschyr’ non reperitur: 10 savernak Foreste non inuenitur: 11 Examinentur Thomas Hayward, Johannes Parmyter, D. Wyllelmus Edwardes: 11 b Holyngton Sowthsex probatum.
After cap. 28 (f. 26) is a slip with a note on Capitula of Lib. ii: f. 27 Capitula (58) of Lib. ii.
Slip, with title of Prologue: In miracula quedam famosiora et euidenciora quibus illustrissimum virum Henricum regem Anglie sextum diuina decorauit clemencia, que et infra biennium post eius in ecclesia collegiali castri de Wynsore tumulacionem ibidem manifestata noscuntur pretitulatur hic prologus.
The same in a shorter form in the lower margin of f. 30.
f. 30. Lib. II. Prol. Quanta ex florigero diuine plenitudinis agro, etc.
On f. 32 the capitula are continued, from 59 to 67. A blank unnumbered leaf follows.
The text proceeds to cap. 30 (de calice et portiforio). (Here the other copy, Harl. 423, ends; its last leaf is a fragment.) Then follow 11 blank pages: then a slip (recto blank) numbered 148, which has the beginning of cap. 67.
The text then continues on ff. 59-85.
The miracles up to this point are variously and irregularly numbered: there seem to be about 40.
Then follows a list of 24 miracles, and text; then on f. 101 a list of 13 miracles, followed by text. At the end of the last is: ·1500·
There is some ground for thinking that this volume was utilized, or to be utilized, for the process of the canonization of Henry VI which proved abortive.
The other MS Harl. 423 is of cent. xvi early, and occupies ff. 72-128 in one of Foxe’s volumes. It is plainly a copy of the first part of the Royal MS.
Footnotes
48 Morgan was dean of Windsor 1484-96; bp of S. David’s 1496-1504
Long “s” has been modernized.
Bold font represents Black Letter font used in original.
The original text contains two types of footnotes. The set of footnotes used to mark page breaks in the original document has been placed in the text of this document. The second set of footnotes, used for commentary on the text, is accessed through hyperlinks in this document.
Additional spacing after some of the quotes is intentional to indicate both the end of a quotation and the beginning of a new paragraph as presented in the original text.