CUL/Ff.2.38
NAME
Ff.2.38.
DESCRIPTION
Paper; iii + 247 + i; 297 x 210 almost entirely in double columns; fifteenth century (late) or sixteenth century (early).
CONTENTS
ff. 3r–32v: Fifteen items of religious material, many concerning pastoralia (NIMEV 2714, 1854, 3861, 244, 257, 1259 [ending imperfectly], 355 [beginning imperfectly], 1041, 3685, 3040, 3262, 1815, 1126, 2770, 4200), fully described in McSparran and Robinson 1979:xxi–xxii; f. 33r–v: Chapters 13 and 14 of The Mirror of St Edmund (IPMEP 800); ff. 33v–35r: Three Arrows of Doomsday (IPMEP 842); f. 35r–v: Eight Tokens of Meekness; ff. 35v–40r: Excerpts from John Mirk's Festial for the feasts of Sts Mary Magdalene, Margaret, and Thomas of Canterbury, which has been mostly crossed through (IPMEP 734); ff. 40r–261v: Twenty-one items of religious narrative and secular romance material (NIMEV 2165, 227, 4154, 3368, 1877, 622, 1899, 2619, 2052, 1897, 1909, 1681, 1725, 1177, 1918, 1993, 3187, 3146 and 1906, 334, 2780, 1895 [ending imperfectly]), fully described in McSparran and Robinson 1979:xxiii–xxv.
PARALLEL TRADITIONS
See BL/Claudius A.ii.
COMMENTS
Inside the back cover are fragments that had been used to repair f. 140. The manuscript has been rebound since the description in the CUL Catalogue, and the new foliation (from 3 to 261) allows for missing folios. The manuscript was owned by John Moore (1646–1714), Bishop of Ely, whose library was presented to the University Library in 1715. It is localised in Leicestershire in LALME:I, 67.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
CUL Catalogue:II, 404–08; McSparran and Robinson 1979:xii–xxv; Powell (forthcoming).
Sermon Description: BL/Claudius/A.ii/010
AUTHOR
John Mirk.
OCCASION
St Thomas of Canterbury (29 December).
HEADING/TITLE
De sancto Thoma Cantuariensi episcopo.
LENGTH
24v–28v.
INCIPIT
Thys day ys Sent Thomas Day, a marter žat was slayn for že law of holy chyrch and for že ryght of žys reeme. Žys holy Seynt Thomas was boren in že cyte of London and hadde a fadur was kalled Gylbard žat was schyref of London. Žen fel hyt as žys Gylbert 3ede into že Holy Lond, he was taken and put in dystresse. Žen come žer a wyrschepful womon of že contre to hym and sayde, 3ef he wolde plyghte hure trowže for te wedde hure, [25r] heo wolde helpon hym out of dystresse, and so deden. Žen went Gylbard hom to Engelon, and heo, when heo segh hure tyme, com aftur and mette wyth hym in že chyrch of Sent Poule at London.
EXPLICIT
But Wyllyam Tracy, by lettyng žat he hadde, he taryed byhynde and fel sek by že way and roted al hys body, so žat hymself lompemal wyth hys hondes kaste away hys flesche into že flore and dyed an horrybul deth. Že ožur žre also dyed on pytewys deth, so žat, wythin žre 3ere aftur Thomas deth, heo weren ded alle. But also longe as žey lyued, žey cryed euer of mersy to God and to Seynt Thomas.
SUMMARY
St Thomas's father, Gilbert, promised to marry a woman in the Holy Land. [25r] She followed him to England and once she had been baptised, they were married in London. When she was pregnant with Thomas, she dreamed that her belly was too big for her to enter St Paul's church but her confessor told her that this meant that one day the Church would be too small for her son. Thomas served (1) the king 'monfully' and (2) God devoutly, and (3) died humbly.
(1) As chancellor, he rid the kingdom of robbers to make it safe to travel and he repaired the king's palaces. [25v] He was skilful in defending the king's overseas territories, wore the richest clothing, had the most luxurious household, and was the king's best friend. Once whilst Thomas and the king were riding, Thomas refused the king's order to give his cloak to a poor man [26r] until the king wrestled it from him; this shows the affection between the two of them.
(2) He served God devoutly. Once he became archbishop of Canterbury, he led a different life, laying aside his fine clothes and rich food. He did many penances, being beaten and washing the feet of the poor. [26v] While he was in exile at the abbey of Pontigny, the abbot overheard Christ telling Thomas about how he would be killed in his own church for love of Christ; Thomas made the abbot promise not to repeat what he had heard.
(3) He died humbly. When he refused to set his seal on the king's laws, he was branded a traitor and [27r] exiled. After seven years, the king of France and the pope brokered a truce between Thomas and the king and Thomas returned to Canterbury. Four knights made a vow to kill Thomas, hoping to gain the king's favour. When they arrived, Thomas's monks bolted the church doors [27v] but Thomas opened them and invited the knights to enter. The knights attacked Thomas, spilling his brains on the floor of the church. [28r] At the same time at which Thomas died, a monk also died in Jerusalem. At his abbot's request, he returned to tell what he had seen in heaven: a bishop arriving with a company of angels and being given a golden crown. [An exemplum is given concerning St Thomas's help for a bird.] [Ex 1] [An exemplum is given concerning a man who was healed and then asked to be made sick again.] [Ex 2] [28v] When the king heard of the miracles Thomas had done, he came to Canterbury barefoot and prayed for forgiveness. He did penance and cancelled the laws which had threatened the Church's liberties. The four knights cursed their actions and three of them went to Jerusalem. Within three years all died painful deaths but as long as they lived, they cried for mercy.
PROPER NAMES
St Thomas Becket; Gilbert, father of St Thomas Becket; Sir Reginald Bereson; Sir William Tracy; Sir Richard Bryto; Sir Hugh Morville; Robert Brock; St Peter.
PLACE NAMES
London; Holy Land; England; St Paul's church, London; France; Cheapside, London; Canterbury; Pontigny (abbey); Northampton; Jerusalem.
CONCEPTS
Saracens.
EXEMPLA
[Ex 1] A bird that could speak was pursued by a sparrowhawk. Imitating the people it had heard on pilgrimage, it cried out to St Thomas of Canterbury and the sparrowhawk fell down dead.
[Ex 2] A sick man prayed to St Thomas and was healed. Then he decided that God had made him sick to bring him grace so he asked to be made sick again if it was better for his soul. When the sickness returned, he thanked God and St Thomas.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Erbe 1905:38–44.
