CUL/Ii.1.40
NAME
Ii.1.40.
DESCRIPTION
Parchment; 227; 222 x 150 in double cols; fourteenth (late) or fifteenth century (early).
CONTENTS
ff. 11r–115r: Set 5 (on the Sunday Epistles) of the Wycliffite Sermons (IPMEP 304); f. 115v: Blank; f. 116: Missing; ff. 117r–222r: Set 1 (on the Sunday Gospels), beginning at the First Sunday after Trinity (IPMEP 304); f. 222r–v: Latin note citing Augustine on the dignity of priests; ff. 223–25: Missing; f. 226r: Drawing of a head; f. 227r: English note, citing Sir James Clare and dated 25 May 1628, comparing the two houses of Parliament to the summit and foot of Mount Sinai; f. 227v: Blank.
PARALLEL TRADITIONS
See BL/Add 40672.
COMMENTS
The foliation begins at f. 2 (flyleaf pasted on to the cover) and includes flyleaves and missing pages; Hudson and Gradon 1983–96:I, 53 give the number as v + 212 + i. On f. 226v there is a sixteenth-century ownership inscription to Thomas Treves, with a list of other names.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
CUL Catalogue:III, 369; Hudson and Gradon 1983–96:I, 53–54.
Sermon Description: BL/Add 40672/001
OCCASION
First Sunday after Trinity.
HEADING/TITLE
Dominica prima post festum sancte Trinnitatis. Ewangelium. Sermo primus.
THEME
Homo quidam erat diues qui induebatur purpura et bisso [Lc 16:19].
LENGTH
55r-v.
INCIPIT
Homo quidam erat diues qui induebatur purpura et bisso, Luce 16. Crist telluth in this parable how richessus ben perilows, for li3tly wole a riche man vsen hem in to myche lust. A parable is a word of story şat by şat huydyth a spiritual wit. The story tellith şer was a riche man şat disusede hys richessys in pruyde and in glotenye, for he was cloşid in purpure and bys (şat ben preciouse cloşis, bothe reed and whit), and so he was an ypocrite şat schewed hym to şe world boşe austerne and clene, as worldly men don. And ouer this eche day was he fed schynyngly, bothe for schynyng of vessel and precious foode.
EXPLICIT
And marke we how şis gospel tellith şat şis riche man was not dampned for extorcion or wrongys şat he dude to hys ney3bore, but for he faylede in werkys of mercy. And şus schulde we warne both o man and other how somme schul be dampned more felly for raueyne, and summe schul be dampned more softly for mysvsyng of Goddes goodes.
SUMMARY
[The sermon is structured around the gospel of Lc 16:19–31, about the rich man and Lazarus, with each biblical verse given in English, followed by comment and interpretation.] This gospel provides a parable on the dangers of wealth. The dogs which licked the poor man's sores signify the compassion shown by the servants of the rich towards the poor. The rich man suffers torment in relation to his tongue because of his boastfulness and gluttony. Some people believe that because the rich man refers to Abraham as 'father', he was Jewish. [55v] The rich man asks that Lazarus be sent to warn his family not out of charity, but because he was frightened of the pain he would incur by condemning them to hell. Abraham refuses his request, because it is not up to God to make new laws and new miracles for those who are damned, as Christ did not come down from the cross to prove himself to the Jews.
'In this gospel may prestes telle' of the pride and sinfulness of the rich, the pains of hell, and joys of heaven, 'and şus lenkşe her sarmoun as şe tyme askith'. The rich man was condemned not for his sinful actions, but because he had not carried out works of mercy; and this should serve as a warning.
BIBLICAL CITATIONS
Lc 16:19; Lc 16:19–31.
PROPER NAMES
Lazarus (Lc 16); Abraham; Moses.
CONCEPTS
Mercy.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Hudson and Gradon 1983–96:I, 223–26.
