The minor poems of the Vernon ms. ... (with a few from the Digby mss. 2 and 86) ...

MS. Dd. 1, 1 Cambr. Univ. Libr., fol. 32 b.

Panem angelorum manducauit homo:

Dauid in psalmo.

In nomine summi saluatoris, gloriosissimi sublimis creatoris, indiuidue omnipotentis ineffabilis trinitatis, incomprehensibilis et incommutabilis veri dei & hominis, nostri principii, progreditur exordium : veri vbi christus est funda|mentum, nullum boni operis superest edificium: patebunt lingua materna, dei mediante gracia.

[The first 38 vv. are wanting in Vernon.] In þe name of oure souereyn sauyour, Þat is al-weldinge creatour, Þe heye holi trenyte Þer o god is & personis .iij., Line 4 Boþe veri god and man; & þe holi gost, alle .iij. but an, be a-mong vs in his grace to wone, to helpe þe speche þat is here begunne. and if þer eny man be here Line 9 Þat of his beleue haþ ben in a were or haþ errid her-be-fore wher-bi his soule myhte be lore, Line 12 swich word he mote now here to sauen him fro helle-fere; and alle þat ben in riht fay, Þat þei mote hold þe saf way. Line 16 and þer-for beseke we him Þat may sauen eueri lyme, to-berste, to-bete bon & felle, to saue vs fro þe fire of helle; Line 20 and þis day lete his bodi be bore, to techin vs þe riht wey before, and þat he to vs take hede & send vs þing þat we han nede. Line 24 ffor, as I seyde beforn in latyn, Þat no werk haþ no good fyn, It is nouht worth, verament, but if crist be þe fundament: Line 28 Þer-for wile we him beseche Þat he be founder of oure speche, and þat it ende in his name, & þat þe foule fend it schame Line 32 and profite to oure soulis alle, Þat non in mysbeleue ne falle. Þer-for alle þat ben here, preyth for me sum preyere, Line 36 ffor ihesu cristis owne loue, & also for ȝoure own behoue.— — ^*Ȝe lewid men, takiþ hede— for þe clerkis han no nede Line 40 Þat I hem opene þis latyn, for þei it knowe wel & fyn;

ffor holi chirche it singiþ meste, nameliche in þis newe feste. Line 44 But nertheles it is ful old Þat dauid in þe sawtere told: for þis it is þat dauid seyde Þat "Man etiþ aungelis brede;" Line 48 & þat is soth, for so it wes in tyme of þe prophete moyses. He was in Egipte in gret truage, & goddis folk in foul seruage, Line 52 vnder þe king pharao Þer was a þousand men & mo. Longe it were al to telle; but atte laste þus it befelle Line 56 Þat god ne wold suffren it no more his owne folk in thraldom thore, and god bad moyses he schuld fle wiþ his folk þorw þe rede se. Line 60 and whan moyses to þe se com, al drye his folk wiþ him he nom: Þe se stod vpriht as a walle,

til þei were passid alle. Line 64 King pharao him suyd faste wiþ al his meyne, & al in haste; and whan þei were alle in þe se wiþ-in, God turnid hire strengþe al aȝen, Line 68 so þat goddis folk was al ouer went & pharao & hise were alle schent. In þis place it may ben seyde Þat man ete aungelis brede: Line 72 Þe tyme þat moyses lad þus his gret ost in wildernes God fro heuene lete reyne adoun as it were a flour, gret foysoun, Line 76 Manna, so it is wrete, & it is seyd aungelis mete. Þei it gaderid & lyuid þer-bi, Line 79 & synnyd sore I wile telle ȝow whi: Þei gaderid mor of bred Þan eueri day þei had to ned; and it wolde not ben on morwe for to kepe ne for to borwe. Line 84

Line 84 I holde þis a badde stor to eueri mokerere þat wold han mor of catel þan he haþ to nede his owne meyne for to fede; Line 88 he bieþ corn aȝen þe ȝere & kepit it til it be dere. "But þer-of doþ he wiseliche, if he departe it skilfulliche." Line 92 Nay for soþe, þenkiþ he nouht to pore men departen ouht; Bouhte he neuere so good chepe, he ne rewiþ not þe pore to wepe; Line 96 he ne rouhte how al þe world ȝode, so þat his owne geting were gode. for þis is þe mokereris answere: "Go ȝoure wey, corn is ful dere," Line 100 also for soþe, wiþ-outen gabbe, Þe same answere he schall habbe whan alle þe aungelis, in heuene beth, & alle on erthe þat suffrid deth, Line 104 schul ben at on parlement:

Þer þe mokerere schal ben schent; Þer he schal vpbraydid be of god him-self, þat is so fre, Line 108 In what manere þat he ha þ spent Þe godis þat god on erthe him lent. Þer god him-self schal ȝeuyn þe dome— he may ben a-drad or he þer come; ffor þis is þe word þat god wile say Line 113 to þe mokerere at domys-day, and so harde to non other man as to þe vnkynde mokerere þan: Line 116 "I hungrid whan þou wernedist me mete; I wold haue had drink, I cowde non gete; herborwles, þou me forsoke; & sike, in prisoun, cam not me to loke; Line 120 . . . . . [[folios 34, 35, 36 wanting in Cambr. MS.]]

"lo," quod he, "how I am diht! who saw euere swich a siht?" Þorw his hond men myhte se als brod as was þat vble. Line 420 and he not maymed was, & afterward song many a mas, And þe hole al-wey þorw his hond— Þus þat soþe men it fond. Line 424 & after for a þousand pound of gold Þe prest no mor synne wold, But seruid god wiþ greet drede, & afterward to heuene ȝede.— Line 428 I hold þat man mor þan mad Þat takiþ þis bred & is not drad of þe wreche þat myhte befalle. so wurthi bred it is wiþ-alle Line 432 Þat for þe myht of þat word Þat god seyde at his bord, Þe same myht þat word haþ here, to turne þe bred in to other manere, Line 436

Line 436 & to turne þe wyn in to blod, Þe same þat was schad on þe rod. Þe wordis perauenture I coude the telle, but I am not worþi & þer-for I nelle. al oþer making to þe mas Line 441 I dar wel tellin how it was. Þe apostelis seyde no more but what þei herde of cristis lore— no mor to þe masse wold þei do, Line 445 and þe pater noster þer-to, vpon þe bred and þe wyn— & so hem þouhte it good & fyn. Line 448 non othere vestemens vsid þai but as þei werid eueri day;

and in vesselis of tre— Non oþer chaleys had he. Line 452 Than þe pope vrban, Þat was a ful holi man, ordeynid þat þe chaleys scholde ben of siluer or of golde, Line 456 wiþ a patene, to helin oueral, made of þe same metal. Þe pope Celestyn, ordeynid he, a psalme men clepe Iudica me Line 460 Þat eueri prest þat is & was schuld it seye or he ȝede to mas. Þe .ix. kiries þat ben in boke Line 463 Þe pope siluester of grew hem toke. Þer-after comiþ Gloria in excelsis, Þat þe aungelis of heuene first son[g], I-wis; Of seint hillari þat was Erchebischop of poytas, Line 468 he made fro laudamus te Þe remenaunt þan singe we.

Þan þe pope Tellophorus, & þat oþer pope Cinacus, Line 472 Be-twix hem boþ ordeynid was to singen gloria at þe mas. pope alisaundere ordeynid wel to redin Epistil and gospel. Line 476 Be Ierom & ambrose ordeynid was to make þe grayel to þe mas. al þis confermyd pope Gregori, & þer-to made þe offertori. Line 480 Þanne þe pope anastasius comaundid in lawe riht þus: Þat no man schuld sitte, he bed, whil þe Gospel were red. Line 484 Constantinus made þe Crede, to singe it he ȝaf þe rede. pope steuene & pope Clemens ordeynid holi vestymens. Line 488 pope siluester ordeynid þe corporas, in tokne þat goddis bodi was In clene sendel I-wounde whan Ioseph leyde it in toumbe Line 492

Line 492 in his owne graue of ston & leyde anoþer gret ston þer-on. Þanne þe pope leouns made þe prefaciouns. Line 496 alisaundere þe pope ordeynid þis: to don watir & wyn in þe chalis, in tokne þat þer com boþ watir & blod of cristis side þat heng on rod; Line 500 in blod is toknid þat he bouhte vs, in watir þat cristenid be houiþ vs. Þan ordeynid þe pope sixtus thryes for to singe sanctus; Line 504 & þan he made þe canoun þer, and god made þe pater noster. And how & in what maner befelle Þat god made þe pater noster, I wile telle. Line 508 Þe apostelis seyde to crist on a day: "teche vs, lord, how we schul pray." & seynt iohn haþ tauht vs þis— Þat is one of his disciplis— Line 512

Line 512 Þat ihesu tauht hem þis preyere & bad hem seyn þe pater noster. and þus moche to seyn it is: "Oure fader þat in heuene is, Line 516 halewid mote þin name be. to þi kingdom mote come we. Þi wil in heuene & in erthe be do. oure ech-days bred send vs þer-to. Line 520 and oure dettis forȝeue þou vs, as we for-ȝeuen oure detouris. & lede vs in to no fonding, but saue vs fro euil þing. amen." Line 524 Of þe holi gost þe .vij. ȝiftis in þe pater noster touchid is; of whiche to god þer touchin thre, & foure in one to the and me. Line 528 Þis preyere, þow it be schort, but it be seyd in clene hert, It is a-ȝen þat ilke man Þat in to his herte wraþþe haþ tan. Line 532

Line 532 Þer-for þe good pope Innocent Pax domini haþ ordeynt, Þat eueri man schuld kisse oþer Line 535 & holden hem for suster & brother; in tokne þat god mad pes wiþ man, Þer-for þat pes is ȝouen þan. Þe laste word of þis heye feste is clepid Ite missa est, Line 540 Þat is to sey "it is I-sent to heuene for vs, þe sacrament"; be-for þe holy trenyte Þe first part of þe thre, Line 544 Þat oþer for hem þat suffrid deth, Þe thridde for hem þat alyue beth.— It is riht þat first nemenid be oure ladi in þe Canone: Line 548 ffor god of hire flesch tok Þat neuere cristen man forsok; Þat flesch he haþ take the to fede, Þat is clepid aungelis brede. Line 552

Line 552 Þe .xij. apostelis nemenid beth, for hire preching þei suffrid deth—

Quia apostoli dicuntur missi, & martires testes apostolorum:

As þing þat is sent ben þe apostelis, and marteris ben to hem witnes; Line 556 & alle marteris þat were dede for þei were witnes of þis brede, Þat god deyde for loue of vs, & þei for þe loue of crist ihesus. Line 560 petir, andrew, philip, these .iij. were don vp-on þe rode-tre. poule, Iamys, and mathew were heuedid, & bartilmew Line 564 was helt al nakid quyk for his witnes of þis vnlik. and þat oþer lesse Iamys, and symon also, & thadeus, Line 568 hire senewis for cristen lawe out of hire bodi were drawe.

and seynt Iohn Euangelist, Þat was cosyn to ihesu crist, Line 572 he drank venym, to make preue Þat we han truþe and riht beleue. and seynt thomas didimus, he was þorw-stekid riht þus. Line 576 Þer-after comiþ .xij. marteris, Þat company in þe canoun reknid is; Of whiche summe popis were, Line 579 summe bischopis þat myter did bere, summe deknes þat were half prest, summe lewid men þat leuid on crist— ffor alle ordres & alle degres to þis sacrament bere witnes. Line 584 Leouns, Clemens, & Cletus, Sixtus, and Cornelius, these were popis, þat suffrid deth for þat bred þat ȝe a-days seeth. Line 588 Ciprian was bischop of Cartaginus. Steuene, laurens, & vincent were dekins.

Grisogon, Iohn and paules, Þei were on lyue knyhtis; Line 592 Cosmas and Damianus, Þei were lechis, wretin it is þus. Katerine, Mergrete, & agace deyden for þis bred of grace. Line 596 Þer-for it is riht hire namys to be nemenid in þe Canone: for alle these deyde in good entent for to mayntene þis sacrament.— Line 600 Þe sacrament mote þi soule fede þat is clepid aungelis brede. if þat ȝe worþiliche it fonge, it schal kepe ȝow þus longe, Line 604 fro þat day þat ȝe ded ben til ȝoure bodyes risen a-ȝen; and þan þe bodi & soule in-fere schul wende to þe gret mangere Line 608 where neuere-mor schal ben no nede to no maner of ertheli brede, But þe sihte of þe blisful trenyte

schal euere-mor þi fode be. Line 612 Þer we han þe moder to prey þe sone, & we han þe sone to prey þe fader, Þe holy gost we han in wone— Þis entre we han to-geder: Line 616 what lettiþ vs for to wynne Þe riche blis þat is vs behote, but it be oure owne synne? Þer is non oþer þing, I wote. Line 620 Of pardoun I haue no pouste to ȝow for to graunte of me: but, if ȝe don now after me, I wile ȝow tellin a quantite, Line 624 How moche pardoun ȝe may habbe, grauntid to ȝoure moste nede, to come to honour wiþ-outen gabbe, it is [om. it is] þis ilke aungelis brede. That same thursday þat next is Line 629 after þe feste of þe trenyte, Þe pope vrban ordeynid þis Þat þan þis pardoun schuld be. Line 632

Line 632 an hundrid dayes of forȝifnes he grauntid to hem alle in fay Þat come vn-to þe matynes on þat same thursday; Line 636 ffourti dayes for eueri houre þat tyde, & an hundrid for þe masse, an hundrid who-so þe euensong abide— he grauntid hem no lasse. Line 640 and al þat woke eueriday Þis pardoun lastiþ so, who-so al þe seruyse han may; & ȝet he schal han mo: Line 644 ffor eueri days seruise an hundrid days to bote— wel men auhte to seen therin [r. to seien] þise on horse and also on fote. Þe laste pope þat was now, his name Iohn hiht, al þis pardoun he grauntiþ ȝow & doubliþ it wiþ his myht. Line 652 Meylerus, þorw goddis grace

bisschop of leyȝ-lymme, he haþ amendid al þis cas Þorw myht þat god ȝaf hym: Line 656 ffourti days to pardoun he ȝaf þer-to, wiþ-out drede, to alle þat wiþ good deuocioun herin it or don it rede. Line 660 So it amountiþ holliche on and fourty ȝere & sex-score dayes, truliche, who-so heriþ his seruise here. Line 664 Ihesu graunte ȝow alle & some in erthe so for to spede that þis pardoun ȝow make come vn-to þis heuenlich brede. Line 668 Þat man ete aungelis brede, Þus first we began; to heuene it mote vs alle lede boþe wyf and man, Line 672 In nomine patris & filij wiþ vs go Et spiritus sancti do also. amen.