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alle pe worlde." It is a literal translation of the Latin prose Life, printed at Strasburg, in 1494, and from this or a similar version the alliterative Scotish Romance in MS. Ashmole 44, seems to have been versified.

On the verso of fol. 49 is written in a later hand than the usual text, "Isto die natus fuit, sancta Maria ante [Nativitatem?] Domini nostri Jhesu Christi, Robertus Thornton in Ridaylle, anno Domini м°CCCCLIIJ."

2. Prognostications of the weather, etc., written in a different and more recent hand. fol. 50.

3. Lamentacio Peccatoris. fol. 51b.

Beg. Alle crystyn men þ' wawkes me bye.

In twenty stanzas of four lines each, written in a later hand than Thornton's.
On fol. 52b is a rude drawing in pen and ink of a combat between a knight and

a giant, executed apparently by the same hand.

4. Here begynnes Morte Arthure. fol. 53.

Beg. Now grett glorious godd | thurghe grace of hym seluene,
And the precyous prayere | of hys prys modyr.

At the bottom of the page is written in red,

may.

....

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On fol. 93b occurs also the name of "Robart Thornton," in a scroll attached to an initial letter, and at the end of the poem occurs, "Here endes Morte Arthure, writene by Robert of Thorntone." A later hand adds, "R. Thornton dietus, qui scripsit sit benedictus. Amen." Bishop Tanner, and after him Ritson and others, have considered Thornton here and elsewhere as the author, but he is evidently only the scribe. In all probability, this Romance is the "gret Geste of Arthure," ascribed by Wyntown to Hucheon. (See Notes, p. 303.)

5. Here by-gynnes the Romance off Octavyane. fol. 98b.

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In six-line stanzas.

Herkyns alle to my talkynge.

Unfortunately one half of fol. 108 has been torn away. It differs from the Romance printed by Weber, from the Cotton MS. Calig. A. II., but agrees with the copy at Cambridge, among Bp. More's MSS. in the Public Library, No.690. (Ff. ii. 38.)

6. Here begynnes the Romance off Syr Ysambrace. fol. 109.

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In six-line stanzas. At the end is," Explicit Syr Ysambrace." It differs much

from Copland's edition, reprinted by Utterson in his Early Popular Poetry, vol. i. p. 77.

7. Here bygynnes y Romance off Dyoclicyane ye Emperour & y Erle Berade of Tholous, and of ye Emprice Beaulilione. fol. 114.

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In six-line stanzas.

Onely god and persones thre.

The close of this Romance has been torn away. It is printed by Ritson, Metr. Rom. vol. iii. p. 93, from Bp. More's MSS. in Publ. Libr. Cambridge, No. 690, and a third copy exists in the Ashmolean Museum, No. 45.

8. Vita Sancti Christofori. [Her]e bygynnes ye lyffe of ye Story of [S]aynte Cristofre. fol. 122b.

Beg. Lordynges, if it be 30wre wille,

And je wille here, and holde 30w still.

In six-line stanzas. At the end is, " Explicit Vita Sancti Christofori. Thorntone.” 9. Syr Degreuance. fol. 130.

Beg. Jhesu, Lorde in Trynite

Graunte þam heuene for to see.

In eight-line stanzas. At the close is, "Explicit Syr Degreuaunt." The name is printed erroneously Degrenante by Laing, (who conjectures it may be Sir Degore, which it is not,) and Dygamore by Dibdin. Ritson in his MS. Catalogue of Romances, MS. Add. 10,285, Append., mentions another copy as existing among Bp. More's MSS. at Cambridge.

10. Incipit Syr Eglamour of Artasse. fol. 138.

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In six-line stanzas.

Gyff vs alle his blyssyng.

There are other copies in MS. Cott. Calig. A. II., and MS. More, 690. It was printed by Chepman and Myllar at Edinburgh, in 1508, and subsequently by Copland, and by Walley, at London.

11. De Miraculo beate Marie. fol. 147.

Beg. Jhesu, Lorde in Trinyte,

pt was, and es, and aye schalle be.

In six-line stanzas. The story relates to a wicked knight, who is converted from his sins by a friar.

12. Lyarde. fol. 148.

Beg. Lyarde es ane olde horse, and may noght wele drawe,
He salle be putt in to pe parke, holyne for to gnawe.

At the end is, "Here endys Lyarde." The tale is of an indecent cast.

13. Tomas off Ersseldoune. fol. 149b.

Beg. Lystyns, lordynges, bothe grete and smale.

In stanzas of four lines each. At the end, “Explicit Thomas of Erseledownne.” It is imperfect; part of fol. 152 and nearly the whole of fol. 153 having been torn away. It was printed from this copy by Laing in his Popular Poetry of Scotland, 4to, 1822, and previously had appeared in Scott's Border Minstrelsy and Jamieson's Popular Ballads, from the Cotton MS. Vitell. E. x., and MS. More Ff. v. 48.

14. Here by-gynnes the Awntyrs of Arthure at the Terne- Wathelyne. fol. 154. Printed in the present Volume, p. 95. A fac-simile of the commencement is annexed, which will shew the general character of the MS.

15. Here bygynnes the Romance off Syr Perecyuelle of Gales. fol. 161.

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In stanzas of eight lines. No other copy is at present known, but it is but of little merit as a composition.

16, 17, 18. Charms for the tooth-ache. fol. 176.

19. Epistola Sancti Salvatoris. fol. 176.

20. Prayer in Latin, with a Proem in English. fol. 176.

21. A Preyere off the Fyve Joyes of oure Lady [in] Ynglys, and of the

Fyve Sorowes. fol. 177b.

22. Psalmus, Voce mea ad Dominum clamaui. fol. 178.

23. Here bygynnys Fyve Prayers to the wirchipe of the Fyve Wondys of

oure Lorde Jhesu Cryste; in Latin. fol. 178.

24. Oracio in Ynglys. fol. 178b.

25. A Colett to oure lady Saynt Marye; in Latin. fol. 178.

26. Oracio in modo Collecte, pro amico. fol. 178b.

27. Antiphona Sancti Leonardi, cum Collecta. fol. 178b.

28. Here begynnes the Previte off the Passioune of oure lorde Jhesu. fol. 179.

Beg. Who so desyres to fynd comforthe and gostely gladnes.

At the end is written, "Explicit Bonauenture de Misterijs Passionis Thesu Christi."

29. Incipit tractatus Willielmi Nassyngtone, quondam Aduocati Juris Eboraci, de Trinitate et Vnitate, cum declaracione operum Dei, et de passione Domini nostri Jhesu Christi, etc. fol. 189.

Beg. A, Lord God of myghtes maste, Fadere and Sone, and Haly Gaste,
Fader, for p" ert almyghty, sone for thow ert alle wytty.

Tanner notices this poem from the present MS., and so does Warton, Hist. Engl. Poetry, vol. iii. p. 9, who with his usual inaccuracy confounds it with Nafsyngton's translation of John de Waldeby's Myrrour, and then assigns the author to the year 1480; although in the Royal Library, British Museum, there is a copy of Nafsyngton's version of the Myrrour, dated in 1418, MS. Reg. 17, C. viii.

30, 31, 32. Prayers in verse. fol. 191b.

33. Of the vertuz of the haly name of Jhesu. fol. 192.

A translation from Richard Hampole's comment on the verse Oleum effusum nomen tuum, etc.

34. A tale pat Richerde Hermet [made]. fol. 193b.

Beg. When I hade takene my syngulere purpos, and lefte pe seculere habyte.

35. A prayere pat pe same Richerde Hermet made, pt es beried at Hampulle ; in Latin. fol. 193b.

36. Ympnus, quem composuit Sanctus Ambrosyus. fol. 193b.

37. De imperfecta contricione. fol. 194.

Beg. Rycherde hermyte reherces a dredfulle tale.

38. Moralia Richardi heremite, de natura apis. fol. 194.

Beg. The bee has thre kyndis.

At the foot of this folio is written " Edward Thornton," in a hand of Henry the Eighth's time.

39. De vita cujusdam puelle incluse propter amorem Christi. fol. 194.
Beg. Alswa Heraclides, pe clerke, telles.

At the close is, "Richerd heremyte reherces pis tale in ensampille."

40, 41. Two Latin extracts from "Richardus Herymyta." fol. 195.

42. A notabille Tretys off the ten Comandementys, drawene by Richerde the hermyte off Hampulle. fol. 195.

Beg. The fyrste comandement es, Thy Lorde God p" salle loute.

43. Idem de septem donis Spiritus Sancti, Also of pe gyftes of the Haly Gaste. fol. 196.

44. Idem de dilectacione in Deo. Also of pe same, delyte and zernyng of Gode. fol. 196b.

45. Incipit Speculum Sancti Edmundi, Cantuar. Archiepiscopi, in Anglicis. Here begynnys the Myrrour of Seynt Edmonde, pe Ersebechope of Canterberye. ff. 197-209.

Beg. Videte vocacionem vestram. This wordes sayse saynte Paule.

Edmund Rich, the author of the Latin original of this treatise, died in 1242. 46. Tractatus de dominica oracione. fol. 209b.

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Thorntone. Amen.

In stanzas of four lines. At the end is, Explicit. Amen.
48. Another metrical orison, in six-line stanzas. fol. 211".
Beg. Fadir, and Sone, and Haly Gaste.

49. Another, to Christ. fol. 212.

Beg. Jhesu Criste, Goddes sune of heuene.

50. Incipit a Meditacione of pe Fyve Woundes of oure Lorde Jhesu Criste; in Latin. fol. 212.

51. A Meditacione of the Crosse of Criste; in Latin. fol. 212b.

At the end is added, "R. Thorntone dictus, qui scripsit sit benedictus. Amen." 52. Moral Poem, in stanzas of four lines. fol. 213.

Beg. When Adam dalfe and Eue spane | Go spire, if þ" may spede,
Whare was pane pe pride of mane | pat nowe merres his mede.

53. Six lines of poetry; perhaps composed by Thornton himself. fol. 213.

Beg. Jhesu Criste, have mercy one me.

54. Here begynnes a Sermone pat Dane Joh'n Gaytryge made, pe whilke teches how scrifte es to be made, and whare of, and in scrifte how many thyngez solde be consederide. fol. 213b.

Beg. Als a grett doctour schewes in his buke.

55. Hymn to Christ; in four-line stanzas. fol. 219.

Beg. Jhesu, thi swetnes wha moghte it se.

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