Henry the Sixth
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So also in the prologue, Blacman will not dwell upon the descent, the coronation, and so on, of Henry, because these things are known to everyone and because of his subsequent fall. The latter is the more cogent reason.
To what has been said of Hearne's connexion with the book, it may be added that in the new edition of his Collections (Oxf. Hist. Soc. vol. x. p. 442) he tells us under date July 31, 1731, that "Mr West lately met with a small Pamphlet in 4to bound up with the Arminian Nunnery, at Little Gidding, and intituled 'Collectarium mansuetudinum (etc.).' 'Tis printed in the old black Letter by Cowpland, with the figure of a king in his Robes… I do not remember to have ever seen this Book. Archbishop Usher had seen John Blacman's MSS Collections wch probably contained a great many other things relating to the Carthusians and their Benefactors … (Henry VI) was a pious, tho' very weak Prince. The Carthusians had most deservedly a great opinion of him… and did what they could for his honour."
I think Hearne is mistaken about Ussher, who does no more than quote a passage from Blacman in his Historia Dogmatica (Opp. xii. 363).
It may further be remarked that Holinshed and other chroniclers make small extracts from Blacman without naming their source. I have not discovered who is actually the earliest writer to cite him: but Hall (1548) does not appear to do so.
p. 4. quidam Angliæ reverendus antistes. This bishop who was Henry's confessor for ten years I suppose to have been William Ayscough, bishop of Salisbury 1438-1450, who was much in Henry's confidence. It is remarked in the Dict. Nat. Biog. that it was "a novelty in those days for a bishop to be a king's confessor."
p. 6. missalia, oracula. I take these words together and regard them as a 'refined' way of saying 'orationes in missa' or the like.
sanctæ crucis signorum seriem in corona. These crosses on the ring of the crown are seen alternating with fleur de lys in the (early xvith century) representation of Henry in painted glass in the Hacomblen chantry in King's College Chapel.
p. 8. Francisci Petrarchæ. This, Blacman's one literary quotation, is a garbled one from Petrarch's De Vita Solitaria, lib. ii. sect. vi. c. i.
p. 9. Jaspere et Edmundo. The sons of Owen Tudor by Katherine, widow of Henry V.
p. 10. cardinalis et episcopi Winton. Cardinal Beaufort, d. 11 April 1447. The gift to Eton and King's was in fact made by a codicil to the cardinal's will executed two days before his death. See Maxwell Lyte, Eton College, p. 27.
p. 11. decem mutatoria casularia. I suppose this to mean enough silk to make ten or more sets of mass-vestments for a single priest.
Episcopos Wurcestriæ et Cestriæ. Chester had no bishop till 1541. Chichester must be meant. The bishop was doubtless Adam Moleyns 1445-50, and he of Worcester John Carpenter 1443-76. Both appear in the king's will as his feoffees for Eton and King's.
p. 12. This is the most interesting page of the tract to those who have enjoyed King Henry's bounty. A happy thought has of recent years dictated the use of his words Sitis boni pueri and the rest on the occasion of the admission of the new King's Scholars at Eton.
p. 13. Sed libera nos. It is at this point in the Lord's Prayer that the congregation responds, at the end of the Prayer of Consecration (or Canon) of the Roman Mass.
magistro doctore Town. William Towne was scholar of Eton in 1443, and passed on to King's. He died in 1484: his chantry and brass are in one of the side-chapels on the N. of King's College Chapel.
quidam discus. It is not clear to me whether a piece of plate representing the Five Wounds in enamel is meant, or some edible 'subtilty': probably the former.
p. 14. cum capucio rotulato. Perhaps a hood with a liripip (i.e. tapering into a tail) is meant.
caligas, ocreas, calceos: foot-gear for walking, riding and indoor use respectively.
p. 15. dominus Ricardus Tunstall. Sir Richard Tunstall of Thurland in Westmorland (or Lancashire) appears frequently in the Patent Rolls etc. of Henry VI, Edward IV and Henry VII. Under Edward IV his lands are naturally granted to other people and he is attainted. In 1470, at Henry's restoration, he is 'king's chamberlain' (Cal. Pat. R. p. 227). Under Henry VII he is in favour and holds many important posts.
An entry in William Worcester's Annals (Rolls, Wars of the English in France, ii. pt. 2 [785]), wrongly printed, is of interest here. Under 1464 he writes: "Mense Julii, dolo cujusdam monachi Abendoniæ, rex Henricus in comitatu Lancastriæ capitur per quendam Johannem Talbois et Ricardum Tunstalle milites, ibidem captus evasit. Dictusque rex Henricus una cum monacho Thoma Mannyng et Bedone doctore … versus Londoniam adducebatur etc." We should certainly read 'et Ricardus T. miles … evasit.'
Tunstall was afterwards taken in Wales by Lord Herbert, and confined in the Tower, but soon pardoned (Warkeworth's Chron. Camd. Soc. p. 43).
Another entry (Three Fifteenth Cent. Chronicles, Camden Soc. p. 80) says:
"Kynge Harry was take in the northe contre, and ii doctors with him, the whiche wer called Doctor Mannynge and Doctor Beden, the whiche were all thre brought to London."
On the whole episode see Sir J. H. Ramsay, Lancaster and York, ii. 316.
What follows in the text is Tunstall's story. Blacman adds that he himself witnessed a similar occurrence.
p. 17. I do not know that the four nobles or the three great lords who were pardoned can be certainly identified. Nor is it plain whether the first of the two men who wounded him attacked him when confined in the Tower.
p. 18. isti p̄r̄iales. Blacman intends a word of the sense of 'parricidiales.' But either he or the printer has gone wrong.
p. 19. ex miraculorum ubi corpus ejus humatur diutina continuatione. A large collection of Henry's miracles is preserved in two MSS, Royal 13. c. viii. and Harley 423. The latter is a partial copy of the former. See a special note on them below.
Cognatus noster de Marchia, i.e. Edward IV, Earl of March.
p. 20. in festo S. Edwardi etc. The depositio of S. Edward the Confessor which falls on 5 January.
vox corporalis. Probably means a voice audible to the bodily senses.
p. 21. magistris Bedon et Mannynge. On these companions of Henry VI at his capture see above in the note on Tunstall. John Bedon, clerk, receives a general pardon from Edward IV in 1467 (Cal. Pat. R. p. 11). Holinshed and those who copy him call him Bedle. He may be the John Bedon who took a B.D. degree at Oxford in 1455. Thomas Mannynge, though called a monk by Will. Worcester, seems undoubtedly to be the man who was dean of Windsor from 1452 to 1462, and is indicted (1 Ed. IV, Rot. Parl. v. p. 477 etc.) of treason in the first year of Edward IV: he is described as late of New Windsor in Berkshire, clerk. On Nov. 7, 1465, he has a general pardon for all offences up to the 26th of August previous. Earlier, in 1451 (Aug. 24) when Henry VI grants him the prebend of Nassington in Lincoln cathedral, he is described as the king's clerk and chaplain.
On 29 Nov. 1469 he is dead; the king is informed by his executor that Thomas was in debt and indigent in his life, and had made forfeiture to the king, so that a licence to administer was necessary.
The Rev. J. N. Dalton, Canon of Windsor, has kindly informed me that no records in the possession of the Dean and Chapter of Windsor throw light on Dean Mannynge's life.
a dextra sua. Corrupt: I suppose the meaning to be that the king saw the woman out of his window: camera or fenestra is wanted.
I. A PRAYER TO HENRY VI IN ENGLISH VERSE
An English prayer in verse to Henry VI from a Primer of 1408 (in which it has been inserted on the flyleaf) in the Library of St Cuthbert's College, Ushaw, was printed in the Ushaw Magazine of 1902, p. 279. I have the kind permission of the authorities to quote it here:
O blyssed king so full of vertueThe flowr of all knyghthood that never was fyledThou pray for us to Christe JhesuAnd to hys modyr Mary myldIn all thi warkys thu was never wyldBott full of grace and of charyteMercyfull ever to man and chyldeNow sweyt kyng Henre pray for me.O crownyd kyng with sceptur in handMost nobyll conqueror I may thee callFor thou hast conqueryd I undyrstandA hevynly kyngdome most imperyallHwar joye haboundeth and grace perpetuellIn presens of the holy TreniteOff wych grace thou make me parcyallNow swet kyng Henre praye for me.All Apostels and Patriarchs shall thee honorMartyrs and Confessors with all their delygensAnd eke Virgynes in the hevynly towrAr glad and joyfull of thi presensAngelys and Archangelys with ample(?) reverenceSchall mynystyr and ‹giftes› bryng(?) to theThe well of pety and of pacyensNow swet kyng Henre praye for me.Thy prayer I trust is herd in hevynWith the Fadyr omnipotentNow blyssyd be thy name to nemyneFor ever att neyd thou art presentIn trowbyll or payn wen I am schentOr stand in warely juberteThy socur to me full son thu senttNow sweyt kyng Henre praye for me.Thy trowblas life and grett vexacionWith pacyens that thu had thereinAnd thi constans in contemplacionHas mad the hevyn for to wyneThy sett is ordenyd with seraphynAs langhyght ((be)longeth) to thi regalyteWith mor melody than I can mynNow swet kyng Henre praye for me.O blessyd kyng so gracios and gudThou pray to sett this reme in restUnto our Saveyour that dyed on roudAnd to hys modyr that madyn blessydThat alkyn wrangys may be redressydTo plesor of the DeyteThys I besech at my requestNow swet kyng Henre praye for me.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.
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.
III. ON JOHN BLACMAN'S BOOKS
The following lists are found in MS. Laud. Misc. 154, in the Bodleian library, one on a flyleaf, the other – somewhat mutilated – in the lower margin of a leaf. The first enumerates the whole contents of each volume, the second gives the title of one tract only, but supplies the opening words of the second leaf of each volume, the usual medieval expedient for identifying a book.
I combine here the data of the two lists, calling the list on the flyleaf A and that on the lower margin B.
The MS in which they occur is a volume of Nic. de Lyra's commentary on the Bible: and list B begins by describing it.
(B) 1. Liber domus beate virginis de Witham Cartusiensis ex dono magistri Johannis Blacman.
(A) Lyra: Genesis … Job.
This is MS. Laud. Misc. 154.
(B) 2, 3. cum duobus comparibus: primi 2° fo. cognicio intellectiua. 2° fo. secundi et cetera Rō.
sed pro ligatura et illuminacione domus soluit xs et vjd.
(A) 2. Lyra: Psalterium – Prov. – Ecclus. Isa. – Malachias.
1, 2 Macc.
3. Lyra: Evv., Paul. Epp., Act., Cath. Epp. Apoc.
capitulaciones epistolarum et euangeliorum secundum cartus'.
No. 2 is Laud. Misc. 152. No. 3 is not known.
(B) 4. Item librum policronicon. 2° fo. adhibere.
(A) 4. les pedegrues reg. angl. b.
tabula noua policronici a.
policronicon cestrense.
No. 4 is in Eton College Library MS. 204: formerly Ashburnham Appendix 105: then belonged to Mr George Dunn.
(B) 5. Item Bartholomeus de casibus consciencie. 2° fo. hic (?)
suus (?) pars.
(A) 5. magna carta
Bartholomeus de casibus consciencie
principia et fines originalium librorum
forma audiendi confessionem
tituli decretorum libri vjti et Clementis.
(B) 6. Item librum vocatum lucerna consciencie. 2° fo. malorum ex.
(A) 6. lucerna consciencie
meditaciones Anselmi. credo
ritmicacio tocius scripture sacre
oraciones Anselmi ut apparet
tractatus de virtutibus et viciis
interrogaciones fori penitencialis
Alfonsus contra iudeos.
6. This is MS. Bodl. 801.
(B) 7. Item librum sancti Thome de veritatibus. 2° fo. sic dicit Augustinus.
(A) 7. Sanctus Thomas de veritatibus.
tabula super eodem.
7. This is MS. Harley 1032.
(B) 8. Item Bibliam. 2° fo. damasci.
(A) 8. interpretacio nominum hebreorum
biblia
capitulacio epistolarum et euangeliorum per annum.
(B) 9. Item magister historiarum (sententiarum). 2° fo. pedito post.
(A) 9. magister sententiarum
theorica planetarum
tituli eiusdem libri sententiarum
Item in quibus non tenetur. (i.e. a list of the passages in the Sentences which were considered unsound.)
(B) 10. Item Crisostomus in opere imperfecto. 2º fo. erat futurus.
(A) 10. Crisostomus in opere imperfecto tabula eiusdem.
(B) 11. Item vita Alexandri magni. 2° fo. voluminis que est poa.
(A) 11. Defensorium logicale Ockam
vita Alexandri magni
dialogus inter Mariam et Johannem euangelistam
Ysidorus de ciuitate (? unitate) dei
Augustinus de uisione sancti Pauli apostoli
de celebracione horarum quidam processus
Siluester de decimis
Ieronimus de signis iudicii
Marbodus episcopus de vinculis beati Petri
oracio deuota: domine Ihesu Christe qui in hoc
de uirtutibus fide dileccione et humilitate
purgatorium sancti Patricii (partly erased)
Seneca de 4or virtutibus cardinalibus
de beneficiis ad Liberalem libri 4
de fortuitorum bonorum contemptu
de remediis fortuitorum
diffiniens virtut' et vic'
regula beati Benedicti.
(B) 12. Item Aristotiles de regimine principum. 2° fo. voluminis simul omnia.
(A) 12. Aristoteles de regimine principum
Gwydo de excidio Troianorum
idem in metro.
(B) 13. Item Anticlaudianus. 3° fo. voluminis affluit exundans.
(A) 13. nova poetria Galfridi Anglici
Anticlaudianus de restitucione.
13. This is MS. Digby 104 (part).
(B) 14. Item librum distinccionum. 3° fo. quia sicut.
(A) 14. notabiles distincciones
sermones dominicales.
(B) 15. Item martilogium. 5° fo. voluminis Trone est en ancieme.
(A) 15. tractatus gallicus
Martilogium
gesta Karoli in gallicis
miracula beate Marie versificata (erased)
miracula beate Marie rithmicata
Alexander Neckam Qui vult bene disponere
phale tolum
deuota meditacio in anglicis
themata festiuitatum per annum
tabula concordancie 4or euangelistarum
epistole et euangelia per totum annum
capitula speculi moralis Gregorii
canon pro predicatore
speculum morale Gregorii.
(B) 16. Item pastorale beati Gregorii. 2° fo. pastoralis cure.
(A) 16. Gregorius in pastoralibus
Anselmus de 12 beatitudinibus
Anselmus de vanitate mundi quidam processus de sacramento altaris
Athanasius de ymagine domini Ihesu.
(B) 17. Item gesta Romanorum. 2° fo. tu es.
(A) 17. gesta Romanorum
regula beati Augustini.
(B) 18. Item vite sanctorum. 2° fo. voluminis Et quod bonum.
(A) 18. narraciones bone exemplace
summa magistri J. Belet de officiis ecclesie
sermo bonus de libro consciencie
compilacio bona de vitis sanctorum
item de officiis ecclesie.
(B) 19. Item tabula Petri Blesensis. 2° fo. voluminis hospita signa bonos.
(A) 19. reportorium poeticum
lapidarius cum tractatu herbarum
tabula epistolarum 163 Blesensis
exposicio notabilis super Boecium de consolacione
ars conficiendi colores.
(B) 20. Item meditaciones beati Bernardi. 2° fo. voluminis de hiis.
(A) 20. moralia dicta originalia bona
meditaciones sancti Bernardi 13
Anselmus de passione Christi 3
Anselmus de amore dei 42
Augustinus de vera innocencia 56
Augustinus de laude psalmorum 100.
dulcis Ihesu memoria.
(B) 21. Item Boecius de consolacione philosophie. 2° fo. segetem necant.
(A) 21. Boecius de consolacione philosophie
Galfridus in noua poetria
canon tabularum Rede.
(B) 22. Item librum vocatum pharetra, 2° fo. idem de coniugiis.
(A) 22. pharetra
quindenarius Gregorianus.
(B) 23. Item repertorium diuersorum. 2° fo. voluminis Incipiens guerras.
(A) 23. Commentaciones prophetiales
liber facescie communis.
Ex agro veteri (i.e. Matthew of Vendôme's poem on Tobit)
a chartuary aftre penkarr
tractatus de armis in anglicis
disputacio inter corpus et animam
processus de mundi vanitate
quedam commendacio artium liberalium
utilis tractatus rethorice.
Cirillus de transitu beati Jeronimi
12. capitula Hampol
Bernardus ad Eugenium papam
disputacio inter graciam et intellectum.
(B) 24. alia manu. Item Lucidarium cum aliis. 2° fo. Illa itaque.
(A) 24. alia manu. Lucidari
tractatus Petri Alfonsi clericalis disciplina
tractatus de penitencia Roberti Grostest
tractatus inquirendi peccata in foro penitenciali
diuersa notabilia de canone juris.
Another MS which does not occur in the above list is Lambeth 436, Horologium Sapientiae, of cent. xv, which has in it: Liber cartusie de Witham. Orate pro Johanne Blacman.
MS. 182 at S. John's College, Oxford, containing lives of saints, formerly belonged to William and John Blacman.
In Laud Misc. 152, no. 2 in the list, dated 1463, are these doggerel lines:
Me dedit albus homo John Blacman ipse vocatusIn presente domo qui redditus est graduatusExtitit Oxonie vir in artibus iste magister,Cantor et Etonie dignus dum rege ministerPro quo defuncto seu viuo queso precareP..... quicumque solet celebrareUt deus hunc Hominem Nigrum cognomine dictumPost vite finem det sumere lucis amictum.Amen.In list B the catalogue of books is followed by a short note of vestments given by Blacman to Witham. The last item is interesting:
Item circa diuersas reparaciones factas in uita sancti Hugonis (the founder of the house) in ecclesia de-laffrery sumptus fert non exiguos.
1
See a special Note on these.
2
Read placet, as in a vellum-printed Paris Horae of 1572 (?), reported to Hearne by a friend.
Mr. Cosmo Gordon of King's College tells me that these prayers also occur in W. de Worde's Primer of 1494 (sig. F 8 b). In this edition the words read "prout tibi placeret," but a copy at Lambeth in which the page has been reset, has "prout tibi placet." The prayers also occur in some Sarum Horae printed in France, e.g. Jean Jehannot's of 1498, of which there is a copy in the Sandars collection in the University Library.
3
omitte et.
4
Lege, vocibus.
5
incedere m. r. j.
6
Sic. pro citius.
7
Sic. Lege, ancipites. [potius accipitres m. r. j.]