Osborn fa2

          John Watton, (or Wotton), attributed author, Speculum Christiani,
     and an unidentified text. England; mid-fifteenth century.

     ff. 1r-62v    Unidentified Latin alphabetical preacher's manual

     ff. 64r-100v    Speculum Christiani. Incipit: "In principio cuiuslibet
     operis;" Explicit: "Cum enim decimas" (p. 221, l. 21 of EETS edition).
     Paper; i + 100 + i ff.; 292 x 202 mm.; 1 column; ff. 1-62v: 37 lines;
     ff. 64r-85r: 28-42 lines.

          I (16, -1), II-IV (16), V-VI (12), VII (12, +13). The last four
     quires (the quires of the Speculum Christiani) are numbered 1-4.

          Anglicana script, (Scribe 1, ff. 1-62v) with frequent use of
     single-compartment a. Scribe 2 (64r-100v) writes in Secretary. On f.
     85v two ladders are drawn, one for "Celum," one for "Infernum." On the
     rungs are written the virtues and vices pertaining to each, eight for
     heaven and nine for hell. The uprights also are inscribed, Spes and
     Fides for heaven, and Superbia and Larga Consciencia for hell. Headings
     and various names and phrases in the Speculum Christiani are
     rubricated. Bound in limp vellum. The spine has the shelf number "MS
     Loci qm Theologi Ord: Alpho 80."

          Lord Tollemache's Library at Helmingham Hall: no. LJ.V.14.
     Lawrence Witten, Catalogue 5. Bequest of James M. Osborn, 1976.

          Comments: The first text is an unidentified alphabetical
     compendium for the use of composing sermons. It is incomplete at the
     beginning, starting with the entry Amor, and continues with 149 entries
     to Christi acensio (under X). The colophon reads, "Nunc finem fixi
     penitet me si mali scripti." The Speculum Christiani is also a manual
     for the use of preachers. The text which deals with Christian virtues
     and vices, is mainly Latin, with several Middle English passages in
     both poetry and prose. The Middle English verse sections are listed in
     the "Index of Middle English Verse" nos. 1491, 2119, 2167, and 4150.



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