DIMEV 1581
IMEV 961
NIMEV 961
God sayeth Himself as written we find
Mirk’s Instructions for Parish Priests — in
couplets
Author(s): John Mirk
Title(s):
Instructions for Parish Priests
Subjects: clergy, instructions for
Versification: —
two-line —
aa
Manuscript Witnesses:
2.Source: Oxford, Bodleian Library Douce 60 (SC 21634), ff. 147-188
v
First Lines:God seith him self as writen y fynde
That whan the blynde ledeth the
blynde…
Last Lines:…The mede & ioy of heuen light
God vs graunte for his
myȝt
Note: Intermixed with prose.
Attributed Author: Translatus per fratrem Johannem Mirk Canonicum Regularum Monasterii de
Lilleshull cuius anime propicietur deus Amen (f. 189, top, mostly
erased, then written below by modern hand)
Attributed Title: Explicit tractus qui dicitur Pars Oculi de latino in Anglicum translatus
per fratrem Johannem […] monasterii de lylleshulle cuius anime
propicietur Deus Amen (f. 188v); rubric heading cropped, f.
147
3.Source: Oxford, Bodleian Library Douce 103 (SC 21677), ff. 119-164
First Lines:God seith him self as writen I fynde
That whan the blynde ledeth the
blynde…
Last Lines:…The mede and Ioy of heuen light
God vs graunte for his
myght
Attributed Author: translatus per fratrem Johannem Mirkes Canonicum Regularem manasterii
de lillesshull cuius anime propicietur deus. Amen (f. 164)
Attributed Title: Explicit tractatus qui dicitur pars oculi de latino in Anglicum
translatus per fratrem Johannem Mirkes Canonicum Regularem manasterii de
lillesshull cuius anime propicietur deus. Amen (f. 164)
4.Source: Oxford, Bodleian Library Tanner 196 (SC 10022), ff. 241-243
v
First Lines:…With light attire the auter
Loke alway hit brenne
cler…
Last Lines:…The mede Ioye of heuene light
God vs graunte for his
myght
Attributed Title: Pars occuli in Anglico (f. 241)
5.Source: Cambridge UK, Cambridge University Library Ff.5.48, f. 1
First Lines:womans seruyce þu muste forsake
þat sche on þe non
euel fame make…
Last Lines:…And whan þat we shall hens wende
Grawnte vs blisse with
owte end
Note: Lines 1-65 missing.
Editions: Downing, Janay Young A.,
ed.
“A Critical Edition of Cambridge University MS Ff.5.48.”
2 vols. Diss. University of Washington, 1969: 1-16.
6.Source: London, British Library Cotton Claudius A.II, ff. 129-154
v
First Lines:God seyth hym self as wryten we fynde
That whenne þe blynde
ledyth þe blynde …
Last Lines:…The mede and þe ioye of heuen lyȝt
God vs graunt
ffor hys myght
Note: 2046 lines.
Attributed Author: Iohannem Myrcus (f. 154v)
Attributed Title: Explicit tractatus qui dicitur pars oculi de latino in Anglicum (f.
154v)
Editions:
Peacock, E.,
ed.
John Myrc: Instructions for Parish Priests.
EETS
o.s. 31 (1868); repr. 1973.
Kristensson, G.,
ed.
John Mirk’s Instructions for Parish Priest.
Lund Studies in English
49. Lund, 1974: 67.
7.Source: London, British Library Royal 17 C.XVII, ff. 67
ra-80
ra
First Lines:All myghty god in trinite
ffadyr sone þe holy gost perons
thre…
Last Lines:…Þe mede & ioyh of heuen lyȝt
God vs graunte for
hys myght
Note: With a unique Invocation of 24 lines. Text very damaged, some recovered
using a cold light source.
Attributed Title: Hic incipit liber qui vocatur […] Sacerdotus (f.
67ra); Explicit liber qui vocatur […] (f.
80ra)
Editions: Kristensson, G.,
ed.
John Mirk’s Instructions for Parish Priest.
Lund Studies in English
49. Lund, 1974: 177.