Digital Index of Middle English Verse: No. 1581

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:

1.Source: Oxford, Bodleian Library Greaves 57 (SC 3829), f. 1

2.Source: Oxford, Bodleian Library Douce 60 (SC 21634), ff. 147-188v

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. 241-243v

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. 129-154v

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. 67ra-80ra

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.