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 lilt 27 i91« 
 
 University of Pennsylvania 
 
 rhe Latin Epigram of the Middle English 
 
 Period with Special Reference to 
 
 Ms. Reg. 17Cxvii,fol. 17 b -18 
 
 AN ABSTRACT OF A THESIS 
 
 PRESENTED TO THE FACULTY OP THE GRADUATE SCHOOL IN PARTIAL 
 
 FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE 
 
 OF DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY 
 
 \ BY 
 
 LEWIS BURTON HESSLER 
 
 flUje Collegiate J>reso 
 
 George Banta Publishing Company 
 
 Menasha, Wisconsin 
 
 1916 
 
University of Pennsylvania 
 
 The Latin Epigram of the Middle English 
 
 Period with Special Reference to 
 
 Ms. Reg. 17Cxvii,fol. 17 b -18 
 
 AN ABSTRACT OF A THESIS 
 
 PRESENTED TO THE FACULTY OF THE GRADUATE SCHOOL IN PARTIAL 
 
 FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE 
 
 OF DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY 
 
 BY 
 
 LEWIS BURTON HESSLER 
 
 tWje <HoUcgiBte Pmbb 
 
 George Banta Publishing Company 
 
 Menasha, Wisconsin 
 
 1916 
 
THE LATIN EPIGRAM OF THE MIDDLE ENGLISH PERIOD 
 WITH SPECIAL REFERENCE TO MS. REG. 17C xvii, FOL 
 
 17 b -18 
 
 Scattered through the works of the Middle English period, for the 
 most part in those of an historical nature, is a large body of Latin 
 verse, consisting chiefly of epigrams, apothegms, occasional poems and 
 other brief metrical compositions. These are generally grouped under 
 the head of epigrams and, except in Thomas Wright's Anglo-Latin 
 Satirical Poets and Epigrammatists of the Twelfth Century, no 
 attempt has been made to make a complete collection of such' verse 
 written during the Middle English period, Wright's valuable collection 
 covering only one century. 
 
 ^ Much of the material grouped under the head of Anglo-Latin 
 literature, that has been heretofore published, has been given to the 
 world mainly because of its historical interest. The volumes in the 
 Rolls Series are a case in point. These valuable works, lying as they 
 do at the foundation of the best work of nineteenth century English 
 historians, have given an impetus to historical research that would not 
 otherwise have been possible. This situation is not true in the realm 
 of pure literature, where the investigator of literary problems acts on 
 the assumption that he should, presumably, occupy himself only with 
 those things that have been written in the English language. True, 
 in the main; but by so doing he neglects much that is worthy of 
 attention and belongs quite properly in the broad stream of our 
 literature. Furthermore, he overlooks the fact that for a writer of 
 the twelfth, thirteenth or fourteenth century, and even later, to use 
 the Latin language in preference to the vernacular, was a mere cir- 
 cumstance, for the writers of learned and religious works at that time 
 used Latin as freely as we to-day use English, and probably spoke it 
 as easily, also. And as verse was the natural medium of expression 
 then, we have a great many metrical compositions surviving in the 
 prose that has come down to us, some, likewise, that were written for 
 their own sake, such as the epigrams of Godfrey of Winchester and 
 Henry of Huntingdon. 
 
 English writers all through our history have been fond of experi- 
 menting with the epigram, that most distinctive of Latin literary 
 forms, but it flourished principally in medieval times when Latin 
 
 338268 
 
4 THE LATIN EPIGRAM OF THE MIDDLE ENGLISH PERIOD 
 
 writing of all kinds was at its height. The medieval Latin epigram 
 has, therefore, more interest for us than modern examples, because 
 it was more natural, whatever may be said of its quality. 
 
 There is much Latin epigrammatic verse, however, that does not 
 exist in published form, and in this category belongs Ms. Reg. 17 C 
 xvii, fol. 17 b -18, noticed by Horstman in his edition of Richard Rolle. 
 This manuscript, written by one John the Priest, belongs most likely 
 to the fourteenth century. The dating must be approximate, because 
 it depends altogether on internal evidence. The handwriting, which 
 is cramped and marked by many contractions and cursive letters, 
 belongs to the later period of the English book-hands. It may also 
 be presumed that the manuscript comes within the span of Rolle's 
 lifetime, between the years 1290 and 1349, several of the epigrams 
 being duplicates or close imitations of some in Horstman's edition. 
 
 The writer has in his possession other productions of a similar 
 character in manuscript form, which he intends to bring together in 
 a complete collection of the Latin epigrams of the Middle English 
 period. To look at medieval thought and custom from the angle of 
 even a single literary type will be profitable, if a sufficient number of 
 examples of such type be collected. The following transcription and 
 translation of Ms. Reg. 17 C xvii, fol. 17 b -18 is, therefore, offered as an 
 earnest of what the writer hopes to make a much larger and, as far as 
 possible, a complete census of Latin epigrams of the Middle English 
 period. 
 
TEXT 
 
 ISTE LlBELLUS EST NECESSARIUS VALDE SACERDOTIBUS 
 
 Prefatory Note 
 
 The text has been transcribed exactly, as far as its difficulties admit, 
 even where to do so makes poor sense ; and no attempt has been made 
 to tinker with passages that are evidently corrupt. The quotation 
 marks at the beginning of many of the lines indicate the separate 
 epigrams, although there are cases where this does not hold true, as in 
 line 9, for example. Not all of the divisions, however, are shown in 
 this way; in such cases the editor was obliged to use his judgment. 
 In many of the lines, especially at the beginning of the manuscript 
 the cesura is indicated by a mark somewhat resembling the colon. 
 The lines are without other punctuation. 
 
 "Vos qui servitis Christo, servire studete 
 Ut memores sitis hos versus sepe videre. 
 Psallite devote, distincte metra tenete, 
 Vocibus estote Concordes, vana cavete. 
 5 Nunquam posterior versus prius incipiatur 
 Quam suus anterior perfecte fine fruatur; 
 Qui resecat psalmos, vel laudis verba rescindit, 
 Non magis inde feret quam si sua lingua taceret. 
 "Non aliter poterit melius caro viva domari. 
 
 10 Mors tua qualis erit quam semper praemeditari. 
 Hie brevis est vita, tu presbyter, atque lenita; 
 Que mala sunt vita, ne mors tibi sit sine vita. 
 Vilior est humana caro quam pellis ovina. 
 Si moriatur ovis, aliquid valet ilia ruina; 
 
 15 Extrahitur pellis et scribitur intus et extra. 
 
 Si moriatur homo, moritur caro, pellis et ossa. 
 
 "ffastus, avericia, torpedo, livor et ira, 
 Et gula, luxoria: septem sunt ista cavenda. 
 
 " Sole credederim non jures vana per quantum, 
 20 Sabbata sanctifices, habeas in honore parentes, 
 
) THE LATIN EPIGRAM OF THE MIDDLE ENGLISH PERIOD 
 
 Non sis occisor, fur, mecus, testes iniquus, 
 Nullius uxorem cupias, non res alienas. 
 
 "Visito, poto, cibo, redimo, tego, colligo, condo; 
 Consule, castiga, solare, remitte, fer, ora. 
 
 25 " Gustus et olfactus, auditus, visio, tactus. 
 
 "Duodecim articuli fidei sic praesunt retineri. 
 Hii sunt articuli: quod sit trinus deus unus, 
 Christus homo factus, natus, passusque sepultus, 
 Descendat, surgat qui scandit, iudicet atque 
 30 Praemia det, surgant omnis qui sacra sacris dent. 
 
 " Confessor dulcis, affabilis atque suavis, 
 
 Sit pius et prudens, discretus, sitque benignus. 
 
 "Sit simplex, humilis confessio, pura, fidelis 
 Atque frequens, nuda, discreta, libens, verecunda, 
 35 Integra, secreta, lacrimabilis, accelerata, 
 ffortis et acusans, et sit parere parata. 
 
 "Aggravat ordo locus mos causa scientia tempus 
 Lucta pusilla modus culpe genus status altus 
 Conditio minima aetas et in scandala sexus. 
 
 40 " Jussio consilium consensus palpo recursus 
 
 Participans mutus non obstans non manifestans. 
 
 "Quinque modis peccat uxore maritus abutens: 
 Tempore, mente, loco, condicione, modo. 
 Ex istis quinque penis plectetur adulter. 
 45 Aut hie fit pauper, aut hie subito morietur; 
 Aut erit insanus merito, vel carcere tentus; 
 Aut aliquod membrum casu vel vulnere perdet. 
 
 "Obsunt doctrine mere trices atque taberne; 
 Discursus sperne ne sint tibi causa ruine. 
 
 50 Discere non pudeat, vultum doctoris honora. 
 
 Non male tempus eat, vigilans accende, labora. 
 
 "Leges praetendunt defectus presbyterorum, 
 Quod nimis ascendunt indigni culmine honorum; 
 Et male dispendunt, praebent exempla malorum; 
 
WITH SPECIAL REFERENCE TO MS. REG. 17c XVIII, FOL. I7 b -18 7 
 
 55 Ludis intendunt, lucris, mensis dominorum. 
 
 " Religiosorum sunt hec species viciorum: 
 ffastus et accidia, murmur et invidia, 
 Et commune bonum veluti proprium retinere, 
 Vesci non Ileitis, praelatis nolle parere. 
 
 60 Uxor adulterius rea confessore perito 
 
 Sic luat admissa, ne sit suspecta marito. 
 " Sepe rem moveat confessor ne residivet, 
 Et si labatur, confestim confiteatur 
 Et vitet causas ad lapsus allicientes. 
 
 65 "Qui facit incestum deflorans, aut sodomita, 
 
 Sacrilegus, patrum percussor, aut homicida 
 
 Transgressor voti, periurus, sacrilegusque 
 
 Et mentita fides, faciens incendia prolis, 
 
 Oppressor, blasphemus, hereticus, omnis adulter: 
 70 Pontificum super hijs semper detentus ad ilium. 
 
 Abluo, firmo, cibo, piget, ungit et ornat. 
 
 Uxor quorum numerus et sumciencia simplicat 
 Sensusque ipsa conferuntur ad septem virtutes, 
 Principales quarum tres sunt theologice et quattuor cardinales. 
 75 Ad actum namque fidei, iuvet baptismus; ad actum spei, 
 Unctio extrema; ad actum caritatis, eucharistia; 
 Ad actum prudencie, ordo; ad actum fortitudinis, 
 Connrmacio; ad actum iusticie, poenitentia; ad actum 
 Temperantie, juvat matrimonium. 
 
 80 "Baptizat sanguis, contricio, limpha fidesque. 
 
 "Imprimit, adnichillat, aperit, confertque religat, 
 Baptismus signum, culpam, celum, bona, planctum. 
 
 "ffictus adest dicens nil sacramenta valere, 
 Vel quia discredens vel non peccata relinquens. 
 
 85 Ungitur, induitur, intinctus, lux datur illi, 
 
 Ut sint mens pura, caro casta, refulget et actus 
 "Roborat, augmentat, hoc sacris delet et unit. 
 
 Die 'adeo,' 'tan turn' dicas; 'adeo' quoque 'certe,' 
 
8 THE LATIN EPIGRAM OF THE MIDDLE ENGLISH PERIOD 
 
 Affirmatione quoque dicas et quantitatis. 
 
 90 "Panis mutatur, specie remanente priore, 
 Et non est talis qualis sentitur in ore. 
 Re occultatus quare? quia si videatur, 
 fforsitan horreres et manducare timeres. 
 
 Candida, de tritico, tenuis, non magna, rotunda, 
 95 Expers frumenti, non mixta, sit hostia Christi. 
 
 "Per Dominum dicas Patrem cum, presbiter, oras; 
 Cum Natum memoras, per eundem dicere debes; 
 Cum Christo loqueris, qui vivis cum Patre, dicas; 
 Cum memores Flamen, eiusdem die prope finem; 
 100 Die cum quo vivis cum mencio fit Trinitatis; 
 Expellens Sathanam dicas in fine per ignem. 
 
 "Atque sumenda non est ablucio vini, 
 Hac turn luce si celebrare velis. 
 
 Tres sunt ecclesie partes: pars prima laborat 
 105 In terris; partem iam fovet alta quies; 
 
 Partemque restat clemencior excoquit ignis, 
 Excocteque patent transitus ad requiem. 
 
 "ffrangitur in partes tres hostia fracta beatos 
 Planum sicca nota vivos servata sepulto. 
 
 110 "Non est ungendus furiosus, iniquus, parvus. 
 Est turn ungendus, si peti(t) ipse furens. 
 
 "Natus adulterio, no thus, naucus meretrice; 
 De concubina spuria esse solet. 
 
 "Si ducas viduam vel quam corruperat alter, 
 115 Post aliam binasve simul tercia coniux 
 Cognita si fuerit, bigamie lege teneris, 
 Et si pollutam violasti virginitatem. 
 
 "Sive bis ordo datur, seu baptisma reperiatur, 
 Aut ut sitatur status ordo petatur, 
 120 Vel si praestetur ut utrumque Symon ap(p)aretur, 
 Ut dispense tur spes irrita prorsus habe(a)tur. 
 
WITH SPECIAL REFERENCE TO MS. REG. 17c XVIII, FOL. 17 b -18 9 
 
 "Effuge dum poteris, concessisse puteris. 
 
 "Effusus sanguis, paries si cor(r)uat ipse. 
 Hec sunt quae faciunt iterato templa sacrari. 
 
 125 "Praegnans, vexati, peregrinus, puer, inveterati, 
 Pauper, languentes non peccant bis comedentes. 
 Mendicans, praegnans, puer, egrotans, peregrinans, 
 Valde senex, operans non jeiunare tene(n)tur. 
 
 "Astinet aeger, egens, cupidus, gula, Symea vitis. 
 
 130 "Exemplum, mens, lingua, manus, subtractio, victus. 
 
 "Ebrietas mentem, loculum vini, lumina, mortem, 
 Corrumpit, vacuat et subtrahit, orbitat, alit. 
 
 Colloquium, visus, contractus et oscula, risus 
 Sunt fomes veneris; haec fugis et tutus eris. 
 
 135 "Hec sunt principue senioribus insinuanda: 
 
 Bis sex articuli fidei, septemque petenda, 
 
 Dona et virtutes praesertim; crimina septem; 
 
 Septem sacra tuo Domino mandata; decemque 
 
 Legis, iustorum merces peneque malorum, 
 140 In quibus erratur quid vitandum, quid agendum. 
 
 "Lumine solari nescit vitrum violari, 
 Nee vitrum sole nee virgo puerpera prole. 
 
 "Christus Adam, botrio, lux, mix, scintilla lapisque, . 
 fflos, fructus, Moyses, sponsus, sol, manna et ventus, 
 145 Gramen, uvus, apis, fons, margaritaque panis, 
 Lignum, rubus, odor, radius bernata vel arbor. 
 
 "Adveniat Christus iudex distinctus in ira, 
 Omnis discutiens, commissi lucra requirens, 
 ffortiter adiungens, tollens in turbine, salvans. 
 
 150 "Ignis, vox et ventilabrum, fera, visio, signum 
 
 Judicis et planctus, probra, lans sanctissima nxa: 
 Ista novem memores Christo veniente futura. 
 *Unguor in extremis ut sit mea gratia maior, 
 
10 THE LATIN EPIGRAM OF THE MIDDLE ENGLISH PERIOD 
 
 Et morbus levior, et mea pena minor. 
 
 155 "Dum merces reicisque Iesu dominosque coherces, 
 Ordo clavigeri sacer exit in ordine cleri. 
 
 Carnis amicta toga, doceas legis in synagoga. 
 
 Ac datur ostendi facto sacer ordo legendi. 
 
 Dominium triste dum tollit vox tua, Christe, 
 160 Est exorciste sacer ordo traditus istic. 
 
 Se docet expresse Christus mundi jubar esse. 
 Huic datur ut cereis gestandis ordo lucernis. 
 
 Vas fert Christus aquae la vacr unique manu dat utraque. 
 Vasi custodem sacrat ordinem praesul eodem. 
 
 165 Laus praeter morem Christus cum carne sonorem. 
 
 Deus monet illicitas debere cavere levitas. 
 
 Curat monstrare Christus se dans crucis are, 
 Qualis primatus sit in ordine presbiteratus. 
 
 "Dat crux lucia cineris, dat chrismata dies. 
 
 170 Romanus, Tecla, Bartholomeus cum Petronilla, 
 Hii cum Nocturno dant sua festa loci. 
 
 "Felix, Marcellus, Blasius, Valent simul Alban, 
 Kenelmus, Stephanus, Osibaldus atque Donatus, 
 Romanus, Baptister, Firmin, Leodegarus, Quintin, 
 175 Edmundus, Gresogonus: sunt omnes decapitati. 
 
 Responsus praecepturis canitur dum festa coluntur. 
 
 "Marci, Marcelli, Gervasii Prothasiique 
 Ac Septem Fratrum, dormitancium quoque fratrum, 
 ffestum sanctorum fratrum Cosme Damiani, 
 180 Nee non sanctorum Crispini Crispiniani. 
 
 Hec est vera fraternitas canitur dum festa coluntur. 
 
 "Post sacra Samsonis in principio resitata; 
 Post Augustinum cantetur Sibina semper; 
 Prothi Iacinthi festo(s) peto iungere debes; 
 
WITH SPECIAL REFERENCE TO MS. REG. 17c XVIII, FOL. 17 b -18 11 
 
 185 Ac post vigiliam Mathei die Adonai; 
 
 Post finem Cosme semper legitur Machabeus; 
 Symon et Jude fo . . . iam iungcto(s) vidi; 
 Adventus Domini sequitur solempnia Lini. 
 
 Nunc scripsi Allyisque Johannes. 
 
12 THE LATIN EPIGRAM OF THE MIDDLE ENGLISH PERIOD 
 
 TRANSLATION 
 
 This Little Book is Especially Necessary for Priests 
 
 Ye who serve Christ, strive to serve Him so that ye may be mindful 
 to see these verses often. Sing devoutly, mark the time distinctly, 
 preserve harmony and avoid affectation. Never begin the following 
 verse until the previous one has come completely to a close; he who 
 cuts the Psalms or omits words of praise, gets no more by so doing 
 than if his tongue were silent. In no other way could the living flesh 
 better be subdued. 
 
 Thy death will be such as to give thee continual food for thought. 
 Here life is short, thou priest, and gentle; what is bad, avoid, lest 
 death come to thee without life (i. e., without having truly lived). 
 
 More worthless is human flesh than the skin of a sheep. If a sheep 
 die, his death is worth something, for his skin is drawn out and written 
 on inside and out. If a man die, he perishes, flesh, skin and bones. 
 
 Pride, greed, sloth, envy and anger, gluttony and lechery: these 
 are the seven (sins) to be avoided. 
 
 Believe in one God, take not His name in vain, keep holy the Sab- 
 bath, honor thy parents, be not a murderer, a robber, an adulterer, 
 a false witness, covet not the wife of another nor his goods. 
 
 I visit, I give drink and food, I redeem, I shelter, I collect, I bury. 
 Counsel, reprove, console, forgive, be patient, pray. 
 
 Taste and smell, hearing, sight, touch. 
 
 Twelve articles of faith are thus above all to be observed. These 
 are the articles: that the threefold God is one, that Christ was made 
 man, was born, suffered and was buried, that He descends (into Hell), 
 rises and will ascend, judge and give rewards, and that all shall rise 
 who give holy gifts to the holy. 
 
 The confessor shall be pleasant, affable, and agreeable, devout, 
 judicious, discreet and kind. 
 
WITH SPECIAL REFERENCE TO MS. REG. 17c XVHI, FOL. 17 b -18 13 
 
 The confession shall be humble, pure, faithful and frequent, naked, 
 discreet, willingly made, truthful, complete, secret, tearful, rapid, and 
 marked by the spirit of obedience. 
 
 Lines 37-41. The general sense of these lines is that all things 
 become grievous (aggravat), office, place, custom, etc., down to the 
 temptations of sex. The connection, however, of 'causa,' 'lucta,' 
 'modus culpe' in this sense is obscure, there being no verb to give the 
 proper coherence. 
 
 The husband who abuses his wife sins in five ways: in time, in mind, 
 in place, in condition, in manner. 
 
 From these five punishments the adulterer suffers: he either becomes 
 poor or will die suddenly; he will either go insane, and rightly, or be 
 bound in prison; or some member will die of an accident or a wound. 
 
 Prostitutes obstruct the teaching of the church and the home; 
 spurn their talk, lest they be the cause of thy ruin. 
 
 Do not be ashamed to learn, honor the countenance of the teacher. 
 Put not thy time to ill use, but rouse thyself, watch and labor. 
 
 The laws reveal the shortcomings of the priests, for, unworthy 
 of the highest honors, they rise too high. They are extravagant, too, 
 and set bad examples; they are absorbed in sports, in gain, and in the 
 feasts of their masters. 
 
 Ecclesiastics are liable to these kinds of vices: pride, sloth, jealousy 
 and envy; (and are prone) to hold common property as their own, to 
 eat forbidden food and to disobey the prelates. 
 
 A wife guilty of adultery shall so atone for her misdeeds to a skilled 
 confessor, that she may not be suspected by her husband. Let the 
 confessor so manage matters that she shall not become a backslider; 
 and if she does fall, let her hasten to confess and avoid the causes that 
 lure to sin. 
 
 He who commits incest with a young girl, or (is guilty of) sodomy? 
 sacrilege, patricide or homicide, the breaker of vows, the perjurer, 
 the profaner of holy things, the liar, the burner of his children, the 
 tyrant, the blasphemer, the heretic, every adulterer: over these the 
 bishop must keep watch. 
 
14 THE LATIN EPIGRAM OF THE MIDDLE ENGLISH PERIOD 
 
 I baptize, confirm, take communion, do penance; he gives unction 
 and grants ordination. 
 
 Lines 72-74. The text is corrupt here, but the sense of the last 
 two lines seems to be that the senses may be compared to the seven 
 virtues (one wonders how this is possible), three of which are theo- 
 logical and four, cardinal. 
 
 For the action of faith baptism is helpful ; for hope, extreme unction ; 
 for charity, the Eucharist; for prudence, ordination; for steadfastness, 
 confirmation; for justice, penance; for temperance, matrimony. 
 
 Baptism is by blood, water and faith. 
 
 Baptism imprints a sign, annihilates sin, reveals heaven, bestows 
 good things and assuages grief. 
 
 A lie is abroad saying that the sacraments are of no avail, either 
 because the liar does not believe or does not abandon his sins. 
 
 He is annointed, clothed and baptized, light is given to Him; that 
 the mind may be pure and the flesh chaste, He shines in glory and His 
 act strengthens and fortifies this (body) and destroys and unites it in 
 the sacraments. 
 
 Say 'adeo' and you are saying 'tantum'; 'adeo' also means 'certe' 
 and you may use it with an implication of quantity. 
 
 The bread (of communion) is changed, though its appearance 
 remains as before; neither is it as it seems to the eye. Why is its 
 reality concealed? Because, if it should appear (as it is), you would 
 perchance shrink from it and fear to eat it. 
 
 The (bread of the) Eucharist must be white, wheaten, thin, not 
 large, and round, (the wine) unfermented and pure. 
 
 When thou prayest, priest, address the Father through the Lord: 
 when thou callest on the Son, thou shouldst send thy petition through 
 the same Person; when thou speakest with Christ, Thou who livest 
 with the Father, speak (through the Father) ; when thou callest on the 
 Holy Spirit, speak that same name toward the end; say with whom 
 thou livest when thou dost mention the Trinity; and at the end say 
 (thou art) thrusting out Satan through the fire. 
 
WITH SPECIAL REFERENCE TO MS. REG. 1?C XVIII, FOL. 17 b -18 15 
 
 And the wine must not be diluted if thou wish to celebrate the com- 
 munion on this day. 
 
 There are three divisions of the church: the first labors on earth; 
 the second is now nourished by the peace of Heaven; the third is 
 purified in a gentle fire (in Purgatory), whence lead the paths to peace. 
 
 The Host is broken into three parts— (the rest in unintelligible). 
 
 The angry, the wicked and the very young shall not receive unction, 
 but the angry man shall, if he asks for it himself. 
 
 (A child) born in adultery, illegitimate, is nothing to a prostitute; 
 if born of a concubine, a bastard is the regular thing. 
 
 If thou dost marry a widow or a woman another has betrayed, or 
 if having had two wives, a third is known (to exist) thou art liable 
 under the law of bigamy, especially if thou hast defiled her and violated 
 her virginity. 
 
 Whether ordination is twice bestowed or baptism be discovered- 
 Lines 119-121 make no sense. Line 121 may be translated thus: 
 That hope may be realized, let it straightway be held vain. 
 
 Escape while you may, lest you be thought to have yielded. 
 
 If the wall itself fall and blood be shed, these are the reasons that 
 sanctuaries are re-consecrated. 
 
 The pregnant, the crazed, foreigners, boys, old men, the poor and 
 the weary do not commit sin when they eat a double meal. 
 
 Beggars, pregnant women, boys, the sick, travellers, the very old 
 and laborers are not bound to fast. 
 
 The sick and the needy abstain, and those guilty of greed, gluttony 
 and simony. 
 
 In mind, in word, in deed, in retiring (from life), in mode of living, 
 (the priest should be) an example. 
 
 Drunkenness debauches the mind, depletes the wine-cellar, dims 
 the eyes and fosters death. 
 
16 THE LATIN EPIGRAM OF THE MIDDLE ENGLISH PERIOD 
 
 Speech, glances, embraces, kisses and smiles are the kindling of 
 love; avoid them and you will be safe. 
 
 The following are chiefly to be recommended to the older (priests) : 
 twelve articles of faith, seven (of which) are to be observed, especially 
 those pertaining to gifts and virtues; the seven vices; the seven holy 
 commands of our Lord; and the Ten Commandments, the reward of 
 the just and punishment of the wicked, in which is bound up what to 
 avoid and what to do. 
 
 Glass cannot be harmed by the light; nor can a virgin, brought to 
 bed of a child. 
 
 Christ (is known as) Adam, the vine, the light, the vase, the flame 
 and the stone, the flower, the fruit, Moses, the bride-groom, Solomon, 
 the wind, the grass, the grape, the bee, the fountain, the pearl and the 
 bread, the tree (or perhaps 'the Cross), the bush, the odor, the bloom- 
 ing rod or the tree. 
 
 Let Christ the judge come, distinguished in wrath, scattering all 
 before Him and requiring his own with usury, strongly binding (men) 
 to Him and bearing them aloft to salvation. 
 
 The Fire, the Voice, the Fan (winnowing-fork), the Beast, the Sign 
 of the Judge, the Lamentations, the Reproaches, and the most holy 
 Balance set up: bear in mind these nine signs of the future coming 
 of Christ. 
 
 I receive extreme unction that my gratitude may be greater and 
 my sickness less grievous and my punishment lighter. 
 
 When thou dost reject the things of Jesus and punish thy masters 
 (i. e., by thy sins), the holy office of key-bearer passes out in the office 
 of priest. 
 
 Enveloped in the cloak of the flesh, teach the law in the temple. 
 
 And the holy order of lector is permitted to be shown in fact (or 
 as it is). 
 
 While thy voice, O Christ, removes the evil influence (of the demon), 
 the holy order of exorcist passes into other hands. 
 
WITH SPECIAL REFERENCE TO MS. REG. 17c XVIII FOL. I7 b -18 17 
 
 Christ teaches explicitly that He is the light of the world; He is 
 like those who carry tapers and lamps. 
 
 Christ bears a vessel of water and laves (His servants) with both 
 hands. He consecrates a guardian of the vase and, as his protector, 
 constitutes it an office. 
 
 Line 165. The line is bad grammatically, but the sense may be, 
 "Praise extraordinary I sing to Christ with my flesh." 
 
 Line 166. Another bad line, as 'levitas' should be the accusative. 
 It means, however, "God warns us that we ought to avoid forbidden 
 levity." 
 
 Christ, by giving Himself up on the altar of the Cross, shows us 
 what sort of man should be at the head of the priesthood. 
 Line 169. This line is unintelligible and evidently corrupt. 
 Romanus, Thecla, Bartholomew, together with Petronilla, -these 
 with Nocturnus are celebrated at (this) place. 
 
 Felix, Marcellus, Blasius, Valentinus and Alban, Kenelm, Stephen, 
 Oswald'and Donatus, Romanus, the Baptist, Firmin, Leodeger, Quin- 
 tin, Edmund, Chrysogonus; they were all decapitated. 
 
 The response to the preceptors is sung while the festival is being 
 celebrated. 
 
 The festival of Marcus, Marcellus, Gervase and Prothase, and of 
 the Seven Brethren, of those brethren, too, who are sleeping (under 
 the sod of the writer's own churchyard, probably), the festival of the 
 sainted brethren Cosmas and Damianus and, also, the saints Crispin 
 and Crispinian— (the writer has neglected to supply a verb). 
 
 "This is the True Fraternity" is sung while the festival is being 
 celebrated. 
 
 After the festival of Samson, the readings are in the beginning (i. e., 
 in Genesis) , after Augustine the festival of Sabina is always celebrated ; 
 you should celebrate the festival of Prothus and Jacmthus together; 
 and after the vigil of Matthew say— (the meaning of the last word m 
 line 185 is uncertain, although I have transcribed it 'Adonai'); after 
 the end of (the festival of) Cosmas, Maccabees is always read; Simon 
 
18 THE LATIN EPIGRAM OF THE MIDDLE ENGLISH PERIOD 
 
 and Jude I have already seen joined together; the Advent of our 
 Lord follows the feast of Linus. 
 
 Now I, John, have written. (The meaning of 'Allyisque' is obscure.) 
 
Gaylord Bros. 
 
 Makers 
 
 Syracuse, N. Y. 
 
 PAT, JAN. 21,1908 
 
 UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA LIBRARY