Harley Lyrics

The Harley Lyrics is the usual name for a collection of lyrics in Middle English, Anglo Norman (Middle French), and Latin found in Harley MS 2253, a manuscript dated ca. 1340 in the British Library's Harleian Collection. The lyrics contain "both religious and secular material, in prose and verse and in a wide variety of genres." The manuscript is written in three recognisable hands: scribe A, scribe B or the Ludlow scribe, and scribe C.

The manuscript

Harley MS 2253 contains 141 leaves of parchment or folios measuring 11 1/2 by 6 1/2 inches. It can be divided into two parts based on content: the first 48 leaves, booklets one (quires 1-2, folios 1-22) and two (quires 3-4, folios 23-48), contain religious poetry in the late-thirteenth century hand known as scribe A, whilst the remaining five booklets are written in the early-fourteenth century hand of the Ludlow scribe; apart from some pigment recipes at the beginning of booklet three (quires 5, folios 49-52) penned by scribe C. Containing miscellaneous material, secular as well as religious, in prose and verse, this division is not, however, reflected in the quire division, since the division is found on folio 49, part of a quire running from folio 47 to 52; an earlier assumption that this division indicated two separate manuscripts bound together is therefore incorrect.

The Ludlow scribe

Nothing is known about the identities of scribes A and C, however in discussing scribe B Fein informs us that "Much has been written about the Ludlow scribe, especially since Carter Revard’s landmark research that dates his hand as it appears in three manuscripts and forty-one legal writs." The Ludlow scribe like a number of others is, because of the lack of evidence and the distance of time, somewhat anonymous yet their 'hands' (their characteristic writing style) makes them recognizable. "As the maker of a key manuscript, the Ludlow scribe is a leading figure among a growing company of copyists now recognized for the value of what they preserved." There is evidence that this scribe "flourished as a professional legal scribe in the vicinity of Ludlow from 1314 to 1349." Those aforementioned forty-one legal writs are dated from December 18, 1314, to April 13, 1349. Fein notes that "If he was in his twenties when he inscribed the first of these documents, then he was born in the last decade of the thirteenth century. He may have died during the Black Death, which swept through England from 1348 to 1350, so his dates can roughly be set from about 1290 to about 1350."

The metanarrative

Revard explains that "...a savvy reader of the whole anthology can see that there is a metanarrative that unifies the anthology." he further explains that a metanarrative works by, what has been called, "oppositional thematics". That is to say that, each text in the collection is deliberately placed such that it opposes or speaks to the narrative or viewpoint of the preceding texts or texts. In booklet three though, we can see that there is not always a clear relationship and that a knowledge of the sources used by the scribe to set up such oppositions is required to fully grasp the inter-textual meaning. The two poems which precede scribe C's recipes, are ABC a femmes and De l’Yver et de l’Esté, both are Anglo-Norman or Middle French. They appear to have nothing in particular to say to each other. The former is a text that celebrates women, highlighting their decency, kindness and long suffering natures. Fein observes that the poem “…deftly equates the sexual pleasure women hold for men with the heavenly delight, healing, and salvation ushered in by Mary’s role in God’s incarnation.” The writer asserts that any man who does not appreciate the worthiness of women is a base creature. The latter however is a Debate poem "...a late medieval form that might have been inspired by and modeled on Virgil’s Eclogues." It concerns an argument between the Summer and the Winter that seems to have almost pagan overtones. The actual relationship of these texts can only be guessed at.

The texts in booklet four however are more clearly related. By virtue of the number of texts it contains, it represents far more complex contextual patterns and references. However it begins with Hagiography, a Saint's Life. Incipit vita sancti Ethelberti, tells the story of St Ethelbert, who begins as a King but ends as martyr, he is killed as a consequence of his honourable and virtuous behaviour in spite of a vision which shows his future murder. Further into the booklet we meet another apparently honourable and virtuous figure in the earliest surviving English serventes, "...that is, a poem made to mock a beaten enemy." Sitteth alle stille ant herkneth to me also called A Song of Lewes, tells the story of the Earl of Leicester, Simon de Montfort, a hero of the Second Barons' War and how he achieved a great victory against the forces of the King at the Battle of Lewes on 14 May 1264. The text which follows, Chaunter m’estoit, describes his death at the Battle of Evesham, August 4, 1265 where he was killed and dismembered. In this Anglo Norman text de Montfort is eulogised as a martyr and compared favourably to Thomas Becket. Fein tells us that this last text was an expression of a desire by some to see Simon de Montfort canonised, a desire that never bore fruit. The relationship between these three texts is interesting, as is their relationship to the text which follows three short texts concerned with the brevity of life. Fein writes "Looking beyond the praise of Montfort, one senses, too, how the scribe wishes to issue a warning on earthly pride:" In Lystneth, lordynges! A newe song Ichulle bigynne, Sir Simon Fraser, who has also opposed his King along with William Wallace and Robert the Bruce has been captured and is sent to London to be hanged, then drawn and quartered. "The tone of the piece is vigorously nationalistic and anti-Scots." The parallels are clear, as Fein illustrates "The scribe’s interesting arrangement of material conveys many messages in itself. The trilingual meditation on mortality (arts. 24a, 24a*, 24b) points forward to this poem of public execution as well as backward to the death in battle of Simon de Montfort, who was also dismembered." Thus the French Simon de Montfort is compared to another traitor the Scottish Sir Simon Fraser and to a true martyr and saint, the Anglo Saxon Ethelbert; thus creating the metanarrative of booklet four.

Modern transcriptions

G. L. Brook is considered an authority on this manuscript. He first published The Harley Lyrics: The Middle English Lyrics of MS. Harley 2253 in 1948 and released a second edition containing "minor corrections and revised bibliography" in 1956. His edition includes a detailed introduction including information on the physicality and orthography of the manuscript, context on secular, courtly love, and religious lyrics, the metre of lyrics, and a brief discussion on the lyrics as literature. His edition includes thirty-two of the original lyric verses included in Harley MS 2253.

Table of Contents - Harley Manuscript 2253

BOOKLET 1 (quires 1–2, Scribe A)
Text	Folios	Language	Original Title	English Title
1. 1a.	1ra-21vb 21vb-22ra	AN Verse AN Verse	Vitas patrum Thais	The Lives of the Fathers The Story of Thais
BOOKLET 2 (quires 3–4, Scribe A)
2. 3.3a.3b.4.5.6.7.	23ra–33va 33va–39rb39rb39va–41va41va–43vb43vb–45vb45vb–47vb47vb–48vb	AN verse AN proseAN proseAN proseAN proseAN proseAN proseAN prose	Herman de Valenciennes, La Passioun Nostre Seignour De la Passioun Jhesu [L’Évangile de Nicodème]Epistle a TiberieEpistle a Claudie l’emperourDe seint Johan le EwangelisteDe seint Johan le BaptistDe seint BartholomeuPassioun seint Piere	Herman de Valenciennes, The Passion of Our Lord The Gospel of NicodemusThe Letter of Pilate to TiberiasThe Letter of Pilate to Emperor ClaudiusThe Life of Saint John the EvangelistThe Life of Saint John the BaptistThe Life of Saint BartholomewThe Passion of Saint Peter
BOOKLET 3 (quire 5, Scribes B and C)
8. 9.10.11.12.13.14.15.16.17.	49r–50v 51ra–52va52va52va52vb52vb52vb52vb52vb52vb	AN verse AN verseME proseME proseME proseME proseME proseME proseME proseME prose	ABC a femmes De l’Yver et de l’EstéVorte make cynopleVorte temprene asureVorte make gras-greneVorte maken another maner greneYet for gaude-greneVorte couche selverfoylVorte maken iren as hart as stelVorte maken blankplum	ABC of Women Debate between Winter and SummerHow to Make Red VermilionHow to Temper AzureHow to Make Grass-GreenHow to Make Another Kind of GreenAnother for Yellow-GreenHow to Apply SilverfoilHow to Make Iron as Hard as SteelHow to Make White Lead
BOOKLET 4 (quire 6, Scribe B)
18. 19.20.21.22.23.24.24a.24a*.24b.25.25a.26.27.	53ra–54vb 54vb55ra–b55va–56vb57r–58v58v–59r59r–v59v59v59v59v–61v61v61v–62v62v	L prose L verseAN verseME verseME verseME verseAN verseAN verseL verseME verseME verseME verseAN verseME verse	Incipit vita sancti Ethelberti Anima christi, sanctifica meQuant voy la revenue d’yverAlle herkneth to me nouIn a thestri stude Y stodSitteth alle stille ant herkneth to meChaunter m’estoitCharnel amour est folieMomentaneum est quod delectatErthe toc of ertheLystneth, lordynges! A newe song Ichulle bigynneLord that lenest us lyfEnseignement sur les amisMiddelerd for mon wes mad	The Life of Saint Ethelbert Soul of Christ, Sanctify MeA Goliard’s FeastHarrowing of HellDebate between Body and SoulA Song of LewesLament for Simon de MontfortCarnal Love Is FollyWhat Allures Is MomentaryEarth upon EarthThe Execution of Sir Simon FraserOn the Follies of FashionLesson for True LoversThe Three Foes of Man
BOOKLET 5 (quires 7–11, Scribe B)
28. 29.30.31.32.33.34.35.36.37.38.39.40.41.43.44.45.46.47.48.49.50.51.52.53.54.55.56.57.58.59.60.61.62.63.64.65.66.67.68.69.70.71.72.	63r–v 63v63v64r64va–65vb66r66v66v–67r67r67va–68va68va–70rb70rb–v70va/71ra/71va70vb/71rb71va71vb–72ra72ra–va72va–73rb73r–v73v–74v75ra–b75rb–va75va–b75vb76r76r76r76v–77r77va77vb–78va78vb–79rb79rb–vb79vb80ra80rb80v80v–81r81r–v81va–b82ra–83r83r83r–92v92v–105r105va–b	ME verse ME verseME verseME verseME verseME verseME verseME verseME verseAN verseAN proseAN proseME verseME verseME verseME verseME verseME verseME verseME verseAN verseME verseME verseME verseME verseAN verseTrilingual verseAN verseAN verseME verseAN verseME verseME verseME verseME verseME verseME verseME verseME verseME verseAN & ME verseME verseAN proseL prose	Ichot a burde in a bour ase beryl so bryht / Annot and John Bytuene Mersh ant Averil / AlysounWith longyng Y am ladIch herde men upo moldHerketh hideward ant beoth stilleWeping haveth myn wonges wetMost I ryden by RybbesdaleIn a fryht as Y con fare fremedeA wayle whyt ase whalles bonGilote e JohaneLes pelrinages communes que crestiensfountenaSeinteTerreLes pardouns de AcresNe mai no lewed lued libben in londeOf a mon Matheu thohteLenten ys come with love to touneIn May hit murgeth when hit dawesHeye Louerd, thou here my boneIchot a burde in boure bryhtAlle that beoth of huerte treweLustneth, lordinges, bothe yonge ant oldeMarie, pur toun enfauntSuete Jesu, king of blysseJesu Crist, heovene kyngWynter wakeneth al my careWhen Y se blosmes springeFerroy chaunsounDum ludis floribusQuant fu en ma juventeMarie, mere al SalveourDulcis Jesu memoriaUne petite paroleStond wel, moder, under rodeJesu, for thi muchele mihtI syke when Y singeNou skrinketh rose ant lylie-flourMy deth Y love, my lyf Ich hateWhen the nyhtegale singesBlessed be thou, LevedyAse Y me rod this ender dayHerkne to my ronMayden, moder mildeThe Geste of Kyng HornLudlow Scribe, Estoyres de la BibleNomina librorum bibliotece	Annot and John AlysounThe Lover’s ComplaintSong of the HusbandmanThe Life of Saint MarinaThe Poet’s RepentanceThe Fair Maid of RibblesdaleThe Meeting in the WoodA Beauty White as Whale BoneGilote and JohanePilgrimages in the Holy LandThe Pardons of AcreSatire on the Consistory CourtThe Laborers in the VineyardSpringAdvice to WomenAn Old Man’s PrayerBlow, Northern WindThe Death of Edward IThe Flemish InsurrectionThe Joys of Our LadySweet Jesus, King of BlissJesus Christ, Heaven’s KingA Winter SongA Spring Song on the PassionI Pray to God and Saint ThomasWhile You Play in FlowersSong on Jesus’ Precious BloodMary, Mother of the SaviorJesus, Sweet Is the Love of YouSermon on God’s Sacrifice and JudgmentStand Well, Mother, under RoodJesus, by Your Great MightI Sigh When I SingAn Autumn SongThe Clerk and the GirlWhen the Nightingale SingsBlessed Are You, LadyThe Five Joys of the VirginMaximianMaiden, Mother MildKing HornLudlow Scribe, Old Testament StoriesNames of the Books of the Bible
BOOKLET 6 (quires 12–14, Scribe B)
73 747575a.76777879.80.81.82.83.84.85.86.87.88.89.90.91.92.93.94.95.96.97.98.99.	106r 106ra–107rb107va–109vb110ra–va110vb–111rb111rb–vb112ra–b112rc–113vc113vb–114v114v–115r115va–117ra117ra–118rb118rb–vb119ra–121ra121ra–122va122vb–124va124va–125r125ra–127ra127rb–va127va–b128r128r–v128v–129v129v–130v131r131v–132r132r–133r133v	ME verse ME verseAN verseAN verseAN verseAN verseAN verseAN verseAN verseME verseAN verseAN verseAN verseME verseAN verseAN verseME verseME verseME proseAN proseME verseME verseAN proseAN proseAN proseL proseL proseAN & L prose	God that al this myhtes may Lustneth, alle, a lutel throweLe jongleur d’Ely e le roi d’AngleterreLes trois dames qui troverunt un vitLe dit des femmesLe blasme des femmesNicholas Bozon, Femmes a la pyeUn sage honme de grant valour / Urbain the CourteousTalent me prent de rymer e de geste fere / TrailbastonMon in the mone stond ant stritLe chevaler e la corbaylleDe mal mariageLa gagure, ou L’esquier e la chaunbrereA bok of swevenyngOrdre de bel ayseLe chevaler qui fist les cons parlerOf rybauds Y ryme ant red o my rolleMon that wol of wysdam herenWhen man as mad a kyng of a capped manLa destinccioun de la estature Jesu Crist Nostre SeigneurLutel wot hit any mon hou love hym haveth yboundeLutel wot hit any mon hou derne love may stondeEnseignements de saint Lewis a Philip soun fitzL’enqueste que le patriarche de Jerusalem fistLes armes des roysScriptum quod peregrini deferuntLegenda de sancto Etfrido, presbitero de LeoministriaQuy chescun jour de bon cuer cest oreisoun dirra	God Who Wields All This Might The Sayings of Saint BernardThe Jongleur of Ely and the King of EnglandThe Three Ladies Who Found a PrickThe Song on WomenThe Blame of WomenNicholas Bozon, Women and MagpiesUrbain the CourteousTrailbastonThe Man in the MoonThe Knight and the BasketAgainst MarriageThe Wager, or The Squire and the ChambermaidA Book of DreamingThe Order of Fair EaseThe Knight Who Made Vaginas TalkSatire on the Retinues of the GreatHendingThe Prophecy of Thomas of ErceldouneDistinguishing Features of the Bodily Form of Jesus Christ Our LordThe Way of Christ’s LoveThe Way of Woman’s LoveThe Teachings of Saint Louis to His Son PhilipThe Land of the SaracensHeraldic Arms of KingsLetter for Pilgrims on the Relics at OviedoThe Legend of Saint Etfrid, Priest of LeominsterPrayer for Protection
BOOKLET 7 (quire 15, Scribe B)
100. 101.102.103.104.105.106.107.108.108a.109.109a.110.111.112.113.114.115.116.	134r 134r134v134v134v–135r135r135r135r135v135v135v–136r136r136r–v136v–137r137r137r–v137v–138v138v–140r140v	AN prose AN proseAN verseL proseAN verse & proseL proseAN proseAN proseAN proseAN proseL proseAN proseL proseAN proseL proseL proseAN & L verseAN proseL prose	Quant vous levez le matyn Quy velt que Dieu sovyegne de lyGloria in excelsis Deo en fraunceisConfiteor tibi, Deus, omnia peccata meaGloriouse DameRex seculorum et Domine dominatorUm doit plus volentiers juner le vendredyQuy est en tristourCely que fra ces messes chaunterJe vous requer, Jaspar, Melchior, e BaltazarMundus iste totus quoddam scaccarium estQuy chescun jour denz seissaunte joursContra inimicos si quos habesSeint Hillere archevesque de Peyters ordina ces salmesEulotropia et celidoniaDe interrogandi moribundis beati AnselmiDieu, roy de magestéContemplacioun de la passioun Jesu CristDe martirio sancti Wistani	Occasions for Angels Occasions for Psalms in ANGlory to God in the Highest in ANPrayer of ConfessionPrayer on the Five Joys of Our LadyPrayer for ContritionReasons for Fasting on FridaySeven Masses to Be Said in MisfortuneSeven Masses in Honor of God and Saint GilesPrayer to the Three KingsAll the World’s a Chess BoardThree Prayers That Never FailOccasions for Psalms in LOccasions for Psalms Ordained by Saint Hilary of PoitiersHeliotrope and CelandineSaint Anselm’s Questions to the DyingAgainst the King’s TaxesSeven Hours of the Passion of Jesus ChristThe Martyrdom of Saint Wistan
L = Latin AN = Anglo Norman (Middle French) ME = Middle English

External links

, from British Library
, from Lancaster University
, Wessex Parallel WebTexts
, Medieval English Dictionary