Described Hardwick & Luard: i.437; Wakelin p. 108; Repertorium i.11.

[1]

f. 1

The helpe and the grace of almyghty [God] of his blessed modur mary be wyth vs at [oure begynnynge helpe] vs and spede vs in owre leuyng and brynge vs to the blysse that neuyr shall haue endynge amen.

Prayer prefacing John Mirk's Festial, see [3] below. Damage to the top right-hand corner of f. 1 has caused some loss of text, here supplied from Ross p. 46.

Other texts: This is not the usual prayer associated with the Festial. Wakelin p. 96 notes that this prayer occurs in only three other MSS of the Festial: BL Harley 2403, BL Lansdowne 392, and Durham UL Cosin V.iii.5, and in the early printed editions of Caxton, 1483 (STC 17957, Part 1) and Wynkyn de Worde, 1493 (STC 17962, Part 1); it is also found at the head of a homily in BL Royal 18 B.xxiii, for which see Ross p. 46.

[2]

f. 1

Gode men and wommen by myne owne vndyrstondynge i fele well how hit faryth by othur þat be in the same degre þat haue take charge of sowles and be holden to teche herr parichions of alle principall festes þat cometh in the ʒere schewynge to them what seyntes sufferd …

… which he begynnyth at þe fyrst sonday of þe aduent in the worchyppe of god and of all the sayntys þat ben wreten there yn.

Prologue to John Mirk's Festial, see [3] below.

[3]

f. 1

Gode men and women ʒe schall knowe well þat þis day ys callyd the sonday of cristys comynge wher for holy chirch maketh mencion of the comynge of criste goddes son in to this worlde to brynge mankynde out of the fendes bondes and to brynge well doers in to endles blisse …

f. 3v

… and hote led thus they that be dampned in helle stynt neuer to try and to ʒell wo ys to them þat thydur schalle go god schulde us all ther fro.

John Mirk, The Festial; sermon for Advent Sunday (see Erbe pp. 1–5), ending with two rhyming couplets. This MS contains fifty-nine of the sixty-eight sermons, ending imperfectly in the sermon for the Feast of SS. Simon and Jude.