Art. 111, Seint Hillere archevesque de Peyters ordina ces salmes

by: Susanna Greer Fein (Editor)

from: The Complete Harley 2253 Manuscript, Volume 3  2015

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T N; T N; T T N; T N T N; T    N T N N N; T N N T T T N; T T N; T N T T N T N; T N; T N; T N N; T

¶ Seint Hillere archevesque de Peyters ordina ces salmes pur prier a Dieu. ¶ Qui velt rien prier a soy, die ov devocion devaunt la croys, “Ad te Domine levavi animam meam Deus meus in te confido” etc. [Psalm 24], e “Inclina Domine aurem tuam et exaudi me quoniam inops” etc. [Psalm 85]. ¶ Quy est environee de ses enimis, die ov devocion cestes psaumes, e il serra delyverez: “Exurgat Deus” [Psalm 67], e “Deus laudem meam [ne tacueris]” [Psalm 108]. ¶ Si vous estes chey en bosoigne, eiez bone esperaunce en Dieu. Dites, “In te Domine speravi” le premer [Psalm 30]. ¶ Si ascun vueille aler la ou il se doute, die treis foiz ov devocion, “Iudica me Deus et discerne” etc. [Psalm 42], e ayle seurement. ¶ Si vous estes molt en meseisse de cuer e volez que Dieus vous delyvre, diez a genoils ov lermes vij foiz, “Exaudi Deus orationem meam et ne despexeris” etc. [Psalm 54], “Miserere mei Deus quoniam conculcavit [me homo]” etc. [Psalm 55]. ¶ Si vous devez pleder ov vostre sovereine, priez Dieu humblement qu’il vous doint force e poer de acontrester vostre adversarie, e ditez, “Miserere mei Deus [miserere mei] quoniam in te confidit [anima mea]” [Psalm 56]. ¶ Quy deyve aler a bataille, die un ascun die pur ly, “Eripe me de inimicis meis Deus et ab insurgentibus [in me libera me]” [Psalm 58], “Exaudi Deus deprecationem meam intende orationi mee” [Psalm 60], “Exaudi Deus orationem meam cum deprecor” etc. [Psalm 63]. ¶ Quant vous levez le matyn, dites, “Deus in nomine tuo salvum me fac” [Psalm 53],      “Deus repulisti [nos]” [Psalm 59], treis Paternoster, treis Ave Maria, e passerez cel jour sauntz encombraunce. ¶ Qui ad volenté de peccher, prie Dieu devoutement qu’il ly doint repentaunce, e veroyment il serra delyvrez s’il die, “Deus misereatur” [Psalm 66]. ¶ Quant vous alez vers vostre enymy ou ad vostre adversarie, dites ov devocioun, “Iudica Domine nocentes me” [Psalm 34], e il ne avera poer de vous nuyre. ¶ Quant vous avez de rien songié, alez lendemain devant le crucifix en la eglise, e dites, “Ad Dominum cum tribularer [clamavi]” [Psalm 119], Paternoster, Ave Maria, e Credo. ¶ Si ascun soit enprisonee, si se conffesse bien e nettement, e puis die ces psalmes. E si yl ne les puet dire, die ascun autre pur ly mes, | qu’il soit bien e nettement confés, e pus les die quaraunte foiz, “Domine probasti me” [Psalm 138], “Eripe me Domine ab homine malo a viro iniquo [eripe me]” etc. [Psalm 139]. ¶ Si ascun vueille comencer ascune graunde chose, si prie l’eyde de Dieu, e s’estende devant l’auter, e die synk foiz, “Deus in adiutorium [meum intende]” [Psalm 69]. ¶ Si ascun se doute que le Deble eit poer de ly, die trei foiz cest salme, “In te Domine speravi” le secounde [Psalm 70]. ¶ Si ascun chese en defaute de siecle, die nuef foiz a genoils devant le croys ov bon devocioun, e Dieu ly aydera: “Deus venerunt gentes” [Psalm 78]. ¶ Si ascun vuelle requere la merci de Dieu, e qu’il otreye sa preeyere e paremplisse soun desir en bien, die x foiz, “Ad te levavi oculos meos” [Psalm 122], “Ad te Domine clamabo” [Psalm 27], “Usquequo Domine” [Psalm 12]. ¶ Si ascun soit en anguisse ou tribulacion, die par un digmange devant le cors Nostre Seigneur, “Domine quid multiplicati” [Psalm 3], “Salvum me fac Deus” [Psalm 68], “Domine refugium [tu factus es nobis]” [Psalm 89]. ¶ Si ascun soit grevement en malady, die, “Domine refugium [tu factus es nobis]” [Psalm 89], e il sentira aleggaunce. ¶ En memoire de la passioun Jesu Christ, deit um dire ov bon devocioun, “Deus Deus meus respice [me]” [Psalm 21], e a la elevacion, “Te Deum laudemus.”

¶ Saint Hilary the Archbishop of Poitiers ordained these psalms for praying to God. ¶ He who wishes to pray for something for himself, say with devotion before the cross, “To thee, O Lord, have I lifted up my soul. In thee, O my God, I put my trust” etc. [Psalm 24], and “Incline thy ear, O Lord, and hear me: for I am needy” etc. [Psalm 85]. ¶ He who is surrounded by his enemies, say with devotion these psalms, and he will be delivered: “Let God arise” [Psalm 67], and “O God, be thou not silent in my praise” [Psalm 108]. ¶ If you have fallen in need, have good hope in God. Say, “In thee, O Lord, have I hoped” the first [Psalm 30]. ¶ If anyone wishes to go where he is fearful, say three times with devotion, “Judge me, O God, and distinguish” etc. [Psalm 42], and go safely. ¶ If you are in great affliction of heart and wish for God to deliver you, say on your knees with tears seven times, “Hear, O God, my prayer, and despise not” etc. [Psalm 54], “Have mercy on me, O God, for man hath trodden me underfoot” etc. [Psalm 55]. ¶ If you must plead before your sovereign, pray to God humbly that he give you strength and power to oppose your adversary, and say, “Have mercy on me, O God, have mercy on me: for my soul trusteth in thee” [Psalm 56]. ¶ He who must go into battle, say or let someone say for him, “Deliver me from my enemies, O my God, and defend me from them that rise up against me” [Psalm 58], “Hear, O God, my supplication: be attentive to my prayer” [Psalm 60], “Hear, O God, my prayer, when I make supplication to thee” etc. [Psalm 63]. ¶ When you rise in the morning, say, “Save me, O God, by thy name” [Psalm 53],“O God, thou hast cast us off” [Psalm 59], three Paternosters, three Ave Marias, and you will go through the day without encumbrance. ¶ He who has a desire to sin, pray to God devoutly that he give him repentance, and he will truly be delivered if he says, “May God have mercy” [Psalm 66]. ¶ When you go toward your enemy or against your adversary, say with devotion, “Judge thou, O Lord, them that wrong me” [Psalm 34], and he will not have power to harm you. ¶ When you have dreamed of something, go on the morrow before the crucifix in church, and say, “In my trouble I cried to the Lord” [Psalm 119], Paternoster, Ave Maria, and Creed. ¶ If anyone should be imprisoned, let him confess himself well and cleanly, and then say these psalms. And if he is not able to say them, let someone else speak for him instead, | so long as he is well and cleanly confessed, and then say these forty times, “Lord, thou hast proved me” [Psalm 138], “Deliver me, O Lord, from the evil man; rescue me from the unjust man” etc. [Psalm 139]. ¶ If anyone should wish to begin a great matter, pray thus for God’s help, and lie prostrate before the altar, and say five times, “O God, come to my assistance” [Psalm 69]. ¶ If anyone fears that the Devil may have power over him, say this psalm three times, “In thee, O Lord, I have hoped” the second [Psalm 70]. ¶ If anyone should fall on account of the world, say nine times on his knees before the cross with good devotion, and God will help him: “O God, the heathens are come” [Psalm 78]. ¶ If anyone should wish to ask for God’s mercy, and that he might grant his prayer and well fulfill his desire, say ten times, “To thee I have lifted up my eyes” [Psalm 122], “Unto thee I will cry, O Lord” [Psalm 27], “How long, O Lord” [Psalm 12]. ¶ If anyone should be in anguish or tribulation, say on Sunday before the body of Our Lord, “Why, O Lord, are they multiplied” [Psalm 3], “Save me, O God” [Psalm 68], “Lord, thou hast been our refuge” [Psalm 89]. ¶ If anyone should be gravely ill, say, “Lord, you have been our refuge” [Psalm 89], and he will feel relief. ¶ In memory of the Passion of Jesus Christ, one ought to say with good devotion, “O God my God, look upon me” [Psalm 21], and at the Levation, “Te Deum laudemus.”

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Footnotes

ART. 111, SEINT HILLERE ARCHEVESQUE DE PEYTERS ORDINA CES SALMES: EXPLANATORY NOTES

Abbreviations: AND: Anglo-Norman Dictionary; ANL: Anglo-Norman Literature: A Guide to Texts and Manuscripts (R. Dean and Boulton); BL: British Library (London); Bodl.: Bodleian Library (Oxford); CT: Chaucer, Canterbury Tales; CUL: Cambridge University Library (Cambridge); DOML: Dumbarton Oaks Medieval Library; FDT: French Devotional Texts of the Middle Ages (Sinclair 1979); FDT-1: French Devotional Texts of the Middle Ages, . . . First Supplement (Sinclair 1982); IMEV: The Index of Middle English Verse (Brown and Robbins); MED: Middle English Dictionary; MWME: A Manual of the Writings in Middle English, 1050–1500 (Severs et al.); NIMEV: A New Index of Middle English Verse (Boffey and Edwards); NLS: National Library of Scotland (Edinburgh).

6 Exurgat. The word is spelled this way in the Douay-Rheims title of Psalm 67; the Vulgate has Exsurgat.
Psalm 67. See also Occasions for Psalms in French (art. 101), line 17.

8–9 Psalm 30. See also Occasions for Psalms in French (art. 101), lines 3, 5; and Occasions for Psalms in Latin (art. 110), lines 5–6. It is identified as “the first” to distinguish it from Psalm 70 (as it is in art. 110).

10–11 Psalm 42. See also Occassions for Psalms in French (art. 101), lines 8–9.

13–14 Psalm 54. Hunt and Bliss mistakenly identify the psalm as Psalm 63.

16–17 Psalm 56. See also Occasions for Psalms in French (art. 101), lines 13–14.

18–19 Psalm 58. See also Occasions for Psalms in French (art. 101), line 15.

20–21 Psalm 63. See also Occasions for Psalms in French (art. 101), lines 11–12; and Occasions for Psalms in Latin (art. 110), lines 1–2.

22 Psalm 53. See also Occasions for Psalms in French (art. 101), line 10.

23 Psalm 59. Hunt and Bliss identify this phrase as part of Psalm 53.

26 Psalm 66. See also Occasions for Psalms in French (art. 101), line 16.

28 Psalm 34. See also Occasions for Psalms in French (art. 101), line 7.

34 Psalm 138. See also Occasions for Psalms in French (art. 101), line 25.

37–38 Psalm 69. See also Occasions for Psalms in French (art. 101), lines 20–21.

39–40 Psalm 70. See also Occasions for Psalms in Latin (art. 110), line 13. It is identified as “the second” to distinguish it from Psalm 30 (compare lines 8–9).

45 Psalm 12. See also Occasions for Psalms in French (art. 101), lines 1–2.

47–48 Psalm 68. See also Occasions for Psalms in French (art. 101), lines 18–19; and Occasions for Psalms in Latin (art. 110), lines 7–8. Hunt and Bliss identify this psalm as Psalm 11.

48 Psalm 89. See also this item, lines 49–50; and Occasions for Psalms in French (art. 101), lines 23–24. Hunt and Bliss identify this psalm as Psalm 45.

49–50 Psalm 89. See also this item, line 48; and Occasions for Psalms in French (art. 101), lines 23–24. Hunt and Bliss identify this psalm as Psalm 45.

51–52 Psalm 21. Hunt and Bliss identify this psalm as Psalm 12.

52 “Te Deum laudamus.” See explanatory note to Occasions for Psalms in Latin (art. 110), line 26.

ART. 111, SEINT HILLERE ARCHEVESQUE DE PEYTERS ORDINA CES SALMES: TEXTUAL NOTES

ABBREVIATIONS: As: Aspin; Bö: Böddeker; Br: Brook; BS: Bennett and Smithers; BZ: Brandl and Zippel; B13: Brown 1937; Dea: J. M. Dean; Do: Dove 1969; Fl: Flood; Fö: Förster; Fu: Furnivall; HB: Hunt and Bliss; Kem: Kemble; Ken: Kennedy; Mi: Millett; Mo: Morris and Skeat; MS: MS Harley 2253; Mu¹: H. J. R. Murray; Mu²: J. A. H. Murray; NB: Noomen and van den Boogard; Pa: Patterson; Rev: Revard 2005a; Ri: Ritson 1877; Ro: Robbins 1959; SP: Short and Pearcy; Si: Silverstein; St: Stemmler 1970; Tu: Turville-Petre 1989; Ul: Ulrich; W¹: Wright 1839; W²: Wright 1841; W³: Wright 1842; WH: Wright and Halliwell.

1 archevesque. So MS. HB: archeveque.

6 meam [ne tacueris]. MS: meam.

8 Dites. So MS. HB: e dites.

9 premer. So MS (re abbreviated). HB: primer.

10 Iudica. MS: Iudicer (er abbreviated).

14 Deus. So MS (eu abbreviated). HB: Dominus.
conculcavit [me homo]. MS: conculcavit.

16 Deus. So MS (eu abbreviated). HB: Dominus.

19 Deus 1. MS: Deus meus.
insurgentibus [in me libera me]. MS: insurgentibus.

23 repulisti [nos]. MS: repulisti.

29–31 Written in the bottom margin, with the place of insertion indicated by scribal mark.

30 tribularer [clamavi]. MS: tribularer.

32 conffesse. So MS. HB: confesse.

34 les. So MS. HB: le.

35 iniquo [eripe me]. MS: iniquo.

37 adiutorium [meum intende]. MS: adiutorium.

43 preeyere. So MS (re abbreviated). HB: preyere.

44–45 The titles of Psalms 27 and 12 appear to be later additions by the scribe.

46 ou tribulacion. MS words interlined. HB: ou tribulation.

47 Deus. So MS (eu abbreviated). HB: Dominus.
47–48 The titles of Psalms 68 and 89 are added in the right margin, inserted with a caret.

48 refugium [tu factus es nobis]. MS: refugium.

49 refugium [tu factus es nobis]. MS: refugium.

52 respice [me]. MS: respice.