The prayers and hymns

The prayers and hymns A large part of the Burnet Psalter consists of prayers and hymns for private worship, notably in the sections listed below. Section Folios Miscellaneous devotions 12r-16r Commemorations of the saints 16r-28r Prayers of and to St Bridget 28v-32v Salutations to the Holy Trinity 36r-36v Miscellaneous prayers, mainly to Jesus Christ 37r-60r Fifteen prayers ('The Fifteen Os') of St Bridget 60v-65v Miscellaneous prayers and invocations 65v-68r Devotions to the cross and passion of Jesus Christ 68r-77v Devotions to the body of Christ and the sacrament 77v-83v Devotions to the Virgin Mary 84r-124v Litany with Collects 242v-251v Litany with tropes and final collects 315v-321r The 288 prayers and hymns in these sections were not identified or described in any detail by James. The limited survey of published editions of prayers and hymns undertaken for this project, however, indicates that of the 60 hymns, at least 16 (26%) do not appear to be recorded, while the proportion of unrecorded prayers (138 of 228) is substantially greater (60%), although wider research would no doubt reduce it significantly. In view of this, and - more importantly - the value now assigned to such material for the study of what has come to be called 'traditional religion' (SA, p 3), it seemed appropriate to provide a brief account of these sections and their contents. The laity at prayer The men and women who read or recited these prayers and hymns knew themselves to be weak and vulnerable in a hostile and hazardous world. They turned to God, to his son and the mother of his son, to the orders of angels and the ranks of the elect, for help in avoiding or surviving the dangers and crises of everyday life. They prayed for protection, help or deliverance in times of sickness and need, of physical danger and defeat, of fear, ignorance and confusion. They were preoccupied with 'enemies, visible and invisible': they prayed for protection against them, deliverance from them, or victory over them. For further reassurance, they invested some of their prayers with the properties of charms or incantations, carrying them on their person, saying them at various times and in various ways, in order to enhance their efficacy. Beyond this, however, the laity prayed for salvation, for guidance and help in living the righteous life and in making the 'good end' that would secure it. They asked that, through the grace of the holy spirit, they might learn to love all that was good for the body and the soul; to perceive and reject all that was not. They sought wisdom and humility; the capacity to love their neighbour; gravity of manner, moderation and chastity; and the strength to persevere in seeking and doing good. They did so in the knowledge that around them and ahead of them evil lay in wait, in an unending series of snares, ambushes and surprise attacks. Those who had been entrapped by evil prayed for salvation, through confession, repentance and absolution. The fervour of their prayers was reinforced by their awareness of the imminence and unpredictability of death. It might come at the hands of their enemies or inadvertently - through famine, epidemics, the hazards of childbirth, the perils of travel. They sought, therefore, time in which to prepare themselves; they prayed that they might not encounter sudden death. Weak and vulnerable, fearful and uncertain, the laity found solace in the veneration of individual saints who would protect them and intercede for them with God. But it was the suffering of the crucified son of God that they identified most strongly; and from the love and compassion of his mother that they drew the greatest comfort. Their prayers and hymns to Christ and to the Virgin Mary are, as a result, the most affective texts in the entire manuscript. Description and analysis Miscellaneous devotions The four prayers are mainly protective in nature. The introductions to Deus propicius esto and Domine deus omnipotens pater describe their particular properties and recommend when and how they should be recited. Deus propicius esto is attributed to St Augustine. Commemorations of the saints Detail from folio 18v The 22 prayers and 12 hymns are arranged in groups, each one associated with an angel or a saint. The subjects of the groups are the two archangels, Michael and Gabriel; the Guardian Angel; St John the Baptist, St John the Evangelist; five other male saints, Thomas [of London], George, Nicholas, Christopher, Anthony; and five female saints, Anne, Mary Magdalen, Catherine, Margaret and Barbara. Most of the groups contain one hymn or more addressed to the angel or the saint, celebrating their virtues as exemplified in their acts. These are linked to one prayer or more, asking that we may benefit spiritually through their merits or their intercession , or through our veneration of their names. Prayers of and to St Bridget Detail from folio 28r Of the 13 prayers, 10 were composed by, or revealed to St Bridget. Among the rest, O Mater benedicta, is addressed to her by another woman. St Bridget's prayers to God concern her own spiritual progress; her prayers to Christ refer to his incarnation and passion, and foreshadow the prayers attributed to her, known as The Fifteen Os, which appear elsewhere in the manuscript. The prayers addressed to St Bridget ask for her intercession. Salutations to the Holy Trinity Four prayers, beginning Ave, salute the Holy Trinity and ask for absolution from sin and eternal life. A fifth asks for guidance and protection against evil spirits. Miscellaneous prayers, mainly to Jesus Christ Among the 47 prayers and 5 hymns, some are simple offerings of praise (eg Salve Ihesu rex). The majority, however, combine praise, confession, repentance and petition in a number of conventional formats (eg Gracias ago tibi pater and Omnipotens deus et). Some of these have particular emphases: on the principal events of Christ's life and sufferings (eg Deus qui voluisti); on the oneness of God the Father, Son and Holy Spirit (eg Domine deus eterne); on the cross (eg Queso omnipotens Ihesu); and on the redemptive significance of the sacrament (eg In presencia corporis). Several use quotations and incidents from the bible to justify or illustrate their text (eg Domine exaudi oracionem, which uses both). Others invoke God as Father, Son and Holy Spirit, by a variety of alternative names (eg Domine Ihesu Christi fili dei vivi miserere, which lists 30); prayers of a similar kind appear elsewhere in the manuscript (Miscellaneous prayers and invocations). Some prayers and hymns are described in more detail. Aspice ad me is to be said kneeling before the cross; Perfunde me queso is for use at Prime; Omnipotens et misericors deus qui was said daily before mass; while Ihesus Nazarenus rex, has a special property if said daily. Omnipotens et misericors deus qui and Clementissime domine Ihesu are attributed them to St Augustine; the author of Ante conspectum divine describes himself as a sinful priest; Omnipotens deus te is one of three offered on behalf of a married man and his wife; while Adoro te domine is offered by a woman. Fifteen prayers ('The Fifteen Os') of St Bridget Detail from folio 61r These are all addressed to Christ and begin with the word 'O' - hence their sobriquet. Each invokes a feature of Christ's passion and interprets it in terms of the spiritual needs of the author, said to be St Bridget. The introduction recounts how they were revealed to her and describes their properties in mitigating the punishment of the sinful and the damned. For the nature and significance of this popular collection, see SA, pp 249-56. Miscellaneous prayers and invocations Four of the five prayers contain incantations, invoking God by alternative names in Hebrew, Greek and Latin. They are preceded by introductions, two of them (to Adonay, Flos, Sabaoth and Messyas, Sother, Emanuel) in French, which describe the efficacy of the incantations when carried on the person, against sickness, fever, plague and the hazards of childbirth, weapons, fire and water, evil spirits, and sudden death without confession. Messyas, Sother, Emanuel and Dominus, Deus, Unigenitus are attributed to St Leo (Pope Leo I). For the nature and use of prayers containing incantations, see SA, pp 266-79. Devotions to the cross and passion of Jesus Christ Detail from folio 70r The 15 prayers and 13 hymns invoke the redemptive nature of Christ's passion ( eg Adoramus te Christe and O crux gloriosa) and describe his suffering on the cross. They itemise the events of the passion and crucifixion (eg Deprecor te piissime domine, which vividly depicts Christ's agony); they refer specifically and graphically to Christ's wounds, comparing the flow of his blood to the great rivers of the world ( eg Salve plaga lateris nostri redemptoris and the series beginning with Ad vulnus dextre manus); and they quote and interpret Christ's 'seven words' (eg Domine Ihesu Christe qui septem). In addition, they refer to the symbols of the crucifixion, notably the sign of the cross and the protection it offers (eg Per gloriam et) and the nine icons or 'arms' of the passion (eg Cruci corone spinee), seeking spiritual benefit for those who venerate them (eg Concede quesumus omnipotens deus ut qui). Finally, they invoke the Virgin and the Evangelist as witnesses of Christ's suffering (O Maria plasma nati and Iohannes evvangelista) and recount how Christ returned to St Veronica the cloth imprinted with the image of his face (Salve sancta facies). These prayers and hymns are followed by an abridged narrative of the passion, based mainly on St John's Gospel. Adoramus te Christe is followed by five psalms intercalated with the sequence Pater noster and Ave Maria and, on the last occasion, Credo; Ave Ihesu Christe is intercalated with the sequence Pater noster and Ave Maria; and the hymn and prayer invoking the image on the cloth of St Veronica are linked by a single psalm. The introduction to Sancte crucis tue contains instructions for making the sign of the cross; the prayer Domine Ihesu Christe qui septem, when said daily with great devotion, is said to have special properties, notably that of procuring a vision of the Virgin. The introduction to Domine Ihesu Christe qui septem attributes it to St Bede; that of Sancte crucis tue associates it with St Edmund; while Ave Ihesu Christe is prefaced with a legend, telling how Christ gave the words to an unnamed priest. For the pre-eminence of devotions to the passion in the fifteenth century, notably the narrative, the cult of the wounds, the 'arms' of the passion and the seven words, see SA, pp 234-8, 243-9. Devotions to the body of Christ and the sacrament Of the 12 prayers and 4 hymns, most are designed for private use at the elevation of the Host. They dwell upon the body of Christ and the sacrament itself as a source of redemption and protection (eg Rogo te domine, Concede michi domine and Oro domine ut). In addition, however, two prayers refer to the Virgin and saints, asking for their intercession (eg Percepcio corporis et); while a third asks that she may be present at the hour of our death (Dum conturbata fuerit). The introductions to some prayers say when in the celebration of communion they should be recited (eg Pater deus omnipotens qui omnia). In addition, Domine Ihesu Christe qui hanc carries with it a papal indulgence; Domine Ihesu Christe qui hanc is associated with Pope (apparently altered to St) Boniface VIII and Philip III of France; while Oro domine ut is made on behalf of a woman. For the nature and significance of 'elevation prayers', see SA, pp 117-21; for prayers with indulgences, see SA, pp 287-92. Devotions to the Virgin Mary Of the 32 prayers and 26 hymns, most are addressed to the Virgin Mary, either alone or jointly with Christ or St John the Evangelist. They acknowledge, explicitly or implicitly, her role as the mother of God and its significance, and her pre-eminent place in heaven: Mater digna dei refers to her as queen of heaven; Prosit nobis semper places her at her son's right hand; Ave regina angelorum exalts her over angels and archangels. Her primacy also derives from her virginity itself: this is exalted in Saluto te immaculata and Ave virgo virginum; more elaborately in Ave mundi spes, Cunctis excelcior, Salve sancta mater dei and Gaude perpetua virgo immaculata; while in O Intemerata ... Inclina, it is associated with the virginity of St John the Evangelist. Generally, the prayers and hymns ask the Virgin, as the mother of God, to intercede on our behalf with her son, who can deny her nothing (eg Sancta virgo virginum), and to guide and protect us on earth. Several, however, refer specifically to death.: the Virgin is asked to tell the petitioner the day and hour of his death (Obsecro te domina); to appear to the dying (Diva virgo), a manifestation which could be secured by daily recitations of the litany Kyrieleyson Christeleyson; and to take charge of the dead man's soul, conduct it to heaven and defend it at the Last Judgement (eg O sanctissima et). This last prayer contains a vivid description of the petitioner on his deathbed; similarly graphic accounts are to be found in Cunctis excelcior and Sancta virgo virginum. Other texts invoke events in the life of the Virgin and her son (eg Salve sancta mater dei and Missus est angelus). More commonly, however, her life is described in terms of the her joys and sorrows. The number and nature of her joys vary: Gaude perpetua virgo immaculata, for example, lists five (the conception, birth, resurrection and ascension of Christ, and her own assumption into heaven); Virgo templum trinitatis lists seven (the birth, resurrection, ascension and assumption, together with the annunciation, the star, and the descent of the holy spirit); and Deus qui beatam Mariam lists eight (the conception, birth, resurrection, ascension and assumption, together with the adoration of the kings, the presentation in the temple and Christ's miracles, specifically, the changing of water into wine). Obsecro te domina refers to fifteen joys without naming them; while Salve sancta mater dei refers to the joys but does not enumerate them. Finally, Gaude flore virginali contrasts with the seven temporal joys of the Virgin those which she now enjoys in heaven. The sorrows of the Virgin derive from the sight of her crucified son, his wounds and his blood; they are described most intensely in Obsecro te domina and Salve mater dolorosa; while Ave regina angelorum describes her tears when she saw his wounds, and Interveniat pro nobis recalls Simeon's prophecy that her soul would be pierced with a sword (Luke, 2:35). There are the familiar representations of the Virgin as a star and a flower. In Ave decus celos glorificans, she is a star 'lighting our way' and the star of the sea 'shining on seamen and quieting the storm'; in Ave mater salvatoris she is 'the star who bore a sun' . In Cunctis excelcior she is the flower of mankind, and more specifically, the lily of purity and the rose of patience. In Ave mater salvatoris she is the red rose without a thorn. Four texts contain personal references. The hymns Virgo templum trinitatis and Gaude flore virginali are attributed respectively to Pierre Roger, Pope Clement VI, and Thomas Becket, Archbishop of Canterbury. The litanies Missus est angelus and Kyrieleyson Christeleyson are attributed respectively to a monk, Arnaldus, and to St Bernard. Litany with Collects Of the 35 collects, or prayers, Deprecor te piissime, Miserere nobis domine and Libera nos domine refer to the litany which precedes them. The rest fall into three categories. The first contains general prayers for the help, protection and deliverance of the Christian faithful (eg Deus qui es). The second contains prayers on behalf named groups. Some, like the church universal (Ecclesie tue domine), are broad; most are specific, covering bishops, the family (including royal families), travellers, and God's 'servants and handmaidens', living and dead (eg Pretende domine famulis); one prayer is directed against a group - those who rob the church. The third category contains prayers on particular subjects: some of them, such as peace ( Deus a quo sancta, Deus regnorum omniumque) are broad, others are more specific, covering fine weather, rain and food. This category also contains prayers directed against 'evil spirits in the air', famine and pestilence; the last, Deus qui iminentem, is illustrated by a reference to the deliverance of Nineveh (Jonah, 3:10). Litany with tropes and final collects The 23 prayers are offered to God, as Father, Son and Holy Spirit, Christ, the Virgin Mary and the spiritual orders (angels, patriarchs, prophets, apostles, evangelists etc) addressed in the litany, seeking intercession, pardon, comfort, guidance and protection. Table Addressed to God1 Jesus Christ2 Holy Spirit3 Holy Trinity Virgin Mary Angels Saints Cross Others Total Misc. devotions 3+1=4         1=       4 Commemoration of saints 13 1       3 16     33 Prayers of/ to St. Bridget 6 2     3   2     13 Salutations to the Holy Trinity 1 1 1 2           5 Misc. paryers to Jesus Christ 17 28 1 2     2 1 1 52 Fifteen prayers of St. Bridget   15               15 Misc. prayers and invocations 4 1               5 Devotions to the cross 8 15     1   1 3   28 Devotions to the body of Christ 3 11+1=   1 1=         16 Devotions to the Virgin Mary 15+1= 2+3= 1   35+3= 1 1=   1 58 Litany with collects 33+1 1   1=           35 Litany with tropes and final collects 6 4 2 2 1 2 6     23 Notes: Includes God the Father. Includes God the Son. Includes God the Holy Spirit. Multiple addresses. Return to contents