Manuscript M.775 in the Morgan Library is a book (codex) made in the late 15th century that is a compilation of various works, mostly on the topic of Chivalry. The working title of it is “Ordonances of Chivalry” but this was given to it in the 19th century. It is often referred to as “The Hastings Manuscript” after a previous owner, the Lord Hastings, who owned it in the late 19th century.
It is now owned by and housed at the Morgan Library in New York City. The Morgan Library has graciously given my permission to reproduce digital images of this manuscript on this site as I publish my research into it. If you would like to obtain permission to re-publish the images, you will need to get permission from the Morgan Library. Permission to use the images you need may be obtained here.
The analysis on this site is my work with the help of others and each author including myself maintain copyright on our own work. Please use the contact form on this site if you’d like to reproduce my research.
Contents
This manuscript contains the following works, and my research will be linked below as it becomes available. This is a labor of love and will likely take a little time as I learn to read the writing and modernize the Middle English:
Background on the book coming soon.
- fols 3r-4v: Abilment for the Jusus of the Pees
- fols. 5r-11v: Memoriale – a table for calculating daily and yearly expenses
- fols. 12r-13v: The Assize of Bread and Ale, and tables of Weights and Measures
- fols. 14r-15r: Poem on the Coronation of Henry VI in 1429
- fols. 16r-23v: The Coronation of the Kings and Queens of England
- fols. 25r-121v: Vegetius, De re militari, an English translation completed for Thomas Lord Berkeley
- fols. 122v-123v: How a man schall be armyd at his ese when he schal fighte on foote
- fols. 124r-130r: Thomas, Duke of Gloucester, Letter to Richard II on Tournaments
- fols. 131r-138v: Sailing directions
- fols. 139r-195r: Aristotle, Secreta Secretorum, translated into English verse by John Lydgate and Benedict Burgh
- fols. 195v-198r: How Knyghtis of the bath shulde be made
- fol. 199r: To make agua composyta (added in a slightly later hand)
- fol. 200r: Last page or prologue of a poem in English beginning: I that to youre service wolde were able and ending: The pore effecte of my litill konnynge
- fol. 200-274v: Christine de Pizan, Pistill of Othea to Hector; translated into English verse, with a gloss in prose
- fol. 275r: Recipe for a powder
- fols. 275v-282v: The Challenges of Pierre de Masse and Philip Boyle and the results of their combats with Sir John Astley in 1438 and 1441-1442, followed by the oath of a herald on appointment
- fols. 283r-291r: Calendar in Latin, thunder prognostications, astrological tables and diagrams
- fols. 293r-320r: Parvus Cato and Magnus Cato, translated into English verse by Benedict Burgh
- fol. 320r: John Lydgate, Four Things that make a Man a Fool
- fol. 320v: Medical recipes.