Manuscript Studies
Medieval and Early Modern

IV.viii.(b) Paleography Sample: William Herebert, OFM

[H]Erodes þou wykked fo / whar of 'ys' þy dredinge·
And why art þou so sore a gast / of cristes tocominge·
Ne reueth hé nouth erthlich gód / þat maketh ous heuenekynges·

Þe kynges wenden here way and foleweden þe sterre·
And sothfast ly{yogh}th wyth sterre lyth souhten vrom so verre·
And sheuden wel þat he 'ys' god / in gold / and stor / and mírre·

Crist ycleped heuene lomb / so cóm to seynt Ion·
And of hym was ywas{yogh}e þa't' sunne nadde nón·
To halewen oure vollouth water þat sunne hauet uordon·

William Herebert, OFM (d. ca. 1333); "Hostis Herodes impie," (Index of Middle English Verse No. 1213); from British Library MS Addit. 46919, f. 205r (unique manuscript; author's holograph).
This is the first part of Friar Herebert's translation of a portion of Sedulius's Paean alphabeticus de Cristo, a hymn for Epiphany.

Note that space was left for a decorated initial letter at the start (with a small "h" occupying the space as a guide for the decorator), but the decorated initial was never completed. To the right are Latin tags which correspond to the initial phrases of the stanzas in the original Latin hymn: "Hostis herodes impie &c."; "Ibant magi"; "Lauacra puri gurgitis." Each stanza is preceded by a double inclined stroke (a sort of paraph mark to indicate the beginning of a stanza), and there are lines drawn at the end of the poetic lines to link together visually the rhyme words.