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The Digital Index of Middle English Verse
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DIMEV 6610
IMEV 4129
NIMEV 4129
Whoso him bethought
A remembrance of Mortality — eight lines
Note: For the original Latin cf. Pricke of Conscience, lines 898-99; for closely-related texts see 2378, 5009, and 5043; comp. edition Dibdin (1810), 2.331.
Subjects: mortality
Versification: — two-line — aa
Bibliographic Ghosts: Saffron Waldon, Essex, Tombstone Inscription (see Wells (1916) 1064; Weever (1631) 625; rpr. Hargreaves (1969) 152) ; Diss, Norfolk, Tombstone Inscription (see Wells (1916))


Manuscript Witnesses:
1.Source: Oxford, Bodleian Library Bodley 416 (SC 2315), f. 109
First Lines:
who so him biþouȝte
inwardlich and ofte…
Last Lines:
…Ich wene þat neuere synne
ne shulde his herte wynne
Note: 14 lines; written as prose
Editions:
Brown, Carleton Fairchild, ed. English Lyrics of the XIIIth Century. Oxford: Clarendon, 1932: 173-4; rpr. Hargreaves (1969), 152.
2.Source: Oxford, Bodleian Library Douce A.314 (printed book: Arnolds Chronicle), f. 118v
Transcription:
Who os hym be thought
Inwardely and ofte
how harde yt is to flytt
from bed vnto Pytt
ffrom pytt vnto payne
wher shall neuer seas certayne
wold not do oo Synne
all this worlde to wynne
Note: Written on flyleaf of a printed copy of Arnold’s Chronicle; sig. Vv.-verso; written two lines of text per line of manuscript.
Editions:
Hargreaves, Henry. “Middle English Lyrics in an Aberdeen University Library Manuscripts.” Aberdeen University Review 43 (1969): 146-56: 153.
3.Source: Oxford, Bodleian Library Tanner 407 (SC 10234), f. 36v
First Lines:
He that hath thoughte
ful in wardly and ofte…
Last Lines:
…for alle thys world to wynne
wold not do a synne
Note: 4 couplets
Editions:
Murray, Hilda M. R., ed. The Middle English Poem Erthe upon Erthe, printed from 24 manuscripts. EETS o.s. 141 (1911); repr. 1964: 37.
4.Source: Cambridge UK, Magdalene College 13 (F.4.13), f. 2
First Lines:
Who so hym bethought
Inwardely and ofte…
Last Lines:
…He wolde not doo oon synne
All this worlde for to wynne
Note: 4 couplets
Editions:
Brown, Carleton Fairchild, ed. English Lyrics of the XIIIth Century. Oxford: Clarendon, 1932: 173-4.
James, Montague Rhodes. A Descriptive Catalogue of the Manuscripts in the College Library of Magdalene College Cambridge. Cambridge: at the UP, 1909: 26; rpr. Hargreaves (1969), 152.
5.Source: Cambridge UK, Trinity College O.2.53 (1157), f. 74
Transcription:
Who so hym by thowght
[ ]
howe harde it is to flitt
fro[ ]
ffrom pitt vnto payne
þat [ ]
he wold not do a synn
[ ]
Note: Edge lost to tearing; written two lines of poem to one line of text, so alternate lines lost due to tearing.
Editions:
Hargreaves, Henry. “Middle English Lyrics in an Aberdeen University Library Manuscripts.” Aberdeen University Review 43 (1969): 146-56: 152.
6.Source: London, British Library Harley 5312, f. 1v
Transcription:
…be thoctht…and oft
…it were to flyt…to pit
…to pyne…sall fyne
…o a syn…warld to wyn
Note: Very faded
Editions:
Hargreaves, Henry. “Middle English Lyrics in an Aberdeen University Library Manuscripts.” Aberdeen University Review 43 (1969): 146-56: 152.
7.Source: Aberdeen, Aberdeen University Library 154, f. 155v
Transcription:
Hwo so him bi þohte ynwardliche an hofte
Hou hard is þe wore fruom bede to þe flore
Froum flore to vulutte fram vylutte to putte
Ne solde neuere soenne mannes herte awynne
Facsimiles:
Hargreaves, Henry. “Middle English Lyrics in an Aberdeen University Library Manuscripts.” Aberdeen University Review 43 (1969): 146-56: facing 151.
Editions:
Hargreaves, Henry. “Middle English Lyrics in an Aberdeen University Library Manuscripts.” Aberdeen University Review 43 (1969): 146-56: 151.
8.Source: Hereford, Hereford Cathedral Library O.4.14, Part II, f. 223
Editions:
Brown, Carleton Fairchild, ed. English Lyrics of the XIIIth Century. Oxford: Clarendon, 1932: 173-4.
Brown, Carleton Fairchild. A Register of Middle English Religious & Didactic Verse. 2 vols. London: Oxford University Press for the Bibliographical Society: 1916-20: 1.446; rpr. Hargreaves (1969).
9.Source: Erfurt, Stadtbibl., Erfurt Amplon Oct. 58, f. 139v
Editions:
Brown, Carleton Fairchild, ed. English Lyrics of the XIIIth Century. Oxford: Clarendon, 1932: 173-4.
Schum, Wilhelm. Exempla Codicum Amplonianorum Erfurtensium saeculi IX-XV. Berlin: Weidmannsche, 1882: 14.
Bad Key: Forster1918: 156.
10.Source: Sankt Florian, Stiftsbibl. XI 57, f. 9v(?)
Transcription:
Þe man þat him beþouhte
Herlic & ofte Hu sori his þat fore
From bed into fflore
Hi sori his þat fflute
Fro bere into pute
Nis hin vrre sunne
Þat solde his lif winne
Note: Transcription from Kaiser (1954).
Editions:
Kaiser, Rolf, ed. Alt- und mittelenglische Anthologie. Berlin-Charlottenburg: E. Schütt, 1954: 277.
Kaiser, Rolf, ed. Alt- und mittelenglische Anthologie. Berlin, 1954; 3rd ed.; trans. as Medieval English: a Old English and Middle English Anthology Berlin West, 1958: 294; rpr. Hargreaves (1969).


Inscriptions:
1.Source: Stratford-on-Avon, Guild Chapel, Chapel Lane [NB: not Holy Trinity as in IMEV] Mural Inscription on west wall
Transcription:
Whoo soo hym be thowgh
In wardly and ofte
How harde hyt ys to flett
From bede to peyt
From peyt to peyne
That neuer schall seys to tell
He wolde not doo [s]o fyn
All þe world to wyn
Note: Behind wooden panelling; upper portion of mural destroyed; beneath 6610.
Facsimiles:
Fisher, Thomas. A Series of Antient Allegorical, Historical, and Legendary Paintings Which Were Discovered in the Summer of 1804 on the Walls of the Chapel of the Trinity at Stratford upon Avon in Worcestershire. London, 1810.
Nichols, John Gough, and Thomas Fisher. A Series of Ancient Allegorical, Historical, and Legendary Paintings…at Stratford-upon-Avon…. London: Nichols, 1838.
Davidson, Clifford. The Guild Chapel Wall Paintings at Stratford-upon-Avon. New York: AMS Press, 1988: illus. #14, 15.
Editions:
Reeves, W. P. “Stray Verse.” Modern Language Notes 9 (1894): 101-3, 203: 203.
Murray, Hilda M. R., ed. The Middle English Poem Erthe upon Erthe, printed from 24 manuscripts. EETS o.s. 141 (1911); repr. 1964: 36.
Gray, Douglas. “A Middle English Epitaph.” Notes and Queries n.s. 8 [206] (1961): 132-5: 135.
Hargreaves, Henry. “Middle English Lyrics in an Aberdeen University Library Manuscripts.” Aberdeen University Review 43 (1969): 146-56: 152.
Davidson, Clifford. The Guild Chapel Wall Paintings at Stratford-upon-Avon. New York: AMS Press, 1988: 49.
Mooney, Linne R. “Verses Upon Death and Other Wall Paintings Surviving in the Guild Hall, Stratford-Upon-Avon.” Journal of the Early Book Society 3 (2000): 182-90: 186.
2.Source: Faversham, Kent, Church of *** tomb of Richard Colwell
Editions:
Ravenshaw, Thomas Fitz-Arthur Torin. Ancient Epitaphes from A.D. 1250 to A.D. 1800. London: Masters, 1878.
Zupitza, Julius. “Anmerkung zu Jakob Rymans Gedichten, III-IV Teil.” Archiv für das Studium der neueren Sprachen und Literaturen 94 (1895): 161-206; 389-420: 452.
Weever, John. Ancient Funerall Monuments within the United Monarchie of Great Britaine. London: T. Harper, 1631 (STC 25223); repr. Amsterdam: Theatrum Orbis Terrarum; and NY: Walter Johnson, 1979: 276; rpr. Hargreaves (1969).


Print Witnesses:
1.Source: STC 14546. Huntington Library, RB61866: Here begynneth a contemplacyon or medytacyon of the shedynge of the blood of our lorde Ihesu Cryste at seuen tymes, [Enprynted at Westmynster: By Wynken de worde, [1500?]] , following colophon, sig. b.ivv
First Lines:
Who so hym be thought
Inwardely & ought…
Last Lines:
…he wuld not do on synne
Alle þis wordle to wynne
Editions:
O’Mara, Veronica M. “Another copy of ‘Who-so Him Beþouete/Inwardlich and Offe’.” Notes and Queries n.s. 42 [240] (1995): 30-1: 30-1.