Friday, March 25, 2016

Table grace


c. 1537:  The primer in English for children after the use [(or vse)] of Sa[lisbury/rum], also titled The manual of prayers, or the prymer in Englysh & Laten (and variants) (1539):
O Lord Jesu Christ without whom nothing is sweet. . . .
1545:  The primer set fvrth by the kings maiestie & his clergie, to be taught lerued, and red: & none other to be used thorowout all his dominions.  London: Richard Grafton, 1546 [1545]:
O Lord Jesu Christ, without whom nothing is swete nor sauery, we beseche the to blesse us and our supper, and wyth thy blessed presence to chere our hertes, that in al our meates and drynkes we maye tast and sauoure of the to thy honor and glorye, Amen. 
O Lord Jesus Christ, without whom nothing is sweet nor savory, we beseech thee to bless us and our supper, and with thy blessed presence to cheer our hearts, that in all our meats and drinks we may taste and savor of thee, to thy honor and glory, Amen.
This is often called the King's primer, or Henry VIII's primer.  The full title is, in some printings, The primer set foorth by the Kynges maiestie and his clergie. . . .  So far as I can tell, the table grace does not occur in the 1545 Primer: in Englishe and Latyn, set foorth by the Kynges maiestie and his clergie to be taught learned, and read: and none other to be vsed throughout all his dominions.

1553:  A prymmer or boke of private prayer nedefull to bee used of all faythful Christians: whiche boke is auctorised and set forth by the Kynges Maiestye, to be taught, learned, read, and used by his lovynge subiectes. . . .  Here we see the later Edwardian (?) incipit:
O Lord Jesu Christ, without whom nothing is good, nothing is holy, . . .
[O Domine Jesu Christe sine quo ni(c)hil est bonum ni(c)hil est sanctum, . . .] 
[O Domine Jesu Christe sine quo ni(c)hil est ualidum ni(c)hil est sanctum, . . .]
[O Domine Jesu Christe sine quo ni(c)hil est sanctum ni(c)hil est ualidum, . . .]
The phrase sine quo ni(c)hil est is fairly common, but returns (in Google) mostly (from the Gelasian sacramentary) Corpus orationum no. 4745 (which does not list the Gelasian sacramentary, but only the late 8th-century Gellonesis) =Bruylants no. 911 (which does):
Protector in te sperantium, deus, sine quo nihil est validum, nihil sanctum, multiplica super nos misericordiam tuam, ut, te rectore, te duce, sic transeamus per bona temporalia, ut non amittamus aeterna.

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