Secular Psalter; England, North, 12th century, third quarter

Title

Secular Psalter; England, North, 12th century, third quarter

Shelfmark

MS. Douce 293

Date

12th century, third quarter

Language

Latin

Contents

Form

codex

Support

parchment; laid paper fly-leaves

Physical extent

157 leavesLeaves were trimmed, occasionally causing the loss of decoration

Hands

Formal proto-Gothic book script. The colour of ink changes at each line throughout, alternating between red, green and blue, or red, green, blue and brown on some leaves (fols. 96v, 109r). The colour of initials contrasts with the colour of each line and also alternates between red, green and blue. Temple (1985, p. 23), gives London, British Library, Cotton MS. Tiberius E. IV from Winchcombe Abbey near Gloucester as another example of a psalter with colour used decoratively in the calendar, and interprets it as an artistic development within the context of the Anglo- Saxon tradition of inscribing pages with coloured inks

Decoration

Prefatory miniatures have English iconographical subjects, but the artist may have also used a Continental model of the 11th century (Kauffmann, 1975; Temple, 1984). Some iconography is untraditional, e.g. the angel holding a book in the Annunciation scene. The miniature cycle is related to the cycles in two other northern English psalters, MS. Gough Liturg. 2 and Copenhagen, Kongelige Bibliotek MS. Thott 143 2o, though it differs considerably in detail (Kauffmann, 1975; Temple, 1984). fol. 8r Annunciation: an angel pointing to a book which he holds in his left hand; the Virgin Mary stretches out her hands to receive the book; architectural background. fol. 8v Nativity: an angel swings censer over the Virgin Mary, who is lying on a bed; a midwife sits by her side; the infant with cruciform halo lies in the manger; heads of an ox and ass; sky with a star. fol. 9r Annunciation to the Shepherds: a barefoot angel with crossed wings appears to three shepherds with staffs, a goat and a sheep. fol. 9v Adoration of the Magi: three crowned kings with gifts walk towards the seated Virgin; the Child is in her lap with cruciform halo, one hand raised in blessing, the other holding a book; architectural background. fol. 10r Flight to Egypt: the Virgin and Child on a donkey; Joseph leading the way; stylized landscape in the background. fol. 10v Presentation in the Temple: the Virgin Mary giving the Child to Simeon; a male attendant (or Joseph?) stands by her side, holding two doves. fol. 11r The Last Supper: Christ and disciples at the table in the upper half of the miniature; Christ washing the feet of St Peter in the lower half. fol. 11v The Betrayal of Christ: Judas embraces Christ; two soldiers with a sword, axe and pike approach. fol. 12r Christ crowned with Thorns: the crown of thorns is placed on Christ’s head by two armed soldiers. fol. 12v Flagellation: Christ tied to a column, blindfolded; two soldiers with scourges on either side. fol. 13r Crucifixion: Christ on the Cross; the Virgin, arms crossed, and St John with beard, holding a book, stand on either side; above the arms of the Cross are two smaller half-figures holding the palms of martyrdom. fol. 13v Disciples at Christ’s Tomb: three apostles standing before the closed tomb; three soldiers in chainmail sleeping on the ground. fol. 14r The Harrowing of Hell: Christ, holding the Cross, stands before Hell’s mouth; naked souls emerge, stretching their arms towards him; Christ holds one of the souls by the hand; an angel appears from the clouds above. fol. 14v Resurrection: the holy women with ointments stand before an angel, seated on an open tomb. fol. 15r The Virgin enthroned: the Virgin, holding a lily, is seated on a throne (decorated with two animal figures); the Child on her lap, holding a book and blessing. fol. 15v Christ enthroned: Christ seated, holding a book and blessing; the symbols of the evangelists in the corners.

Most miniatures are rectangular frames, decorated with acanthus leaves, a few with dragons or grotesques.

6-line to full-page initials at liturgical divisions. Psalm 97 has an early example of the Annunciation to the Shepherds, though the iconography (the presence of the prophets) is unusual. Psalm 1 fol. 16r (initial B(eatus)) Full-page initial, decorated with interlace, acanthus-leaf and floral designs, a bird, a beast, an animal mask and animal heads; gold rectangular frame. Psalm 21 fol. 29r (initial D(evs)) Gold initial, decorated with plant scrolls and animal mask. Psalm 26 fol. 33r (initial D(ominus)) A young man seated under an arch flanked by two towers; gold background, interlace, animal heads. Psalm 38 fol. 44r (initial D(ixi)) Red initial, decorated with plant scrolls, a beast and a bird on gold background. Psalm 51 fol. 54r (initial Q(vid)) Pink initial, decorated with geometric and acanthus-leaf designs; a winged dragon forming the tail of Q. Psalm 52 fol. 54v (initial D(ixit)) Gold initial, decorated with plant scrolls, acanthus-leaf and floral designs. Psalm 68 fol. 65r (initial S(alvum)) Gold initial, decorated with plant scrolls, acanthus-leaf and floral designs, beasts and a bird. Psalm 80 fol. 78r (initial E(xultate)) Gold initial, decorated with plant scrolls, a beast, acanthus-leaf and floral designs (flaking). Psalm 97 fol. 87v (initial C(antate)) Annunciation to the Shepherds: an angel speaks from above to two shepherds, one holding a staff, flanked by two men, one young, one old, each holding books. Psalm 109 fol. 100v (initial D(ixit)) Christ, naked to the waist, holding the Cross, seated next to the Father, holding a book and blessing; their feet rest on a prostrate nude figure (‘enemies thy footstool’). Psalm 114 fol. 103r (initial D(ilexi)) Blue initial, decorated with plant scrolls, floral designs and animal mask on gold background. Psalm 121 fol. 113v (initial L(etatus)) Body of a winged dragon forming the initial. Psalm 126 fol. 115r (initial N(isi)) Gold initial, decorated with plant scrolls and floral designs. Psalm 131 fol. 116v (initial M(emento)) Gold initial, decorated with plant scrolls, acanthus-leaf and floral designs, and a winged dragon. Psalm 137 fol. 119v (initial C(onfitebor)) Gold initial, decorated with plant scrolls, a beast and a winged grotesque. Psalm 143 fol. 121*v (initial B(enedictus)) Gold initial, decorated with floral designs.

Minor initials at the beginning of psalms and verses.

3-line gold initials, with red, blue and green penwork, at the beginning of psalms, canticles and litany.

1-line alternating red, blue and green initials at the beginning of periods and verses.

Run-over signs in the form of animal heads (fols. 24r, 137v).

Binding

Red diced calf over pasteboards, 18th century. Single gilt fillet border round the outer edge of covers. Rebacked in the Bodleian in 1983 (‘L. J. L. 12/83’ on fol. 142r). The original spine is pasted to the lower pastedown (brown leather, five bands, five panels with double gilt borders and gilt floral decorations between the bands, gilt lettering ‘ANTIENT || PSALTER’). Marbled paper pastedowns and laid paper fly-leaves.

Acquisition

Bequeathed to the Bodleian in 1834

Provenance

Written in the north of England and modelled on both English and Continental exemplars: evidence of the calendar, litany and decoration (Temple, 1971, 1984, 1985). Produced in a well-organized scriptorium which had access to multiple exemplars and where the scribes’ work was checked and corrected. Probably made for a lay person: the calendar does not represent a liturgical use of any house or diocese, and the litany does not agree with the calendar; decorative approach to the presentation of the text and the calendar; psalms are subdivided according to the secular use. The manuscript is related to two other luxury psalters, the Hunterian Psalter (Glasgow, University Library MS. Hunter U. 3. 2) and the Copenhagen Psalter (Copenhagen, Kongelige Bibliotek MS. Thott 143 2o) (Kauffmann, 1975; Temple, 1984). All three psalters were produced around the same time (Thomas Becket is missing from all three calendars), probably in the north of England. The calendars and litanies are not identical, but similar, and all include saints venerated in the north, such as Cuthbert, Wilfrid, John of Beverley, Paulinus and Oswald. Most of the initials in the Hunterian Psalter are by an artist responsible for some of the initials in the Copenhagen Psalter. The iconography of the principal initials is similar in the Hunterian and Copenhagen psalters, whereas the miniature cycle in Douce 293 is related to that of the Hunterian Psalter. Temple (1985) compares MS. Douce 293 with London, British Library, Cotton MS. Tiberius E. IV from Winchcombe Abbey near Gloucester (Worcester diocese). It shares with Douce 293 the decorative use of colour in the calendar, the unusual date for the Feast of the Transfiguration and the presence of northern saints in the calendar, introduced when Worcester and York had the same bishop (972–1010 and again at intervals up to 1062).

Erasure of titles ‘papae’ from the calendar, presumably at the Reformation.

Francis Douce, 1757–1834, see ODNB: bookplate on the upper pastedown; autograph on fol. i verso; notes on fols. ii–ix. Watermark ‘1808’, fol. ii. ‘A 12’ on the upper pastedown.

Title

Secular psalter

Shelfmark

MS. Douce 293

Summary

A Psalter, preceded by a calendar (fol. 1v), with:

(fol. 126) canticles

(fol. 134v) Athanasian Creed

(fol. 136a) litany.

Stt. Oswald and Cuthbert are honoured in the litany: in the calendar, which contains several Netherland saints, is st. Kentigern (Jan. 13), and stt. Botulph and Etheldreda are added (June 17 & 23). On the whole the N. or N.E. of England would seem to be the district pointed to by these indications. As st. Arnulph is in the calendar, and not st. Thomas of Canterbury, the date would seem to be between 1121 and 1173. The writing is in three colours used in successive lines, red, green and blue. On fols. 8-15 are 16 full-page miniatures illustrating the Life of Christ in a bold, antique and rather rough style, English or Norman. There are also large illuminated capitals. Pss. 90-92 (89-91) are added in red at fol. 137v. [The only British saints honoured both in calendar and in litany are Alban, K. Oswald, Cuthbert, and K. Eadmund. Of these only Cuthbert is twice commemorated in the calendar. Oswald comes next to Stephen and Linus among the many martyrs in the litany. These facts and the splendour of the MS. lead me to believe that it is a Durham book. E.W.B.N.].

Date

written in about the middle of the 12th cent. in England

Language

Latin

Physical facet

On parchment, large illuminated capitals, 16 full page miniatures

Physical extent

147 Leaves