Gregorian fused Sacramentary — 9th century, second half; French

Title

Gregorian fused Sacramentary — 9th century, second half; French

Shelfmark

MS. Add. A. 173

Place of origin

French

Date

9th century, second half

Language

Latin

Contents

Form

codex

Support

parchment

Physical extent

vi + 7 + 52 + ii fol.

Decoration

Simple pen initials. (Pächt and Alexander i. 423)

Titles and some rubric in red, often entirely rubbed out, others in black (fol. 41)

Acquisition

Purchased by the Bodleian.

Provenance

Belonged in the 18th century to the Benedictine monastery of Luxeuil

Guglielmo Libri, his sale 2 April 1859, no. 891

Title

Parts of a Gregorian Sacramentary

Shelfmark

MS. Add. A. 173

Summary

Parts of a Gregorian Sacramentary, at present consisting of:

(fol. i). The Proprium de Tempore and de Sanctis combined, nearly corresponding to cols. 11-110 of Muratori's Liturgia Romana Vetus (1748, tom. ii): beg. '& mirabilius reformasti' (Dec. 25), ends 'Laurentii martyris tui', Aug. 9, compline. Among the variations from Muratori are an office for the Reconciliation of the Penitent in the 5th Feria in Coena Domini (fol. xiiiv), and some Benedictions (fol. xviv), in one of which occurs the Nicene Creed (fol. xixv). There are gaps after fols. xiv, xxxii, xxxvii.

(fol. xxxviii). Miscellaneous collects and offices, cf. Muratori, cols. 246-265 (with gaps after fols. xxxviii, xl, xliv), some being ordination offices (fols. xli-xlii: which two leaves form a separate fragment).

(fol. xlv). Votive masses, etc., with a gap after fols. xlv, xlvii, xlviii, lii.

Some French notes of about 1730-40, on fols. 3-9, describe this 'Second Manuscript', and give dom Martène's opinion that the MS. is of the age of Charlemagne. There are prayers on fol. xvv 'pro christianissimo imperatore nostro ill.' and 'respice ad christianum Francorum Romanorumque benignus imperium', and allusions to 'barbarae nationes' and 'gentes quae in sua feritate confidunt.'

A facsimile on plate vii of the Libri Catalogue (from fol. xxr) gives four lines of the half-uncial of the rubrics and one of minuscule: see also L. Delisle's Mémoire sur d'anciens Sacramentaires (1886), p. 152, Guardian, Nov. 19, 1890, p. 1845.

A hand of not later than the 11th century has added notes in Latin on fols. ix, xviv, xx, xxix ('adelidis domina b', the first letter corrected from 'o';, xlii.

[The initials suggest to me the zone of N. France and S. Germany. Note:

on fol. viiv 'priticimumabuf' (some tops cut off);

on fol. xl qodif tu do ariom lnfarn gereuoiu eriȝ, (?) æt (?) faul nideaurõliberaf most bottoms out off).

The former was perhaps 'priticimAniabus', and in any case represents O. Ir. priticim 'I preach' and Lat. animabus. The latter may = 'quod istum doarium infrangere uoluerim, et Saul Iudaeorum liberas'--. I have to thank Prof. York Powell for much of this restoration. A mutilated note on f. xx might be worth study. It has a t with ├ over it, which suggests an Irish connexion. E.W.B.N.].

Date

written perhaps late in the 9th century possibly in Kastem France

Language

Latin

Physical facet

On parchment, very imperfect, injured and much rubbed

Physical extent

54 Leaves

Custodial history

An original letter from Martène was once in the volume.

The Libri Sale Catalogue states that the MS. belonged to the abbey of Luxeuil in the E. of France, but this is quite doubtful.

Catalogue of the ... collection of Splendid Manuscripts ... formed by M. Guglielmo Libri 1859 no. 891*.