Premonstratensian prayerbook, in Latin (one prayer in German); Germany (Regensburg diocese?), 1507

Title

Premonstratensian prayerbook, in Latin (one prayer in German); Germany (Regensburg diocese?), 1507

Shelfmark

MS. Canon. Liturg. 37

Associated place

German

Place of origin

German, Bavaria

Date

1507

Language

German

Latin

Contents

Form

codex

Support

parchment

Physical extent

78 leaves

Hands

Angular gothic hybrida; more cursive from fol. 71r

Decoration

1- and 2-line initials alternately plain red or blue, sometimes with simple ornament.

Binding

16th century, early, German (as MS.), sewn on two double bands and strongly bound for partly processional use: wood boards; polished pigskin, blind-tooled with double or triple lines and stamps in an all-over pattern, differing on each cover; remains of central clasp with lost strap of light brown leather running from back fore-edge to a front catch-plate embossed with a pattern which roughly matches the adjacent stamp; four metal corner-pieces and a centrepiece on each cover, each with several boss-like protrusions; glue-marks on front paste-down from a lost item (? an image) formerly pasted there; cf. the traces of glue on fol. 70v. ( 115 c. 93 c. 35–36 (book closed). A piece of waste MS. is used for the front pastedown, with a stub after fol. 8. The spine has a paper label printed ‘Canonici Liturg.’ and the head of the spine is numbered ‘37’ in white paint. (Description based on Barker-Benfield: see bibliography.)

Acquisition

On the latter’s death to Giovanni Perisinotti, from whom over 2,000 were bought by the Bodleian Library in 1817. Former Bodleian shelfmarks: ‘Lit. Misc. xxxvij’ (fol. 1r)

Provenance

The final prayer ends with the date ‘1507’ (fol. 77v). Watson notes that the script is more cursive in fols. 71–77v (the final quire) than in the preceding section, ‘but the hand may be the same throughout and the decoration in the two parts is identical’ (Dated and datable, no. 256).

The first rubric and the double invocation of Augustine in the litany show that the manuscript was written for Premonstratensian use; the very high grading of Savinus/Sabinus in the litany suggests an affiliation with Windberg Abbey, a Premonstratensian house in the diocese of Regensburg, which had his relics. St Onuphrius, to whom the first in a series of devotions is directed (fols. 40r–41r), was specially venerated at Augsburg cathedral, also in Bavaria.

Matteo Luigi Canonici (1727–1806), Jesuit and bibliophile of (from 1773) Venice; from whom they passed to his brother, Giuseppe (d. 1807).

Title

Premonstratensian offices and prayers

Shelfmark

MS. Canon. Liturg. 37

Summary

Premonstratensian offices and prayers:

A service for approaching and leaving the altar (fol. 1: rubric at beg. 'Accessus altaris Premonstratensium', at end 'Recessus altaris')

Penitential Psalms with Litany, etc. (fol. 16)

Seven Joys of the Virgin (fol. 37)

'Quinque Psalmi de Passione Domini', not the usual ten (fol. 48v)

Prayers partly in German (fol. 71)

At end 'Amen . 1.5.0.7.'.

Date

Written in 1507 in Germany

Language

Latin

Physical facet

On parchment, binding, parchment on boards, with bosses and clasp, German contemporary work

Physical extent

78 Leaves