Psalter; Germany, 13th century, first half

Title

Psalter; Germany, 13th century, first half

Shelfmark

MS. Laud Lat. 16

Date

13th century, first half

Language

Latin

Contents

Form

codex

Support

parchment

Physical extent

151 leaves

Hands

Gothic book hands, black and brown ink.

Decoration

Miniatures (drawings), calendar tables. Good initials. (Pächt and Alexander i. 112)

Red KL monograms in the calendar; silver bars framing pages on three sides; gold medallions with the Signs of the Zodiac.

10-line gold Beatus-initial on a ground of green, blue, purple, pink and red, decorated with gold coiled tendrils. The opening words of the psalm are written in red, surrounded by a border made of silver bars (fol. 7r). 6- to 8-line similar initials at liturgical divisions, at the beginning of psalms 26 (fol. 26r), 38 (fol. 38r), 51 (fol. 48v), 52 (fol. 49v), 68 (fol. 61r), 80 (fol. 75v), 97 (fol. 88v), 101 (fol. 90v) and 109 (fol. 103r). The initial on fol. 61r is formed by the body of a dragon.

3-line ‘puzzle’ initial at the beginning of psalm 2 (fol. 7v).

2- to 3-line initials, alternately red with blue penwork and green with red penwork at the beginnings of psalms and canticles.

1-line red initials, some decorated with penwork, at the beginnings of verses and periods.

Simple line-endings in red.

Musical notation

Added antiphons with staveless musical notation, and on four staves (see item 2, above).

Binding

Laud’s binding, 17th century, brown leather over pasteboard. Double blind fillet lines round the outer edge of both covers. Gilt coat of arms of Laud on both covers. Sewn on three double or slit cords, three raised bands on spine. Three paper labels on spine, containing respectively: ‘P (?) || Psalterium. || M. S.’, ‘37’ and printed ‘Laud. Lat. || 16.’. Fragments of the fittings of two ties on both covers. Laid paper pastedowns and fly-leaves.

Acquisition

Part of his third donation to the Bodleian, 1639.

Provenance

Written in Germany, South-West (?) according to Latin liturgical manuscripts (1952); West (?) according to van Dijk (1958); North according to Frere (1894–1932).

Possibly owned by Xanten Cathedral according to S. Krämer, Handschriftenerbe des deutschen Mittelalters (1989).

William Laud, 1573–1645, 1637.

Title

Psalterium

Shelfmark

MS. Laud Lat. 16

Summary

1. Fols. 1r–6v. Calendar

2. Fols. 7r–130r. Psalter

3. Fols. 130r–137v. Weekly canticles, without titles:

Confitebor tibi domine (Isaiah 12)

Ego dixi (Isaiah 38: 10–21)

Exultauit cor meum (1 Samuel 2: 1–11)

Cantemus domino (Exodus 15: 1–20)

Domine audiui (Habakkuk 3)

Audite celi (Deuteronomy 32: 1–44)

4. Fols. 137v–142v. Daily canticles, prayers and creeds, without titles:

Fol. 137v. Benedicite omnia opera

Fol. 138r. Benedictus dominus deus

Fol. 139r. Magnificat

Fol. 139r. Nunc dimittis

Fol. 139r. Te deum laudamus

Fol. 140r. Pater noster

Fol. 140r. Apostles' Creed

Fol. 140v. Athanasian Creed

5. Fols. 142v–145v. Litany:

Incipit: Omnipotens sempiterne deus dirige actus nostros in beneplacito tuo

Incipit: Omnipotens sempiterne deus qui facis mirabilia magna solus

Incipit: Omnipotens sempiterne deus qui omnem animam confitentem et penitentem magis uis emendare quam perdere

6. Fols. 146r–v. Hours of the Virgin

(fols. 147r–149v are blank fly-leaves)

Date

13th century, first half

Language

Latin

Physical facet

Laud's binding, 17th century, brown leather over pasteboard

Physical extent

151 Leaves

Custodial history

MS. Frere 148. Manuscript 2535 acquired by the Bodleian Library