Portable Psalter; Flanders, Bruges–Ghent area; 13th century, second half (perhaps 1276 or soon after)

Title

Portable Psalter; Flanders, Bruges–Ghent area; 13th century, second half (perhaps 1276 or soon after)

Shelfmark

MS. Auct. D. 4. 2

Place of origin

Flemish, Bruges-Ghent area

Date

13th century, second half (perhaps 1276 or soon after)

Language

Latin

Contents

Form

codex

Support

parchment

Physical extent

204 leaves (leaves were trimmed in rebinding, occasionally causing the loss of decoration)

Hands

Formal Gothic book hand, black ink; according to Carlvant (1978, p. 371) similar to Bruges, Bisschoppelijk Seminarie MS. 54/100, a breviary made for the use of the Cistercian Abbey of Spermalie, Bruges, c. 1268–1270

Decoration

Gold KL monograms on blue and pink backgrounds in the calendar.

Miniatures with the Labours of the Months, set in architectural niches, against gold backgrounds: January: man with wings tied to his head, standing next to the fire, drinking from a bowl, holding tap of a barrel February: woman with a twisted candle by an altar March: man pruning a tree with an axe April: man carrying flowering branches May: man on horseback with a hawk June: man carrying a bundle of wood on his back July: man mowing hay with a scythe August: man reaping grain September: man cutting grapes; basket on the ground October: man sowing November: man knocking down acorns for pigs December: man slaughtering a pig.

Five full-page prefatory miniatures forming a Christological cycle that continues with further miniatures at textual divisions in the psalter. The miniatures are in architectural frames, on gold backgrounds, painted on one side of each leaf. fol. 10v Annunciation, with Gabriel, lily-pot and the Virgin holding a book, the dove at her ear. fol. 11v Nativity; the Virgin asleep, holding a book. fol. 12v Adoration of the Magi, the middle Magus pointing to the star. fol. 13v Flagellation. fol. 14v Crucifixion, with Mary and John, the sun and moon.

Four full-page miniatures (of an original seven, or nine (?)) continuing the prefatory cycle, plus a full-page Beatus-initial and nine further historiated initials, each 9 or 10 lines high, at textual divisions. The initials depict saints (several of the same saints occur in London, British Library, Burney MS. 345) on gold backgrounds, with full or three-quarter borders made of gold, pink and blue bars, decorated with grotesques, human heads, birds, coiled tendrils and foliage. The miniatures are painted on single leaves and face historiated initials; those facing the beginnings of psalms 38, 52 and 80 have been cut out, leaving stubs and offsets (Carlvant, 1978). fol. 15v Psalm 1 (initial B(eatus)) King David playing harp in the upper part; David slaying Goliath in the lower part. Lower margin: lovers in a garden; background with a chequered design. fol. 40v (miniature) The Harrowing of Hell. fol. 41r Psalm 26 (initial D(ominus)) Sts Peter with keys and Paul with a sword, seated together. fol. 57r Psalm 38 (initial D(ixi)) St Stephen stoned, dressed as a cleric, with tonsure and maniple (?). fol. 71v Psalm 51 (initial Q(vid)) St Lawrence on a grid, the hand of God above, a small figure with bellows below; border extension with a tonsured head. fol. 72v Psalm 52 (initial D(ixit)) St Bartholomew flayed, the hand of God above. fol. 87v Psalm 68 (initial S(aluum)) St Margaret, holding a cross, emerging from the back of a dragon. fol. 88r (miniature) The Incredulity of St Thomas. fol. 107v Psalm 80 (initial E(xultate)) St Martin on horseback, cutting his cloak with a sword and giving half to a beggar. fol. 124v Psalm 97 (initial C(antate)) John the Baptist beheaded; a wading bird atop the initial. fol. 125r (miniature) Pentecost (the Virgin in the centre, St Peter with keys and a bearded disciple with a book to either side). fol. 128r Psalm 101 (initial D(omine)) St Catherine (?) kneeling in prayer; a man behind her raises sword over her head; another man stands by, holding lance (compare MS. Douce 24 and see Oliver, 1985). fol. 144v Psalm 109 (initial D(ixit)) Coronation of the Virgin. fol. 145r (miniature) Christ in Majesty, blessing and holding an orb, surrounded by the symbols of the four evangelists (rectangular non-architectural frame).

3-line gold initials on pink and blue backgrounds, decorated with white floral designs at the beginnings of psalms, canticles, litany and prayers. Pages with 3-line initials have three-quarter borders made of gold, pink and blue bars, decorated with white floral designs.

1-line gold initials at the beginnings of verses and periods, placed on pink and blue borders in the right margin, decorated with white floral designs.

Gold, and red and blue penwork line-endings.

Binding

Wood boards, enclosed in silver, Flemish or French, late 14th century. Silver panels, engraved with the Coronation of the Virgin (upper cover) and Annunciation (lower cover), overlaid with transparent enamel. Both panels are slightly damaged, with losses of enamel exposing the underlying design on the silver. The panels are set in silver-gilt borders with applied foliate scrolls. The border is fragmentary on the lower cover. Four raised studs of silver with engraved flowers in four corners on the upper cover, designed to prevent the cover touching the surface when lying flat. Only two studs are still preserved on the lower cover. The work of the atelier of the ‘Royal Gold Cup’ in the British Museum, London (Pächt and Alexander, 1966–73).

Leather spine, 16th century (?), with six raised bands, decorated with gilt floral designs. Panels between the raised bands are framed with double gilt fillet lines. Edges of wood boards, framing the spine, are covered with leather decorated with gilt floral designs. Faded inscription on the second panel from the top, possibly ‘P salterivm’, with ‘66’ written over it in ink. Printed paper label on spine with ‘D || 4. 2’. Fittings of two clasps, now missing. Gilt gauffered edges of textblock. ‘66’ written in ink on the fore-edge.

Acquisition

Bodleian Library: gift from Anne Sadleir, 1648 (‘Julij 15. 1648/ Liber Bibliothecæ Bodleyanæ ex dono nobilissimæ D. Annæ Sadler . vxoris Radulphi Sadler de Stonden in Comitatu Harford Armigerj’ on fol. 3v). The shelfmark ‘Auctarium’ was given c. 1789, when books then considered most valuable in the Library were moved to the Auctarium (one of the schools in the Bodleian Library quadrangle) (see Summary catalogue, vol. 1, pp. xiv, xxxix–xl). Former shelfmarks: ‘= Selden cupbd. 111’ (upper pastedown); ‘Arch. B. 66’ (fol. 1r).

Provenance

Made in the Bruges–Ghent area, possibly for a Bruges patron (evidence of the calendar and decoration), in a workshop responsible for the production of other luxury psalters (Carlvant, 1985). MS. Auct. D. 4. 2 has many similarities in codicology, illumination and textual contents with other contemporary psalters from the Bruges– Ghent area, such as MS. Douce 38 (‘Tweede Groep’, Carlvant, 1978, pp. 140–57). The simplicity of its calendar and textual contents and the lack of agreement between the litany and the calendar suggest that it was made for a lay patron.

Joras de Woseo(?): 14th-century addition in the calendar on 22 October.

Sir Robert Cotton (1571–1631), see ODNB: inscribed ‘Doctissimo Medico et amico Willio Butler Cantab. Robertus Cotton Coningtoneus LL.MM. D. D. 1614’ (fol. 4r).

William Butler (1535–1618), physician, fellow of Clare College, Cambridge, see ODNB: presented in 1614 by Sir Robert Cotton (see above).

Dame Anne Sadleir (1585–1671/2), literary patron, wife of Ralph Sadleir of Standon, Hertfordshire, see ODNB.