MS. Canon. Bibl. Lat. 91
Summary Catalogue no.: 18984
Portable Psalter (with Hours); Italy, 15th century, first half
Contents
Fol. i is a paper fly-leaf; fol. ii is a paper slip attached to fol. i verso (see ‘Provenance’).
(fol. 1r–v): see Endleaf, below.
[item 2 occupies quires I–III]
Prologues to the psalter (‘Incipiunt prologi et prefatia super psalterium ...’):
- (1) ‘Psalterium Romae dudum positus emendaram et iuxta lxx interpretres ...’ (‘Incipit Epistola sancti hieronymi as Paulam et Eustochium. de interpretatione. Lxx Interpretrum’), fol. 2r–v (Bruyne, 5. Hi 1);
- (2) ‘Damasus episcopus fratri et conpresbitero Hieronymo ...’ (‘Incipit Epistola Damasi pape ad hieronymum presbiterum’), fols. 2v–3r (Bruyne, 14. Da 1);
- (3) ‘Beatissimo pape damaso sedis apostolice urbis Rome ...’ (‘Incipit responsio sancti hieronimi ad damascum papam’), fol. 3r (Bruyne, 15. Da 2);
- (4) ‘Alleluya est laus tibi soli ...’ (‘Incipit interpretatio de alleluya’), fol. 3r–v (Bruyne, 25. Lzs Sa–b);
- (5) ‘Qvid est gloria. Gloria est terra laudat creatorem ...’ (‘Interpretatio Glorie apud hebreos’), fol. 3v (Bruyne, 25. Lzs e);
- (6) ‘Qvid me dulcissime filie mee ...’ (‘Epistola sancti hieronymi ad sanctam paulam et Eustochium qui psalmi uel quando psalli uel legi debeant’), fols. 3v–4v (Bruyne, 11. Hi 7);
- (7) ‘Christo donante exposimus quomode hebrei ...’ (‘Prologus sancti hieronimi presbiteri in quinque libros psalmorum’), fols. 4v–5r (Bruyne, 2. Or 2 and 4. Or 4);
- (8) ‘Salterium dicitur psallentium multarum ...’ (‘Idem’), fol. 5r–v (Bruyne, 3. Or 3 and 4. Or 4);
- (9) ‘Omnem prophetiam ad christum referendam ...’ (‘Prologus sancti hieronimj in libro psalmorum’), fols. 5v–8v (Bruyne, 24. Hil 2);
- (10) ‘Dudius tertius cum centesimum octauum decimum ...’ (‘Incipit Epistola sancti hieronimj presbiteri ad Paulam de interpretatione licterarum hebraicam’), vols. 8v–10v (Bruyne, 9. Hi 5);
- (11) ‘Dauid filius Jesse cum esset in regno suo ...’ (‘Origo prophetie regis Dauid psalmorum numero CL Prologus sancti hieronymi presbiteri’), fol. 11r–v (Bruyne, 1. Or 1);
- (12) ‘Evsebio Hieronymus Sophronio suo salutem ...’ (‘Epistola siue prologus sancti Hieronymi de sua interpretatione psalmorum’), Greek words transliterated into Latin or omitted, fols. 11v–12v (Bruyne, 6. Hi 2);
- (13) ‘Salterium inquirendum est in cuius lingua dicatur ...’ (‘Prologus sancti Remigij in libro psalmorum’), fols. 12v–14r (Bruyne, 27. Inq);
- (14) ‘Interrogatio Qvare psalmi dicuntur. Responsio Quia per psalterium canebat dauid ...’ (‘Incipit interrogatio ac Responsio personarum de numero et nomine et qualitate psalterij utrum ad christum omnes allegorice an ad Dauid an ad literam psalmi referendi sunt. Secundum dictam Origenis hieronymj et augustinj’), fols. 14r–16r (Bruyne, 28. Int);
- (15) ‘Salteriun ita est quasi magna domus ...’ (‘Ex dictis Origenis presbiteri’), fol. 16r (Bruyne, 7 Hi 3);
- (16) ‘Diu iam est quod paternitas uestra humilitati mee ...’ (rubric not filled in), fols. 16v–19v (Bruyne, *67. Fl 1);
- (17) ‘Canticum psalmorum corpus sanctificat animas decorat ...’ (‘Dicta sancti Augustini que sint uirtutes psalmorum’), fols. 19v–20r (Bruyne, 26. Aug);
- (18) ‘Quid enim in psalmis non inuenitur quod proficiat ad utilitatem ...’ (‘Item Idem’), a version of Niceta of Remesiana, De psalmodiae bono, V–VI (ed. Turner, 1923), fols. 20r–21r;
- (19) ‘Prophetie spiritus non semper eorum mentibus presto est ...’ (‘Item Idem de laude psalmorum’), fols. 21r–23r (Bruyne, 58. Alcuinus);
- (20) ‘Omnis scriptura diuinitis inspirata utilis ...’ (‘Incipit prologus sancti Augustini de laude psalmorum’), fols. 23r–25r (Bruyne, 23. Ba).
[item 3 occupies quires IV–XII]
Psalms 1–150 in the biblical order, laid out with each verse starting on a new line, with numbers and titles in the original hand, which do not correspond to any of Salmon’s series (1959). The titles of five psalms are quoted below:
- 15 Tituli inscriptio ipsi Dauid (fol. 36v)
- 30 In finem psalmus dauid pro extasi (fol. 45v)
- 63 In finem psalmus dauid (fol. 67v)
- 115 Alleluia (fol. 102v)
- 140 psalmus dauid (fol. 115r).
Subdivisions within psalms (apart from psalm 88) are marked with ‘gloria’ written in red in the margins at 9: 20 (fol. 34r), 17: 26 (fol. 38r), 36: 27 (fol. 51v), 67: 20 (fol. 70r), 68: 17 (fol. 71v), 77: 36 (fol. 79r), 103: 25 (fol. 94r), 104: 23 (fol. 95r), 105: 32 (fol. 97r), 106: 25 (fol. 98r), 138: 11 (‘Et dixi ...’) (fol. 114r), 143: 9 (fol. 116v), 144: 10 (fol. 117r). Psalm 118 is subdivided into twenty-two 8-verse units with titles (‘Aleph’, ‘Beth’, etc.) in the margins.
Punctuated throughout with punctus elevatus used to mark metrum and minor pauses and punctus used to mark the ends of verses. The word ‘diapsalma’ in red in the margins and the hexaplaric symbols in red are used to mark relevant sections of the text. Notes in the margins and corrections in the hand which corrected the prefaces, including alternative titles added throughout, which correspond to Salmon’s (1959) series I. Initials of the seven Penitential Psalms are marked with crosses by the original rubricator and numbered I–VII. At the end ‘Explicit liber psalmorum CL’, followed by a version of ‘Dauid propheta cantavit carmina leta’ (Walther, no. 19209), with corrections, partly erased: ‘Quinquaginta dauid psalmos centumque notauit | Versus bis mille sexcentum sedecim ille.’
[item 4–7 occupy quires XIII–XIV]
Weekly canticles with titles and numbers continuing the numbering of psalms:
- (1) Confitebor tibi domine (Isaiah 12) (‘Canticum Esaye prophete cli’);
- (2) Ego dixi (Isaiah 38: 10–21) (‘Canticum Ezechie regis clij’);
- (3) Exultauit cor meum (1 Samuel 2: 1–11) (‘Canticum Anne phamuelis cliij’);
- (4) Cantemus domino (Exodus 15: 1–20) (‘Canticum Moysi cliiij’);
- (5) Domine audiui (Habakkuk 3) (‘Canticum Abachuc prophete clv’);
- (6) Audite celi (Deuteronomy 32: 1–44) (‘Canticum Moysi clvj’).
Daily canticles, prayers and creeds, with titles and numbers continuing the numbering of psalms and weekly canticles:
- (1) Benedicite omnia opera (‘Canticum uel hymnus trium puerorum clvij’) (fol. 125r);
- (2) Benedictus dominus deus (‘Canticum Zacharie prophete xlciij’) (fol. 125v);
- (3) Magnificat (‘Canticum sancte Marie virginis xliiij’) (fol. 126r);
- (4) Nunc dimittis (‘Canticum Simeonis clx’) (fol. 126r);
- (5) Pater noster (‘Oratio dominica clxj’) (fol. 126r);
- (6) Ave maria (‘Canticum Armanij teutonici clxii’) (fol. 126v);
- (7) Apostles’ Creed (‘Credo in deum ...’) (‘Simbolum xij apostolorum clxiij’) (fol. 126v);
- (8) Te deum laudamus (‘himnus sancti Niceti Episcopi clxiiij’) (fol. 127r);
- (9) Gloria in excelsis (‘Canticum Angelorum clxv’) (fol. 127v);
- (10) Nicene Creed (‘Credo in unum deum ...’) (‘Simbolum Consilij Nicenj cccxvij’) (fol. 127v);
- (11) Athanasian Creed (Quicumque uult ... ) (‘Canticum uel simbolum aut hymnus sancti Athanasij Episcopi Alexandrie clxvij’) (fol. 128r);
- (12) Salue regina (‘Canticum petri compustellani episcopi clxviiii’) (fol. 129v).
Pericopes from the Gospels, numbered in Roman numerals, continuing the numbering of psalms and canticles:
- (1) Luke, 1: 26–37 (‘Sequentia sancti euangelii secundam lucam Gloria tibi domine clxviiij’), beginning ‘Missus est angelus Gabriel a deo ...’ and ending ‘... fiat mcihi secundum uerbum tuum’.
- (2) John, 1–14 (‘Initium sancti Euangelij secundum Iohanem gloria tibi domine clxx’), beginning ‘In principio erat uerbum ...’ and ending ‘... plenum gratie et ueritatis’.
Litany (‘Rogationes sancti Gregorij pape clxxi’), laid out in two columns, including Old Testament figures (Adam, Enoch, Noah, etc.); Helias and Heliseus among the prophets; George (last) among the martyrs; Gregory (?) (second), Augustine, Bede, John Chrysostom and Thomas Aquinas among the confessors; and Benedict (first), Francis, Dominic and Leonard among ‘Monaci et heremite’. ‘Sancte Moyses’ and ‘Sancte Josue’ added in the hand that corrected the prefaces and psalter. Followed by collects (fols. 132v–133v):
- (1) Deus cui proprium est misereri semper et parcere suscipe ...
- (2) Exaudi quesumus domine supplicum preces et confitentium tibi parce peccatis ut pariter nobis indulgentiam tribuas benignam et pacem ...
- (3) Ineffabilem nobis domine misericordiam tuam quesumus nobis domine clementer ostende ut simul nos ...
- (4) Deus qui culpa offenderis penitentia placaris ...
- (5) Omnipotens sempiterne deus miserere famulo tuo pontifici nostro et dirige eum secundum tuam clementiam
- (6) Deus a quo sancta desideria recta consilia et iusta sunt ...
- (7) Ure igne sancti spiritus renes nostros ...
- (8) Fidelium deus omnium conditor et redemptor animabus famulorum famularumque tuarum remissionem ...
- (9) Actiones nostras quesumus domine aspirando preueni ...
- (10) Omnipotens sempiterne deus qui uiuorum dominaris simul et mortuorum ...
[item 8 occupies quire XV]
Collects for psalms, Roman series (Brou (1949)) (‘Incipiunt orationes super quo liber psalmo psalterij. Ista super totum librum’), numbered in red in Roman numerals. The collects for psalm 118 have separate numbering 1–22; the collects for canticles (fol. 146r) are numbered 151–171. Concludes with the final prayer ‘Dominus deus omnipotens pater et filius et spiritus sanctus qui es trinus in personis et unus in substantia ...’ (fol. 148v). Contains many corrections in the hand which corrected prefaces and psalter.
[item 9 occupies quire XVI]
Office of the Virgin, use of Rome (‘Incipit offitium Virginis marie secundum consuetudinem Romane Curie’), including Matins with three lessons (only two have rubrics), Lauds, Little Hours, Vespers, Compline and variations for different times of the year (fols. 155v–158v).
[item 10 occupies quire XVII]
Office of the Dead, use of Rome (‘Incipit offitium in agenda mortuorum secundum consuetudinem romane Curie’). Fol. 163v is ruled but blank.
[items 11–17 occupy quire XVIII]
Devotion to the Holy Cross, starting with a stuck-in piece of paper in the shape of the cross, with Confiteor containing invocations of Sts Michael, Peter, Paul, James, Jerome, Augustine, Ambrose, Gregory, Mary Magdalene and Catherine.
The verses of St Bernard, Illumina oculos (Chevalier, no. 27912) (‘Versus magne utilitatis quos dicitur sanctum docuit bernardum diabolus’), followed by the usual prayer ‘Omnipotens sempiterne deus qui Ezechie regi Iudee te cum lacrimis deprecanti uite spatium pretendisti concede ...’ (cf. Oxford, Bodleian Library MS. Buchanan e. 9, etc.).
Devotion to the Seven Last Words (‘Incipiunt 7 uerba que Christus crucifixus dixit in cruce’) consisting of eight paragraphs, each beginning with ‘Domine Iesu Christe ...’.
Five Joys of the Virgin (‘Sequentia vij Gaudiorum in laudem Virginis Marie’), beginning ‘Gaude virgo mater christi Quem [sic] per aurem concepisti ...’) (Chevalier, no. 7017).
Litany of the Virgin, followed by the prayer ‘Deus qui beatissimam uirginem Mariam in conceptu et in partu ...’.
Cues of the Penitential and Gradual Psalms.
An erased rubric (‘Incipe (?) ad matutinum (?)’) and an erased beginning (two lines) of a text.
Physical Description
Collation
Layout
Ruled in plummet with double vertical bounding lines in the left margin and single vertical bounding lines in the right margin extending the full height of page; 26–30 lines per page; prickings occasionally survive; written above the top line; written space: c. 113 × 77 mm.
Hand(s)
Humanistic script
Decoration
Two initials copying Romanesque style, yellow, outlined in red, with pink scrolls on red and blue background: a nearly full-page P (fol. 2r) and a half-page Beatus-initial (fol. 30r).
2- to 3-line red initials at the beginnings of psalms, canticles and other texts (guideletters often survive).
1-line red initials at the beginnings of sections of texts.
1-line capitals highlighted in red at the beginnings of verses and periods.
Rubrics and paragraph marks in red ink.
Binding
Burgundy paper over pasteboard, brown leather back. Four raised bands on spine framed with gilt fillet lines. Red label with gilt lettering on spine ‘PSALTER. || ET UIRTUT. || PSALMOR. || MS.’. Two Bodleian paper labels on spine with lettering ‘Canonici || Bibl. Lat.’ and ‘91’. Paper pastedowns and fly-leaves. Endbands of yellow and blue thread. Gauffering on edges of textblock.
History
Provenance and Acquisition
Made in Italy: liturgical evidence; evidence of script and decoration.
Matteo Luigi Canonici of Venice (1727–c. 1806), but not from the libraries of Soranzo or Trevisan.
Purchased by the Bodleian in 1817 from Canonici’s nephew Giovanni Perissinotti.
MS. Canon. Bibl. Lat. 91, endleaf (fol. 1)
Contents
Language(s): Latin
One leaf, containing psalm 118: 31–51 (fragmentary), laid out with each verse starting on a new line, punctuated with punctus elevatus marking metrum, and punctus marking the ends of verses. The ends of lines are sometimes transferred to the preceding lines and separated from the rest of the text by paragraph marks.
Physical Description
Hand(s)
Large formal hand, brown ink.
Decoration
Red 3-line initial and rubric ‘h.eth’ at the start of verse 33; red 1-line initials at the beginning of verses.
History
Additional Information
Record Sources
Bibliography
Printed descriptions:
Abbreviations
View list of abbreviations and editorial conventions.
Last Substantive Revision
2024-08: Convert full description from Solopova catalogue.