MS. Ashmole 1523
Summary Catalogue no.: 8229
The Bromholm Psalter
Psalter ('The Bromholm Psalter'); England (?Norwich), early 14th century, with additions, mid-15th century
Contents
Laid out one month per page, written in red and black (different hands are responsible for the red and black text), graded to 12 lessons. Capitals in text entries and the names of the months are not filled in and are often represented by guide-letters. Includes the following entries: – ‘[D]edicatio altaris sancte Radegundis’ (11 February) in black; – ‘Hac die uisitauit dominus locum istum per lignum crucis quod nobis transmisit in maxima quantitate’ (15 March) in red (a possible date of the acquisition of the Rood of Bromholm (Cockerell and James, 1926)); – ‘Dedicatio ecclesie sancte Andree de Bromholm et altaris in capella noua’ (15 June) and ‘Dedicatio capelle sancte thome’ (25 August), both in red. The calendar includes Cluniac saints, such as Odilo (2 January), Hugh of Cluny (29 April) and Pancras (12 May and 10 October) with octave, all in red. Verses on the ‘Egyptian’ days (Hennig’s (1955) set III, apart from the verse for January, which is set V) and unlucky hours appear at the beginning and end of each month (extracts printed by Cockerell and James, 1926).
[items 2–8 occupy quires II–XXVI]
Psalms [1]–150, in the biblical order, without titles or numbers, written with each verse beginning on a new line. Imperfect at the beginning, starting at psalm 2: 4 (‘et dominus ...’). The following text is also missing, because leaves containing illuminated initials were removed:
- one leaf missing after fol. 33 (missing text 26: 1–9);
- one leaf missing after fol. 80 (missing text 67: 28–68: 5);
- two leaves missing after fol. 116 (missing text 97: 4–101: 2);
- one leaf missing after fol. 132 (missing text 108: 28–110: 5).
Without titles, in the original hand up to fol. 168v (the end of a quire) and in a 15th-century hand afterwards (the break occurs in Ego dixi, after ‘ordirer succidit me’, but there is no loss of text). Two subdivisions are marked with larger initials and rubrics ‘diuisio’ in Domine audiui (fols. 172v and 173r) and one in Audite celi (fol. 175v).
- (1) Confitebor tibi domine (Isaiah 12);
- (2) Ego dixi (Isaiah 38: 10–21);
- (3) Exultauit cor meum (1 Samuel 2: 1–11);
- (4) Cantemus domino (Exodus 15: 1–20);
- (5) Domine audiui (Habakkuk 3);
- (6) Audite celi (Deuteronomy 32: 1–44).
- (1) Te deum laudamus (fol. 177v);
- (2) Benedicite omnia opera (fol. 178v);
- (3) Benedictus dominus deus (fol. 179v);
- (4) Magnificat (fol. 180v);
- (5) Nunc dimittis (fol. 181r);
- (6) Athanasian Creed (Quicumque uult ...) (fol. 181r).
[items 5–8 are 15th-century additions]
Including Martial between apostles and martyrs, Pancras, second among the martyrs, Taurinus, Odo, Odilo and Hugh of Cluny among the confessors, and Etheldreda among the virgins.
The litany is followed by collects (fols. 187v–189r), some with short rubrics such as ‘oratio’:
- (1) Deus cui proprium est misereri semper et parcere suscipe ...
- (2) Omnipotens sempiterne deus qui facis mirabilia magna solus ... ecclesie tue precibus auctor ipse pietatis ...
- (3) Pretende domine famulis et famulabus tuis dexteram celestis auxilii ut de toto corde ...
- (4) Deus a quo sancta desideria recta consilia et iusta sunt ...
- (5) A domo tua quesumus domine spirituales nequicie repellantur et aeriarum discedat [sic] malignitas tempestatum ...
- (6) Adesto domine supplicationibus nostris et uiam famulorum tuorum in salutis tue ...
- (7) Ecclesie tue domine preces placatus admitte ut destructis aduersitatibus et erroribus uniuersis ...
- (8) Ad te nos domine clamantes exaudi et aeris serenitatem nobis tribue ...
- (9) Deus in quo uiuimus mouemur et sumus pluuiam nobis tribue congruentem ut presentibus ...
- (10) Deus refugium nostrum et uirtus adesto piis ecclesie tue precibus auctor ipse pietatis ...
- (11) Hostium nostrorum quesumus domine elide superbiam et dextere tue virtute prosterne ...
- (12) Omnipotens sempiterne deus salus eterna credentium exaudi nos pro famulis ...
- (13) Absolue domine animas famulorum famularumque tuarum ab omni uincculo delictorum ...
- (14) Deus qui es sanctorum tuorum splendor mirabilis atque lapsorum subleuator ...
With musical notation (square notation on staves of four red lines), imperfect because of the loss of a leaf after fol. 189. Responsories correspond to nos. 14, 72, 24*, 90, 31, 57, 68, 28, 46 in Ottosen (1993).
Canticles for the year, most with short rubrics. Imperfect, because of the loss of one leaf after fol. 207.
- (1) Domine miserere nostri te enim expectauimus esto brachium ... (Isaiah 33: 2–10) (‘Canticum’);
- (2) Audite qui longe estis que fecerim dicit ... (Isaiah 33: 13–16) (‘Aliud’);
- (3) Miserere domine plebi tue super quam inuocatum est nomen tuum ... (Sirach 36: 14–19) (‘Aliud’);
- (4) Ecce dominus deus in fortitudine ueniet et brachium eius dominabitur (Isaiah 40: 10–17) (‘In aduentu domini dominicis diebus cantica’);
- (5) Cantate domino canticum nouum laus eius ab extremis terre (Isaiah 42: 10–16) (‘aliud’);
- (6) Hec dicit dominus redemptor israel sanctus eius ... (Isaiah 49: 7–13) (‘aliud’);
- (7) Populus qui ambulabat in tenebris uidit lucem magnam ... (Isaiah 9: 2–7) (‘In tempore Natali cantica’);
- (8) Letare ierusalem et diem festum agite ... (Isaiah 66: 10–16, non-Vulgate text) (‘Aliud’);
- (9) Urbs fortitudinis nostre syon saluator ponetur in ea ... (Isaiah 26: 1–12) (‘aliud’);
- (10) Beducant [sic] oculi mei lacrimas per diem et noctem ... (Jeremiah 14: 17–21) (‘In quadragesima’);
- (11) Recordare domine quid acciderit nobis intuere et respice obprobrium nostrum ... (Lamentations 5: 1–21) (‘aliud’), ends imperfectly because of the loss of a leaf after fol. 207; was probably originally followed by Ezekiel 36: 24–28, now completely missing;
- (12) Qvis est iste qui uenit de edom tinctis uestibus de bosra ... (Isaiah 63: 1–5), begins imperfectly;
- (13) Uenite et reuertamur ad dominum quia ipse cepit et sanabit nos ... (Hosea 6: 1–6) (‘aliud’);
- (14) Expecta me dicit dominus in die resurrectionis mee in futurum ... (Zephaniah 3: 8–13) (‘aliud’);
- (15) Uos sancti domini uocabimini ministri dei nostri . . . (Isaiah 61: 6–9) (‘De apostolis et pluribus martiribus canticum’);
- (16) Fvlgebunt iusti et tamquam scintille ... (Wisdom 3: 7–9) (‘aliud’);
- (17) Reddidit deus mercedem laborum sanctorum suorum ... (Wisdom 10: 17–20) (‘aliud’);
- (18) Beatus uir qui in sapientia morabitur ... (Ecclesiasticus 14: 22, 15: 3–4, 6) (‘De uno martire et confessore cantica’);
- (19) Benedictus uir qui conficit in domino ... (Jeremiah, 17: 7–8) (‘aliud’);
- (20) Beatus uir qui inuentus est sine macula ... (Sirach 31: 8–11) (‘aliud’);
- (21) Avdite me diuini fructus ... (Sirach 39: 17–21) (‘Unius uirginis . canticum’);
- (22) Gaudens gaudebo in domino exultabit anima mea ... (Isaiah 61: 10–62: 3) (‘Aliud’);
- (23) Non uocaberis ultra derelicta ... (Isaiah 62: 4–7) (‘aliud’).
With short rubrics and musical notation for the opening lines of hymns. Includes hymns for the week with variations during the year, hymns for feasts and saints’ days including Agatha, Benedict, Pancras, John the Baptist, Peter and Paul, Mary Magdalene, Michael and Martin. Fol. 258v is ruled but blank.
Former pastedown, originally blank, but now with scribbles, drawings, a short prayer and religious verses in Latin in later hands. Includes the opening lines of the hymn ‘O crux salue preciosa’ written in a 15th-century hand, also found as part of the representations of the cross in the 15th-century books of hours Cambridge, Fitzwilliam Museum MS. 55 and London, Lambeth Palace MS. 545. It has been suggested that the picture of the cross on vellum pasted into the Lambeth manuscript and a similar picture found in the Cambridge manuscript may have been the representations of the Rood of Bromholm, produced in the Priory and sold in Bromholm to pilgrims (Cockerell and James, 1926; Wormald, 1937–38).
Physical Description
Collation
Layout
Ruled in ink with single vertical and double horizontal bounding lines extending the full height and width of page, and another set of double bounding lines in the margins; written below the top line; 17 lines per page; written space: c. 215 × 140 mm. 15th-century continuations are ruled to the same pattern.
Hand(s)
Large formal Gothic book hands of the 14th and 15th centuries; black and brown ink.
Square notation on staves of four red lines in the office of the Dead and the hymnal.
Decoration
The 14th-century illumination has stylistic affiliation with the Ormesby Psalter (Oxford, Bodleian Library MS. Douce 366) and manuscripts related to it, such as the Dublin Apocalypse (Dublin, Trinity College MS. 64). It is the work of two closely related artists (Sandler, 1986). 15th-century illumination (fol. 169 and after) is, according to Pächt and Alexander (1966–73), in four different styles.
Fols. 1-168: KL monograms in the calendar on gold backgrounds, decorated with flowers, leaves and arabesque designs
Fols. 1-168: 5- to 6-line historiated initials and full illuminated borders, decorated with flowers, leaves, gold discs, at liturgical divisions in the psalter:
- fol. 50r, Psalm 38 (initial D(ixi)): King David, kneeling, pointing to his mouth with one hand and to the Devil (defaced) with another hand, looking up at Christ in a cloud above, blessing.
- fol. 65r, Psalm 51 (initial Q(uid)): a man in a hood stabbing with a sword another, lying on the ground with eyes closed.
- fol. 66r, Psalm 52 (initial D(ixit)): Psalmist speaking to the Fool in a hood with bells and a bladder on a stick; a blessing hand of God in clouds above.
- fol. 99r, Psalm 80 (initial (E(xultate)): tonsured cleric singing from a book and four musicians playing instruments in the lower part of the initial; enthroned Christ flanked by two angels with censers in the upper half of the initial.
- fol. 116v, Psalm 97 (initial (C(antate)): in the upper part of the initial Christ as the Architect of the Universe, holding a compass, with birds to his right, animals to his left, and fishes of the sea below; in the lower part of the initial seated King David pointing to Christ above and listening to clerics singing from a book. A crowned figure, blowing two trumpets, separates the upper and lower parts.
Fols. 1-168: 2-line initials on gold backgrounds and borders, decorated with anthropomorphic and zoomorphic designs, flowers, leaves, and gold discs at the beginnings of psalms. Initials decorated with grotesques appear on fols. 54r, 98r, 110v, 112v, 114r, 121v, 122r, 136v, 142r, 144r and 150v; with birds on fol. 143r; with bird and animal heads and masks on fols. 149r and 154r; with fish on fol. 139v. Underdrawing occasionally visible (e.g. fols. 145r, 151r).
Fols. 1-168: 1-line alternating gold and blue initials decorated with alternating red and blue penwork at the beginnings of verses. Instructions for rubricator often survive. On fol. 77r and after the initials are by a 15th-century illuminator.
Fols. 1-168: Line-endings with floral and geometric designs. Line-endings on fol. 77r and after, containing grotesques, animals, animal heads and masks, floral and geometric designs, were added by the 15th-century illuminator responsible for decoration in the litany and hymnal.
Fols. 169-258: 2-line initials on gold backgrounds and borders (right margin), decorated with anthropomorphic and zoomorphic designs, flowers, leaves, arabesque designs and gold discs, at the beginnings of canticles, litany and hymns. Initials decorated with grotesques appear on fols. 220r, 250r, 256v; with birds on fols. 187v, 200v; with a leaping dog on fol. 249v; with bird and animal heads and masks on fols. 172r, 215v; with human heads and masks on fols. 173v, 181r, 188v, 194, 196r, 197r, 221r, 222v.
Fols. 169-258: 1-line alternating gold and blue initials decorated with red or blue penwork at the beginnings of verses and periods.
Fols. 169-258: Line-endings with grotesques, animals, animal heads and masks, floral and geometric designs.
– ‘Wills’ (Will(elmu)s (?)) is written twice on decorative scrolls forming part of the line-ending decoration on fol. 174r, and ‘Wils sad’ on fol. 212v, possibly the name of the artist. Other line-endings are also occasionally inscribed: ‘merci’ (fol. 133r); ‘þis is | J(esus): nazare(nus) | rex’ (fol. 169r); ‘p | p: | p | p’ (fol. 169v); ‘I. nazaren(us) rex Iud.’ (fol. 177v); ‘Ave maria’ (fol. 178r); ‘J(esus) | marci’ (fol. 209r).
Rubrics in red ink.
Binding
Light brown leather over pasteboard, late 17th or early 18th century. Double blind fillet lines round the outer edge and c. 35 mm away from the spine on both covers. Rebacked in the Bodleian with the original spine relaid. Five raised bands, edged by double blind fillet lines, and a gilt wreath with arms of Elias Ashmole on spine. Gilt lettering on spine: ‘Ash: || 1523 .’ Evidence of paper label on spine. Laid paper fly-leaves, perhaps contemporary with the binding. Fol. 259 is a former pastedown of a medieval binding with offsets of a wood board and paste deposits from six double cords.
History
Provenance and Acquisition
Made for the Cluniac priory of St Andrew, Bromholm, Norfolk: evidence of the calendar. Most canticles, litany and hymnal, also intended for Cluniac use, as well as 1-line initials and line-ending decoration after fol. 77r were added to complete the manuscript, probably still in the possession of the Priory in the 15th century. The script, ruling, and choice and hierarchy of the elements of decoration in the 15thcentury continuations closely imitate those of the original psalter. Fol. 259, which was a pastedown of a medieval binding, has 15th-century ruling (darker and finer than the 14th-century ruling of the psalter) on the verso and a hymn to the cross, which may have been associated with Bromholm (see ‘Text’), added in a 15th-century hand. At 15 June 'Dedicacio ecclesie S. Andree de Bromholmia et altaris in capella noua'. (MLGB3: Liturgical evidence, often to be found in the kalendar).
‘Joh(annes) Pumfrett’, 15th century, fol. 259.
Sir Edmund Wyndham of Felbrigg, Norfolk (?): see below.
Sir Richard Southwell (1502/3–1564), see ODNB: presented by Edmond Wymondham (Edmund Wyndham (?)); ‘Ex dono Edmundi Wymondam militis amico suo Ric(ard)o Suthwell militi xmo die Septembris 1562’ (fol. 6v); ‘Sapit qui Sustinet R. Southwell.’ (fol. 1r).
Elias Ashmole (1617–1692), see ODNB.
Ashmolean Museum, Oxford: donated by Ashmole to Oxford University in 1677.
Bodleian Library: transferred from the Ashmolean Museum in 1860. Folded plate from James and Cockerell (1926) stuck to fol. i recto, inscribed by Sydney Cockerell, signed and dated ‘SCC Jan 5 1926’.
Record Sources
Digital Images
Digital Bodleian (38 images from 35mm slides)
Bibliography
Online resources:
Printed descriptions:
Abbreviations
View list of abbreviations and editorial conventions.
Last Substantive Revision
2022-03-11: Revised to incorporate full description from Solopova catalogue.