A catalogue of Western manuscripts at the Bodleian Libraries and selected Oxford colleges

MS. Canon. Liturg. 321

Summary Catalogue no.: 19410

Contents

Breviary-Missal

Ritual of baptism (fol. 3), incomplete; Ad reconciliandum penitentiam (sic) (fol. 11) with the mass Misereris omnium (fol. 12), ritual for the last Sacraments (fol. 13v) with 6 litanies, the office of the dead (fol. 21), burial service, three masses (fol. 27v: Rogamus; fol. 29v: Si enim credimus; fol. 31: Requiem) and series of collects and mass lessons for the dead; order of the mass (fol. 37); votive masses (fol. 42); blessings and processions of Candlemass Day, Ash Wednesday and Palm Sunday (fol. 59, 61, 62); chants for the adoration of the cross on Good Friday (fol. 65); masses for Christmas, Epiphany, Easter, Ascension, Pentecost (fol. 66v); common of the saints and the dedication (fol. 75). Common of the breviary in its primitive arrangement, i.e. chapters, hymns, prayers, lessons (fol. 94v), antiphons and responsories (fol. 110), followed by an Ordo ad clericum faciendum (fol. 129) and a Benedictio aque ferventis, the latter incomplete. Rubrics in the ritual and the order of the mass.

Language(s): Latin

Physical Description

Form: codex
Support: parchment
Extent: iiii + 129 (128) + ii fol.
Dimensions (leaf): c. 230 × 160 mm.
Dimensions (written): c. 180 × 115 mm.

Condition

Leaves missing at the beginning and after fol. 10.

Layout

24 lines (or 12 staves)

Musical Notation:

Italian notation on 3 or 4 lines; 2 or 3 dry point, one red (F) and sometimes one yellow (C); up to fol.47v the notation resembles the North Italian system, from fol.60 onwards the Beneventan.

Decoration

At the beginning of the preface (fol. 38v) and the canon (fol. 39) initials in black and red outline, coloured with red and yellow.

History

Origin: 12th century ; Italian, Ravenna

Provenance and Acquisition

The litanies are clearly from Ravenna, while the doubling of St. Peter (fol. 9r) perhaps suggests the church of San Pietro in Vincoli.

Record Sources

Adapted (2018) from S. J. P. Van Dijk, Handlist of the Latin Liturgical Manuscripts in the Bodleian Library Oxford (typescript) Vol. 1: Mass Books. Previously described in the Summary Catalogue.

Last Substantive Revision

2017-07-01: First online publication.