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

MS. Douce 222

Summary Catalogue no.: 21796

Contents

Troper

Collection of tropes (verba) for the principal feasts of the year (fol. 2v), mostly in connection with the introit but there are some troped Glorias (laus) and Alleluia versicles, the latter of which are always in full, while the other variable parts are either indicated by their opening words or given in full: combined temporale and sanctorale, followed by tropes for the dedication (fol. 35v) and the holy Trinity; Kyrie and Gloria tropes (fol. 37v); Alleluia tropes (fol. 56v) mostly on texts from the common of the saints; three short Rogation litanies (fol. 70) and the Rogation mass, mass of Ascension day (74); long litany of all saints (fol. 75v). Addition: troped kyrie and prose Aurea virga prime for the Assumption (fol. 80).

Language(s): Latin
(fol. 82)
Proser

Part of a proser (82) from the first Sunday in Advent to Ascension.

Offertorial

Offertories with versicles in full: combined temporale and sanctorale (fol. 102); common of the saints (fol. 159); 5 offertories for the dead (fol. 169); some offertory tropes (fol. 172v) and procession antiphons (fol. 174) from Advent to Easter week, including chants for Holy Week (fol. 183) and antiphons ad reliquias deducendas (fol. 199), ad aquam benedictam faciendam and antiphonae dominicales (fol. 200-); some contemporary additions (fol. 204v).

Three separate books, bound together.

Physical Description

Form: codex
Support: parchment
Extent: ii + 2 + i + 207 + 2 + i fol.
Dimensions (leaf): 140 × 85 mm.

Layout

Fols. 1v-10 mostly 15 lines, 98 × 55 mm.

The litany of fols. 76–80 in 2 col. of 23 lines

Fols. 102–85 in 11 lines, 95 × 41 mm.

Fols. 185–206 in 12 lines, 95 × 41 mm.

Hand(s)

At least 8 or 9 different scribes.

Musical Notation:

North Italian diastematic, non rhythmical notation throughout with some Notker letters. In the offertorial and on the following leaves the notation shows evident visigothic (Spanish) influence.

Decoration

Fine initials (fols. 2v, 6, 18v, 102.). (Pächt and Alexander ii. 17, pl. II)

History

Origin: 11th century, end ; Italian, Breme-Novalesa, Benedictine abbey

Provenance and Acquisition

Given by the abbot of Novalesa in 1778 to the liturgical scholar Eugenio de Levis, who described it in his Anecdota Sacra (1789).

Hyacinthe Louis de Quélen, archbishop of Paris (1819–1840).

Taken from his house in the riot of July 1830 and in February 1832 acquired for Francis Douce (see MS. Douce e. 88 fol. 20v).

Bequeathed by Douce to the Bodleian.

Record Sources

Adapted (2018) from the following sources: S. J. P. Van Dijk, Handlist of the Latin Liturgical Manuscripts in the Bodleian Library Oxford Vol. 1: Mass Books (typescript, 1957); The Douce Legacy (1984), no. 246; Pächt and Alexander; and the Summary Catalogue (1897).

Availability

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Digital Images

Digital Bodleian (3 images from 35mm slides)

Microfilm

Microfilm available in the open shelf collections in the Weston Library (R. Films 101)

Bibliography

Last Substantive Revision

2017-07-01: First online publication.