MS. Douce 59

Summary Catalogue no.: 21633

Portable Secular Psalter; France, area of Reims; 9th century, middle

Fols. i–viii are blank paper fly-leaves and paper leaves with notes by Francis Douce (see ‘Provenance’).

[item 1 occupies quire I]

1. (fols. 1v–3v)

Two prefaces: (a) ‘Origo prophetiae david regis psalmorvm nvmero CL’, beginning ‘Dauid filius iesse cum esset in regno suo ...’ and ending ‘. . . pertinent sacramentum quia dauid dictus est christus ...’ (Bruyne, 1. Or 1) (fols. 1v–3r); (b) ‘Praefatio sancti hieronimi praesbyteri incipit’, beginning ‘Psalterium romae dudum positus emendarum ...’ and ending ‘... magis riuo quam de purissimo fonte potare Explicit’ (Bruyne, 5. Hi 1) (fols. 3r–v). Fol. 1r is ruled, but blank.

[items 2–5 occupy quires II–XXII]

2. (fols. 4r–148v)

Psalms 1–150, in the biblical order, laid out with each verse starting on a new line. Punctuated throughout, with low point (placed on the line of writing) used to mark metrum and minor pauses, and medial point (placed mid-line) used to mark the ends of verses. Psalm numbers in Roman numerals are written in red ink in the margins in the original hand. The psalms have short titles which do not correspond to any of Salmon’s series (1959). The titles of five psalms are quoted below:

15 Titvli inscriptio ipsi david (fol. 14r)
30 In finem psalmvs david (fol. 28v)
63 In finem psalmvs david (fol. 61r)
115 Allelvia (fol. 110v)
140 Psalmvs david (fol. 141r).

A leaf, which probably contained the title of psalm 1 and a miniature, is missing after fol. 3.

Subdivisions within psalms are not indicated, apart from psalm 118, subdivided into twenty-two 8-verse units, headed with the names of the letters of Hebrew alphabet in Latin transliteration (e.g. ‘aleph’, ‘gimel’, etc.). There are textual divisions at psalms 26, 38, 51, 68, 80, 97, 101, 109, 114, 121, 126, 131, 137 and 143 (see ‘Decoration’).

The larger initials mark the following:

– the division into ‘three fifties’ (psalms 1, 51, 101);
– psalms appointed to be read first at Matins during the week in secular use, apart from psalm 52 (1, 26, 38, 68, 80, 97);
– psalm 109 appointed to be read first at Sunday Vespers in both monastic and secular use;
– psalms appointed first for Monday to Saturday Vespers in secular use (114, 121, 126, 131, 137 and 143).

The division into ‘three fifties’ is particularly prominent. Psalms 51 and 101 start on a new page and are preceded by full-page miniatures. Their titles, in square capitals, are generously spaced out, occupying the whole of the rectos of the leaves containing miniatures.

3. (fols. 148v–149r)

Pusillus eram.

4. (fols. 149v–158r)

Weekly canticles, with titles:

(1) Confitebor tibi domine (Isaiah 12) (‘Canticvm isaiae prophetae’);
(2) Ego dixi (Isaiah 38: 10–21) (‘Scriptvrae canticvm ezechiae regis’);
(3) Exultauit cor meum (1 Samuel 2: 1–11) (‘Canticvm annae’);
(4) Cantemus domino (Exodus 15: 1–20) (‘Canticvm moysi prophetae’);
(5) Domine audiui (Habakkuk 3) (‘Canticvm abbacvc prophetae’);
(6) Audite celi (Deuteronomy 32: 1–44) (‘Canticvm moysi ad filios israhel’).

5. (fols. 158r–164r)

Daily canticles, prayers and creeds, with titles:

(1) Te deum laudamus (‘Hymnum in die dominica’) (fol. 158r);
(2) Benedicite omnia opera (‘Benedictio trivm pverorvm’) (fol. 159r);
(3) Benedictus dominus deus (‘Prophetae zachariae’) (fol. 159v);
(4) Magnificat (‘Canticvm sanctae mariae’) (fol. 160r);
(5) Nunc dimittis (‘Canticvm symeonis’) (fol. 160v);
(6) Gloria in excelsis (‘Hymnvm angelicvm ad missam’) (fol. 161r);
(7) Pater noster (‘Oratio dominica’) (fol. 161r);
(8) Apostles’ Creed (Credo in deum ...) (‘Symbolvm’) (fol. 161v);
(9) Athanasian Creed (Quicumque uult ...) (‘Fides catholica athanasii episcopi’) (fol. 161v).

Fol. 164v is ruled, but blank. Fols. 165–166 are paper fly-leaves, blank apart from modern notes.

Language(s): Latin

Physical Description

Secundo Folio: Dauid filius iesse (prefaces, fol. 2r)

Form: codex

Support: purple parchment; paper fly-leaves

Extent: 175 leaves

Dimensions (leaf): c. 187 × 147 mm.

Foliation: modern, in pencil; i–viii + 1–44 + 45a + 45b + 46–166.

Collation

(fols. i–viii) fols. ii and viii are fly-leaves, fols. i and iii–vii are inserted slips of paper with notes by Douce | (fols. 1–3) I (4−1) missing 4 | (fols. 4–154) II–XX (8) | (fols. 155–160) XXI (6) | (fols. 161–164) XXII (8−4 (?)) missing 5, 6, 7 and 8 (?) | (fols. 165–166) fol. 165 is a paper fly-leaf; fol. 166 is a paper fly-leaf conjoint with the lower pastedown. 19th-century (?) quire numbers in pencil, 1–21, in the upper margin of the first recto of quires II–XXII

Layout

Ruled in hard point with single vertical and horizontal bounding lines, extending the full height and width of page; 20 lines per page; written above the top line; written space: c. 130 × 100 mm.

Hand(s)

Caroline minuscule, gold ink; the titles of psalms and canticles are written in square capitals as scriptura continua, without breaks between words; the opening words of psalms at liturgical divisions are in square and rustic capitals; frequently there is an offset from the text, psalm numbers and decoration on the opposite page (e.g. psalm numbers on fols. 140v–141r, text on fols. 163v–164r)

Decoration

The illumination is closely related to the illumination in other manuscripts made in the area of Reims in the 9th century, particularly the Troyes and Utrecht psalters (see ‘Provenance’). The similarities between the three psalters include the style of decoration and the choice of scenes for the miniatures. Originally psalm 1 was almost certainly preceded by a miniature, now missing.

Full-page miniatures and initials mark the division of the psalter into ‘three fifties’.

fol. 4r Psalm 1 (initial B(eatus)) Full-page gold initial and the opening words of psalm 1 in gold rustic capitals, placed in a gold rectangular frame with scallop designs and fleur-de-lis corner-pieces. The initial is decorated with gold, red and white interlace, floral designs, animal heads and dots.
fol. 51v (miniature) Miniature, illustrating the text of psalm 51: psalmist holding a lunette-shaped razor and pointing to the hand of God appearing from the sky; King Saul seated on a throne, holding a sword; lances of his retinue behind this throne; Doeg prostrate at the foot of Saul’s throne; two of the ‘righteous’ seated with outstretched hands, one holding a scroll (defaced); ‘green olive tree’ behind the ‘righteous’; uprooted tree at the bottom of the composition.
fol. 52r (initial Q(vid)) Psalm 51 Full-page incipit with a half-page gold initial and the opening words of psalm 51 written in gold square capitals, placed in a gold rectangular frame with acanthusleaf designs and fleur-de-lis corner-pieces. The initial is decorated with gold, red and white floral designs and dots.
fol. 100v (miniature) Miniature, illustrating the text of psalm 101: half-naked psalmist with a chalice in his hand, standing on a rock surrounded by fire, next to a table with bread and drink; two kings with outstretched hands (defaced); ‘withered’ grass at the bottom of the miniature; a building with a single bird on its roof; half-figure of Christ in clouds above, with cruciform halo, one hand outstretched, the other holding a book.
fol. 101r Psalm 101 (initial D(omine)) Full-page incipit with a half-page gold initial and the opening words of psalm 101 in square and rustic capitals, placed in a gold rectangular frame with acanthus-leaf designs and fleur-de-lis corner-pieces. The initial is decorated with gold, red and white floral designs, animal heads, interlace and dots.

Gold initials, usually four lines high (except fol. 134v, two lines; fols. 66r and 131r, three lines; fol. 25v, six lines) and indented into the text area, most outlined in red and white, and decorated with red, white, green and blue floral designs and dots at the beginnings of psalms 26 (fol. 25v), 38 (fol. 39v), 68 (fol. 66r), 80 (fol. 82v), 97 (fol. 98r), 109 (fol. 115v), 114 (fol. 119r), 121 (fol. 131r), 126 (fol. 133r), 131 (fol. 134v), 137 (fol. 138v), 143 (fol. 143v) and the beginning of weekly canticles (fol. 149v).

The opening words of psalms are written in gold square or rustic capitals.

2-line gold initials, written outside the ruled area, most outlined in red and white, decorated with red, white, blue and green floral and geometric designs, and red and white dots at the beginnings of psalms, canticles and prefaces.

1-line gold initials, decorated with red and white dots, at the beginnings of verses and periods.

Line-endings made of white and red dots.

Binding

Pasteboard covered with worn green velvet, late 18th–early 19th century. Fragment of a paper label on spine with blue border and fragmentary handwritten text including ‘[Ar]ch F[.] || [e]. 8’ (see ‘Provenance’ (3)). Gilt edges of textblock. Pastedowns of marbled paper.

History

Origin: French, area of Rheims ; 9th century, middle

Provenance and Acquisition

Made for the secular use (larger initials mark psalms appointed first for Matins and Vespers in the secular use); closely related in the style of script and decoration, and in textual features, to the Troyes Psalter (Troyes, Trésor de la Cathédrale MS. 12) and the Utrecht Psalter (Utrecht, University Library MS. 320), made in the area of Reims in the 9th century. The decoration in MS. Douce 59 is also similar to that of a Gospel book (Reims, Bibliothèque municipale MS. 11), written in gold ink on purple parchment, which was, according to a tradition, a gift to Reims Cathedral from Hincmar, Archbishop of Reims (806–882) (van der Horst, Noel and Wüstefeld, 1996, p. 112; Koehler and Mütherich, 1999; and Mütherich, 2004).

Francis Douce, 1757–1834, see ODNB: bookplate on the upper pastedown; notes on fols. i, ii–vii. The psalter was part of Douce’s collection by December 1827, as it figures as no. 2 in a list of ten ‘books on coloured papers’ in his library (‘MS. psalter 10th century letters of gold on purple vellum’, Oxford, Bodleian Library MS. Douce e. 81, fol. 28v).

Bequeathed to the Bodleian in 1834

Record Sources

Adapted from Elizabeth Solopova, Latin Liturgical Psalters in the Bodleian Library: A Select Catalogue (Oxford, 2013), pp. 264–70. Previously described in the Summary Catalogue.

Summary Catalogue, vol. 4, p. 507

Summary Catalogue, vol. 4, p. 508

Availability

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Digital Images

Digital Bodleian (354 images from 35mm slides)

Bibliography

Selected bibliography to 2008:

Waagen, G. F., Treasures of art in Great Britain, 3 vols. (London, 1854), vol. 1, p. 87.

Macray, W. D., Annals of the Bodleian Library, Oxford: with a notice of the earlier library of the University, 2nd edn. (Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1890; repr. Bodleian Library, 1984), pp. 327, 472.

Tikkanen, J. J., Der Psalterillustration in Mittelalter (Helsingfors: Druckerei der finnischen Litteratur-Gesellschaft, 1895).

Boeckler, A., Abendländische Miniaturen bis zum Ausgang der romanischen Zeit (Berlin und Leipzig: W. de Gruyter, 1930), p. 29.

Jones, L. W., The miniatures of the manuscripts of Terence prior to the thirteenth century, 2 vols. (Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press, 1930–31), vol. 1, p. 63.

Frere, no. 444.

Benson, G. R., ‘The Latin tradition and the Reims style in the Utrecht Psalter’, Art Bulletin 13 (1931), pp. 41–53, passim and figs. 59, 66.

Micheli, G. L., L’enluminure du haut moyen âge et les influences irlandaises (Bruxelles: Éditions de La Connaissance, 1939), p. 119.

Wormald, F., The Utrecht Psalter (Utrecht: Institute of Art History, 1953), p. 14 and pl. 8; reprinted in J. J. G. Alexander, T. J. Brown and J. Gibbs (eds.), Francis Wormald: collected writings, 2 vols. (London: H. Miller; New York: OUP, 1984), vol. 1, Studies in medieval art from the sixth to the twelfth centuries, pp. 36–46, at p. 44, ill. 40.

S. J. P. van Dijk, Latin Liturgical Manuscripts in the Bodleian Library, Oxford, vol. 2: Office Books (typescript, 1957), p. 70

Tselos, D. T., The sources of the Utrecht Psalter miniatures, 2nd edn. (Minneapolis, MN: Printed and published privately, 1960), pp. 9–14; figs. 1, 12.

Engelbregt, J. H. A., Het Utrechts Psalterium: een eeuw wetenschappelijke bestudering, 1860–1960 (Utrecht: Haentjens Dekker and Gumbert, 1965), pp. 69, 81, 105, 107, 120, 169.

Ferber, S., ‘Crucifixion iconography in a group of Carolingian ivory plaques’, Art Bulletin 48 (1966), pp. 323–34, at p. 331.

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Dufrenne, S., ‘Deux psautiers carolingiens à Oxford et à Troyes’ in A. Grabar et al. (eds.), Synthronon, Art et archéologie de la fin de l’Antiquité et du Moyen Âge, recueil d’études (Paris: Klincksieck, 1968), pp. 167–75.

Sandler, L. F., ‘Christian Hebraism and the Ramsey Abbey Psalter’, JWCI 35 (1972), pp. 123–34, at p. 125 n. 9.

Dufrenne, S., ‘Création et copie: les suites du psautier d’Utrecht’, Les dossiers d’archéologie 16 (1976), pp. 45–53, at pp. 46–8.

——, Les illustrations du Psautier d’Utrecht: sources et apport carolingien (Paris: Ophrys, 1978), pp. 27–8, 60; figs. 94, 96.

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van der Horst, K. et al. (eds.), Utrecht-Psalter: vollständige Faksimile-Ausgabe im Originalformat der Handschrift 32, aus dem Besitz der Bibliotheek der Rijksuniversiteit te Utrecht: Kommentar, Codices Selecti Phototypice Impressi 75 (Graz: Akademische Druck- u. Verlagsanstalt, 1984), pp. 21, 30, 31.

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Openshaw, K. M. J., ‘The symbolic illustration of the psalter: an insular tradition’, Arte Medievale, 2nd series, 6:1 (1992), pp. 41–60, at pp. 41–2.

Gibson, M., ‘Carolingian glossed psalters’ in R. Gameson (ed.), The early medieval Bible: its production, decoration, and use (Cambridge: CUP, 1994), pp. 78–100, at p. 78 n. 4.

Henderson, G., ‘Emulation and invention in Carolingian art’ in R. McKitterick (ed.), Carolingian culture: emulation and innovation (Cambridge: CUP, 1994), pp. 248–73, at pp. 266–7, 268, pl. 15.

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Abbreviations

View list of abbreviations and editorial conventions.

Last Substantive Revision

2024-03-19: Adapt Solopova description.

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