MS. Lat. liturg. e. 21

Summary Catalogue no.: Not in SC (late accession)

Portable Psalter; France, 15th century, first half, with 15th-century English Carthusian additions.

Language(s): Latin

Portable Psalter

Fols. i–iv are blank paper fly-leaves.

[item 1 occupies quire I]

1. (fols. 1v–4v)

Additions in different 15th-century hands:

(1) (fol. 1v) Antiphon ‘Adoramus te Christe et benedicimus tibi quia per sanctam crucem tuam redemisti mundum’; fol. 1r is blank apart from early modern and modern notes (see ‘Provenance’);
(2) (fol. 2r) Sketches including foliage in a circular frame (black ink with orange wash), late medieval (?);
(3) (fol. 2v) Carthusian lessons with versicles and responses for the first Nocturn of Matins in aestate during the week (Monday–Saturday); 2-line penwork initials with red wash; punctuation includes the English form of punctus flexus (Doyle, 1998);
(4) (fol. 3r–v) Prayer before the recitation of the psalms ‘Suscipere digneris domine deus omnipotens hos psalmos tibi consecratos quos ego indignus peccator decantare ...’ with 3-line red initial with brown penwork;
(5) (fol. 4r) Fragment of the order of an office, in a French (?) hand, beginning ‘Benedictus es domine in throno regni tui et superlaudabilis et superexaltatus in secula ...’, including prayers to be recited at Matins, Sext and Terce during the week. Fol. 4v is blank.

[item 2 occupies quire II]

2. (fols. 5r–8v)

Calendar written in red and black, laid out one month per page, approximately two-thirds full, graded up to 12 lessons. January–February and November–December are missing. Includes Hugh of Grenoble (1 April) in red. Contains erasures and 15th-century additions, including Edward (18 March), Dunstan (19 May), Augustine of Canterbury (26 May), Alban (22 June), Etheldreda (23 June), the translation of Thomas Becket (7 July), Swithin in red (15 July), Anne (26 July) and the translation of Edward the Confessor in red (13 October). Titles ‘pape’ are crossed out. Months are headed by notes on the length of the solar and lunar month.

[items 3–13 occupy quires III–XXIV]

3. (fols. 9r–140r)

Psalms 1–150, laid out as prose, apart from fol. 9r where each verse starts on a new line. Most psalms have a title ‘psalmus’ or ‘psalmus dauid’ and are accompanied by antiphons and versicles with rubrics referring to the monastic use. Punctuated throughout with punctus elevatus used to mark metrum and minor pauses, and punctus used to mark the ends of verses. Psalms 108: 8–109: 7 are missing because of the loss of two leaves after fol. 109.

There are textual divisions at psalms 26, 38, 52, 68, 80 and 97 (see ‘Decoration’); psalm 109 probably originally also started with an illuminated initial. Subdivisions within psalms are marked with rubrics ‘diuisio’ or ‘psalmus dauid’ and 2-line initials at 9: 20 (fol. 15r), 17: 26 (fol. 21v), 36: 27 (fol. 41r), 67: 20 (fol. 66r), 68: 17 (fol. 68r), 77: 36 (fol. 78r), 88: 20 (fol. 89r), 103: 25 (fol. 102r), 104: 23 (fol. 102v), 105: 32 (fol. 104v), 106: 25 (fol. 107r), 138: 11 (‘Et dixi ...’) (fol. 131v), 143: 9 (fol. 135v) and 144: 10 (fol. 136v). Psalm 118 is subdivided into twenty-two 8-verse units. Psalm numbers are added in the margins in a 16th-century (?) hand which also added titles for parts of psalm 118 (fol. 114v). On many pages the text was freshened up or corrected in a darker ink (e.g. fols. 23r, 24r, 25r, etc.).

4. (fols. 140r–147v)

Daily canticles, each followed by antiphons, some with rubrics:

(1) Confitebor tibi domine (Isaiah 12) (‘feria ija’);
(2) Ego dixi (Isaiah 38: 10–21) (‘feria iija ad laudes’);
(3) Exultauit cor meum (1 Samuel 2: 1–11) (‘feria iiija canticum’);
(4) Cantemus domino (Exodus 15: 1–20) (‘feria va canticum’);
(5) Domine audiui (Habakkuk 3) (‘feria via canticum’);
(6) Audite celi (Deuteronomy 32: 1–44) (‘sabbato canticum’) with rubric ‘diuisio’ at verse 22 ‘Ignis succensus ...’.

5. (fols. 147v–158r)

Canticles for the year, some with rubrics. References to their Old Testament sources are added in the margins in a different 15th-century (?) hand.

(1) Domine miserere nostri te enim expectauimus esto esto brachium ... (Isaiah 33: 2–10);
(2) Audite qui longe estis que fecerim dicit ... (Isaiah 33: 13–16) (‘aliud canticum’); (3) Miserere domine plebi tue super quam inuocatum est nomen tuum ... (Sirach 36: 14–19) (‘canticum’);
(4) Ecce dominus in fortitudine ueniet et brachium eius dominabitur ... (Isaiah 40: 10–17) (‘cantica de aduentu domini’);
(5) Cantate domino canticum nouum laus eius ab extremis terre (Isaiah 42: 10–16) (‘aliud canticum’);
(6) Hec dicit dominus redemptor israhel sanctus eius ... (Isaiah 49: 7–13) (‘aliud canticum’);
(7) Populus qui ambulabat in tenebris uidit lucem magnam ... (Isaiah 9: 2–7) (‘canticum de nativitate domini’);
(8) Letare ierusalem et diem festum agite ... (Isaiah 66: 10–16, non-Vulgate text) (‘aliud canticum’);
(9) Urbs fortitudinis nostre syon saluator ponetur in ea ... (Isaiah 26: 1–12) (‘aliud canticum’);
(10) Deducant oculi mei lacrimam per diem et noctem ... (Jeremiah 14: 17–21) (‘in quadragesima cantica’);
(11) Recordare domine quid acciderit nobis intuere et respice obprobrium nostrum ... (Lamentations 5: 1–21) (‘Canticum’);
(12) Tollam quippe vos de gentibus et congregabo uos de uniuersis terris ... (Ezekiel 36: 24–28) (‘aliud canticum’);
(13) Qvis est iste qui uenit de edom tinctis uestibus de bosra ... (Isaiah 63: 1–5) (‘canticum de resurrectione domini’);
(14) Uenite et reuertamur ad dominum quia ipse cepit et sanabit nos ... (Hosea 6: 1–6) (‘aliud canticum’);
(15) Expecta me dicit dominus in die resurrectionis mee in futurum ... (Zephaniah 3: 8–13) (‘aliud canticum’);
(16) Uos sancti domini uocabimini ministri dei nostri ... (Isaiah 61: 6–9) (‘De apostolis et martyribus canticum’);
(17) Reddidit deus mercedem laborum sanctorum suorum ... (Wisdom 10: 17–20) (‘aliud canticum’);
(18) Fulgebunt iusti et tanquam scintille in arundineto discurrent ... (Wisdom 3: 7–9) (‘aliud canticum’);
(19) Beatus uir qui in sapientia morabitur ... (Sirach 14: 22 and 15: 3–6) (‘vnius martyris uel confessoris cantica’);
(20) Benedictus uir qui confidit in domino ... (Jeremiah 17: 7–8) (‘aliud canticum’);
(21) Beatus uir qui inuentus est sine macula (Sirach 31: 8–11) (‘aliud canticum’);
(22) Audite me diuini fructus ... (Sirach 39: 17–21) (‘canticum de uirginibus’);
(23) Gaudens gaudebo in domino et exsultabit anima mea ... (Isaiah 61: 10–62: 3) (‘aliud canticum’);
(24) Non uocaberis ultra derelicta ... (Isaiah 62: 4–7) (‘aliud canticum’).

6. (fols. 158r–166r)

Hymnal, with rubrics, comprising hymns for the year from Advent to Pentecost, followed by hymns for the feasts of the Virgin Mary, John the Baptist and Exaltation of the Cross, followed by daily hymns. Conditor alme (Chevalier, no. 3733), Uenit redemptor gentium (Chevalier, no. 21243), Egressus eius a patre (Chevalier, no. 5268), Audi benigne conditor (Chevalier, no. 1449), Uexilla regis (Chevalier, no. 21481), Arbor decora (Chevalier, no. 1268), Hic est dies uerus dei (Chevalier, no. 7793), Mysterium mirabile ut abluat (Chevalier, no. 11831), Optatus uotis omnium sacratus (Chevalier, no. 14177), O grande cunctis gaudium (Chevalier, no. 13071), Ueni creator spiritus (Chevalier, no. 21204), Iam christus astra (Chevalier, no. 9215), Impleta gaudent uiscera (Chevalier, no. 8506), Ut queant laxis resonare (Chevalier, no. 21039), Antra deserti (Chevalier, no. 1214), O nimis felix meritique (Chevalier, no. 13311), Crux fidelis inter omnes (Chevalier, no. 4018), Christe redemptor omnium conserua tuos famulos (Chevalier, no. 2959), Ihesu saluator seculi redemptis (Chevalier, no. 9677), Eterne rerum conditor (Chevalier, no. 647), Splendor paterne (Chevalier, no. 19349), Iam lucis orto sidere (Chevalier, no. 9272), Nunc sancte nobis spiritus (Chevalier, no. 12586), Rector potens uerax deus (Chevalier, no. 17061), Rerum deus tenax uigor (Chevalier, no. 17328), Deus creator omnium polique (Chevalier, no. 4426).

7. (fols. 166r–171v)

Carthusian Office of the Dead (‘In agenda mortuorum’), imperfect owing to the loss of a leaf after fol. 166.

8. (fols. 171v–173r)

Athanasian Creed (Quicumque uult ...) added in a 15th-century English hand, followed by antiphons ‘Ne reminiscaris domine delicta nostra ...’ and ‘Parce domine parce populo tuo ...’.

9. (fols. 173v–176r)

Litany, added in the same hand as the Athanasian Creed, including Blandina, with 15th- and 16th-century (?) additions including Linus, Jerome, Hugh (of Lincoln (?)), Edmund, Edward (the Confessor (?)), Bernard, Anne, Catherine and Margaret. Followed by collects (fol. 176r):

(1) Deus cui proprium est misereri semper et parcere ...
(2) Pretende domine famulis et famulabus tuis dexteram celestis auxilii ...
(3) Fidelium deus omnium conditor et redemptor animabus famulorum famularumque tuarum remissionem ...

10. (fols. 176v–179r)

Litany, added in a different 15th-century hand, including Hugh (of Lincoln (?)) with double invocation, Edmund and Edward among the confessors, Anne (first) and Blandina among the virgins. The litany is almost identical to the first, but with the added names incorporated. Followed by the same collects as on fol. 176r (fols. 178v–179r).

11. (fol. 179v)

Added verse, 15th century: Omnis malus debitor dicit cras habebis Illud tamen crastinum numquam tu videbis.

12. (fol. 179v)

Added prayers, 15th century:

(1) Omnipotens sempiterne deus in cuius manu sunt omnium potestates et omnia iura regnorum respice in auxilium christianorum ...
(2) Deus omnium fidelium pastor et rector famulum tuum quem pastorem ecclesie tue praesse voluisti ...

13. (fol. 180r–v)

Order of Lauds during the week, added by William Darker, monk of Sheen (professed probably after 1471, certainly before 1502, d. 1512/13) (Doyle, 1998). Fols. 181–184 are blank paper fly-leaves.

Physical Description

Secundo Folio: Seruite domino in timore (psalter, fol. 10r)

Form: codex

Support: parchment; paper fly-leaves; many leaves repaired with parchment

Extent: 188 leaves (iv + 180 + iv)

Dimensions (leaf): c. 198 × 132 mm.

Leaves were trimmed in rebinding, occasionally causing the loss of decoration

Foliation: modern, in pencil; i–iv + 1–184.

Collation

Layout

Ruled in ink with single horizontal and vertical bounding lines extending the full height of page; 20 lines per page; written below the top line; written space: 135 × 87 mm.

Hand(s)

Formal Gothic book hand, brown and black ink; antiphons and versicles in a smaller script; additions in several 15th-century hands

Decoration

Red and blue penwork KL monograms in the calendar.

Fol. 9r, Psalm 1 (initial B(eatus)), 6-line pink initial in rectangular gold frame on blue background with white arabesque designs, infilled with Crucifixion with the Virgin Mary and St John in the upper part, and King David, seated, playing harp in the lower part (badly rubbed). The initial to Ps. 109 missing, perhaps also illuminated.

(full border) Gold bars, decorated with sprays of leaves.

4-line red and blue penwork initials at liturgical divisions: psalms 26 (fol. 29v), 38 (fol. 43r), 52 (fol. 55r), 68 (fol. 67r), 80 (fol. 82r) and 97 (fol. 96v).

2-line alternating red and blue initials with contrasting blue and red penwork at the beginnings of psalms, subdivisions within psalms, canticles and prayers.

1-line alternating red and blue initials with contrasting blue and red penwork at the beginnings of verses and periods.

Red and blue penwork line-endings.

Rubrics in red ink

Binding

White parchment over boards, 19th century. Gilt lettering on spine: ‘PSALTERIUM’ and ‘MS. || SAEC. XIV.’. Fragment of a missing paper label on spine. Two woven leather ties with metal rings on the lower cover, catches on the upper cover. Fol. 1 may have been a pastedown of an earlier binding.

History

Origin: 14th century, second quarter; additions, 15th century ; French; additions, English

Provenance and Acquisition

Made in France (evidence of script and decoration) for a Carthusian patron (liturgical evidence).

Carthusian Priory of Jesus of Bethlehem at Sheen, Surrey (?), founded in 1414. Adapted for Carthusian use in England in the 15th century; the addition of Sts Swithin and Edward the Confessor in red to the calendar suggests the south of England. The scribe of the added Order of Lauds (fol. 180r–v) has been identified as William Darker, monk of Sheen (Doyle, 1998).

The psalter remained in England during the Reformation when the titles ‘pape’ were crossed out in the calendar.

Inscription in black ink on fol. 1r, including ‘year 1000’.

Bought by the Library from McLeish of London, 14 November 1928 (fol. 2r).

Record Sources

Elizabeth Solopova, Latin Liturgical Psalters in the Bodleian Library: A Select Catalogue (Oxford, 2013), pp. 305–10. Previously described in typescript by Bodleian Library staff with revisions by Peter Kidd, late 1990s.

Bibliography

Select bibliography to 1998:

S. J. P. van Dijk, Latin Liturgical Manuscripts in the Bodleian Library, Oxford, vol. 2: Office Books (typescript, 1957), p. 100

Pächt and Alexander (1966–73), vol. 1, no. 595.

Biggs, B., ‘The language of the scribes of the first English translation of the Imitatio Christi’, Leeds Studies in English, n. s. 28 (1995), pp. 79–111, at p. 109 n. 42.

Doyle, A. I., ‘English Carthusian books not yet linked with a charterhouse’ in T. Barnard, D. Ó Cróinín and K. Simms (eds.), A miracle of learning: studies in manuscripts and Irish learning. Essays in honour of William O’Sullivan (Aldershot: Ashgate, 1998), pp. 122–36, at p. 124.

Abbreviations

View list of abbreviations and editorial conventions.

Last Substantive Revision

2024-08: Convert full description from Solopova catalogue.

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