MS. Laud Lat. 95

Summary Catalogue no.: 1485

Psalter; Latin with Middle English additions; England, Diocese of Ely; 13th century, beginning, with later additions

Fol. i is a blank paper fly-leaf.

[items 1–3 occupy single leaves at the beginning and quire I]

(fol. ii recto–verso) Religious poem in English on ‘how Our Lady’s Psalter was found’, Leuedy swete and milde (IMEV 1840), 14th century, late, imperfect at the beginning, starting with ‘Be her of wel stille (And) sey mid gode wille ...’

2. (fol. 1r)

16th-century document, beginning imperfectly at ‘the Cathedrall churche of Chichestre ...’.

3. (fols. 1v–11r)

Part of a 16th-century order for the office, almost equivalent to the second recension of Quignon’s Breviary (Legg, 1908–12). Fols. 11v and 12r–v are blank; fols. 13r–15v are ruled but blank. The ruling on fol. 13 is in purple ink, the same as on fol. 22. Erasure of an early modern text on fol. 13r.

[item 4 occupies quire II]

4. (fols. 16r–21v)

Added late 14th-century Sarum calendar, laid out one month per page, written in black, red, blue and gold (rubbed), not graded, approximately threequarters full. Additions include David and Chad (1 and 2 March), Etheldreda (17 October), Frideswide (19 October), Winifred (3 November), Osmund (4 December), canonized in 1457, and his translation (16 July). Titles ‘pape’ and the feast of Thomas Becket are erased. The months are preceded by two sets of verses on the ‘Egyptian’ days, the first corresponding to Hennig’s (1955) set III. Fol. 22 is ruled but blank.

[item 5 occupies quire III]

(fol. 23r) The month of December of the original calendar, written in black, red and blue; almost all feasts are graded, with a maximum of 9 lessons; the feast of Thomas Becket and titles ‘pape’ are erased. Liturgical instructions in the original hand; a verse on the ‘Egyptian’ days corresponding to Hennig’s (1955) sets IV and V. [items 6–9 occupy quires IV–XII]

6. (fol. 23v–87r)

Psalms 1–150 in the biblical order, laid out in two columns, with each verse starting on a new line, with titles (Salmon (1959), series V). Punctuated throughout, with punctus used to mark the ends of verses and minor pauses, and punctus elevatus used to mark metrum. There are textual divisions at psalms 26, 38, 51, 52, 68, 80, 97, 101 and 109 (see ‘Decoration’). Subdivisions within psalms are not indicated, apart from psalm 118, subdivided into twenty-two 8-verse units. Sarum antiphons with music added in the margins in the 14th century. 16th-century additions, including psalm numbers, further antiphons, liturgical notes and a rubric ‘die primo’ to ‘die 30’ in the upper margin, referring to the monthly cycle of psalms in the English Book of Common Prayer. In addition to Vulgate numbers in brown ink in the margins, many psalms are also given another set of non-consecutive numbers in red ink in the same 16th-century hand, which appear in the margins, opposite the last line of the psalm. These red numbers are sometimes preceded by ‘Se(quitur) psa(lmus)’ or the opening words of the corresponding psalm (e.g. psalm 28 ‘Afferte domino’, fol. 31r, or psalm 31 ‘Beati quorum’, fol. 34v). The red numbers refer to the order of psalms at different liturgical hours in the order of the office on fols. 1v–11r, following the second recension of Quignon’s Breviary (e.g. psalm 54 has the red number 105 at the end, which corresponds to the order 54–105 in ‘Sabatto ad matutinum’ on fol. 3v; psalm 48 has a red number 58, which corresponds to the order 48–58 in ‘Feria 4 . ad matutinum’ on fol. 2v). Damaged top of fol. 61 is repaired with a piece of parchment, and text is added in a post-medieval hand in imitation of medieval script.

7. (fols. 87r–90v)

Weekly canticles, without titles:

(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).

8. (fols. 90v–93a recto)

Daily canticles, prayers and creeds, without titles:

(1) Te deum laudamus (fol. 90v);
(2) Benedicite omnia opera (fol. 91r);
(3) Benedictus dominus deus (fol. 91v);
(4) Magnificat (fol. 92r);
(5) Nunc dimittis (fol. 92r);
(6) Athanasian Creed (Quicumque uult ...) (fol. 92r).

9. (fols. 93a recto–93b recto)

Litany, imperfect (the outer half of the page containing saints’ names is cut off). Followed by collects (fol. 93b recto):

(1) Deus cui proprium est misereri semper et parcere suscipe ...
(2) Pretende domine famulis tuis dexteram celestis auxilii ut de toto corde ...

Cues of preces and collects of the Morning Prayer in Latin are added in a 16thcentury hand. Fol. 93b verso is blank.

[items 10–11 occupy quires XIII–XVII]

10. (fols. 94r–132r)

Chapters, collects, hymns, lessons, antiphons, versicles and responses with rubrics, divided into temporale (fol. 94r), followed by the dedication of a church (fol. 114r); sanctorale (fol. 114v); and the Common of Saints (fol. 128v). Includes commemorations of Ermenilda, abbess of Ely (fol. 116r), Juliana (fol. 116r), Withburga, relics in Ely (fol. 116v), Etheldreda (fol. 119v), Sexburga and the translation of Withburga (fol. 122r), Samson (fol. 122r), Oswald (fol. 123r), the translation of Cuthbert (fol. 124v) and the translation of Etheldreda (fol. 126v). Marginal additions from Quignon Breviary in a 16th-century hand.

11. (fols. 132v–133v)

Added hymns, 14th century, with the opening lines accompanied by music: Vt fons fecundus (Chevalier 20990), Pange lingua gloriosi presulis solempnia (Chevalier 14490), Christi presul preciose (Chevalier 24497), Salue crux sancta salue mundi (Chevalier 17875), Pie colamus anima (Chevalier 14916), O quam beata femina (Chevalier 13484). Among the hymns are three in honour of Richard of Chichester (fols. 132v–133r). The lower part of 133v, originally blank, contains a three-part setting of ‘Conditor alme syderum’, added at the end of the 14th century.

[item 12 occupies quires XVIII–XIX]

12. (fols. 134r–149v)

Added hymnal, early 13th century (?), containing hymns for the year, sanctorale (fol. 144v) and the Common of Saints (fol. 147v). The opening lines of hymns are accompanied by music (square notation on staves of four red lines). Marginal additions in 16th-century hands.

Conditor alme (Chevalier 3733), Te lucis ante terminum (Chevalier 20138), Uerbum supernum prodiens nec patris (Chevalier 21391), Vox clara ecce (Chevalier 22199), Ueni redemptor gentium (Chevalier 21243), Saluator mundi domine (Chevalier, no. 17808), Christe redemptor omnium ex patre (Chevalier 2960), A solis ortus cardine (Chevalier 26), Sancte dei preciose prothomartyr stephane (Chevalier 18461), Hostis herodes impie (Chevalier 8073), A patre unigenitus (Chevalier 14), Deus creator omnium polique (Chevalier 4426), Primo dierum omnium (Chevalier 15450), Eterne rerum conditor (Chevalier 647), Iam lucis orto sydere (Chevalier 9272), Nunc sancte nobis spiritus (Chevalier 12586), Rector potens uerax deus (Chevalier 17061), Rerum deus tenax uigor (Chevalier 17328), Lvcis creator optime (Chevalier 10691), Sompno refectis (Chevalier 10210), Splendor paterne (Chevalier 19349), Inmense celi conditor (Chevalier 8453), Consors paterni luminis (Chevalier 3830), Ales diei nuntius (Chevalier 795), Telluris ingens conditor (Chevalier 20268), Rerum creator optime (Chevalier 17322), Nox et tenebre et nubila (Chevalier 12402), Celi deus sanctissime (Chevalier 3484), Nox atra rerum (Chevalier 12396), Lux ecce surgit (Chevalier, no. 10811), Magne deus potentie (Chevalier 10935), Tu trinitatis unitas (Chevalier 20713), Eterna celi gloria (Chevalier 609), Plasmator hominis deus (Chevalier 14968), Svmme deus clementie (Chevalier 19636), Avrora iam spargit (Chevalier 1633), Ex more docti mystico (Chevalier 5610), Christe qui lux es et dies (Chevalier 2934), Svmmi largitor premij spes (Chevalier 19716), Audi benigne conditor (Chevalier 1449), Ecce tempus idoneum (Chevalier 5195), Clarum decus ieiunii (Chevalier 3362), Iesu quadragenarie (Chevalier 9607), Vexilla regis (Chevalier 21481), Cvltor dei memento (Chevalier 4053), Pange lingua gloriosi prelium (Chevalier 14481), Lvstra sex qui iam peracta (Chevalier 10763), Chorus noue iherusalem (Chevalier 2824), Iesu saluator seculi verbum (Chevalier 9680), Aurora lucis rutilat (Chevalier 1644), Sermone blando angelus (Chevalier 18831), Ad cenam agni prouidi (Chevalier 110), Eterne rex altissime (Chevalier 654), Iesu nostra redemptio (Chevalier 9582), Tv christe nostrum gaudium (Chevalier 20630), Iam christe astra (9215), Impleta gaudent uiscera (Chevalier 8506), Ueni creator spiritus (Chevalier 21204), Beata nobis gaudia (Chevalier 2339), Adesto sancta trinitas (Chevalier 487), O pater sancte mitis (Chevalier 13376), O lux beata trinitas (Chevalier 13151), Nocte surgentes uigilemus (Chevalier 12035), Ecce iam noctis tenuatur (Chevalier 5129), Christi miles gloriosus (Chevalier 3090), Quod chorus uatum (Chevalier 16881), Qvem terra pontus (Chevalier 16347), O gloriosa femina excelsa (Chevalier 13050), Ut queant laxis resonare (Chevalier 21039), Antra deserti teneris (Chevalier 1214), O nimis felix meritique celsi (Chevalier 13311), Avrea luce et decore (Chevalier 1596), O quam glorifica luce coruscas (Chevalier 13516), Aue maris stella (Chevalier 1889), Tibi christe splendor patris (Chevalier 20455), Christe sanctorum decus (Chevalier 3000), Iesu saluator seculi redemptis (Chevalier 9677), Christe redemptor omnium conserua tuos famulos (Chevalier 2959), Andrea pie sanctorum (Chevalier 1035), O thoma christi perlustrator (Chevalier 13820), Bina celestas aule (Chevalier 2483), Doctor egregie paule mores (Chevalier 4791), Iam bone pastor petre (Chevalier 9196), Mathia iuste duodeno (Chevalier 11388), Bartholomee celi sydus (Chevalier 2318), Mathee sancte bino pollens (Chevalier 11385), Beate simon et thadee (Chevalier 2377), Annue christe seculorum domine (Chevalier 1149), Exultet celum laudibus (Chevalier 5832), Martyr dei qui unicum patris (Chevalier 11228), Deus tuorum militum (Chevalier 4533), Sanctorum meritis inclita gaudia (Chevalier 18607), Rex gloriose martyrum (Chevalier 17453), Iste confessor domini (Chevalier 9136), Iesu redemptor omnium perpes (Chevalier 9628), Virginis proles opifexque matris (Chevalier 21703), Iesu corona uirginum quem (Chevalier 9507), Vrbs beata ierusalem (Chevalier 20918), Angulare fundamentum (Chevalier 1081).

Language(s): Latin with a little Middle English

Physical Description

Secundo Folio: Sed in lege (psalter, fol. 24r)

Form: codex

Support: parchment; paper fly-leaves

Extent: 154 leaves

Dimensions (leaf): c. 287 × 200 mm.

Foliation: modern, in pencil; i–ii + 1–93a + 93b–151.

Collation

(fol. i) paper fly-leaf originally conjoint with the upper pastedown | (fols. ii–6) single leaves | (fols. 7–12) I (6) | (fols. 13–22) II (8−2+4) the first two leaves of the original quire are missing, 1–3 and 10 are added | (fol. 23) III (single leaf) | (fols. 24–87) IV–XI (8) | (fols. 88–93) XII (8−1) 8 cancelled | (fols. 94–149) XIII–XIX (8) | (fols. 150–151) fly-leaves, fol. 151 originally conjoint with the lower pastedown. Strengthening strips made from 13th- and 14th-century Latin manuscripts

Layout

The psalms ruled in plummet for two columns, with double vertical and horizontal bounding lines extending the full height and width of page; 31 lines per page; written above the top line; written space: c. 205 × 130 mm.

Hand(s)

Formal proto-Gothic and Gothic book hands; black ink.

Musical Notation:

Square notation on staves of four red lines.

Decoration

2-line gold KL monograms on blue and pink backgrounds with white decoration; sprays of foliage and gold discs, in the 15th-century calendar (fols. 16r–21v).

Gold KL monogram (5+ lines high) on blue and pink background, with floral designs in white and orange, in the original calendar (fol. 23r).

Beatus-initial, occupying two-thirds of the page, decorated with interlace, floral designs and animal heads on gold background (rubbed). Square frame with geometric designs and four medallions with flowers in the corners (one lost owing to the corrosion of green pigment). Opening lines written in large gold letters (rubbed) on alternating pink and blue background.

Border: see above.

8- to 10-line historiated initials at liturgical divisions on tooled gold backgrounds with incipits in gold capitals:

fol. 45r, Psalm 51 (initial Q(uid)) Two devils, poking sinners, including a bishop, into the mouth of hell. Grotesques.
fol. 51v, Psalm 68 (initial (S(alvvm)) Two nude human figures, beasts, birds, animal head.
fol. 66v, Psalm 101 (initial (D(omine)) Two grotesques and two profile heads of bearded men.
fol. 72v, Psalm 109 (initial (D(ixit)) A monkey, a goat and a grotesque.

9-line initials on gold backgrounds, decorated with floral designs, animal figures and heads, at psalms 26 (fol. 33v), 38 (fol. 39v), 52 (fol. 45v), 80 (fol. 58v) and 97 (fol. 65v).

4-line initials at psalm 119 and the first canticle.

3-line initials with floral designs, grotesques, animal figures, human and animal heads, in gold or on gold backgrounds, at the beginnings of psalms, canticles and litany.

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

Plain red 3- to 4-line initials at the beginnings of added hymns (fols. 132v–133v).

3- to 4-line initials, gold or on gold backgrounds, decorated with floral and geometric designs, animal figures and heads, and 3-line alternating red and blue initials with contrasting penwork at the beginnings of major chapters, collects, etc. (fols. 94r–132r).

8-line initial on pink and gold background, decorated with floral designs at the beginning of the added hymnal (fol. 134r).

3-line gold initials with penwork, and red and blue initials with contrasting penwork at the beginnings of hymns (fols. 134r–149v).

Rubrics in red ink.

Binding

Brown leather over pasteboard, 18th century. Rebacked in the Bodleian with the original spine relaid. Blind roll border round the outer edge of both covers. Blind roll decoration forming a rectangle with floral corner-pieces on both covers. Five raised bands on spine. Gilt lettering on spine: ‘LAUD || K.59’. Paper label on spine printed ‘Laud Lat. || 95’. Laid paper pastedowns and fly-leaves. Fol. 1r was a pastedown of an earlier binding. Holes and marks left by a clasp of an earlier binding on fols. 1–3 and 148–149.

History

Origin: 13th century, beginning; additions, 13th century-15th century, early ; English, Ely

Provenance and Acquisition

Made for the use of the diocese of Ely: liturgical evidence. (Listed in MLGB3 under Ely, Cambridgeshire, Benedictine abbey and (1109) cathedral priory of St Peter and St Etheldreda.)

In the diocese of Chichester in the 14th–16th centuries (?): hymns (fols. 132v–133v), including three in honour of Richard of Chichester; reference to ‘the Cathedrall churche of Chichestre’ on fol. 1r. Adapted for Sarum use in the 14th century through the addition of Sarum antiphons, calendar and hymnal. (Listed in MLGB3 under Chichester, West Sussex, Cathedral church of Holy Trinity, with query.)

Psalm numbers and a translation into Latin of preces and collects, etc. of the Morning Prayer added, and part of the order for the office and marginal additions from Quignon’s Breviary included in the 16th century.

William Laud (1573–1645), see ODNB: ‘Liber Guil: Laud Archiep(iscop)i Cant et Cancellar Vniuersit Oxon, 1636’ (fol. 2r).

Bodleian Library: second donation from Laud, 16 June, 1636. ‘K59.’ (upper pastedown); ‘K51’ (fol. 1v); paper label with ‘59 || K’ (fol. 15v).

Record Sources

Elizabeth Solopova, Latin Liturgical Psalters in the Bodleian Library: A Select Catalogue (Oxford, 2013), pp. 72–8. Previously described in the Quarto Catalogue (H. O. Coxe, Laudian Manuscripts, Quarto Catalogues II, repr. with corrections, 1969, from the original ed. of 1858–1885).

Quarto Catalogue, cols. 43–4

Quarto Catalogue, p. 541 (addenda)

Summary Catalogue, Vol. 2, part 1, p. 63

Digital Images

Digital Bodleian (2 images from 35mm slides)

Bibliography

Online resources:

DIAMM: Digital Image Archive of Medieval Music

MLGB3: Medieval Libraries of Great Britain

Select bibliography to 2004:

Frere, no. 19.

Legg, J. W. (ed.), The second recension of the Quignon Breviary: following an edition printed at Antwerp in 1537 and collated with twelve other editions, to which is prefixed a handlist of editions of the first and second recensions, Henry Bradshaw Society 35, 42, 2 vols. (London: Printed for the Society by Harrison, 1908–12).

Nicholson, E. W. B., Introduction to the study of some of the oldest Latin musical manuscripts in the Bodleian Library, Oxford, Early Bodleian Music 3 (London: Novello; New York: H. W. Gray, 1913), p. lxxxvii.

Dewick, E. S. (ed.), The Leofric collectar (Harl. ms. 2961) with an appendix containing a litany and prayers from Harl. ms. 863, Henry Bradshaw Society 45, 56, 2 vols. (London: Harrison and Sons, 1918), vol. 2, p. xxi.

Summary catalogue, vol. 2, part 1, no. 1485.

S. J. P. van Dijk, Latin Liturgical Manuscripts in the Bodleian Library, Oxford, vol. 2: Office Books (typescript, 1957), p. 48

Hughes, A., ‘Topography of English Midland polyphony’ in H. Anglès et al. (eds.), In memoriam Jacques Handschin (Strasbourg: P. H. Heitz, 1962), pp. 127–39, at pp. 130–31.

Coxe (1973), cols. 43–4.

Sanders, E. H., ‘Cantilena and discant in 14th-century English polyphony’, first published 1965, reprinted in his collection of articles, French and English polyphony of the 13th and 14th centuries (Aldershot: Variorum, 1998), Article II, pp. 42, 44.

Pächt and Alexander (1966–73), vol. 3, p. 318, pl. XXVII.

Ker (1969–2002), vol. 1, p. 375.

Coxe (1973), cols. 43–44.

Harrison, F. Ll., Music in medieval Britain, 4th edn. (Buren, Netherlands: F. Knuf, 1980), p. 151.

Dolan, D. M., ‘The notation of Orléans Bibliothèque Municipale, MS 201’, Studia Anselmiana 85 (1982), pp. 279–88, at p. 284 n. 25.

Avril and Stirnemann (1987), p. 52.

Reaney, G., Manuscripts of polyphonic music, 2 vols. (Munich: G. Henle Verlag, 1966–93), vol. 2, p. 264 and passim as ‘Ob 95’.

Morgan, N., ‘Patrons and their devotions in the historiated initials and full-page miniatures of 13th-century English psalters’ in Büttner (2004), pp. 309–22, at p. 309 n. 4.

Abbreviations

View list of abbreviations and editorial conventions.

Last Substantive Revision

2024-05: Encode full description by Solopova.

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