Manuscript leaf from a Gradual, in Latin, produced in Italy

Text: From a Gradual, in Latin

Script: Southern Textualis Formata (Rotunda)

The text, which refers to a lesson from Isaiah (‘ysaie’) and shows a part of Psalm 144, is from an Italian Gradual and is written in a rounded gothic script in brown and red ink. There are two large versals in blue and red with elaborate penwork. There is feint line ruling for the lettering. Five four-line staves are ruled in red with musical notes in black. The recto shows the letters ‘XVII’ in the right-hand border.

Reference: Hughes, A., Medieval Manuscripts for Mass and Office - A Guide to their Organization and Terminology, University of Toronto Press, 1995.

Transcription

Recto side:

1 mundo corde .

2 Hic dicitur . V(ersus) . D(omi)n(u)s vobis-

3 cum . sine Flectam(us) ge(nua) . Orati(o) .

4 Festina q(uesumu)s d(omi)ne . Q(uod) vi( ) . Ep(istu)la [line filler]

5 lectio ysaie p(ro)ph(et)e . In dieb(us) ill(is) . Lo- [Isaiah

6 cutus e(st) d(omi)n(u)s ad acham . Q(uia) finita d(icitu)r Gr(ece) . Prope :

7 P Rope est dominu(s) [Psalm 144:18

8 omnibus

9 invocantibus e-

Verso side:

1 -um omnib(us) q(ui)

2 invocant eum in

3 veritate .

4 . V(ersus) . L aude(m)

5 domini

Notes:

A Letters: a,b,c,d,e,f,g,h,i,l,m,n,o,p,q,r,s,t,u/v,y,D,F,H,L,O,R,V.

Versals: L,P.

B Alternative forms of letters ‘d’(2), ‘m’(2), ‘r’(2) and ‘s’(3).

Note the sideways ‘m’ in ‘acham’ (recto, line 6).

Note the elevated trailing ‘s’ in ‘dominus’ (recto, line 7).

C Fusion between letters ‘de’, ‘do’, ‘ob’, ‘oc’, ‘op’, and ‘pe’.

D Elision between letters ‘fi’, and ‘ti’.

E Ligature between letters ‘st’, e.g. ‘est’ (recto, line 7).

F Abbreviation for ‘us’ in ‘omnibus’ (verso, line 1).

G Superscript ‘o’ in ‘Oratio’ (recto, line 3).

H Note the brief line filler of a crossed ‘i’ (recto, line 4).

I In the music staves, on the recto the first two staves are in the C clef and

the others are in the F clef. On the verso the first, fourth and fifth staves

are in the C clef whilst the second and third staves are in the F clef.