Manuscript leaf from a Breviary, in Latin, produced in England

Text: From a Breviary, in Latin

Script: Textualis Formata

The text is from an English Breviary. There are twenty-one lines of text written in a small gothic bookhand in dark brown ink with red rubrics. There is no line ruling or pricking. There is one two-line initial in gold on a blue and brown base, with typical English decoration.

This leaf was described in the auction catalogue as very worn, which it is. Never the less it has very interesting English manuscript decoration in which feathering is emanating from two corners of the rectangular frame of the gilded initial ‘E’. This form of decoration is described in Kathleen Scott’s book on English manuscript borders.

Reference:

Scott, Kathleen L., Dated & Datable English Manuscript Borders c.1395-1499, The British Library, 2002.

Transcription:

Recto

1 d(icu)n(tu)r . a(ntiphona) . Convertere domine aliquantulu(m)

2 et ne tardes venire ad servos tuos a(ntiphona) . De sy-

3 on veniet qui regnaturus e(st) dominus ema-

4 nuel magnum nomen euis a(ntiphona) . Eve deus n(oste)r [should be ‘eius’

5 et honorificabo eum deus p(at)ris mei et exalta-

6 bo eum a(ntiphona) . Dominus legifer n(oste)r d(omi)n(u)s rex n(oste)r

7 ip(s)e veniet (et) saluabit nos . cap(itula) y(mnus) v ut sup(er) [Roman ‘5’

8 a(ntiphona) . Vigilate animo in primo e(st) d(omi)n(u)s deus n(oste)r

9 p(salmus) . B(eatus) . O(ra) (pro nobis) do cl( ) . Ad v(ersus) a(ntiphona) Ietamini tu(um) ieru-

10 salem et exulta [ ] ommes qui diligitis

11 eam in eternu(m) vel a(ntiphona) . O( ) . O(ra) (pro nobis) do cl( ) (feria) vi in

[Roman ‘6’

12 laud(ibus) a(ntiphona) . Constantes estote videbitis auxili

13 um domini super vos p(s)almi fei( )es d(icu)n(tu)r a(ntiphona) .

14 Ad te domine levavi animam mea(m) veni-

15 et eripe me domine ad te confugi a(ntiphona) Veni

16 domine et noli ta[rd]are relaxa fatinora ple-

17 bis tue israel a(ntiphona) . Deus a libana veniet et

18 splendor eius sicut lumen erit a(ntiphona) . Ego aute(m)

19 ad d(omi)n(u)m aspiciam et expectabo deum salva-

20 torem meum cap(itulum) y(mnus) v ut sup(er) . a(ntiphona) . Ex quo [Roman ‘5’

21 facta e(st) vox salutationis tue in aurib(us) meis

Verso:

1 exultavit in gaudio infans in utero meo

2 E xcita quesu- [Q] all(elui)a p(salmus) B(eatus) . O(ra) (pro nobis) .

3 mus domine potentiam tua(m) et

4 veni (est) ut hii qui in tua pietate confi-

5 dunt . ab omni cicius adversitate libe-

6 rentur Qui vivis . Ad v(ersu)s a(ntiphona) O( ) . p(salmus)

7 ( ) . O(ra) (pro nobis) do cl( ) . Post v(ersu)s huius ferie no(n)

8 potest incipi O sapientia . Sabbo( )

9 in laud(ibus) a(ntiphona) Veniet dominus in potes-

10 tate magna et [ ] eum omnis ca-

11 ro et salvabit nos . p(s)almi fe( )les . a(ntiphona) .

12 Intuemini quantus sit gloriosus iste q(ui)

13 ingreditur ad salvandos p(o)p(u)los a(ntiphona) . Veni

14 et iterum angelus tuus et docebit nos

15 vias tuas domine a(ntiphona) . Expectetur sicut

16 pluvia eloquium dot [av]vi et destendet si-

17 cut ros super nos deus n(oste)r a(ntiphona) . Paratus es-

18 to israel in occursum d(omi)ni quonia(m) venit .

19 cap(itulum) y(mnus) v ut supra . a(ntiphona) . Omnis vallis [Roman ‘5’

20 implebitur et omnis mons et collis hu-

21 miliabitur et videbit omnis caro saluta

Notes:

A Letters: a,b,c,d,e,f,g,h,i,l,m,n,o,p,q,r,s,t,u/v,x,y,A,B,C,D,E,I,O,P,Q,S,V

Versals: E,Q

B Alternative forms of ‘r’(2), ‘s’(2) and ‘u’(2).

C Both the letters ‘a’ and ‘short-s’ are often larger than the x-height.

D Note the elaborate majuscule letter ‘A’, e.g. in ‘Ad’ (recto, line 14).

E Unusual letter combination ‘ps’ for ‘psalmus’, e.g. in recto side, line 9.

F Fusion between letters ‘de’, ‘do’ and ‘pp’.

G Elision between letters ‘fi’, ‘gn’, ‘gr’ and ‘gu’ and possibly other letters.

H Ligature of ‘st’, e.g. in ‘estote’ (verso, line 12).

I Bifurcation of ascenders of letters ‘b’, ‘h’ and ‘l’.

J Bifurcation of descenders of letters ‘p’ and ‘q’.

K Hairlines appear on some final letter ‘t’s.

L Use of a Tironian ‘est’ symbol, somewhat like a ‘÷’ (verso, line 4).

M Use of a crossed Tironian ‘et’ symbol, (recto, line 7).

N Abbreviation of ‘noster’ (recto, line 4).

O Abbreviation of ‘dominus’ (recto, line 6).

P Abbreviation of ‘auribus’ (recto, line 21).

Q Abbreviation of ‘alleluia’ (verso, line 2).

R Abbreviation of ‘populos’ (verso, line 13).

S Abbreviation of ‘Ora pro nobis’ (verso, line 6).

T In ‘eius’, in line 4 of the recto side, the diacritic is placed above the

wrong minim making the word incorrectly appear as ‘euis’.