Twenty six miscellaneous single manuscript leaves on parchment and vellum from a variety of Catholic religious and liturgical texts, most based on music, including Books of Hours, Missals, and Graduals.
This collection is open and available for research use.
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[Item description]
Medieval Manuscripts, 13th to 16th century (Cage 417)
Manuscripts, Archives, and Special Collections, Washington State University Libraries, Pullman, WA.
Catholic Church Missal, 1550
Liturgical Music Manuscript, circa 1780
This collection is indexed under the following headings in the online catalog. Researchers desiring materials about related topics, persons, or places should search the catalog using these headings.
Breviary (fragment), in Latin
France, saec. XIIImed
1v-2r: //In illo t[empor]e erat S[ancti] Johan[nis] ... conservis suis minora peccantibus. Si//
Folio 1v begins with the sixth reading for the 17th Sunday after Pentecost, followed by the first five readings for the following week. Folio 2r continues the fifth reading and runs through the eighth reading of the 18th Sunday after Pentecost, ending with the first word of the ninth reading.
The order of the readings is noted in red roman numerals in the outer margin by a contemporary hand. A slightly later hand has indicated through the use of black Roman numerals that during a later period these were the 21st and 22nd Sundays after Pentecost.
Parchment, two leaves (conjoint and consecutive), in two columns of 31 lines, prickings preserved in the inner margin. Written in a gothic texutra script by a single scribe. Initials alternate blue with red penwork and red with blue penwork, one or two-lines (with the exception of the letters [L] or [I] which extend down the margin three- to six-lines); rubrics red.
Written in France in the mid-thirteenth century. This bifolium was the innermost bifolium of its quire, and was folded backwards to be used as a wrapper binding in the late middle ages. The title of the manuscript that it bound is written in the upper margin of f. 2r: it appears to read "Donatio tertia maculosi", which could indicate an accounting of donations made by sinners to the local church to secure their salvation. A nineteenth-century hand has written in pencil in the lower margin of f. 2r the price of "100 fr." and the date "Debut XIIIe s.", although the style of script suggests a slightly later date.
[note: the cataloguer, Lisa Fagin Davis, has only examined a digitized image of the verso of the bifolium, that is, folios 1v and 2r]
Book of Hours (fragment), in Latin
Germany, saec. XIIIex/XIVin
F. 1: //gloria mea et non conpungar ... meus est in manibus//
Psalm 29:13 "gloria" - end; antiphons "Adorate dominum in aula" and "In tua justi[tia]"; Psalm 30:1 - 16 "manibus". The original antiphons have been scraped away and replaced by a later hand (with the exception of the word "patri" on the recto, line 3, which is original). The red roman numeral "viii" before and after the second antiphon may indicate that the following Psalm is the eighth Psalm of Matins for that day.
Parchment, single leaf, in a single column of 19 lines. Written in a gothic texutra script by a single scribe. Psalm initial blue with red penwork; versal initials alternating red and blue.
Written in France in the late-thirteenth or early-fourteenth century. A nineteenth-century hand has written in pencil in the lower margin of the recto "XII siecle", although the style of script suggests a slightly later date.
[note: the cataloguer, Lisa Fagin Davis, has only examined a digitized image of the fragment]
Gradual. Probably 13th-14th c. In Latin. Gothic script with three decorated initials; 4-line staff with square notation. Leaf torn and damaged in spots. 34x49 cm.
Book of Hours (fragment), in Dutch
Northern Netherlands, probably in the western, Holland-Utrecht zone, saec. XVex
F. 1: //[Je]rusalem alle die dage ... moeder gods marien huechnisse doen ou//
From a Book of Hours, Sext of the Hours of the Virgin: the last part of ‘Die IX salm van den XV graden’, with antiphon and chapter, respons, and the beginning of a verse [on 4_1, the recto] and the continuation of the verse, a versicle, and collect [on 4_2, the verso]. See N. van Wijk (ed.), Het getijdenboek van Geert Grote naar het Haagse handschrift 133 E 21. Leiden 1940, pp. 56-58.
Parchment, single leaf, in a single column of 17 lines. Written in a Gothic script by a single scribe. Two-line Chapter and Collect initials in blue, other initials single line in red or black stroked with red; rubrics red.
Written in Flanders in the late 15th century.
[note: the cataloguer, Lisa Fagin Davis, has only examined a digitized image of the fragment. This description was updated in 2015 based on information provided by Ed van der Vlist.]
Psalter (fragment), in Latin
France, saec. XVmed
F. 1: //Funes cediderunt mihi in praeclaris ... ut non moveantur ves[tigia]//
Psalm 15:6 - 16:5 "ves[tigia]", from a Psalter.
Parchment, single leaf, in a single column of 16 lines ruled with red plummet. Written in a Gothic script by a single scribe. Three-line psalm initial gilt on blue background with white penwork, the body of the letter filled with salmon, with gold and salmon bars extending into the outer margin decorated with blue at the base; verse initials alternating gold with blue penwork and blue with red penwork; red and blue linefillers.
Written in Flanders in the late 15th century. A late-medieval hand has written the (incorrect) Psalm number "XVI" on the recto. A modern purple ownership stamp on the recto gives the monogram "ABV".
[note: the cataloguer, Lisa Fagin Davis, has only examined a digitized image of the fragment]
Noted missal, in Latin.
France?, saec. XIII
...[iracun]dis ab insurgentibus in me exaltabis me...Et aperiantur saccis homines.
Fifth Sunday of Quadragesima (i.e. Passion Sunday) and the following Monday. Recto: gradual "Eripe me domine" (conclusion only), tract and lection for Sunday; Verso: introit ("Miserere"?) (conclusion only), oratio, and lection for Monday (Jonah 3:1-8).
Parchment, 1 folio, one (the inner) of two columns, 31 lines (per page of text) or 16 lines (per page of music). Written in a Gothic script by a single scribe. Music on a four-line staff with [f] and [c] indicated. Two- or three-line initials in red or blue.
Probably written in France the thirteenth century.
Book of Hours. Arnhem, circa 1460-1480. In Dutch. Gothic script with decorated initial on recto. 9.5x13 cm.
From the Office of the Dead: the end of a versicle, and the beginning of the first lesson (from Job), taken from the first nocturn [on 7_1, the recto] and the continuation of the first lesson, with respons, verse, and the beginning of the second lesson (also from Job) [on 7_2, the verso]. See Van Wijk 1940, pp. 169-170].
[Note: This description was updated in 2015 based on information provided by Ed van der Vlist.]
Book of Hours, in Latin.
Italy, saec. XV
...videns civentatum crucis tensum patibulo...sustinente quod modicum...
From the first nocturn of Matins (use undetermined).
Parchment, 1 leaf, single column of 15 lines, ruled in blue. Written in a Gothic rotunda script by a single scribe. Two-line gold leaf initial with blue infill and background, with blue filigree in the inner, upper, and lower margins. Single-line gold leaf initials alternating with blue or yellow intials throughout. Line-filler gold leaf with blue filigree.
Written in Italy in the fifteenth century. A modern purple ownership stamp on the recto gives the monogram "ABV" (see also Fragment 5 verso).
Missal. Probably 14th-15th c. In Latin. Carolingian script with two decorated initials; one line each side of the 5-line staff with square notation. Section from the Office of the Dead. 35x54 cm.
Book of Hours, in Latin.
France, saec. XV
f.1:...peccatoribus vitam et leticiam sempiternam... eius lancea miles perforavit...; f.2: ...tua corripias me...me adpropinquaverunt et...(Psalm 37:2-12).
Hours of the Cross; final oratio of Matins followed by the Little Hours and Compline. The folios are conjoint, but not consecutive (Vespers and the beginning of Compline are lacking). They were probably separated by one bifolium.
Parchment, bifolium, single column of 13 lines. Written in a Gothic cursive script by a single scribe. One- or two-line initials in gold leaf on background of blue or red filigree.
Written in France in the fifteenth century.
[Antiphonary], in Latin.
Italy, saec. XVI
...[Cum perveni]sset beatus andreas ad locus.../...Suscipe discipulum eius qui pe...
Preserves part of Matins for the office of St. Andrew (Responsories "Cum pervenisset beatus andreas" and "Doctor bonus et amicus").
Parchment, 1 folio, single column, 8 lines. Written in a rotunda script by a single scribe. Square notation on a red 5-line staff, C on line 4. Responsories begin with staff-high red initial, verses with black, rubrics red.
Written in Italy in saec. XVI.
[Antiphonary], in Latin.
Spain, saec. XVI
In comone angelorum.../...neque locus est corum in...
Preserves the beginning of the office for the "Common of Angels".
Parchment, 1 folio, recto mostly blank with only a 2-line rubric at lower margin, 3 lines music and 9 lines text on verso. Written in a rotunda script by a single scribe. Square notation on a red 5-line staff, [C] at middle line. Staff-high antiphon initial blue and red with red and blue filigree, two-line initial blue with red filigree, rubrics red. Initials in-text stroked yellow.
Written in Spain in saec. XVI.
[Antiphonary?], in Latin.
Spain?, saec. XVI
...homo factus id quo fuit.../...exultemus dicentes gloria tibi domine MGT saeculorum.
Probably from the office of the Annunciation.
Parchment, 1 folio, single column, 6 lines (3 on verso). Written in a rotunda script by a single scribe. Square notation on a red 5-line staff, bars added later, C at middle line.
Written in Spain? in saec. XVI.
Gradual or Antiphonal. Probably 14th-15th c. In Latin. Gothic script with six decorated initials; 5-line staff with later notation. 38x56.5 cm.
Antiphonary, in Latin.
Germany, saec. XV
[rubric] In festo dicem milium militum.../[text] Occurre in t[ ]nudio...A[ntiphona]. O Celebre martirium...
Preserves Matins of the Office of the Ten Thousand Soldiers (22 June).
Parchment, 1 folio. Single column of 10 lines. Written in a Gothic script by a single scribe. Five-line staff with [c] and [f] indicated. Staff-high initials blue, red, or black and red.
Written in Germany in the fifteenth century. When used as a binding (saec. XVII?), item was numbered "1137". The (faded) title of the bound manuscript is written in the upper margin of the verso.
Antiphonary, in Latin
Austria (?), saec. XV
...et aviditate in illa eterna....in seculum non debitur. evovae.
Preserves Matins of the commons office for a "Confessor who was not a Pope". The antiphons found here (CAO 4952, 3542, and 1851) are rare, and the office is quite similar to that for a "Confessor who was not a bishop" found in Vorau (Austria) Universitats-Bibliothek ms 287.
Paper, fragment of one folio, one column, 5 lines. Written in a Gothic script by a single scribe. Music on a four-line staff with [f] and [c] indicated. Staff-high initials in green or black and red. Unfinished two-staff-high initial [S] on recto.
Written Austria or Germany in the fifteenth century.
Book of Hours [Office of the Dead], in Latin.
France, saec. XVmed
...singulos dies ubi est deus tuus...Spiritus meus attenuabitur dies mei breviabuntur et so[lum]...
From the third nocturn of the Office of the Dead, including the seventh lection (Job 17).
Parchment, 1 leaf, one column of 17 lines, ruled in red plummet. Written in a Gothic script by a single scribe. Three-line lection initial in blue with white filigree, on a red, gold, and white background in a gold-leaf frame, three 1-line gold-leaf initials on red or blue background with blue or red infill, three-quarter border of gold leaves, red berries, red and blue flowers. Line filler of blue, red, and gold-leaf.
Written in France in the mid-fifteenth century.
Missal, in Latin.
France, saec. XVex
...[pecca]ta mundi misserere [sic] nobis...Spiritu sancto vivis et regnas...
Part of the Mass from the Agnus Dei through the prayer for peace preceding the communion ritual.
Parchment, 1 folio, single column of 14 lines, ruled in red plummet. Written in a Gothic script by a single scribe. Two-line gilt initial with red infill on blue background, with gold ivywork extending slightly into margin., 1-line initials alternating blue with red penwork or red with blue, or: gilt with red infill on a blue background or gilt with blue infill on a red background. Line-fillers blue and red with gilt bars.
Written in France in the late fifteenth century.
Missal. 1440 AD. In Latin. Italian gothic script with three decorated initials. Mounted, with verso on outside. Vellum. 16x21.5 cm. Gift of Helen G. Smith.
[Missal or Gradual], in Latin.
Spain?, saec. XVI
[Offertorium?] Quam dulcia sunt eloquia tua virgo dei.../...Com[munionem]. Factum est autem et audi...
Preserves the offertory and communion for an unidentified, presumably female, saint.
Parchment, 1 folio, six lines, one column. Written in a rotunda script by a single scribe. Square notation on 5-line red staff, [C] at middle line. Staff-high initials in red with blue filigree or vice versa.
Written in Spain? in saec. XVI.
[Gradual], in Latin.
Italy, saec. XV/XVI
...[do]minum. Saeculorum. Kyrie.../...Alleluia alleluia alleluia alleluia...
Mass for Holy Saturday and Vespers of Easter vigil, from the Kyrie of the mass through the Vespers antiphon "Vespere autem".
Parchment, 1 folio, single column, 8 lines. Written in a rotunda script by a single scribe. Square- notation on a red five-line staff, [c] at middle line. Staff-high initial in red with purple filigree., half-staff or single-line initials in black.
Written in Italy in saec. XV/XVI.
[Gradual], in Latin.
Spain, saec. XVI
...[reve]reantur inimici mei..../...Graduale. Benedicam dominum in omni tem[pore]...
Preserves the Introit ("Deus in adiutorium meum") and Gradual ("Benedicam dominim in omni tempore") for the 12th Sunday after Pentecost.
Parchment, 1 folio, one column, six lines. Written in a rotunda script by a single scribe. Square notation on a red 5-line staff, [C] at middle line. Staff-high intial in red with blue filigree, minor initials staff-high black, rubrics red.
Written in Spain in saec. XVI.
[Gradual], in Latin.
Includes Haec dies, v. Lapidem quem reprobaverunt.
Parchment, 1 folio, single column, written in a rotunda script. Square notation on a red 4-line staff. 27 x 38 cm.
Probably written 13-14th c.