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Senate House Library, University of London

Antiphoner and noted Missal fragments


IDENTITY STATEMENT

Reference code(s): GB 0096 MS 639

Held at: Senate House Library, University of London

Title: Antiphoner and noted Missal fragments

Date(s): 12th century-13th century

Level of description: Collection (fonds)

Extent: Single leaf

Name of creator(s): Unknown

CONTEXT

Administrative/Biographical history:

The missal is a book which contains the prayers said by the priest at the altar as well as all that is officially read or sung in connection with the offering of the holy Sacrifice of the Mass throughout the ecclesiastical year.
An antiphoner is a liturgical book containing antiphons, the sung portions of the Divine office, both texts and notation. Such books were often of a large format, to be used by a choir.

CONTENT

Scope and content/abstract:

Three vellum leaves, formerly paste-downs in the binding of of Omnia Opera by Angelo Ambrogini, called Poliziano (Venice, 1498), which was rebound in the twentieth century (Ref: Incunabula 1498 Strongroom), details as follows:
1. Leaf from a noted Missal, of Hereford Use, with part of the epistle, gradual, gospel, offertory, secret, communion and post-communion of the 3rd Sunday after Epiphany, and the introit, epistle, gospel and secret of the 4th Sunday. The antiphons 'Timebunt gentes', 'Dextem domini' and 'Mirabantur omnes' have their musical notation. The fragment was written in Hereford, England, in the late 12th century. It is inscibed and extensively annotated by Maurice Birchinshaw (d 1564), and inscibed by Nathaniel Evans in the 17th century. It was later used as a cover for a manorial extent, and inscibed in a 16th-17th century hand 'A court of [surve]igh for the mannour of Much Markl (i.e. Much Marcle, Herefordshire], 35 of Eliz [1592/3]', and 'Extent of survey de Man. de Mark[le]'.
2. Bi-folium from an Antiphoner, with responds and versicles for the following feasts: St Mary Magdalene (22 Jul), St Peter ad vincula (1 Aug), St Laurence (10 Aug), Assumption of the Virgin (15 Aug) and Octave of the Assumption (22 Aug>). The fragment was written in the late 13th century.

ACCESS AND USE

Language/scripts of material: Latin, musical notation. The noted Missal fragment (1) uses Anglo-Norman notation; the later annotations by Maurice Birchinshaw and Nathaniel Evans are in an italic and secretary hand respectively. The Antiphoner fragment (2) uses late Lorraine notation.

System of arrangement:

Conditions governing access:

Access to the items in the collection is unrestricted for the purpose of private study and personal research within the controlled environment and restrictions of the Library's Palaeography Room. Access to archive collections may be restricted under the Freedom of Information Act. Please contact the University Archivist for details.

Conditions governing reproduction:

Copies may be made, subject to the condition of the original. Copying must be undertaken by the Palaeography Room staff, who will need a minimum of 24 hours to process requests.

Physical characteristics:

The noted Missal fragment is written in 2 columns and 35 lines. The initials, some 2-line, are in red, blue and green, those in blue with scrolling in red, in red touched with green, or in blue touched with red; red capitals; rubricated. The musical notation is on staves of 4 lines ruled in red, and uses B, B flat and F clefs.
The Antiphoner fragment (2) is written in 2 columns and consists of 15 lines of text and music. There is a 2-line initial U in red and blue with red and violet ornament; other capitals and initials are in red; rubricated. The musical notation is on staves of 4 ruled lines, and uses F, C and G clefs.

Finding aids:

See R. Watson, 'Descriptive list of fragments of medieval manuscripts in the University of London Library' (1976).

Detailed catalogue

ARCHIVAL INFORMATION

Appraisal, destruction and scheduling information:

Accruals:

Archival history:

Immediate source of acquisition:

ALLIED MATERIALS

Existence and location of originals:

Existence and location of copies:

Related material:

Publication note:

DESCRIPTION NOTES

Note:

Archivist's note: Compiled by Sarah Aitchison as part of the RSLP AIM25 Project.

Rules or conventions: Compiled in compliance with General International Standard Archival Description, ISAD(G), second edition, 2000; National Council on Archives Rules for the Construction of Personal, Place and Corporate Names, 1997.

Date(s) of descriptions: Oct 2001


INDEX ENTRIES
Subjects
Antiphoners | Religious texts | Religious doctrines | Theology
Illuminated manuscripts | Manuscripts | Documents | Information sources
Missals | Religious texts | Religious doctrines | Theology
Religious music | Musical styles

Personal names

Corporate names

Places
France | Western Europe | Europe
Herefordshire | England | UK | Western Europe | Europe
London | England | UK | Western Europe | Europe