National Library of Sweden, A 53
Sequentiary-Hymnal (fragment). Breviarium, secular use (fragment)
England; Sweden?, 14th century, late; 15th century
Paper and parchment
i, 21, i' leaves
220 × 145 mm
2 units
Latin
Unit 1
Among the hymns, listed in Moberg (1947), pp. 91–92, 213–233, are:
TBA
Unit 2
Among the hymns, listed in Moberg (1947), p. 92, 213–233, are:
f. 2_1r: O lux beata trinitas; Deus creator omnium polique rector;
f. 2_1v: Te lucis ante terminum; Iesu salvator saeculi;
f. 2_3v: Nunc dimittis (defective).
Script
Unit 1
Textualis.
Unit 2
Gothic cursive.
Additions
Binding/Endleaves
Unit 1
Decorations
Unit 1
Main text in brown ink.
Plain initials in red and blue, larger initials with pen-flourishing in contrasting colour.
Unit 2
Main text in brown ink. Rubrics in red. Plain initials in red, some with flourishing in red and brown.
Musical Notation
Unit 1
[type TBA] notation on a four-line red staff.
Binding
19th century covers with marbled paper. On Spine, a paper label with text in brown ink: ‘Hymni et Sequentiae.’
TBA: Information about when the two units were joined in one volume.
Origin
England; Sweden?, 14th century, late; 15th century.
Unit 1
Based on its contents, script, and decoration, Moberg argues that the sequentiary/hymnal may have been produced in England. The hymn ‘Gaude Dei genitrix’ (f. 2r) and the following trope ‘Gloriosa spes reorum’ are both considered to be of English origin, while the melodic scheme of the sequence corresponds to that of ‘Laudes Deo devotas’, a sequence of English provenance rarely attested in Nordic sources. These features point to English liturgical influence and a possible connection with English ecclesiastical circles in Sweden; Moberg (1927), pp. 22–23; Moberg (1947), p. 91.
Moberg later proposed that the manuscript may have been intended for use in Strängnäs, citing ‘Christi miles gloriosus’ (f. 16v), associated with the feast of St Vincent, which was celebrated as a festum duplex in Strängnäs; Moberg (1947), p. 92, 278. In his earlier work, however, he also considered a possible origin among English Franciscans.
The attribution to Skokloster is probably erroneous, apparently deriving from Martin Aschaneus; Moberg (1927), pp. 21–22, Husmann (1964), p. 191.
Unit 2
Sweden? (source TBA)
Provenance
Martin Aschaneus: ownership note on f. 1r. The manuscript is included in the list of books owned by Achaneus, see Lundström (1906), p. 265, and Gödel (1916), p. 219. Notes by Aschaneus in the margins.
The Antiquities Archive. In Helin's catalogue from the 1720s (U 91:2:2) listed as no. 20 (see number on the pasted label, f. SL1r). The current signum, ‘A 53’, was first used in Berch's catalogue dated ca 1758 (U 93).
Acquisition
From the Antiquties Archive to the Royal Library in 1780.
- Moberg (1927), pp. 21–24.
- Moberg (1947), pp. 91–92, 278.
- Husmann (1964), pp. 190–192.
