Breviary (fragmented)

Germany?, 15th century, last quarter

Paper

iii, 217, i' leaves

155–160 × 105 mm

Latin

1 (ff. L1r–L3v) Miscellanous texts

1.1 (f. L1r) Blessing of the wine

Rubric: Benediccio vini sancti iohannis

Incipit: Inicium sancti euangelii secundum iohannem In principio erat verbum et cetera (Ioh. 1:1) per totum Domine ihesu christe qui es vitis vera

Explicit: per christum dominum meum amen

Note: f. L1v: on the verso are several medical recipes written by a different medieval hand. See also the additions on f. L2v, f. 206 and f. 217v.

1.2 (ff. L2r–L2v) Formula for absolution

Rubric: Forma absolucionis anni iubilei religiosorum

Incipit: Dominus noster ihesus christus per suam piissimam misericordiam

Explicit: et a dicto domino meo nicolao quinto congressam pro ultimo articulo mortis tue In nomine patris et filii et spiritus sancti Amen

Note: The text refers to Nicholas V, which would indicate the Jubilee of 1450. After the main text follows three paragraphs by different medieval hands, the first in German, the second and third in what seems to be a mixture of Latin and German. The last two may be medical recipes.

1.3 (ff. L3r–L3v) Notes on readings for Sundays

Incipit: Nota quod quandocumque aliqua hystoria sit expleta in dominica

Explicit: SI hec notabis recte numquam errabis

2 (ff. 1ra–98rb) Proper of time

Rubric: Incipit nocturnale simplex

Incipit: Dominica prima in aduentu Invitatorium Regem venturum dominum

Explicit: Isti edificabunt et ego destruam (Mal. 1:4) Tu autem domine

Final rubric: Explicit anno domini 1482 In cathedra petri deo gracias placeat tibi sancta trinitas

Note:

Begins with the First Sunday in Advent, ends with the fourth Sunday in November.

3 (ff. 98va–102vb) Supplementary readings

Rubric: Supplementum obmissorum de epistulis

Incipit: SAulus seruus ihesu kristi vocatus apostolus (Rom. 1:1)

Explicit: Qui autem facit voluntatem dei manet in eternum (1 Ioh. 2:17)

Note:

Additional readings for Sundays, especially the Easter week and the weeks after Easter.

ff. 103r–107r: ruled, but not text.

4 (ff. 107va–205vb) Proper of saints

Incipit: [mut.] nostri ihesu christi apostolo Cuius passionem quam coram positi vidimus

Explicit: laus et gloria in secula ⟨secul⟩orum amen Tu autem domine et cetera

Final rubric: finit anno domini 148[--- 1 chars ---]

Note:

Fragmented, begins in the middle of St Andrew (30 Nov). Then follows what seems to be shorter offices for St Saturnine (29 Nov.), St Andrew again, St Nicholas (6 Dec.) and so on, ending wihth St Catherine (25 Nov.).

f. 206 is a previously ruled but blank leaf, which has been filled with medical recipes written by a medieval hand in a mix of Latin and German.

5 (ff. 207r–215rb) Common of saints

Incipit: [mut.] Eterna christi munera apostolorum gloria laudes canentes

Explicit: alterum se non invitatus invitat

Final rubric: Explicit

Note:

f. 207r: this sections begins in the middle of the Common of apostles;

f. 208rb: Common of evangelists;

f. 209ra: Common of one martyr;

f. 209vb: Common of many martyrs;

f. 210vb: Common of one confessor;

f. 212vb: Common of many virgins (with exceptions for various kinds of female saints on ff. 213vb–214ra);

f. 214ra: Dedication of the Temple;

6 (ff. 215va–217v) Office and instructions for the visitation of the sick

Rubric: Ordo minorum fratrum secundum consuetudinem romane ecclesie ad visitandum infirmum

Incipit: In primis pulsetur campana parua et fratres qui possunt in ecclesia conveniant

Explicit: tu venia misericordissme pietatis absterge per christum dominum

Note:

After the main text follows a short addition by another medieval hand consisting of a recipe written in a mixture of German and Latin.

Physical Description

Secundo folio

prompte eum in tenebras

Support

Binding/Endleaves

Locus: LCI, ff. L1–L3, 217, RCI

Note: See Collation for more information on the structure of the support in relation to the text block.

Support: Parchment

Leaf dimensions: 160 × 105 mm

Textblock

Locus: ff. 1–216

Support: Paper

Leaf dimensions: 155 × 105 mm

Note: In the first part of the manuscript there are two different types of bull's heads visible at the top of the leaves. The motives are not completely visible but seem to consist of a a bull's head with eyes and ears; above, single or double line rod ending in flower. From f. 105 the watermark changes to a crown with 5 points; above a double line rod ending in flower with 7 petals.

Foliation

Modern foliation in pencil. Error in foliation: f. I-III, 1-96, 98-106, 106a, 107-182, 182bis, 183-217.

Collation

Formula: 1(4), 2-5(10), 6(12), 7(10), 8-10(12), 11(1+8), 12(10, lacks 10), 13(10, lacks 1), 14-20(10), 21(12), 22(10+2).

Note: VisColl collation. The first quire and parts of the last quire belongs to the binding. The first quire consists of two parchment bifolia, the first of which is part of the pastedown (LCI – L3). The last quire also contains two parchment bifolia, but combined with 4 paper bifolia. The first parchment bifolium (f. 207 and f. 216) envelopes the paper quire on ff. 208–215, and the second bifolium makes up the last leaf of the manuscript and the pastedown (f. 217 and f. RCI). Since all of these leaves contain text they are included in the collation formula. Parchment guards at the centre of each quire.

Signatures: Quire signatures in Arabic numerals by a medieval hand. Signatures partially trimmed, first visible on f. 11r, last on f. 176r.

Condition

Textblock

Paper stained in places. Damage from silverfish or bookwork in places, most visible close to the gutter, especially towards the end, e.g. on ff. 201–202.

Layout

Columns: 2

Ruled lines: 30

Written area: 110 × 75 mm

Note: Ruling and guidelines in ink. Pricking in margins.

Script

Textblock

Description:

The identification of hands is tentative. There are several but fairly similar hands discernible, further hands may be possible to identify. Apart from the hands identified below there are additions by several hands on ff. L1–L3 and f. 217v.

Hand 1

(ff. 1ra–98rb, 107va–205vb)Hybrida (perhaps more than one hand).

Hand 2

(ff. 98va–102vb)Hybrida.

Hand 3

(ff. 207r–215rb)Hybrida.

Hand 4

(ff. 215va–217v)Hybrida.

Additions

Binding/Endleaves

(LCI) Top left corner: National Library book label with current signum; centre page, in copying pencil by a modern hand: ‘103 970’.

(RCI) A leaf with text from the Proper of time, Palm Sunday with mention of a station church (the Lateran).

Textblock

(ff. 1r–217v) Scattered additions in the margins by one or several contemporary hands. The additions usually consist of corrections or missing text supplied with signe-de-renvoi, e.g. on (f. 5r). There are also several manicules, e.g. on (f. 27v) or (f. 132r). There are several longer additions by different hands after the mains texts, see Contents.

(f. 9v) Pen drawing of the Christ-child in the manger, lying next to two animals, with Joseph (?) sitting on a chair. Drawn in ink with details in red and a splash of green.

Decorations

Textblock

Description:

Main text in brown ink, rubrics in red, capitals touched in red.

Initials:

(ff. 1ra–216vb): plain initials over 1-2 lines in red.

Binding

Description:

Medieval binding. Brown leather over bevelled wooden boards. 3 double raised bands and endbands. Originally, two clasps with Y-shaped catchplates. Spine, in ink on label: ‘Breviarium.’; stamped in gold: ‘A 186’.

Binding dimensions: 160 × 110 × 45 mm

Tooling:

Complex blind tooling consisiting of panels filled with different stamped geometrical shapes as well as flowers and vinestems.

Condition: Leather worn. RCO, several holes in the cover. Clasps and catchplates missing.

Contemporary: Unknown

History

Origin

Germany?, 15th century, last quarter. The inclusion of texts in German, e.g on f. 206r, indicates the German speaking lands as place of origin. On f. L2v the date 1489 is mentioned; on f. 98r 1482, and on f. 205vb a rubric mentions a date, but the numbers have been partially erased. It reads: ‘finit anno domini 148-’.