Contents

Data Source: Parker on the Web

• Résumé : This Psalter gives interesting evidence of relations between England and the Continent in the late tenth century. It has some very Franco-Saxon decoration, but seems to have been written by the English scribe also responsible for CCCC MS 214, and has a line-drawing of a standing man (David?) in a very English style, perhaps an early addition to provide a frontispiece, in one of its Franco-Saxon frames. The Franco-Saxon style of illumination draws heavily on earlier Insular decoration, particularly in its use of interlace and beast heads, but was developed on the Continent rather than in any part of the original Insular homelands. This manuscript probably attests to Continental influence on English book-production at Christ Church, Canterbury in the late tenth century, but it has alternatively been supposed that it was made abroad, perhaps at Tours, and imported early into England. English additions were made to the book in the eleventh century, including a second litany and the drawing of the standing man. An early modern note claims that the book, once decorated with silver gilt and jewels, was owned by two archbishops of Canterbury including Thomas Becket (d. 1170). Parker does not seem to have celebrated the association with this saint, whose influence on English affairs he is unlikely to have considered positive.

  
  

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  Langue(s) des textes : latin

  
  

  ir-146v - Psalter

  Note : ff. ir-iir blank

  Note : (iiv) On ff. iiv, iiir in hand of cent. xii, with music on 4-line stave, are the notations for Benedicamus domino, Ite missa est

  Note : The music continues on f. iiiv with short texts from the Passions as follows:

  rubric : (iiiv) Dominica in palmis

  incipit : (iiiv) Hely, hely, etc.

  Note : The same for

  rubric : (iiiv) Feria tertia

  Note : For

  rubric : (iiiv) Feria IIII

  incipit : (iiiv) Pater in manus tuas

  rubric : (iiiv) Feria VI

  incipit : (iiiv) Consummatum est

  Note : Some original leaves have gone before the present fol. 1r

  Note : On f. 1r is the end of the pseudo-Augustinian passage Canticum psalmorum animam decorat (CXXXI 142, CXLII 46). It begins here at

  incipit : (1r) cor laetificat etc.

  Note : ending

  explicit : (1r) animam suam in caelo mirificabit in saecula saeculorum. Amen

  Note : On f. 1v a fine frame in colour with panels of excellent interlaced work and some birds' heads at the angles. Within it is a fine full-length figure in outline in the Anglo-Saxon style of a bearded man with fillet about his head, holding a book. The drapery is excellent

  Note : (1v) Below, the initials W. S., very small

  Note : (2r) The text of the Psalter begins f. 2r: plain gold initial to Beatus. The words Beatus vir in red and green capitals

  Note : Initials to verses alternately in red and a peculiar green. Titles of Psalms are in red rustic capitals

  Note : The first few Psalms have copious interlinear glosses in Latin, but after about Ps. xii these become very scanty

  Note : (40r) Ps. li Quid gloriaris has full-page frame with interlaced work (white on black) and large initial with similar work. Green and yellow-brown are conspicuous colours here

  Note : (81v) Ps. ci Domine exaudi has also a full-page frame with panels of interlaced work. This is specially interesting because the colours have to a large extent not been put in, and the pattern remains in outline. Purple is the only colour which has been added: part of the outline here is in red

  Note : (94v) Dixit dominus has a larger initial than the rest, but it is quite a plain one

  Note : After Ps. cl: in red capitals

  rubric : (123v) Alleluia. Expliciunt psalmi

  rubric : (123v) Psalmus ipsi Dauid

  incipit : (123v) Pusillus eram

  Note : (Ps. 151)

  Note : (124r) Cantica

  Note : On f. 130r are two corrections very plainly in the Christ Church hand

  Note : The Cantica end with: Benedictus, Magnificat, Te deum, Nunc dimittis, Ymnus angelicus (i.e. Gloria in excelsis), Pater noster, Credo, Fides Sancti Anasthasii episcopi

  rubric : (137r) Pura oratio ad dominum cum intercessionibus sanctorum omnium

  incipit : (137r) Suscipiat pietas tua domine deus meus humilitatis meae praeces

  rubric : (137r) Incipiunt Letaniae

  Note : (137v) Apostles: Petre in capitals Martyrs: Stephane in capitals, line, clete, clemens, sixte, laurenti, yppolite, dionisi, rustice, eleutheri, corneli, iuste, cypriane Confessors: Siluester (capitals), gregori, hilari, martine, ambrosi, geronime, augustine, remegi, benedicte, paule, antoni, machari Virgins: Felicitas (capitals), perpetua, agatha, lucia, agnes, cecilia, petronella, eufemia, anastasia, scolastica

  Note : Suffrage

  incipit : (138r) Ut congregationem nostram

  Note : On f. 138v a series of prayers

  rubric : (138v) Oratio ad nouem ordines angelorum

  incipit : (138v) Deus qui lapso lucifero

  rubric : (138v) Oratio ad patriarchas et prophetas

  rubric : (138v) Oratio ad chorum apostolorum

  rubric : (139r) Oratio ad chorum sanctorum martyrum

  rubric : (139r) Oratio ad omnes confessores

  Note : (Gregory and Augustine mentioned)

  rubric : (139r) Oratio ad sanctam mariam et omnes sanctas virgines

  rubric : (139v) Pro nostris infirmitatibus

  rubric : (139v) Pro pace postulanda

  rubric : (139v) Pro uenia populi

  Note : f. 140r is in a beautiful upright round hand of cent. xi

  rubric : (140r) Incipiunt Letaniae

  Note : (140r) Apostles: Petre II (capitals) ... simon, iuda , mathia, marce, luca, marcialis Martyrs: Stephane, maximiane, iustine, contestor, line, clete, ... laurenti, uincenti II (capitals), apollonaris, geruasi, protasi, christophore, georgii, dionisii cum sociis, eustachii cum sociis (capitals), herasme, osuuolde Confessors: Benedicte II (capitals), martine, hilarii, siluester, gregori, augustine, cuthberhte, remegi, germane, maure, placide, columbane, antoni, arseni, machari, caurentine Virgins: Felicitas, perpetua, maria magdalena, scolastica, agatha, agnes, cecilia, lucia, brigida, eugenia, eulalia, petronella Here it ends imperfectly

  Note : Then follow, in a black Christ Church hand of cent. xi, xii, several liturgical gospels with red and blue initials

  rubric : (141r) In vigilia nativitatis Domini secundum matheum

  incipit : (141r) Cum esset desponsata

  rubric : (141r) In die secundum Iohannem

  incipit : (141r) In principio

  rubric : (141v) Secundum Marcum

  Note : (Easter)

  incipit : (141v) Maria magdalena ... emerunt aromata

  rubric : (142r) In assumptione Sancte Marie secundum Lucam

  incipit : (142r) Intrauit Ihesus

  rubric : (142r) In passione Sancti Elfegi Archiepiscopi secundum Iohannem

  incipit : (142r) Dixit Ihesus discipulis suis Ego sum pastor bonus

  rubric : (142v) Secundum Iohannem

  incipit : (142v) Dixit Ihesus discipulis suis Ego sum uitis uera

  Note : ff. 143r-146v blank

  Note : The three martyrs Maximian, Justin and Contestor in the second Litany are obscure to me