Add MS 63592

PSALTER AND PRAYERS: England, probably London; circa 1250-1260. Latin. The volume was owned by, and perhaps even made for, the Augustinian Priory of St Mary Overy (now Southwark Cathedral); see N. R. Ker, Medieval Libraries of Great Britain (1964), p. 180 and n. 8. The Calendar carries added entries for the dedication of the Priory (12 July, not 11 July as stated by Ker) and the dedication of the church of St Mary Magdalene (5 Oct.), perhaps the chapel of that name built at Southwark for use during reconstruction following the fire of 1212. The Calendar is consistent with a London origin, including Sts Edward the Confessor and Erconwald (and their translations), Mildred (Kent), Osyth (Essex) and Becket. St Paul (to whom London's Cathedral is dedicated) precedes the Apostles (f. 19). The Litany includes St Edmund of Abingdon (canonised 1246), but St Richard of Chichester (canonised 1262) has been added to the Calendar, these details supporting the proposed dating. The slight possibility that the manuscript may have already been in monastic hands before passing to Southwark is suggested by the inclusion of the feast of St Benedict (and his translation) in the Calendar, and the references to 'fratribus in choro' and 'tamen si in monasterio' (f. 202). Marginal notes include the ownership inscriptions of Barnard Bickerdyke of Barnard's Inn, London, admitted to Gray's Inn, 11 Aug. 1608 ('Byckadyke', f. 112), Richard Hadsor, admitted to Middle Temple, 9 July 1590 (f. 66v), and John Hadsor (f. 177, 17th cent. hand), Mark Robinson, possibly the gentleman of that name of Westminster who married in 1670 (ff. 29v, 85v, 17th cent. hand), Michaell and Frances Jackson and their daughter Ann (b. 18 Oct. 1705, f. 19v) and Elizabeth and William Metcalfe (ff. 124, 145, 18th cent. hand?). Owned by C. W. Dyson Perrins (1864-1958), sold at Sotheby's, 11 April 1961 (lot 124), bought by Alan G. Thomas, who sold it to Mrs June O'Donell (d. 1979) at the Antiquarian Book Fair, 23 June 1961. Purchased from Sotheby's, 25 June 1985, lot 88.

Vellum; ff. i+206. Sec. fol.: 'vigor confessionem'. 100 x 70mm. Paper pastedowns and flyleaves (two at both front and back of the volume). Gatherings (21) of 12, except i4, ii-iii10, iv10 (wants 7), v2 (missing, including illuminated Beatus Vir leaf, possible singleton), vi10 (wants 1), viii12 (wants 1), ix10 (wants 3), xi12 (wants 9), xiv12 (wants 11), xvii-xix10, xxi12 (wants 8-12). Ruled (double bounding lines) in lead point for single columns of 18 lines. Written space 63 x 47mm. Script is a small Gothic textualis semi-quadrata by one scribe. Calf binding, 18th cent. Sewn on 4 cords.

Contents:

1. ff. 1-18. Hymns (beg. imperf.).

2. ff. 18-23v. Prayers.

3. ff. 23v-24v. Prayers to be said after Mass.

4. ff. 25-28v. The Fifteen Joys of the Virgin.

5. ff. 29-33v. Calendar.

6. ff. 34-194v. Psalms and Canticles.

7. ff. 194v-198v. Litany of the Saints.

8. ff. 198v-206v. The Order for Visiting the Sick (ends imperf.).

The decoration consists of two surviving 6-line historiated initials in gold and colours: Dixit insipiens (f. 82) depicting a king thrusting a dagger into his chest, the ascender of the minuscule d being composed of a dragon; Cantate domino...quia (f. 130) depicting the Annunciation to the Shepherds. These are accompanied by continuation panels with the remaining line of text in white on a blue or pink panel. Remains of other illuminated initials occur on ff. 81 and 162, and as the book is damaged, others have probably been excised. Gilded 3-line KL monograms introduce each Calendar page. 2-line decorated minor initials throughout in red or blue, with contrasting pen-flourishing. Litterae notabiliores in red and blue, alternately. Line-fillers in red and blue penwork. For London illumination of this period, see N. J. Morgan, Early Gothic Manuscripts I (1982), pp. 32-33.