Add MS 56251

NOTED OFFICE AND MASS OF THE DEAD: written in Liège for the anniversary of Everard de la Marck, Bishop of Liège (d.1538); circa 1531-1538. Latin. One of a set of four volumes, of which two others are Eg. 3311, 3312: see Catalogue of Additions to the Manuscripts 1936-1945 (1970), i, p. 399. Written for the anniversary of Everard de la Marck, Bishop of Liège, to be celebrated in the cathedral church of St Lambert, Liège, on 30 December; see the endowment deed of 18 Feb. 1531 printed by J. Chapeavillus, Qui gesta pontificum Tungrensium. . ., iii (1616), pp. 298-304, where this date is explained as that of Marck's election to the See. The two Egerton MSS. were for the Mayor of Liège and the other two for the Dean (see f. vi). Add. 56251 is identical with Eg. 3311 and was for the use of the cantors on the left-hand side of the choir (see f. viii), as indicated by 17th-18th cent. directions (f. 1) to place it 'au pulpitre du coté du grand doien pour l'aniversaire maximilien et marka mais non pas pour jean louis' (bishops of Liège, see Eg. 3311) and by the deed of foundation. However, the catalogue entry for Eg. 3311 specifies use by the choir. See E. P. Goldschmidt, Gothic and Renaissance Bookbindings (1928), i, pp. 250-252, ii, pls. lxi-lxii, and J. Brassinne, Reliure Mosane, ii (1932), pp. 56-66, frontispiece and pl. cxcxii. Leather bookplate inside upper board 'ex libris E. PH. G' (f. ii). Paper label inside lower board 'H 41 1058' (f. v). Owned by Major J. R. Abbey (leather bookplate, f. iii). With the volume are letters to Abbey from Howard Nixon (f. vi), n.d., and Francis Wormald (ff. vii-viii), 1946, relating to the connection between Abbey's MS. and the two Egerton MSS. Purchased from the executors of Major J. R. Abbey, 11 April 1970.

Vellum; ff. viii+27. 380 x 275mm. Gatherings (4), i10, ii8 (a quire of 6 with ff. 17 and 18 tipped in contemporaneously), iv6, v4 (wants 4, blank). Pricked and ruled in ink (double bounding lines) for double columns of 25 lines. Written space 275 x 187mm. Script is a Gothic textualis rotunda by one scribe. Contemporary roll-stamped brown calf binding (rebacked) incorporating stamps of Sts Jerome and Lambert, ascribed by Brassinne to the Brethren of the Common Life, Liège.

Contents:

1. ff. 3-5v. Vespers.

2. ff. 5v-18v. Matins.

3. ff. 19-24. Lauds.

4. ff. 24v-26v. Requiem Mass.

Decoration consists of a full-page illumination of the arms of Everard de la Marck, surmounted by a cardinal's hat (f. 2). With a 6-line major decorated initial D in green on a split pink and blue cusped ground featuring a carnation, with partial foliate border in gold and colours (f. 3). Further similar 3-4 line major initials, some gilded, with ink flourishing occur on ff. 5v, 9v, 13 and 19. Pen-drawn minor initials with ink flourishing and touching in red introduce the sections of musical notation. Minor initials and litterae notabiliores in alternating blue and red for the text. From f. 24v (Requiem Mass) the coloured minor initials feature sporadic flourishing in red or purple and some yellow grounds.