Harley MS 2946

Breviary, Use of Sarum, including:

1. Temporale, incipit (rubric): 'Dominica prima adventus domini', including an office for the dedication of the church (f. 176v); ends imperfectly in 'lectio I' of the dedication of the church, explicit: 'Etiam fratres videte quam pulcrum est templum quod edificatur de templis et quomodo multa templa faciunt unum... (ff. 1r-180v);

2. Psalter (ff. 181r-240r) with a litany (ff. 240r-243v);

3. A text refering to an excised image of the Mass of St Gregory, incipit: 'In that time when seint Gregori was pope of Rome oure lorde he re[d]inge (?) in his mass [the text continues in a rubric written by a different hand] appareid to him in siche a figure as ys here portreyed' (f. 243v);

4. Sanctorale, incipit: 'In vigilia sancti Andree' (ff. 244r-420v);

5. Commemorations of saints including Anna, Thomas Becket, all Saints, John of Beverley, Crispin and Crispinian, Winifred, and David, with later additions (f. 421v), and added commemorations of St Osmund and St Fridewide (f. 426v) (ff. 421r-426v);

6. Directory of the breviary, incipit: 'Aspiciens littera dominicalis a iii rroum (sic) decembris tota cantetur historia' (ff. 427r-429v).

Decoration:

1 large historiated initial in colours and gold of David playing his harp, with full foliate borders, at the beginning of the Psalter (f. 181r). 2 large decorated initials in colours and gold with full foliate borders, at the beginning of Temprale (f. 1r) and Sanctorale (f. 244). Large initials in gold on red and blue grounds. Small initials (2 lines) in blue with red foliate pen-flourishing. Small initials in plain red or blue. Decorated catchwords.

Marginal drawing in brown and red ink, at the beginning of the litany of a conversation between a fox wounded by an arrow and an ape holding a urine flask, both accompanied by their words inscribed on scrolls: (fox) 'y wol ete kapoun and chyk / to rewle me wyv fysyke' (ape) 'gos flehe þ may note ete / for hette ys a conway(?)sy mete' (f. 240r).