Harley MS 3405

A composite manuscript made up of fragments of different date and origin bound at the beginning of the 16th century.

The first part was written in England in the 2nd half of the 12th century (after 1164).

The second part was written in Winchester in the 2nd or 3rd quarter of the 11th century.

The third part was written in the 14th century (possibly in England).

The fourth part was written in the 16th century in England.

Part 1:

ff. 1r-2r, 3r-3v: Statutes of the Norwegian Church (fragment). These statutes were established at the synod of Bergen in 1164 after the election of King Magnus; this fragment relates to the enforcement of clerical celibacy.

The fragment contains a later addition:

f. 2v: A copy of a non-dated letter (c. 1163-1172) from Pope Alexander III to Roger, Bishop of Worcester, relating to cleric celibacy, imperfect, last quarter of the 12th century (see Patrologia Latina, 200, p. 930).

Part 2:

ff. 4r-4v: Leaf from an Antiphoner with Anglo-Saxon neumes; it comes from the same manuscript as two bifolia in Lincoln, Cathedral Library, MS 298 (3).

Part 3:

f. 5r: Fragment of 14th-century music notation, accompanying the hymn: 'Gloria Patri'.

Part 4:

ff. 6r-35v: Collection of swan-marks displayed in alphabetical order, beginning with the royal swan-mark before Henry VIII.

Decoration:

Part 1:

Large initials in green or red (f. 4v). Rubrics in red (now oxidized).

Part 2:

Large initials in red or green.

Part 3:

No decoration.

Part 4:

Diagrams of swan-marks in black ink.