Harley MS 5958

The volume is a collection of fragments from manuscripts of different date and origin. It was part of a collection of fragments from manuscripts and printed books, including maps and drawings, assembled in 64 volumes by the bookseller and antiquary John Bagford (b. 1650/51, d. 1716) for historical purposes. 190 printed book fragments from the volume were transferred to the Department of Printed Books in the British Museum in 1814 and 1891 (see notes on f. 1r).

Contents:

f. 2r: Several notes titled 'The Life of Mr John Stow', written in a 17th-century hand; paper; 200 x 320 mm.

ff. 3r-5v: Several notes pertaining to various topics in a 17th-century hand; paper; 200 x 300 mm.

ff. 6r-9v: 'A catalogue of my books most of them relating to the arte of printing in folio quarto and octavo' in a 17th-century hand; paper; 200 x 330 mm.

ff. 10r-11v: A leaf from an Antiphoner containing the chants for the office of St Cecilia, written in an English hand of the 2nd half of the 13th century or 1st quarter of the 14th century; parchment; 400 x 290 mm.

ff. 12r-13v: A leaf from an Antiphoner containing the chants for the office of the Nativity, written in a 12th-century hand; parchment; 200 x 300 mm.

ff. 14r-14v, 24r-24v, 80r-80v: Fragments of a leaf from an early 14th-century English Missal containing the Mass for the 5th and 6th Sunday after Pentecost, written in an English script of the 2nd half of the 13th or 1st half of the 14th century; parchment; 280 x 215, 290 x 220, and 270 x 195 mm.

ff. 15r-15v: A fragment from an Antiphonary containing the Mass sequence 'Alle caeleste nec non et' (ah53097) written in a 12th-century hand; parchment; 100 x 160 mm.

ff. 16r-16v: A fragment of a bifolium from an English of French Antiphonary, written in a hand of the 2nd half of the 13th century; parchment; 95 x 260 mm.

ff. 17r-17v: A fragment of a leaf from an English Missal, written in a script of the 2nd or 3rd quarter of the 13th century; parchment; 245 x 105 mm.

ff. 18r-18v: A fragment from an Antiphonary/Ordinary containing the office for Easter, written in a 13th-century hand; parchment; 220 x 145 mm.

ff. 19r-19v: A fragment of a leaf from an English Breviary containing the Office for St Nicholas, written in an English or French hand of the 2nd half of the 12th century; parchment; 250 x 165 mm.

ff. 20r-20v: A fragment of a leaf from an English Breviary containing the Office for St Steven, written in an English hand of the 1st half of the 13th century; parchment; 262 x 180 mm.

ff. 21r-21v: A fragment from a Breviary containing the Office for Epiphany, written in an English hand of the early 13th century; parchment; 230 x 160 mm.

ff. 22r-22v: A fragment of a leaf from an Antiphonary containing the motet 'Flos de virga nascitur sol de radio' written in a 13th/14th-century hand; parchment; 300 x 200 mm.

ff. 23r-23v: A fragment of a leaf from a Sacramentary containing the office for feria VI in the 7th month, written in a 12th-century hand; parchment; 240 x 200 mm.

ff. 25r-25v: A fragment of a leaf from a Missal containing the Athanasian Creed, written in the 13th century; parchment; 240 x 170 mm.

ff. 26r-27v: 2 leaves from an Antiphonary written in a 13th-century hand; parchment; 300 x 190 mm.

ff. 28r-28v: A fragment of a leaf from a Missal written in a 12th-century hand; inscribed with 'Elizabeth FFawke me possidet' in a 15th-century script (f. 28v); parchment; 155 x 235 mm.

ff. 29r-29v: A fragment of a leaf from an Antiphonary containg the chants for the feast of John the Evangelist, written in a 12th-century hand; parchment; 140 x 70 mm.

ff. 30r-30v: A fragment from a grammar manuscript, written in a German 15th-century hand; paper; 190 x 140 mm.

ff. 31r-31v: A fragment of a leaf from an Antiphonary written in a 13th-century hand; parchment; 90 x 150 mm.

ff. 32r-32v, 65r-65v: Fragments of a leaf (left and right corners of the upper half of the original folio) from a late 13th century English choirbook. They contain a four-voice ‘Benedicamus Domino’ and the voice ‘Bis in cuius’ (probably the upper one of a polyphonic motet) the final part of a three-voice motet [expl. “<…> quos condidit.”] / Beata viscera and the fragmentary voice of another composition; parchment; 135 x 70 and 135 x 75 mm.

ff. 33r-33v: A fragment of a leaf from an Antiphonary written in a 13th-century hand; parchment; 190 x 100 mm.

ff. 34r-34v: A fragment of a leaf from a second half of the 13th century English Troper-Proser containing ‘Gloria’ trope and sequences for the first, second and third Advent Sundays; parchment; 185 x 135 mm.

ff. 35r-35v: A fragment of a leaf from a Gradual written in a 12th century hand; parchment; 175 x 60 mm.

ff. 36r-36v: A fragment of a leaf from a late 13th century English Missal, including the incipit of the Office for St Alfege of Canterbury; parchment; 110 x 125 mm.

ff. 37r-37v: A fragment of a leaf from an Antiphonary, written in a 13th-century hand; parchment; 190 x 120 mm.

ff. 38r-38v: A fragment of a leaf from a Missal, written in a 13th-century hand; parchment; 140 x 100 mm.

ff. 39r-39v: A fragment of a leaf from an Antiphonary, written in a 12th-century hand; parchment; 185 x 135 mm.

ff. 40r-40v: A fragment of a leaf from an Antiphonary, written in a 12th-century hand; parchment; 170 x 70 mm.

ff. 41r-41v: A fragment of a leaf from an Antiphonary containing the chants for the feast of St Lucy, written in a 13th-century hand; parchment; 210 x 140 mm.

ff. 42r-42v: A fragment of a leaf from an Antiphonarym written in a 14th-century hand; parchment; 300 x 60 mm.

ff. 43r-43v: A fragment of a leaf from an Antiphonary written in a 14th-century hand; parchment; 140 x 190 mm.

ff. 44r-44v: A fragment of a leaf from an Antiphonary, written in a 13th-century hand; parchment; 150 x 210 mm.

ff. 45r-45v: A fragment of a leaf from an Antiphonary, written in a 14th-century hand; parchment; 205 x 165 mm.

ff. 46r-46v: A fragment of a leaf from an Antiphonary, written in a 13th-century hand; parchment; 125 x 60 mm.

ff. 47r-47v: A fragment of a leaf from an Antiphonary, written in a 14th-century hand; parchment; 130 x 80 mm.

ff. 48r-48v: A leaf from a 13th-century English Processional (?) containing chants for the Resurrection Sunday; parchment; 200 x 135 mm.

ff. 49r-49v: A fragment of a leaf from an Antiphonary, written in a 13th-century hand; parchment; 160 x 110 mm.

ff. 50r-50v: A fragment of a leaf from a Breviary, written in a 13th-century hand; parchment; 185 x 175 mm.

ff. 51r-51v: A fragment of a leaf from an Antiphonary, written in a 14th-century hand; parchment; 160 x 190 mm.

ff. 52r-52v: A fragment of a leaf from a Breviary, written in a 14th-century hand; parchment; 180 x 160 mm.

ff. 53r-53v: A fragment of a leaf from a Missal, written in a 13th/14th-century hand; parchment; 140 x 210 mm.

ff. 54r-54v: A fragment of a leaf from an Antiphonary, written in a 12th-century hand; parchment; 290 x 80 mm.

ff. 55r-55v: A fragment of a leaf from an Antiphonary, written in a 13th-century hand; parchment; 180 x 130 mm.

ff. 56r-56v: A fragment of a leaf from a Cistercian breviary, written in a 13th-century hand; parchment; 140 x 90 mm.

ff. 57r-57v: A fragment of a leaf from an Antiphonary containing a passage from the chant: 'Attendite a falsis prophetis', written in a 13th-century hand; parchment; 165 x 40 mm.

ff. 58r-58v: A fragment of the motet 'Quam pulchram es', written in a 14th-century hand; inscribed with the name 'George Blancherd' in a 16th-century hand; parchment; 160 x 110 mm.

ff. 59r-59v: A fragment of a leaf from an Antiphonary containing the chants for the feast of St Paul, including the chant: 'Sancte Paule apostole praedicator veritatis' and 'O Petre pastor summe', written in a 13th-century hand; parchment; 110 x 75 mm.

ff. 60r-60v: A fragment of a leaf from an Antiphonary containing the chants for the feast of St Matthew, including the chant: 'Quattuor animalia ibant et revertebantur; parchment; 210 x 145 mm.

ff. 61r-61v: A fragment of a leaf from a Missal containing the collect: 'Cordibus nostris quaesumus Domine gratiam tuam benignus infunde ut peccata', written in a 13th-century hand; parchment; 100 x 90 mm.

ff. 62r-62v: A fragment of a leaf from a Missal, containing the responsory: 'Scimus quia verum est', written in a 12th/13th-century hand; parchement; 65 x 60 mm.

ff. 63r-63v: A fragment of a leaf from a monastic choir book, containing the versiculus: 'Os iusti meditabitur sapientiam' (Ps 36:30), written in a 12th-century hand; inscribed with notes, scribbles and pen-trials in scripts of a later date; parchment; 160 x 105 mm.

ff. 64r-64v: A fragment of a leaf from a late 12th-century English Sequentiary containing sequences for the Circumcision and the Epiphany; parchment; 165 x 110 mm.

ff. 65r-65v: A fragment of a leaf from an English (?) book of motets, written in a 13th-century hand; parchment; 140 x 60 mm.

ff. 66r-66v: A fragment of a leaf from a Missal, containing the chants for the feast of St Matthew: 'Formam viri dant Mattheo', written in a 13th-century hand; parchment; 190 x 135 mm.

ff. 67r-67v: A fragment of a leaf from a Missal including the motet 'Dominus dixit ad me', written in a 14th-century hand; parchment; 170 x 100 mm.

ff. 68r-68v: A fragment of a leaf from a Missal written in a 13th-century script; parchment; 150 x 190 mm.

ff. 69r-69v: A fragment of a leaf from an Antiphonary containing the chants for the feast of St Stephen, written in an English 13th-century hand; parchment; 90 x 135 mm.

ff. 70r-70v: A fragment of a leaf from a Missal containing the chant: 'Advenit ignis divinus non comburens', written in a 13th-century hand; parchment; 250 x 100 mm.

ff. 71r-71v: A fragment of a leaf from an Antiphonary, written in a 13th-century hand; parchment; 130 x 170 mm.

ff. 72r-72v: A fragment of a leaf from an Antiphonary, written in a 13th-century hand; parchment; 130 x 40 mm.

ff. 73r-73v: A fragment of a leaf from a Missal, written in a 13th-century hand; parchment; 170 x 135 mm.

ff. 74r-74v: A fragment of a leaf from a Missal, written in a late 13th-century script; parchment; 180 x 150 mm.

ff. 75r-75v: A fragment of a leaf from an Antiphonary, written in a 13th-century script; parchment; 100 x 150 mm.

ff. 76r-76v: A fragment of a leaf from an Antiphonary, written in a 14th-century hand; parchment; 140 x 190 mm.

ff. 77r-77v: A fragment of a leaf from an Antiphonary, written in a late 13th-century hand; parchment; 150 x 190 mm.

ff. 78r-78v: A note on paper dated 1638 titled 'The confession of faith of the king of Scotland'; paper; 170 x 125 mm.

ff. 79r-79v: A fragment of a leaf from an Antiphonary, written in a late 13th-century hand; parchment; 280 x 190 mm.

ff. 81r-81v: A fragment of a leaf from an early 13th-century English Missal containing the Masses for St Chrysostom, St Catherine, St Saturninus, St Andrew (f. 81r) St. John (f. 81v); parchment; 255 x 170 mm.

ff. 82r-82v: A fragment of a leaf from an English Missal, written in a late 12th-century hand; contains an inscription 'Leges Marchiaru[m]' in a 14th/15th-century hand, probably acid migration of the ink on the facing vellum; parchment; 280 x 180 mm.

ff. 83r-84v: A bifolium from a gradual containing the chants for the feast of the Evangelists (ff. 84r-84v), as well as readings in faded ink (ff. 83r-83v) written in a 14th-century hand.

ff. 85r-85v: A fragment of a leaf from an Antiphonary, written in a 14th-century hand; parchment; 290 x 65 mm.

ff. 86r-86v: A fragment of a leaf from a Missal, written in a 12th/13th-century hand; parchment; 285 x 80 mm.

ff. 87r-87v: A leaf from St Augustine's commentary on John written in an English (?Glastonbury) hand of the 1st half of the 12th century; parchment; 340 x 175 mm.

ff. 88r-98r: 'Description of the Antient Shepherds Callandar' by 'Richard Jackson of Shotall in Dearbyshire 1685'.

f. 99r: a note in a 17th-century hand.

ff. 100r-101r: 'Authors of shorthands' in a 17th-century hand.

ff. 102r-103r: a note in a 17th-century hand.

ff. 104r-106r: a table of contents for specimens of print originally contained in this manuscript, now removed.

f. 107r: A series of notes in a 17th-century hand relating to the history of writing.

Decoration:

ff. 10-11v: Initial in blue with penwork decoration in red (f. 10r). Initial in red (f. 11v). Rubrics in red. Musical notation: square notation on four-line red staves (B, C and F clefs).

ff. 14r-14v. 24r-24v, 80r-80v: Initials in blue with pen-flourishing in red. Initials and rubrics in red. Paraphs in blue. Musical notation: square notation on four-lines red staves.

ff. 16r-16v: Initials in blue or red with pen-flourished and penwork decoration. Rubrics in red. Initials highlighted in red. Musical notation: square notation on four-line red staves (B and C clefs).

ff. 17r-17v: Initial in red with pen-flourishing in blue. Plain initial in blue. Rubrics in red. Initials highlighted in red. Musical notation: late neumes on four-line red staves (B and C clefs).

ff. 18r-18v: Initials in red and green; Musical notations: neumes on four-line staves.

ff. 19r-19v: Initial in green with pen-flourished decoration in red. Plain initials in red (one oxidised). Rubrics in red. Initials highlighted in red. Musical notation: late neumes on four-line red staves (B, C and F clefs).

ff. 20r-20v: Initials in blue, red or green, some with with penwork decoration in another colour. Plain initial in red. Rubrics in red. Initials highlighted in red. Musical notation: square notation on four-line red staves (B, C and F clefs).

ff. 21r-21v: Initials in red and green. Musical notation: neumes on four-line red staves.

ff. 22r-22v: Initials in blue. Musical notation: black mensural on five-line red staves (B, C and G clefs).

ff. 23r-23v: Initials in green. Musical notation: late neumes on four-line red staves (B, C and F clefs).

ff. 26r-27v: Initials in red and blue with pen-flourishing. Musical notation: square notation on four-line red staves (C and B clefs).

ff. 28r-28v: Initials in red and blue. Musical notation: late neumes on four-line red staves (C and F clefs).

ff. 29r-29v: Initials in green. Musical notation: square notation on four-line red staves (C clef).

ff. 31r-31v: Musical notation: square notation on four-line red staves (C and F clefs).

ff. 32r-32v, 65r-65v: Initial in blue with red pen-flourishing and in red with blue pen-flourishing. Rubrics in red and blue. Large paraph in red (f. 65). Musical notation: black mensural on five-line red staves (B, C and G clefs).

ff. 33r-33v: Rubrics in red. Musical notation: late neumes on four-line red staves (C clef).

ff. 34r-34v: Initial in blue with pen-flourished decoration in red and blue. Initials in blue or red. Musical notation: square notation on four-line red staves (B and C clefs).

ff. 35r-35v: Initials in green and red. Musical notation: late neumes on four-line red staves (C clef).

ff. 36r-36v: Initials in blue or red with pen-flourished decoration in the other colour. Plain initials in blue or red. Rubrics in red. Musical notation: square notation on four-line red staves (C and F clefs).

ff. 37r-37v: Initials in red and green. Musical notation: late neumes on four-line red staves.

ff. 38r-38v: Initials in red and blue. Musical notation: late neumes on four-line red staves (C clef).

ff. 39r-39v: Initials in red. Musical notation: square notation on four-line red staves (C clef).

ff. 40r-40v: Initials in red. Musical notation: late neumes on four-line red staves.

ff. 41r-41v: Initials in green. Musical notation: Square notation on four-line staves (C clef).

ff. 42r-42v: Initials in blue with pen-flourishing. Musical notation: Square notation on four-line staves.

ff. 43r-43v: Initials in black and green. Musical notation: late neumes on four-line red staves (C and F clefs).

ff. 44r-44v: Musical notation: Square notation on red four-line staves (C and F clefs).

ff. 45r-45v: Musical notation: Square notation on red four-line staves (C clef).

ff. 46r-46v: Initials in black and blue. Musical notation: late neumes on four-line red staves (C and F clefs).

ff. 47r - 47v: Initials in red. Musical notation: Square notation on red four-line staves.

ff. 48r-48v: Initials in red or blue with penwork decoration. Musical notation: square notation on four-line red staves (C and D clefs).

ff. 49r-49v: Initials in red and blue. Musical notation: square notation on four-line red staves.

ff. 50r-50v: Initials in red and blue, occasionally gilded. Musical notation: Square notation on four-line staves.

ff. 51r-51v: Initials in red and blue. Musical notation: Square notation on four-line red staves.

ff. 52r-52v: Initials in blue with pen-flourishing.

ff. 53r-53v: Initials in red, green and blue, some with pen-flourishing. Musical notation: Square notation on four-line red staves.

ff. 54r-54v: Rubrics in red. Musical notation: square notation on four-line staves.

ff. 55r-55v: Initials in red. Musical notation: square notation on four-line staves (C clef).

ff. 57r-57v: Initials in red and blue with pen-flourishing. Musical notation: late neumes on four-line red staves.

ff. 58r-58v: Initials in brown. Musical notation: square notation on four-line red staves (B C and F clefs).

ff. 59r-59v: Musical notation: Square notation on four-line red staves (C clef).

ff. 60r-60v: Musical notation: square notation on four-line red staves (C clef).

ff. 61r-61v: Initials in red.

ff. 62r-62v: Initials in red. Musical notation: square notation on four-line red staves.

ff. 63r-63v: Initials in green. Musical notation: late neumes on four-line red staves.

ff. 64r-64v: Large initial in brown with foliate decoration in green and red. Plain initials in green, red or yellow. Rubrics in red. Musical notation: neumes on four-line red staves (G, round and square B clefs). The original recto has been misplaced as verso.

ff. 66r-66v: Initials in red and blue. Musical notation: square notation on four-line red staves (B clef).

ff. 67r-67v: Initials in red with pen-flourishing and partial border. Musical notation: square notation on four-line red staves (C and B clefs).

ff. 68r-68v: Initials in red and green. Musical notation: square notation on four-line red staves (B and C clefs).

ff. 69r-69v: Initials in red and blue with pen-flourishing. Musical notation: square notation on four-line red staves (C clef).

ff. 70r-70v: Initials in red and blue with pen-flourishing. Musical notation: square notation on four-line red staves (C clef).

ff. 71r-71v: Initials in blue with pen-flourishing. Musical notation: square notation on four-line red staves (C clef).

ff. 72r-72v: Musical notation: late neumes on four-line red staves.

ff. 73r-73v: Initials in red and blue with pen-flourishing. Musical notation: square notation on four-line red staves (C and F clefs).

ff. 74r-74v: Initials in blue with pen-flourishing.

ff. 75r-75v: Initials in red. Musical notation: square notation on four-line red staves (C clef).

ff. 76r-76v: Musical notation: square notation on four-line red staves (B and C clef).

ff. 77r-77v: Musical notation: late neumes on four-line red staves (B and C clefs).

ff. 79r-79v: Initials in red and green. Musical notation: square notation on four-line red staves (B and C clef).

ff. 81r-81v: Initial in green and yellow (f. 81v). Initials in red, blue and green with foliate decoration in other colours. Rubrics in red. Musical notation: square notation on four-lines red staves (C, D, round and square B clefs).

ff. 82r-82v: Initials in red and green. Rubrics in red. Musical notation: square notation on four-line red staves (F clef).

ff. 83r-84v: Initials in red and blue with pen-flourishing. Musical notation: square notation on four-line red staves (C and F clefs).

ff. 85r-85v: Rubrics in red. Musical notation: square notation on four-line red staves.

ff. 86r-86v: Initials in red and blue. Rubrics in red. Musical notation: square notation on four-line red staves.

ff. 87r-87v: Initials, rubrics and paraphs in red. This is a detached leaf from Harley MS 1916.