Royal MS 2 A III

PSALTER, in Latin; with a Calendar (ff. 2-7) and Canticles, Litany, &c. (ff. 173-192). The Calendar includes:-

Apr. 28. Transl. of S. Lambert [ bp. of Maestricht, patron of Liege]. " May 13. S.Servatius[bp.ofTongres, patron of Maestricht], in red. June 7. Transl. of S. Servatius. Sept. 3. S. Remaclus [bp. of Tongres, patron of Liege]. Sept. 17. S. Lambert, in red. Oct. 1. S. Remigius, in red.

9. S. Dionysius, in red. " 23. S. Severinus [bp. of Cologne, or of Bordeaux], in red. N0V. 3. S. Hubert [bp. of Maestricht and Liege].

S. Thomas the martyr [Dec. 29] is not entered, but his Translation [JulY 7] is inserted by a later hand. The Canticles, &c. comprise : (i) 'Confitebor', sc. Isaiah xii. 1-6, f. 172; (2) 'Ego dixi', sc. Isaiah xxxviii.

10-20, f. 172 b ; (3) ' Exultavit', the Song of Hannah, 1 Kings (Sam.) ii. 1-10, f. 173b; (4) 'Cantemus', the Song of Moses, Exod. xv. I-I9, f. I74 b; (5) ' Domine, audivi', Habakkuk, iii. 2-19, f. I76b; (6) 'Audite, coeli', the Song of Moses, Deut. xxxii. I-43, f. 178; (7) 'Benedicite', Dan. iii. 57-88, f. 182; (8) 'Te Deum', f. 183; (9) 'Benedictus', f. 184; (10) 'Magnificat', f. 184b; (ii) 'Nunc Dimittis', f. 185; (12) 'Quicunque vult'P f. 185 b; (I3) 'Lethania', with prayers, &c. f. 188. The saints in the Litany end with Severinus, Hubert, Remaclus, Germanus and Trudo, and Aldegundis, Oda and Begga. On inserted leaves are:-(a) Prayer before the Psalter, beg. ' Suscipere dignare' (cf Berger, Prefaces, P. 46, no. 125); 15th cent. f i;-(b) Office 'In uigiliis mortuorum', with special prayers for 'nostrarum congregacionum patres et sorores', &c. ; 14th cent. ff. 193- 205. Vellum ; ff. i + 206. 5 3/4 in. x 3 1/2 in. Late XIII cent., with additions as above. Gatherings of 8 leaves (1). A nearly full-page miniature of the Annunciation.(f. 8 b), a large initial B, with David playing the harp and slaying Goliath (f. 9 b), and small medallion miniatures in the Calendar, viz.:-

Jan. Man warming himself. Feb. Woman holding two candles. Mar. Man lopping trees. Apr. Youth holding two flowering branches. May. Hawking. June. Picking flowers. July. Mowing. Aug. Reaping. Sept. Sowing. Oct. Treading grapes. Nov. Killing pig. Dec. Baking bread.

Colours are dull red and blue on a gold ground. Illuminated initials and partial borders of rather coarse execution. The style is Flemish, and the locality probably Liege or the neighbourhood. Inserted in the calendar, July 31 (f. 5), is the obit of John Chayny, 1473. On ff. 1, 206 b are inscriptions by Giles Brent, with the date 1633; and the names of Thomas Jones (f. 200 b), R. Anderton ? ( f. 204 b) and John Tratt (f. 205 b) are scribbled in the margins in somewhat earlier hands. Brown leather binding (17th cent.), with the symbols Of the Passion in the centre.