Royal MS 2 B VI

PSALTER, in Latin, with Canticles (f. 141), Te Deum (f. 148 b), Athanasian Creed (f. 151), and Litany (f. I52 b); preceded by a St. Albans Calendar (f. 2), and by a series of sixteen tinted drawings of Gospel history, &c. (ff. 8-12 b). The following entries (in gold, where not otherwise noted) are included in the Calendar Jan. 27. ' Festiuitas reliquiarum.' Mar. 11. Invention of S. Oswin k. m. " 21. Benedicti abb. " 25. Ermeland abb. [Hermeland, abbot of Aindre, dioc. Nantes] (red). Apr. 19. Ælphege abp. " 24. Ivo, bp.mart. (green). " 30. Erkenwald bp. (green). May 7. John [of Beverley]abp.(green). " 26. Augustine abp. June 22. Passio Sancti Albani prothomartiris Anglie. prin[cipale].' " 25.'Inuentio sancti Amphibali'[1178]. prin.' With octave. July 7. Transl. S. Thomas mart. [1220]. " 11, Transl. S. Benedict. Aug. 2. ' Inuentio S. Albani. princ.' With octave. " 20. Oswin k. m. With octave. Nov.16. Edmund abp. [d. 1240, can. 1246] (red). " 20. Edmund k. m. Dec. 28. ' Dedicatio huius ecclesie. prin.' With octavo. " 29. Thomas mart. (green). See other St. Albans Calendars in 2 A. X, 14 C. VII. In the Litany the martyrs begin with Alban (ii) and Amphibalus; Oswin (ii), who was originally lower down, is inserted next in the margin, in a 14th cent. hand, Vellum; ff. i+ 163. ii in. x 7 3/4 in. XIII cent. (circ. 1250-1260). In a good hand, with a marked change at f. I33. A large, unattractive, initial B (f. I3 b), on a pink rectangular ground (6 in. x 4 3/4 in.) ; the letter in gold with heavy black outlines and very simple spiral foliage, on a blue ground. Smaller initials of the same kind at the usual divisions of the Psalter; other initials in blue and red, those at the beginning of Psalms omamented with filigree pen-work, Line-fillings in a great variety of designs, but with no animal forms. The miniatures on ff 8-i i b are within plain rectangular frames (7 3/4 in. X.5 3/8 in.) washed with green, divided into two compartments, the figures being tinted with green, brown, yellow, red, and blue. The subjects are:-

1. Annunciation. f.8.

2. Nativity. ib.

3.Shepherds at Bethlehem ( see pl.

23 a) f. 8 b.

4. Adoration of the Magi. ib.

5. Presentation. f. 9.

6. Scourging. ib.

7. Crucifixion. f. 9b.

8. Three Marys. ib.

9. Ascension. f. 10.

10. Martyrdom of S. Edmund. ib.

11. Martyrdom of S. Alban (executioner's eyes dropping out). f. 12. Martyrdom of S. Amphibalus (entrails wound round a stake). ib.

13. S. john Bapt. holding an Agnus Dei; S. John Evang. holding a book, f. 11.

14. An archbishop; a bishop or an abbot holding a book. ib.

15. Two seated kings, one holding an ring (Edward Conf.),the other youthful(?Edward Mart.). f.IIb.

16. S. Katharine'swordand wheel; S. Faith, sword and bundle of rods. ib.

10 b.

None of the figures, except the Saviour, the Angel at the Sepulchre, and Simeon, have nimbi. The next page (f. 12) is blank, but on the verso is a miniature of the Virgin and Child, on a blue ground within a plain green frame (see pl.23 b). The Virgin's robes are tinted brown, those of the Child green and violet. On f. 1 is inscribed, 'Hunc librum dedit Frater Iohannes de Dalling 41

ex licencia domini Iohannis [de Hertford] abbatis [1235-1260] deo et ecclesie sancti Albani. ita tamen quoa habeat usum tantum in uita sua. Quem quidem qui ab eadem ecclesia alienauerit uel titulum deleuerit anathema sit. Amen. Anima, Iohannis de Dalling et anime omnium fidelium defunctorum requiescant in pace. Amen.' Above this in a later hand, ' De armariolo in choro'. Among other scribbling on the fly-leaf (f. i) is the name ' Robarttus Gylles (16th cent.). The MS. belonged later to john Theyer (f. 163 b). Theyer sale-cat. no. 20; CMA. 6378.