Royal MS 11 E XI

The manuscript includes a collection of motets by a 'Magister Sampson', formerly believed to be bishop of Chichester 1536 and of Coventry and Lichfield 1543-1554, but now thought to be a composer from the Netherlands, and by Benedictus de Opitiis, preceded by a hymn in honour of Henry VIII, with musical notation. The choirbook was produced in 1516 by Petrus de Opitiis of Antwerp for King Henry VIII.

Contents:

1. Elegiac poem in honour of Henry VIII and the union of York and Lancaster, perhaps composed by Johannes de Opitiis (see Bell and Skinner 2009), incipit: 'Psallite, felices, protecti culmine rose' (f. 2r);

2. 'Canon fuga in dyatessaron': a quatrain consisting of the above poem and two more lines, inscribed, with music, on two circular staves (bassus and contratenor) enclosing roses (ff. 2v-3r);

3. Elegiac poem in honour of Henry VIII (see item 1) with music, by 'Magister Sampson' ('M. Sampson' inscribed on f. 3v) (ff. 3v-9r);

4. Benedictus de Opitiis, Motet to the Virgin, incipit: 'Sub tuum presidium' ('B Opitis' inscribed on f. 10v). Printed by Jan de Gheet (Antwerp, 1515) as Een loefliken nyeuwen sanck met noten te singen oft aldus te lesen die gemaect is tot glorien ende tot loue der glorioser ioncfrouwen moeder ende mager Marien (ff. 10v-11r);

5. Motets attributed to 'Magister Sampson' ('Sampson' inscribed on f. 11v): a) incipit: 'Quarn pulcra es, amica mea' (ff. 11v-13r); b) incipit: 'Hec est preclarum vas paracliti' (ff. 13v-14r); c) incipit: 'Sancta Maria, clemens et pia' (ff. 14v-15r); d) incipit: 'Beati omnes qui timent' (ff. 15v-16r); e) incipit: 'Ecce sic benedicetur' (ff. 16v-17r).

Decoration:

A full-page an allegorical miniature of a bush of the Tudor rose incorporating a Latin poem celebrating the house of Tudor, entwined with a scroll reading 'Salve, radix varios producens germine ramos, / Quos inter ramus supereminet altior unus' (Hail, Root, bringing forth varying branches from the bud, Among which one branch rises above). At the base of the bush are daisies for Henry VIII's sister Margaret of Scotland, and marigolds for his other sister, Mary of France, and nearby there is a pomegranate bush for his wife, Katherine of Aragon. They are all enclosed within a walled garden with towers surmounted by banners bearing the royal arms of England, St George's Cross, and the arms of Castile. At the front is a gateway with a portcullis, the badge of Henry VII’s mother’s house of Beaufort. It is guarded by a lion, emblem of England, and flanked by a red dragon, emblem of Tudor, and a white greyhound, emblem of Beaufort, and inscribed with words 'salve felix Anglia' (hail happy England) (f. 2r). 2 miniatures in colours and gold of red roses surrounded by couplets with music inscribed on two circular staves (ff. 2v, 3r). A historiated initial 'S'(ub) in colours and gold of the Virgin and Child, at the beginning of a motet to the Virgin (f. 10v). Illuminated initials in gold on coloured grounds, some with red roses. Calligraphic initials.