Arundel MS 83, ff 1r-116v

The Howard Psalter is preceded by a collection of theological diagrams excerpted from several sources and known as the Speculum theologie, probably compiled by Johannes Metensis (John of Metz), a Franciscan preacher and follower of Bonaventura, active in Paris around 1273, and a calendar inserted among the diagrams:

f. 2v: A table of the Ten Commandments.

f. 3r: A table of the Eight Beatitudes.

f. 3v: Wheel of the Seven Petitions of the Lord's Prayer, the Seven Sacraments, the Seven Gifts of the Holy Spirit, etc.

f. 4r: Wheel of the Twenty Opposites.

ff. 4v-5r: The Tower of Wisdom (Turris Sapientae) attributed to John of Metz; 'Speculum theologie secundum a magistro Johanne Mecensi', preceded by an explanatory text, incipit: 'Tria sunt genera fidelium'.

f. 5v: A diagram of a 'cherub' with six wings, commonly associated with De sex alis cherubim; this text has been attributed to Alan of Lille, but the earliest manuscript attributions are to Clement of Llanthony (prior of Llanthony and theologian) (on the attribution see d'Alverny (1980), p. 27; and Carruthers, who also explores the relationship between the diagram and the text, 'Ars oblivionalis, ars inveniendi' (2009), p. 5). Cf. the diagram on f. 130v.

ff. 6r-11v: Calendar with East Anglian saints: Withburga, Ethelreda (twice), Sexburga, and Eligius.

ff. 12r-13r: Pictorial diagrams including:

f. 12r: A table of the Twelve Articles of Faith.

f. 12v: A table of the Seven Acts of Passion.

f. 13r: The Tree of Life, based on Bonaventura, Lignum vitae.

ff. 14r-105r: Liturgical Psalter with noted antiphons, canticles, and ferial litanies.

ff. 106r-113v: Office of the Dead.

ff. 113v-116v: Hours of the Passion, ending imperfectly in Vespers.

Decoration:

9 diagrams, in colours and gold (ff. 2r- 5v, 12r-13r). 8 large historiated initials in colours and gold, with full historiated borders and bas-de-page scenes, at the beginning of the Psalter divisions (ff. 14r, 26v, 33v, 40v, 47r, 55v, 63v, 72r). 2 smaller historiated initials in colours and gold, with partial foliate borders in the Psalter (ff. 40r, 64v). 6 small miniatures in colours and gold in the Hours of the Passion (ff. 113v, 115r, 115v, 116r, 116v (x2)). 3 smaller decorated initials with extensions into the margins, in colours and gold (ff. 75v, 80r, 91r). Some smaller decorated initials including human heads, in colours and gold, in the last part of the manuscript (ff. 106r-116v). Smaller initials in gold on red and blue grounds. Small initials in gold with purple foliate pen-flourishing or in blue with red foliate pen-flourishing.

The subjects of the miniatures and initials are:

In the Psalter:

f. 14r: Initial 'B'(eatus) of the Tree of Jesse extending into the margins, with the arms of England, France, Ely and Bury St Edmunds, and a hunting scene in the lower margin (Psalm 1).

f. 26v: Initial 'D'(ominus) of David pointing to his eye with God blessing him (Psalm 26).

f. 33v: Initial 'D'(ixi) of David pointing to his mouth with God above (Psalm 38).

f. 40r: Initial 'Q'(uid) of David killing Goliath (Psalm 51).

f. 40v: Initial 'D'(ixid) of a king stabbing himself with a sword and a fool (Psalm 52).

f. 47r: Initial 'S'(alvum) of God blessing and Jonah being saved from the whale (Psalm (68).

f. 55v: Initial 'E'(xultate) of David playing bells, with other musicians in the margin (Psalm 80).

f. 63v: Initial 'C'(antate) of three clerics chanting (Psalm 97).

f. 64v: Initial 'D'(omnie) of a cleric kneeling before God (Psalm 101).

f. 72r: Initial 'D'(ixit) of the Trinity (Psalm 109).

In the Hours of the Passion:

f. 113v: The Betrayal and Scourging of Christ (Matins).

f. 115r: Christ before Pilate (Prime).

f. 115v: The Carrying of the Cross (Terce).

f. 116r: The Crucifixion (Sext).

f. 116v: The Crucifixion (None); the Deposition from the Cross (Vespers).