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MS 25: Breviary, late 15th century

 Item
Identifier: MS 25

Contents

This manuscript is a Breviary, originating in France and dating from the late 15th century. Breviaries contain the official set of prayers that mark days in the Catholic calendar. This Breviary appears to have been written for Angers and is incomplete, lacking the whole of the temporale, the list of movable feasts, mostly keyed to Easter, and as opposed to the sanctorale, which consists of the fixed feast days.

Kalendar starts on f.1r. January and February are missing.

Entries specially connected with Angers are: 1 March: Saint Albinus (Bishop of Angers) iii Cap. ; 15 July: Saint Benedict (Bishop of Angers), iii Cap. (in red); 16 August: Translation of Saint Maurille, iii Cap. ; 20 August: Translation of Saint Renatus, v Cap. ; 13 September: Saint Maurille (Bishop of Angers), v Cap. (in red); 19 September, October: Saint Maurille, iii Cap. ; 16 October: Saint Magnobodus (Bishop of Angers), iii Cap. ; 17 October: Saint Lupi (Bishop of Angers), iii Cap. ; 19 October: Translation of Saint Maurille, iii Cap. ; 12 November: Saint Renatus (Bishop of Angers), v Cap. (in red); 19 November, October: Saint Renatus, ix lect. ; 20 November: Saint Aposthemus (Bishop of Angers), iii Cap. . The Translation of Saint Renatus appeared originally on 18 April, but was erased.

Other names of interest are: 30 April: Saint Eutropius (Bishop of Saintes); 10 May: Saint Maturinus C. [?]; 20 May: Saint Yvon (Bishop of Chartres). This name has originally been entered in red as a feast of v Cap. , and has later been erased and again inserted in black. His Translation is also found on 29 October; 25 June: Saint Eligius (Bishop), ix lect. (in red); 1 July: Saint Theobald C, ix lect. ; 21 July: Saint Serenede, v Cap. ; 13 August: Saint Radegund V., iii lect. ; 1 September: Saint Lupi (Bishop of Price); 22 September: Saint Maurice soc. ejus, v Cap. (in red); 28 September, October: Saint Maurice, iii Cap. (in red); 10 October: Saint Tanche (Virgin Martyr), ix lect. ; 11 October: Saint Melain (Bishop), iii lect. ; 13 October: Saint Gerald C., iii lect. ; 24 October: Saint Martin (Abbot of Vertanensis), iii lect. ; 11 November: Saint Martin (Archbishop of Tours), v Cap. (in red), with his Translation, 4 July; 2 December: Recepcio brachii Saint Maurice, iii Cap. ; 19 December: Saint Gacianus (Archbishop of Tours), iii Cap.

Psalter, with Creed, Canticles, Hymns, Litany starts on f.6r. Psalms 1 and 2 are missing.

In the litany, the following are concerned with Angers. Among the confessors: Saints Paternus of Brittany; Eligius, Ludovicus, Maurilius, Renatus, Licinus, Magnobodus, Benedict, Albinus, Lupus, Aposthemus, Armagilus of Brittany, Yvon. Among the virgins: Saint Radegund of Poitiers.

Service of the Dead starts on f.90r. It is incomplete.

Commune Sanctorum starts on f.93r. The Commune Sanctorum, or Common of Saints, is part of the liturgy that consists of texts concerned with categories of saints, such as apostles or martyrs. In this manuscript, this section goes from the first Nocturn, In communi unius Apostoli to the second Nocturn, In communi plurimorum Martyrum.

Proprium Sanctorum starts on f. 100r. The Proprium Sanctorum is the part of the liturgy that concerns specific Saints and their festivals. In this manuscript, this section goes from Saints Fabian and et Sebastian (martyrs) to Saint Thomas the Apostle.

Writing

A fairly good French script by two hands. Capitals are for the most part plain red and blue, and larger initials dark lake and gold on blue grounds.

Dates

  • Creation: late 15th century

Language of Materials

Latin

Conditions Governing Access

The collection is open to all. The manuscripts can be consulted in the Centre for Research Collections, Edinburgh University Main Library.

Extent

1 bound MS volume

Custodial History

The Breviary, on the evidence of Kalendar, Litany, and sanctorale, appears to have been written for Angers. The celebration of three festivals of Saint Maurice—22 September, 28 September, 2 December (to commemorate the reception of relics of the Saint) — suggests connection with the Cathedral itself. The Breviary is extremely incomplete, lacking the whole of the temporale. It was probably one of two volumes. It contains no later marks of ownership.

See 'Scope and Contents' for a list of entries connected with Angers. All the names connected with Angers and most of the others are also in the sanctorale.

Previous reference

D. b. III. 13

Physical Facet

Material: Vellum.

Binding: Modern.

Collation: a5 (wants 1), b7 (wants 1), c8-m8, n7 (wants 1), o8-t8, v4, x9, y8-L8,M6=270

Dimensions

14.92 cm x 10.48 cm

General

Secundo folio: text turbatus est

Foliation and number of lines to a page: ff. 270, in double columns, 30 lines to a page.

Repository Details

Part of the University of Edinburgh Library Heritage Collections Repository

Contact:
Centre for Research Collections
University of Edinburgh Main Library
George Square
Edinburgh EH8 9LJ Scotland
+44(0)131 650 8379