Manuscript fragments

Scope and Contents

An abridged Breviary (known as a 'Portiforium), with remarkably short Lessons. It contains the Sanctorale from S. Thomas (21 Dec.) to S. Agnes (21 Jan.), and from S. Scholastica (10 Feb.) to Lady Day (25 March). The Proper for the following saints is included: Silvester, Felix, Marcellus, Prisca, Fabian, Sebastian, Anthony (added in margin later), Scholastica, Valentine, Chair of S. Peter, Matthias, Perpetua and Felicitas, and Gregory.

Scope and Contents Antiphoner, containing lines of the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th responds from Matins of the Common of the Apostles. The text on the first fragment, f. 1r reads It [?] […] tris. […] ste[…] des nolite cogita […] quanum. Dabitur enim [...]. The other side of this fragment starts with habentes splendidas [...]. The second fragment contains ante reges et pre fi...[...]omodo aut quid lo [...] vis(?) in illa ho...

Scope and Contents

Leaves from an Augustinian Breviary, containing part of the Sanctorale from 1st Evensong of the Feast of the Holy Lance, to 2nd Evensong of Conversion of Saint Augustine, including (f. 3r) the Proper of Saint Monica.

Writing

Fine, small hand in black ink, with lots of rubrication and initials in red.

Scope and Contents Processional, almost certainly following the Use of Sarum. F. 1: last part of the [response] Tristis est anima, [versus] Ecce appropinquabit hora, followed by the response Ecce vidimus eum. F. 2: part of the verse Ostium abundavit, [response] Revelabunt celi, [versus] In die perditionis, followed...

Scope and Contents

Two portions of a vellum leaf of a 14th century Ordinale, containing part of the Temporale following the Feast of the Epiphany. There sections cut from both fragments in a regular pattern (see images).

Writing

Neat, in black ink. There is a small hint of coloured initials in blue and red, although only one or two are actually visible on these fragments. There is one rough filigree initial.

Contents These fragments consist of four leaves of the famous Auchinleck Manuscript, held by the National Library of Scotland. This manuscript was written in the 1330s in London and contains a collection on Middle English works believed to provide unique insight into the 14th century, not least because some of the Middle English texts within it do not appear elsewhere. These fragments were separated from the main manuscript, and seem to have been used for covers for books.Two of the...

Scope and Contents Cropped leaves from the Decretals of Pope Gregory IX, with the text and also a marginal commentary. On f. 1r the text begins with De Officio Judicis. Ex litteris vestris accepimus…from Book I, Section XXXII. On f. 1v, the text proper ends with civitas caperetur Constantinopolis, which is from Section XXXIII, Chapter VIII. On f. 2-3 there is Book II. The text begins on f. 2r with Section VI, Chapter VIII, ...

Scope and Contents Two leaves from a copy of the Gratian Decretals. These two leaves contain some text from this work, and many marginal notes around the text itself. The notes may be part of a 13th commentary on Gratian's Decretals. A cornerstone of medieval canon law, the Decretals are divided into three parts, the second of which is made up of 36 'causes' which are further divided into questions dealing with the ecclesiastical administration and marriage. In the 33rd cause specifically, the third question...

Scope and Contents Four leaves from an Antiphoner written in Scotland around 1340, most likely for the Augustinian Priory of Inchcolm, which was sacked by the English in 1335. There are later additions.Contains parts of the services for the feasts of Saint Columba and Corpus Christi. Saint Columba (ff. marked 1 and 3): part of ninth respond to Matins; anthems chapter, hymn, anthem to Benedictus at Lauds; anthem to Magnificat at...

Scope and Contents

These are two leaves from a vernacular French version of the Prose Chronicle, by Guillaume le Breton. The vernacular translation of this chronicle seems to have been unknown until C. Borland's work on this fragment in the early 20th century. Folio 1 starts with 'Puiz vous fis de Garenne Conte' and ends with 'Qui lavoit demande en part'; folio 2 starts with 'Freres le roi qui at eu', and ends with 'Et s'en revint ainsinc delivres'