Books and Manuscripts

A Remarkable 15th Century Manuscript Psalter, With Long Successive Women Ownership

France, ca. late 15^th century. Psalter, in Latin. Illuminated manuscript on vellum. 8vo; 7 1/2 x 5 in. (190 x 135 mm). ii, 175, ii leaves; collation: i6 ii-xxi8 xxii9 (8+1).; Ff. ii1-xxii3 with later pagination entered in inner margins (1-327). With a lengthy manuscript compilation, in English, of historical texts relating to the Catholic Church in England down to the reign of King James I (1603-1625), including polemical texts against the Protestant reformers, in all margins, ca. late 17th century. Bound to style in full brown leather over wooden boards, preserving the original endleaves at front and back; with two brass and leather clasps; early notes (late 15th-early 16th century) on first front flyleaf, faded; three holes punched in inner margins throughout indicate that the text block was once stab-sewn; rear leaf and endpaper sprung.

This remarkable volume documents, in the same space, both the afterlife of a medieval manuscript and the survival of pro-Catholic, anti-Protestant sentiment in late 17th-century England, as well as bearing witness to a long succession of women ownership. The late 15th century Psalter was elegantly produced with wide margins on fine parchment. Although its decoration is modest, it offers a well-thought-out and carefully applied hierarchy of illumination. The saints named in the original calendar and litany give no specific clue to the manuscript’s original destination, although the addition of several English saints in the calendar, e.g., Cuthbert on March 19, point to its early use in Britain. On the other hand, the obliteration of the word “pape” wherever the name of a pope occurred in the calendar suggests that the book passed through the hands of English Protestants eager to observe Henry VIII’s 1534 edict ordering that this be done. That the Psalter was studied in the early modern period is indicated by the addition of Psalm and verse numbers. In the late 17th century an unidentified writer, using the ample margins, carefully compiled and copied a number of texts documenting the history of the Catholic Church, especially in England down to the time of King James I. They showed particular interest in the actions of King Henry VIII, but they also cite recent authors, such as Luc D’Achery (p. 69, as Luke Dackery), the French Benedictine scholar of the Congregation of St. Maur, author of a Spicilegium published between 1655 and 1677, and of other historical works.

Comprising:

Psalter: Calendar (quire i); Psalms (quires ii1-xx7v, pp. 1-304); Canticles, Athanasian Creed, Litany (quires xx7v-xxii9v). 19 long lines written by one hand in a square liturgical script, rubrics in red, written area 110 x 75 mm. Faintly ruled in red. Eight seven-line illuminated initials at the standard divisions of the text (Ps. 1, 26, 38, 52, 68, 80, 97, 109), alternating blue and mauve on square grounds of the other color, infilling of blue and red ivy leaves on gold grounds, accompanied by bar borders of mauve, blue, and gold in the left margin, illuminated panels above and below the text consisting of fine black tendrils sprouting colored flowers and gold ivy leaves together with colored acanthus sprays; the initial for Ps. 26 infilled with fine gold, blue, and red diaper. Three four-line initials (Ps. 21, 51, 101) of gold on blue and mauve parti-colored grounds infilled with white tracery. One similar three-line initial introducing the Canticles (p. 304). The remaining Psalms and other texts introduced by two-line gold initials on blue or mauve grounds infilled with the opposite color and white tracery. Within the Psalms the successive phrases of the text introduced by one-line initials of gold flourished in blue alternating with blue initials flourished in red, closely corresponding to the modern division into verses. The Psalms and the verses numbered in the margins by an early modern hand.

Manuscript Historical text: Closely written in a tiny, careful cursive hand, completely filling the top, outer, and lower margins of all 350 pages, approximately 45 lines per page. Titles of the individual sections set off in square frames, divisions within sections demarcated by five-point stars in red, green, yellow, or blue ink. Contents include: A discourse shewing the ordinations of our reformers to be null and voide (first six unnumbered leaves, continuing on pp. 1-18); The last will and testament of Harry the Eight (pp. 19-24); lists of the kings of Kent, Mercia, West Saxons, Northumberland, Deira, East Angles, East Saxons, South Saxons (pp. 24-25); A short dialogue between a country parson & a country gentleman (pp. 26-44); When the Protestant religion first came into England (pp. 45-58); Dr. Baylies challenge to the reformers (pp. 58-59); A short demonstration shewing the Protestants that they have no ground of their faith (pp. 59-195); The history of the divorce of Harry 8 and what passed in England concerning religion to the death of Harry the 8, etc. (pp. 196-237); The history of the rise and fall of the Templars and of their condemnation and extirpation (pp. 238-255); The disputes and differences between the religious and the pastors the clergy (pp. 256-266); The disputes aboute investitures between the Popes and the Emperors (pp. 267-291); A memorial of the abuses of the court of Rome to be reformed drawn up by certain Cardinals in 1538 (pp. 292-301); The succession of the Bishops of England from the first planting of Christian religion down to King James the First (p. 301-verso of last leaf).

Our thanks to Hope Mayo for her consultation on this lot.