Antiphoner and noted Missal fragments

Three vellum leaves, formerly paste-downs in the binding of of Omnia Opera by Angelo Ambrogini, called Poliziano (Venice, 1498), which was rebound in the twentieth century (Ref: Incunabula 1498 Strongroom), details as follows:
1. Leaf from a noted Missal, of Hereford Use, with part of the epistle, gradual, gospel, offertory, secret, communion and post-communion of the 3rd Sunday after Epiphany, and the introit, epistle, gospel and secret of the 4th Sunday. The antiphons 'Timebunt gentes', 'Dextem domini' and 'Mirabantur omnes' have their musical notation. The fragment was written in Hereford, England, in the late 12th century. It is inscibed and extensively annotated by Maurice Birchinshaw (d 1564), and inscibed by Nathaniel Evans in the 17th century. It was later used as a cover for a manorial extent, and inscibed in a 16th-17th century hand 'A court of [surve]igh for the mannour of Much Markl (i.e. Much Marcle, Herefordshire], 35 of Eliz [1592/3]', and 'Extent of survey de Man. de Mark[le]'.
2. Bi-folium from an Antiphoner, with responds and versicles for the following feasts: St Mary Magdalene (22 Jul), St Peter ad vincula (1 Aug), St Laurence (10 Aug), Assumption of the Virgin (15 Aug) and Octave of the Assumption (22 Aug>). The fragment was written in the late 13th century.

The missal is a book which contains the prayers said by the priest at the altar as well as all that is officially read or sung in connection with the offering of the holy Sacrifice of the Mass throughout the ecclesiastical year.
An antiphoner is a liturgical book containing antiphons, the sung portions of the Divine office, both texts and notation. Such books were often of a large format, to be used by a choir.

Access to the items in the collection is unrestricted for the purpose of private study and personal research within the controlled environment and restrictions of the Library's Palaeography Room. Access to archive collections may be restricted under the Freedom of Information Act. Please contact the University Archivist for details.

See R. Watson, 'Descriptive list of fragments of medieval manuscripts in the University of London Library' (1976).

The noted Missal fragment is written in 2 columns and 35 lines. The initials, some 2-line, are in red, blue and green, those in blue with scrolling in red, in red touched with green, or in blue touched with red; red capitals; rubricated. The musical notation is on staves of 4 lines ruled in red, and uses B, B flat and F clefs.
The Antiphoner fragment (2) is written in 2 columns and consists of 15 lines of text and music. There is a 2-line initial U in red and blue with red and violet ornament; other capitals and initials are in red; rubricated. The musical notation is on staves of 4 ruled lines, and uses F, C and G clefs.

Compiled by Sarah Aitchison as part of the RSLP AIM25 Project.

Copies may be made, subject to the condition of the original. Copying must be undertaken by the Palaeography Room staff, who will need a minimum of 24 hours to process requests.