Psalms and Song of Songs manuscript, 15th century

Contains the Psalms and Canticles, with a calendar.

It was probably written by an English scribe, for many of the English saints occur in the Calendar, e.g. St. Chad, St. Cuthbert, St. Oswald, etc.

Imperfect at beginning, wanting title and one leaf of the calendar and imperfect also at the end.

The following notes added by Thomas M. Izbicki, Collection Development Coordinator, Eisenhower Library, Johns Hopkins University (2002):

fol. 1r-5v: Calendar (incomplete): frequent mentions of English saints.

fol. 6r to end: Psalter with additional materials.

Psalter: has versicles and responses for devotional use.

Canticles: follow Ps. 150, includes:

Isiah 12:1-6, Song of Moses, Te deum, Benedictite (from Daniel, aka Song of the Three Children), Benedictus (from Luke, aka Song of Zachariah), Magnificat (from Luke, aka Song of Mary), Nunc dimittis (from Luke, aka Song of Simeon).

Athanasian Creed

Litany

Penitential Psalms: with prayers at beginning and end; prayer at the end mentions "famule tue N. et Iohanni famulo tuo...." N. means nomen/name. It suggests a manuscript done for John with an eye toward a future marriage, but unclear.

Office for the Dead (incomplete): this is added in another hand than that of the rest of the manuscript.

The calendar matches that for the Sarum (Salisbury) use. This was the most common liturgical usage in medieval England.

The book was owned by a woman. One prayer refers to "ego indigna peccatrix" and another refers to herself and her husband John. John is not, upon examination, the owner."

The following notes are from an unidentified source:

"Psalterium- Psalmi et cantica ecclesia cum calendario. Iubal delters un [Goldgbolours] ulto [pruau] eut al borders. Su 16mo old brown velvet, imperfect wanting little one leaf of Calendar, imperfect at end.

An attractive manuscript with an English calendar; probably written by an English scribe. Many of our English occur in it but as neither the transfiguration Aug 6 nor the Holy Name Aug 7 are given, it is evidently not Sarum in its origin."

Written in fine hand of the early 15th century. Initial letters in gold and colors, with ornamental borders.