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Breviary (Lent)

First Sunday in Lent and Monday after First Sunday in Lent

F-3z73

Utopia, armarium codicum bibliophilorum, Private Collection, Canada, Fr.G1-6

Private Catalogue, Canada, 2024. (Born Digital)

General Information

Title Breviary (Lent)
Material Parchment
Place of Origin Prague, Bohemia [?]

Current Condition

Dimensions 166 x 225 mm
More about the Current Condition

The bifolium was recovered from a binding, where it was used as a wrapper. There is fading and soiling on both sides. On the recto are two paper labels, which would have been visible on the spine of the host volume. One label, possibly dating to the 18th century, bears the host volume title (Runceus: cros. dialect.). The other label, dating to the 19th or early-20th century, bears a location or call number (XXI 66). The verso, which was previously pasted down, contains remnants of paper and glue that partially obscure some of the text. The creases of the host volume spine and turn-ins are clearly defined.

Book Decoration and Musical Notation

Description

 Rubrication is penned in red ink.

Content

  • Content Item
    • Content Description

      The bifolium contains text used during Lent. The left-side of the recto would have originally been the verso of one of the leaves from the bifolium (Bv). It contains text used during the first Sunday in Lent (Dominica I in Quadragesima). This side begins with the end of an oration (Super populum tuum domine quaesumus) on the upper turn-in, which can be seen on right-side of the verso. It continues with an antiphon to the choir (Vigilate omnes et orate nescitis) and another antiphon (sive) that is largely illegible, but may be Media vita in morte sumus. This side then contains a rubric: Iste ordo processionis teneatur usque dominicam palmarum exceptis responsoriis que assumuntur de hystoriis singularum dominicam. The rubric is followed by the propers of the Mass for the first Sunday in Lent: introit (Invocavit me), oration (Deus qui ecclesiam), epistle (Hortamur vos), gradual (Angelis suis), tract (Qui habitat), and gospel (Ductus est ihesus). On the right-side of the recto, which would have been the recto of the other leaf from the bifolium (Ar), is also text used during the first Sunday in Lent. It begins with the end of an antiphon (Dominum deum tuum adorabis et) on the upper turn-in, which is partially visible on the left-side of the verso. This side continues with parts of 2 Corinthians 6, followed by a response (Septies in die laudem dixi) and two versicles (Erravi sicut ovis quae perierat and Scapulis suis). The text and chants were intended for use at none. The side then contains an antiphon (Dixit dominus) and additional part of 2 Corinthians 6 for second vespers. On the left-side of the verso, which would have originally been the verso of the aforementioned leaf from the bifolium (Av), is text intended for use at compline during the first Sunday in Lent. It contains a rubric, which is partially concealed by remnants of paper from the binding. The paper can be partly lifted so that the rubric reads: Oratio dici ? sola ad completorium antiphona Miserere mihi domine cum psalmis, hymno ? ut sola super Nunc dimittis antiphona. The rubric is followed by an antiphon (Pacem tuam quaesumus domine et) and another rubric that is partially obscured by bookbinding glue. By cross-referencing what is legible with the two manuscripts that contain similar rubrics (XV A 10 and XIV A 19), it seems to read: Hec antiphona cantatur super Nunc dimittis ferialibus diebus per duas ebdomadas. The right-side of the verso would have originally been the recto of the other leaf from the bifolium (Br). On this side is Matthew 25:31 and part of Commentarii in Matthaeum (25:31-33) by Hieronymus (Jerome), which was intended for use during the Monday after the first Sunday in Lent (Feria II post Dominica I in Quadragesima). 

      There are several marginal notations in different hands on both sides. Notably, on the bottom of the left-side of the verso, partially obscured by the turn-ins, is what appears to be a Hellenized name ([Georgius?] Backmeysteriades). On the bottom of the right-side of the verso, there are also three lines of Greek, referencing Homer and the Iliad (ΟΜΗΡΟΣ ΙΛΙΑΔΟΣ [Β?] ΡΑΨΩΔΙΑς).

History

Origin

The bifolium was initially listed as part of a missal by the seller. That said, the references to the Office in the rubric, namely second vespers on the right-side of the recto and compline on the left-side of the verso, suggest that the bifolium was part of a breviary. The seller also listed the bifolium’s origins to be German. However, the rubric, particularly on the left-sides of both the recto and verso, are nearly identical to the rubrics in XV A 10 (fol. 122r-v) and XIV A 19 (fol. 92r-v). Based on the origins of those manuscripts, it is possible that the bifolium derives its origin from Prague, or Bohemia more broadly. 

Bibliography

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