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Missal (Dominican)

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Utopia, armarium codicum bibliophilorum, Private Collection, Canada, Fr.G1-7

Private Catalogue, Canada, 2025. (Born Digital)

General Information

Title Missal (Dominican)
Material Parchment
Place of Origin Northern France or Low Countries

Current Condition

Dimensions 302 x 210 mm
More about the Current Condition

The leaf has some light soiling, particularly visible on the top left of the recto.

Book Decoration and Musical Notation

Description

The leaf is written in a double column format. On both the recto and verso, sections begin with alternating red/blue initials and contrasting blue/red penwork. A blue letter S is missing from the secret of the office for the feast of Saints Nereus, Achilleus, and Pancras. On the recto are two faint drawings in the margin of the first column. The side profile of a face stems from the letter E at the beginning of the introit of the office for the feast of Saints Nereus, Achilleus, and Pancras and a cat dangles from the letter S at the beginning of the oration for the same office. Both were likely later additions to the leaf. This side also contains a large, ornate letter I illuminated with blue and pink at the beginning of the introit of the office for the feast of the translation of the relics of Saint Dominic. Rubrication is penned in red ink. 

Content

  • Content Item
    • Content Description

      The missal leaf contains text for feasts in the month of May. In the first column on the recto is the end of the office for the feast of Saints Gordian and Epimachus (martyrs, May 10): part of the communion (Iustorum animae in manu dei) and post-communion (Quaesumus omnipotens deus ut qui celestia). The column continues with the office for the feast of Saints Nereus, Achilleus, and Pancras (martyrs, May 12): introit (Ecce oculi domini super timentes), introit verse (Exsultate iusti in domino), oration (Semper nos domine martyrum tuorum Nerei, Achillei, atque Pancraty), epistle (Iusti in perpetuum), Alleluia chant (Alleluia Gaudete iusti in domino), gospel (Homo quidam peregre), offertory (Confitebuntur celi mirabilia tua domine), secret (Sanctorum martyrum tuorum domine Nerei, Achillei, atque Pancraty), communion (Gaudete iusti in domino), and post-communion (Quaesumus domine ut beatorum martyrum tuorum Nerei, Achillei, atque Pancraty). In the second column is an oration (Exaudi nos deus salutaris noster), secret (Accepta tibi sit domine sacrate plebis oblatio), and post-communion (Satiasti domine familiam tuam muneribus sacris) for the feast of Saint Pudentiana (virgin and martyr, May 19). The column then contains the office for the feast of the translation of the relics of Saint Dominic (confessor, May 24): introit (In medio ecclesie aperuit os ejus), chant of Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia for Eastertide, introit verse (Iocunditatem et exsultationem thesaurizavit super eum), oration (Deus qui ecclesiam tuam beati Dominici), and reading from 2 Timothy 4:1-8, which continues into the first column on the verso. The first column on the verso then continues with two Alleluia chants (Alleluia pie pater Dominice tuorum and Alleluia Christus resurgens), another for use after the Ascension (Alleluia Ascendens Christus), a response (Os iusti meditabitur sapientiam et) and versicle (Lex dei ejus in corde ipsius) for use after the Trinity, a repeat of Alleluia pie pater Dominice tuorum, and a sequence (In celesti ierarchia). This column then contains the beginning of Matthew 5:13-19, which continues into the second column. In the second column, there is then an offertory (Desiderium anime ejus tribuisti ei domine), chant of Alleluia, alleluia for Eastertide, secret (Munera tibi domine dicata sanctifica et meritis beati Dominici confessoris), communion (Fidelis servus et prudens quem), another chant of Alleluia, alleluia for Eastertide, and post-communion (Concede quaesumus omnipotens deus).

      There is an addition on the bottom of the recto in a different hand. It specifies that the office for the feast of Saint Servatius (bishop and confessor, May 13) is the same as the office for the feast of Saint Germanus (bishop, May 28), with the exception of the Gospel, which begins from Luke 12:35 (Sancti Servacii confessoris et pontificis officium, sicut infra in festo sancti Germani praeter evangelium quod est, sint lumbi uestri praecincti). The office for the feast of Saint Servatius was added to the Dominican liturgy in 1332.

History

Origin

The leaf was part of a missal used by an order of Dominicans. The text intended for the feasts of Saints Gordian and Epimachus, Saints Nereus, Achilleus, and Pancras, Saint Pudentiana, and the translation of the relics of Saint Dominic match those in the Humbert of Romans Codex (Santa Sabina MS XIV L1, fol. 412r-v). Moreover, the rubric for the Feast of the Purification (Candlemas, February 2) from a sister leaf (Item 83, That Guy with the Books Catalogue 26) precisely matches the rubric for the feast in the codex (fol. 11v). Gratitude is owed to Fr. Augustine Thompson and Fr. Innocent Smith for confirming the leaf was intended for Dominican use. The leaf was likewise examined by Fr. Augustine Thompson to determine its origin and date. Based on the script, including the crossed 7 abbreviation for “et,” its origin was determined to be Northern France or the Low Countries. The leaf was estimated to date between the last quarter of the thirteenth and early-fourteenth centuries.
Provenance

The leaf was purchased from That Guy with the Books (Zubairul Islam) on 26 October 2024. It was listed as Item 86 in the seller’s Catalogue 26. Sister leaves were also included within the catalogue (Items 83-85 and 87-89). 

Bibliography

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