Medieval and Renaissance Manuscripts.

[c.1175-1591]

15 codices, 12 leaves and fragments.

Finding aid: Medieval and Renaissance Manuscripts

Codices

Priscianus. De Constructione. 119 1eaves. South Germany, third quarter 12th century manuscript with late 15th or 16th century German pigskin, blind stamped binding. Written in Romanesque (minuscule) book script on parchment. Large red initials, first 5 lines in red, small initials and many Greek quotations accented by red filling. Constitutes books 17-18 of the author’s Institutiones grammaticae. Books 1-16 are also known as Priscianus major, and books 17-18 as Priscianus minor.
Catalog record: RARE PA6624.A4 1150

Raymond of Penafort, St. [Summa de poenitentiate et matrimonio] Italy-S. or France. Manuscript probably 14th century. Foliation in roman numerals. Glosses numbered. Seventeenth century Spanish binding, southern parchment and ink. Binder’s title: S. Raimund. D.P. Summa. An early manuscript with commentaries surrounding the text, and ornamental initials in color.
Catalog record: BX1757 .R39 1200

Bible. Latin. [Biblia Latina] 1300. Bound in parchment ms. with neumic notation over boards ; leaf [103] torn with part of 1 column wanting; small stain on p. 1 partly hides incipit; trimmed, headings mostly lost. Prehumanistic minuscule script; rubricated. Lectionary? with different pen on final 2 leaves. Contents: Prol. in libros Salomonis — Proverbia — Ecclesiastes — Canticum canticorum — Sapientia — Ecclesiasticus — Joshua — Isaias Jeremias — Ezechiel — Daniel — Osee — Joel — Amos — Abdias — Jonas –Michaeus — Nahum — Habacuc — Sophonias — Aggaeus — Zacharias — Malachias — Job – Judith — Esther — [Novum Testamentum]. Cover is a manuscript leaf of a parchment page with nuemes and a Gothic script with red initial letters from about the same time.
Catalog record: BS70 .B5 1300

La Turade, Bernard de. [Notarial registry] 1383-1393. 2 vol. Written in several cursive hands covering various subjects: wills, marriage contracts, sales, etc. Vol. [1] has parchment tab: 1383 Bernard De La Turade; v. [2] has leather boss on center of front cover and tab with name and date: 1393. – Vol. [1] has 47 numbered leaves + 1 leaf + 1 gathering of 10 leaves, of which the first 36 have been nibbled by mice. •
Catalog record: DC95.A2N6 1383 

Augustine, Saint, Bishop of Hippo. [Soliloquia, 1433] Incipit liber soliloqiorum sancti Augustine episcopoli. Manuscript in two small Gothic book hands; p. [190]-[211] apparently a different hand from the rest. Titles in red; rubricated initials in alternate red and blue with penwork of opposite color. Bound in leather over boards; blind stamped quartered lozenge on front and back; 9 bosses front and back wanting. 211 p., 23 lines.
Catalog record: BR65 .A87 1433

Book of hours for Dominican use. [Le Mans?, France] : [Producer not identified], [approximately 1450] The volume comprises the Seven Penitential Psalms (fol.1r); a Litany (fol.12v) followed by prayers to various saints; the Hours of the Cross (fol.20v); the Hours of the Holy Spirit (fol.23v); Memorials to the saints (fol.26r); the Office of the Dead (fol.31r); prayers for use at Mass (fol.63v), the hymn Ave verum corpus (fol.66r) and the Obsecro te (fol.67r). 14 lines in single column on parchment. Written in brown ink, text ruled in red, initials in red or blue and rubricated throughout. Numerous large initials gilded, some with elongated marginal pen-work in red, others on coloured grounds, one incorporating a coat of arms depicting two white fleur-de-lys on a red background, two cantons in upper inner hatchment. One leaf with amateur marginal portrait (probably later), two leaves with large spaces for miniatures, left blank.
Catalog record: BX2080 .A2 1450

Ambrosius, Saint, Bishop of Milan. Ambrosius Epus ad sorore sua Marcella de virginitate. [146?] German-Alsace-Lorraine. Second half of the fifteenth century. Manuscript written on 48 leaves of paper in a close chancery hand, 36 lines/page frame ruled, with headings and initials in red. 15th century, original parchment binding.
Catalog record: BV4647 .C5A4 1460

Book of hours (use of Rome) : with added prayers and Marian litanies. A nearly complete fifteenth-century Book of Hours from the Convent of Santi Giovanni e Paolo in Venice, late fifteenth century. In addition to the Hours of the Virgin, Penitential Psalms, and Office of the Dead, the manuscript contains unusual Marian litanies. Fols. 109v: Pars prima. Graded kalendar beginning with March. Dominican saints Dominic and Peter Martyr in red, alongside the Venetian saints George and Mark, as well as SS. John and Paul. Curious are Pelagia the Courtesan and Sabba -- Fol. 10r: Latin prayer, inc. “Deus qui ad imitandum,” added to an orginally blank folio -- Fols. 10v-122v: Officium Beate Marie, of Dominican Use; fol. 10v Matins, 35r Lauds, 63 Prime, 72r Terce, 79r Sext, 85v none, 93 Vespers, 108r Compline -- Fol. 11: Blank, a replacement for a missing illuminated folio ; fols. 119r-122v: Seasonal instructions -- Fols. 123r-223v: Office of the Dead, for Dominican use -- Fols. 224r-244v: Penitential psalms -- Fols. 245r-257v: Kyrie and litany with ancillary texts -- Fols. 258r-261v: Prayers -- Fols. 261v-267r: Shorter Office of the Cross -- Fols. 267r-270v: Added texts, including indulgenced prayers -- Fols. 271r-294r: Pars secunda. Office of the Glorious Virgin = Officium gloriose virginis, not to be confused with the Office of the Virgin found at the beginning of the manuscript -- Fols. 294r-309r: Marian litany : Seventy names of the Virgin, with prayer for male use -- Fols. 309r-322r: Marian litany in honor of the most glorious Virgin -- Fols. 322v-330v: Prayers in Italian.

Catalog record: BX2080 .A2 1470z

Ferial Psalter and Breviary (use of the Roman curia). 1 volume (404 folios) ; 11 cm Fols. 1r-6v: double-graded kalendar full of saints, largely of Italian focus, many of which are centered on Brescia and even identify the city by name -- Fols. 7r-8r: Variant seasonal Invitatories -- Fols. 8r-86v: Ferial Psalter, rubricated and with special instructions for the seasons -- Fols. 87r-254r: Temporale section of the Breviary, Use of the Roman Curia, including a Litany of the Saints on fols. 163r-163v -- Fols. 254r-360v. Sanctorale portion of the Breviary, use of the Roman Curia -- Fols. 360v-376r: Commune Sanctorum section of the Breviary, Use of the Roman Curia (Fol. 376v is blank, but has an erased inscription recording the date 1561) -- Fols. 377r-404v: Offices of the Holy Trinity, the Dead, Eternal Wisdom, the Blessed Virgin, special instruction for the Office of the Blessed Virgin, an ordo for catechumens, with a litany on fols. 402v-403r (an erased inscription on 404v records with world ‘Milano’ in the same hand as that on 376v). This section apparently added, for it is in a slightly different script and boasts a different decorative scheme. 

Catalog record: BX2033 .A2 1480

Catholic Church. Missal (Prague, Czechoslovakia). 1501 182 leaves, 15 lines. Manuscript written in Prague [?] in large Gothic book script on paper. Bound in late manuscript parchment on boards from an antiphonal. Includes propers for translation of relics of St. Wenceslaus to St. Vitus’ Cathedral, Prague on f. 109. Rubrics in red; some initials in red, some in blue. Cover is a manuscript leaf of a parchment antiphonal page with neumes and a humanistic script dating from 15th or 16th century.

Catalog record: BX2015 .A2 1501

Processional : (for the use of the Dominican sisters of St. Louis, Poissy). 168 leaves : parchment, ink, illuminations ; 160 mm x 105 mm First and last leaves blank, very fine light quality vellum, complete; text 100 x 59-62 mm, ruled in red, 21 lines per page (text) or 7 red 4-line staves with square musical notation and textlines, staves superimposed on the original ruling (so they can appear double-lined) by one hand in a clean and regular Textualis Formata. 10 small miniatures and 3 historiated initials, 8 within full decorative borders, many pages with single-sided bars, some with further decoration of tendrils and ivy-leaves, sometimes inhabited by a bird or insect, countless illuminated initials in red and blue varying in size between 1-6 lines on square burnished golden grounds including tendrils and white penwork, some linefillers, rubrics and cadels; couple of minor tears to margins, one repaired with contemporary stitches, the pigments and gold particularly striking, a very clean fresh copy. ‘Pitou’ chased into the armorial gold leaf on vol 124v. 

Catalog record: BX2032 .A2 1510z

Ovid. Metamorphoses. Second half of the 16th century. Italy. Written in rounded humanistic script on paper. No title page, but each of the 15 books has half-title, sepia drawing at the beginning of text, and ornamental sepia initial. Interlinear Italian translation in similar hand of first 24 leaves. Illustrated with pen drawings. 512 leaves.

Catalog record: PA6519 .M2 1550

Klammer, Balthassar. [Auszug aus allerley Rechtsbuchern] Luneburg, between 1560 and 1578. With large inked chapter headings. These selections from various jurisprudential works were compiled by Balthasar Klammer for his son Otto who was entering public office. They were intended to provide a concise handbook to clarify the confusing legal literature of the time. 136 leaves.

Catalog record: KK276 .K56 1560

Perez, Antonio. Carta de el secretaro, Antonio Perez, al duque de Lerma de la manera que seharia de governar en la privanza. Between 1568 and 1579. 154 leaves. (13-18 lines per leaf). Manuscript written in Spain. Bound in old parchment with red velvet ribbon place marker secured to cover by metal seal with crown and decorative initials. Letter written by Antonio Perez, secretary to Philip II of Spain, addressed to the duke of Lerma, providing advice for princes on governing from privilege, illustrated with examples from the Spanish court.

Catalog record: JC393 .B3P4

Italian and English phrases. London? 1600-1626. Manuscript containing 90 pages of Italian phrases, accompanied by English translations, followed by 30 p. of poetry, etc. Signed at end: Giouanni Aurelio, notario publico de Londra. On front fly-leaf in ms.: “Questo libro appartene a mi Carlo Longland, April XXI, 1626.” Accompanied by a seal in red wax, without a name.

Catalog record: PC1121 .I82 1600

Other Leaves

Bible. O.T. Leviticus XXVII, 21-34. Latin. Incipit: quia ai iubilei veneit dies. 1 leaf (30 lines). Manuscript written in Bohemia (?) in late Gothic script on parchment. “cus” in top margin of left column of recto. Contains last 14 verses of Leviticus, followed by selections from, or paraphrases of parts of, Numbers. The 2 columns of recto separated by flowering vine around a staff growing from large initial D at beginning of passage from Numbers, and spreading into upper and lower margins.
Catalog record: BS1254 .L3M6 1450

Catholic Church. Missa in honor Sct et Indiuidue Trinitatis. [Proper, Trinity Sunday] [1st quarter of 15th cent.?] [1] leaf (31 lines). Manuscript written in France (Paris?) in formal Gothic minuscule script on parchment. Recto bordered by flowering ivy-leaf vine sprouting from large red initial with blue and goldleaf background. Smaller gold-leaf initials throughout.
Catalog record: BX2015.9 .T7 1400

Catholic Church. [Fragments] Book of hours (Tory manuscript). 15??. [6] leaves : parchment. Manuscript leaves from the atelier of Geoffroy Tory written in Latin in a fine humanistic roman minuscule, 33 lines to the page. With capitals in gold on red or blue background, lines filled out with painted decoration, and a decorative gold border. Border, which has simple loops at corners and center top, and becomes more elaborate at bottom, is a rope on both sides of two of the leaves, and a closely-trimmed vine or branch on both sides of the other four. Text includes three leaves of prayers and three leaves giving the calendar for May-June and September-December, and hence has also been described as part of a psalter. Substitute note for our leaves from the Books of hours (Ms. Tory): Two additional leaves of this manuscript are also in the Library of the University of Missouri-Columbia in the Fragmenta Manuscripta collection.
Catalog record: BX2080 .A1 1500

Lectionary for the office? ff. 6? - Binding fragments, in situ. The leaves have survived as binding fragments to three volumes of the text of Martinus Chemnitius. Latin.
Catalog record: BX8064.C46 1591

Catholic Church. Pope, 1513-1521 (Leo X). Letter, 1517 Mar. 27, Rome, to Ottaviano Fregoso, Doge of Genoa. [Genoa?] 1 leaf. (29 lines). Manuscript written by Ludovico degli Arrighi at Rome in a chancery script on parchment, signed by Jacopo Sadoleto as Papal Secretary.
Catalog record: D221 .C3L4 1517 

[Manuscript leaf]. 14th century? 1 parchment leaf trimmed to fit between panel areas between the bands, forming the back lining of spine of Francesco Filelfo’s Epistolae, 1488. Leaf is adhered to wood board cover. Gothic script with two columns of text and marginal gloss. Red parenthetical letters. Extensive worm holes on upper and lower margins.
Catalog record: PA8520 .F5 E6

[Manuscript leaves]. 13th to 14th century. 2 parchment leaves trimmed to fit between panel areas between the bands, pasted together to form back lining of spine of Julius Firmicus Materinus’ De natiuitatibus, 1499. Cords are stitched through manuscript leaves and attached to cover. Minute Gothic script with marginal notations (chiefly Roman numerals). Red and blue Roman numerals and two penflourished initials.
Catalog record: QB41 .F5 1499

Missal, Latin. France, late 14th century. Contains parts of the mass for the September Rogation Days.
VAULT UNCATALOGUED folder 1

Antiphonal, Latin. Germany, late 15th century. Nagelschrift notation on black 5-line staves.
VAULT UNCATALOGUED folder 2

Missal, Latin. Italy, 15th century. Contains most of the service for the 24th Sunday after Pentecost and the beginning of the service for the 25th Sunday.
VAULT UNCATALOGUED folder 4

Breviary, Latin. Italy, 15th century. Contains parts of the service for St. Clare of Assisi.
VAULT UNCATALOGUED folder 5

Antiphonal, Latin. Italy, ca. 1400. Contains parts of the service at matins and at lauds for the feast of St. Paul (30 June). Historiated initial E with a 3/4 length depiction of St. Paul holding sword and book; the initial is the height of approx. 1 line of text and music. Thumb hole in bottom edge of leaf to facilitate turning the pages.
VAULT UNCATALOGUED folder 10

Related Collection: Fragmenta Manuscripta Collection

MU Catalog:
PA6624.A4 1150 (Priscianus. De Constructione.)
BX1757 .R39 1200 (Raymond of Penafort, St. [Summa de poenitentiate et matrimonio])
BS70 .B5 1300 (Bible. Latin. [Biblia Latina] 1300.)
DC95.A2N6 1383  (La Turade, Bernard de. [Notarial registry] 1383-1393.) 
BR65 .A87 1433 (Augustine, Saint, Bishop of Hippo. [Soliloquia. 1433])
BX2080 .A2 1450 (Book of hours for Dominican use.)
BV4647 .C5A4 1460 (Ambrosius, Saint, Bishop of Milan. Ambrosius Epus ad sorore sua Marcella de virginitate.)
BX2080 .A2 1470z (Book of hours [use of Rome])
BX2033 .A2 1480 (Ferial Psalter and Breviary (use of the Roman curia). 
BX2015 .A2 1501 (Catholic Church. Missal [Prague])
BX2032 .A2 1510z (Processional : for the use of the Dominican sisters of St. Louis, Poissy)
PA6519 .M2 1550 (Ovid. Metamorphoses)
KK276 .K56 1560 (Klammer, Balthassar. [Auszug aus allerley Rechtsbüchern])
JC393 .B3P4 (Perez, Antonio. Carta de el secretaro, Antonio Perez, al duque de Lerma de la manera que seharia de governar en la privanza)
PC1121 .I82 1600 (Italian and English phrases)
BS1254 .L3M6 1450 (Bible. O.T. Leviticus XXVII, 21–34. Latin)
BX2015.9 .T7 1400 (Catholic Church. Missa in honor Sct et Indiuidue Trinitatis)
BX2080 .A1 1500 (Catholic Church. [Fragments] Book of hours (Tory manuscript))
BX8064.C46 1591 (Lectionary for the office?)
D221 .C3L4 1517 (Catholic Church. Pope, 1513–1521 (Leo X). Letter, 1517 Mar. 27)
PA8520 .F5 E6 ([Manuscript leaf])
QB41 .F5 1499 ([Manuscript leaves])

These materials have been collected over time from various sources. Browse featured items and see individual item descriptions for provenance. 

Latin, German, Italian, French.