14th Century Missal Fragment of 28 leaves with beautiful decorative lettering

14th century missal Fragment of 28 leaves

Gothic script with intricate decoration to text which is embellished with faces, birds and fish

-manuscript on parchment - 25x20cm approx

-32 lines per page

-Text in black ink written with a clear gothic hand. Text rubricated with red, blue and yellow ink.

Decorated with:

-One 5-line initial and Four 3-line initials

-circa 220 initials in red and blue with faces - one further embellished with a bird and another with a fish

-Faded floral border decoration to front page of Psalter - with full border and coloured drawing of a fish and butterfly (worn).

Condition:

Incomplete. Faded with significant stains and marks to leaves. Tears with losses to many leaves. Many pages with significant staining and damage.

Contents

-The text contains fragments (Mostly non-consecutive) of the Psalms, Temporale and Sanctorale. Missing the calendar and other sections which are sometimes found in Missals.

-Likely French (or possibly Northern European) in Origin

-The style of the text and decoration would date the book to the 14th Century

Psalter

leaf 1: Psalm 1-6 v9

leaf 2 Psalms 32-34 v18

Leaf 3 - Psalm 34 v19- 36 v36

leaf 4 - Psalm 68 v35 - 72 v5

Leaf 5 - Psalm 144 to 147 followed by Benedictus, O Nata Lux and Magnificat (?vespers)

Temporale

Leaf 6 - Prayers for Advent

Leaf 7 - 14 - Prayers for Lent including "Christus qui Lux es et dies noctis""

Leaf 15 - 18 - Easter Prayers

Sanctorale

Leaf 19 - St Cecilia

Leaf 21 - St Matthew

Leaf 23 - St Martin

Leaf 24 - St Leonard

Leaf 25 - St Martin

Prayers for St Ursula also included.