Montreal, Private collections [3], D:0ep5d

Cantus Siglum

Cantus D:0ep5d

Holding Institution

Montreal, Private collections [3]

Manuscript/Print

Manuscript

Physical Status

Fragment

Summary

Missal leaf for Dominican use, 210 mm x 302 mm, offices for feasts in the month of May. Rubrication penned or underlined in red.

Description

A missal leaf 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 in 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 or underlined in red. The leaf has some light soiling, particularly visible on the top left of the recto.

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.

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 (Quesumus 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) and Gloria chant, oration (Semper nos domine martyrum tuorum Nerei, Achillei, atque Pancratii), epistle (Iusti in perpetuum), Alleluia chant (Alleluia Gaudete iusti in domino), gospel (Homo quidam peregre), offertory (Confitebuntur celi mirabilia tua domine), secret (Sanctorum tuorum domine Nerei, Achillei, atque Pancratii), communion (Gaudete iusti in domino), and post-communion (Quesumus domine ut beatorum martyrum tuorum Nerei, Achillei, atque Pancratii). 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 eius) with Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia tag for use at Eastertide, introit verse (Iocunditatem et exsultationem thesaurizavit super eum) with Gloria and Gloria in excelsis chants, 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 gradual labelled as a responsory (Os iusti meditabitur sapientiam et) and versicle (Lex dei eius 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 eius tribuisti ei domine) with Alleluia, alleluia tag for use at Eastertide, secret (Munera tibi domine dicata sanctifica et meritis beati Dominici confessoris), communion (Fidelis servus et prudens quem) with Alleluia tag for use at Eastertide, and the beginning of the post-communion (Concede quesumus 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 and confessor, 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.

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).

Selected Bibliography

Rome (Lazio, IT), Biblioteca della Curia Generalizia dei Domenicani, Santa Sabina MS XIV L1. https://archive.org/details/rome_santa_sabina_xiv_l1.

MusMed. “ACTA CAPITULORUM GENERALIUM ORDINIS PRAEDICATORUM.” https://www.musmed.fr/CMN/statdom.htm.

That Guy with the Books. “Catalogue 26: Scriptorium.” https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0281/1589/4371/files/That_Guy_With_The_Books_Catalog_26_Scriptorium_-_Manuscripts_Part_1.pdf.

Thompson, Augustine and Innocent Smith. “Regarding the Humbert of Romans Codex.” Email messages to cataloguer, 9 – 21 May 2025.

Full/Partial Inventory

Full Inventory

Fragmentarium ID

F-ep5d

DACT ID

D:0ep5d