Medieval Missal Leaf - England - Use of Sarum c 1400-20

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Original manuscript Missal leaf on animal vellum. Two columns (36 lines each) of Latin text on each side of the leaf, written in a formal gothic hand in dark brown ink with rubrics in red.  (293 x 203mm - 11.75 x 8 inches). 

England, Use of Sarum (Salisbury) c. 1400-20

Three two-line illuminated initials in burnished gold on red and blue ground with white tracery; One illuminated initial in burnished gold extending eleven lines along the outer margin on a blue and red ground with white tracery. Thirty-two illuminated one-line initials alternating in burnished gold with delicate blue penwork, and deep blue with delicate red penwork.           

This leaf continues prayers for Low Sunday  - the first Sunday after Easter.  The illuminated “I” begins John 20¨1-9: “In illo una sabbati…” (An at that time, on the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene cometh early, when it was yet dark, unto the sepulcher; and she saw the stone taken away…she saw two angels…Jesus saith to her: Do not touch me, for I am not yet ascended to my Father. But go to my brethren, and say to them: I ascend to my Father and to your Father, to my God and your God…). 

The two-line illuminated “L” begins the hymn Laudes Salvatoris:  “Laudes salvatoris voce modulemur supplici…” (Let us sing praises to the Savior with humble voice…)

A scarce large, attractively illuminated,  leaf from a provenanced English service book  - most of which were destroyed after Henry VIII split the English Church from Rome. This leaf is from a Missal presented to Shere Church in Surrey in 1477 by John Cauterwell, former chaplain of Shere. Later, it was MS72 in Tollemache Library, Helmingham Hall – sold at Sotheby’s June 1965 and subsequently dispersed. A sister leaf  with a nearly identical large illuminated initial is pictured & described in Rendell, The Medieval World, 1979, item 81.     

Presented in an archival 16x12'' mat                 

  • Inventory# IM-11367
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