Original leaf from a manuscript Spanish Choir (Ferial) Psalter on animal parchment. (550 x 380mm – 21 ¾ x 15 ¼’’). Old patch in upper margin applied recto to stop small tear visible verso.
Eighteen lines of manuscript text with music (on a five-line stave) were beautifully executed by hand over 450 years ago Signed by the scribe “L. Ruiz” in one of the initials elsewhere in the parent manuscript.
Spain (Dominican Use), c. 1520.
One two-line illuminated initial (2 x 3’’) in blue with intricate red interior and exterior penwork in geometric and floral design; Twelve one-line illuminated initials alternating in red with violet internal & external penwork, & blue with red internal & external penwork.
The elaborate illuminated “M” begins Psalm 50 (King James 51) 1-13: “Miserere mei…” (Have mercy on me, O God, according to thy great mercy. And according to the multitude of thy tender mercies blot out my iniquity. Wash me yet more from my iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin. For I know my iniquity, and my sin is always before me…).
The psalms were central to medieval liturgy, and constituted the core of the Divine Office. In addition to the psalms, a ferial psalter, also known as a choir psalter, contained items of the Divine Office that did not change from day to day, often including the invitatories, antiphons, canticles, short responsories, hymns, and litanies.
As is usual with Medieval and Renaissance parchment, the hair side of the leaf is darker than the flesh side, but may take ink somewhat better. The differences in tone caused scribes to arrange their quires so that the hair side of one sheet faced the hair side of the next, and the flesh side faced the flesh side.
Shipped unmatted
