Manuscript Leaves in
Special Collections
Book
of Hours. Dutch. Selections. Published 15th century. From the Rare
Books Collection at
Special
Collections, Florida State University Libraries
Book
of Hours. Dutch. Selections. Published 15th century. From the Rare
Books Collection at
Special
Collections, Florida State University Libraries
BOOKS
in
their earliest form were handwritten and made of leaves bound together
at the side. This form was called a codex. About fourth century AD,
jurists found the codex was more convenient than the roll for law books.
The Christian Church also preferred the codex form. Parchment sheets
were folded and gathered together, then fastened at the fold. The
word manuscript is from the Latin libri manu scripti, which means “books
written by hand”.
DURING
the
medieval and early Gothic, manuscripts were produced by scribes in a monastic
scriptorium. Because of the flammable nature of some of the materials,
artificial light was forbidden. Most scriptoriums had ample north
facing windows. A scribe would laboriously copy the text, leaving
spaces for titles, notes, illumination, and decorative devices.
MATERIALS
had
to be prepared on site. Parchment or vellum was used until the 15th
century when paper became more common. Parchment and vellum could
be made from a variety of animal skins, most commonly calf, sheep, or goat.
Vellum is a very fine and supple type of parchment. After processing
the skins, they were cut to size and carefully ruled. Inks were made
of iron gall or lampblack. Colored inks were made from either mineral
or plant materials. Most could be mixed with egg white as a medium
but some required special media to preserve the color. Gold powder
or gold leaf was used for illumination. Gold leaf was burnished after
applicaton.
THERE
are
several terms associated with manuscripts that are displayed in this collection.
These terms have to do with different types of lettering and illustration
techniques. A Versal
in an enlarged first letter marking the beginning of a section of text.
Rubricated
letters are letters
or words written in red ink for emphasis. Historiated
letters are
those that are embellished to illustrate a story or convey further meaning
about a passage. They could also be Inhabited
letters,
those containing a human or animal figure, or Zoomorphic
letters which
are comprised of an animal form. A Miniature
is an independent painting or illustration in a manuscript that generally
illustrates the text. Miniature derives not from the small size but from
the Latin word minum, which is a red pigment used in paint. Illumination
refers to manuscript decorations and illustrations in color and with burnished
silver or gold.
The texts of this time period were most often religious in nature and written in Latin. Various types of texts could be:
DURING the 14th and 15th century, it became increasingly common to use vernacular language and produce vernacular texts. With the availability of paper and the increasing demand for books, the book of this time came to resemble the modern book. The leaves in this exhibit are from the rare book collection of Special Collections at Florida State University. The exhibit is open to the public from 9:00 to 6:00 Monday through starting in November 1999.An Antiphonal is a book containing music sung by a choir during the Divine Office A Book of Hours is a book used for private devotions containing a calendar, psalms, prayers, hymns, and Biblical readings. A Breviary is a liturgical book used in celebrating the Divine Office. The Divine Office is the daily Cycle of prayers and recitations performed by Clergy. A Missal is the service book containing the necessary texts for recitation of the Mass. A Psalter is a Book of Psalms often with a calendar.
For further information about manuscripts many websites have excellent resources. One of the most extensive is Labyrinth from Georgetown University. The link brings you directly to their page on manuscript resources but the entire site is on Medieval History. The Book Information Website is a huge site from the Netherlands with information on all aspects of the history of the book. Especially of interest is their Membra Disiecta , an exhibit of manuscript fragments that were reused in bookbinding as pastedowns or spine reinforcements. Another item of interest is their Book History Chronology which starts in 3500 BC and continues to the present.
Manuscript Materials in Handwritten Books exhibit:
1. Uniform title: Bible.
Latin. Vulgate. Selections. 1220.
Title:
<Original leaf from a thirteenth century Bible>
Published:
ca. 1220.
Description:
<1> p. (51 lines); 30 cm.
Notes:
Ms. In Latin. Title from cover. Pasted in covers.
Call Number:
Spc BS399.L3 B4
2. Title:
<Book of hours : Psalm 40 : 5-13>
Published:
<S.l. : S. n., 15th century?>
Description:
<2> p. on 1 leaf: vellum, ill ; 10 cm.
Notes:
Psalm 40, (i.e. 41, King James version), verses 5-13 from The Office of
the Dead (in The Hours of the Divine Office) from the Catholic Roman Breviary
text. One leaf from a French miniature Book of hours, hand-written in Church
Latin in Gothic print on both sides of fine vellum; black letters with
some initial letters painted in blue and burnished gold, with delicate
ornamental red penwork; miniature book made for the use of ladies.
Call Number:
Spc BX2080 .A2 1400z
3. Uniform title: Book
of hours. Dutch. Selections
Title:
<Leaf from a Flemish Book of hours>
Published:
<15th century>
Description:
<2> p. on 1 leaf: vellum, ill ; 16 cm.
Language:
Flemish text.
Notes:
Unnumbered leaf from a Flemish Book of hours, hand-written in Gothic print
on both sides of fine vellum; text in small brown letters with some large
initial letters painted in blue and burnished gold, with delicate ornamental
white penwork on letters; border at top and bottom of front page in delicate
vine motif with green leaves, and blue and gold flowers.
Call Number:
Spc BX2080 .A2 1450z
4. Author:
Peter Lombard, Bishop of Paris, ca. 1100-1160.
Title:
<Sententiarum of Peter Lombard>
Published:
<13-->
Description:
<1> leaf (2 columns, 50 lines): vellum; 20 cm.
Notes:
Ms. In Latin. Written in extremely minute characters on uterine vellum;
penwork decorations in red and blue.
Call Number:
Spc BX1749.P4 P47
5. Uniform title: Missal.
Selections
Title:
<Missale Romanum>
Published:
<S.l. : S. n., 15th century ?>
Description:
<6> p. on 3 leaves: vellum; 34 cm.
Notes:
Leaves from a rubricated missal believed to be a 15th century manuscript,
probably of Italian origin; hand-written in Church Latin in Gothic print
(2 columns each leaf) on vellum. Text contains many abbreviated words;
some sections begin with 1 or more red or blue letters; each leaf is numbered
on 1 side: LXXXXIII, CXXIIII, and CCLXXXIII. Leaf LXXXXIII verso also contains
4 short lines of plainsong notation with text in both columns.
Call Number:
Spc BX2015.68 .A2 1400z
6. Uniform title: Bible.
O.T. Psalms. Selections
Title:
<Carthusian psalter>
Published:
<S.l. : s.n., 15th century ?>
Description:
<12> p. on 6 leaves: vellum; 34 cm.
Notes:
Six leaves from a rubricated psalter believed to be from a 15th century
manuscript; hand-written in Church Latin in Gothic print on vellum with
some sections beginning with 1 or more red or purple letters; each leaf
is numbered on 1 side: 86, 91, _, 97, 98, 99, and written on both sides.
Words written in large letters indicating the type of book placed at the
alter so that the priest or choir could read or chant at a distance during
church services; some words abbreviated.
Call Number:
Spc BS1425 .L3
7. Uniform title:
Book of hours. Manuscript.
Title:
<Leaf from a Book of hours>
Published:
<14--?>
Description:
<2> p. (17 lines): vellum, ill.; 17 cm.
Notes:
Illuminated manuscript, probably 15th century Flemish. In Latin. Title
from typed description supplied by dealer. Written in Gothic script on
vellum, with gilt initials framed in blue and brown, and line fillers of
same colors; leaf recto has marginal decoration of leaves, flowers and
fruit in gold, blue, green, and red. Catchword at bottom of leaf's verso:
miscebam.
Call Number:
Spc BX2080 .A2 1400
8. Title:
<Magnificat>
Published:
<S.l. : S. n., 15th century?>
Description:
<2> p. on 1 leaf : vellum, ill.; 24 cm.
Notes:
Leaf from a French Medieval Book of Hours such as those made by Benedictine
monastic scribes. Magnificat, Canticle of the Blessed Virgin Mary
(Luke I:46-55), recited with the proper antiphon after the recitation of
the verse; from the Ordinary of the Divine Office at Vespers (from the
Roman Breviary text) One vellum leaf from a prayer-book, written
by hand on both sides in Church Latin; Gothic letters in black with each
sentence starting with a larger color-painted letter in Arabesque style;
colored leafy-vine with gold-leaf ornamentation on right side of sheet
(front), and on left side of sheet (verso) Ends with short prayer (Antiphon)
to the Virgin
Call Number:
Spc BX2045.M3 A2 1400z
9. Uniform title: Collects.
Selections
Title:
<Collect for the dead>
Published:
<S.l. : S. n., 15th century?>
Description:
<2> p. on 1 leaf: vellum; 20 cm.
Notes:
One vellum leaf from a prayer-book, written by hand on both sides in Church
Latin; Gothic letters in black with main portions starting with a larger
color-painted letter in Arabesque style.
Call Number:
Spc BX2015.7 .A2 1400z
10.Uniform title: Book
of hours. Manuscript
Title:
<Leaf from a Book of hours>
Published:
<1465?>
Description:
<2> p. (14 lines): vellum, ill.; 19 cm.
Notes:
Illuminated manuscript, probably produced in France. In Latin. Title and
date supplied from typed description from the dealer. Written in Gothic
script on vellum, with gilt initials framed in blue and brown and line
fillers in same colors; delicate ivy-leaf border with leaves in gilt and
green, flowers in red and blue.
Call Number:
Spc BX2080 .A2 1465
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dhr
12/10/99