COLLECTION NAME:
Medieval Document Collection
Record
Identifier:
exws_nb_ms002_bk
Manuscript Identifier:
Newberry / WMU MS 2
Title:
Dominican Sister’s Office Book
Alternative Title:
Newberry Library. Manuscript. Case MS 160
Alternative Title:
Western Michigan University / Newberry Library. Joint Purchase. MS 2
Author:
Catholic Church
Author:
Dominican Sisters
Origin Date:
between 1450 and 1475
Origin Location:
Nuremberg (Germany)?
Description:
Manual or office book compiled for a Dominican nunnery, probably in Nuremberg during the third quarter of the 15th century, possibly between 1450 and 1469. The compilation of liturgies and prayers includes the Communion for the sick; Extreme Unction to be offered in the death of a sister; the Mass for the dead; various litanies of saints, with multiple references to St. Dominic, and local German saints such as St. Cunegund (whose relics are in Bamberg); St. Heinrich (Henry II, husband of Cunegund, also of Bamberg); and St. Sebald (patron saint of Nuremberg). Also included are diagrams in lower margins, written in German, outlining the stages of liturgical processions in the nunnery. Rubrics refer to "swester", and Latin prayers are written in the feminine case.
Provenance:
Jointly purchased by Western Michigan University and the Newberry Library in 1996.
Extent:
58 leaves
Subject:
Catholic Church--Liturgy--Texts--Manuscripts
Subject:
Catholic Church--Prayers and devotions--Latin--Early works to 1800
Subject:
Prayer books--Early works to 1800
Subject:
Gregorian chants
Subject:
Bookbinding--Specimens
Subject:
Music--Manuscripts
Subject:
Manuscripts, Latin
Subject:
Manuscripts, German
Language:
lat
Language:
ger
Dimensions:
175 x 130 mm
Material:
parchment
Foliation:
ff. 1r-58r
Binding:
Contemporary brown leather boards; two concentric double blind-ruled borders, filled with blind-stamped shell and flower ornaments; diapered center panel, lozenges containing blind-stamped flower and eagle ornaments; brass and leather strap-and-pin fastener; front and back pastedowns are parchment leaves; engraving of a saint's deathbed scene removed from another text and affixed to front pastedown. In a green cloth clamshell box, with green leather spine.
Decoration Description:
Text in gothic liturgical book hand in black ink, lightly ruled in brown, with first and last one or two horizontal rules extending to edge of leaf; prickings visible along fore-edge of leaves; 18 lines per page; headings, superscript corrections, and ceremonial instructions in red; sentence initials touched in red; alternating red and blue capitals; footnotes in German in brown, with sentences touched in red; catchwords in brown, circled in red.
Description of Hands:
Written in Gothic liturgical book hand.
Musical Notation:
Chant music included throughout test; music arranged on red 4-line staves with square notation in black; Latin words.
Additions and Marginalia:
Marginalia in different hands in German
Is Part Of:
Newberry Library
Is Part Of:
Medieval Document Collection
Is Part Of:
WMU / NB Case MS 002, Western Michigan University Special Collections
Publisher:
Western Michigan University
Date-Issued:
2019
Type:
Text
Format:
image/jp2
Is Referenced By:
Newberry Library. "Dominican Sisters' office book." Newberry Online Catalog. https://i-share.car… (accessed: July 30, 2019).
Rights Statement:
Rights Status:
No Copyright - United States
Access Rights:
Digital reproduction published by Western Michigan University and made available for private study, scholarship or research use under applicable U.S. Law. Access to digital reproductions provided by Special Collections at Zhang Legacy Collections Center, Western Michigan University.