habitares eligere dignatus es da quaesumus ut sua
A book of devotions which includes various psalms and an illuminated initial at the beginning of Psalm 70. Text includes passages from pro santis of vespers, imperfectly; Psalm 128 of compline; instructions for Sabboth from Advent through Christmas; instructions for antiphons and psalms for offices of nones, vespers, compline, and the Blessed Virgin from Advent to Pentecost; Penitential Psalms beginning in the middle of Psalm 6; Litany of Saints; Office of the Dead with abbreviated ending; and Gradual Psalms (incipits only) ending at Psalm 126.
Written in Italy in the first half of the 14th century. Possibly Augustinian canon origin: Saint Augustine is singled out among the bishops and confessors as “Peter Augustine.” In the 18th century, codex belonged to Jehan de Montagu based on inscriptions on f. 54r and f. 96r. Notation in margins in pencil noting psalm chapters (modern, not Vulgate). Obtained by Jean Roos from Otto F. Ege of Cleveland Ohio at an unknown date. Given to Western Michigan University by Jean Roos on 25th anniversary of the founding of WMU School of Librarianship in 1970.
nascendo formam sumpseris Maria mater gratiae
Manuscripts, Latin (Medieval and modern)
Catholic Church--Prayers and devotions--Early works to 1800
llumination of books and manuscripts--Italy--15th century
130 x 195 mm (written space: 63 x 50 mm)
Collation is erratic and difficult to determine: numerous excisions and repairs to gatherings. The manuscript may have been made up originally of odds and ends of parchment, the situation being further confused by modern rebinding, loss of leaves, and probable excisions of illuminations.
Bound in post-medieval limp vellum. Two parchment ties on the fore edge, now broken.
Rubricated in red. 1-line blue and red initials throughout text. 2-line blue and red initials with occasional purple pen flourishes passim. On f. 7v, 5-line illuminated initial D in red and blue on gold and enclosing flowers and vines. Acanthus - like motif extending into the margins. Gold flaking from marginal shapes and showing cracks in the initial. Ink burn on later leaves. Text on f. 113v illegible and faded. 1 column of 11-12 lines ruled sporadically in dry point and lead with several gatherings at the end made up of parchment ruled for another purpose. On ff. 75-82: double columns, oriented perpendicular to text. On ff. 113-114: originally ruled for two columns of text with more and narrower lines than the existing text. Some pricking in the outer margins only, mostly trimmed.
Text is written in gothic textualis formata.
On f. 1r, inscription in light brown. Inscriptions referring to Jehan de Montagu, possibly a previous owner, on f. 54r, “Le Seigneur de Montagu a joute ... 20 Septembre 1781” and on f. 96r, “Jehan de Montagu, Sieur de os....” Notation in margins in pencil noting psalm chapters (modern, not vulgate). Modern pencil numbering on lower margins of each leaf recto.
Manuscript 102, Western Michigan University Special Collections
Gwara, Otto Ege’s Manuscripts, HL 279 (p. 190).
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.