Lectionary for Cistercian use, in Latin, decorated manuscript on vellum [Italy (probably Lombardy), mid thirteenth century]

221 leaves, 445mm. by 315mm., 8 leaves wanting after fol.193, 2 leaves after fol.196, else complete, collation: i^{8, ii-iii6, iv-xiii8, xiv9 (i wanting), xv-xxiv8, xxv4, xxvi6, xxvii-xxviii8, xxix6 (i attached to pastedown, last blank and cancelled), double column, 30-31 lines in dark brown ink in a fine early gothic bookhand, capitals touched in red, 2-line initials in red or blue (some with contrasting penwork), some larger initials in red and blue with elaborate coloured penwork (that on fol.184v with white vine infill on blue grounds),} two very large initials (fol.1r: 85mm. high; fol.217v: 65mm. high) in same with ornate scrolling penwork infill, some scuffing, staining and small tears to first few leaves, with hole approximately 70mm. by 50mm. in first two leaves (with small losses to text), some repairs with tape and an eighteenth- or nineteenth-century repair to fol.2, small tear from base of last leaf with a loss of a few letters from the bottom of the two columns, else good and presentable condition, heavy wooden boards (perhaps early or original) with modern red leather spine

provenance

1. Prepared for a Cistercian abbey in Lombardy, perhaps the abbey of Morimondo near Milan or Chiaravalle della Columba in Piacenza.

2. Apparently Bishop Paolo Giovio (1483-1552), the historian and humanist; who acquired codices from Morimondo and Chiaravalle della Columba; sale by descendents, Christie's, 17 November 1976, lot 368, to Kraus.

3. Bergendal MS.83; bought by Joseph Pope from Kraus in November 1986: Bergendal catalogue no.83; Stoneman, 'Guide', p.198; M. Ferrari, 'Biblioteche e scrittori' in Archivio ambrosiano 40, 1980, no.106; and 'Dopo Bernardo' in San Bernardo e l'Italia, 1993, p.293.

text

This large and handsome manuscript contains the summer part of a Cistercian Lectionary (cf. R. Gregoire, 'L'Homéliare Cistercien du manuscript 114(82) de Dijon', in Commentarii Cistercienses, 28, 1977, pp.133-207). The Temporal opens on fol.1r with the prayers for Easter Sunday, and ends on fol.109v for the twenty-fifth Sunday after Pentecost. This is followed by the Sanctoral.