Lot 22

Liturgical volume (perhaps a Missal), with readings from Lamentations and I Peter, in Visigothic minuscule, in Latin, decorated manuscript on vellum [Spain, eleventh century]

Estimate

10,000 - 15,000 GBP

bidding is closed

Description

Vellum

three fragments, the first two approximately 125mm. by 35mm., the third 125mm. by 30mm., with remains of 11 lines in black ink in a fine and early Visigothic minuscule, one red rubric and a single large initial 'K' in red penwork, stains, folds and small holes from reuse in binding, between glass, in fitted cloth covered case gilt (by Aquarius)

Provenance

provenance

Acquired from Quaritch in 1988; Schøyen MS 190.

Catalogue Note

text

The word Karissimi opening the epistle shoes that these are liturgical readings, perhaps from a Missal. The texts are Lamentations 3:54-55, 57-60, 61-62 and 30-32, followed by I Peter 4:13-16, including the Vetus Latina textual variant "Quod ab illis quidem blasphematur" (W. Thiele, Vetus Latina: die Reste der altlateinischen Bibel, 26.1, 1969, p.162, which identifies it as individual to text type T, used by Cassiodorus in his Connexiones and by Pope Martin I in the mid-seventh century). The Synod of Leon in 1090 forbade the use of Visigothic script in liturgical volumes, and the present fragments are presumably from a volume set aside in that period and reused as binding material.

Manuscript witnesses to the Visigothic or Mozarabic liturgy are rare. It is reported to have been set in its final form by Isidore of Seville (d.636) on the orders of the Fourth Council of Toledo in 633, and the present leaves are from the period in which King Alfonso VI of Castile (1040-1109) was disputing which rite Iberian Christians should follow: the Mozarabic or the Roman. After a number of ordeals, two volumes (one containing each rite) were submitted to trial by fire. The Toledan book was only slightly damaged whilst the Roman one was consumed.