precentor's manual from the chapter library formerly chained in the choir of the metropolitan church. Contains a calendar for the use of Sens on f. 1, then on f. 7. a list of archbishops of Sens (as far as Gilo II (1275-1292)), continued by various hands up to 1867; a notated Gradual and Antiphoner runs from f. 23-180. F.213 onwards contains offices and instructions for the precentor's biennial dance ceremony. Two motets preserved on f. 240-241v, and, unusually, are interpolated in plainsong. Each two-part work has 3 distinct verses sung to the same music, but with plainsong preceding and following. In each case there is also an alternative plainsong setting as well as mensural motet settings for the motet texts, which appear to be centos. The first motet is mainly intercalated between the texts of the antiphons 0 virgo virginum and Nesciens mater, the second between the lines of the Regina celi. Both motets have the same Mot, though the first is a fourth lower than the second.

calf, partly medieval; restored in 1671. It bears copper studs, but the clasps are missing.

Mensural, in Vitry's tempus perfectum minimum (with 3 semibreves to a breve but no minims); most bars have the length of a long and may be transcribed in 6/8, occasionally 9/8. Dots for dividing off groups of semibreves are frequent, but accidentals are few.

five-line (mots), normal four-line staves (T)

240-241v

Parchment

RISM B/IV 2: A 13th century parchment manuscript meas. 313 x 231 mm. and containing 286 folios. The codex, which comes from the chapter library, is the precentor's manual, formerly chained in the choir of the metropolitan church. After a calendar for the use of Sens on f. 1, in which the name of St. Louis is an addition, comes a list of archbishops of Sens on f. 7. The original list went as far as Gilo II (1275-1292), and was then continued by various hands up to 1867. The most important part of the codex is the notated Gradual and Antiphoner which runs from f. 23-180. From f. 213 onwards, the manuscript seems to be mainly 14th or even 15th century: in this section there are some interesting offices and instructions for the precentor's biennial dance ceremony. The two motets preserved on f. 240-241v are unusual in that they are interpolated in plainsong. Each two-part work has 3 distinct verses sung to the same music, but with plainsong preceding and following. In each case there is also an alternative plainsong setting as well as mensural motet settings for the motet texts, which appear to be centos. The first motet is mainly intercalated between the texts of the antiphons 0 virgo virginum and Nesciens mater, the second between the lines of the Regina celi. Both motets have the same Mot, though the first is a fourth lower than the second. The Mot parts are written on five-line, the T on the normal four-line staves. The mensural notation is Vitry's tempus perfectum minimum with 3 semibreves to a breve but no minims. Most bars have the length of a long and may be transcribed in 6/8, occasionally 9/8. Dots for dividing off groups of semibreves are frequent, but accidentals are few. The calf binding of the manuscript is in part medieval, but was restored in 1671. It bears copper studs, but the clasps are missing.

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