Composite of originally separate fascicles. The main scribe was Johannes Orceau (SherrPC). Five additional scribes, as follows: (scribe 1) ff. 38'-49 (also wrote ff. 56'-68 of VatS 49 and ff. 71'-75 of VatS 63); (scribe 2) ff. 50'-54', 185', 187 (also wrote ff. 10'-12 and 38-48 of VatS 15, ff. 204'-206 of VatS 35, and all of VatS 197); (scribe 3) ff. 55-61; (scribe 4) ff. 87'-103 (also wrote most of VatS 15, ff. 218'-227 of VatS 23, ff. 36'-55, 69'-93, and 129'-140 of VatS 49, and ff. 39'-44, 59'-63, and 65'-70 of VatS 63; (scribe 5) ff. 186-186' (also wrote most of VatS 35 and ff. 196'-215 of VatS 51). Copied in Rome, for use by Cappella Sistina.

Some folios damaged by ink corrosion, but most music still legible. Some foliation, titles, and attributions partly or completely obliterated by later trimming.

Covers of medium brown leather over boards, blind tooled with decorative borders and central diamond motif; brass clasps, studs, and bosses. Covers date from 18th century (LlorCS), but decoration imitates earlier style; see VatS 13 for other manuscripts with similar bindings.

(1) generally resembles Briquet #11658; (2) generally resembles Briquet #203; (3) generally resembles Briquet #4412; (4) generally resembles Briquet #13883; (5) unidentifiable (SherrPC).

black void mensural

Staff height 24-26

Original ink foliation, [ii]-clxxxxvii, on right center rectos (f. i now missing; no number on f. [ii], but counted as such in enumeration; ff. clxxxv-clxxxxiiii now missing). Modern pencil foliation (cited here), 1-188, on lower center rectos (excludes front modern flyleaf and rear modern flyleaf).

Watercolour miniatures and initials on ff. 38'-39 and f. 73'; other folios have inked calligraphic initials decorated with floral tracery and grotesque faces. Miniature on f. 39 (beginning of Josquin's Missa La sol fa re mi) shows turbanned man surrounded by French coins; his right hand holds scroll with inscription 'LESSE FAIRE AMI' (see HaarS for discussion of decoration and possible relationship to Josquin Mass)

Original index on f. 188 lists pieces in order of appearance.

paper

SherrPMM’s ‘Scribe B’ (listed as (2) above) copies pieces by de Orto & des Pres (only) in Vats 15, 35, 41 and 197. RodinWIR considers it therefore “tempting to identify Scribe B as one of the two composers”.

RISM

XVe s. 187ff. Papier, 552 x 412 mm. Foliotation ancienne en ch. romains. Le f. 1 mq. Les ff. 14v, 15, 26v, 27, 37v, 38, 49v, 50, 61v, 62, 73, 86v, 87, 103v, 104, 113v, 114, 128v, 129, 174v, 175, 184v, 185, 197v [= 187v] sont blancs. Notation mesurée blanche. 10-11 portées par p. Au f. 198 [= 188]: Tabula hujus libri. Quelques capitales ornées en couleurs, les autres à la plume. Reliure du XVIIIe s. cuir, fermoirs et bouillons métal.

Ms. copié de plusieurs mains à la fin du XVe s. sur des papiers différents, dont certains filigranes caractérisent justement un matériel employé à cette époque, comme par exemple la sirène dans un cercle aux ff. 38-49 (Briquet, nos 13880-84). D'autre part, dans l'initiale du Kyrie à l'Altus, un mystérieux personnage coiffé d'un turban (f. 39) est curieusement assis sur un tas de pièces de monnaie dont certaines portent des fleurs de lys, ce qui, associé au titre de la messe de Josquin inscrit sur une banderolle: «Lesse faire a mi» (no 4), évoque évidemment une ambiance française.

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13 Masses (1 incomplete), 1 Kyrie fragment, 3 Credos = 17

A. Agricola-1, Brumel-1, R. Févin/(Josquin)-1, Josquin-6, La Rue -1, Ockeghem-2, Pasquín-1, Pintelli-1, Pipelare-1, (Prioris?)-1, Weerbecke [Gaspar]-1

ii + 186 + i + i paper folios, 550 x 415. Composite of originally separate fascicles. Some folios damaged by ink corrosion, but most music still legible. Some foliation, titles, and attributions partly or completely obliterated by later trimming. Original ink foliation, [ii]-clxxxxvii, on right center rectos (f. i now missing; no number on f. [ii], but counted as such in enumeration; ff. clxxxv-clxxxxiiii now missing). Modern pencil foliation (cited here), 1-188, on lower center rectos (excludes front modern flyleaf and rear modern flyleaf). Covers of medium brown leather over boards, blind tooled with decorative borders and central diamond motif; brass clasps, studs, and bosses. Covers date from 18th century (LlorCS), but decoration imitates earlier style; see VatS 13 for other manuscripts with similar bindings. Original index on f. 188 lists pieces in order of appearance.

The main scribe was Johannes Orceau (SherrPC); see general index for other manuscripts copied by Orceau. Five additional scribes, as follows: (1) ff. 38'-49 (also wrote ff. 56'-68 of VatS 49 and ff. 71'-75 of VatS 63); (2) ff. 50'-54', 185', 187 (also wrote ff. 10'-12 and 38-48 of VatS 15, ff. 204'-206 of VatS 35, and all of VatS 197); (3) ff. 55-61; (4) ff. 87'-103 (also wrote most of VatS 15, ff. 218'-227 of VatS 23, ff. 36'-55, 69'-93, and 129'-140 of VatS 49, and ff. 39'-44, 59'-63, and 65'-70 of VatS 63; (5) ff. 186-186' (also wrote most of VatS 35 and ff. 196'-215 of VatS 51. Staff height 24-26, usually 25. Watercolor miniatures and initials on ff. 38'-39 and f. 73'; other folios have inked calligraphic initials decorated with floral tracery and grotesque faces. Miniature on f. 39 (beginning of Josquin's Missa La solfa re mi) shows turbanned man surrounded by French coins; his right hand holds scroll with inscription "LESSE FAIRE AMI" (see HaarS for discussion of decoration and possible relationship to Josquin Mass). Watermarks: (1) generally resembles Briquet #11658; (2) generally resembles Briquet #203; (3) generally resembles Briquet #4412; (4) generally resembles Briquet #13883; (5) unidentifiable (SherrPC).

Ca. 1482-1507; index added ca. 1509-12 (DeanS). Copied in Rome, for use by Cappella Sistina.