gothic textualis quadrata. Notation: various. unstemmed semibreves with dot of division used melismatically in 4 and syllabically in 1; cut-circle in 2; English ars nova in 3.

57 freely-ruled red five-line staves

roll verso

Parchment

RISM Supplement: A roll of seven membranes sewn end to end. Parchment. 4320 x 215 - 220 mm. Written space (dorse) 1250 x 180 mm. Ruling: 57 freely-ruled red five-line staves (12-13.5 mm), grouped in systems of three in 2 and 3; marginal rules in brown pencil, and text guides in dry point. Some unfilled trial staves on m. 7 d. Script: two hands, each writing an undistinguished gothica textualis quadrata, responsible for items 1 and 3, and 2 and 4 respectively. Notation: unstemmed semibreves, with dot of division, used melismatically in 4, and syllabically in 1 ; circle-stem in 2; English Ars nova in 3. Decoration: plain red one-stave and one-line initials; captials in text splashed in red. Cue only supplied for initial to 4. Brown pencil crosses in the left-hand margin in 2 and 3 act as cues to the placing of text between staves in items written in score.

Written in England. On the face of the roll is a weekly account of building works carried out on the hall at John, Lord Segrave's manor at Bretby, Derbyshire, 2 March 1302-31 January 1303. The music is a later addition on the dorse of the roll, made s. xiv, possibly while Segrave's grandson, John II de Segrave, was a ward of Thomas of Brotherton, Earl of Norfolk and youngest son of Edward I. The roll was kept probably at Bretby until John, Lord Segrave's death in 1324; his son and heir, Stephen de Segrave, died in the following year and was succeeded by his own son, John de Segrave, then aged 10. From 1327 to 1337 the Segrave lands and muniments were held in wardship by Thomas of Brotherton whose principal residence was at Framlingham; it is during this period that the music was most likely copied, in all probability by the earl's domestic chaplains or clerks. Custody of the roll was returned to John II, Lord Segrave on his majority in 1337, and it was probably at Bretby until his death in 1353. Segrave's wife, Margaret of Brotherton (daughter of Thomas of Brotherton and later Duchess of Norfolk), whom he had married in 1337, inherited the estate at Bretby, and with it the roll, which remained in her possession, probably at Framlingham, until she died in 1399. It was moved to Berkeley at some time after the marriage of Isabel Fitzalan and James, Lord Berkeley in 1423/4, probably with other Segrave muniments that were transferred there by Elizabeth Fitzalan, Duchess of Norfolk (d. 1425). Repaired at the Gloucestershire Record Office, Gloucester, 1989. Owned: John, Lord Segrave, d. 1324; Stephen, Lord Segrave, d. 1325; John II, Lord Segrave, d. 1353; Margaret of Brotherton, Duchess of Norfolk, d. 1399; Thomas Mowbray, Duke of Norfolk, d. 1399; Elizabeth Fitzalan, Duchess of Norfolk, d. 1425; James, Lord Berkeley, d. 1463, and his heirs.

NOTES ON CONTENTS

1. Upper voice followed by erased copy of T marked 'Pes de alma mater et de ante thorum'. 2. Double text intended, but capitals only are supplied for even-numbered verses. Middle voice carries plainsong Benedicta es. 3. Double text intended, but capitals only are supplied for even-numbered verses. Also in Cgc, MS 230/116 p. 3 (fol.1). 4. Ed. PMFC 15 No.32. Also in DRc, MS C. I. 20, fol. 3; Ob, MS e Musaeo 7, fol. vi verso.

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