A Gradual of Durham Cathedral, given to the college in 1685. It is written in Gothic script. A Tonary begins on f. 133v, and polyphony appears on f. 138-139 on pages that appear to have been originally quarto size.

oak boards with modern light brown half-leather covering

Long-breve notation

square plainsong notes employ 8 red four-line staves per page ;now 4 x red five-line staves per page

138-139v

Parchment

RISM B/IV 1: A parchment manuscript meas. 292 x 170 mm. and containing 139 folios dating from c. 1300. In addition, there is 1 blank ribbed paper flyleaf each end, probably dating from the 17th century, and 1 further parchment leaf after the paper one at the front. The binding is of oak boards with modern light brown half-leather covering. This Gradual of Durham Cathedral was given to the college in 1685. It is written in Gothic script with the main initials in red-blue. The square plainsong notes employ 8 red four-line staves per page, and a Tonary begins on f. 133v. The polyphony appears on f. 138-139 in long-breve notation, and the pages appear to have been originally quarto size. The 2 double pages were cut horizontally across the middle, and the left page was also largely cut away so that only a stub now remains. We now possess the lower half of these double pages. References to the stub page will be followed by this word in brackets. There are now 4 x red five-line staves per page, and the T rubrics are red. There is text but no music on the main part of f. 139v. The music apparently consists entirely of fragments of motets.

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