Ars nova notation in one piece; other 3 pieces mostly long-breve notation with occasional 3-semibreve groups

50-59 mm recto, 56-58 mm verso

r+v

Parchment

RISM B/IV 2: A parchment manuscript of the 13th-14th centuries meas. 350 x 235 mm. and containing 238 folios. In addition, there is 1 blank unnumbered parchment folio of recent origin at each end + 1 unnumbered musical flyleaf of the 14th century, which follows the blank flyleaf at the beginning. The 19th century binding of brown leather over wooden boards bears the arms of the cathedral in gilt on the front cover. There are 2 clasps. The contents of the codex are sermons, works of Augustine, commentaries on the Psalms, etc. There is a modern ink or pencil foliation throughout at t.r.r., plus various older foliations. The hands vary, and in the first part of the ms there are no initials. Later initials are in blue-red. The musical flyleaf of the mid-14th century is undoubtedly connected with Durham, owing to the Tro for the first Kyrie, which deals with St. Cuthbert. This piece is obviously of the Ars Nova period with its minims, dots of division (including the signum rotundum), major semibreves with descending tails, and all necessary accidentals. The other 3 pieces are textless and mainly in long-breve notation with occasional 3-semibreve groups. The last of the 3 semibreves is written as a minim in each case, after Ars Nova principles. There are 15 brown five-line staves on f. 1, and 12 on f. 1v; f. 1v has a large illuminated initial in green and red. The textless pieces prove to be also mass movements, with a plainsong cantus firmus in the middle voice. The Kyrie is based on the Vatican Kyrie I, while the Sanctus and Agnus are both from Vatican Mass XV. Presumably the present recto is really the verso and vice versa.

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