Three bifolios recovered from binding of an illuminated psalter. Originally f. 1 adjacent to f. 2; f. 3 adjacent to f. 4. Ff. 1-4' and 6-6' copied by a single scribe; ff. 5-5' perhaps copied by same hand, but more likely by a second scribe. Copied in England. Probably during early or mid 16th century, folios were incorporated into binding of 'Stourton Psalter,' dating from c. 1440-50; removed from binding in 19th century, but kept with psalter. Modern owners include George Granville Leveson-Gower, 1st Duke of Sutherland; C. W. Dyson Perrins; H. C. Drayton. Fragments with polyphony acquired as separate item by British Museum at a Sotheby's sale of Drayton's property in 1967.
| Archive | British Library, London, England (GB-Lbl) |
|---|---|
| Shelfmark | Add. MS 54324 |
| Surface | Paper |
| Numbering System | Foliation |
| Format | portrait |
| Measurements | 220 x 352, 279 x 351, 287 x 355; orig. prob.: 290 x 360, folded to 180 mm |
| Other Identifiers |
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| Relationships |
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| External Links | |
| Provenance |
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| Contents | Contains 8 compositions, 5 from 3 composers, 3 are anonymous. |
General Description
Physical Description
Trimming and other damage have obliterated original foliation, some music, and probably some attributions
Watermark
first (bull's head surmounted by a star) closely resembles, but is not identical to, Briquet #15082; second (crown with banner) is Briquet #4846.
Notation
not indicated
Ruling
10-11 mm
Foliation
1-6v
Foliation
Modern pencil foliation in upper recto of each bifolio: 4, 2, 6, respectively (= BentDDP numbering 1/4, 2/3, 5/6, respectively)
Decoration
No initials or other decoration.
Surface
paper
Census Catalogue of Music Description
This information is reproduced here by kind permission of the publishers. It is COPYRIGHT and copying/reproduction of this content without permission may result in legal action.
3 Kyries, 1 Gloria, 4 motets = 8 (4 incomplete)
(Dufay)-1, Dunstable-1, Plummer-2, anon-4
3 paper bifolios, ca. 220 x 352, 279 x 351, 287 x 355, recovered from binding of illuminated psalter (see below). Original size of each bifolio probably ca. 290 x 360 (i.e., folio size ca. 290 x 180). Trimming and other damage have obliterated original foliation, some music, and probably some attributions. Modern pencil foliation in upper recto of each bifolio: 4, 2, 6, respectively (= BentDDP numbering 1/4, 2/3, 5/6, respectively). Originally f. 1 adjacent to f. 2; f. 3 adjacent to f. 4. Ff. 1-4' and 6-6' copied by a single scribe; ff. 5-5' perhaps copied by same hand, but more likely by a second scribe. Two watermarks: first (bull's head surmounted by a star) closely resembles, but is not identical to, Briquet #15082; second (crown with banner) is Briquet #4846. No initials or other decoration.
Ca. 1475 (BentDDP). Copied in England. Probably during early or mid 16th century, folios were incorporated into binding of "Stourton Psalter," dating from ca. 1440-50; removed from binding in 19th century, but kept with psalter. Modern owners include George Granville Leveson-Gower, 1st Duke of Sutherland; C. W. Dyson Perrins; H. C. Drayton. Fragments with polyphony acquired as separate item by British Museum at a Sotheby's sale of Drayton's property in 1967.
2v-3
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‡ denotes primary source study
Curtis, Gareth R K, and Andrew B Wathey. 1994. Fifteenth-Century English Liturgical Music: A List of the Surviving Repertory. Royal Musical Association Research Chronicle, 27: 1-69.
Planchart, Alejandro Enrique. 1981. Fifteenth-Century Masses: Notes on Performance and Chronology. Studi Musicali, 10: 3-29. Pages: 20-5,29. Notes: contents list (partial); concordances (partial); transcriptions (partial); mention of MS; discussion.
Hamm, Charles E, and Herbert Kellman (editors). 1979-1988. Census-Catalogue of Manuscript Sources of Polyphonic Music 1400-1550. Renaissance Manuscript Studies, vol. 1-5. 5 vols. Neuhausen nr. Stuttgart: American Institute of Musicology, Hänssler Verlag.
Hughes, Andrew. 1978. Fifteenth-Century English Polyphony Discovered in Norwich and Arundel. Music and Letters, 59: 148-58. Pages: 155. Notes: contents list (partial); concordances (partial).
Benham, Hugh Raymond. 1977. Latin Church Music in England c. 1460-1575. London. Pages: 58-9. Notes: physical description (partial).
Sandon, Nicholas. 1976. Fragments of Medieval Polyphony at Canterbury Cathedral. Musica Disciplina, 30: 37-53. Pages: 47-8. Notes: contents list (partial); transcription (partial).
Bent, Margaret. 1973. The Transmission of English Music 1300-1500: Some Aspects of Repertory and Presentation. Studien zur Tradition in der Musik: Kurt von Fischer zum 60. Geburtstag, edited by Margaret Bent, 65–83. Munich: Musikverlag Emil Katzbichler. Pages: 76. Notes: mention of MS; contents list (partial).
Burstyn, Shai. 1972. Fifteenth-Century Polyphonic Settings of Verses from the Song of Songs. Columbia University, Unpublished Ph.D. dissertation. Pages: 165, 193, 403. Notes: mention of MS; contents list (partial).
Planchart, Alejandro Enrique. 1972. Guillaume Dufay's Masses: Notes and Revisions. The Musical Quarterly, 58: 1-23. Notes: concordances (partial); facsimile (partial); mention of MS; discussion.
Hughes, Andrew. 1971-72. Review of Music in Medieval Britain VIII, rev. ed. [Dunstable: Complete Works]. Notes, 28: 99-100. Notes: mention of MS.
Bent, Margaret, Ian D Bent, and Brian Trowell (editors). 1970. John Dunstable complete works. Musica Britannica, vol. VIII. London. Pages: VIII [rev.ed.], 211-4. Notes: contents list (partial); concordances (partial); transcriptions (partial).
Bent, Margaret. 1969. The Old Hall Manuscript: A Paleographical Study. Cambridge University, Unpublished Ph.D. dissertation. Pages: 321-8. Notes: physical description (partial); contents list (partial); transcription (partial).
Bent, Margaret, and Ian D Bent. 1969. Dufay, Dunstable, Plummer-A New Source. Journal of the American Musicological Society, 22: 394-424. Notes: physical description; contents list; concordances; transcription (partial); facsimile (partial); mention of MS; discussion.
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Margaret Bent
Friday, 1 May, 2026
'Descendi in ortum meum' on f. 3 incorrectly ascribed to Leonel Power; corrected to Dunstaple (which is the ascription in the ms) The setting of Gaude flore which follows extends to f. 4v (not just 4); published in "John Dunstable: Complete Works" no.73
Census-Catalogue of Manuscript Sources of Polyphonic Music 1400-1550
Monday, 23 January, 2017
NB: Migrated from old site. Credit for notes may not be completely accurate. Census Catalogue of Music Description