The lower half of a leaf, containing voice-parts for four English anonymous polyphonic liturgical works. Formerly a pastedown leaf on the inside lower cover of a printed copy of St. Augustine, De Civitate Dei (Paris, 1544) at shelfmark Okes 253, which was bound (according to Bent in Bibliography below, pp. 143-4) in London probably c. 1544-5. Lifted from that position in 1966.

The layout of the voice-parts is unusual, with tenor and bass parts notated on both the recto and the verso. One possibility, proposed by Margaret Bent (in Bibliography below, pp. 143-8), is that the fragment is a remnant of a choirbook, perhaps one in which the four pieces were partly or wholly later additions. (Each piece is the work of a different copyist, and various notational styles are present.) An alternative possibility is that the fragment was cut from a performers' part that was never bound into a larger volume. The latter interpretation would help to explain not only the unusual layout of the voice-parts, but also the absence of sewing-holes from both the left- and right-hand margins of the sheet. The notational style of item 1suggests that it was copied at an earlier date than items 2-4.

Owned in the 18th century by John Okes; donated in 1710 to parish of Wotton-under-Edge, Gloucestershire; placed on indefinite loan to Christ Church Library in 1964.

now loose within a protective card folder.

Two pieces in black void mensural; one in black full mensural; one in 'stroke' notation

12.5

r+v

The designation of the sides as recto and verso follows the analysis by Bent (p. 144).

Parchment

1 Magnificat, 3 motets = 4 (fragmentary)

Anonymous

1 fragmentary parchment folio, 267 x 360 (originally ca. 530 x 360; only lower half of original leaf remains), recovered from binding of printed book, now preserved separately in envelope. Apparently the only surviving remnant of a large choirbook. Two pieces in white mensural notation, one in black mensural notation, one in "stroke" notation (discussed in BentN); red staves. Each piece copied by a different scribe.

Ca. 1450 or earlier (Magnificat); other pieces possibly added ca. 1500 (BentN). Probably copied in London. Original manuscript disassembled in 16th century; present folio used by London bookbinder as pastedown for printed exemplar of St. Augustine's De Civitate Dei (Paris, 1544). Owned in 18th century by John Okes; donated in 1710 to parish of Wotton-under-Edge, Gloucestershire. Placed on indefinite loan to Christ Church Library, Oxford, in 1964; fragment with music discovered and removed when printed book was rebound in 1966.