4 fragments mounted on new ff. 89-92 in a miscellaneous collection of fragments recovered from bindings. Score format, except for ff. 92-92', in choirbook format. Once part of a choirbook; other fragments from same manuscript now CambriU 4435 (16a-d), CambriU 5963, and ff. 27a-28 of OxfBU 192 (BentL). Ff. 89'-91' copied by main scribe of original choirbook; f. 89 contains later addition by a second scribe; piece on ff. 92-92' (continued on ff. 28-28' of OxfBU 192) is also a later addition, copied by a third scribe. Copied in England.

Original manuscript disassembled in 16th century; folios used as bindings to two printed books (call numbers: Arch.C.II.5.7, and Arch.C.II.5.9 [olim: F.13.1 and F.13.3] in this library), 426 x 282mm. These bindings were by Nicholas Spierinck, a Netherlandish stationer who settled in Cambridge c. 1505 and died c. 1545. Offsets on the boards of these two books confirm the locations of ff. 89-92 as pastedowns. In most cases they add a little to what is visible on the lifted pastedowns (in at least one case the offset is near perfect and clarifies the badly worn original).

Fragments with music subsequently removed from bindings; now preserved in guard book with modern covers of tan cloth on cardboard.

Black mensural Ars Nova notation on red staves with red coloration

Ca. 1420-30 (BentL).

red staves; stave height 15.5

New pencil foliation, 1-115.

89-92v

Large primary initials in black ink on f. 90 and f. 91; small Gothic initials in red and blue on f. 89'

Parchment for choirbook fragments; otherwise paper

RISM B/IV 2: 3 volumes of fragments bound in 1920 in light brown cloth over pulp boards and consisting respectively of 93, 115 and 39 numbered folios. The pages in question here come from the following original sources: ms 266, f. 26 (from ms lat. 7); ms 267, f. 89-92 (from mss F. 13.3, F. 13.1, F. 13.1 and F. 13.3); ms 268, f. 26 (from ms lat. 7). Ms 266, f. 26 measures 290 x 210 mm., though all margins except the top one have been cut away. Fortunately, only a stave of music is missing, at the bottom. The Ars Nova notation appears to date from the mid-14th century, though the first piece was not composed with minims in mind, i.e. they are only used occasionally for clarification of the rhythm. There are 12 red five-line staves per page, and initials are coloured in blue and red. The letter P on f. 26 covers 4 staves and is ornamented. The unusual g clef appears on this page too. The present recto must really be the verso and vice versa, so that the two pages from mss 266 and 268 belong together, taken in reverse of the present order. This is proved by the presence of the motet at the bottom of ms 268, f. 26 and ms 266, f. 26v in smaller notes than the rest. Ms 268 meas. 275 x 210 mm. - The completer and larger fragment in ms 267 meas. 418 x 269 mm. maximum. The final page is in a different hand, less stylised than the others and clearly 15th century. The use of mensuration signs and frequent red notes also suggests a similar date, however, for the other pieces, namely c. 1420. Again all the rectos seem to be versos and vice versa, but whether all 4 folios are from the same ms is difficult to decide. Certainly the middle 2 are, but they are not adjacent pages. Both employ the same black initial P for the word Patrem, while f. 89v has blue or red initials. The developed Ars Nova notation is written on 12 red five-line staves per page.

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1 Gloria (incomplete), 5 Credos (incomplete), 1 Mass Proper section, 1 canticle (incomplete) = 8

Anonymous

iv + 115 + ii paper folios, 426 x 282. Modern guard book containing miscellaneous collection of fragments recovered from bindings. New pencil foliation, 1-115. Modern covers of tan cloth on cardboard. Only items within scope of this catalogue are 4 parchment fragments mounted on new ff. 89-92 (f. 89: 405 x 268; ff. 90-91: 416 x 270; f. 92: 395 x 261). Once part of a choirbook; other fragments from same manuscript now CambriU 4435 (16a-d), CambriU 5963, and ff. 27a-28 of OxfBU 192 (BentL). Black mensural notation on red staves, with red coloration; score format, except for ff. 92-92', in choirbook format. Ff. 89'-91' copied by main scribe of original choirbook; f. 89 contains later addition by a second scribe; piece on ff. 92-92' (continued on ff. 28-28' of OxfBU 192) is also a later addition, copied by a third scribe. Large primary initials in black ink on f. 90 and f. 91; small Gothic initials in red and blue onf. 89'.

Ca. 1420-30 (BentL). Copied in England. Original manuscript disassembled in 16th century; folios used as binding material for two printed books. Bindings were work of Nicholas Spierinck, a Netherlandish stationer who settled in Cambridge ca. 1505 and died ca. 1545. Books later came to present library (call numbers: "F.13.1" and "F.13.3"). Fragments with music subsequently removed from bindings; now preserved in guard book.

Vol 4

OXFORD. Magdalen College Library. MS 267 [see also CambriU 4435, CambriU 5963, CanberN 4052/2/1, OxfBDON b.31-2, OxfBU 192]

Physical: Once part of same original manuscript as CambriU 4435, CambriU 5963, CanberN 4052/2/1, OxfBDON b.31-2, and ff. 27a-28 of OxfBU 192.

Provenance: Of English origin; possibly copied for chapel of King Henry VI (BentP).