Three fragmentary folios removed from 16th-century court book, apparently the only surviving remnants of a larger choirbook containing Masses. Each piece copied by a different scribe. Of English origin; probably copied in Somerset (BowersNS). In mid 16th century, present folios removed from original context and used as cover for court book owned by Luttrell family, of Dunster Castle, Somerset. Luttrell family archives later deposited in Somerset County Record Office, Taunton. Folios with music subsequently removed from court book; now preserved separately.

gauze-covered

black void mensural with red coloration

red staves; staff height 18.5

Modern pencil foliation, 1-3.

1-3v

Small inked Gothic initials.

Parchment

RISM

XIV 2/2

2 fols, (fragmentary; formerly front and rear pastedowns, now removed and foliated A, B). Parchment. Now 218 x 177 mm (fol. 1) and 280 x 177 mm (fol. 2); originally c. 300 x c. 220 mm. Written space 165-170 mm wide. Ruling: twelve freely-ruled red five-line staves (15-18 mm); text guide. Collation: in origin possibly a bifolium. Script: three hands, two writing a poor gothica textualis semi-quadrata (fols. A, Br-v) and the third writing a moderate anglicana (fol. Av). Notation: English ternary breve-semibreve in 1 -3; English Ars nova with mensuration signs in 4, and ligature shapes of Robert de Brunham. Decoration: cue entered for initial 'M' to 4 (not supplied).

Written in England. Each leaf folded and trimmed to form the flyleaves and pastedowns of DD/WHb 3182, a Wycliffite New Testament, s. xiv/xv, written probably by a group of provincial scribes. The binding, of red whittawed leather over oak boards with a single clasp (now lost), is probably the original, s. xv in. Scribbles, etc., on the rear flyleaves of MS DD/WHb 3182 (unfoliated) include: 'Item payde to Henry Scotull for thys same boke, xxj d. [sic] iiij d', 'Dominus Johannes Turveye nuper rector de Lyston London dioc', 'Will. Smyth, precium libri vj s. viij d.', 'John Huntyng of Bryndelly in com. ...', and a partly legible note about a 'boke callyd dives et pauper', all s. xv22; 'precium huius libri nichil', s. xvi in. An illegible medieval title is written in ink on the back cover. The music leaves were removed and placed separately in the late 1970s. Owned: the Button-Walker-Heneage family at Coker Court. Deposited 1958.

NOTES ON CONTENTS

1 Fragmentary; one voice of a motet. 2 Ed. PMFC 16, No. 57; middle voice based on Sarum Sanctus 4 (GS, pi. 15*) up a fifth. 3 One voice, revealing substantial voice-exchange; text in-cludes '... salutis rex piaculum ...'. 4 Ed. PMFC 16, No. 91; middle voice carries eighth-tone Magnificat (AM, pi. 442).

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1 Sanctus-Agnus pair, 2 troped Kyries, 1 Sanctus = 4 (all fragmentary) Dunster(?)-1,* anon-3

'Inscription "dunster" on f. 2 may or may not be composer attribution; see BowersNS for discussion.

3 fragmentary parchment folios, originally ca. 388 x 265, now of varying sizes, removed from 16th-century court book (see below). Apparently the only surviving remnants of a larger choirbook containing Masses. Modern pencil foliation, 1-3. Sanctus-Agnus pair and one Kyrie copied in white mensural notation on red staves; other pieces in black mensural notation on red staves, with red coloration. Each piece copied by a different scribe. Staff height 18. Small inked Gothic initials.

Ca. 1440-50, with additions ca. 1490-1510 (BowersNS). Of English origin; probably copied in Somerset (BowersNS). In mid 16th century, present folios removed from original context and used as cover for court book owned by Luttrell family, of Dunster Castle, Somerset. Luttrell family archives later deposited in Somerset County Record Office, Taunton. Folios with music subsequently removed from court book; now preserved separately.