Manuscript contains the Legenda Aurea of Jacobus de Voragine, with additions; text and pen trials have been copied on f. 217v, together with the inscription 'Rychardus … Dei gratia rex anglie qd hault este.' (CCM). Margaret Bent has surmised that the inscription 'Rychardus Dei gracia Rex Anglie quod hault este' was later than the musical jotting. The mention of King Richard places this early use of void notation before 1400, possibly the earliest datable use of void notation. Assuming this is the same book (Legenda aurea), it is not a mass fuit homo (as was once believed) but pen trials 'fuit homo', and a textless musical jotting or sketch on a two-line stave with void notation and flagged semiminims. There is no reason to think it is from a mass. Copied in England. Purchased from Sotheby in 1966.

English covers of red doeskin over boards; original red leather thong with metal clasp

black void mensural notation

Modern foliation.

217v

parchment

1 Mass (fragmentary)

Anonymous

217 parchment folios, 190 x 145. Modern foliation. 14th-century English covers of red doeskin over boards; original red leather thong with metal clasp. Manuscript contains the Legenda Aurea of Jacobus de Voragine, with additions; a fragment of a Missa Fuit homo, in white mensural notation, has been copied on f. 217', together with the inscription "Rychardus . . . Dei gratia rex anglie qd hault este."

Ca. 1300 (the book itself); the fragment of music is from the late 15th century. Copied in England. Purchased from Sotheby in 1966.