Manuscript on paper (sturdy; staggered thumb holes at bottom of leaves) of Antiphons for suffrages. With liturgies and offices for various occasions. Written during the 16th century presumably for Franciscan use and supplemented during the 17th century; the second portion may have been added for use of the Reform Congregation of the Spanish Discalceates of which Peter of Alcantara was the founder
Description:
In Latin., Script: Written by two scribes in a large round gothic bookhand. 1) ff. 1r-43v (16th century); 2) ff. 44r-50r (17th century). Scribe 2 attempts to replicate the work of Scribe 1, but uses 5-line staves rather than 4-line., Decoration for ff. 1r-43v: initials, with foliage designs, in rectangular frame, often with ground uncolored; colors range from vibrant blue, yellow, and orange to olive green and dark purple. Initials for ff. 44r-50r, of similar design, with more subdued shades, and no frames., and Binding: Seventeenth century. Vellum stays, contemporary paper flyleaves and pastedowns. Original sewing on five supports attached to very thick, square wooden boards. Beaded and colored endbands. Red edges. Covered in brown calf (cow?) reinforced at spine with additional leather and straps nailed to the boards. Traces of a strap and pin fastening. Vellum label with notation "Antiphonar. Com. sanctorum" nailed to lower board. The badly warped upper board is reinforced with two strips of wood placed vertically on the upper surface.
Subject (Geographic):
Connecticut and New Haven.
Subject (Name):
Catholic Church and Franciscans.
Subject (Topic):
Liturgy, Antiphonaries, Illumination of books and manuscripts, Medieval, and Manuscripts, Medieval
Introitus for the Mass for the feast of two or more martyrs outside of Eastertide, to be inserted into a Gradual
Description:
In Latin., Script: copied by two hands, both writing Southern Gothica Textualis Formata with Spanish features. Hand A copied the four upper lines on f. 1r in a regular handwriting; hand B copied all the rest over erasure in a more artificial handwriting, which is of exceptionally large size on f. 1r. Musical notation in black nota quadrata. Red rubrics in the four upper lines on f. 1r. A large cadel D on the verso (“Deus”). F. 1r has rich decoration in a style influenced by Ghent-Bruges illumination: large historiated initial (2 staves + 2 lines of text) with the seated Virgin and the naked Christ child standing on her lap; at right a soldier in armour holding a lance (an illustration of the “Miracle of the Knight of Cologne”). Full architectural border subdivided in niches containing personages; in the left-hand border Sts. Andrew, Paul, Philip, and James the Less; in the lower section Jeremiah and Zechariah, flanking a central panel containing two angels holding a cloth displaying the Five Wounds of Christ with the motto “Miserere mei”; in the right-hand border four angels holding trumpets; in the top section a row of roses between twisted branches., and Originally the text, beginning with the initial, was that of the Antiphon “Sacerdos et pontifex”, sung at Vespers on the feast of a confessor bishop. It was erased and replaced with the current text, which is the Introitus for the Mass for the feast of two or more martyrs outside of Eastertide. The rubric at the top of the page and the initial were not erased, although they did not fit any longer the text. So the leaf originally was part of an Antiphonary, but it was removed and rewritten to be inserted into a Gradual.
Subject (Geographic):
Connecticut and New Haven.
Subject (Name):
Catholic Church
Subject (Topic):
Liturgy, Antiphonaries, Illumination of books and manuscripts, Medieval, and Manuscripts, Medieval
Manuscript on parchment (goatskin) of Andrea Vendramin, Doge of Venice (1476-1478), Commission (dogale) to Girolamo Michiel as governor of Asolo, near Treviso
Description:
In Latin., Script: Art. 1 is copied by one hand in a narrow Humanistica Cursiva Libraria, art. 2 by a hand writing Humanistica Cursiva Currens., On f. 1r white vinestem initial (6 lines) with long extensions in the upper and left margins; in the lower margin partial border in white vinestem, containing three medallions: the two outer ones feature the initials “I” and “M” in gold on a blue background; the larger, central one contains the coat of arms of Girolamo Michiel on a purplish red background in a green wreath., and Unbound.
Subject (Geographic):
Connecticut, New Haven., Asolo (Italy), and Venice (Italy)
Subject (Name):
Vendramin, Andrea, 1392-1478.
Subject (Topic):
Illumination of books and manuscripts, Medieval, Manuscripts, Medieval, and Politics and government
Manuscript roll, on parchment, in a single hand, illuminated, containing the "Arma Christi" poem and other prayers, in Dutch, including prayers ascribed to Popes Sixtus IV and Alexander VI. The prayers are preceded by a rubric instructing readers to kneel as they recite the prayers in order to obtain an indulgence
Description:
In Dutch., Layout: single column of text., Script: gothic., Decoration: Rubricated. Initials in red or blue. Large miniature at head of roll containing a bust of Christ wearing a crown of thorns, displaying his stigmata, and surrounded by the "arma Christi" (also known as the Instruments of the Passion). On a blue ground in gold frame. One large decorated initial immediately below miniature. Text accompanied by decorated borders on both sides., and Binding: section of leather sewn to top of scroll. Accompanied by seventeenth-century? fabric case with fabric and metal appliqués.
Subject (Geographic):
Connecticut, New Haven., and Netherlands
Subject (Name):
Jesus Christ and Catholic Church
Subject (Topic):
Passion, Dutch, Illumination of books and manuscripts, Medieval, Indulgences, Manuscripts, Medieval, and Religious life and customs
Manuscript on parchment of 1) Le livre de Lancelot du Lac, part III. 2) La queste del Saint Graal. 3) La mort au Roy Artus
Description:
In French., Script: Written in elegant gothic textura by one scribe, with a few interlinear corrections in later hands (14th and 15th centuries)., The decoration of this lavishly illuminated manuscript consists of seventy-seven large column miniatures, fifty-one smaller miniatures, and thirty-six historiated initials. Miniatures and historiated initials by at least two artists, the scale and quality of whose work distinguish the manuscript from contemporary and most fourteenth-century Arthurian manuscripts., Large miniatures, 12- to 11-lines, one column, framed and usually divided into two registers by thin bands, gold, red and/or blue with white highlights, edged in black, sometimes with arched canopies, often with architectural elements protruding (a few frames composed of thicker bands); figures in black pen against burnished gold (occasionally with painted gold diaperwork), blue or black grounds; chief colors: light blue, dark blue, grey, light brown, white, maroon, with some orange, green and gold. Borders on folios with large miniatures of a variety and inventiveness that defy strict classification: gold, red, and blue bands, edged in black, also running between, below and/or above text columns, terminating in dragons, dragon or human heads, groteques or, most commonly, floral spirals, some with frets, blue and red with white highlights and orange and green dots, against gold, blue and/or maroon cusped grounds, often with pinwheel-like projections. The borders are populated with magnificent grotesques and marginalia in the same style as the miniatures, many of them of a narrative or satirical character; some of these incorporate coats of arms., Small miniatures, 5- to 6-line, 1/2 text column, often with a 2-line initial inserted in upper right corner, otherwise as above, with border decoration on a smaller scale and unattached to miniature. Historiated initials, 5-line (letters without ascenders or descenders) to 13-line, red and/or blue, with geometric motifs in paler shades of red and blue, white, with touches of orange, against gold grounds, edged in black, with long dragon and floral serifs, as above, against cusped gold grounds; figures in same style as miniatures, against gold grounds., Illuminated initials, 3- to 1-line, gold, with globular serifs, edged thickly in black, against irregular red and blue grounds, also edged in black, with white floral filigree or heraldic birds, in white; flowers touched in with orange. On folios without miniatures (except ff. 2v-8v), a thin gold band runs along the left side of each text column, interrupted by initials, with a thin red pen-line on either side; adjacent, to the left, a column of I's each 3-line and blue and red alternately, with small spiral and curlicue flourishes, terminating in large flourishes in red or blue on alternate openings, each with pinwheel-like arms projecting from a central spiral with small petals and flourishes in blue and red; design of the terminal flourishes varies from one gathering to another; some with naturalistic leaves and flowers or fleurs-de-lis; terminals on ff. 1v-2r by the same hand as penwork initials on those folios. Line-fillers of varying design: two pairs of blue and red tapering bands, heraldically arranged and joined at center by red flower; undulating red line with red and/or blue balls under and over each crest and trough; red zigzag with blue infilling and spiral flourishes at terminals; alternating red and blue flowers; red and blue dots, etc., Some folios stained; f. 253 slashed in margin; f. 361 cut right across and glued together., and Binding: 2003. Full alum-tawed goatskin. See conservation treatment report for full description. Former binding stored in separate box: 18th century. Light brown calf blind- and gold-tooled. Sewing holes in inner margins.
Subject (Geographic):
Connecticut and New Haven.
Subject (Topic):
Arthurian romances, Illumination of books and manuscripts, Medieval, and Manuscripts, Medieval
In Latin., Script: copied by one hand in small Gothica Hybrida Formata (Bastarda), with a tendency towards lengthening and making loops to the ascenders on the top line., Headings in red. The manuscript is richly decorated in a uniform style with paragraph marks, line fillers, 1-line versals and 2-5-line initials in liquid gold on a blue or red ground decorated with foliage in liquid gold. On f. 1r arch-topped half-page miniature in the style of Jean Bourdichon, as wide as the writing area, above 12 lines of text, showing King David praying in a landscape. Full paneled border, the panels alternately with uncoloured background and filled with acanths, or with liquid gold background and filled with flowers or fruit; one “acanth” panel in the outer border and two similar panels in the lower one contain each a hybrid animal, one of these wearing a hat., The manuscript contains: 1) Petrus de Alliaco (Pierre d'Ailly, 1350-1420), Meditationes super septem Psalmos paenitentiales. 2) Table of Contents. 3) Lotharius Count of Segni (1160-1216, 1198-1216 pope as Innocentius III), De miseria humanae conditionis. 4) Ps.-Bernardus Claraevallensis (Pseudo-Bernard of Clairvaux), De interiori homine (Meditationes). 5) Iacobus de Gruytrode (c. 1400-1475), Speculum aureum animae peccatricis, also attributed to Iacobus de Iuterbog (1381-1465), Dionysius Carthusianus (Dionysius de Ryckel, 1402/1403-1471) and Gerardus de Schiedam (d. 1442).c, and Binding: 19th century. Red silk over thin wooden boards. Gilt edges.
Subject (Geographic):
Connecticut and New Haven.
Subject (Name):
Ailly, Pierre d', 1350-1420?, Innocent III, Pope, 1160 or 1161-1216., and Jacobus, de Gruytrode, active 1440-1475.
Subject (Topic):
Asceticism, Christian literature, Latin (Medieval and modern), Illumination of books and manuscripts, Medieval, Manuscripts, Medieval, Repentance, and Christianity
Manuscript on parchment and paper of a multitude of texts. The principal author or collector of the present manuscript is Thomas Butler from Harlow in Essex, born in 1528. He gives the horoscopes of himself and several members of his family. Other contemporary scientists quoted are Johann Stoeffler (1452-1531), Humphrey Llwyd ("Loyde", 1527-1568) and Leonard Digges (c. 1515-c. 1559).
Description:
In English., Script: Written by 5 hands: A (ff. 1r-46v and 75r-84v) writes a bold Gothica Cursiva Formata (Secretary), with headings in Gothica Textualis; B (ff. 47r-62r and 63v-65v): Gothica Cursiva Currens (Secretary), perhaps Butler's hand; C (f. 67r-v): Gothica Cursiva Antiquior Libraria (Anglicana); D (ff. 68r-72v line 2): Gothica Cursiva Libraria (Secretary); E (ff. 72v line 3-74r): Gothica Cursiva Formata (Secretary)., Pen drawings throughout., and Binding: Nineteenth century. Brown leather over cardboard, rebacked. The covers decorated with gilt frames and five gilt stars (4 in the corners and one in the center); spine gilt with inscription "ASTROLOG.". Red edges. Marbled endleaves.
Subject (Geographic):
Connecticut and New Haven.
Subject (Name):
Digges, Leonard, d. ca. 1559., Llwyd, Humphrey, 1527-1568., and Stoeffler, Johann, 1452-1531.
Subject (Topic):
Astrology, English literature, Illumination of books and manuscripts, Medieval, Manuscripts, Medieval, Science, and Science, Medieval
Manuscript on parchment of astrological texts drawn largely from Arab astrology of the early Middle Ages, and transmitted in medieval Latin translations; in addition Ptolemy's Centiloquium is present, transmitted not in Greek but through the Arabic, along with a single contemporary component, the Astrolabium planum of Johann Engel
Description:
In Latin., Script: Written by a single scribe in a large and clear hand in Gothica textualis formata and Bastarda., Rubrics, and occasional headlines in red, diagrams in the text in brown and red inks. Full illuminated border, outlined in red, on f. 1r of leafy sprays in colors and gold, the white spaces filled up with black dots and small burnished gold circles each with three or four small tendrils; a large initial in burnished gold and colors at the beginning of the text in the first column, with gold band extending downward and then around three sides of the page forming an inner border, completed by a red line at top; a lozenge at the center of the lower band of the border containing a pattern of platelike discs, quatrefoils, and a leafy spray on a dull gold ground, this segment almost certainly a later replacement of an original coat of arms which has been erased. Elsewhere in the manuscript smaller illuminated initials in the style of the first frequently occur, and larger ones with descenders to partial borders at the foot of the page occur. Each of the ninety-six pages from f. 191r through 238v has four drawings in colors (six on those pages which open each of the signs of the Zodiac), placed within diagrams accompanied by slight text., and Binding: Nineteenth century, English. Marbled paper boards, green calf back with six heavy (false?) bands, the compartments with patterns of small tools impressed in gold and with gold-stamped titles, a small rectangular label with the printed number 1037 and a small round label with the inked number 894 glued to the bottommost compartment. All edges gilt. Preserved in a modern green cloth folding box, probably French, with leather label.
Subject (Geographic):
Connecticut and New Haven.
Subject (Name):
Ptolemy, active 2nd century.
Subject (Topic):
Astrology, Astrology, Arab, Illumination of books and manuscripts, Medieval, and Manuscripts, Medieval
Manuscript on paper made by an unknown Venetian mathematician, astronomer and cartographer. This manuscript is highly interesting for the excellent drawings of contemporary Mediterranean sailing-ships
Description:
In Italian., Script: Written by one hand in Gothico-Humanistic Cursive, which in the maps alternates with Capitalis. Headings in Capitalis inscribed on scrolls or tablets., Maps, borders and decorations in colours. Clumsily drawn human and animal figures., and Binding: Original limp vellum. On the spine is written "G***ctrica MSS". On the rear cover are a pen-drawing, upside-down, of the same decorative device as on f. 2r, and a sketch of city gates.
Subject (Geographic):
Connecticut, New Haven., and Islands of the Mediterranean.
Subject (Topic):
Atlases, Illumination of books and manuscripts, Medieval, Manuscript maps, Manuscripts, Medieval, and Sailing ships
Manuscript on paper of Pedro Lopez de Ayala, Aves de caça.
Description:
In Spanish., Script: Written by a single scribe in a careful italic script., Crude initial and heading (in gold and subdued water colors) on f. i recto and f. 1r; other small initials, 4- to 1-line, in similar colors throughout text. Headings in red; initials of each paragraph in blue or red., Waterstained throughout., and Binding: Seventeenth century. Black goatskin, blind-tooled. Fragments of manuscripts (covered by paper pastedowns) serve as binding reinforcements.
Subject (Geographic):
Connecticut and New Haven.
Subject (Name):
López de Ayala, Pedro, 1332-1407.
Subject (Topic):
Falconry, Illumination of books and manuscripts, Medieval, Manuscripts, Medieval, and Spanish literature
