Martyrology of Usuard, Adapted for the Use of Strängnäs Diocese

Sweden, 14th century

parchment

124 leaves

270 × 185 mm

Latin

1 (ff. 1r–6v) Calendar

Note:

Important events are noted by various late medieval scribes, for example:

f. 1v: ‘Anno milleno cd scilicet l que secundo portauit varia dampna satis skania’ (memorial verse about Karl Knutsson's campaign in Scania 1452)

f. 2r: ‘Anno domini mcdlxxiii combusta est ecclesia Strengnensis cum campanis organis et quibusdam ymaginibus una cum claustro ordinis predicatorum capella sancti Eskilli magna multitudine populi et tota ciuitate duodecim curiis prelatorum et canonicorum exeptis casuali incendio circa meridiem Sabato Dominice Trinitatis’

f. 2v: ‘Anno domini mdprimo obiit venerabili in christo pater dominus Conradus rogge Episcopus Strengenensis decretorum doctor Qui ecclesiam ipsam pro magna parte ex vtrique parte amplicare fecit choro et prebenda sancti erici decorauit Summum altare cum tabula regula mitra baculo pastorali et antependiis precioribus perornauit’

f. 3r: ‘Anno domini mdxxxv^o In crastino iohannis ante portam Latinam Sexta feria infra octavam ascensionis domini hora 3a post prandium Combusta est tota ciuitas Strengenensis casuali incendio cum capellis Demptis dumtaxat Ecclesia cathedrali monasterio predicatorum Sola domo lapidea domini Episcopi non tamen sine grandi dampno et periculo cum nonnullis curiis ruinosis et paucis domibus in parte occidentali omittatis deo auxiliante’

2 (ff. 7r–124r) Martyrology

2.1 (ff. 7r–7v) Instructions for use of the Martyrology

Rubric: De arte inueniendi qualiter sit pronuncianda luna qualibet secundum numerum suppositum singulis litteris in martyrologio et ubi singulis annis littera mutatur

Incipit: Sciendum est quod quelibet littera alphabeti

Explicit: sexto kalendas marcii

2.2 (ff. 7v–8v) Preface by St Augustine

Rubric: Prefacio que in pluribus libris asscribitur bede super opere martyrilogii Iste prologus alicuibi dicitur excerptus de libris beati augustini

Incipit: Festivitates sanctorum apostolorum seu martyrum antiqui patres

Explicit: sunt cariate non seruitute

Edition: PL 123, cols. 599C–602A.

2.3 (ff. 8v–9r) Usuard, Preface dedicated to Charles the Bald

Rubric: Epistula seu prefacio vsuardi monachi ad karolum regem super opere martirologii

Incipit: Domino regum piissimo karolo augusto vsuardus

Explicit: dignetur custodire potencia amen

Edition: PL 123, cols. 599A–600B.

2.4 (ff. 9v–124r) Usuard, Martyrology

Rubric: ⟨K⟩alendis ianuarii

Incipit: Circumsisio domini nostri ihesu christi

Explicit: gladio cesa est Retinarie sancti hermetis exorziste et aliorum

Note:

The Martyrology has been adapted for the use of Strängnäs diocese. The solemnities of certain feast days have been changed or added, see further Schmid (1932), pp. 97–106. Additional feast days, such as Scandinavian saints, as well as notable anniversaries and events have been added in the margins, for example:

f. 15r: ‘Eodem die beati henrici episcopi et martiris festum duplex’; ‘Eodem die anniuersarium domini ingeualdi quondam prepositi strengnesis’

f. 17v: ‘Eodem die Anniuersarium domini thome quondam episcopi Strengensis’

f. 24r: ‘Eodem die sancti Sighfridi episcopi et confessoris festum totum duplex’

f. 33v: ‘Eodem die Anniuersarium Domini Magni andree quondam Canonici Strengensis’

f. 34v: ‘Eodem die Anniuersarium domini Thome quondam Episcopi Strengenesis’

f. 49r: ‘Eodem die Anniuersarium domini Erici Kagga Prepositi Strengenensis’

f. 53v: ‘Eodem die Anniuersarium domini Nicolai Magni prebendati Strengenesis’; ‘Eodem die Beati Erici martiris quodam illustrissimi regis Swecie Totum duplex’ (with drawing)

f. 55r: ‘Anno domini 1532 Incepta est Missa primalis swecana in ecclesia Stregenensi feria quinta pentecostes’

f. 58v: ‘Anniuersarium domini Ingeualli prebendati Strengensis’

f. 76v: ‘Eodem die sancte elene martyris vesgocie festum duplex’

f. 92v: ‘Dominica proxima post lamberti habeatur anniuersarium Reuerendi in chrsto patris domini Conradi Episcopi alme ecclesie Strengnensis. ’

According to  Wiktorsson (2015), p. 32 , this and some other notes are written by Nils Petersson Bang, canon in Strängnäs 1493–1542.

f. 98v: ‘Eodem translacio sancti eskilli episcopi martiris festum duplex’

f. 99r: ‘Eodem die beate Birgitta patrone Swecie festum duplex’

f. 100v: ‘Item Octaue sancti Eskilli episcopi et martiris festum duplex’

Editions: PL 123, cols. 601–987; PL 124, cols. 9–857.

Physical Description

Support

Binding/Endleaves

Locus: LCI, RCI

Support: Parchment

Textblock

Locus: ff. 1r–124v

Support: Parchment

Leaf dimensions: 270 × 185 mm

Foliation

ff. 1r–6r paginated 1-11 in dark brown ink by a modern hand, ff. 7r–124r foliated 7-124 in pencil by a modern hand.

Collation

Formula: 1(6), 2-15(8), 16(6)

Note: VisColl collation. Two folios at the end, ff. 121r–122v, should be placed before f. 119.

Catchwords: Catchwords visible on quires 2-10; 13; 15, some partially lost due to trimming.

Condition

Textblock

Several pages are stained and dirty. Several holes throughout the volume. Certain feasts have been erased or changed, for example on f. 49r and f. 88v. Smudge on f. 31v. Five stubs from a medieval breviary (or similar) have been inserted in the last quire, probably as support for the damaged binding. f. 124r badly damaged; half of the page missing.

Layout

Layout 1

Locus: pp. 1–12

Columns: 1

Written area: 200/200 × 130/130 mm

Note: Guidelines in ink.

Layout 2

Locus: ff. 7r–123v

Columns: 1

Written lines: 22

Written area: 170/170 × 120/120 mm

Script

Textblock

Description:

Main text in textualis formata.

Hand 1

(ff. 1r–6v)) may be written by another hand.

Additions

Binding/Endleaves

(LCI) Top of page, in pencil by a modern hand: ‘A:28’ (current signum). In brown ink by a modern hand: ‘21 B’. In brown ink by a medieval hand: ‘prima secunde’. In brown ink by two early modern hands: ‘Martyrologia Sive descriptio Brevis omnium Martyrum Singulis Anni Diebus adscriptum Ecclesiae olim Stregnensis’. National Library book label with current signum in black ink. Bottom of page, in brown ink by an early modern hand: ‘N:9’ (unidentified signum).

(RCI) Musical notation, of unknown date, in black ink.

Textblock

(ff. 8v–9r) Bottom of page, in brown ink by a contemporary cursive hand: a text in Old Swedish about the purchase of Scania, beginning: ‘Skanø var køpt til Swerge.’ A similar text is also recorded in Linköpings stifts- och landsbibliotek, MS J 77, fols 141r-142r.

(f. 53v) In the left margin, in black ink by a medieval hand, partially erased: drawing of St Erik with royal crown.

(Stub_1_r–Stub_5_v) Fragment of a theological text (breviary?), with quotes from the Bible and St Augustine.

(f. 124r) Top of page, in dark brown ink by a contemporary hand: ‘Tu in nobis es domine et nomen sanctum tuum atque gloriosum inuocatum est super nos ne derelinquas nos domine deus noster deo gracias’ (Jeremias 14:9). After this, in light brown ink by a contemporary hand: prayer, partially lost since half of the page is missing, beginning ‘Et ne nos inducas in temptacionem’.

(f. 124v) Musical notation (square notation, four staves) and illegible notes.

Decorations

Textblock

Description:

Main text in brown ink. Rubrics in red. Capitals touched in red. Paragraph signs in red and blue.

Initials:

(ff. 1r–6v): Top of the pages: plain initial ‘KL’ in blue and red over ca 5 lines, with flourishing in contrasting colours. (f. 9v): Puzzle initial ‘C’ in red and blue over 6 lines. (ff. 7r–123v): Plain initials over 1-3 lines in red, blue and green with flourishing, sometimes in the form of flowers, in the margins.

Binding

Description:

Medieval binding. Dark brown skin over wooden boards. 4 double raised bands and 2 endbands. On Spine, stamped in gold: ‘A 28’ (current signum). Remnants of a clasp on LCO, marks of a clasp on RCO. The straps are missing.

Binding dimensions: 60/60 × 190/190 × 270/270 mm

Condition: The volume has been repaired; the spine is modern.

History

Origin

Sweden, 14th century

Provenance

According to Paulsson, p. 26, the volume was first used at Strängnäs cathedral ca 1350. It was still in use there in 1541, with reference to an annotation on f. 3v.

The current signum, ‘A 28’, was first established in Helin’s catalogue from the 1720s (U 91:2:2).