Original leaf from a manuscript Spanish Choir (Ferial) Psalter on animal parchment. (550 x 380mm – 21 ¾ x 15 ¼’’)
Manuscript text beautifully executed by hand over 450 years ago. Signed by the scribe “L. Ruiz” in one of the initials elsewhere in the parent manuscript.
Spain (Dominican Use), c. 1520.
One two-line illuminated initial (1 ¾ x 2 ½ ’’) in red with violet interior & exterior penwork in geometric & floral design; fourteen one-line illuminated initials alternating in red with violet internal & external penwork, & blue with red internal & external penwork.
The two-line illuminated “E” begins Psalm 32 (King James 33) 1-15: “Exultate…” (Rejoice in the Lord, O ye just: praise becometh the upright. Give praise to the Lord on the harp; sing to him with the psaltery, the instrument of ten strings. Sing to him a new canticle, sing well unto him with a loud noise. For the word of the Lord is right, and all his works are done with faithfulness. He loveth mercy and judgment; the earth is full of the mercy of the Lord…).
The psalms were central to medieval liturgy, and constituted the core of the Divine Office. In addition to the psalms, a ferial psalter, also known as a choir psalter, contained items of the Divine Office that did not change from day to day, often including the invitatories, antiphons, canticles, short responsories, hymns, and litanies.
As is usual with Medieval and Renaissance parchment, the hair side of the leaf is darker than the flesh side, but may take ink somewhat better. The differences in tone caused scribes to arrange their quires so that the hair side of one sheet faced the hair side of the next, and the flesh side faced the flesh side.
