Pontifical Mass Book: MS Marlay 15

Titles

Pontifical Mass Book

Maker(s)

Scribe: Fr Andreas de Andreis of Split

Entities

• Other

Categories

• Illuminated manuscript
• Manuscript

Description

PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION: Parchment, i paper flyleaf (watermark: three crescents) + 24 fols. + i paper flyleaf (watermark: three crescents), 346 x 245 mm (268 x 166 mm), 22-31 long lines, no visible text line rulings, four-line musical staves ruled in red ink, catchwords

BINDING: Seventeenth century, Italian, brown morocco over pasteboards, bifolia grouped in a single quire, sewn through the central fold and directly through the spine at eight points, gold-tooled flying cherubs and fan ornament at the corners, Crucifix within a hexagonal frame stamped on upper cover has, the Virgin and Child standing on the crescent moon stamped on lower cover.

CONTENTS:
fol. 1r Title Page inscribed PRAEPARATIO PONTIFICALIS MISSÆ Vna cum ORDINARIO, CANONE ET GRATIARIUM ACTIONE
fol. 1v Dedication of the scribe Fr Andreas de Andreis to Bonifacio Albani, Archbishop of Split, dated xx Decembris 1675
fols. 2r-6v Preparatory Rites of the Pontifical Mass
fols. 7r-15v Ordinary of the Mass with Prefaces for the Church year
fols. 16r-23r Canon of the Mass
fols. 23v-24v Prayers after the conclusion of Mass

ORNAMENTATION: Decorative frames for the title page and text pages of two types: the first type consists of wide rectilinear frames containing acanthus leaves, foliage scrolls and flowers (e.g. fols. 1v, 2r, 16r, 23v), those on fols. 1v and 16r including tromp-l’oeil flies, that for the title page on fol. 1r also containing six winged putti, two birds and six eagles tearing apart rabbits or hares, surrounding the title surmounted by an archbishop's hat with tassels and the arms of Albani a fess between three molets of eight points, and below the title the arms of the scribe, de Andreis, paly argent and sable; the second type has narrow rectilinear borders containing simple ornamental patterns in gold, red, and blue.

The blank space below the Sanctus on fol. 15v has a rose spray on which perch a grasshopper and two flies.

Gold initials [2-5 ll.] with foliage and flowers in black and brown ink within thin red and blue frames.

Notes

History note: Completed on 20 December 1675 (fol. 1v) for the personal use of Bonifacio Albani, Archbishop of Split (1668-1678), or for presentation to Split Cathedral; William Bragge (1823-1884); his sale, Sotheby’s, London, 7-10 June 1876, lot 297; purchased by Quaritch; bought from him by Charles Brinsley Marlay (1831-1912); his bequest, 1912.