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Medieval Manuscripts in the d'Alzon Library: 4a. Gradual leaf (Nativity of St. John the Baptist)

This guide provides context, texts, and images for the nine medieval manuscript leaves in the archive of the d'Alzon Library. It aims to make the collection more accessible to students, educators, and researchers.

Image (recto)

Image (verso)

Context

Origin: France, c. 1600

Provenance: Purchased in France and donated to the d'Alzon Library by Fr. Donat Lamothe A.A. ca. 2000.

Physical description: 347 x 248 mm. Square notation on red four-line staff. Humanistic book script (a type of script emulating Roman capitals that began in Italy ca. 1400 and spread to the rest of Western Europe ca. 1500. The first antiphons of each Mass are introduced with large initials, one historiated (see below); smaller initials introducing other chants are situated in unframed squares with vine décor. The margins are stained with fingerprints, suggesting heavy use. 

The historiated O-initial on the recto side introduces the Corpus Christi antiphon O sacrum. The feast of Corpus Christi celebrates the presence of Christ's body and blood in the Eucharist. Accordingly, the initial contains a monstrance displaying the O-shaped consecrated host.

Further information: A gradual contains chants used in the Mass. It is clear that 4a-c come from a gradual thanks to their inclusion of sections of the ordinary, such as the Agnus Dei (4a recto). Only the incipit of each chant is provided, suggesting that the gradual was used by a choir master to intone the chants. The rubric on the verso side indicates that the following chants are to be sung on the feast of the nativity of St. John the Baptist; this is preceded by the feast of Corpus Christi, as indicated by the inclusion of O sacrum on the recto side.

Texts

In addition to parts of the ordinary (Agnus Dei and Magnificat), the leaf contains the following chants: