For the Notre Dame Cathedral in Le Puy-en-Velay, (most likely mid-) 11th century

Parchment, 276 sheets (essentially intact apart from one sheet fol. 96), 17.5/18 x 11/11.5 cm, text face: approx. 13.5/14 x 8/8.5 cm, 24–28 lines, careful Carolingian minuscule (e-caudata, still some isolated ae, ct ligature not exceeded, NT nexus at end of the word, ancient "ro" ligature that extends far into the ascender [e.g. 202r]); individual neumatic sections (11r, 53v–54r, 56r, 99v, 128v, 153v–154v, 163r–164v, 193v, 200v, 249r, 253r) partially already with blind lines. Manuscript of outstanding academic importance (in terms of liturgical history), probably the oldest verifiable for this diocese. – Consistent colored insignia, many with tracery décor. 18 larger insignia, notable double page with two very large tracery insignia (Vere dignum and Te igitur) with zoomorphic motifs. Framed tables in the style of canonical tables and a page with ornamental border around the text face.

The exceptional value of the Codex lies in its condition free of any restoration, its advanced age, the unified features and the compilation of (partially unknown?) texts whose academic significance simply cannot be sufficiently overemphasized.

Book ornamentation: The tracing lettering tend to bleed into the red extensions that are filled with silhouette motifs (e.g. 39v, 143v), among which zoomorphic motifs are occasionally hidden: 56r (bird in a letter-shaped body), 73r, 176r (animal head), 237r (the two arcs of the rounded “d”, each producing a stylized bird), 251v (fish). More colorfully designed insignia are found on each page in the sacramentary section (from fol. 164r). The O-insignia (above all 167v) and M-forms, which consist of a P-form and its vertically mirrored counterpart (z. B. 244v, 249v), are reminiscent of functionalist design and are particularly noteworthy.

The main adornment is the decoration of the double-page spread 164v und 165r: The half-sided V (ere dignum) insignia marks the beginning of the preface, the opposite Te (igitur) insignia denotes the start of the Eucharistic prayer. The insignia consist of red contour frames and are knotted together at points where shafts meet and at the end points to produce elaborate tracery. Zoomorphic elements (animal heads) add additional highlights to both insignia. Each text border shows strongly ornamental, decorative lettering.

The script in the two and a half lines above the Te-igitur insignia shows forms of writing whose only source can lie in early Carolingian (Anglo Saxon-influenced) models (cc-a; epsilon-E, especially in ligatures). The same deliberate return to traditional forms is characteristic of the entire ornamental lettering and also explains the shapes of the text borders. Besides observations on textual tradition in which Alquin, Abbot of Saint-Martin in Tours, plays an important role, the insignia style typical of the first half of the 9th century in Tours appears the most likely model (e.g. London, BL, Egerton 609). However, Romanesque vine motifs are entirely absent. A similar insignia style is found in three codices for Hugues de Champallement, Bishop of Nevers (Paris, BnF, Ms. lat. 17,333, lat. 9449 [also with comparable notation], Bibl. Mazarine, Ms. 1708, fol. 61r–154v) from approximately the same period.

The frequently red, branch-like ornaments with silhouetted leaves on the side border and used to mark the text (e.g. 83r) are particularly noteworthy; the red characters on the borders of some pages have the same function (141v–144r, 163r). The beginning of the ritual sacramentary section (11r) has a decorative border around the text area. The ornamental design of the frame is unfinished. The computistical notes (from 263v) has schema and tables drawn in red (263v–264r and circular schema extending across almost the entire page, 269v, 270r); 264v and 276v are tables designed in the style of canonical tables.

Binding: The book cover is missing; a small wooden board remains from the back cover. The binding on three double bindings is stable except for the first layer. The view of the uncovered back shows otherwise hidden parts of a book dating from the High Middle Ages.

Provenance: Definite origins in Le Puy-en-Velay, as testified in the record of church consecration records and local saints (see below). The Codex arrived in Bohemia in the (early) 15th century, as the records show in the Martyrology: Sept. 28 (261r) postscript: Item Prage Wenceslao ducis Boemi; Confirmation on fol. 262r: Item in Boem__ in ecclesia Bolosav_ (Alt Bunzlau). Indefinable ownership inscription on fol. 1v: pertinet magistro Johanni and various postscripts.

Content: Rituals (liturgical instructions for the priest) and Sacramentary (for the bishop) are not yet clearly separated in the 11th century. In addition, the sacramental and consecration acts were often associated more with individual feasts of the liturgical year and were only occasionally separated. Many of the red lines, or lines written alternately in red and black, in the Rituals/Pontificals that contain detailed liturgical instructions have not been verified so far; templates by Alquin appear to have been the role models in two cases (133r, 138r). So far I have been unable to verify the compilation of the manuscript as a whole, also the text sequence of the two main parts. It is also important to make reference to the Missae Alquini in respect to the Sacramentary section

1r–11r (…) 1v ownership inscription (see above); 2rv table of contents (15th century); 4r–10v fragmented text (beginning missing) to the Athanasian Creed (see. PL 213, col. 735); 10v A(ntiphona) Missus est angelus; 11r Sequentia in festivitate omnium sanctorum: Sancta Dei mater virgo benigna Maria (Analecta hymnica 10, 152), neumed starting from verse 5a (Omnes Domini). 

11v–164v Rituals / Pontifical: Basic comparisons with C. Vogel, R. Elze, Le pontifical romano-germanique du dixième siècle, Vatican 1963 (PRG). Evidence relating to texts from the Sacramentary by Deshusses (see below). It is noteworthy that core components of the Pontifical, especially the individual ordinations, are not included. – 11v–21r Baptismal ritual primarily based on the Easter Vigil. (…) 20r (in red) Ordo ad caticuminum fatientum ex pagano sive iudeo: Gentilem hominem cum suscepris (PL 74, col. 1127a) – 20v–22r Ordo confirmationis (confirmation) 20v–21r (red and black) Cum autem baptizati fuerint infantes statuantur per ordinem (…) – 22r–45r Visiting and anointing the infirm : (...) 29v (red and black) Tunc si necessitas ungendi cogerit infirmum agatur (…) 39rv Hymn for anointing the infirm: Christe cȩlestis medicina patris verus humanȩ (Analecta Hymnica 27, no. 208) (…) – 45r–63r Office of the Dead: 45r (red and black) Incipit ordo in agenda mortuorum: Quod oporteat unum quemque vocationis; 45v Julianus Toletanus, Prognosticon, cap. 16: Inc. Cum extrema vitȩ finis (with considerable interpretations; see PL 96, col. 472) (…) 51v–63r Two vigils for the dead. Analysis of responsories (according to Ottosen) does not permit localization. (…) – 63r–90r Benedictional (prayers of blessing): (…) 64v–65r (red and black) Postea vero clerus Ant. cantando circumeunt claustrum et ȩcclesias cum cruce; 65r–67v diverse orationes (especially in monastic locations): Deshusses 3, no. 4304 etc.; among others 65v–66r: In scriptorio: Benedicere digneris Deus hoc scriptorium (PRG 2, no. 197) – 97v–138v Rituals in Ordinary Time (Ordines romani): 97v–100r Purificatio; 100r–133r Lent (with rituals for confession); 126r Holy Thursday; 126v–133v Good Friday (…) 133rv Quando hanc crucem adoramus omne corpus nostrum hereat terrȩ (E. Martène, De antiquis ecclesiae ritibus [1737], col. 363f. (as Alquin) (...); 133v–138r Easter Vigil (...) 137v–138r (red and black) Baptizatis confirmatisque infantibus pontifex vel sacerdas progrediens; 138r (red and black) In vigilia pente(costen) ita agitur sicut in sabbato sancto paschȩ: Antequam enim descendantur ad fontes ad baptizandum (see PL 101, col. 1225d–1226b: Alquin) – 138v–154v Mass Chants in Ordinary Time starting from the 4th Sunday of Advent: (…) 153v–154v A(ntiphon) Emitte spiritum sanctum tuum (Cantus 992643, a00294, 001796a, 002589, each with neumes) – 155r–163r Ordo sacerdotalis ad missam; 163v In pent(e)ch(ostem) introitus; Greek in Latin alphabet; Veni sancte spiritus (Cantus 005327); each notation with lines (largely blind lines); 164r XII s(unt) abusivas Dei. Hoc est sapiens sine operibus, senex sine religione (Ps Augustine); 164r Crucifixum in carne ac sepultum ___ glorificate resurgentemque clemorte adorat (with neumes).

164r–253v Sacramentary Validated according to Jean Deshusses, le sacramentaire Grégorien, Freiburg/CH 1992. – 164r–167r Canon missae (Deshusses 1, no. 1–20); with large insignia on Vere dignum (164v) and Te igitur (165r); 164v Ite laudantes Deum atque Dominum semper missa est (with neumes) – 167r–180v Prayers for Mass (inter alia, Ordinary Time, communion, consecration, votive masses); clearly special material for Annunciation; starting from 174r strongly defined by the Missae Alquini, a special source from Turonensis (see Deshusses, 1, p. 64–66; 2, p. 25f.). – 180v–184v Masses for the officiating priest. This type is generally customary, but in this case a large number of forms (partially not verifiable) – 184v–203r More votive Masses. – 203r Addendum, approximately same period: Deshusses 2, nr. 2564–2566 (Cod. Tu1, Tu2 [from Saint-Martin de Tours] some words astonishingly stop here earlier than the text at hand Ms.); 203v empty – 204r–214v Funeral Masses – 214v–233v Selected readings – 234r–253v More mass prayers in Ordinary Time. The Sacramentary concludes with two local prayers: 253r XI kal Aug sancti Menelei conf.: Deus qui hodierna die … famuli tui Menelei anima. St. Meneleus is celebrated as new founder of the Menat Monastery on July 22; 253rv II Non Oct sancte Fidis virg. et mart.: Deus qui inter cetera potentiȩ. The Saint (Sainte-Foy) lived in Agen and is celebrated on October 6; 253v three hymns partly with neumes: Benedicat nos Deus, Deus noster, benedicat nos, Deus Pater et Filius et Spiritus sanctus. V Benedicat nos sancta magestas et indivisa (?) _tutas (für trinitas?) qui est verus Deus in secula seculorum. V. Benedicat nos sancta trinitas et custodiat nos semper. Amen. 

254r–263r Calendar based on a Martyrology; the selection of entries uncommon, Roman subjects are astonishingly underrepresented. A comparison with the Martyrology of Autun (Antissiodorensis) yields only a few additional entries. The entry on July 11 is crucial to localization (258v): V ID (…) Aput Anicium dedicatio ȩcclesiȩ sanctȩ MARIȨ virginis (Parish fair for St. Mary from Le Puy-en-Velay). More entries at Le Puy confirm localization: February 1 (254v): Aput Anicium nat. sancti Agrippani epi. et mart. (Agrippanus, Bishop of Le Puy); Nov. 10 (262r): Apud Anicium sancti Georgii epi. et conf.; Nov. 11, Apud Anicium sanctorum confessorum Evodii, Scrutari (!), Aureliani, Ermentari, Suacri cum so(cio). The entries in this Codex are an important new source for liturgical worship of early Christians and bishops at Le Puys.

263v–271r Computistical Notes: (…) 263v–264r two circular schema showing the Roman calendar. Identical schema found in handwriting produced in Lyon during the 11th century, now in London (BL, Sloane 263, 47v–48r; differing accompanying text) (…) 264v Calendar schema in the form of a canonical table; 265r–268v Rithmus Dionisii de maio compacto (MGH Poetae 4/2, S. 674–682); 268v–269r Beda venerabilis, Hymnus primus de ratione temporum (see PL 94, Sp. 605–606D) (...) 270v Computistical table in the form of a canonical table; 270v–271r Inc. Saltus lunȩ de quo varie disputatur a multis doctoribus a Beda ita diffinitur: Quamquam Anatolius et Victorinus et omnes orientales diversa inter se de hac ratione senserint (Beda quote not verifiable). – 271v–272v, 276rv Addenda (15th century); inter alia, a Divine Office for the consecration of the bell; 273r–275v empty.

Dr. Martin Roland, M.A.S. – Vienna, in March 2015

Extensive first academic descriptions are available upon request. There is substantial scientific interest in editing the Codex: A study on musicological questions (R. Klugseder, significant, previously unknown liturgical-musical sources from Salzburg and Le-Puy-en-Velay) will be published in the articles in Gregorianik 2015 (commemorative publication, H. Rumphorst). The buyer is requested to continue fostering this truly valuable cooperation.