JAMES VON ZABERN.

Ars bene cantandi chora- lem cantum in multitudine personarum laudem dei | resonantium : edita per magistrum Jacobum zaberñ. | ac ab eodem declarata dum adhuc esset in humanis: cunctisque auditoribus suis quam gratissima | Subiungitur. | Deuotus et vtilis sermo. de modo di- | cendi septem horas canonicas.

Colophon (f. 18): Ars bene cantandi choralem cantum: in multitu dine personarum / dei laudem resonantium / ædita | a magistro Jacobo de zaberñ. Ab eodemque dum | adhuc in humanis esset declarata in locis eccle | siarum collegiatarum et cathedralium| basileæ. argen | tinæ. Spiræ. Guormatiæ. Moguntiæ. Herbi- | poli. alijsque rheni locis. Cunctis auditoribus | suis gratissima. Nunc quoque reuisa per florentium diel | spirensem / qui ipsum dum adhuc in vita erat: vi | dit et audiuit in suis lectionibus. et impressa per Fridericum hewman ciuem moguntinum die 3. men- | sis Nouembris. Anno domini. 1509.

2nd Colophon (f. 27 v.): ¶ Explicit deuotus sermo. de modo di cendi septem horas canonicas Magun- | tie impressus. per Fridericum hewman.

Octavo. 28 ff. in 5 quires, printed from type of three founts, 25 long lines to the full page, without running title, foliation or catchwords. Signatures a (a a ij a iij a iiij a v)o b3 c3 d4.

The title-page is adorned with a cut (H. 58 m. B.48 m.) representing S. Martin on horseback, dividing his mantle with his sword to give the half to a cripple; another poor man is holding out a bowl for an alms.

James E. Matthew. H. 139 m.

FORKEL, 297. FÉTIS, VIII, 503.

B.95 m.

BRUNET, V, 1515.

V.- MUSIC.

(Manuscripts.)

1. Choir Book-Tenor-containing Motetts, Masses and a Magnificat. Early xvi century. Paper. H. 325 m. B. 227 m. The University Library, Cambridge.

2. Choir Book-Bassus. Early XVI century. Paper. H. 320 m. B. 234 m.

Saint John's College, Cambridge. These two Choir-Books originally formed part of the same set, and correspond exactly in their contents. Each composition has its initial letter illuminated, and the headings and names of the composers are rubricated. The collection includes eleven Motetts: 3 "Ave Dei Patris filia," "Lauda verum Alpha et O," and "Eterne laudis lilium," by Dr. Fayrfax; 2 O bone Ihesu, o piissime," and "Plaude potentissima," by Stephen Prowett; 2 "O Domine celi terreque," and "Stabat mater dolorosa," by Richard Davy; "Te matrem Dei laudamus," by Hugh Austen; "Ave Dei Patris filia," and "Gaude plurimum Servatoris," by John Taverner; and "Ave fuit salus," by Lovett. These are followed by five Masses "Missa de regali," and "O bone Ihesu," by Dr. Fayrfax; "Te Deum," by Austen; "Cristus resurgens," by William Pasche; and " 'God save Kyng Herry," by Thomas Aschwell. There is also a Magnificat by Fayrfax.

On the outside of the cover of the Bass book is the name of a former owner: Launcelot Prior.

3. Four Choir Books.

XVI century. Paper.

St. Peter's College, Cambridge.

This important collection of English Catholic church music consists of the Medius, Contratenor, Triplex and Bassus parts.

4.

66

The Triplex volume wants the page of contents found in the other books, as also several compositions at both the beginning and end. In other respects the collection, which dates from the latter years of Henry VIII. or from the reign of Mary, is in very good condition, but it has been rebound during the last thirty years. contains three Masses: "Taverner," "Mater Christi," and "Small Deuotion," a Magnificat, and nine Motetts, by Taverner; four Masses: "O quam glorifica," "Tecum principium," "Albanus," and one without title, four Magnificats, and three Motetts, by Fayrfax; three Masses: "Vidi signum," "Inclina Domine," and Regnum Mundi," and four Motetts by Nicholas Ludford; a Mass "Veni Sancte Spiritus," and a Motett by Pygott; a Mass "Te Deum," and four Motetts by Hugh Austen; four Motetts by John Mason of Chichester; a Stabat Mater and a Motett by Robert Hunt; a Mass "Spes nostra," and a Magnificat by R. Jonys; a Mass and a Motett by Lupus Italus; a Motett and a Magnificat by Pasche; a Mass and a Magnificat by Appleby: and a Mass "Salve intemerata,” and two Motetts by Tallys. There are also compositions by Catcott, Bramston, Norman, Edwards (a Motett, "Terrenum sitiens "), James Northbrook, William Alen, Rasar, Darke, Tye (a mass), Merbecke (a Motett, "Ave Dei Patris "), Robert Chamberlayne, Walter Erley, Edward Martyn, and Thomas Knyght.

Choir Book of the Abbey of St. Gall. 1562. Vellum.
H. 540 m. B. 390 m. Library of St. Gall, n° 542.

This volume of 400 ff. contains the Masses for the principal
festivals including the Sequences, set to music composed by M. B.
Lupus of Correggio, who, at the request of Abbot Diethelm,
introduced four-part singing at St. Gall in 1531. The volume,
written by Brother Henry Keller of Rapperswijl, organist of the
abbey in 1562, is adorned with a number of miniatures by Caspar
Härteli of Lindau.

The principal contents are as follow: Vespers of Holy Saturday, Mass of Easter Sunday with the two Sequences : Laudes Salvatori and Victimae Paschali; Masses for the following feasts-Ascension, Pentecost, Trinity Sunday, Corpus Christi, Anniversary of the Dedication, Christmas, Epiphany, S. Gall, S. Othmar, S. Benedict, S. Notker, and the Assumption, followed by various settings of the Kyrie, Credo, &c.

X

The chief miniatures are: 1 (H. 137 m. B. 272 m.), Jonah being cast into the sea, and thrown up on shore by the fish. 2 (H.152 m. B. 272 m.), the Resurrection, with the three Maries coming to the Tomb. 3 (H. 97 m. B. 272 m.), the journey to and the Supper at Emmaus: in the landscape background, Christ appearing to S. Mary Magdalene. On the wall, behind the seated figure of Christ, is the date 1562, and, on the vaulting of the alcove, Caspar Härteli's cypher. 4 (H. 187 m. B. 245 m.), Elias taken up into heaven in the foreground are Elias striking the waters of the Jordan with his folded mantle, and the bears devouring the children that mocked Elisha. The painter's cypher is here repeated on a rock. 5 (H. 195 m. B. 245 m.), the Ascension. 6 (H. 184 m. B. 258 m.), the children of Israel gathering the Manna. 7 (H. 184. m. B. 258 m.), the Last Supper. 8 (H. 290 m. B. 290 m.), scenes from the life of Saint Gall in a circular medallion within a square frame, the angles being occupied by shields with armorial bearings. On the border of the medallion is the legend: HEC REQVIES MEA IN SECVLVM SECVLI: HIC HABITABO QVONIAM ELEGI EAM. PS. 131. DNE IHV XPE NE DESPICIAS DESIDERIV MEV SED IN HONORE SÕTE GENITRICIS TVE ETC. 1562. 9 (H. 298 m. B. 298 m.), another circular medallion set within a square frame; the subject of the miniature is the Translation of Saint Othmar, abbot of St. Gall, from the island of Stein to St. Gall. In a boat is seen the body of the saint, clothed in the monastic habit with a red cope and mitre, with four tapers burning, two at the head and two at the feet; four monks with open psalters keep watch around the body, which two boatmen are taking across a lake; the oarsman, seated in the fore part of the boat, is carrying a small barrel on his right shoulder; the other with a pole, stands at the stern. In addition to these miniatures, which are in the ordinary late German style, heavy and affected, there are at intervals, throughout the volume, a number of floral borders, consisting of running stems which throw off symmetrical scrolls of foliage and curls terminating in flowers of fanciful design, interspersed with birds, drolleries, shields of arms, figures of boys and girls playing on musical instruments, or of saints. The chief interest of these lies in the representations of musical instruments.

5. Collection of Motetts, &c. written by John Baldwin, 1581-1606. Paper. H. 287 m. B. 201 m.

Her Majesty the Queen.

The transcriber of this volume was a lay-clerk of Windsor at the end of the sixteenth and the beginning of the seventeenth centuries. He was also one of the Gentlemen of the Chapel Royal, into which he was first received in March, 1593-4, without pay, "until a tenor's place be voyde." The full privileges did not accrue to him until August, 1598. He died on the 28th August, 1615. The transcription of the volume was spread over many years. The dates are given when several of the compositions were copied, the earliest being 1581. To the latest, 1606, Baldwin has appended his signature and the words "Laudes Deo. Finis." At the beginning and end of the book are the following verses by him, which mention the chief musicians of his time; as will be seen, his praise of Byrd is unbounded.

Reede, here, behold, and see: all yt musicions bee :— what is in closde, heere in: declare I will begine:

anno. 1591. iulij. 25. A store housse of treasure: this booke maye be saiede:— of songes most excelente : and the beste that is made :collected and chosen out of the best autours :—

bothe stranger and Englishe borne: which be the best makers:

and skilfulst in musicke: the scyence to sett foorthe:

as herein you shall finde: if you will speake the truthe : there is here no badd songe : but the best can be hadd : the cheefest from all men: yea there is not one badd : and such sweete musicke: as dothe much delite yeelde: bothe vnto men at home and birds abroade in fielde : the autours for to name: I maye not here for gett :

but will them now downe put: and all in order sett: I will begine with White Shepper, Tye, and Tallis :

:

Parsons, Gyles, Mundie th'oulde: one of the queenes pallis : Mundie yonge, th'oulde mans sonne and like wysse others moe: there names would be to longe: therefore I let them goe:

yet must I speake of moe: even of straingers also :

and firste I must bringe in: Alfonso Ferabosco :

a strainger borne hee was: in Italie as I heere: Italians saie of hime: in skill hee had no peere : Luca Merensio: with others manie moe :

as Philipp de Monte: th' emperous man also : and Orlando by name : and eeke Trequillion : Cipriano Rore: and also Andreon:

All famus in there arte: there is of that no doute :

there workes no lesse declare: in everie place aboute: