MUSIC FOR MASSES

MRJ number
234
College classmark
K.31

Vellum, 12.75 x 9, ff. 32 + 3, nine five-lined staves of music to page.  Early 16th cent.

Donor, T. Baker.

Vellum wrapper, inscribed in large letters:

                            Launcelot Prior

                            Bassus.

A monogram of L and S (the latter in red) and a shield bearing a maunche (Hastings) follow.  On the left is a large faint monogram in which the letter P occurs.

Collation:  2 flyleaves, 18 – 48, 1 flyleaf.

The flyleaves are from an account roll containing manorial accounts of cent. xv early, relating chiefly to Benacre in Suffolk.  The aula de Ponynges is often mentioned.

The volume was lent to the Bologna International Exhibition of Music, 1888.  It contains the bass part of Masses, etc., by composers of the early part of the xvith cent., viz:

Aue dei patris                .                .                .                .                .                .         f.                1

Words begin: aue summe eternitatis filia.

At end: quod Doctor ffayrfax.

Lauda vivi (ora pro rege nostro henrico octauo inclito)                .                .                2

Lauda fortis spirantis filia.   quod Doctor ffairfax.

O bone Ihesu                     …quod Dominus Stephanus prowet                .                3

O domine celi et terre           quod Richardus Davy                .                .                4b

Stabat mater                                                                .                .                5b

Eterne laudis                              Ffayrfax                .                .                .                7

Te matrem                                           Hewghe Austen1                .                .                8

Plaude potentissime                        Dominus Proweth                .                .                9

Aue dei patris                               Joh. Tauerner                .                .                11

Aue fuit salus                                        Lovell                .                .                .                12

Gaude plurimum                                      M. Tauerner                .                .                13b

ff. 15, 16 blank.  On 16b a note by T. Baker on Dr Fairfax, and on

Henry VIII’s own music.

Missa de Regali                .                .                .                .                .                .                17

Expl. Regali.  Quod Dr ffayrfax.

Missa de O bone Ihesu                .                .                .                .                .                20

ffinis de O bone Ihesu.  Quod Dr ffayrfax.

Te deum messe                .                .                .                .                .                .                23           

Quod Hew Awsten.

Cristus resurgens (Mass)                .                .                .                .                .                25b

Quod Wylliam Pasche.

God save kyng herry (Mass)                .                .                .                .                .                28b

Quod Thomas Aschwell.

Part of a Magnificat in another hand                .                .                .                .                31b

Quod dr ffayrfax.

32b blank.

 

There is some rather pretty ornament in the initials, some of which are in gold. 

The volume containing the Tenor part of these compositions is in the University Library (Dd. 13. 27): it is written in the same style as the St John’s MS.

Manuscript extra information

Negative microfilm in St John's College Library.

I. Fenlon, Cambridge Music Manuscripts, 900 - 1700 (Cambridge, 1982).

Used by the editors of Tudor Church Music (1922-29), Vols I, III, X.

f.13v is reproduced in H. Benham, John Taverner: his life and music (Aldershot, 2003), p.75.

Lancelot Wharton was the penultimate prior of Rumburgh, Suffolk, 1523-25.  His arms were Arg., a maunche sab., betwe. K. W. O. as on the cover of the MS.  See Victoria County History of Suffolk Vol. II (Folkstone, 1975), p.78 and J. Corder, A Dictionary of Suffolk Arms (Ipswich, 1965).

 

1.  On f. 10 and 11 is the direction gimel.