MUSIC FOR MASSES
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.
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.