Manuscripts

Queens’ MS 29

Psalterium cum Hymnis
In Latin
England, thirteenth century

This thirteenth-century Benedictine Psalter with hymns contains a calendar (with instructions for calculating the date of the full moon), psalms and other religious texts in Latin. It concludes with a cycle of hymns for use throughout the course of a year.

Books of psalms and hymns such as this were essential tools for medieval clergy who were expected to memorise their content. It has been speculated that this beautiful and neatly produced volume is of monastic provenance owing to its inclusion of a Hymn to St Benedict, which would be unusual to find in any other context. Queens' MS 29 came to the Library when John Cabourne gave it as a gift on his matriculation to the College in 1632. The fact that Cabourne himself came from Lincolnshire, together with other stylistic traits within the volume have led some to deduce an East Anglian provenance for the volume.

The illuminated initial showing three kneeling figures with the divine hand above them begins the hymn ‘Annue Christe sæculorum Domine’.