This manuscript, known as the 'Bosworth Psalter', contains the
Roman version of Psalms, monastic canticles and hymns with some
Latin glosses. The main body of the text was probably copied in the
3rd quarter of the 10th century. This Psalter was designed for use
of a community following the Rule of St Benedict and is the
earliest surviving manuscript containing the 'New Hymnal' that was
made in England (Gretsch, Intellectual Foundations , p. 282). Its
production has traditionally been associated with one of the houses
governed by St Dunstan (r. 959-988). Around the turn of the 11th
century a calendar and litany was added, and sometime in the early
11th century some Old English interlinear glosses were added to all
or part of 29 Psalms and 6 canticles (ff. 32r, 34r, 38v, 40r, 43,
54v-55r, 64v-65v, 77v-87r, 90r-92r, 101r-103r). Probably in the
12th century, a drawing of Christ was added (f. 128v), and further
text was added later in the margins as well, such as the list of
prayers and liturgy in two columns on f. 64r. Contents: ff. 1v-3r:
Kalendar, perhaps added shortly after the Psalter was copied. ff.
4r-95r: A Psalter. ff. 95v-104r: Canticles. f. 104r-v: A litany,
with other prayers and liturgy. ff. 105r-128v: A hymnal.ff.
129r-134r: Monastic canticles. ff. 135v-138v: Prayers and other
liturgical material, including a brief litany on f. 136r, added in
the late 10th or early 11th century. Decoration: Large initials
with zoomorphic and/or interlace decoration at the beginning of
Psalms 1, 51, 101, and 109 (ff. 4r, 33r, 64v, 74r). Display
capitals in red, blue and grey-purple (ff. 4r, 16r, 20r, 25r, 37r,
41v, 45v, 54v, 61v, 64v, 74r, 77v, 80v, 83v, 87r, 94v, 105r, 112r,
118r, 129r, 138r). Outline of two large initials (f. 135v).
Initials and text in red, green and blue in the calendar (ff.
2r-3r). Initials in green, blue and red at the beginning of each
Psalm, some with human or animal heads as terminals (ff. 19r-29v)
and/or foliate decoration. Smaller initials in red at the beginning
of each verse. Diagram comprised of circles, with information about
the months and the calendar (f. 1v). Musical notation (ff. 61r,
137v, 138r-v). Foliate red line filler (f. 64v). Unfinished drawing
in outline of Christ, probably added in the 12th century (f. 128v).
