This unusually tall and thin manuscript contains a sacramentary: a
manuscript that provides the texts needed for a bishop to perform
Mass and carry out ordinations, blessings, and consecrations. This
sacramentary was produced in the late 10th century by and for Noyon
Cathedral. The sacramentary was written by a single scribe but has
received multiple additions, including prayers and benedictions for
the bishop and an anathema against plunderers of the church whom
‘we will pierce with the sword of the Holy Spirit from the top of
the head until the sole of the feet’ (‘gladio sancti spiritus a
vertice apitis usque ad plantam pedis transverberamus’);
plunderers are also cursed to burn in the eternal fire of hell with
the biblical figures Dathan and Abiram; Ananias and Sapphira; and
Judas Iscariot. Noyon Cathedral was a house of Augustinian Canons
until 986, when it was made a monastery under Bishop Liudulfus (r.
977-988), which explains why the sacramentary contains prayers that
have to be recited while facing the abbot (‘ad abbatem
faciendum’), referring to St Benedict as patron. The manuscript
also contains diastematic neumes on ff. 6v-7r. Contents:f. 1r:
Prayers for conferring tonsure and for the ordination of a priest
(‘Ad capillos tundensos’; and ‘Ad clericum faciendum’). f.
1v: Anathema : those harming the church and its property ‘we will
pierce with the sword of the Holy Spirit from the top of the head
until the sole of the feet’ (‘gladio sancti spiritus a vertice
apitis usque ad plantam pedis transverberamus’); they are cursed
to burn in the eternal fire of hell with the biblical figures
Dathan and Abiram; Ananias and Sapphira; and Judas Iscariot. ff.
2r-3v Pseudo-Ambrose of Milan, prayer before the altar, attributed
to St Ambrose (b. c. 340, d. 397) [‘Hanc beatus ambrosius
orationem composuit’], beginning ‘Ante conspectum divinae
maiestatis’; followed by other prayers to God. ff. 3r-3v: Ordo
and benedictions for the confirmation of children (‘Ordo ad
infantes consignandos’). ff. 4r-5r: Order of Mass. ff. 5r-5v:
Epistle and Gospel for this Mass (Titus 1. 1-6 and Matthew 24.
42-47).f. 5v: Prayers for consecrating a paten and a chalice.ff.
6r-11v: Preface and Canon of the Mass. ff. 12r-12v: Prayers for the
ordination of an abbot. f. 12v: Benediction for the Vigil of the
Nativity. ff. 13r-21v: Masses from the Vigil of the Nativity to the
Octave of the Lord (Jan. 1). f. 15r: Inserted leaf with fragmentary
Mane primum benedictio (‘Omnipotens deus respice deceto plebem
tuam’) f. 15v: Prayer in honour of St Jerome, beginning
‘Dominus qui nobis pro beatum iheronimum’.ff. 16r-17r: Mass for
Christmas Day. ff. 17r-18r: Mass for St Stephen.ff. 18r-19r: Mass
for St John the Evangelist.ff. 19r-20r: Mass for the Innocents.ff.
20r-20v: Mass for St Silvester.ff. 20v-21r: Octave of the Lord. ff.
21v-22r: Other prayers for Sundays of the Nativity (‘De natale
domini’).ff. 22r-36r: Masses for Epiphany, and saints' feasts to
March 25.ff. 22r-24r: Vigil of Epiphany (called 'Theophania') ff.
24r-24v: Octave of Epiphany.f. 24v: Mass for St Felix.f. 25r: Mass
for St Marcellus.ff. 25r-v: Mass for St Prisca.ff. 25v-26r: Mass
for the 2nd Sunday after Epiphany.ff. 26r-26v: Mass for St
Fabian.ff. 26v-27r: Mass for St Sebastian.ff. 27r-27v: Mass for St
Agnes.f. 27v: Mass for St Vincent.ff. 27v-29r: Masses for the 3rd
and 4th Sundays after Epiphany.ff. 29r-29v: Mass for the Conversion
of St Paul.ff. 29v-30r: Mass for St Projectus.ff. 30r-30v: Mass for
St Agnes.ff. 30v-31r: Mass for the Presentation of Christ
('Yppapanti’).f. 31v: Mass for St Agatha.ff. 32r-32v: Depositio
of St Vedast (February 6th).f. 32v: Mass for St Valentine.f. 33r:
Mass for Cathedra Sancti Petri apostoli.ff. 33r-33v: Mass for
saints Perpetua and Felicity.ff. 33v-34r: Masses for the 5th and
6th Sundays after Epiphany ('Theophania').f. 34v: Mass for St
Gregory.f. 35r: Mass for St Matthew.ff. 35r-36r: Mass for the
Annunciation to the Virgin Mary. ff. 36r-38v: Masses for
Septuagesima , Sexagesima , and Quinquagesima . ff. 38v-40r: Masses
for Ash Wednesday, Feria Quinta and Feria Sexta of Lent. f. 40r:
Mass for the Saturday following Quinquagesima (‘Sabbato intra
quinquagesimam’). ff. 40v-62r: Daily Masses for Lent.ff. 61r-61v:
Inserted leaf with benediction for Palm Sunday.ff. 62r-88v: Daily
Masses from Holy Thursday to the Sunday following the Octave of
Easter.ff. 66r-66v: Prayers for celebrating the Lord’s Supper.
ff. 67r-68v; f. 70r: Prayers for the consecration of chrism. f.
69r: Inserted leaf with mass text (‘Deus qui in filii tui
humilitare […] / Benedictionem domine nobis conferrat […] /
Presta nobis omnipotens deus […]). f. 69v: Prayer for Feria Sexta
, beginning ‘Deus qui peccati veteris’ ff. 70r-72v: Prayers for
Feria Sexta (Oremus dilectissimi nobis pro ecclesia sancta) with
additional rubrics for the performance of the mass on ff. 72r-72v.
ff. 72v-74v: Exultet , with added marginal text and neumes on f.
73r (‘Dominus vobiscum / Et cum spiritu tuo / Sursum corda /
Habemus ad dominum [...]’). ff. 74v-80v: Holy Saturday prayers
and readings for Catechumens.f. 79r: Inserted leaf with a blessing
delivered by a bishop with chrism. ff. 80v-82r: Masses for Holy
Saturday and Sunday.f. 88v: Mass for Easter (‘In pascha
annotina’).ff. 89r-93r: Masses for saints’ feasts from April 14
to May 13.f. 89r: Mass for saints Valerius, Tiburtius, and
Maximus.ff. 89r-89v: Mass for St George.ff. 89v-90r: Mass for St
Mark the Evangelist.f. 90r: Mass for St Vitalis.ff. 90r-91r: Mass
for saints Philip and James.ff. 91r-91v: Mass for the Invention of
the Cross (‘Inventio sanctae crucis’).ff. 91v-92r: Mass for
saints Alexander and Eventius.ff. 92r-92v: Mass for saints
Gordianus and Epimachus.ff. 92v-93r: Mass for St Pancras.f. 93r:
Mass for the dedication of the Basilica of St. Mary, and Iniaetania
maiore.ff. 93v-95r: Masses for the Vigil of Ascension and Ascension
Day.f. 95r: Mass for St Urban.ff. 95r-100v: Masses from the Vigil
of Pentecost to the first Sunday after Pentecost.ff. 100v-121r:
Masses for saints’ feasts from June 1 to September 16.ff.
100v-101r: Benediction for the feast of St. Medard of Noyon (June
8).f. 101r: Mass for St Nicodemus.ff. 101r-101v: Mass for saints
Marcellinus and Peter.ff. 101v-102r: Mass for saints Primus and
Felicianus.f. 102r: Mass for saints Basilides and Cyrinus.f.
102r-102v: Mass for saints Marcus and Marcellianus.f. 102v: Mass
for saints Gervaise and Protasius. ff. 102v-104r: Masses for the
Vigil and Birth of John the Baptist.ff. 104r-104v: Mass for saints
John and Paul.ff. 104v-105r: Mass for the Vigil of apostles Peter
and Paul.ff. 105r-106r: Mass for saint Leo the Pope.ff. 106r-106v:
Mass for St Paul.f. 106v: Mass for saints Processus and
Martinus.ff. 106v-107r: Mass for the Octave of the Apostles.f.
107r: Mass for the Seven Brothers.ff. 107r-107v: Mass for St
Benedict.ff. 107v-108r: Mass for St James the Apostle.ff.
108r-108v: Mass for saints Simplicus, Faustinus, and Beatrice.ff.
108v-109r: Mass for saints Abdon and Sennen.ff. 109r-109v: Masses
for St Peter ad Vinculi and for the Maccabean saints.ff. 109v-110r:
Mass for St Stephen.ff. 110r-110v: Mass for St Sixtus.f. 110v: Mass
for saints Felicissimus and Agapitus.ff. 110v-111r: Mass for St
Cyriacus.ff. 111-112v: Masses for St Laurence.f. 112v: Mass for St
Tiburtus.ff. 112v-113r: Mass for St Yppolitus.ff. 113r-113v: Mass
for St Eusebius Confessor.ff. 113v-114v: Masses for the Assumption
of the Virgin (Vigil and Feast).ff. 114v-115v: Mass for the Octave
of St Laurence.f. 115r: Mass for St Agapitus.f. 115v: Mass for St
Timothy.ff. 115v-116r: Mass for St Bartholomew.ff. 116r-116v: Mass
for St Augustinus.f. 116v: Mass for St Hermetis.ff. 116v-117v:
Masses for the Decapitation of St John and for St Sabina.ff.
117v-118r: Mass for saints Felix and Audactus.ff. 118r-118v: Mass
for St Mary.ff. 118v-119r: Mass for St Hadrian.f. 119r: Mass for
saints Protus and Jacinthus.ff. 119r-120r: Masses for the
Exaltation of the Cross and for saints Cornelius and Cyprian.ff.
120r-120v: Mass for St Nicomedis.ff. 120v-121r: Masses for St
Euphemia and for saints Lucia and Geminianus.ff. 121r-123r: Ferial
Masses.ff. 123r-135r: Masses for saints’ feasts from September 21
– December 21.f. 123r-v: Masses for St. Matthew the Apostle
(Vigil and Feast).ff. 123v-124r: Mass for saints Cosmo and
Damian.ff. 124r-125r: Mass for the Dedication of the Basilica of St
Michael.ff. 125r-126r: Mass for saints Germanius, Remigius, and
Vedast.f. 126r: Mass for St Mark the Pope.ff. 126r-126v. Mass for
St Calixtus the Pope.f. 126v: Mass for St Luke the Evangelist.ff.
126v-127r: Mass for the Vigil of the Apostles.ff. 127r-127v: Mass
for saints Simon and Jude.ff. 127v-129r: Masses for All Saints
(Vigil and Feast), and for St Caesarius.ff. 129r-129v: Mass for the
Four Crowned Saints.ff. 129v-130r: Mass for St Theodore.ff.
130r-131r: Masses for St Menna and for St Martin.ff. 131r-131v:
Mass for St. Cecilia.ff. 131v-132v: Masses for St Clement and for
St Felicitatus.f. 132v: Mass for St Chrysogonus.ff. 132v-133r:
Masses for St Saturninus and for the Vigil of St Andrew.ff.
133r-134r: Mass for St Andrew.ff. 134r-134v: Benediction for the
feast of St Eligius.f. 134v: Mass for St Lucia.ff. 134v-135r: Mass
for St Thomas. f. 135r: Benediction for the feast of St Andrew.ff.
135r-142r: Common of Saints.ff. 135r-135v: Masses for the vigil of
apostles.ff. 135v-136r: Masses for the birth of apostles.f. 136r:
Masses for the vigil of single saints.ff. 136r-137r: Masses for the
birth of single martyrs.ff. 137r-137v: Masses for the birth of
multiple martyrs.ff. 137v-138v: Masses for the birth of single
confessors.f. 138v: Other masses and prayers.ff. 138v-139v: Masses
for the birth of multiple confessors.ff. 139v-140r: Masses for the
birth of virgins.ff. 140r-140v: Annual masses for the dedication of
basilicas.ff. 140v-142r: Masses for the birth of popes.ff.
142r-146r: Masses for Sundays following the first octave of Easter,
and for the Sunday following Ascension.ff. 146r-161r: Masses for
Sundays following Pentecost.ff. 161r-166r: Masses for Advent
(ferial and Sundays).f. 166r: Prayers for Advent.ff. 166v-169r:
Masses for the Holy Trinity, the Holy Spirit, Holy Wisdom, Charity,
Humility, the Holy Cross, St. Mary.ff. 169r-169v: Prayer for the
suffrages of the angels (‘De suffragia angelorum’).ff.
169v-170r: Prayer for St Eligius (‘In ecclesia cuiuslibet
martyris vel confessoris’), referring to the saint as ‘qui in
presenti requiescit ecclesia’. ff. 170r-170v: Prayer for the
suffrages of saints (‘De suffragia sanctorum’).f. 170v:
Formularies for other masses.ff. 170v-171v: Mass for the king.ff.
171v-172r: Mass for the ordination of priests.ff. 172r-172v: Mass
for priest (‘Missa specialis sacerdotis’).f. 173r: Mass for the
temptation of enemies (‘Missa pro temptatione inimicorum’).ff.
173r-173v: Mass for a friend (‘Missa pro amico’).ff. 173v-174r:
Alternate Mass for a friend.ff. 174r-174v: Mass for family members
(‘Missa pro familiaribus’).ff. 174v and 176r: Mass for the
living, (‘Missa pro salute vivorum’).f. 175r: Inserted leaf
with a prayer to Christ (‘Pretende domine fidelibus tuis omnibus
episcopis, abbatibus, canonicis, monachis, sive regibus et
gubernatoribus atque consanguineis nostris’). f. 176r: Mass for
the abbot or congregation (‘Missa pro abbate vel
congregatione’).ff. 176r-176v: Mass for the sick (‘Missa pro
infirmis’).ff. 176v-177r: Mass against the temptations of the
flesh (‘Missa contra temptationis carnis’).f. 177r: Mass for
petitioning tears (‘Missa pro petitione lacrimarum’).ff. 177v
and 180r: Mass for a time of war (‘Missa in tempore belli’).ff.
178r-178v: Added leaf with Benedictio Propria episcope.ff.
178v-179v: Added leaves with Mass for St Dionisius and a general
Mass (‘missa generalis’). f. 180r: Mass against pagans
(‘Missa contra paganos’).ff. 180r-180v: Mass for peace
(‘Missa pro pace’).ff. 180v-181r: Mass for sinners (‘Missa
pro peccates’).f. 181r: Mass for those in tribulation (‘Missa
pro quacumque tribulatione’).ff. 181r-181v: Mass for rain
(‘Missa ad pluviam postulandam’).ff. 181v-182r: Mass for clear
skies (‘Missa ad poscendam serenitatem’).f. 182r: Mass against
temptations (‘Missa ad repellendam tempestatem’).f. 182v:
Prayer against lightning (‘Oratio contra fulgora’).ff.
182v-183r: Mass for a time of high mortality (‘Missa in tempore
mortalitat[is].f. 183r: Mass against a plague of animals (‘Missa
pro peste animalium’).ff. 183r-183v: Mass for pilgrims (‘Missa
pro iter agentibus’).ff. 183v-184r: Mass for sailors (‘Missa
pro navigantibus’).ff. 184r-185r: Prayer for giving penitence
(‘Oratio ad dandam paentitentiam’).ff. 185r-186v: Prayers for
the Reconciliation of Penitents (‘Orationes ad reconciliandum
penitentem’).ff. 186v-187r: Prayers for the Visitation of the
Sick (‘Orationes ad visitandum infirmum’).ff. 187r-187v:
Prayers after the Extreme Unction (‘Orationes post unctionem
olei’).ff. 187v-188r: Prayer for the Reconciliation of Penitents
before death (‘Reconciliatio penitentis ad mortem’).ff.
188r-189r: Mass for the dying (‘Missa pro infirmo qui proximo
mortis est’).ff. 189r-201r: Prayers and Masses for the Dead with
interlinear annotations (‘Oratio in agenda mortuorum’).ff.
201r-201v: Two prayers for hair and beards (‘Oratio ad
capillaturam; ‘Oratio ad barbas tondio’).f. 201v: A blessing
for vested virgins (‘Benedictio vestium virginis’). f. 202r:
Mass for vested virgins (‘Missa pro ipsa virginis’).ff.
202v-203v: Prayers for exorcism of salt and water, entitled
‘Exorcismus Salis’ and ‘Exorcismus Aqua’.f. 203v: Two
blessings for water, the original text (beginning ‘Benedictio
salis et aque’) has been erased and replaced with a text with the
rubric ‘Oratio quando aqua spargitur in domo’; beginning
‘Praesta domine per hanc creaturam aspersionis’.[f. 79v and f.
175v are blank].Decoration: 3 large interlace initials with
knot-work and zoomorphic (canine) heads at the Canon of the Mass on
f. 6v (‘V’) and the Canon of the Mass on f. 7v (‘TE’).
Medium initials in red or brown ink. Rubrics in red. Display script
in red. Diastematic neumes in brown ink at ff. 6v-7r (Preface to
the Canon); and ff. 72v-74v (Exultet, with additional neumed text
in the margin).
