P-EVp (Évora) Biblioteca Pública Pasta 3, doc. 016
P-EVp Pasta 3, doc. 016
Late-style Aquitanian notation of Portuguese variety. Lozenges standing for notes on the lower degree of a semitone both for single notes and as elements of descending compound neumes of two or more notes.
Chant initials in larger red or blue ink without filigree or flourishes. Verse initials in larger sepia ink with flourishes.
The fragment served as a cover to a book of unspecified lists, running from May 16, 1626, to October 9, 1626, as stated twice: ink inscription (17th century?) "1626 \ De 16 de Mayo de 1626 athe \ 9 de 8bro de 1626"; version in coloured pencil, "16 / Maio / 1626 a \ 9 / Out / 1626", signed by Manuel Luis Ramalho. Other small inscriptions exist; the clearest is "Rola (?) = 1626".
Good overall. One tear on the a margin without loss of contents. Two lines with ink slightly faded in the exposed recto side. The extra folio strip, glued as an upper extension (in inverted position) is in good condition but only about one line of text and music is visible after trimming.
Six lines of text and music.
On the upper centre of recto, original foliation number 'xxxv'. A trimmed strip of another folio of the same manuscript glued to the upper side of the main folio.
This fragment is certainly noteworthy, first, because it is a rare witness to the use of single-line notation in the 16th-century, and secondly, for its provision of chants to be sung sometime between Epiphany (Jan. 6th) and its Octave (Jan. 13th), before the commemoration of Felix of Nola on Jan. 14th. The succession of chants
All. Juravit dominus,
Off. Inveni David and
Co. Fidelis servus
does not point with any certainty to any saint, martyr etc. known to be celebrated across these six days in January. The calendar of the Breviary of Évora (1528) has a different commemoration for each of these days, and these chants could serve either one.