“Hail, queen of heavens, hail, lady of angels,"
Verso: 16 lines of text in Latin written in a gothic rotunda hand on vellum. Ruled in red and rubrics, unusually, in magenta. Two two-line illuminated initials, 'A' and 'C' in liquid gold on red and blue grounds and with fine internal decorations. Two line fillers, capitals touched in yellow.
Recto: As Verso, with one illuminated initial 'O'.
Origin: France.
Date: c.1500.
Content: The initial ‘A’ on Recto begins the antiphon "Ave regina celorum".
Ave, regina caelorum,
Ave, domina angelorum,
Salve, radix sancta
Ex qua mundo lux est orta.
Gaude, gloriosa,
Super omnes speciosa;
Vale, valde decora
Et pro nobis semper christum exora.
(Hail, O Queen of Heaven.
Hail, O Lady of Angels
Hail! thou root, hail! thou gate
From whom unto the world a light has arisen:
Rejoice, O glorious Virgin,
Lovely beyond all others,
Farewell, most beautiful maiden,
And pray for us to Christ.
The next antiphon, beginning at the illuminated initial 'C' is:
Concéde nos fámulos tuos, .. (Grant, lord God, that we, your servants...)
The initial 'O' on Recto begins the renowned antiphon Salve Regina (Hail, Holy Queen).
Omnipotens sempiterne Deus, qui gloriosae Virginis Matris Mariae corpus et animam, ut dignum Filii tui habitaculum effici mereretur, Spiritu Sancto cooperante, praeparasti, da, ut cuius commemoratione laetamur; eius [pia intercessione, ab instantibus malis et a morte perpetua liberemur. Per eundem Christum Dominum nostrum. Amen.]
(Almighty and everlasting God, Who by the working of the Holy Spirit didst prepare both body and soul of the glorious Virgin Mother, Mary, that she might deserve to be made a worthy dwelling for Thy Son, grant that we who rejoice in her memory, [may, by her loving intercession, be delivered from present evils and from lasting death, through the same Christ our Lord. Amen.]
Condition: Apart from slight cockling and the expected edge browning, the leaf is in excellent condition. It is unconditionally guaranteed genuine.
Notes: An antiphon (Greek ἀντίφωνον, ἀντί "opposite" and φωνή "voice") in Christian music and ritual is a a short sentence sung by a choir or congregation before or after a psalm or canticle. It is usually in the form of a Gregorian chant. The words of the antiphons are related to the theme of the feast day or celebration and most frequently have something in common with the liturgical readings of the Mass.
The Salve Regina was set down in largely its current form at the Abbey of Cluny in the 12th century, where it was used as a processional hymn on Marian feasts. The Cistercians chanted the Salve Regina daily from 1218. It was popular at medieval universities as an evening song, and later came to be part of the ritual for the blessing of a ship. While the anthem figured largely in liturgical and in general popular Catholic devotion, it was especially dear to sailors.
Size: Leaf: approx. 200x140 mm. Please note that shipping is invoiced separately.
Item No: MBH194
