Helsinki, National Library, C.IV.24. Psalter

Helsinki, National Library, C.IV.24. Psalter Cataloguer Jesse Keskiaho Finnish Literature Society (SKS) Codices Fennici Creative Commons BY 4.0 Helsinki National Library C.IV.24 Saec. XI–XII, France / England? (prov. Åland)

Psalter

Fols. 1r–16v: Psalter, fragmentary: Pss. 68:27–32, 35–69:4; 73:21; 74:4–5; 76:8–77:11, 19–20, 25–38, 46, 52–53; 84:11–85:2, 4–9; 88:20–24, 27–31; 131:1–134:19; 135:25–138:20; 140:10–142:3.

[(1r)] [do]lorem uulnerum meorum ... producentem et ungulas [(1)v] et omnia reptilia ... retrorsum et erub[escant] [(2)r] Ne avertetur humilis ... et inops laudabu[nt] [(2)v] columpnas eius. Dixi ... agere [(3)r] |aut et non apponet ... [(5)r] ... statuit aquas quasi in utrem [(5)v] Et male locuti ... dare aut para[re] [(6)r] cibaria misit eis ... [(6)v] non accendit iram suam [(7)r] Et dedit erugini ... [la]bores eorum locuste [(7)v] eos tamquam gregem ... et non timuerunt [(8)r] Misericordia et ueritas ... quoniam sanctus sum [[8]v] leuaui. Quoniam tu ... domine et glorifi[cabunt] [(9)r] plebe mea. Inueni ... odientes eum in fu[gam] [(9)v] Ipse inuocabit me ... dereliquerint filii eius [(10)r] Memento domine dauid ... [(12)v] ... israel benedicite domino [(13)r] Qui dat escam ... [(15)v] in cogitatione accipiatur [16r] [sin]gulariter sum ego ... [(16)v] est inimicus ani[mam]

parchment 16 fols. 8,5 10,5 5,5 7,5 the largest leaves measure 8,5 × 10 (5,5 × 7,5) not foliated The badly fragmentary remains of perhaps three quires (fols. [1–7], [8–9], [10–16]), of which the most complete is a defective quinion (fols. [10–16]) Fols. [15] and [16] still have their folds intact). Fols. [3] and [8] have been damaged by heat. The contents have been marked in ink and in pencil on the folia (using the modern numeration of Psalms). Text in one column, ruled in lead (below the top line, double lines in the inner margins).

Protogothic bookhand written by one scribe.

Decoration

Two orders of lombards painted alternately red and blue; psalms distinguished with a flourished larger lombard, verses with smaller lombards without flourishing.

Unbound leaves and strips, some of which ([1–4] and [10–16]) have been lightly sewn together after reconstruction. There are removed parchment covers (which have had paper glued to them) preserved with the fragments, but these, while smallish (9,5 × 14), do not seem to fit what is presumed to be the original size and shape of the fragment folia (which in any case are reported as having been found in the binding of a tax-book).

It is not known how this portable psalter (or parts of it) found its way to Åland to be used in binding a tax book.

The fragments are enclosed in a blue cardboard folder, on which is written in a hand of saec. XIX ‘Psalterium i böneboks-format, fragm. funnit i en räntebok från Åland 1537–38’ (the same information is repeated on a piece of paper accompanying the fragments).

After the leaves were recovered they were sent to the National Library of Finland. Encoding added