DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.14722#0223
THE TRIPARTITE AND TRIGLOT PSALTER OF EADWINE.
The initial letters of each Psalm are highly illuminated in gold and rich body colours, the style of which
will be seen from the specimen before us to differ entirely from the designs of the Anglo-Saxon calligraphers:
the initial letter of the first Psalm, B, is six inches high, and most elaborately coloured.
Each Psalm is illustrated by a drawing embodyingthe subject of the text in a singularly quaint but expres-
sive manner: thus the specimen in the plate illustrates the 63rd (64th Psalm), where David calls upon God to
hide him from the wicked, " who whet their tongue like a sword and bend their bows to shoot their arrows,
even bitter words."—" But God shall shoot at them with an arrow."
This extensive series of drawings, of which my specimen is one of the least elaborate, is of great interest^
from the many representations of the dresses, habits^, customs, &cv of our forefathers, which it affords. The
drawings are freely sketched with a pen and black ink, and the colours dashed on with good effect of light and
shade—red, blue, green, and brown, alone being employed. The first page is entirely occupied by a large
drawing, in two compartments, in the upper of which are given two buildings of handsome elevation; one
inscribed " Sancta eccl." in which the " Beatus Vir"is seated ; whilst in the opposite one, " Superbia" is
seated. Between these two buildings is a contest between a man and an angel, the latter endeavouring to draw
the mortal to the former building. Beneath is a representation of the infernal regions.
Two of the pages at the end of the volume are entirely occupied by a large birdVeye view of the Monastery
of Christ Church, Canterbury, with allits buildings and grounds. This highly curious plan has been engraved
in the Vetusta Monumenta, as well as the full-length portrait of Eadwine himself, more than a foot in height,
engaged in writing, holding a metallic calamua in his right hand, and a knife in his left, and surrounded by the
loilowing jingling Latin verses :—
SCRIPTOR. LITERA.
Scriptornm princeps ego nec obitura deinceps, Te tua scriptura quem signat picta figura,
Laus mea nec fama, qui sim mea littera clama. Preedicat Eadwinum fama per secula yivum,
Ingenium cuius libri decus indicat buius.
The name of the writer also appears in the following Prayer, after the fashion in ancient Psalters :—
" Omnipotens et misericors Deus clementiam tuam suppliciter deprecor ut me, famulum tuum Eadwinum
tibi fideliter servire concedas et perseverantiam bonam et felicem consummationem michi largire digneris et
hoc Psalterium, quia in conspectu tuo cantavi ad salutem et ad remedium animae mese proficiat sempiternum.
Amen."
The date of the volume is ascertained by the following entry in the Calendar:—" XI Kal Maii, obiit pie
memorie Anselmus arcp," Anselm having died during the reign of King Stephen. In the Calendar, also_, are
inserted entries concerning other archbishops, as well as the dedication " Ecclesise Christi," which evidently
alludes to the Church of Christ at Canterbury: indeed, we find in the Cottonian MS. (Galba, E. 4) containing
an inventory of the books belonging to the Cathedral of Canterbury, drawn up in the year 1315, several books
of a certain Edwin :—"Liber Edwini Anglice"—"Biblia Edwini"—and " tripartitum Psalterium. Edwimy
—which was doubtless the volume now before us, as suggested by Wanley (Hickes' Thes. Vol. 2).
Silvestre has given a fac-simile from a tripartite Psalter, preserved in the Bibliotheque Royale de Paris;
which, in the style of its writing and illuminated initials, precisely corresponds with Eadwine^s book. It is
described by Silvestre as having only the Hebraic Version accompanied by an old French gloss, which is regarded
by Champollion as of high importance. Unlike the Cambridge MS., the drawings with which it is ornamented
are not contemporary with the text, but were successively executed; so that there is at least two centuries in
the difference of the styles of the first and last miniatures; all which, moreover, exhibit traces of Italian art.
The Harleian MS., No. 603 (in the British Museum), is a large folio Latin Psalter, written about the time
of King Edgar (but some of the leaves restored about the time of the Conqueror), and interesting from its
containing a series of sketches, by different hands, very similar to the drawings in the Psalter of Eadwine, which
were apparently copied from them. The sketches are drawn with great freedom, with a pen_, and comprise a
great fund of illustrations of national manners, dress, &c. Unfortunately, the page containing the 63rd Psalm
has been cut out, so that we cannot compare the drawing with that in Eadwine's Psalter, but some of the
sketches are evidently identical in both MSS. The initial letters are plain. Many of the drawings have been
published by Strutt, and in the Pictoral History of England (Vol. 1).
2
The initial letters of each Psalm are highly illuminated in gold and rich body colours, the style of which
will be seen from the specimen before us to differ entirely from the designs of the Anglo-Saxon calligraphers:
the initial letter of the first Psalm, B, is six inches high, and most elaborately coloured.
Each Psalm is illustrated by a drawing embodyingthe subject of the text in a singularly quaint but expres-
sive manner: thus the specimen in the plate illustrates the 63rd (64th Psalm), where David calls upon God to
hide him from the wicked, " who whet their tongue like a sword and bend their bows to shoot their arrows,
even bitter words."—" But God shall shoot at them with an arrow."
This extensive series of drawings, of which my specimen is one of the least elaborate, is of great interest^
from the many representations of the dresses, habits^, customs, &cv of our forefathers, which it affords. The
drawings are freely sketched with a pen and black ink, and the colours dashed on with good effect of light and
shade—red, blue, green, and brown, alone being employed. The first page is entirely occupied by a large
drawing, in two compartments, in the upper of which are given two buildings of handsome elevation; one
inscribed " Sancta eccl." in which the " Beatus Vir"is seated ; whilst in the opposite one, " Superbia" is
seated. Between these two buildings is a contest between a man and an angel, the latter endeavouring to draw
the mortal to the former building. Beneath is a representation of the infernal regions.
Two of the pages at the end of the volume are entirely occupied by a large birdVeye view of the Monastery
of Christ Church, Canterbury, with allits buildings and grounds. This highly curious plan has been engraved
in the Vetusta Monumenta, as well as the full-length portrait of Eadwine himself, more than a foot in height,
engaged in writing, holding a metallic calamua in his right hand, and a knife in his left, and surrounded by the
loilowing jingling Latin verses :—
SCRIPTOR. LITERA.
Scriptornm princeps ego nec obitura deinceps, Te tua scriptura quem signat picta figura,
Laus mea nec fama, qui sim mea littera clama. Preedicat Eadwinum fama per secula yivum,
Ingenium cuius libri decus indicat buius.
The name of the writer also appears in the following Prayer, after the fashion in ancient Psalters :—
" Omnipotens et misericors Deus clementiam tuam suppliciter deprecor ut me, famulum tuum Eadwinum
tibi fideliter servire concedas et perseverantiam bonam et felicem consummationem michi largire digneris et
hoc Psalterium, quia in conspectu tuo cantavi ad salutem et ad remedium animae mese proficiat sempiternum.
Amen."
The date of the volume is ascertained by the following entry in the Calendar:—" XI Kal Maii, obiit pie
memorie Anselmus arcp," Anselm having died during the reign of King Stephen. In the Calendar, also_, are
inserted entries concerning other archbishops, as well as the dedication " Ecclesise Christi," which evidently
alludes to the Church of Christ at Canterbury: indeed, we find in the Cottonian MS. (Galba, E. 4) containing
an inventory of the books belonging to the Cathedral of Canterbury, drawn up in the year 1315, several books
of a certain Edwin :—"Liber Edwini Anglice"—"Biblia Edwini"—and " tripartitum Psalterium. Edwimy
—which was doubtless the volume now before us, as suggested by Wanley (Hickes' Thes. Vol. 2).
Silvestre has given a fac-simile from a tripartite Psalter, preserved in the Bibliotheque Royale de Paris;
which, in the style of its writing and illuminated initials, precisely corresponds with Eadwine^s book. It is
described by Silvestre as having only the Hebraic Version accompanied by an old French gloss, which is regarded
by Champollion as of high importance. Unlike the Cambridge MS., the drawings with which it is ornamented
are not contemporary with the text, but were successively executed; so that there is at least two centuries in
the difference of the styles of the first and last miniatures; all which, moreover, exhibit traces of Italian art.
The Harleian MS., No. 603 (in the British Museum), is a large folio Latin Psalter, written about the time
of King Edgar (but some of the leaves restored about the time of the Conqueror), and interesting from its
containing a series of sketches, by different hands, very similar to the drawings in the Psalter of Eadwine, which
were apparently copied from them. The sketches are drawn with great freedom, with a pen_, and comprise a
great fund of illustrations of national manners, dress, &c. Unfortunately, the page containing the 63rd Psalm
has been cut out, so that we cannot compare the drawing with that in Eadwine's Psalter, but some of the
sketches are evidently identical in both MSS. The initial letters are plain. Many of the drawings have been
published by Strutt, and in the Pictoral History of England (Vol. 1).
2