Text and Illumination: The volume comprises Psalms 15-150, followed by the Magnificat, a Litany and other prayers. The initials here compare well with the refined works of this region in the last decades of the thirteenth century (such as the Psalter for the use of Ghent, mid-thirteenth century, now Getty MS. 14; 85.MK.239, and the Bestiary from Flanders, c. 1270, now Getty, MS. Ludwig XV 3;83.MR.173: see Kren, Illuminated Manuscripts from Belgium and the Netherlands, pp. 40 and 44-6; and the Bute Psalter, made north east France c. 1270, now Getty MS. 46;92.MK.92: see same series for French manuscripts, pp. 31-32), and sets it well above the more commonly found rustic examples. The historiated initials contain: 1. fol. 30v, David as a crowned king with a long staff, touching his eyes as God blesses him (opening Dominus illuminatio mea ... , Psalm 26); 2. fol. 50r, God appearing from a cloud and blessing an enthroned David (opening Dixi custodiam vias ... , Psalm 39); 3. fol. 67v, David brandishing a sword before a Jewish religious leader, probably representing Ahimelech to whom the text is addressed (opening Quid gloriaris in ... , Psalm 51); 4. fol. 68v, King David standing before a fool representative of those who work iniquity, who have devoured my people like a loaf of bread , who holds a staff and bites from a circular piece of bread (opening Dixit insipiens in ... , Psalm 52); 5. fol. 86v, Christ and David in different compartments of an initial, with Christ blessing while David is half-submurged in water (opening Salvum me fac ... , Psalm 68); 6. fol. 109v, David with a stick ringing the bells hanging from a stone church (opening E[xultate] deo nostro ... , Psalm 80); 7. Fol. 130r, three tonsured monks singing from a book on a lectern (opening Cantate domino canticum ... , Psalm 97); 8. fol. 133r, David in prayer on the Mount of Olives (opening Domine exaudi orationem ... , Psalm 101); 9. fol. 153v, the Crucifixion, with God the Father holding Christ on the Cross (opening Dixit dominus ... , Psalm 109). An elegant and high quality psalter rare.
