Ɵ Confraternity of the Archangel Michael, in Spanish, manuscript on parchment [Valencia, c.1400]

Ɵ Statutes of the Confraternity of the Archangel Michael, Valencia, in Spanish, leaf from a decorated calligraphic manuscript on parchment[Spain (Valencia), c. 1400] Single leaf, with single column of up to 24 lines in a good calligraphic lettre bâtarde bookhand, quite rounded and squat with many hairline decorative penstrokes added to letters, rubrics in same in red, elaborate ornamental penwork cadels to ascenders and descenders of letters in uppermost and lowermost lines, three small initials in red or red and blue encased within elaborate penwork densely filling the space with foliate designs, and with whiplike penwork tendril extensions, one very large initial 'P' (opening "Paunerament ordenaren que ..."), in variegated red and blue surrounded by penwork as before, this penwork enclosing two human faces, and that at foot enclosing a hare chased by a red-tongued dog, catchword at foot of verso surrounded by scrollwork showing this was the last leaf of a quire, eighteenth- or nineteenth-century folio no. '8' at outer head of recto, small smudges and spots, else in excellent condition, 243 by 185mm.; in cloth-covered card binding Provenance: 1. Confraternity of the Archangel Michael, Valencia, and doubtless produced there for one of its members.2. Bruce Ferrini, Akron, Ohio, March 1991, another leaf from this parent manuscript with miniatures of the Crucifixion and symbols of the evangelists appearing as his cat. 1 (1987), no. 3 (now in a private US collection).3. Schøyen Collection, London and Oslo, their MS 1283, acquired from Ferrini. Script:The script here is an excellent example of the florid and calligraphic rotunda employed in late medieval Spain for vernacular texts.