Welcome to the
Database
on
Danish Liturgical Fragments
from the Middle Ages
This database has been made possible through a grant from the Danish Institute for Advanced Studies in the Humanities and established in collaboration with the Royal Library and Danish National Archives in Copenhagen. It is under the auspices of the Faculty of Theology at the University of Aarhus where I was employed for 40 years.
Danish Liturgical Books
The purpose of this entry is to establish an easy access to the content of the most important surviving liturgical books from the Middle Ages by means of a number of links. The books have not been scanned yet. It is my hope, however, that this enterprise can be carried through in the future as soon as the necessary money has been raised.
The most interesting books in our context are the following printed books kept in the Royal Library in Copenhagen:
Missale Ottoniense from 1483 (fragmentary) Breviarium Ottoniense from 1482 and the later editions.
Missale Slesvicense from 1486 Diurnale Roschildense from 1511
Breviarium Slesvicense from 151 Breviarium Lundense from 1517
Missale Hafniense from 1510 Breviarium Roschildense from 1517
Missale Lundense from1514 Breviarium Aarhusiense from 1519
Canon Roschildensis from 1522
Furthermore, there are three important printed liturgical books kept in foreign libraries that ought also to be scanned:
Missale Hafniense Vetus from 1484 in Helsinki (fragmentary)
Missale Viburgense from 1500 in Riga
Breviarium Slesvicense from 1486 in Rome
Editorial Principles
The texts of the fragments are edited so that the spelling as well as the punctuation have been retained, except for rubrics and personal names which have been capitalized. Latin abbreviations are expanded in the transcriptions. Texts within square brackets are my reconstructions. Rubrics are rendered in italics.
The original Latin texts of the Medieval liturgical fragments are rewritten in full when they are not taken from the Bible. In all other cases the liturgical texts are indicated according to Medieval practice by their incipits. Biblical references have been supplied for these. Deviations from the Vulgate’s version will not be commented upon except in rare cases. Whenever the readings combine different parts of the Biblical texts, however, this is indicated.
The openings of the readings, such as Hec dicit dominus deus (at the O.T. lessons), Fratres (at the Epistles) or In illo tempore dixit Ihesus etc (at the Gospels), are not written out.
The Biblical references to the Vulgate are indicated within square brackets. When the Biblical references do not correspond with those of the English Bible – as is most often the case when dealing with the Psalms, for instance – the references are supplied with an additional reference within parenthesis.
The abbreviations of the names of the Biblical books are those indicated in the English Standard Version of the Bible. References to the Apocrypha, which do not belong to the Protestant Bibles, are indicated by the names of the books given in the list of Biblical books under “The Vulgate” in the left Menu. This link also offers you the possibility of reading the English version of the Bible.
Whenever music occurs in the sources, there will be a link at the bottom of the page in question. If you click here, the program will show a new window whith a copy of the original piece of music, rewritten in modern notation, and a new link giving you the possibility of hearing a recording of the music in question.
Knud Ottosen, 2002