Renaissance Psalter Leaf – The Sailors’ Psalm-

This is an original leaf from a Renaissance manuscript Psalter. 20 lines written in Latin on animal vellum. Ruled text written with red and dark brown ink in fine gothic script. Initials alternately in red and blue. The large flamboyant illuminated S” trails into the margin with burnished gold, red, green and blue. The illuminated “S” begins Psalm 68: “Salvum me?” ( Save me, O God, for the waters are come near to engulf me?).The devout Christian was expected to engage in a series of daily devotions, structured around the reading of the Psalms. In the Middle Ages all 150 psalms were to be recited each day, but as this proved impractical, the sequence was restructured to encompass a full week! In addition to the Psalms, the Psalter usually contained a series of canticles or additional poetic passages drawn from the Old and New Testament. This leaf is from a Psalter that was made for use rather than as a status symbol.

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