Danielis Ludus Manuscript

Danielis Ludus

Information
The only surviving copy of the Danielis Ludus, Egerton MS. 2615, now resides in the British Library. Copied sometime c. 1230 in the scriptorium of Beauvais cathedral, Egerton MS. 2615 is approximately 50-100 years later than the original (now lost) manuscript of the play. The picture reproduced here is of the first leaf of the play, which contains the title and vv. 1-11 (ending in the middle of the second word of v. 11, Dani-). The title (Incipit Daniel lud) is written on the right of the first line in red ink. Likewise, the first rubric of scene one (Dum venerit . . . hanc prosam) is in red ink, and appears single-spaced, first interlinearly between lines two and three and then ending in line four. The musical notation appears on a staff of four red lines written above the words. The actual notes are the rhomboid-shaped canted punctums. Each syllable can have either one punctum or two or more punctums joined with a tie (e.g., two above the syllable 'em' in honorem; three above 'lu' in ludus). The pitch is clearly marked, but not the rhythm. Most musical editors defer to the strongly accentual Latin verse for their interpretation of the rhythm and melody.

Information

The only surviving copy of the Danielis Ludus, Egerton MS. 2615, now resides in the British Library. Copied sometime c. 1230 in the scriptorium of Beauvais cathedral, Egerton MS. 2615 is approximately 50-100 years later than the original (now lost) manuscript of the play. The picture reproduced here is of the first leaf of the play, which contains the title and vv. 1-11 (ending in the middle of the second word of v. 11, Dani-).

The title (Incipit Daniel lud) is written on the right of the first line in red ink. Likewise, the first rubric of scene one (Dum venerit . . . hanc prosam) is in red ink, and appears single-spaced, first interlinearly between lines two and three and then ending in line four. The musical notation appears on a staff of four red lines written above the words. The actual notes are the rhomboid-shaped canted punctums. Each syllable can have either one punctum or two or more punctums joined with a tie (e.g., two above the syllable 'em' in honorem; three above 'lu' in ludus). The pitch is clearly marked, but not the rhythm. Most musical editors defer to the strongly accentual Latin verse for their interpretation of the rhythm and melody.

Folios 95r - 98v	Folios 99r - 102v	Folios 103r - 106v	Folios 107r - 108r
Folio 95r	Folio 99r	Folio 103r	Folio 107r
Folio 95v	Folio 99v	Folio 103v	Folio 107v
Folio 96r	Folio 100r	Folio 104r	Folio 108r
Folio 96v	Folio 100v	Folio 104v
Folio 97r	Folio 101r	Folio 105r
Folio 97v	Folio 101v	Folio 105v
Folio 98r	Folio 102r	Folio 106r
Folio 98v	Folio 102v	Folio 106v

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Posted: 11/20/2000
Updated: 11/20/2000