Although it is not possible to determine the contents of the codex fragment, which still serves as a book cover, from the visible page, it is certain that the mother codex was one of the decorative codices of the cathedral of Várad (Varadinum, Oradea in present-day Romania) in the late 15th century. This is evidenced by the type of the script and the notation, the height of the staves and the space in between each line: the punctum (rhombus) is 15 mm high and the entire stave 45 mm, but the characteristic square form of the custos, with a thin stem running long on the right, is equally revealing. The fact that the custos stands closer to the outer (right) side of the red double-line ruling suggests that the fragment originates from a leaf of the Várad Mass codices (the Gradual or the Sequentiary). The custodes in the Várad Antiphonal are consistently positioned close to the inner (left) edge of the frame line. However, it will only be possible to determine with certainty the genre of the codex once the fragment has been detached and the inside made available for research.
The host book contains rosary devotions and prayers collected by Joannes Damascenus Goslawski, a Polish Dominican who lived in the first half of the 17th century. The book was owned by the convent of Gyöngyös in the 18th century, according to the ownership inscription on the front cover. It was used in 1731 by Frater Apollinaris, who inscribed himself on both the front and back flyleaves, and who may be identical with the brother of the same name who is listed in the catalogue of András Emődi as the owner of two books in the Franciscan library of Satu Mare – both books contain the inscription Conventus Gyöngyösiensis. (cf. András Emődi, Altbücherbestand der Bibliothek der Diözese in Sathmar. István Monok (ed.), Altbücherbestände ungarischer Bibliotheken im Karpatenbecken 5. Nagyvárad, Szatmári Római Katolikus Püspökség – Varadinum Script, 2010, 69, 154, nr. 183 and 560.).)
Zsuzsa Czagány