MS Ll.2.9, f. 14v
Martyrology and Obituary
Guildford, ca 1270–1300

The Martyrology was read as part of the daily office during Prime and contains a list of saints for each day of the year. The page shown is for the days 27–30 April. For 29 April at the end is Apud mediolanum: passio beati petri martyris de ordine fratrum predicatorum – the saint’s relics are in the Dominican church of San Eustorgio in Milan. This in itself would not necessarily suggest that this Martyrology was specifically for Dominican use because Peter Martyr is frequently found in Martyrologies not for use by them. However, the rubricator has written in the left margin totum duplex which is the grading as a greater double feast in the Dominican calendar, and this also was done for Dominic’s feast on 4 August. Further evidence in the text shows that this book belonged to the Dominican priory of Guildford, a royal foundation in 1275 by Eleanor of Provence, widow of Henry III. The Martyrology is followed by an Obituary of the Guildford friars and their benefactors. The manuscript was made at some time before 1323, the year of the canonisation of St Thomas Aquinas because his name had to be added on 7 March. The style of the penflourish initials suggests a date late in the thirteenth century.