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Book of hours., 15th century.

 Item
Identifier: MS.5765

Scope and Contents

Contains the following:

(i) Hours of the Blessed Virgin Mary and of the Cross, according to the Use of Sarum (folio 1); (ii) Prayers, part of the Office of the Dead (apparently not of Sarum Use), psalms and suffrages of saints (folio 50); (iii) Penitential Psalms (folio 89); (iv) Psalms 132-134 (folio 99); (v) The Litany, which does not include any English saints (folio 102); (vi) 'Ave Maria' and the Creed (folio 111 verso); (vii) Fragment of a fourteenth-century glossed text of canon law, used as binder’s waste. The text is from ‘Liber Sextus I’, tit. 3, cap. 9-11 (folio 115).

The manuscript was apparently written for a woman. Leaves containing the beginning of Prime, Sext, Nones, Compline and the Office of the Dead are lacking (after folios 27, 35, 38, 45 and 50). Matins, Terce, and Vespers are preceded by large miniatures, enclosed in full borders of flowers and foliage, representing the Annunciation, the Nativity, and the Massacre of the Innocents (folios 1, 32, 41 verso), and Lauds is preceded by an illuminated capital (folio 11). There are illuminated initials throughout.

Dates

  • Creation: 15th century.

Language of Materials

The manuscript is in Latin, except for section (vi) and some rubrics and a prayer in section (ii) which are in Dutch.

Conditions Governing Access

Normal access conditions apply.

Conditions Governing Use

Normal reproduction conditions apply, subject to any copyright restrictions.

Extent

122 Leaves ; 175 x 125 millimetres.

Arrangement

v (ii-v paper) + 117 folios. Collation very irregular. 14 lines (except in section vii).

Bibliography

Oldham, James B. 'English blind-stamped bindings' (Cambridge, 1952).

Physical Description

Vellum. Blind-tooled binding, circa 1540, possibly English (cf. James B Oldham, 'English blind-stamped bindings': FPa(18).). Clasps missing.

Repository Details

Part of the National Library of Scotland Archives and Manuscripts Division Repository

Contact:
Archives and Manuscript Division
National Library of Scotland
George IV Bridge
Edinburgh EH1 1EJ
0131 623 3700