Book of Hours, Use of Sarum, Calendar, Hours of the Virgin with the Hours of the Cross and of the Holy Ghost worked in, The Seven Verses of St Bernard, Devotion to the Seven Last Words, attributed to Bede, Prayer with indulgence of Boniface VI, Fifteen Joys of the Virgin, in French, Seven Requests to our Lord, in French — c. 1440–50

Title

Book of Hours, Use of Sarum, Calendar, Hours of the Virgin with the Hours of the Cross and of the Holy Ghost worked in, The Seven Verses of St Bernard, Devotion to the Seven Last Words, attributed to Bede, Prayer with indulgence of Boniface VI, Fifteen Joys of the Virgin, in French, Seven Requests to our Lord, in French — c. 1440–50

Shelfmark

MS. Auct. D. inf. 2. 11

Place of origin

French

Date

c. 1440–50

Language

Middle French (ca. 1400-1600)

Latin

Contents

Form

codex

Support

parchment

Physical extent

ii + 1 + 264 + 1 + ii fol.

Decoration

The miniatures are as follows (full page unless otherwise noted). Calendar, fols. 1–12: two small rectangular minitures at the foot of each recto, depicting (left) the labour of the month and (right) the Zodiac sign. Fol. 23v, Hours of the Virgin, Lauds: the Visitation. The miniature of the Annunciation which originally preceded Matins is now Birmingham, City Museum and Art Gallery, P. 155'55a. Suffrages (3/4 page): Fol. 35v, The Trinity Fol. 36v, The Holy Spirit (Baptism of Christ) Fol. 37v, The Cross (Crucifixion) Fol. 38v, St Michael Fol. 39v, John the Baptist Fol. 40v, John the Evangelist Fol. 41v, SS Peter and Paul Fol. 42v, St Andrew Fol. 43v, St Stephen Fol. 44v, St George Fol. 46v, St Lawrence Fol. 47v, St Eustace Fol. 48v, St Christopher Fol. 49v, St Sebastian Fol. 50v, St Nicholas Fol. 51v, St Anne Fol. 52v, St Mary Magdalene Fol. 53v, St Katherine Fol. 54v, St Margaret Fol. 55v, St Ethburga Fol. 56v, St Winifred Fol. 58v, All Saints Fol. 59v, Peace (Noah's ark and the rainbow) Fol. 62v, Hours of the Cross, Matins: Betrayal and arrest of Christ Fol. 64v, Hours of the Holy Spirit, Matins: Pentecost Fol. 66v, Hours of the Virgin, Prime: Nativity Fol. 72v, Hours of the Cross, Prime: Christ brought before Pilate Fol. 74v, Hours of the Virgin, Terce: Annunciation to the Shephers Fol. 79v, Hours of the Cross, Terce: Flagellation Fol. 81v, Hours of the Virgin, Sext: Adoration of the Magi Fol. 85v: Hours of the Cross, Sext: Carrying the Cross Fol. 87v: Hours of the Virgin, None: Presentation in the Temple Fol. 91v: Hours of the Cross, None: Crucifixion Fol. 93v, Hours of the Virgin, Vespers: Flight into Egypt Fol. 100v, Hours of the Cross, Vespers: Deposition Fol. 102v, Hours of the Virgin, Compline: Coronation of the Virgin Fol. 111v, Penitential Psalms: David in penitence Fol. 145v, Office of the Dead: funeral service Fol. 188v, Commendation: burial Fol. 217v, Psalms of the passion: mass of St Gregory Fol. 231v, Psalter of St Jerome: St Jerome Fol. 232r, Psalter of St Jerome: Christ crowned with thorns (half page)

Binding

Purple velvet with gilt corner pieces, English, 16th century.

Acquisition

Acquired before 1615, probably purchased between 1602 and 1605 with part of £50 given by lord Cobham.

Provenance

A kneeling figure of a man is in the miniatures of St George (44v) and St Christopher (48v), the male form of address occurs on fol.232v, but a female owner is suggested on fols. 61v, 232, and 247vs.

Henry VII (?): referred to as 'Henrici Septimi breviarium' by John Rouse in 1620 (Titus Livius Forojuliensis, ed. T. Hearne (1726), p. 201).

Henry VIII (?): traditionally said to have belonged to him (W. D. Macray, Annals of the Bodleian (1890), p. 468); binding resembles other Henrician manuscripts.