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MS. Douce 248

Summary Catalogue no.: 21822

Book of Hours in Middle Dutch; Delft, mid-15th century

Contents

Book of Hours

Largely in the version of Geert Groote: Het getijdenboek van Geert Grote, ed. N. van Wijk (Leiden, 1940)

Language(s): Middle Dutch
1. (fols. 1r-11v, including fols. 9(a), 9(b))
Calendar

Full, in red and black, two pages for a month. Including in red the typical Utrecht diocese feasts: Pontianus (Jan. 14), Pancras (May 12), Servatius (May 13), Odulph (12 June), translation of Martin (4 July), Lebuin (12 June), and Willibrord (7 Nov.); the two distinctive Delft feasts, Hippolytus (13 August) and the 11000 Virgins (21 Oct.); also Jereon (17 Aug.) (see A. Korteweg, 'Books of Hours from the Northern Netherlands reconsidered: the uses of Utrecht and Windesheim and Geert Grote's role as a translator', in Books of Hours Reconsidered, ed. S. L. Hindman and J. H. Marrow (2013), pp. 235-261 (at 238-240)).

2. (fols. 12r-37v)
Hours of the Eternal Wisdom
Rubric: Hier beghinnen die ghetiden van der ewigher wijsheit. Anima mea
Incipit: Mine siele heuet di begheert in der nacht
Explicit: (fol. 37r) moeten rusten in vreden. Amen.

As ed. van Wijk, pp. 92-112.

Followed (fol. 37r-v) by response, versicle and collect 'tusschen paeschen end die octaue van pinxteren'.

S. G. Axters, Bibliotheca dominicana Neerlandica manuscripta 1224-1500 (Louvain, 1970), pp. 213-243, this copy listed p. 238.
3. (fols. 38r-65v)
Heinrich Suso, Die hundert Betrachtungen (Middle Dutch translation)
Rubric: Dit sijn hondert articulen of gedruckenissen vanden liden ons lieues heren sonderlinghe deuoet
Incipit: (prol.) Soe wie begheeit te ghedencken
Incipit: (text) (fol. 40r) Ay ewighe wijsheit godes ghenadighe here
Explicit: een almachtich god die vader end die sone ende die heilighe geest amen
Final rubric: Hier eynden die hondert articulen of ghedenckenissen …[long rubric]
Largely as pr. (without prol.) Delft, 1480 (ISTC ih00429300).
Axters, Bibliotheca dominicana Neerlandica manuscripta 1224-1500, pp. 186-199, listing this copy, p. 197
J. Deschamps, 'De Middelnederlandse vertalingen en bewerkingen van de Hundert Betrachtungen und Begehrungen van Henricus Suso', Ons Geestelijk Erf 63(2-4) (1989), 309-369
H. U. Meyboom, 'Suso's honderd Artikelen in Nederland', Archief voor Nederlandsche kerkgeschiedenis, 1 (1885), 173-207
4. (fols. 66r-73r)
Short Hours of the Cross
Rubric: Hier beghinnen die corte ghetiden vanden heiligen cruce

As ed. van Wijk, pp. 87-91.

Followed (fol. 73r-v) by an additional prayer:

Rubric: Dit ghebet selstu lesen alstu voer een crucifixe coemste
Incipit: Here Ihesu Criste om die bitterheit der passien
5. (fols. 75r-126v)
Hours of the Virgin
Rubric: Hier beghinnen die ghetiden van onser lieuer vrouwen. te metten tijt.

As ed. van Wijk pp. (Pater Noster given in full and followed by Ave Maria). Fol. 93v part blank at the end of Matins

6. (fols. 128r-141v)
Short Hours of the Virgin
Rubric: Hier beghinnen die corte ghetiden van onser lieuer vrouwen marien […]
Incipit: Vrouwe doet op mine lippen. Ende mijn mout
7.
7.1. (fols. 142r-151v)
Penitential Psalms
Rubric: Hier beghinnen die seuen psalmen van penitencien. Domine ne in furore.

As ed. van Wijk pp. 139-145.

7.2. (fols. 151v-163r)
Litany
Rubric: Dit sijn die letanien

Very close to the version pr. van Wijk pp. 145-154.

8. (fols. 163v-218v)
Prayers, devotions, and suffrages
(fols. 163v-165v)
Prayer before communion
Rubric: Dit ghebet selmen lesen alsmen dat heilighe sacrament ontfangen wil
Incipit: O here Ihesu Criste ic gruete dijn vleische gheheilicht
Explicit: maria dijn ghebendid moeder. Amen.
M. Meertens, De Godsvrucht in De Nederlanden Naar Handschriften Van Gebedenboeken Der XVe Eeuw (1930), III.51-2
(fols. 165v-167r)
Prayer after communion
Rubric: Dit ghebet selmen lesen alsmen dat heilighe sacrament ontfanghen heeft
Incipit: O here Ihesu Criste lof si dijnre onsprekeliker minnen
Explicit: ewich almachtich god is onversceiden. Amen.
Meertens III.88-9 and VI.49

Followed by another prayer (fols. 167r-v) for which cf. MS. Buchanan f. 4 fols. 198v-201r:

Incipit: O vriendelike here Ihesu Criste nu bidde ic di om die minnentlike waerdicheit
Explicit: end alle salighe sielen dat leuen dijnre ewicheit. Amen.
(fols. 167v-168v)
Rubric: Dit is een ynnighe bedinghe an onsen here […]
Incipit: Die hemelsche coninc onse here Ihesus Christus hinc anden cruce
Explicit: om dijn onsprekelike mildicheit. Amen.
Begins as Meertens VI.115 (no. 36)
(fol. 168v)
Rubric: Een goet ghebet an onsen here
Incipit: Ic dwae mi inden waerden heilighen bloede
(fols. 168v-169v)
Rubric: Dese na ghescreuen ghebeden sijn seer ynnich end een mensche selse lesen sonderlinghe des morghens als hi eerst op ghestaen is
Incipit: O heilighe here almachtige vader ewighe god die ons onwaerdighe sondaren
(fols. 169v-170r)
Rubric: An onser vrouwen
Incipit: Heilighe Maria moeder ons heren Ihesu Cristi goedertieren ewighe
(fol. 170r-v)
Rubric: An onsen lieuen here
Incipit: O god coninc scepper des hemels end der aerden
(fols. 170v-171r)
Rubric: Een goede collect om ghenade end ontfermharticheit […]
Incipit: O god die na dijnre gerechticheit mit recht op ons
(fol. 171r)
Rubric: Een goede collect
Incipit: Wi bidden di almachtighe god op dat wi die vermoeyt worden
(fol. 171r-v)
Rubric: Collect
Incipit: Wi bidden di here regier dijn volc
(fol. 171v)
Rubric: Collect
Incipit: Here wi bidden di bescerme dijn volc
(fol. 171v)
Rubric: Een ynnich ghebet als men te bedde gaen sel
Incipit: O ewige behouder wake ouer ons
(fols. 171v-172r)
Rubric: Collect
Incipit: O here god inlichte onse duysternisse
(fols. 172r-174v)
Devotion on the seven words
Rubric: Dit sijn die seuen woerden die onse lieue here Ihesus Cristus sprac hanghende anden cruce […]
Incipit: Here Ihesu Criste leuende godes sone die inder lester tijt uwes leuens hanghende anden cruce
Explicit: een eynde mijns leuens. Amen.
Differs from the Middle Dutch version of Ps-Bede, Oratio de septem verbis, discussed Meertens II.111 and VI.11 (art. 8)
(fols. 174v-175v)
Rubric: Dit is die corte passie als Johannes bescrijft end so wie datse daghelix leset verdient alsinen seit CCC dage oflaets […]
(fols. 175v-176r)
Rubric: Benedictus die xijte […] CCC daghe oflaets […]
Incipit: Die keiserlike moghentheit ghebenedie mi

Cf. Meertens VI.184 (22a)

(fol. 176r-v)
Rubric: Een goede beuelinghe an onsen lieuen here
Incipit: Ic beueel mi in die onsculdichheit des doots
Meertens VI.192 (10)
(fol. 176v)
Rubric: Sinte Augustinus ghebet Anima Christi
Incipit: O siele Cristi heilighe mi
Cf. Meertens III.29-32 and VI.21 (35).
(fols. 176v-177v)
Rubric: Een goet gebet an onsen lieuen here Ihesum Cristum
Incipit: Here god sich harwart goedertierliken
(fol. 177v)
Rubric: Hier toe staen xl daghe oflaets diet ynnichliken lesen
Incipit: Ghebenedijt is die soete name ons heren Ihesu Cristi
(fol. 177v-178v)
Rubric: Een goet ghebet an onsen lieuen here
Incipit: O gheweldighe god hemelrijcs end aertrijcs ic dijn arme sondige creatuer
Cf. Meertens VI.197 (21)
(fols. 178v-179r)
Rubric: Collect
Incipit: God die dijn heilighe hande ende voete ende al dijn lichaem
(fol. 179r-v)
Rubric: Dit sijn achte goede vaersen wt den souter
Incipit: Verlicht mijn oghen op dat
(fols. 179v-180r)
Rubric: Dit selmen lesen alsmen onsen here heft inder missen
Incipit: Ic gruete dat ghewarighe lichame gheboren vander maghet marien
(fol. 180r-v)
Rubric: Die dit ghebet begheerlic leest in der missen hi ontfanghet onsen here gheestelic […]
Incipit: Ay god wel lieue here ic bidde u wt alle miinre harten
(fols. 180v-183r)
Rubric: Een ynnighe bedinghe an onsen lieuen here Ihesum Christum
Incipit: O Ewighe waerheit trouwe minaer almachtige god, mijn here mijn scepher mijn verlosser
Explicit: alle die choren der enghelen end alle die heiligen gode louen. Amen.
(fols. 183r-188v)
Marian prayers and devotions
Rubric: Hier beghinnen sommighe ghebeden an onser vrouwen der ghebenedider moeder ons heren […]
Incipit: Maria soete moeder ende maghet alre ghenaden vol. O alre sekerste
Explicit: Des gonne mi die vader die sone ende die heilighe geest. Amen.
Rubric: (fol. 186r) Een ynnich ghebet an onser lieuer vrouwen op Aue Maria
Incipit: Aue Vrouwe vol alre eren. Der menschen troest der enghelen lof.
Language(s): Middle Dutch and Latin (each verse beginning with a word of the Ave Maria)
Rubric: (fol. 187v) Van onser lieuer vrouwen marien Aue regina celorum
Incipit: God gruet u coninghinne der hemelen

Ave Maria, Middle Dutch version

Rubric: (fol. 187v) Ecce concipies
Incipit: (fol. 188r) Sie du selste ontfanghen ende baren

Middle Dutch version, followed by versicle and collect.

(fols. 188v-212v)
Suffrages,

'Van den eygen enghel', St Michael, All Angels, St John Baptist, St Peter, St James, St Paul, St Andrew, St John Evangelist, St James Less, St Philip, St Thomas, St Mathias, SS Simon and Jude, St Bartholomew, St Mattheus, St Sebastian, St George, St Adrian, St Lawrence, 10000 Martyrs, St Cornelius, St Ypolitus, Three Kings, St Anthony, St Nicholas, St Ewald ('Ewout'), St Martin, St Francis, St Judocus ('Ioest'), St Ursula, 11000 Virgins, St Margaret, St Mary Magdalen, St Barbara, St Katherine, St Agnes, St Dorothy, St Appolonia, St Gertrude, St Wilgefortis/Uncumber ('Ontcomer'), St Elizabeth, St Anne, All Saints

(fols. 212v-214v)
Rubric: Dit is een goede ynnighe beuelinghe tot gode
Incipit: Ic beuel di den almachtighen god mitter seluer genaden
(fols. 214v-217r)
Rubric: Dit is om den sieken te vermanen […] So selmen den sieken mensche aldus voersegghen ende hi sel daer op antwoerden als hier na ghescreuen staet ende Ancelmus radet. Nota.
Incipit: Men vint bescreuen in Ancelmus boken dat men een kersten mensch
Explicit: groter salicheit sijnre sielen
Language(s): Middle Dutch and Latin
(fols. 217r-v)
Rubric: Een goet ghebet tot onsen here voer eens menschen siele
Incipit: O here vader ende ghenadighe god
9. (fols. 218r-255r)
Office of the Dead
Rubric: Hier beghint die langhe vigelie van neghen lessen. Circumdederunt.
Incipit: Mi hebben onbeuanghen die suchten des doots

As pr. van Wijk pp. 155-195 (starting here at p. 156), generally omitting the antiphons before psalms.

Fol. 255v blank.

Physical Description

Form: codex
Support: parchment
Extent: ii + 257 + ii leaves
Dimensions (leaf): 172 × c. 115 mm.
Foliation: i-ii, 1-8, 9a, 9b, 10-258 (257-8 are endleaves)

Collation

Not attempted: too tightly bound.

Layout

Ruled in purple for one column of 18 lines; ruled space 92 × 58 mm. (outer margin 40 mm., upper margin 27-8 mm.)

Hand(s)

Formal textualis; one hand.

Decoration

"Fine grisaille miniatures, historiated borders, historiated and other initials. Related in style to Brussels, Bib. Roy., MS. 21696, and Leiden, Univ. Bibl., B.P.L. 224" (Pächt and Alexander i. 219, pl. XVI).

Calendar: KL monograms with penwork extending into partial borders.

Miniatures on inserted sheets for the Hours of the Virgin, grisaille (more stricly semi-grisaille) with highlighting in yellow wash, haloes in gold, backgrounds painted in blue and gold; in the style of the so-called 'Masters of the Delft Grisailles'. M. Osterstrom-Renger, 'The Netherlandish Grisaille Miniatures: Some Unexplored Espects,” Wallraf-Richartz-Jahrbuch 44 (1983), 145–73. 152 fig. 4 illustrates fol. 74v.

  • fol. 74v, Annunciation (marginal scroll 'Non venit ad veniam qui nescit amare Mariam')
  • fol. 94v, Visitation
  • fol. 100v, Nativity
  • fol. 104v, Circumcision
  • fol. 109v, Adoration of the Magi
  • fol. 114v, Presentation in the Temple
  • fol. 121v, Massacre of the Innocents
  • fol. 127v, Flight into Egypt

Borders: full and partial penwork borders in blue and red in the Delft 'scallop' or 'schulp' style (The Golden Age of Dutch Manuscript Painting (1990), p. 186; Kriezels, Aubergines En Takkenbossen : Randversiering in Noordnederlandse Handschriften Uit De Vijftiende Eeuw, ed. A. S. Korteweg (1992), pp. 57-8); frequently with drolleries, animals, birds, scrolls carrying text, and historiated decoration. Miniatures with borders in different style.

Major divisions marked by historiated initials, with full penwork borders (partially painted):

  • fol. 66r (Short Hours of the Cross), 8 lines, in gold and blue, Christ's wounds on a crucifix, with the instruments of the passion; outer margin, phoenix, with scroll 'Ignis ardore comburet prolis amore fenix' (the last word in red); in lower margin, Agnus Dei.
  • fol. 75r (Hours of the Virgin), 9 lines, Virgin and Child; angel in outer margin
  • fol. 163v (Prayers and suffrages), 6 lines, monstrance; angel in margin

Other major divisions marked by large decorated initials, with full penwork borders (partially painted):

  • fol. 12r (Hours of the Eternal Wisdom): 8 lines, in gold and blue; border with dragons and figure with scroll 'quotquot agas prudenter agas et respice finem'
  • fol. 38r (Die hundert Betrachtungen), 8 lines, in gold, red and blue; marginal figures include pelican in its piety.
  • fol. 142r (Penitential Psalms), 8 line, in gold, red and blue; King David in outer margin
  • fol. 218r (Office of the Dead), 8 lines; nun with rosary in margin

Smaller initials with partial penwork borders:

  • (a) usually 4-line initials often with marginal animals, hybrids or scrolls: fols. 13r (rabbit and hybrid), 21r (hybrid), 24r (hybrid), 26r, 28r, 29v, 31v, 34v (owl), 40r, 71r, 84v (mermaid), 95r, 101r, 105r (unicorn; bird with scroll with Dutch text), 110r (bird with scroll with Dutch text), 115r (5 lines), 122r, 128r (7 lines, virgin and unicorn in lower margin, birds and vase (?) in outer margin), 167v, pelican, scroll with Dutch text, 184v, peacock; 186r, bird, scroll with Dutch text.
  • (b) usually 3-line initials in red and blue, sometimes gold, with penwork in both colours, sometimes with marginal birds or animals, fols. 43r, 46r, 49r, 52r, 55r, 59v, 67r, 68r, 69r, 70r, 72r, 130r, 131v, 133v, 135r, 137r, 139r, 141r (gold), 151v (gold, stag in margin) 165v (gold; bird in margin with scroll with Dutch text), 169r, 170v (blue and gold, grotesque in margin) , 172r (blue and gold), 177v (blue and gold), 180r, 180v (marginal scroll with text in Dutch), 187v (blue and gold, cormorant (?) killing snake in margin), 188v (blue and gold, lily with birds in margin), 189r, 198v (St Lawrence in margin), 205r (heart with arrow in margin, scroll with Dutch text), 206r (St Margaret in margin), 206v (nun with book in margin, women or man and woman dressed in leaves, spinning, in lower margins of 206v-207r); 213r, 215r, 217r, 244v

Usually 2-line initials in blue alternating with red (sometimes blue alternating with gold, especially in fols. 172r-176v, 189v-212r), with penwork in red or light blue, occasionally with marginal figures: at fol. 201v, a chained ape in margin, fol. 202v, bird's head; fol. 208v, scroll with Dutch text; fol. 210r, cat and mouse; fol. 212r, jester .

Coloured 1-line initials in blue or red.

Binding

Red velvet, 18th or 19th century.

History

Origin: 15th century, middle ; Dutch, Delft

Provenance and Acquisition

Inscriptions, mostly effaced, on fol. 256v.

Francis Douce, 1757–1834: probably acquired Oct. 1833 (Douce Legacy, no. 253).

Bequeathed to the Bodleian in 1834

Record Sources

Description by Matthew Holford, March 2023, with thanks to Henrike Laehnemann for linguistic advice. Previously described in the Summary Catalogue (1897).
Summary Catalogue, vol. 4, p. 567
Summary Catalogue, vol. 4, p. 568

Availability

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Digital Images

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Bibliography

Abbreviations

View list of abbreviations and editorial conventions.

Last Substantive Revision

2023-05: Description revised for publication on Digital Bodleian.