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MS. Auct. D. inf. 2. 11

Summary Catalogue no.: 2857

Contents

Book of Hours, Use of Sarum
1. (fol. 1)
Calendar
2. (fol. 13)
Hours of the Virgin with the Hours of the Cross and of the Holy Ghost worked in

Among the commemorations at Lauds are those of St Ethelburga and St Winifrid; some rubrics in French.

Also at Lauds:

(fol. 61)
The Seven Verses of St Bernard
Rubric: Les sept uers saint benait
Incipit: Illumina oculos
3. (fol. 112)

Penitential and Gradual (fol. 123v) Psalms with the litany (fol. 134)

4. (fol.146)

Office of the dead

(fol. 189)

Commendation

5. (fol. 207v)

Fifteen O’s

Introduced by a long rubric (Femina quedam solitaria)

6. (fol. 218)

Psalms of the passion

7. (fol. 232)

Psalter of St Jerome

8. (fol. 249)

Prayers and devotions

(fols. 249r–251r)
Devotion to the Seven Last Words, attributed to Bede
Rubric: Incipit oratio uenerabilis bede p(res)b(ite)ri de qua ut fertur qui cotidie et deuote flexis genibus eam dixerit. nec dyabolus nec mali homines ei nocere poterint nec sine confessione morietur. et per triginta dies ante obitum suum uidebit gloriosam uirginem mariam in auxilio sibi preparatam
Incipit: Domine ihesu christe qui septem uerba die ultimo uite tue in cruce pendens dixisti
Explicit: Veni ut mecum sedeas cum angelis meis sanctis in regno meo epulari iocundari et commorari. Per infinita seculorum secula Amen.

Christ's words written in red.

Cf. Horae Eboracenses, 140–142.

(fols. 251r–252r)
Prayer with indulgence of Boniface VI
Rubric: Cuilibet dicenti hanc orationem inter eleuationem corporis christi et tercium Agnus dominus papa bonifacium vius concessit duo milia annorum indulgentiarum ad supplicationem philippi regis francie
Incipit: Domine ihesu christe qui hanc sacratissimam carnem tuam et preciosum carnem tuam et preciosum sanguinem tuum de gloriose uirginis marie utero assumpsisti
Explicit: et ab uniuersis malis presentibus preteritis et futuris. Amen.

Cf. Hore beate virginis marie ad usum Sarum [Wolf. Hopyl?] Pro Anthonio Vérard, Paris 1503–5, fols. 17v-18r.

(fols. 252r–256v)

Letter(s?) of Christ to Abgar, mingled with devotions to Christ and the cross. (The divisions between the texts are uncertain, and some of the devotions may be intended as part of the letter(s).) For the letter cf. Stegmüller, Bibl. 147,1a; the text here is a longer version in which the letter is given apotrophaic powers; cf. D. C. Skemer, Binding Words: Textual Amulets in the Middle Ages (2006) pp. 96–105.

Rubric: (fol. 252r) Hec est epistola manu saluatoris conscripta regi indie abagaro per angelum erat transmissa ut in legenda aurea asseritur et uallet contra omnes impugnationes tam spirituales quam corporales
Incipit: (fol. 252r) Hec est epistola domini nostri ihesu christi quam manu sua scripsit mittens per angelum ad agabarum regem indie
Explicit: (fol. 252v) nec alique alia creatura ei nocere potent illo die
Incipit: (fol. 252v) Crux christi sit semper mecum Crux christi est quam adoro
Explicit: (fol. 253r) Crux christi sit semper ante me post me quia a⟨n⟩tiquus hostis fugit ubi uidet te

Similar to the text pr. in Reliquiae Hearnianae, ed. P. Bliss, I (1857), 196–7

Rubric: (fol. 253r) Hic incipit alia epistola domini nostri ihesu christi quam manu sua scripsit ad agabarum regem indie dicens
Incipit: Hec est epistola mea beatus es agabar rex qui in die me non uidisti et in me credidisti
Explicit: (fol. 253v) et saluus ens in ciuitate in domo in uia in agro in mare et ubicumque fueris
Incipit: (fol. 254r) Benedicat me imperialis maiestas Protegat me regalis diuinitas
Explicit: (fol. 254r) saluus et protectio In nomine patris et filij et spiritus sancti Amen

Largely as pr. Horae Eboracenses, p. 88.

Incipit: (fol. 254v) O bone ihesu o dulcissime ihesu o piissime ihesu
Explicit: (fol. 256r) et omnes qui diligunt nomen tuum quod est ihesus

Cf. the text printed Leroquais, Livres d'Heures, II.345.

Incipit: (fol. 256r) Posui deum adiutorem meum. Dominus michi adiutor non timebo quid faciat mihi homo. Illumina domine oculus meos neunquam obdormiam in morte
Explicit: (fol. 256v) et improuisa morte et ab omnibus periculis me defendat. Amen.
(fols. 257r–261r)
Fifteen Joys of the Virgin, in French
Rubric: Les quinze ioies
Incipit: Douce dame demisericorde mere depitie

Sonet, no. 458; cf. text pr. Leroquais, Livres d'Heures II.310–11.

(fols. 261r–264r)
Seven Requests to our Lord, in French
Incipit: (prologue) Qui uueult bien estre consillies
Incipit: Dous dieux dous pere sainte trinite vn dieu biaus sires dieux ie vous requier conseil et aide
Explicit: et me octroie par ton plaisir que ie puisse confes morir. Pater noster.

Sonet, no. 504; cf. text pr. Leroquais, Livres d'Heures II.309–10.

Language(s): Latin and Middle French

Physical Description

Form: codex
Support: parchment
ii + 1 + 264 + 1 + ii fol.
Dimensions (leaf): 293 × 200 mm.
Dimensions (written): 155 × 88 mm.

Collation

1(12), 2(8)(1 lost), 3(8)-5(8), 6(8)(3 lost), 7(8), 8(4), 9(8)-12(8), 13(4), 14(8), 15(4), 16(8)-29(8), 30(8)(?), 32(2)(?), catchword fol. 232v), 32(8)-35(8)+1 (Alexander in Bodleian Library Record 8 (1967–1972), 248 n. 3.)

Layout

17 lines

Decoration

Fine miniatures, borders, initials. By the Fastolf Master. (Pächt and Alexander i. 670, pl. LIII)

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.

History

Origin: c. 1440–50 ; French

Provenance and Acquisition

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.

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

Record Sources

Description adapted (2018) from S. J. P. Van Dijk, Handlist of the Latin Liturgical Manuscripts in the Bodleian Library Oxford : Vol. 3: Books of Hours (typescript, 1957); Pächt and Alexander; and the Summary Catalogue (1922), with reference to other published sources cited in the description, and with additional description of textual content and decoration.
Summary Catalogue, Vol. 2, part 1, p. 542

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Digital Images

Digital Bodleian (full digital facsimile)
Digital Bodleian (22 images from 35mm slides)

Bibliography

Abbreviations

View list of abbreviations and editorial conventions.

Last Substantive Revision

2019-10-21: Added collation and ref. to Birmingham leaf, from Alexander in BLR 8

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