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MS 66: Prayer Book, 16th century

 Item
Identifier: MS 66
ff. 65v-66r
ff. 65v-66r

Contents

Prayer book from the 16th century of Flemish or Northern French origin. It contains both French and Latin prayers, and since many of the prayers have feminine forms, it was likely written for a woman.

Sequence, Gospel of Saint John (in Latin): starts f.1. It begins, "In principio..."

Passion (in Latin): starts f.2. It begins, "Egressus est..."

Fifteen Odes of Saint Bridget (in Latin, with French rubric): starts f.11.

"Domine Jesu Christe fili dei vivi suscipe orationem..." (in Latin): starts f.19 verso.

"Domine Jesu Christe qui ex illibata virgine nasci..." (in Latin): starts f.20.

"O Dulcissime virgo Maria ego ancilla tua..." (in Latin): starts f.20 verso.

:Auxilientur mihi Domine Jesu Christe omnes passiones tue..." (in Latin): starts f.21.

"O Dulcissima Virgo maria ego ancilla tua..." (in Latin): starts f.21 verso.

Seven Verses of Saint Bernard (in Latin, with French rubric): starts f.23 verso. It begins, "Illumina oculos meos..."

Three Protestations against temptation (in French): starts f.23 verso. It beings, "Mon dieu createur et redempteur..."

Les trois verites de Maistre Jehan Gerson ("The three truths of Master Jehan Gerson") (in French): starts f.26 verso. It begins, "Sire dieu je cognois et confesse..."

Five Prayers (in French): starts f.27. It begins, "Mon dieu mon pere mon createur..."

Prayers to the Holy Crown (in French): starts f.29 verso. It begins, "O sire dieu Jesu Christ fils de dieu vivant..."

Prayers before, during, and after Mass (in French): starts f.42 verso.

Miracle of the Virgin followed by Prayers to the Virgin (in French): starts f.53 verso. It begins, "O vierge Marie tressaincte Royne..."

Prayer of Saint Augustine to the Virgin (in French): starts f.56. It begins, "Doulce Vierge Marie se par toy ton benoist enfant est faict..."

"La difference de l'amour de Notre Seigneur a lamour des creatures" (in French): starts f.56 verso. It begins, "Si jayme une creature..."

Prayer of Bede on the Seven Words (in Latin): starts f.60. It begins, "Domine Jesu Christe qui septem verba..."

Five Prayers for one who desires to live and die well (in French): starts f.61. It begins, "Mon dieu, mon createur..."

"Mon benoist dieu je croy de cuer..." (in French): starts f.63 verso.

Prayer to God the Father (in French): starts f.65. It begins, "Sire Dieu eternel tout puissant tout voyany..."

Oraison devote a Jesu Christ en memoire de leffusion de son precieulx sang (in French): starts f.65 verso. It begins, "Benoist Jesu en grand tristesse..."

Les protestations de Maistre Vincent de l'ordre des freres prescheurs (in French): starts f.67 verso. It begins, "Jesu qui es tesmoing certain..."

Oraison et salutation a tous les douloureux membres de nostre benoist saluveur (in Latin): starts f.68 verso. It begins, "Salve tremendum cunctis potestatibus caput..."

Prayers of Saint Gregory (in Latin): starts f.70. It begins, "O Domine Jesu Christe adoro te..."

Prayers of Saint Augustine (in Latin): starts f.71 verso. They begin, "Deus propicius esto mihi peccatrice...", "Domine Jesu Christe fili dei redemptor...", "Domine Jesu Christe illumina ancillam tuam..."

Letter of Christ which Pope Leo sent to Charlemagne (in Latin): starts f.74. It begins, "Crux Christi sit mecum..."

Prayer of Saint Gregory on the Five Wounds(in Latin): starts f.75 verso. It begins, "Ave manus dextera Christi..." (with three Collects).

Seven Sorrows of the Virgin (in Latin): starts f.77 verso. It begins, "Ave dulcis mater Christi..."

Seven Joys of the Virgin (in Latin): starts f.79. It begins, "Gaude Virgo mater Christi..."

Five Prayers of Saint John the Evangelist to the Virgin (in Latin): starts f.80 verso. It begins, "Mediatrix dei et hominum..."

"Stabat Mater" (with Collect) (in Latin): starts f.83 verso.

"Missus est Gabriel" (in Latin): starts f.85.

"Te deprecor ergo" (in Latin): starts f.89 verso.

Prayer found on the tomb of the Virgin (in French): starts f.90. It begins, "Jesu Christ fils de Dieu le pere..."

Three Prayers which Pope Julius II, in his will, ordained to be said when the bell sounds for 'Ave Maria,' with Anthem, Collects, and Prose of the Holy Spirit (in Latin): starts f.91 verso. it begins, "O gloriosissima Virgo Maria regina mesericordie..."

Morning Prayer to Our Saviour (in Freach): starts f.94. It begins, "Mond dieu tres amoureux createur (with Collect).

Fifteen Joys of the Virgin (in French): starts f.95 verso. It begins, "Doulce dame de misericorde..."

Prayers before, during, and after Mass (in Latin and French): starts f.99 verso.

Memoriae. Saint Michael, Saint Gabriel, Archangels, All Angels, Saints Joseph, Jerome (inserted), Quirinus, Giles Abbot, Francis (in Latin): starts f.108.

Salutation to the Virgin and Saint Anne (in Latin): starts f.115. It begins, "Ave Maria gratia plena..."

Rhymed Memoria of Saint Mary Magdalene (in Latin): starts f.116. It begins, "Gaude pia Magdalena..."

Rhymed Memoria of Saint Barbara (in Latin): starts f.118 verso. It begins, "Gaude Barbara beata..."

Rhymed Memoria of Saint Gertrude (in Latin): starts f.119. It begins, "Ave Gertrudis Virgo grata..."

Rhymed Memoria of Saint Elizabeth (in Latin): starts f.120. It begins, "Ave gemma speciosa..."

Fifteen Prayers (with long French rubric): starts f.121. It begins, "O tres doulx eternal Jesu Crist..."

Three Offerings to God in honour of His Son Jesus Christ (in French): starts f.134 verso. It begins, "O mon dieu eternel..."

Prayer of Contrition (in French): starts f.136 verso.

Prayer for the Grace of the Holy Spirit (in French): starts f.137.

Prayer to Jesus Christ (in French): starts f.137 verso.

Ung petit traictie parlant comment la personne desirant de faire son salut doibt tous jours de la sepmaine soy recommander a dieu...: starts f.138 verso.

Writing

A fairly good characteristic Netherlandish or North French script, with pale lake rubrics and capitals. Folio numbers are written in top right corner by original hand.

Dates

  • Creation: 16th century

Language of Materials

Latin and French

Conditions Governing Access

The collection is open to all. The manuscripts can be consulted in the Centre for Research Collections, Edinburgh University Main Library.

Extent

1 bound MS volume

Custodial History

The Prayer Book was written for a woman, many of the prayers having the feminine forms. The Suffrages, together with the spelling, would suggest the Low Countries or the extreme North of France.

The only other mark of ownership is a book-plate, Ex libris Gulielmi Fingland, meaning, "From the library of Gulielmus Fingland".

On one of the blank leaves at the end of the mansucript there are two phrases written in a different hand. The first is in Dutch and reads "Lyeft doet doelen". Underneath is a Latin phrase, "Amor vincit omnia". The Dutch phrase translates as "Love makes one wander" (the modern Dutch equivalent is "Liefde doet dolen". This phrase was a motto of a Dutch merchant named Frans Willemsz (1563?-1623) (external link). He is known to have written this motto in books that he owned, so this mansucript may have once belonged to him. The Latin phrase is an often-cited line from the ancient Roman poet Virgil's Eclogues 10, and means "Love conquers all".

In a recent note on the first fly-leaf the book is inaccurately described as Missal circa 1490, a fine specimen of binding in the Grolier style and exquisitely finished mounts.

Previous reference

D. b. IV. 4.

Physical Facet

Material: Paper.

Binding: Modern, blue morocco, gold tooling, inner boards inlaid with red and tooled, goffered edges (rebound by Masson). This volume has gilded edges to the text block, with a decoration of vines with grapes and leaves.

Collation: a8-m8, n4, o12, p8-s8=144.

Dimensions

14.29 cm x 9.84 cm.

General

Secundo folio: adoramus

Foliation and number of lines to a page: ff. 144, 20 lines to a page.

Repository Details

Part of the University of Edinburgh Library Heritage Collections Repository

Contact:
Centre for Research Collections
University of Edinburgh Main Library
George Square
Edinburgh EH8 9LJ Scotland
+44(0)131 650 8379