Book of Hours, mid 15th century
Contents
MS 307 is a book of hours from the mid-15th century. It was made in France, for the diocese of Troyes.
ff. 1r-12v: A full calendar in French. Alternating gold, blue and red ink for effect.
ff. 13r-18r: Sequence of the Four Gospels. Prayer begins on f. 14v with Protector in te sperantium...
ff. 18v-21v: Alia oracio. Begins with Obsecro te domina sancta maria mater dei pietate...
ff. 21v-25v: Alia oracio. Begins with O intemerata et in eternum benedicta singularis atque...
ff. 26r-28v: Hours of the Holy Cross. Begins with Patris sapientia veritas divina... on f. 26v.
ff. 29r-31v: Hours of the Holy Spirit. Hymn begins on f. 29v,Nobis sancti...
ff. 31v-76r: Hours of the Virgin.
ff. 76r-80r: Memoriae of SS Michael, Laurence, Sebastian, Nicholas, Barbara, Apollonia, and Anthony hermit.
ff. 80r-81v: Deuota contemplation. Begins Stabat mater... Prayer on f. 81v, Interveniat pro nobis quesumus...
ff. 82r-96v: Penitential psalms and litany.
ff. 97r-135r: Office of the dead. The ninth lesson is Audivi vocem. f. 135v is blank, except for an illuminated border in the left margin.
Written in a gothic hand by a French scribe. Black ink, with titles in red ink. f. 13 is in a different hand than the rest of the volume.
The volume contains much illumination, including thirteen almost full-page (13-lines) pictures, eight of which depict scenes from the life of the Virgin Mary in the Hours of the Virgin. There are also five 8-line illuminations, and an historiated initial. There are many decorated initials, blue patterned in white on gold grounds and decorated in colours, or gold on blue and red grounds patterned in white. Line-fillers blue and red patterned in white and picked out with gold roundels. Capital letters in the text are filled with pale yellow. Each picture page features a framed floral border, with a ground partly of gold.
Page illuminations
- f. 13r: St John in Patmos
- f. 26r: Crucifixion
- f. 29r: Pentecost
- f. 32r: the Annunciation
- f. 41v: the Visitation
- f. 51r: Adoration by the Virgin and Joseph
- f. 56r: Annunciation to the shepherds
- f. 59v: Adoration of the Magi
- f. 63r: Presentation in the temple
- f. 66v: Massacre of the Innocents
- f. 72r: Coronation of the Virgin
- f. 82r: Harrowing of Hell
- f. 97r: Job in the Dunghill
Dates
- Creation: mid 15th century
Language of Materials
Latin and French
Conditions Governing Access
The collection is open to all. Please contact the repository in advance.
Full Extent
1 bound MS volume
Previous reference
Db. III. 32
Immediate Source of Acquisition
The volume came into the Edinburgh University collection as part of the James Cathcart White bequest in 1943, one of the fourteen medieval manuscripts in his collection, eleven of which were books of hours. Cathcart White was a graduate of the University of Edinburgh in 1873, and an Edinburgh advocate in the late 19th-mid 20th century.
Bibliography
Physical Facet
Material: Vellum
Dimensions
18.8 cm X 13.5 cm
Source
- Trelawny, John, Sir, 1816-1885 (ninth baronet and radical MP) (Former owner, Person)
- White, James Cathcart, 1853-1943 (Edinburgh graduate and advocate) (Donor, Person)
Cultural context
Genre / Form
Topical
Repository Details
Part of the University of Edinburgh Library Heritage Collections Repository
Centre for Research Collections
University of Edinburgh Main Library
George Square
Edinburgh EH8 9LJ Scotland
+44(0)131 650 8379
heritagecollections@ed.ac.uk