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Book of Hours (Use of Sarum), 1st half of the 15th century

 Item
Identifier: MS 308

Staff Only
Book of Hours (MS 308)
Book of Hours (MS 308)

Contents

MS 308 is a fifteenth-century English Book of hours (use of Sarum), with a calendar.

Contents

  1. ff. 1r-6v: A calendar in red and black ink. Included are the names of many English saints and festivals: SS Wulstan, Cedda, Edward K. & M., Cuthbert, Richard (bishop), Alphege, Dunstan, Aldhelm, Translation of Edmund (archb.), Alban, Ethelreda, Translation of Thomas, Transl. of Swithin, Kenelm K. & M., Oswald, Cuthburga, Edith, Edward K., Fredeswida, Edmund (archb.), Hugh (bishop), Edmund K. & M., and Thomas (archb.)
  2. ff. 8r-46r: Hours of the Virgin (use of Sarum). The memoriae following the lauds are of holy Spirit, Holy Trinity, Holy Cross, SS. Michael, John Baptist, Peter, John Evangelist, Laurence, Stephen, Thomas of Canterbury, Nicholas, Katherine, Margaret, All Saints, and for peace. Hours of the Cross are worked in.
  3. f. 41v: a piece of paper attached to the Hours of the Virgin contains an alternative form of the antiphon at vespers of Holy Cross, De cruce depositum hora vesperarum mater cum aspiceret...
  4. ff. 46r-7r: Salve regina, followed by the verses Virgo mater ecclesie..., and the prayer Omnipotens sempiterne deus qui gloriose uirginis....
  5. ff. 47v-49v: blank
  6. ff. 51r-66r: Septem psalmos penitenciales. Following Psalm 142, Psalm 15 begins on f. 58r. Litany begins f. 59v.
  7. ff. 67r-96r: Office of the dead.
  8. ff. 97r-108v: Hic incipiunt commendaciones animarum. Begins with Beati immaculati.... Includes Psalms 118 and 138.
  9. ff. 110r-119r: Hic incipiunt psalmi de passione domini nostri ihesu xpisti. Deus deus meus...
  10. ff. 120r-122v: Oratio devota ad sanctam trinitatem. Begins with the line Domine deus omnipotens pater et filius et spiritus sanctus da michi N. famulo tuo uictoriam.... Prayers begin with Libera me domine fili dei uiui..., on f. 122r. Psalms 53, 66 and 129 are included between the prayers.
  11. f. 124r-125r: four prayers to the Virgin Mary. i) f. 124r-v: Oratio ad beatam uirginem mariam. ii) f. 124v: Item ad mariam. Oracio. Commendo tibi sancta maria... iii) ff. 124v-125r: Item ad mariam Oracio. Per tuum uirgo filium. iv) f. 125r: Item ad mariam Oracio. Succurre michi uirgo maria intercessionibus....
  12. ff. 125v-127r: Three memoriae of Holy Cross, the third being O Crux salue preciosa o crux salue gloriosa....
  13. f. 127r-v: Item de eodem Oracio.. Begins with Domine ihesu criste fili dei viui spes mea misericordia mea....
  14. f. 127v-129r: Oracio deuota.. Begins with Concede michi queso misericors deus que tibi placita sunt...
  15. ff. 129r-130r: Oracio deuota ad nomen ihesu. Begins O bone ihesu. O piisime ihesu. O dulcissime ihesu. O ihesu fili marie uirginis...
Writing

An English manuscript, in a fine gothic hand. Black ink, with rubrication and initials with red, blue and gold, red and blue, or gold and grey-green ornament.

Illumination

MS 308 contains, among other decoration, fourteen full-page miniatures in very good condition.

Full-page illuminations

  1. f. 7v: Annunciation (slightly rubbed)
  2. f. 14v: Agony in the garden (Gethsemane)
  3. f. 26v: The betrayal
  4. f. 30v: Christ brought before Pilate
  5. f. 33v: Christ carrying the cross
  6. f. 37v: the Crucifixion
  7. f. 39v: Deposition
  8. f. 42v: Entombment
  9. f. 50v: King David
  10. f. 66v: Office of dead. Two men in the foreground lift a body wrapped in cloth towards a prepared grave. In the background, two men say prayers over the body.
  11. f. 96v: God the father holds a soul up in a napkin
  12. f. 109v: Image of Pity
  13. f. 119v: The trinity
  14. f. 123v: The Virgin crowned, holding the infant Christ
Illumination

In addition to the full-page miniatures, MS 308 contains 5-line decorated initials at the beginning of each section. They are shaded pink and blue on gold grounds and decorated in colours, including green and red. Other 2-line initials feature gold on red and blue grounds patterned in white, with sprays of green and gold that spread into the margins. 1-line initials are gold and grey-green, or red with blue ornament. There are also blue and gold line fillers in in the Septem psalmos penitenciales, on ff. 51-66.

Dates

  • Creation: 1st half of the 15th century

Language of Materials

Latin

Conditions Governing Access

The collection is open to all. Please contact the repository in advance.

Full Extent

1 bound MS volume

Additional Description

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

N. R. Ker, Medieval Manuscripts in British libraries, vol. 2 (Oxford, 1977), pp. 600-601.

Physical Facet

Material: vellum

Dimensions

16.5 cm X 11 cm

Related Names

Subjects

Digital Material

Repository Details

Repository Details

Part of the University of Edinburgh Library Heritage Collections Repository

https://library.ed.ac.uk/heritage-collections
Contact:
Centre for Research Collections
University of Edinburgh Main Library
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Edinburgh EH8 9LJ Scotland
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