Beschreibung:

BOOK OF HOURS, use of Sarum, in Latin, ILLUMINATED MANUSCRIPT ON VELLUM [Bruges, c.1465] 196 x 144mm. i(former pastedown) + 115 + ii(former pastedown) leaves, with modern paper interleaving throughout, collation of vellum leaves only: 1 6, 2 8, 3 4(of 8, lacking ii/vii and iii/iv), 4 6, 5 1 0, 6 6(of 8, lacking v, foliated 39, and vii), 7-8 8, 9 4, 10 7(of 8, lacking i), 11 7(of 8, lacking vii), 12-13 8, 14 7(of 8, lacking ii), 15 7(of 6 +iv), 16 6(of 8, lacking iv-v), 17 5(of 4 + v), eleven of the missing leaves with miniatures, 21 lines written in a round gothic bookhand in brown ink between two verticals and 22 horizontals ruled in red, justification: 73 x 120mm, rubrics in red, two-line initials in gold on grounds of blue or pink with contrasting infill and white pen decoration, one-line initials in red, blue or gold with contrasting penwork, EIGHTEEN HISTORIATED INITIALS WITH GOLD FRAMES WITH TWO- OR THREE-SIDED BORDERS of acanthus, flower and fruit sprays in gold, blue, green, red and pink interspersed with hair-line tendrils with gold terminals, FOURTEEN LARGE ARCH-TOPPED MINIATURES WITH FULL-PAGE BORDERS (wear to gold on some pages, slight paint loss to miniature f.54). English 18th-century red morocco, elaborately gilt, spine in six comparments, lettered in gilt, gilt edges (extremities worn, small neat tear at joints). Modern morocco-backed box. PROVENANCE: 1. The illumination is in the style of Willem Vrelant, active in Bruges from at least 1454 until his death in 1481. The English saints in the calendar and litany, the Sarum use of the Offices of the Virgin and of the Dead and the selection of prayers and devotions show that this was one of the many books made in Bruges for the English market; prayers are in the masculine and a man is depicted kneeling before the Cross on f.54v. The English addition on the former upper pastedown and the early ownership inscription of Bridget Lowe on the lower pastedown show that it reached its intended destination. At the Reformation, the feasts of Thomas Becket and of Popes Gregory and Silvester in the calendar were scored through as legislation required. 2. Book stamp of an arm holding a cross within palms. CONTENT: Added prayer, Adonay domine deus magne , with comment in English And whanne he hath said this oryson.. and given alms to a poor man his prayers will be granted; English calendar, ff.1-6; prayers,ff.7-19: to Christ f.7, the Trinity f.12v, Sts John the Baptist f.14v, Thomas Becket (lacking end) f.16, Mary Magdalen (lacking opening) f.17, Catherine (lacking end) f.17v, Barbara (lacking opening) f.18, Margaret f.18v; Office of the Virgin, secundum consuetudinis anglie ecclesie (lacking none, vespers and compline), ff.19v-41v: matins f.19v, lauds f.25, followed by prayers to the Holy Spirit, the Trinity, the Cross, Sts Michael, John the Baptist, Peter and Paul, Andrew, Lawrence, Stephen, Thomas Becket, Nicholas, Mary Magdalen, Katherine, Margaret, All Saints, for peace, prime f.36, terce (lacking opening) f.40, sext (lacking end) f.41; versicles and prayer (lacking the preceding Salve regina ) f.42; Salve virgo virginum and prayer ff.43-47; O intemerata ff.47-48v; Obsecro te ff.48v-50v; Joys of the Virgin, Virgo templum trinitatis , ff.51-53v; prayer to the image of Christ, His Cross, His wounds, His mother and John the Evangelist, Omnibus consideratis , ff.54-57v; prayer attributed to Bede on the Seven Last Words from the Cross and prayers to the Body of Christ and for the Mass, ff.58-61; Penitential Psalms (lacking opening) and litany, ff.62-74v; Office of the Dead, use of Sarum (lacking opening and end), ff.75-92v; Commendation of Souls (lacking opening), ff.93-102v; Psalter of the Passion, ff.103-107; Psalter of St Jerome (lacking opening), preceded by rubric and prayer, ff.107v-116v; added prayers, ff.116v-118. ILLUMINATION: In both style and designs, the miniatures and layout of this richly illuminated book follow models established by Willem Vrelant, whose cle