Add MS 73518

Roberts Hours: Hours of Sarum use, written and illuminated in Southern England; before 1483 (obit of Joyce Roberts, died 27 Feb. 1483, f. 1v). Latin. Owned by William Roberts (d. 1508) of Little Braxted, Essex, or a member of his family. The obit of Joyce Roberts refers to William's first wife, and there are notes relating to the birth of six children, between 1476 and 1495, corresponding with those born to William Roberts (f. ii verso). The marriage of William Roberts to Joyce, daughter of Edward Peryent is commemorated in a sepulchral brass on the chancel floor of the parish church of St Nicholas, Little Braxted, Essex, a rubbing from which can be found in Add. 32490 DD 9. See also, George Buckler, Twenty-Two of the Churches of Essex (1856), pp. 176-177 and Rev. E. Geldart, The Story of the Church . . . Told to the Parishoners of S. Nicholas, Little Braxted (1886), p. 8. The manuscript certainly passed to his fifth child, Margaret (born 17 April 1495). After marrying John Timperley, Margaret married Edward Strangman of Hadleigh, near Southend-on-Sea. On f. 64v appears the note 'Memorandum Uponn Relycke sonday afore ye kings magestre besegyd bolenn I Edward strangmann wass LV yers olde'. Edward Strangman was therefore born on 13 July 1489, since Henry VIII besieged Boulogne between 19 July and 14 Sept. 1544, and Relic Sunday is the first after 7 July, which fell on a Monday in that year. Birth records for four children born to John Timperley, 1511 to 1513, and sixteen to Strangman, 1516 to 1537, can be found below the end of Compline, f. 45, and on leaves which originally formed blanks within the manuscript, ff. 45v-46v. The 15 prayers of St Bridget, together with Bridget's unusual placement second amongst the female saints, f. 59, and the inclusion of a prayer to be recited in the presence of a body, f. 68v, suggest an association with the Bridgettine abbey of Syon, at Twickenham in co. Middlesex. On the front flyleaf, in ink, is the inscription 'P. W.', f. i, whilst the name 'Hutchinson' appears below the inscription on the end flyleaf, f. ii. The original vellum paste-down at the back is also inscribed but illegible. Sold as the property of W. Lyon Wood, Sotheby's, 10 Dec. 1969, lot 79, to Francis Edwards. Purchased from Sam Fogg Rare Books and Manuscripts, 14 March 1997 (see catalogue 16, 1995, lot 118).

Vellum; ff. ii+126. 187 x 130mm. Collation is complete and generally of eight leaves except i⁶, xiii¹⁰, and xvi⁶. Ruled in brown ink, with sixteen lines to the page, in single columns. With catchwords, some in scroll cartouches, and occasional quire signatures. Contemporary wooden boards covered with later suede.

Contents:

1. ff. 1-6v. Calendar. Of Sarum use, with the noteworthy feasts of St Frideswide of Oxford (19 Oct.), f. 5v, and St Winifred of Wales (3 Nov.), f. 6, which is erroneously noted as her translation, properly celebrated 22 June.

2. ff. 7-45. Hours of the Virgin. Including Suffrages to the Holy Spirit, Saints, etc., after Lauds, f. 23.

3. ff. 47-63v. Penitential Psalms, with the Psalms of Degree, and Litany.

4. ff. 64-96. Office of the Dead.

5. ff. 96v-112. Commendation of Souls.

6. ff. 112-123. 15 prayers of St Bridget of Sweden.

7. ff. 123-126. Memorials, in rhyming verse. Beginning with 'Gaude flore virginale', attributed here to St Thomas Becket, and including prayers to St Katherine, f. 125, and St Margaret, f. 126.

Five-line decorated initials within full foliate borders, containing grotesques and zoomorphic figures, with narrow gold and painted frames around the text, introduce the main divisions of the Hours, Penitential Psalms and Office of the Dead, ff. 7, 47, 64. Four-line decorated initials, with partial foliate borders, introduce the Commendation and Prayers of St Bridget, ff. 96v, 112. Four-line and three-line decorated initials, with partial foliate borders introduce the Hours of Lauds, f. 14v, Prime, f. 29, Terce, f. 32v, Sext, f. 35, None, f. 37, Vespers, f. 39, and Compline, f. 41. Two-line initials, in gold, pink and blue, and with foliate sprays, mark the calendar months and sections within each Hour.