Add MS 28686

This Middle Dutch prayer-book is made from two parts that were separately produced by different late-fifteenth- or early-sixteenth-century scribes. The two parts appear to have been used separately for some time before they were joined together: The first part (ff. 1-82) was copied by Scribe 1 (ff. 1r-12v) and Scribe 2 (ff. 13r-82r) and has a shelf-mark (‘1262’) written on its first and final pages (f. 1r and f. 82r). The second part (ff. 83-205) was copied by Scribe 1 (ff. 83r-194v) and Scribe 3 (ff. 195r-205r) and has its original parchment flyleaves at the beginning and the end ( f. 82* and f. [207]). The two parts were joined together not long after their production since both contain the same type of parchment bookmarks and the manuscript's original binding can be dated to the 15th or 16th century. The combined parts provided its owner(s) with a prayer-book that resembles a Book of Hours in that it contains both a large section of prayers for the souls of the dying and the deceased (part 1) and for the canonical hours (part 2). The manuscript, written entirely in Middle Dutch, contains many references to Latin Psalms and hymns, which suggests that it was produced for a female religious community that may not have been fluent in Latin, but recited Latin liturgical texts. The prayer-book probably originates from the South of the Low Countries, since its calendar refers to female saints from modern-day Belgium and surrounding areas (e.g. St Aldegonda van Maubeuge, St Gertrudis van Nijvel, St Christina Mirabilis, St Modesta von Trier, and St Reginfrida van Ostrevant).

Contents:

ff. 1r-12v: A Calendar of Saints: a contemporary scribe has made a number of additions, including the feasts of St Cunera van Rhenen (‘Kunera’) and St Mary of the Snows (‘Maria int sne’).

ff. 13r-28v: A prayer sequence for all faithful souls to be read with the Seven Penitential Psalms: ‘[underlined:] Hier beghinnen sommighe ynnighe ghebeden te lesen voer die ghelovighe sielen mitten seven psalmen [prayer:] Here ihesu criste die daer niet en versmaedste die begheerten ende ghebeden der oetmoedigher Ic offer di oetmoedelic ende devotelic desen navolghende seven psalmen een cleyn offerhande op dattu die daer biste [gl] verghiflic ende goedertierlic alle die versumenissen ende sonden die dese ziele N ende alle gheghelovighe [sic] zielen ghedaen hebben van der doepe totter uren hoerre verscheydenisse [etc.]’.

ff. 28v-29v: Two prayers for the dying: ‘[rubric:] Als een mensche leghet ende stervet [prayer:] O almachtighe ewighe god wy bidden dine barmherticheit die dese mensche hebste ghescapen na dinen beelde ende ghelikenisse dattu die zielen dijnre deernen diestu op desen dach dedeste verscheiden ende voer die comen · soeteliken ende goedertierliken wilste ontfanghen ende brenghense wt deser ellendicheit in dat ewighe vader lant mit al dijn heylighen ende beschermse voer den verveerliken brant der hellen Ende ghevet hoer te besitten die ewighe ruste [etc.]’; The second prayer begins, ‘O almachtige vader wy bidden di dattu gheveste dijn ewighe barmherticheit den zielen dijnre dienren ende diennerschen daer wi nu ghedenckenisse of hebben · of daer wi aelmissen of goet of ontfanghen hebben ende onse ouderen ende ons broederen ende susteren · ende alle der gheenre zielen die in criste rusten op dattet hem in ewicheit te hulpe come dat si in di gheloeft ende ghehoept hebben ende op ons betrouwet hebben Overmist onsen heer ihesum cristum Amen’.

ff. 29v-45r: Thirty-three prayers to be read with Psalm 50 for the souls of the dead, ‘[rubric:] Hier beghinnen drie ende ·xxx· ghebeden die men lesen sel voer die doden ende op elken gebedekijn een miserere [prayer:] O lieve here ihesu Criste ic bidde die doer alle die liefte ende mynne dien du allen menschen bewiset hebste van dien daghe dattu van dijnre moeder maria gheboren wordste tot desen daghe van huden dattu deser Zielen ende alle ghelovighe Zielen niet een laetste ontghelden mine menichvo[u]dighe sonden · ende wilt dit ghebet verhoren van my arme sonder · Ende wilt dese ziele ende alle ghelovighe Zielen vertroesten mit uwer grondeloser barmherticheit wanttu om onse sonden mensche gheworden biste [etc.]’.

ff. 45r-46v: A treatise on the commemoration of the Passion, ‘Die memorie mijnre passien suldi altoes in u herte hebben ende daer in draghen alle tribulacien ende alle yeghenheden die iu toe comen Ende selt haer ghelijcheit an doen na u vermoeghen ende als ic u onttrecke den yndersten troest ende u ellendich laet Soe suldi in ghelijc des waren ghecruusten ghien vrienden troeste[n] soeken Mer verduldeliken verbeiden ende opwaert tot iuwen vader die inden hemel is toeverlaet hebben u selven latende ende alle u ghepensen in hem [ver] werpende [etc.]’.

ff. 47r-82r: A prayer sequence for the Resurrection, ‘[rubric:] Dese nae volghende ghende [sic] selmen lesen mit ynnicheit inder eren der verisenisse ons heren ihesu Christi allen des sonendaghens Salve festa dies [prayer:] Wes ghegroet feest dach die te biste in alle [die werelt] der ewicheit in welken daghe god verwonnen heeft die helle ende besit die sterren Domine labia mea ape[ries] Here du selste op doen mijn lippen Ende mijn mont sal voertkundighe dijn lof God wilt dencken in mijn hulpe Heer tot mi te helpen haeste Glorie si den vader ende den zoen en den heylighen gheest Alst was inden beghinne ende nu ende altoes ende ewelike sonder eynde Amen [etc.]’

ff. 83r-101r: A prayer sequence on Christ's lineage, organised according to the canonical hours, ‘[underlined:] Een ghetide van die toecoemst ons heren ihesu Christi [prayer:] Here du selte op doen mijn lippen ende mijn mont sal voertkundighen dijn lof God wil dencken in mijn hulpe Here tot my te helpen haeste Glorie si den vader ende den zoen ende den heylighen gheest Alst was inden beghinne ende nu ende altoes ende ewelike etcaetera Alleluia Invitatorium Die here die daer toecomende is wies roede vander roede yesse ghebloeyet heeft Coemt laet ons hem aenbeden [etc.]’.

ff. 101r-117r: A prayer sequence on the Nativity, organised according to the canonical hours, '[underlined:] Hier beghint die ghetide van die gheboerte ons heren Domine labia etcaetera [prayer:] Here du selste op doen mijn lippen Ende mijn mont sel voertkundighen dijn lof God wil dencken in mine hulpe here tot my te helpen haeste Gloria si den vader ende den zoen ende den heylighen gheest Alst was inden beghinne Invitatorium Crijstus is ons gheboeren Coemt laet ons hem aenbeden [etc.]'.

ff. 117r-136r: A prayer sequence on Lent, organised according to the canonical hours, '[underlined:[ Hier beghint een ghetide vander vasten Domine labia etcaetera [prayer:] Here du selste op doen mijn lippen Ende mijn mont sal voertkundighen dijn lof God wil dencken in mijn hulpe here tot my te helpen haste Gloria si den vader etcaetera Alst was inden etcaetera lof si di here die coninc der ewigher glorien Invitatorium Die here die ons ghemaect heft Coemt laet ons hem aenbeden [etc.]'.

ff. 136v-171r: A prayer sequence on the Resurrection, organised according to the canonical hours, ‘[rubric:] Hier beghint die ghetide van die verrisenisse ons heren ihesu Christi [prayer:] Here du salste opdoen mijn lippen Ende mijn mont sel voertkundighen dijn lof God wil dencken in mine hulpe here tot my te helpen haeste Glorie si den vader ende den zoen ende den heylighen gheest Alst was inden beghinne ende nu ende altoes ende ewelike sonder eynde Amen Alleluya [Invitatorium] Die here is waerlic verresen alleluya [etc.]’.

ff. 171r-194v: A prayer sequence on the Eucharist, organised according to the canonical hours, ‘[rubric:] Hier beghint een ghetide van heilighe sacrament [prayer:] Onse hulp moet sijn inden naem des heren die hemel ende aerde ghemaect hevet die naem des heren si ghebenedijt van nu tot in ewicheit Amen Domine labia [etc.].

ff. 195r-205r: The Hours of the Virgin Mary, ‘[introduction:] Een goet ghetide van onser vrouwe Dit sijn die ghetide seven · daer wy marien lof in gheven die metten hoe si wort ontfaen Daer ons grote salicheyt leyt aen [prayer:] Maria maghet ontfaet die groet die u vanden heer biden enghel ghesent is Vrouwe doet op mijn lippen Ende mijn mont sal voertkundighen dijn lof dat soet is Maria wilt ghedencken in mijn hulpe maria om my te helpen haeste Glorie si den vader ende den soen ende den heylighen gheest Alst was inden beghin ende nu ende altoes ende ewelike sonder eynde Amen [etc.]’; ends with ‘[underlined:] Hier eynt dese corte ghetide van onser liever vrouwen aldus ghesettet in duutsche God si gheloeft’.

[f. 82v is blank].

Decoration:

Numerous small initials in red throughout the manuscript.