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Add MS 25904

Record Id:

032-002030098

Hierarchy Root Ancestor Record Id:

032-002030098

MDARK:

ark:/81055/vdc_100000000045.0x0001c8

LARK:

SLARK:

Format:

ISAD(G)

Reference (shelfmark):

Add MS 25904

Title:

Middle Dutch devotional manuscript

Scope & Content:

This Middle Dutch prayer-book was partially copied (ff. 121r-210v) by a religious woman named ‘Foelsken Hoeymans’. Her identity is known from another manuscript that originates from the female Franciscan tertiaries of Hessenberg in Nijmegen (Nijmegen, Regionaal Archief, MS I a 29). The female scribe, according to a colophon (f. 210v), copied the manuscript in the convent’s hospital at the age of 81. The manuscript appears to have been written for use in the hospital as well, since the majority of its texts concern prayers for the ill, dying and deceased, Ars moriendi-treatises, and a treatise on patient suffering.

ff. 3r-18r: A Middle Dutch translation of Nikolaus von Dinkelsbühl, Speculum artis bene moriendi, ‘[rubric:] Hier beghint een tractaet van konnen sterven [text:] Want die doot des lichaems baven allen verveerliken dingen verveerlixst is [etc.]’.

ff. 18r-22v: An abridgement of the Book of Psalms for those who are unable to read the entire book, attributed to St Augustine, with indulgences attributed to Gerhard of Berg, bishop of Hildesheim, ‘[underlined:] Hier begint Sancte Augustinus Psalter die hy maecte in sijnen lesten tijden in sijnre doot Ende heeft van onsen lieven heer verworven soe wie hem leest ende genen psalter volbrengen en coude van noets wegen die sal enen Psalter quyten Hier mede Oec soe heeft ons geestelicken heer die bisschop her Gerit van hildesem gegeven allen rouwigen herten die desen psalter lesen mit ynnicheit van elken veers ix dage aflaets [prayer:] O lieve heer god almechtich coninck der ewiger eren du bekenste wael dat hi is een salich man daer niet en gaet den wech der sunden [etc.]’.

ff. 23r-23v: The Gospel of St John (Chapter I), ‘Inden beginne was dat wort ende dat wort was bi gade ende god was dat woert Dat woert was inden beginne bi gade [etc.]’.

ff. 23v-24v: The eight verses from the Book of Psalms against damnation that St Bernard of Clairvaux, according to popular legend, had forced the devil to teach him, ‘[underlined:] Dit sijn acht verschen wtten psalter die die duvel Sancte bernaert leerden [prayers:] Heer verlicht mijn ogen dat ic nimmer meer en slape inder doot [etc.]’.

ff. 24v-25r: The Athanasian Creed in Middle Dutch, ‘[rubric:] Den roemschen credo [prayer:] Ic gelove aen enen god den almechtigen vader [etc.]’.

ff. 25r-25v: A prayer to God, ‘[rubric:] Een guet gebet [prayer:] O alre bermhertichste vader Ic offer uwes eenbaren soens · mijns verloesers ende broders verdorde aderen aenden cruce [etc.]’.

ff. 25v-27r: Three Paternosters for the souls of the dying and deceased, ‘[underlined:] Dit sijn drie pater nosteren die een pauwes begeerden van sijnen cappelaen dat hi se nae sijnre doot lesen wolde [rubric:] Gebeet [prayer:] O here Ihesu Christe doer die grote bangicheit · ende dijn heilige gebet dat tu dese voer ons inden berch van olyveten [etc.]’.

ff. 27r-28r: A Middle Dutch Ars moriendi treatise, ‘[underlined:] Hoe hem een stervende mensche hebben sal [text:] Gregorius secht Alle die wercken Christi sijn onse leringe [etc.]’.

ff. 28r-28v: A verse from the Psalter to be recited at one’s deathbed for the remission of sins, ‘[underlined:] Dit weers is uten psalter ende als cassiodorus secht is van soe groter Macht dat den menschen sijn sunden vergeven werden Ist datment secht inden \eynde/ des levens in waere belijnge [prayer:] O heer du hebste mijn bande te braken Ic sal di offeren een offer[en]hande des laves [etc.].

ff. 28v-29r: A prayer to Christ attributed to St Augustine, ‘[underlined:] Dese woerde heeft Sancte augustinus geleert [prayer:] Die vrede ons heren ihesu Christi ende die verdienste sijnre passien ende dat teyken des heiligen cruces [etc.]’.

ff. 29r-33v: Short prayers to the Trinity, Christ and God, ‘[underlined:] Een gebet vander heiliger drievoldicheit [prayer:] O overste godheit O ongemeten goetheit alre goedertierenste ende glorioeste drievoldicheit [etc.]’.

ff. 33v-37r: Short prayers to the Virgin Mary, ‘[underlined:] Aen roept die moeder der barmherticheit [prayer:] Bewise dattu bist een [moeder] moeder [etc.]’.

f. 37r: A prayer to the angels, ‘[underlined:] O die heilige engelen [prayer:] O geesten der hemelen ende alre salichste engelen [etc.]’.

ff. 37r-37v: A prayer to St Michael, ‘[underlined:] Tot Sancte michael [prayer:] O heilige michael prince der engelen ons heren ihesu Christi come ons te hulpen biden oversten richter [etc.]’.

ff. 37v-38r: An antiphon for the Apostles and saints that one has venerated during one’s life, ‘[underlined:] Daer nae aenroept dinen apostel Ende sunderlinge die heiligen die gi in uwen leven te eren placht [rubric:] Antifon [prayer:] O Criste beholder make ons gesont wi oeffenen dijn alre heilichste liden [etc.]’.

f. 38v: The Apostles' Creed in Middle Dutch, ‘Ic gelove in god den almechtigen vader [etc.]’.

ff. 38v-40r: Three short prayers to Christ, ‘[underlined:] Een guet gebet [prayer:] O here ihesu Christe ic presentier huden den genadigen ogen des hemelschen vaders dinen onschuldigen doot voer mijn schuldigen leven [etc.]’.

ff. 40r-41r: A Paternoster for Christ, attributed to St Gregory, ‘[underlined:] Sancte gregorius pater noster [prayer:] O heer ihesu Christ Ic aenbede di inden cruys hangende ende een doernen croen op dijn hoeft dragende [etc.]’.

ff. 41r-42v: A prayer for the souls of the dying, ‘[underlined:] Een guede bevelinge der sielen des stervenden menschen [prayer:] Ic bevele di alre liefste ·N· den almechtigen god [etc.]’.

ff. 42v-43r: A treatise providing guidance for the souls of the dying, ‘[rubric:] Hoe men die siel toe spreken sal [prayer:] Wander voert kersten siel van deser werlt Inden naem des almechtigen vaders [etc.]’.

ff. 43v-54r: A litany for the ill, ‘[rubric:] Hier begint een devoete letenie die seer guet gelesen is den sieken [prayer:] Here ontferme die onser Christe ontfermede di onser Heer ontferme di onser Cristus hoert ons [etc.]’.

ff. 54v-55v: A prayer for the hour of death, attributed to St Augustine, ‘[underlined:] Dit gebet heeft gemaect Sancte Augustinus ende is guet gelesen inder uren des doots [prayer:] Ic danck di lieve heer ihesu Christe dat ic inden kersten gelove ende in enen kersten leven bin ende haep dat ic daer in sterven sal [etc.]’.

ff. 56r-60r: Short prayers to Christ and God, ‘[rubric:] Gebet [prayer:] O here ihesu Christe onder dijnen heiligen cruys vlie ic totti Ende in dijnen wonden verberge ic mi [etc.].

f. 60r: A prayer for submitting oneself to God, ‘[underlined:] Een guede bevelinge [prayer:] Ic bevele mi den onschuldigen doot ons liefs heren ihesu Christi [etc.]’.

ff. 60r-60v: A blessing, ‘[underlined:] Een guede segheninge [prayer:] Die vader moet die gebenedien die di gescaepen heeft [etc.]’.

ff. 61r-61v: A prayer for submitting oneself to God, ‘[underlined:] Dit is een guede bevelinge tot onsen lieven heer [prayer:] Ic beveel mijn ziel ende mijn licham inden handen mijns sceppers’.

ff. 63r-87v: A long sequence of prayers to the Trinity, Christ, the Virgin Mary and saints for the dying ‘[rubric:] Dese naevolgende commendacie salmen lesen als die sieken ter dootwert reiden ende is vander passien [text:] Vader des hemels ghewarich god die om die salicheit der werlt seinden uwen enigen soen te offeren aenden holte des crucen ontfermt u deser creatueren [etc.]’.

ff. 87v-89r: A treatise with spiritual guidance for the dying, ‘[underlined:] Du salste weten dat sees dingen sijn die daer toe behoeren ende van noede sijn als men sterven sal [text:] Dat ierste is een sieck mensche die stervende is · sal hem afkeren van allen tijtliken dingen [etc.]’.

ff. 89v-90v: A prayer to the Virgin Mary, ‘[E]ya moeder der ontfermherticheit Joncfrouwe van ongelicker puerheit regiert my moederlic in alle mijnen leven [etc.]’.

ff. 91r-107v: A treatise on patience in suffering, ‘[rubric:] Dit is een suverlike leeringe van verduldigen liden Nota bena [text:] Onse lieve heer sprect inden heiligen ewangelio Salich sijne si die daer liden pyn ende ongemack om die gerechticheit [etc.]’.

ff. 121r-133r: Nine teachings on the Passion, ‘[rubric:] Hier beginnen ix punten vander passien ons lieven heren ende seer merckelick daer hem een geestelick mynsche in oeffenen sal ende dagelix in spiegelen [text:] Weet dat men vynt in der heiliger scrijftueren dat onse mynlike heer nae den dat hi op ghericht was mijtten cruce Dat hij drie uren levende inden pijnliken tormenten des crucen gehangen heeft’.

ff. 135r-210v: A Passion narrative excerpted from the first Middle Dutch Gospel harmony, ‘[rubric:] Hier begint die gelose van der passien ons lieven heren nader overdracht der vier ewangelisten mit een luttel verclaringe der heiliger leerees ende is merkelick [prayer:] Ihesus ginck wt nader gewoenten in den berch van olyveten over dat revyerken cedron [etc.]’.

[ff. 62r, 62v, 108r-120r, 133v, 134r, 134v are blank].

Decoration:

Large and small initials in red throughout the manuscript.

Collection Area:

Western Manuscripts

Project / Collection:

Additional Manuscripts

Hierarchy Tree:

[{ "id" : "032-002030098", "parent" : "#", "text" : "Add MS 25904: Middle Dutch devotional manuscript" , "li_attr" : {"class": "orderable"} }]

Hierarchy Record Ids:

032-002030098

Is part of:

not applicable

Hierarchy:

032-002030098

Container:

not applicable

Record Type (Level):

Fonds

Extent:

Paper codex

Digitised Content:

Languages:

Dutch, Middle

Scripts:

Latin

Start Date:

1530

End Date:

1530

Date Range:

1530

Era:

Access:

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User Conditions:

Physical Characteristics:

Materials: Paper and parchment.

Dimensions: 140 x 100 mm (text space: 95 x 70 mm).

Foliation: ff. 211 ( + 3 unfoliated paper flyleaves at the beginning + 3 at the end); f. 1 and f. 211 are parchment leaves; + 2 unfoliated paper stubs between f. 22 and f. 23, and 1 unfoliated parchment stub between f. 210 and f. 211.

Script: Gothic (littera hybrida).

Binding: 16th-century blind-stamped and -tooled brown leather binding, containing brass catches on the upper and lower covers for two clasps (missing); rebacked at the British Museum, with a spine inscribed in gold: ‘RELIGIOUS TRACTS AND PRAYERS. DUTCH’.

Custodial History:

Origin: Netherlands, East (probably Nijmegen).

Probably written at Hessenberg in Nijmegen, a convent of female Franciscan tertiaries: a colophon on f. 210v is written by a scribe who produced another manuscript at this convent: 'Item diit boeck is volscreven int jaer ons heren vijftien hondert ende xxx ende heeft geeynt op sante antonys avont ende heeft gescreven suster foelsken hoeymans diet uut mynnen om gods wil int sieck huys gescreven heeft in hoeren enen tachtichsten jaren een Ave maria uut mynnen om gods wil'.

Provenance:

Catharina Cillen (unidentified female Dutch owner), in the 16th century: note on f. 1v: 'Catherina Cillen hort diet boeck'.

Thomas Boone (b. 1790, d. 1873) and William Boone (b. 1795, d. 1870), London booksellers: Purchased from them by the British Museum on 29 December 1863 (note, f. 2r).

Publications:

Karel de Flou and Edward Gailliard, Beschrijving van Middelnederlandse en andere handschriften die in Engeland bewaard worden, Verslagen en Mededelingen van de Koninklijke Vlaamse Academie voor Taal- en Letterkunde, 3 vols (Ghent: Koninklijke Vlaamsche Academie voor Taal- en Letterkunde, 1895–1897), I, pp. 122-23 (no. 28).

Robert Priebsch, Deutsche Handschriften in England, 2 vols (Erlangen: Junge, 1896–1901), II, pp. 320-21 (no. 324).

Andrew G. Watson, Catalogue of dated and datable manuscripts, c. 700-1600 in the Department of Manuscripts, the British Library (London: The British Library, 1979), no. 308.

Jos A. A. M. Biemans, Middelnederlandse Bijbelhandschriften, Verzameling van Middelnederlandse Bijbelhandschriften, Catalogus(Leiden: Brill, 1984), pp. 245-46 (no. 244).

Karl Stooker and Theo Verbeij, Collecties op orde: Middelnederlandse handschriften uit kloosters en semi-religieuze gemeenschappen in de Nederlanden, Miscellanea neerlandica 15-16, 2 vols (Leuven: Peeters, 1997), II: Repertorium, p. 320 (no. 953).

Material Type:

Archives and Manuscripts

Legal Status:

Not Public Record(s)

Places:

Nijmegen, Gelderland

Related Material:

Catalogue of Additions to the Manuscripts in the British Museum in the Years 1861-1875, 2 vols (London: Longmans, 1877), II, p. 232: 'Theological treatises and prayers. Dutch.

1. "Tractat van konen steruen,". f. 3.

2. "Van sonnigen becoringen die den siecken toecomen," f. 6.

3. "Sinte Augustinus psalter," etc., f. 18.

4. Litany for the sick, f. 43, b.

5. Commendatory Psalms, f. 63.

6. "IX punten vander passion ons lieuen heren," f. 121.

7. Harmony of the four Evangelists on our Lord's passion, with glosses, f. 135.

The colophon states that the work was written by Sister Foelsken Hoeymans in the hospital in her 81st year, and completed on St. Anthony's Eve [15 Jan.] 1530. Paper. In the original stamped leather binding. Formerly belonging to Catharina Cillen. Duodecimo'.