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Add MS 19917

Record Id:

032-002090172

Hierarchy Root Ancestor Record Id:

032-002090172

MDARK:

ark:/81055/vdc_100000000051.0x0000c5

LARK:

SLARK:

Format:

ISAD(G)

Reference (shelfmark):

Add MS 19917

Title:

Middle Dutch Book of Hours

Scope & Content:

This Middle Dutch Book of Hours contains several prayers organised according to the canonical hours, prayers for the saints, the Virgin Mary and Christ. Several of these texts have been decorated with miniatures, foliate initials and borders by one of the so-called Masters of the Dark Eyes: the most important group of book illuminators active in Holland between c. 1490 and c. 1510. This manuscript belongs to the so-called Bezborodko group, a category of manuscripts, including 12 books of hours, largely decorated by the Master of the Bezborodko Hours. This group is characterized by the Masters' use of prints as models for their decorations (Broekhuijsen, The Masters of the Dark Eyes, pp. 10-13).

Contents:

ff. 3r-12r: Calendar of Saints.

ff. 13r-45v: The Hours of the Virgin Mary, ‘[rubric:] Hier beghinnen die ghetiden van onser vrouwen [prayer:] Here du sulte op doen mijn lippen ende mijn mont sal vort condighen dijn lof God wilt dencken in mijn hulpe here tot mi te helpen haeste Glorie si den vader ende den soen ende den heilighen gheest . Alst was inden beghin ende nu ende altijt ende ewelic sonder eyne . Amen [etc.]’ [see Het Getijdenboek van Geert Grote, ed. by Nicolaas van Wijk (1940), pp. 36-70].

ff. 46r-67v: The Long Hours of the Cross, ‘[rubric:] Hier beghint des heiligen cruus lange ghetide [prayer:] Here ihesu Christe levende gods soen ic dancke ende love di bi wies gracie ic ben dat selve dat ic ben bi wies ontfermicheit ic leve beroert worde ende ontsta ghewaerdighe mi te loven di ende dinen goedertieren naem begheerlike love te singhen . Ghif mi craft thegens dinen vianden ende die mijn . Die leves ende regniers boven alle tide der tiden Amen [etc.]’ [see Het Getijdenboek van Geert Grote, ed. by Nicolaas van Wijk (1940), pp. 113-38].

ff. 68r-89v: The Hours of the Holy Spirit, ‘[rubric:] Hier beghint des heiligen geest ghetide [prayer:] Here du sulte op doen mijn lippen ende mijn mont sel voert condigen dijn lof God wilt dencken in mijn hulpe here tot mi te helpen haeste Glorie love si den vader ende den soen ende den heilighen gheest Alst was inden beghinne ende nu ende altoes ende ewelike sonder eyne Amen [etc.]’ [see Het Getijdenboek van Geert Grote, ed. by Nicolaas van Wijk (1940), pp. 71-86].

ff. 90r-108v: The Hours of the Eternal Wisdom, ‘[rubric:] Hier beghinnen die ghetide vander ewigher wijsheit [prayer:] Mine siele heeft die begheert inder nacht ende mijn gheest inden binnensten mijns herten . soe heb ic ghewaect tot di o ewighe wijsheit . Ic bidde dat dine begheerte teghenwoerdicheit moet verdrieven alle vreemde dinghen wt mijnre herten ende dijn ghenade storten in die binnensten camer mijns herten ende crachtelike ontsteken met dijnre minnen [etc.]’ [see Het Getijdenboek van Geert Grote, ed. by Nicolaas van Wijk (1940), pp. 92-112].

ff. 109r-117r: The Seven Penitential Psalms, ‘[rubric:] Hier beghint die seven Psalm .psalm. [prayer:] Here in dijnre verbolghentheit en straffe mi niet noch in dijnen toerne en berespe mi niet Ontferme di mijns here want ic cranc ben make mi gesont want al mijn ghebeenten sijn mede ghestoert Ende mijn siele is al sere ghestoert mar du here hoe langhe Keer di omme here ende wttrecke mijn siele make mi ghesont om dijnre ontfermicheit [etc.]’ [see Het Getijdenboek van Geert Grote, ed. by Nicolaas van Wijk (1940), pp. 139-45].

ff. 117r-122r: Litany of Saints, ‘[rubric:] Letania . [prayer:] Here ontferme di onser Christe ontferme di onser Here ontferme di onser Criste hoer ons . God vader vanden hemel ontferme di onser Gods soen verlosser alder warelt ontferme di onser God heilighe gheest ontferme di onser Ghesontmaker alder warelt helpe ons Heilighe drievoudicheit een god ontferme di onser [etc.]’; followed by three Collects [see Het Getijdenboek van Geert Grote, ed. by Nicolaas van Wijk (1940), pp. 145-54].

ff. 124r-124v: The Mass of St Gregory (seven prayers), begins ‘O here ihesu Christe ic anbede di hanghende aenden cruce ende een doerne croen dragende op dijn hoeft . Ick bidde di dat dijn cruce mi behuede vanden slaenden enghel Amen [etc.]’ [see Rudy, Rubrics (2017), pp. 101-36].

ff. 124v-124v: A prayer to the Virgin Mary attributed to Bernard of Clairvaux, ‘[rubric:] Een devote bevelinghe tot onser liever vrouwen daer hem sunte barnardus mede te bevelen plach onser liever vrouwen [prayer:] O vrouwe . der ewiger glorien coninghinne der vrolicheit milde fonteine der barmherticheit O blenckende lichte des hemels sueticheit des paradises der engelen glorie der heilighen bliscap een duerbaer gymme der ioncfrouwen . di eerwaerdighe vrouwe bevele ic huden ende alle weghe mijn siele mijn lijf ende al mijn leven ende minen ende mijn opverstandenisse daer ic sculdich ben voer te bidden ende daer icts voer begheer sijn si levendich of doot o du ghebenedide du blives eweliken met ihesum dinen wtvercoeren soen die mitti leeft ende regneert een god eweliken sonder eyne Amen’.

ff. 124v-125r: A prayer to the Guardian Angel, ‘[rubric:] Van uwen enghel Antiphona [prayer:] O heilighe enghel mijns gods die ic bevolen ben te bewaren ic bidde di dattu mitte genaden des heilighen gheest goedertierliken gheweerdiges te verlichten ende van allen quaden ende laghen des duvels in alre tijt sterckelike wilste verlossen op dat ic met dinen rade ende met dijnre hulpen verdienen moet dat mi verlenen moet die vader ende die soen ende die heilighe gheests dat ewige leven te besitten . Amen [etc.]’; followed by a Collect.

ff. 126r-126v: A prayer to St Michael the Archangel, ‘[rubric:] Van sinte mychiel [prayer:] Mychael gabriel raphael o versten boden ende alle heilighen enghelen biddet voer ons int aenschijn Christi versus Inder tegenwoerdicheit der engelen sal ic di singhen ic sal aenbeden tot dinen heilighen tempel ende sal belien dinen name [etc.]’; followed by a Collect.

ff. 126v-127r: A prayer to St Peter, ‘[rubric:] Van sunte pieter antiffena [sic] [prayer:] Symon iohannes soen du selte werden gheiten cephas dat is beduut petrus o du sluter des hemels sluit op die dore den ghenen die daer cloppen wi hebben alle ghesundighet boven maten nu verghif ons seven ende theventich werf : want doe du versaect haddeste Christum ihesum doe leerdestu oec du den sonderen hoer sonden soldeste vergheven [etc.]’; followed by a Collect.

ff. 127r-127v: A prayer to St John the Evangelist, ‘[rubric:] Van sint ian evangelist . [prayer:] O sunderlinghe gheminde ende wtvercoeren apostel godes weerdighe heilige iohannes evangeliste ic bidde di gheweerdighet te horen ende te ontfanghen mijn gebet ende wilt dat offeren den alre oversten [etc.]’.

ff. 127v-128r: A prayer to St Anthony, ‘[rubric:] Van sinte Anthonius . [prayer:] O Anthoni du verheven abt heilighe vader wi bidden di met groter ynnicheit ende begheerten dattu wilte bidden den here dat wi die sijn edel creatueren sijn niet soe haestelick en werden versaghen met wreetheit des quaden venijns O heilige confessoer daer om betaemt di wael met dijnre groeter macht voer ons te bidden [etc.]’.

ff. 128r-128v: Prayer to St Sebastian, ‘[rubric:] Van sinte Sebastiaen . Antiphona . [prayer:] O hoghe gheboren martelaer godes sebastiane een vorste ende een lere der heilige gheboden godes dinen name is bescreven inden boke des ewigen levens Ende dijn ghedenckenisse en sal nummer meer verghaen inder ewicheit [etc.]’; followed by a Collect.

ff. 128v-129v: Prayer to St Agnes, ‘[rubric:] Van sinte Agniet . [prayer:] Mit wtgherecten armen bat die heilighe ioncfrouwe agniet middes inder vlammen di bidde ic vader die te eren biste te oefenen ende te ontsiene want ic overmids dinen heiligen soen ontgaen bin die dreighinghe des bosen tyrans ende ben overgegaen die onreinicheit des vleisches met enen onbevlecten weghe [etc.]’; followed by a Collect.

ff. 129v-130r: Prayer to St Katherine of Alexandria, ‘[rubric:] Van sint katherina [prayer:] God gruete di heilighe glorioese coninghinne ioncfrouwe sinte katherina een sterne der claerheit ghelicke enen carbunkel steen [etc.]’; followed by a Collect.

ff. 130r-130v: Prayer to St Barbara, ‘[rubric:] Van sinte barbara een ghebet . [prayer:] Weest ghegruet spighel der claerheit ende der reinicheit heilige barbara verlichtende alle die waerelt weest ghegruet suverlike blome des paradijs ende een scoen peerle Christi [etc.]’; followed by a Collect.

ff. 131r-161r: Office of the Dead (Invitatorium), ‘[rubric:] Hier beghint die lange vigilie Invitatorium . [prayer:] My hebben omme bevanghen die suchten des doots Die droevighe seere der hellen hebben mi omme bevangen [psalmus] Coemt laet ons seer vervroechden ten here laet ons iubileren gode onsen heilghever sijn aensichte laet ons te voren begripen met belien ende laet ons met psalmen tot hem hebben volhertelike blijscap Mi hebben omme bevangen die suchten des doots [etc.]’ [see Het Getijdenboek van Geert Grote, ed. by Nicolaas van Wijk (1940), pp. 155-95].

[ff. 12v, 122v, 123r and 162v are blank].

Decoration:

1 full-page miniature of the Mass of St Gregory, in colours, with a golden frame and full foliate borders on f. 123v (tipped in singleton)

4 Medium-sized miniatures with colours, in rectangular frames, inserted in text columns with partial (three-sided) foliate borders.

The subjects of the miniatures are as follows:

f. 125r: The Virgin and Child on a crescent moon.

f. 127r: St John the Evangelist.

f. 128v: St Agnes.

f. 129v: St Katherine of Alexandria.

8 historiated foliate initials with partial (three-sided) foliate borders:

The subjects of the miniatures is as follows:

f. 13r: The Nativity.

f. 52: Christ before Caiaphas.

f. 55r: Christ before Pilate.

f. 57r: Christ receives the Crown of Thorns.

f. 59r: Christ carrying the Cross.

f. 61r: The Crucifixion.

f. 62v: The Deposition.

f. 65v: The Entombment.

1 small initial in a roundel in the borders of f. 12r:

f. 12r: Adoration of the Magi.

5 Large initials (ff. 46r, 68r, 90r, 109r, 131r) with foliate decoration in blue, purple, yellow (imitation gold) or gold with foliate decoration against a red or blue background inside the letter, some with golden frames or background (f. 46r, 90r, 109r), a text space in a golden frame, and a full foliate border in yellow (imitation gold) or colours, some featuring zoomorphic figures (ff. 46r, 68r, 109r).

22 medium initials in gold in blue frames, with purple inside the letters, and partial (three-sided) foliate borders in colours and gold (ff. 20r, 27r, 29v, 32r, 34v, 37r, 41v, 74v, 77r, 79r [featuring a hybrid figure inside the letter], 81r, 83r [featuring an anthropomorphic figure inside the letter], 84v [featuring an anthropomorphic figure in foliate decoration inside the letter], 87r, 96v, 99r, 100r [featuring an anthropomorphic figure inside the letter], 102v [featuring an anthropomorphic figure in foliate decoration inside the letter], 103r [featuring a zoomorphic figure inside the letter], 104v [featuring an anthropomorphic figure in foliate decoration inside the letter], 106v, 124r).

Small initials in gold containing white foliate decoration against a blue or purple background inside the letters and with purple or blue frames, and small initials in blue or gold throughout the manuscript.

Collection Area:

Western Manuscripts

Project / Collection:

Additional Manuscripts

Hierarchy Tree:

[{ "id" : "032-002090172", "parent" : "#", "text" : "Add MS 19917: Middle Dutch Book of Hours" , "li_attr" : {"class": "orderable"} }]

Hierarchy Record Ids:

032-002090172

Is part of:

not applicable

Hierarchy:

032-002090172

Container:

not applicable

Record Type (Level):

Fonds

Extent:

Parchment codex

Digitised Content:

Languages:

Dutch, Middle

Scripts:

Latin

Start Date:

1400

End Date:

1499

Date Range:

last quarter of the 15th century

Era:

Access:

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User Conditions:

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Physical Characteristics:

Materials: Parchment.

Dimensions: 170 x 130 (text space: 100 x 70 mm).

Foliation: ff. 162 ( + 4 unfoliated paper flyleaves at the begining + 1 unfoliated parchment flyleaf and 3 unfoliated paper flyleaves at the end); 1 unfoliated parchment stub between f. 154 and f. 155; f. 1 is a modern paper leaf.

Script: Gothic.

Binding: Post-1600. 19th-century black leather binding, the spine inscribed in gold at the British Museum: ‘DIE GHETIDEN VAN ONSER VROUWEN’.

Custodial History:

Origins: Netherlands, N.

Provenance:

An unknown Dutch owner, 15^th or 16^th century: erased ownership inscription on f. 2r (‘Dit boeck behoert toe [...]’).

An unknown Dutch owner, 17^th century: notes on f 1v and f. [iii] verso (‘Prins van Oranje’).

Philips, London auction house, 7 July 1854, lot 64: their sales catalogue notes that the manuscript was bought on the Continent ('Rare missals, collected abroad'); purchased by Thomas and William Boone (note on f. 1r).

Thomas Boone (b. 1790, d. 1873) and William Boone (b. 1795, d. 1870), London booksellers: purchased from them by the British Museum (note f. 1r: ‘Purchased of Mess. Boone, 12 Aug. 1854 (sale at Phillips’s, in July. Lot 64)’) for £8.

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), III, pp. 383-85 (no. 2).

Robert Priebsch, Deutsche Handschriften in England, 2 vols (Erlangen: Junge, 1896–1901), II, pp. 182-83 (no. 216).

A. W. Byvanck and G. J. Hoogewerff, Noord-Nederlandsche miniaturen in handschriften der 14e, 15e en 16e eeuwen (The Hague: Nijhoff, 1922), no. 163.

Het Getijdenboek van Geert Grote: Naar het Haagse Handschrift 133 E 21, ed. by Nicolaas van Wijk (Leiden: Brill, 1940), pp. 36-70, 71-86, 92-112, 113-38, 139-45, 145-54, 155-95 [editions of texts from another manuscript].

Peter Gumbert, The Dutch and Their Books in the Manuscript Age: The Panizzi Lectures, 1989 (London: British LIbrary, 1990), p. 87, n. 63.

Klara H. Broekhuijsen, The Masters of the Dark Eyes: Late Medieval Manuscript Painting in Holland, Ars Nova: Studies in Late Medieval and Renaissance Northern Painting and Illumination, 10 (Turnhout: Brepols, 2009), pp. 2, 3, 11, 35, 99-100 [on the manuscript].

Kathryn M. Rudy, Rubrics, Images and Indulgences in Late Medieval Netherlandish Manuscripts, Library of the Written Word, 55, The Manuscript World, 8 (Brill: Leiden, 2017), pp. 101-36 [On the Mass of St Gregory].

Material Type:

Archives and Manuscripts

Legal Status:

Not Public Record(s)

Related Material:

Catalogue of Additions to the Manuscripts in the British Museum in the Years 1854-1860 (London: Clowes, 1870), p. 18: 'Hours of the Virgin Mary, the Holy Cross, the Holy Ghost, and the Eternal Wisdom, with the seven penitential psalms, the vigils of the dead, and prayers; with calendar. prefixed. Dutch. Vellum; xvth cent. ; with initials and borders. The miniatures placed before each division of the book have been cut out, with the exception of the last of the series, at f. 123 b. Small Quarto'.