Stowe MS 948

HYMN to the Virgin, in French, preceded by a calendar in a different hand. Imperfect at the beginning, the first line being, "Durement fu trauaile" (f. 8 b), and wanting leaves after ff. 9, 10. The several divisions remaining begin, "Deu te salt uirgine honore" (f. 9 b), "Virge mere preciouse" (f. 10 b), "Dame du ciel emperiz" (f. 11 b), "Dame ieo ay bone espeir" (f. 13 b), and "Haute dame gloriouse" (f. 15 b). At the end (f. 16 b) is an imperf. prayer in Latin. A single leaf (f. 7) between the calendar and the hymn contains recipes for various medicines, in a different hand from either of the others. Vellum; ff. 16. Early XIVth cent. Executed probably in England. The calendar is ornamented with small representations of the signs of the Zodiac, and each alternate page in the hymn is occupied by two miniatures on gold backgrounds, representing scenes from the Old and New Testaments. On f. 1 is a note by T. Astle, referring to p. 154 of his Origin and Progress of Writing, where four lines from f 15 b are reproduced. Duodecimo.

Hymns: Hymn to the Virgin: 14th cent.: Fr.: Imperf.

Art. Illuminations and Drawings ENGLISH: Hymn to the Virgin: miniatures: early 14th cent.