Harley MS 928

A composite of two Books of Hours (both imperfect), joined together in the late medieval or early modern period (before the edges were stained green and the fore-edge inscription was added, see Physical Characteristics). The manuscript also includes fragments of two 15th-century documents at the beginning and end, probably salvaged from a previous binding.

Contents:

ff. 1r-2v: a fragment of a legal document dated 1455, and signed by Johannes Stokes, notary in Worcester, with a notarial signature.

The Harley Hours, 4th quarter of the 13th century:

ff. 3r, 4v-5r, 6r-7r, 8v, 9v: a prayer on the life of Christ in different sections, most of which begin with the line ‘Iesu Christe te veneror’, added on the reverse of the full-page miniatures (late 14th-early 15th century).

ff. 10r-105v: the Hours of the Virgin, Use of Sarum, with suffrages after Lauds to the Holy Cross, Sts Michael, Peter and Paul, John the Baptist, Thomas Becket, Stephen, Laurence, Edmund, Nicholas, Mary Magdalene, Catherine, Margaret, all saints and peace (ff. 51r-62v).

ff. 105v-106v: a suffrage to St Anne.

ff. 107r-128v: the Penitential Psalms followed by the litany, ending imperfectly due to loss of leaves (all names of saints missing).

Book of Hours, fragment, 1400-1450:

ff. 129r-210r: Office of the Dead, Use of Sarum, beginning imperfectly (Psalm 114:6; probably missing one leaf);

ff. 211r-243v: Commendation of the Soul;

ff. 244r-257v: prayers to Christ, ‘Ave benignissime domine Iesu Christe’ [others] ending imperfectly (a catchword on f. 243v indicates that at least another quire is missing).

ff. 258r-259v: fragment of a legal document, 15th century.

Decoration:

The Harley Hours, 4th quarter of the 13th century:

6 full-page miniatures in colours and gold: the Nativity (f. 3v); the Visitation (f. 4r); the Adoration of the Magi (f. 5v); the Presentation to the Temple (f. 7v); the Betrayal (f. 8r); and the Resurrection (f. 9r). 8 historiated initials with full bar borders with foliage, dragons and animals: Matins, the martyrdom of St Catherine (f. 10r); Lauds, St Margaret emerging from the dragon (f. 30r); Prime, the Coronation of the Virgin (f. 60r); Terce, the martyrdom of St Laurence (f. 77v); None, St John the Baptist and the Agnus Dei (f. 83r); Vespers, the Ascension (f. 89r); Compline, Pentecost (f. 99r); the Penitential Psalms, an owner portrait of a woman kneeling before Christ enthroned (f. 107r).

Large initials in colours and gold often extending into the margin, and occasionally combined with hybrid creatures, birds, or animals.

Drawings of hybrid creatures, and/or animals in the lower margin of nearly every page, e.g.: a cockerel (f. 14v), a bear (f. 35v), a stag (f. 40r), a cat and mouse (f. 44v), a monkey (f. 45r), a unicorn (f. 48r), a camel (f. 55r), monkeys attacking a castle (f. 97v, trimmed), a goat (f. 126r). Large initials and line-fillers in colours and gold with foliage, animals, fish, or hybrid creatures.

Smaller initials in colours and gold.

Book of Hours, fragment, 1400-1450:

Large decorated initial in colours and gold, with a full foliate border including acanthus leaves (f. 244r). Champ initials with foliate feathering extending into the margin, coloured initials in blue or red.