Harley MS 2871

Contents:

ff. 1r-12r: the calendar, including saints associated with Varennes: Sts Paulus of Verdun (8 February), Gangulphus (11 May), Mansuetus of Toul (3 September), Goeric of Metz (19 September), Basolus (15 October);

ff. 13r-208v: the Psalter;

ff. 209r-258r: the Hours of the Virgin, Use unidentified;

ff. 258r-267r: the Penitential Psalms;

ff. 267r-270v: the Litany and prayers;

ff. 271r-305v: the Office of the Dead.

Decoration:

18 large historiated initials combined with a bar border with ivy on three or four sides: Psalm 1, David playing the harp, a praying lady, a hybrid creature in the border (f. 13r); Psalm 26, David pointing at his eye, a lady, dogs and hare in the border (f. 42r); Psalm 38, David pointing at his eye, a peacock in the border (f. 61v); Psalm 52, a fool with bauble and loaf of bread, a man and devil in the border (f. 79v); Psalm 68, David in water, a stork and hybrid creature in the border (f. 97v); Psalm 80, David playing bells (f. 120r); Psalm 97, a group of clerics (f. 140v); Psalm 109, the Trinity, a hybrid in the border (f. 160r); Matins, the Annunciation, a peacock and hybrid in the border (f. 209r); Lauds, the Visitation, a hybrid, lady and owl in the border (f. 228r); Prime, the Nativity (f. 236v); Terce, the Annunciation to the Shepherds, a man mounted on a beast in the border (f. 241r); Sext, the Adoration of the Magi, a hybrid in the border (f. 244r); None, the Presentation in the Temple, a hybrid in the border (f. 248v); Vespers, the Flight into Egypt (f. 249v); Compline, the Massacre of the Innocents, a warrior in the border (f. 254v); the Penitential Psalms, Christ showing his wounds, the resurrection of the souls in the lower margin, and a praying woman wearing a crown in the inner margin (f. 258r); the Office of the Dead, a funeral service, a couple in the border (f. 271r).

12 medallions with signs of the zodiac in the calendar (ff. 1r-12r).

1 large initial full border with ivy (f. 267r). Numerous smaller inhabited initials containing heads, praying figures, fish, hybrids, and animals with ivy tendrils extending into the margin. Numerous initials in gold and colours with foliate decoration. Numerous small initials in blue with red penwork decoration or in gold with dark blue penwork. Larger initials with cadels in brown ink (f. 226v, 228v). Line-fillers in gold, blue and red ink (some with a fish or snake). A sketched peacock in margin (f. 249).