Harley MS 2915

The illumination of this Book of Hours is attributed to the 'Fastolf Master', a French artist working in England who is named after a copy of Christine de Pisan’s Epitre d’Othea with the Livre des quatre vertus that he illuminated for Sir John Fastolf in 1450 (Oxford, Bodleian Library, MS. Laud Misc. 570). The scribe has been identified as Ricardus Franciscus, who was also responsible for the Bodleian manuscript (Alexander, 'A Lost Leaf', (1971), p. 250).

The patron of the manuscript is unknown. A prayer composed for John, duke of Bedford (b. 1389, d. 1435), indicates that the manuscript may have been made for a man in his circle (ff. 97r-101r). Suggestions have included Richard, duke of York (b. 1411, d. 1460), John Beaufort, duke of Somerset (b. 1404, d. 1444), or Edmund Beaufort, duke of Somerset (b. c.1406, d. 1455) (Reynolds in Gothic (2003), p. 345). The case for York as the possible patron is strengthened by that fact that he succeeded Bedford as lieutenant-general of France and inherited most of Bedford's servants, and that the scribe Ricardus Franciscus was consistently employed by the 'Yorkist' circle (James-Maddocks and Thorpe, 'A Petition Written by Ricardus Franciscus' (2012), p. 261, n. 43).

Contents:

ff. 2r-7v: Calendar.

ff. 9r-10r: Prayers.

ff. 11r-13v: Gospel readings.

ff. 15r-43v: The Hours of the Virgin.

ff. 44r-49r: The Seven Penitential Psalms.

ff. 49r-50r: The Fifteen Gradual Psalms, opening lines only except for Psalms 131, 132 and 133 which are included in full.

ff. 51r-55r: Litanies and prayers.

ff. 56r-81v: The Office for the Dead.

ff. 82r-155v: Suffrages and prayers, including a prayer composed for the Duke of Bedford, (ff. 97r-101r; cf. Add MS 74754, ff. 385v-391r).

ff. 157r-175v: The Hours of the Passion.

ff. 176r-184r: The Hours of Eternal Wisdom.

ff. 184v-191v: Prayers, including a prayer to the Virgin Mary in French (ff. 186v-87r).

Decoration, attributed to the 'Fastolf Master':

11 full-page miniatures in semi-grisaille: the Four Evangelists with their symbols (f. 10v); the Annunciation (f. 14v); the Visitation (f. 20v); the Last Judgement (f. 43v); a funeral Mass (f. 55v); the Virgin and Child (f. 138v); the Agony in the Garden (f. 156v); Christ carrying the Cross (f. 167v); the Crucifixion (f. 169v); the Deposition (f. 171v); the Entombment (f. 173v).

15 large miniatures in semi-grisaille, with large decorated initials in grisaille: the Nativity (f. 28r); the Annunciation to the Shepherds (f. 31r); the Adoration of the Magi (f. 33r); the Presentation of Christ in the Temple (f. 35r); the Flight into Egypt (f. 37r); the Coronation of the Virgin (f. 40r); Man of Sorrows (f. 122v); St Jerome at his writing desk (f. 126v); the Virgin and Child enthroned (f. 142v); St Anthony (f. 151r); St Mary Magdalene (f. 152v); St Anne and the infant Virgin Mary (f. 153v); the Arrest of Christ (f. 161r); Christ before Pilate (f. 163r); the Flagellation of Christ (f. 165r).

24 small images in the margins, in colours: the Zodiac signs and labours of the month (ff. 2r-7v); St Michael slaying the Devil (f. 82); the Elevation of the Host by a priest with a kneeling candle-bearer, perhaps the manuscript’s patron (f. 84r); a priest administering the Host to a kneeling man, perhaps the patron (f. 84v); the Crucifixion with a kneeling man, perhaps the patron (f. 104v).

Large decorated initials with foliate extensions into the margins, in grisaille. Numerous small initials in red with blue pen-flourishing or in blue with red pen-flourishing. Cadels.

Foliate borders in grisaille: full (ff. 10v, 15r, 55r, 138v, 156v, 167v, 169v, 171v, 173v), or three-sided (ff. 14v, 20v, 28r, 31r, 33r, 35r, 37r, 40r, 43r, 122v, 142v, 152v, 153v, 161r, 163r, 165r), occasionally with inset images: the Presentation of the Virgin Mary in the Temple, and the Virgin Mary weaving (f. 14v); an eagle (f. 15r).