Harley MS 3811

This manuscript is a composite miscellany containing three separate parts.

The first part (ff. 5-86) contains a Book of Hours, made in England in the second half of the 14th century.

The second part (ff. 87-174) contains works by Bonaventure, made in Germany or the Netherlands [ff. 87r-154v], and Italy [ff. 155-173v] in the 1st half of the 15th century.

The third part (ff. 175-186) contains a text regarding English laws, made in England in the 2nd half of the 16th century.

Contents:

Part 1:

ff. 5r-83r: Book of Hours, Use of Sarum; Includes a calendar, numerous prayers, the Hours of the Virgin mixed with the Hours of the Cross, the Penitential Psalms and Litany, the Office of the Dead, the commendation of souls. The calendar and litany contain numerous English saints (including Edward, Cuthbert, Kenelm, translatio of Cuthbert, Edmund, Swithun).

This part contains a few additions:

ff. 1r-3r: Confession formula, beginning: 'O my most mercyfull father of all marcy[n]ess and god consolacion my god, my father, I knowlage myself […] with hart mynd and mowth now before the to have offended grevossly thy hyghe maystye and thy holly commaundementes'; added in the 16th century.

f. 4r: A crossed out (?) prayer in English; added in the 16th century.

f. 83v: The hymn Veni Creator Spiritus; added in the 15th or 16th century.

f. 84r-85r: Obsecro te; added in the late 15th or early 16th century.

f. 86r: Prayer to the Archangel Gabriel, beginning: 'Gabriel arcangele fortitude dei'; added in the late 15th or early 16th century.

Part 2:

ff. 87r-154v: Bonaventure, Breviloquium pauperis seu Compendium sacrae Scripturae.

ff. 155r-173v: Bonaventure, De triplici via.

This part contains a later addition:

f. 174r: A note, beginning: 'Nota quod ecclesia Annuntiate Varisij fuit consecrate anno domini 1476 die dominica 7 Julij per D. D. Antonium de cattijs episcopum [etc.]'; added in the (?) 16th century.

Part 3:

ff. 175r-186v: A text regarding English laws, entitled: 'Principia sive maxima legum Anglie'.

This part contains a later addition:

f. [189]verso: Inscriptions (Englis hand Latin words); added in the (?) 16th or 17th century.

Decoration:

Part 1 (ff. 5-86): 11 large initials in gold and colours with ivy combined with a partial border (ff. 18r, 23r, 33r, 35v, 37r, 38v, 40r, 41r, 45r, 56r, 72v). Initials in colours and gold Smaller initials in blue with red penwork decoration, or in gold with purple penwork decoration. Capitals marked in red ink. Line-fillers in red and blue.

Part 2 (ff. 87-174): Large puzzle initial in red and blue with penwork decoration in the same colours (f. 87r). Small puzzle initial in red and blue (f. 155r). Smaller initials in red and/or blue sometimes with reserved designs or with penwork decoration. Paraphs in red or blue. Capitals marked in red.

Part 3 (ff. 175-187): A coat of arms (f. 175r).