Harley MS 5323

This late 15th-century Middle Dutch prayer-book may have been especially used by members of a religious community to recite prayers in between the liturgical hours. The larger part of the manuscript is comprised of sequences of prayers and rosaries dedicated to the Passion that had to be recited daily or weekly. Most of the prayers are anonymous, although two can be identified as members of the Franciscan Order: the Poor Clare Magdalena Beutler (b. 1407, d. 1458) at the convent of St Klara in Freiburg im Breisgau, and the German Franciscan friar Dietrich Coelde (b. 1435, d. 1515).

ff. 1r-20r: Dietrich Coelde, Die doernen crone onses heren ihesu cristi (The Crown of Thorns of Our Lord Jesus Christ), begins: ‘Here Jhesus christus des levendigen gads soen Jc onwerdige sundige creatuere begeer nu dyn conynclicke hoeft ynnychlicken te grueten [etc.]’ [see Desiderius Adolf Stracke, De Doornen Kroon van onzen Heer (1929), pp. 30-53].

ff. 20r-33r: A rosary of seventy-two prayers on the Passion alternated with Paternosters and Aves for the suffering Christ endured from the crown of thorns, ‘[rubric:] Dyt is die doernen croen ons lieven heren ende is seer guet gelesen [prayer:] Ic danck u lieve here Jhesu christus myn schepper Ende myn verloeser Dat gy u veroetmoedicht hebt ende quamt van den throen uwer glorien in desen dael der ellenden [etc.]’ [see Desiderius Adolf Stracke, De Doornen Kroon van onzen Heer (1929), pp. 18-26].

ff. 33r-43r: A rosary on the crown of thorns, ‘[underlined:] Hier begynt eyn suverlicke roesen crensken vander dornen cronen ende op elcke artickel salmen lesen Lof sy dy here Jhesus christus conync der ewiger glorien [prayer:] Du heves dyn conynclicke croen van dynen hoefde gesat ende heves dyn stede verwandelt aen nemende die forme des knechtes opter eerden’.

ff. 43v-47r: A Middle Dutch translation of the Precor te amantissime Domine Jesu Christi propter eximiam caritatem, ‘[rubric:] Eyn suverlic gebet van onsen lieven heren [prayer:] O allre suetste lam christi Guedertieren here Jhesu Ic vermaen u ende danck u des ellendigen staens dat gy van mynnen voer my aen den mynnenden rame de cruces stondes vervult [etc.]’ [see Nine Miedema, Die ‘Mirabilia Romae’ (1996), p. 460].

ff. 47r-52r: Prayers for the Seven Words of Christ on the Cross, ‘[underlined:] Hier begynnen Die seven waerde die Christus sprac inden cruce hangende so wie sy ynnychlicken sprict ongebicht en sal hy nyet sterven Ende xxx dage voer synre doet sal hy sien bereit onse lieve vrou tot synre hulpen Ende die sy ynnychlicken leset op synen knyen verdient dusent ende ccc dage aflaets gegeven van den stoel van rome [prayer:] Here Jhesus Christus des levendigen gads soen Die vij waerde sprakes Jnden lesten dage dyns levens hangende aen den cruce [etc.]’ [see Een Diets gebedenboek, ed. by Luc Indestege (1961), pp. 30-31; Maria Meertens, De godsvrucht in de Nederlanden (1931), II, pp. 109-14].

ff. 53r-57r: A prayer-sequence on the Passion, ‘[underlined:] soe wie dese gebede lest in noeden syns of synre vrynde die sal haepen syn bede te vercrygen wt den schat des lydens Christi [prayer:] O here Jhesu Christi du bist eyn verloeser der werlt ic bid dy ontsluyt den schat dynre gotlicker gnaden ende guedertierenheit [etc.]’.

ff. 57r-58r: A prayer to Christ for help in need, ‘[rubric:] Eyn suverlic gebet van onsen heren [prayer:] O alre getrouste vrynt boven allen vrynden die synen vrynden nye in noeden af en gynck sich aen myn mynnychvoldige lyden daer ic in stae [etc.]’.

f. 58v: imperfect prayer (crossed out).

ff. 59r-77v: Magdalena Beutler, The Golden Litany, ‘[underlined:] Hier begynnen die gulden letanye vanden leven ende passien ons lieven here gelick als got die selven geapenbaert heeft tot heil ende salicheit alre menschen Jtem als men dese letanyen lese wyl soe sal men achter elcken puntken seggen Ontferm dy ons of myns of der zielen of des vrynts daer men des voer begeert levendigen of doeden off voer enyge noetsaeken [rubric:] Die Letanye [prayer:] Here ontfermt dy onser Crystus ontfermt dy onser Here ontfermt dy onser ende verleent ons cracht onser zielen inwendich ende wtwendich u te dienen nae uwen alre liefsten wil [etc.]’[see Een Diets gebedenboek, ed. by Luc Indestege (1961), pp. 153-62; Maria Meertens, De godsvrucht in de Nederlanden, I (1930), pp. 133-34; Karen Greenspan, Erklaerung (1990), pp. 311-14; Kathryn M. Rudy, Rubrics, Images and Indulgences in Late Medieval Netherlandish Manuscripts (2017), pp. 231-32].

ff. 78r-97v: Fifteen prayers on the Passion, preceded by an instruction (ff. 78r-80r) to recite them daily with fifteen Paternosters and Aves in order to match the number of Christ’s wounds, purportedly revealed by Christ to St Birgitta of Sweden, ’Sante brygyta vorstynne van mercien [sic] dese was in hoeren leven myt goddienstiger begeerten te weten dat getal der heiligen wonden Christi Ende sy bad gade onsen lieven here dat hy hem gewerdigen wolde oer dat toe toenen daer om soe apenbaerden oer die guedertien here to eynre tyt seggende der wonden myns lichams hebben geweest vyfdusent vier hondert ende sestich [etc.]; [prayer:] In allen steden der heerlicheit Jhesu Christi gebenedide here myn ziele Ic danc dy here Jhesu Christi [etc.]’ [see Een Diets gebedenboek, ed. by Luc Indestege (1961), pp. 98-103; Maria Meertens, De godsvrucht in de Nederlanden (1931), II, pp. 15-20].

ff. 98r-109v: Pseudo-Augustine, The Psalter of St Augustine, an abridged Psalter for those unable to recite all 150 Psalms (similar to Jerome’s Psalter), purportedly verified by ‘our spiritual father’ bishop Godehard von Hildesheim (b. 960, d. 1038), ‘[underlined:] Hier begynt sint Augustinus salter Ende desen mactten die hoge werde leere in synen doet ende in synen leste tyden Ende hy heeft verworven van onsen lieven heren wie en lest ende genen selter volbrengen en conde van noets wegen die sal eynen salter dair myt quyten Dit heeft onse geistelicke here die bisscop heer geerit van hildesem gegeven allen rouwegen herten die en lesen myt ynnycheit van eynen igelicken vers ix dage afflaets [prayer:] O lieve here almechtige got ende conync der ewiger eeren Du bekendes wael dat hy is eyn salich man Die daer nyet af en gaet den wech [etc.]’ [see Maria Meertens, De godsvrucht in de Nederlanden (1930), I, p. 49].

ff. 110r-116r: Seven Paternosters to Christ for one's friends, ‘[rubric:] Dyt syn seven pater noster ende gebede woe eyn mensche syn vrynde bevelen sal onsen lieven here [prayer:] - Pater noster - O Orspronck alles guets here hemelsche vader Jc bevele dy dynen dienre N ende alle myn vrynde in die bevelynge [etc.]’.

ff. 117r-123r: A prayer-sequence to God for releasing the souls in Purgatory, ‘[underlined:] Soe wie dyt gebet sprict myt ynnicheit xxx dage voer eyn ziele sonder twyvel sy wort verloest ist oic saeke dat sy des nyet en behoeft soe wort die neeste ziele verloest al solde sy in den vegevuer syn ten ionxten dage toe Dyt heeft bestediget die paus ynnocentius ende van anderen pausen ende bysschoppen Ende wie dyt gebet sprict voir sich seluer die en wort nyet verdomt Ende dyt gebet is oic seer guet gelese voer eyn noetsaeke – Pater noster – Hem geeft oen die ewige rust etc. Myserere al wt; [prayer:] Ic biddy here hemelsche vader in den name dynre alre hoechster gewalt Ende dynre vaderlicker genaden want dyn name got vader is’; ends with an instruction to prostrate and recite the De Profundis and fifteen Paternosters [see Een Diets gebedenboek, ed. by Luc Indestege (1961), pp. 177-179; Kathryn M. Rudy, Rubrics, Images and Indulgences in Late Medieval Netherlandish Manuscripts (2017), p. 284].

ff. 123v-126v: A prayer to Christ for the souls in Purgatory, ‘[rubric:] Dit is eyn coert gebet voer die selen [prayer:] O here Jhesus Christus Jc biddy doer die werdicheit dynre heiliger wonden Daer du heier [sic] mede tegenwordich bist gewaer got ende mensche’.

ff. 126v-129v: Seven Paternosters to Christ for the souls in Purgatory with the instruction to recite the prayers while walking around a cemetery, ‘[rubric:] Diser vij Pater noster sal men om den kerchoef lesen [prayer:] Pater noster - Dat ierste pater noster offer ic dy lief here ter eren uwes heiligen levens ende uwer wandelynge die gy gehadt hebt op eertrick ende bid u lieve here dat gy deser zielen N wilt vergeven alle oer sunden die sy gedaen heeft in oeren leven [etc.]’ [see Een Diets gebedenboek, ed. by Luc Indestege (1961), pp. 180-81].

ff. 129v-132r: A prayer to the Virgin Mary for the souls in Purgatory, ‘[introduction:] Eyn schoen gebet voir die zielen van onser liever vrouwen [prayer:] [O] alre heilichste moder gads onse enyge haep ende troist naest gade Jc onwerdige sundige mensche come tot u om overvloedicheit uwer genaden te vercrygen’.

ff. 132v-134v: Three Paternosters to Christ for the souls in Purgatory, ‘[underlined introduction:] myt desen drien pater noster sal men sy op opfferen [prayer:] – pater noster - Dat ierste pater noster offer ick di lieve here ter eren der cracht ende moegentheit ende der glorien uwer heiliger verrysenysse’.

ff. 135r-151v: Prayers to be recited before and after receiving the host, ‘[rubric:] Dyt is eyn schoen gebet van der ontfenckennisse des hilligen sacramentz daer voer [prayer:] O overste priester ende gewaer bysschop here Jhesus christus Die dy selven offerdens gade den vader in Eyn reyne Ende onbevlecte offer opten altaer des hilligen cruces [etc.]’ [see Een Diets gebedenboek, ed. by Luc Indestege (1961), pp. 136-39].

ff. 152r-201v: A prayer-sequence on Christ's life and suffering, called 'Our Dear Lord's Robe', ‘[rubric:] Dit is eyn schoen gebet van onsen leven heren Jhesum Christum van alle sinen heiligen leven Ende is genoemt ons lieven heren mantel Ende is gedeilt dorch die weck ende is seer suverlich [prayer:] O over hoge grondelose mynnentlicke wort des vaderlicken herten Orspronck fonteyne ende leven alre creaturen Here Jhesu Christe’.

ff. 202r-209v: A prayer-sequence on the crown of thorns, ‘[introduction:] Dyt is dornen croen [sic] onse lieven heren Jhesus Christi die allen kersten menschen seer nutte is gelesen [prayer:] [H]ere Jhesu Christi des levendigen gads soen Jc onwerdige sundige creatuer begeer nu dyn conynclicke hoeft ynnychlicken te grueten ende te aenbeden’.

ff. 210r-230r: An expanded version of The Hours of the Trinity (not organised according to the liturgical hours), Middle Dutch, ‘Here du salst op doen myn lippen ende myn mont sal vort kundighen dynen loff Glorie sy den vader ende den soen ende den heligen geest Alst was yn den beghyn nu ende altoes syn eweliken sonder eynde amen Soe wie behalden wil syn ziel die moet geloeven in enen got in drien personen ende dien aenbeden ende den dienen’.

ff. 230r-233r: Three prayers to Christ, beginning 'O here ihesu Christi conync der glorien een alte gudertirenst vader ende wairlick een alre beeste troester alre bedrufenisse ende anxten'.

ff. 233r-237r: Instructions for spiritual preparation for communion, begins 'Dit syn drie punten die gy aen u hebben sult wanner ghy totten heiligen sacrament wilt'.

[f. 116v is blank]

Decoration:

1 large puzzle initial in red and blue with green foliate decoration around the letter, extending into a partial (three-sided) border; 1 large red initial with penwork decoration in red and brown (f. 210r); numerous smaller initials in red ink throughout the manuscript.