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Leaf From Matins, Hours Of The Virgin, Troyes, France, Recto, Unknown

Sacred Leaves Manuscript Collection

Nocturns, prayers initially recited by monks in the evening or early morning, were incorporated into Matins in Books of Hours because this Hour was usually said before dawn. The text of this leaf can be identified as for use of Troyes from the second and third lesson of the first nocture (Benedicta tu) read on Sundays, Mondays, and Thursdays.

Leaf With O Intemerata Prayer, Bruges, Southern Netherlands, Recto, Unknown

Sacred Leaves Manuscript Collection

This leaf contains the beginning part of the O intemerata (O immaculate virgin) prayer addressing the Virgin Mary. This prayer was most commonly found in Books of Hours, the comparable lay version of the liturgical Breviary.

Leaf With O Intemerata Prayer, Bruges, Southern Netherlands, Verso, Unknown

Sacred Leaves Manuscript Collection

This leaf contains the beginning part of the O intemerata (O immaculate virgin) prayer addressing the Virgin Mary. This prayer was most commonly found in Books of Hours, the comparable lay version of the liturgical Breviary.

Leaf Opening Matins, Hours Of The Virgin, Germany, Recto, Unknown

Sacred Leaves Manuscript Collection

This leaf originally prefaced Matins, which is the first of the core set of prayers of any Book of Hours, the Hours of the Virgin.

Leaf Opening Matins, Hours Of The Virgin, Germany, Verso, Unknown

Sacred Leaves Manuscript Collection

This leaf originally prefaced Matins, which is the first of the core set of prayers of any Book of Hours, the Hours of the Virgin.

Leaf From A Liturgical Calendar, Use Of Rome, Italy, Recto, Unknown

Sacred Leaves Manuscript Collection

Each month of a liturgical calendar begins with the initials KL (for Kalends) to indicate the first day of the month. This header is followed by the name of that month, how many days it contains, and how many days it has in the corresponding lunar calendar.

Leaf From The Fifteen Joys Of The Virgin, Paris, France, Verso, Unknown

Sacred Leaves Manuscript Collection

The Fifteen Joys of the Virgin, often found at the end of French Books of Hours, is an accessory text. The prayer itself is written in French, and is characterized by fifteen repetitions, each beginning Tres doulce dame, or "very sweet lady", and represents a direct address to Mary. It is then followed by repeated requests for her divine intervention as Mother of Christ, in the interest of the praying soul. The verso contains the thirteenth repetition appearing in its entirety.

Leaf Opening Vespers, Hours Of The Virgin, Bruges, Netherlands, Recto, Unknown

Sacred Leaves Manuscript Collection

Vespers was recited at early evening, and this text was often accompanied in Book of Hours by illustrations of the Flight into Egypt, or the Massacre of the Innocents. It was characteristic of the miniaturist Willem Vreland to use the latter as his subject in illustrating the opening to Vespers.

Bifolium With Opening To Compline, Hours Of The Virgin, Paris, France, Unknown

Sacred Leaves Manuscript Collection

Compline, the eighth and last Hour of the Virgin, was meant to be recited in the evening. The miniature paired with this Compline represents the traditional subject of the Coronation of the Virgin.

Leaf From The Fifteen Joys Of The Virgin, Paris, France, Recto, Unknown

Sacred Leaves Manuscript Collection

The Fifteen Joys of the Virgin, often found at the end of French Books of Hours, is an accessory text. The prayer itself is written in French, and is characterized by fifteen repetitions, each beginning Tres doulce dame, or "very sweet lady", and represents a direct address to Mary. It is then followed by repeated requests for her divine intervention as Mother of Christ, in the interest of the praying soul. The recto of this leaf begins in the center of the eleventh repetition with vous eustez quant, and ends with que ii souffrie me, near the end of the …

Leaf From Matins, Hours Of The Virgin, Troyes, France, Verso, Unknown

Sacred Leaves Manuscript Collection

Nocturns, prayers initially recited by monks in the evening or early morning, were incorporated into Matins in Books of Hours because this Hour was usually said before dawn. The text of this leaf can be identified as for use of Troyes from the second and third lesson of the first nocture (Benedicta tu) read on Sundays, Mondays, and Thursdays.

Leaf From A Liturgical Calendar, Use Of Rome, Italy, Verso, Unknown

Sacred Leaves Manuscript Collection

Each month of a liturgical calendar begins with the initials KL (for Kalends) to indicate the first day of the month. This header is followed by the name of that month, how many days it contains, and how many days it has in the corresponding lunar calendar.

Leaf Opening The Penitential Psalms, Cologne, Germany, Verso, Unknown

Sacred Leaves Manuscript Collection

The Seven Penitential Psalms (6, 31, 37, 50, 101, 129, and 142), long associated with atonement, were ascribed in the Middle Ages to King David. The translation of Psalm 6 in this manuscript may ultimately derive from that of Geert Grote, but is in a German dialect closer to that of a Prayer Book now in Darmstadt, believed to have been produced in Cologne in the mid-fifteenth century.

Fragment. Book Of Hours, Author Unknown

Medieval Manuscript Fragments

No abstract provided.

Leaf Opening Compline, Hours Of The Virgin, France, Recto, Unknown

Sacred Leaves Manuscript Collection

The Coronation of Mary is usually depicted with Mary kneeling while an angel places a crown on her head. This particular leaf is unusual because there is no angel crowning her or standing beside her. Instead, angels watch and pray in the background as Mary kneels in front of God the Father.

Antiphonal [Hu Codex 4]

Medieval Manuscripts

• Country of origin: Italy
• Date: ca. 1450
• Citations: Bond, W. H. Supplement to the Census of Medieval and Renaissance manuscripts in the United States and Canada, no. 4.
• Provenance: McVitty

Leaf Opening Compline, Hours Of The Virgin, France, Verso, Unknown

Sacred Leaves Manuscript Collection

This leaf is in a style typical of manuscripts illuminated in Paris and Rouen in the late fifteenth century.

Leaf Ending Prime And Opening Terce, Hours Of The Virgin, Rheims, France, Recto, Unknown

Sacred Leaves Manuscript Collection

The Hours of Prime and Terce coincided roughly with our hours of six and nine a.m. The one large decorated initial beginning the capitulum Hec est virgo helps to identify the prayer sequence. The use of Psalm 117, combined with this Hymn sequence, the antiphon O Admirable, and capitulum Hec est virgo, confirm that this manuscript was made for Rheims.

Leaf Ending Prime And Opening Terce, Hours Of The Virgin, Rheims, France, Verso, Unknown

Sacred Leaves Manuscript Collection

The Hours of Prime and Terce coincided roughly with our hours of six and nine a.m. The acanthus vine border decoration with flowers and fruits encased inside medallions on colored grounds, is an innovation of late fifteenth century French illumination, and the style is also consistent with Rheims.

Meditations, With Prayers, On The Life And Loving Kindnesses Of Our Lord Jesus Christ, France, Thomas À. Kempis

Sacred Leaves Manuscript Collection

The manuscript seen here is a copy of Thomas Kepis' Meditations, with Prayers, on the Life and Loving Kindness of Our Lord Jesus Christ.

Leaf From A Breviary, Use Of Angers, France, Recto, Unknown

Sacred Leaves Manuscript Collection

This humble Breviary lacks any extensive decoration, indicating its probable use by a poor cleric. Some of the rubrics, rather than being written in red ink, are written in black ink and underlined in red.

Leaf From A Psalter, Germany, Verso, Unknown

Sacred Leaves Manuscript Collection

This octavo-sized portable Psalter features Psalm 68, referred to as the Salva me (Save me) poem, which addresses the sufferings of Jesus during His Life.

Bifolium From A Breviary, Use Of Rome, Italy, Verso A, Unknown

Sacred Leaves Manuscript Collection

This portable Breviary developed during the rise of mendicant monastic Orders in the thirteenth century. This bifolium is an example of the single-volume portable Breviary common during the late Middle Ages. In addition, the minimal decoration further suggests its use by a poor cleric.

Bifolium From A Breviary, Use Of Rome, Italy, Verso B, Unknown

Sacred Leaves Manuscript Collection

This portable Breviary developed during the rise of mendicant monastic Orders in the thirteenth century. This bifolium is an example of the single-volume portable Breviary common during the late Middle Ages. In addition, the minimal decoration further suggests its use by a poor cleric.

Leaf With Ancillary Prayers, France, Recto, Unknown

Sacred Leaves Manuscript Collection

Beyond the standard content in a Book of Hours a patron would sometimes wish to include additional prayers of intercession. These ancillary prayers could include indulgences or additional prayers to the Virgin Mary or local patron saints. Ancillary prayers show how Books of Hours could be personalized to match individual requests. This leaf features two such prayers.

Leaf With Ancillary Prayers, France, Verso, Unknown

Sacred Leaves Manuscript Collection

Beyond the standard content in a Book of Hours a patron would sometimes wish to include additional prayers of intercession. These ancillary prayers could include indulgences or additional prayers co the Virgin Mary or local patron saints. Ancillary prayers show how Books of Hours could be personalized to match individual requests. This leaf features two such prayers.

Meditations, With Prayers, On The Life And Loving Kindnesses Of Our Lord Jesus Christ, France, Folio 2, Recto, Thomas À. Kempis

Sacred Leaves Manuscript Collection

The manuscript seen here is a copy of Thomas Kepis' Meditations, with Prayers, on the Life and Loving Kindness of Our Lord Jesus Christ.

Leaf Opening Terce, Hours Of The Virgin, France, Verso, Unknown

Sacred Leaves Manuscript Collection

Sixteen pages with single columns of black text each with two sizes of typeface, capital letters and decoration in red throughout. Woodblock (9 x 7) on first page depicting the crucifixion with the inscription "vere filius erat iste" (truly this was the s

Leaf Opening Terce, Hours Of The Virgin, France, Recto, Unknown

Sacred Leaves Manuscript Collection

The top of the text has a red rubric, Ad Tertiam, which identifies the text as Terce. The Hour of Terce follows the Hour of Prime. Terce was typically recited in the morning and illustrated with the Annunciation to the Shepherds. The opening versicle and response of Terce are the same as that of Lauds, Prime, Sext and Vespers, and they read, in translation: "Incline unto my aid, O God. Lord make haste to help me."

Leaf From The Hours Of Catherine, France, Recto, Unknown

Sacred Leaves Manuscript Collection

This leaf is from an entire sequence of Hours dedicated to Saint Catherine, the patron saint of nurses, maidens, millers, students, wheelwrights and philosophers.