A Book of Hours containing a calendar (missing calendar leaves for January and February); Gospel Readings followed by prayers; the Hours of the Virgin; the Penitential Psalms, followed by prayers and a Litany; the Hours of the Cross; the Office of the Dead; the Suffrages to the Saints, followed by a single prayer which a blue rubric announces. Initials throughout are historiated, including a miniature of the Virgin and St. Anne.
"1542" on last main text leaf perhaps indicating the precise date of the binding.
Catholic Church--Prayers and devotions--Early works to 1800
Books of hours--France--Paris--15th century
Illumination of books and manuscripts--France--15th century
Manuscripts, Latin (Medieval and modern)--Michigan--Kalamazoo
16th century gilt-tooled arabesque binding or pasteboard, with small marks on edges of boards where clasps were once attached. Binding damaged, and on f. 8 the top of leaf is cut with loss of text. Stub of missing leaf between ff. 10v - 11r.
1 column of 13 lines ruled in red. On f. 54r: 4-line historiated initial in pink enclosing the Virgin and St. Anne on gold grounds, with a three-quarter decorated board derived from a depiction of the acanthus plant containing occasional hairline foliage and vines, and flowers in gold, and fruit. Some names in the calendar are written in gold. Long ornamental cadelles extending into the top and lower margins, some with skilled caricatures of human faces. Rubricated in red, blue and gold. A 1-line initial in gold on pink and blue grounds with white penwork with line fillers of bars or flower heads on same line. 2-line initials in blue or pink on gold enclosing foliage or colored balls or flowers or foliage or fruit on grounds of gold. On f. 36r: 3-line initial in blue with white penwork, enclosing pink and blue foliage with white penwork, on a ground of gold. On f. 51v and 108v: foliate motif border in outer margin derived from a depiction of the acanthus plant containing occasional hairline foliage and vines, and flowers in gold. On f. 157r: 2-line initial in blue with white penwork, enclosing a strawberry, on ground of gold. On f. 74r-v and f. 77v., outline impression of an initial and foliage border. Many pages have black, red, and blue ink stains. Gold and paint in the initials flaking from some leaves. On f. 8, the top of leaf is cropped with loss of text.
Catchword partially cropped on the lower margin of f. 162v.
Manuscript 165, Western Michigan University Special Collections
Digital reproduction published by Western Michigan University and made available for private study, scholarship or research use under applicable U.S. Law. Access to digital reproductions provided by Special Collections at Zhang Legacy Collections Center, Western Michigan University.