E0048 Leaf from a Book of Hours (Horæ Beatæ Mariæ Virginis)

E0048 Leaf from a Book of Hours (Horæ Beatæ Mariæ Virginis)

Book of Hours

The Netherlands; Late 15th Century. Latin Text; Lettre de Forme. In the 15th century Books of Hours were as much in demand in the Netherlands as they were in France and England. In many of these books it is difficult to distinguish the Dutch Hours from those of Northern France or the Rhineland. In the middle of the century this whole area was interested in naturalism and made its illustrations so vivid that sometimes they approached those of our seed catalogues. It is not difficult to recognize carnations, pansies, columbines, and strawberries. The style later became even more realistic when the naturalistic flowers were painted with cast shadows. When such flowery decorations are found on a rather heavy piece of vellum, entangled with the swirling acanthus leaf and accompanied by a heavy lettre de forme script, one can be fairly safe in assigning the leaf to the province of Brabant. It was a difficult technical achievement at this time to apply the gouache colors to gold leaf so that they would adhere without flaking.

Compared to the other specimens of fifteenth-century Books of Hours in the portfolios, this one contains highly "itemized" pages: the red ink used for the rubrications sharply contrasts with the brown ink; several 1- or 2-line initials rendered in gold on a background of blue or red bring light into the text block of most leaves; and many lesser first letters are filled with yellow. Despite this lavish plan, all leaves from this manuscript show evidence of problematic adherence of the gold leaf, and/or incomplete decoration or text.

Text: This leaf contains text from the "short" version of the Hours of the Holy Spirit, from Nones, through Verspers, and Compline, and into the closing "Recommendatione." See http://www.chd.dk/tutor/HSSpiritu.php for more information.

Late 15th century

Item in public domain. Description provided by Dr. Fred Porcheddu-Engel via the Otto F. Ege digital collection.  http://ege.denison.edu/denison_leaf_48.php

300 dpi JPEG; 17.5 x 12.5 cm

Latin

Medieval manuscript leaf

Denison University Leaf 48, Fifty Original Leaves from Medieval Manuscripts

Recto Translation:

Almighty and eternal God. Incline unto my aid O God.

Called it was the Holy Ghost that comfort thus did bring,
The gift of God, Charity, and the reviving spring,
The unction spiritual, and eke the fire that flames,
Sevenfold grace, precious gift, so called by many names.

Ant. Come, O Holy Ghost. [ ] Incline unto my aid O God.

The finger of God's right hand, the ghostly virtue still,
Us defend, and set us free from every kind of ill:
To the end the hellish ghost do us no hurtful deed:
Under his wings he us keep, and there us nurse and feed.

Ant. Come, O Holy Ghost. Almighty and eternal God. Convert us O God our Saviour. [ ]

Verso Translation:

...incline unto my aid. O Lord make haste to help me. Glory to the father and son. As it was in the beginning.

The spirit the comforter assist us by his might: Our steps to direct and guide to clear us with his light: That when God at last shall come to be the judge of all. At his right hand he may please us joyfully to call. These hours Canonical with devotion to thee, And with godly respect O Holy Ghost I did say, That by inspiration visited we may be, In thy heavenly region with thee to live for aye. Ant. God the holy spirit. Almighty and eternal God.

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Recto Transcription:

Omnipotens semperterne Deus. Deus in adiutorium meum.

Spiritus paraclitus fuit appellatus dominus dei caritas fons vivificatus spiritalis unctio ignis inflammatus. Septiformis gratia carisma vocatus. Ant. Deus sancte spiritus. Omnipotens sempiterne Deus da nobis illam. Deus in adiutorium meum.

Dextre dei digitus virtus spiritalis. Nos deffendat ut eruat ab omnibus malis ut nobis non noceat demon infernalis. Sed protegat foveat nutriat sub alis. Ant. veni sancte spiritus. Omnipotens semperterne Deus. Converte nos Deus salutaris noster et averte iram tuam a nobis. Deus in

Verso Transcription:

adiutorium meum intende. Domine ad adiuuandum meum festina. Gloria patri et filio. Sicut erat in principio.

Spiritus paraclitus nos velit iuvare gressus nostrus regere et illuminare ut cum Deus venerit omnes iudicare nos velit ad dexteram suam appellare. Has horas canonicas cum devotione. Tibi sancte spiritus pia ratione. Dixi ut nos visites inspiratione ut vivamus iugiter celi regione. Ant. Deus sancte spiritus. Omnipotens semperterne Deus

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