Beinecke MS 550
Northern France, s. XV 2
Hours, use of Paris

1. ff. 1r-12v	Calendar, in French, full (2 pages for each month, recto and verso). Computistical 
data: Golden Number, Day Letter and Roman Calendar without numerals. Among the saints, 
often with wrong dates: Honorina (27 Febr.), Walaricus (Waleri, 1 April), Opportuna (22 April), 
Autbertus (20 May), Pantaleon (4 June), Landericus (10 June), Cyricus and Julita (Sire, Julite, 16 
June), Botulfus (Boutoul, 17 June), Eligius (25 June), Theobaldus (Thibault, 1 July),  Vedastus 
(Vaast, 15 July), Bertinus (16 July), Fiacrius (30 August), Bertinus (4 Sept.), Amandus (5 and 13 
Sept.), Audomarus (9 Sept.), Ferreolus (18 Sept.), Lupus (Leu, 24 Sept.), Vulframnus (Offram, 
15 October), Machutus (Maclou, 14 Nov.), Catherine ( in red, 25 Nov.), Longinus (2 Dec.), 
Fortunatus (3 Dec.), Lazarus (Ladre, 17 Dec.).

In addition to many saints pointing to an origin for this manuscript in Northern France and Paris, 
there are also several saints venerated  in Cologne and Trier.

2. ff. 13r-18v	Gospel Lessons from John, Luke, Matthew and Mark.

3. ff. 18v-25v	"Obsecro" and "O intemerata".

4. ff. 26r-78v	Hours of the Virgin.

5. ff. 79r-95v	Penitential Psalms and Litany. Note among the Martyrs Dionysius, among the 
Virgins Genoveva and  Radegundis.

6. ff. 96r-99r		Short Hours of the Cross.

7. ff. 99v-102v	Short Hours of the Holy Spirit. 

8. ff. 103r-155r	Office of the Dead. Between Matins and Lauds one leaf (f. 139) is ruled 
but blank.

9. ff. 155r-160r	Doulce Dame de misericorde, mere de pitie, fontaine de tous biens ... qu'il 
ayent mercy et pardon de leurs pechies. Ave Maria.

Fifteen Joys of the Virgin, Sonet 458; ed. Leroquais, LH v. 2, pp. 310-311.

10. ff. 160v-163r	Doulx Dieu, doulx Pere, Saincte Trinite, ung Dieu. Biaux sire Dieux, je 
vous requier conseil et ayde ...  Sire, si comme ce fut voir regardes moy en
pitie. Pater noster.

Seven Requests, Sonet 504 ; ed. Leroquais, LH v. 2, pp. 309-310. 

11. f. 163v	Sainte vraye croix aouree, qui du corps Dieu fus aornee ... Et m'octroye par ton 
plaisir que vray confes puisse mourir. Amen. Pater noster.		ff. 164-165 ruled but blank

Prayer to the Cross, Sonet 1876.


Parchment, ff. II (parchment, ruled) + 165, 155 x 110 mm.

Collation impossible due to the tight binding.

Ruled in pink ink for one column of  15 lines below top line (type 13, 83 x 55 mm.).  The 
Calendar has the same ruling but for 17 lines below top line with four additional vertical lines at 
left within the ruled area (89 x 55 mm.).

Copied by one hand in a somewhat irregular Northern Gothica Textualis Formata. The two forms 
of a are used  indifferently; Latin spelling: "appertis" (for "apertis"), "laux" (for "laus"), "vigillo" 
(for "vigilo").

Headings in red. Majuscules heightened in yellow. Line-fillers in red, blue and gold, some in 
circular or oval shape. 1- and 2-line dentelle initials; 3-line foliate initials filled with flowers with 
bar in the left margin and three-margins-left rinceaux border on ff. 13r (Gospel Lessons), 18v 
("Obsecro"), 22v ("O intemerata"), 37r  (Hours of the Virgin, Lauds), 49r (Prime),  55r (Terce), 
59r (Sext), 63r (None, 4-line initial), 67r (Vespers), 73v (Compline), 155r (Fifteen Joys, 4-line 
initial), 160v (Seven Requests). 3-line foliate initials with bar in the left, lower and right-hand 
margin, full rinceaux border and picture in an arched compartment above four lines of text, on ff. 
26r (Hours of the Virgin, Matins): Annunciation; 79r (Penitential Psalms): David in prayer; 96r 
(Hours of the Cross): Crucifixion; 99v (Hours of the Holy Spirit): Pentecost, above 5 lines of 
text; 103r (Office of the Dead): Burial. The miniatures have been damaged and retouched. On 
the verso of the former parchment front pastedown an engraving by Petrus Darly is pasted, 
showing Mary and Child, with the inscription "S. Maria Maior".

Binding s. XIX-XX: brown morocco over cardboard. Goldtooled frameon both covers, with at 
the four corners the monograms "PP" and "DDPP". Gilt edges. The binding is strengthened by 
means of two strips of parchment cut from a manuscript s. XIII in Northern Gothica Textualis 
Formata, quoting Luke 21:9-11.

On the first flyleaf recto the names "Jean Honin" (s. XIX) and "J. Kendall" (s. XIX/XX). 
Purchased from Stonehill in 1930 by Prof. Sumner McK. Crosby??. Gift of Prof. Crosby, 
December 1974.

Albert Derolez

Updated 29.11.2007