Beinecke MS 664
Paris, 1500; Rouen, s. XV 4/4

Book of Hours, use of Paris (printed), augmented by illuminated leaves from a manuscript Book 
of Hours

Printed on parchment, Paris, Thielman Kerver for Guillaume Eustace, 20 June 1500. H. 8838; 
Goff H-357; P. Lacombe, Livres d'heures imprimes au XVe et au XVIe siecle
conserves dans les 
bibliotheques publiques de Paris  (Paris, 1907), 80-84; H. Bohatta, Bibliographie des Livres 
d'heures imprimes aux XVe et XVIe siecles (Vienna, 1909), 227. The woodcuts are coloured by 
hand throughout the book; the majuscules are heightened in yellow and line-fillers  and initials 
initials have been added in red, blue and mat gold. The following inserted parts are parchment 
leaves taken from a manuscript Book of Hours. The whole book is foliated, the foliation 
erroneously skipping the leaf between ff. 42 and 43 (= f. 42bis). Our description deals  with the 
manuscript leaves only.

1. ff. 3r-14r	 Calendar, inserted between the months of February and November of the printed 
Calendar (the printed leaves containing March to October are missing). In French, in red, blue 
and gold. 3/4 filled, 2 pages for each month (r and v). The computistical data are: Golden Number, 
Day Letter and Roman Calendar without numbers. Many saints are recorded on wrong dates. 
Among the noteworthy feasts: Lucianus (8 Jan.), Maurus (15 Jan.), Severus (1 Febr.), Autbertus 
(9 Febr.!), Radegundis (11 Febr.!), Honorina (27 Febr.), Sulpicius (2 March!), Arnulphus (27 
March), Eutropius (Ytrope, bishop of Saintes, 30 April), Mamertus (bishop of Vienne, 11 May), 
Gildardus (Godart, bishop of Rouen, 8 June), Anianus (Aignan, bishop of Orleans, 14 June and 
17 Nov.), Theobaldus (1 July), Sanso (bishop of Dol, 28 July), Arnulphus (bishop of Soissons, 16 
August), Philibertus (20 August), Evodius (bishop of  Rouen, 8 Oct., in gold), Nicasius (11 Oct.), 
Wulframnus (archbishop of Sens, 15 Oct.), Austreberta (20 Oct.!), Mellonius (bishop of Rouen, 
22 Oct.), Romanus (bishop of Rouen, 23 Oct., in gold), Octave of Romanus (30 Oct.), Machutus 
(Maclou, 15 Nov.), Ursinus (bishop of Bourges, 30 Dec.!).
Acanthus and flowery borders: in the inner and in the outer margin on the rectos, the outer one 
containing a medallion with the Labours of the Month; and outer margin borders on the versos 
containing a medallion with the Sign of the Zodiac.

2. f. 22  	Hours of the Virgin, Matins. The leaf is inverted in order to have the manuscript 
and the printed picture facing each other. [f. 22v:] Annunciation above three lines of text. In the 
border two scenes: young Mary ascending the steps of the Temple and Mary seated.

3. f. 31	 	End of Matins and beginning of Lauds. [f. 31r:] 5-line historiated initial with 
Visitation.	

4. f. 35		 f. 35r ruled but blank ; [f. 35v:] Prime: Nativity above four lines of text. In the 
border three shepherds (two men and a woman).

5. f. 38 	Terce. The leaf is inverted (cf. art. 1). [f. 38v:] Annunciation to the Shepherds 
above four lines of text. In the border Wolf devouring Lamb.

6. f. 41 	The leaf is inverted (cf. art. 1). [f. 41v:] end of Terce. [f. 41r:] Sext. Adoration of 
the Magi above four lines of text.

7. f. 42 bis 	[f. 42bis r:] End of Sext. [f. 42 bis v:] None. Presentation in the Temple above 
four lines of text.

8. f. 45 	Vespers. [f. 45r:] Flight into Egypt above four lines of text.

9. f. 48 	[f. 48r:] End of Vespers. [f. 48v:] Compline. Coronation of the Virgin above four 
lines of text.

10. f. 54 	Hours of the Holy Spirit. [f. 54r:] Pentecost above four lines of text.

11. f. 57 	Penitential Psalms. [f. 57r:] King David threatened by an Angel above four lines 
of text. In the border damaged scenes: Bathsheba (dressed) bathing her feet and David inviting 
her into his palace.

12. f. 64 	The leaf is inverted (cf. art. 1). [f. 64v:] End of Penitential Psalms. [f. 64r:] Office 
of the Dead. Burial in a churchyard, above four lines of text. In the border two skeletons and a 
lady.

13. f. 78	 Fifteen Joys of the Virgin: Doulce dame de misericorde ...(Sonet 458; ed. 
Leroquais, LH v. 2, pp. 310-311).  Pieta above three lines of text.

14. f. 118	Obsecro. 4-line historiated initial with Virgin and Child.

Except the final one, all these leaves have been inserted into the printed book in the section 
where they pertain, the manuscript image generally facing the printed one.

Parchment, 185 x 125 mm.

Collation: art. 1 probably two ternions;  artt. 2-14 are singletons.

Ruled with red ink for one column of  16 lines, 102 x 65 mm. (art. 1) or 15 lines, 95 x 58 mm. 
(artt. 2-14) below top line. Ruling type13, in art. 1 augmented with three vertical lines at left 
within the writing area. Prickings in the outer margin; the bottom prick is double.

Copied by one hand in Northern Gothica Textualis Formata.

Headings in red. Heightening of majuscules in yellow. Rectangular line-fillers decorated with 
red, blue and gold; 1-line dentelle initials; 2-line foliate initials; 4-5 line historiated initials (artt. 3 
and 14); arch-topped miniatures (described above) above 3-4 lines of text, accompanied by 3-4 
line foliate initials. The pages containing miniatures or historiated initials have full flower and 
acanthus borders, which may contain additional scenes or grotesques (see artt. 2, 4, 5, 11, 12). 
Text pages containing a 2-line foliate initial have outer-margin or inner- and outer-margin borders 
(the latter on ff. 42 bis r and 64r).

Red morocco binding similar to that of MS 662.

The illuminated leaves, from a Book of Hours for the use of Rouen, s. XV 4/4, were inserted into 
the printed Book of Hours before the present-day binding was made (s. XVI/XVII).
Count Mielzynski, Pawlowice (Poland): on the front pastedown is written, (s. XIX)"I anno 1500 
finis 20" and "Pawlowice 1846". Sold ?? 1927 by Count Max Mielzynski to Frank Altschul, 
New York. Given by Margaret A. Lang in memory of Frank Altschul, 1986.

Bibliography:

De Ricci, Census, p. 1651, no 3.

Albert Derolez

R 16.02.09