Osborn a23

          Jan van Boendale, d. 1365, Der Leken Spieghel (a Middle Dutch
     rhymed Biblical epic). Netherlands; fourteenth century.

     f. 1r    Book II, prologue, lines 77-100; Ch. 1, lines 1-51.

     f. 1v    Book II, Ch. 1, lines 52-124, Ch. 2, lines 1-2.

     Parchment; 1 f.; 252 x 170 mm.; 2 columns, 40 lines

          Gothic bookhand. The top of each columns has large initials in
     black penwork. Each chapter begins with an illuminated miniature in
     red, blue, and black. There are rubrications at chapter headings.

          Bequest of James M. Osborn, 1976.

          Comments: This leaf was once used as a binding and is thus in poor
     condition. The text is a fragment of a long Biblical poem (21,818
     lines) in Middle Dutch by Jan van Boendale (also called Jan Decker and
     Jan de Clerc), begun in 1325 and completed August 6, 1330. Book II,
     based on Jacob de Voraigne's "Legenda Aurea," deals with the story of
     Mary and Christ; the portion preserved here specifically concerns the
     lineage of Joseph and Mary.

     Bibliography:

     Jan Decker, Der Leken Spieghel ed. by M. de Vries. (Leiden, 1844).




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