The James Catalogue of Western Manuscripts

1. f.1 Kalendar in red and black, not full, wanting the months of March, Ap., July, Aug., Sept., Oct.
f.4 Hours of the Virgin, imperfect, beginning in the Hymn at Matins (Quem terra), nine lessons (?)
Leaves are wanting after ff.4, 5, 15, 16.
f.17 Lauds, beginning imperfectly in Benedicite omnia opera
Capitulum. Viderunt eam.
1 leaf or leaves wanting after f.22.
f.24 or f.23 Prime, imperfect at beginning
f.24? Tierce, leaf gone after 27
f.28 Sext. (first leaf gone)
Leaf gone after ff.28, 31, 33.
None, first leaf gone.
Vespers, first leaf gone.
Compline, first leaf gone.
Ends f.37b.
f.37b Hic incipiunt vii · psalmi
f.46b Letania
f.56b Commendacio animarum, leaf gone after f.61
(f.62 Vigils of the Dead: first leaf gone)
Leaf gone after f.62.
After f.76 two leaves are wrongly inserted, containing
1. f.77. End of an office of the Virgin.
2. f.78 chi commenche loffice de. v. ioies nostre dame sainte
marie.
A leaf gone containing the beginning of Beati immaculati before f.79.
A leaf gone after ff.79, 85, 90, 94.
Ends f.96b.
ff.97, 98 blank.
f.99 The xv psalms
f.107 Prayers
Domine deus pater omnipotens rex eterne glorie
(masculine gender used of the suppliant).

2. f.114b Ceste orison dist on deuant les .vij. psaumes: ou deuant le psautier
Immense et misericors deus.

3. f.115 Ceste orison est moult bone
Domine exaudi orationem meam quia iam cognosco.

4. Se vous aues aucunes tribulations ne aduersites. Se dites ces psaumes · et le fin de chascun psaume dires vous as genous · ce verset.
f.118b Adoramus te Christe
Five psalms and three Collects.
Chi commenche vne orison mout bone car cis qui le dira pour lui mime ou pour vn sien ami par .xxx. iours il croie vraiement que nostre sires per se misericorde le deliuerra de toutes tribulations et de toutes anguisses.
f.125 Per amaritudinem angustiarum
O adonay magne et mirabilis, and ten other prayers.
f.128b Deus qui nos in tantis periculis
Deus qui contrilorum.
f.129 Ceste orison plaist mout a n. s. I. C.
Deus qui de sinu patris.
f.131 En ceste orison loe on n. signeur des biens que il nous fait
Gloria in excelsis.
f.131b Quicunques dira ceste orison en lonor de le mere n. signeur chascun iour de bon cuer il le aura en amive deuant se mort
Leaf gone.
f.132 End of the Ps. Dilexisti domine
Salue regina
f.132b Ceste orison est mout bone
Sanctissima et gloriosissima
(feminine gender used of suppliant).
f.135 Magnificat
Leaf gone.
f.136 End of Levavi oculos
f.136b Aue maria -tecum. Ita et tu dicaris mecum etc.
f.136b O dulcis domina mea
Collects and Suffrages.
f.138b Sancta dei genitrix
f.138b Missus est gabriel
Leaf gone after f.139.
f.140 Gaude uirgo mater christi
f.140b Deus qui b. mariam
Cest orison est mout bone.
f.140b O intemerata
Leaf gone.
f.141 Aue uirgo uirginum · aue lumen luminum
f.141b Sancta maria mater d. n. I. C. in manus tuas
f.142b Ceste orison diston chascun iour a son propre angele
Sancte angele dei.
Memoriae. f.142b Of S. John Baptist
Leaf gone.
f.143 Of St Philip and James
Bartholomew.
Matthew.
Simon and Jude.
Luke.
Leaf gone.
[Two brothers]
f.145 Cosmas and Damian.
Gervasius and Protasius.
Nichasius.
Christopher.
Nicholas.
Francis.
Anthony of Padua.
Dominic.
Leaf gone.
?
f.149 Susanna
Christina.
Apollinarius.
Leaf gone.
f.150 End of the Apostles' Creed
f.150 Nicene Creed (called Oratio ad domimum)
f.151 Lectio S. euuangelii sec. Iohannem
In principio -habitauit in nobis.
Leaf gone.
f.152 End of the genealogy in Luke
f.152b Incipiunt commendaciones animarum
Leaf gone: another after ff.154, 159.
Ends f.170b.
f.170b Memoriae. de undecim milibus uirginibus
f.171 de S. Apollonia
f.171b xv, xvith cent. additions: A benediction and beginning of Magnificat
Four leaves gone.
f.172 Hours of the Passion: beginning gone
Leaf gone after ff.173, 174, 178, 179, 182, 185, 189, 190, 192.
Ends f.195a: ff.195b, 196 blank.
Leaf gone.
f.197 Hours of the Holy Ghost: beginning gone
Leaf gone after ff.202, 205, 206, 207, 209, 211, 213, 214.
Ends f.217.
Additions in a xvth cent. hand.
f.217 Quelque homme qui soit en grant tribulacion desperit
Deus qui culpa offenderis.
f.218b Deus a quo et iudas
On f.219a is an entry of xvith cent. in English, much rubbed.
Memorandum y^t my lady dacre...
dyd lye in the parsonage of...
friday nyght vz xi^o Julij ..
henrici viij^mi xxxvij^o.
per me Jo...
? S. Winth^orp.

In the Kalendar I note
Feb. 4. S. Gilberti C.
May 25. Transl. S. Francisci in red.
June 13. S. Antonii C. de ord. frat. minorum, in red with octave in red
19. Geruasii et prothasii in red.
16. Johannis et Pauli in red.
Nov. 11. Martin and Menne M. in red.
19. Elyzabeth in red.
Dec. 2. Uiuiane uirginis 3 lect.
4. Barbare V. in red.
5. Sabbe Abb. C.
Thomas of Canterbury erased.
The book was probably done for a lady connected with the Franciscan order.
It is a good deal like the Verdun Breviary, of which one volume is in the Library at Verdun (no.107) and the other in the collection of Mr H. Y. Thompson (no.8) [now in the British Library]. The artist of this Breviary also ornamented a Pontifical now in the possession of Mr Brooke of Huddersfield (Archaeologia, liv. 411-424).
All three books are of absolutely first class artistic value.
['M. R. James remarked on the similarity between the this MS and (Cambridge University Library?) Add. 4085' - J. Cook]
The Kalendar has on each page a tall picture framed in a setting of gold architecture or of trees, representing the occupation of the month: and below this, in a square gold frame with elaborate cusping, the sign of the zodiac. The grounds of these pictures are alternately dark blue and pink.
Besides this there are borders of cusped stems ending in grotesque human or animal forms, and usually on the lower border is a grotesque scene. These continue throughout the book and are the most characteristic features of it.

f.1. Kalendar. 1. Jan. A man sitting before a canopied fireplace on R. adjusting a pot on a pot-hook.
f.2. Aquarius. A youth pouring water out of a jug.
Lower border, a man drinking from a bowl.
f.1b. 3. Feb. In a church with blue spire: a group of people holding tall candles. On R. a priest, back to the altar in surplice and crossed stole, sprinkles them with a large asperge.
4. Pisces. White on blue ground.
Below, monkey with landing net.
f.2. 5. May. A youth and maid riding to R. on two horses. He has a hawk on his hand and his arm is round her neck. She caresses him. Trees on each side, which meet at the top: in the branches are a stork and 3 other birds.
6. Gemini hold a plain gold shield before them.
Below, monkey.
f.2b. 7. June. Gold architecture. A man puts a green bundle (of hay?) on another's back.
8. Cancer. Black, six legged, lobster-like.
Below, stag and dog: horseman and lady.
f.3. 9. November. Tree. In the branches a man with club. On a ladder another with acorns in his lap, and a third with his lap full, below: hogs feed on the acorns.
10. Sagittarius. Centaur clothed, shooting back to L.
Monkey blows gold trumpet.
f.3b. 11. December. Gold architecture. A man ties an ox by the head to a post, another is about to smite it with the back of an axe.
12. Capricorn. White, half goat, half serpent.
f.4. A monkey in mitre and chasuble elevating a cat's (?) head before a washing-stand with basin and towel. On Z. a cat crouches with a bulrush, as server.
f.5b. Monkeys playing bowls. Man with crossbow.
Two small figures in initials.
f.6. Hare (?) plays triangular harp. Dog with two bells. Hare with bagpipes. Man with two sticks.
f.7. Monkey turning a somersault.
Hare and ? cat fighting.
f.8b. Paul with sword and book.
Man plays the pipe to dancing bear with stick.
Dog and snail at top.
f.10b. Under canopy: man in blue and gold-barred robe with scroll on which is written (xvi) noli me tangere.
f.11. Man balancing sword on his chin.
Man with blue label inscribed (xiv) ic bid
de ghe
naden
foeteh (?)
lief ic
fen defe
ti brief
onti at.
f.11b. Man and woman playing at ball.
f.12b. Lady with lapdog hands a helmet to mailed knight.
Hooded man with two children in a cart drawn by a hare (?).
f.13b. Owl with red eyes etc.
f.15. Stags with gold horns, hare surprised.
f.16b. Game of bat and ball.
f.18. Boy holding up round mirror, hare with one gold horn.
f.19. Monkey and dog attack hare.
f.19b. Beast with gold horns and boar.
f.20. Dog (?) with javelin brings a letter to seated monkey.
Monk plays on bellows with tongs, as on a fiddle.
Stag and two dogs.
f.20b. Dog with bagpipes.
f.22. Fox carries off cock.
Pail let down into well.
Fox dragged by the feet by monkey mounted on dog.
f.24. Initial. Shepherds, one old looking up, one seated with bagpipes. Angel has scroll, AVE GRATIA.
Below an obscure game.
f.25b. Man about to cut up a hog, a woman pointing.
f.26b. Monkey on dapple-grey horse.
f.28. Monkey chained by the neck.
Hare carrying man on stick, head downwards.
Hare leading a man with bound hands.
f.28b. Procession of beasts: spotted panther, bear, stag, antelope, porcupine.
f.30. Angel with dart between kneeling man and woman.
f.31. Mailed knight on horse guided by man with staff.
Lady with lapdog on R.
f.31b. Mole at top.
f.33. Man holding horse. Knight with spear pulling something out of his own hip.
f.33b. Two boys shoot at a dog's head put up as a mark.
f.35. Two boys, one with a bun or coin (cross on it), the other with a bow?: on R. a bird hung by the neck in a fork.
A squirrel climbing up a very thin shaft to a gold building on top.
f.35b. Two men, one in armour, attack stag.
f.36b. Man with bagpipes blown by a dog on his shoulder.
f.37. Sheep with dog in his mouth at top.
Ox with club blows horn, sheep pursues dog.
f.37b. Initial to seven Psalms. David kneels at altar on which is crucifix and chalice with corporal. Above in clouds, Christ with orb, half length.
Woman with baby stirs pot on fire.
Man and lady kneel. Christ with orb above.
Two figures hold gold shield.
f.38b. Man strangling hare.
Man, riding on pig, plays on jawbone with bundle of reeds.
f.39b. Man with long cage in which are two white rabbits.
Woman on L. with lettuces.
f.41. Monkey throws eggs? into basket.
Knight with gold shield.
f.42b. Monkey hangs hare by the ears.
f.44b. Hare with fox trap?
f.53. Monkey with two buckets on yoke.
f.53. Under canopy Agnes with palm and lamb.
Lady above with scroll: Memento mei domina.
f.55b. Commendacio animarum. Initial. A nude man in bed. An ecclesiastic puts into his hand a lighted candle with a disc marked with a cross; grosslet inserted in a slit in it.
Three women stand at the foot of the bed.
Above, two angels hold the nude soul in a cloth.
Doctor holding up a wide-necked bottle.
Two men clothe a corpse in a cowl (white).
One stands holding his nose.
f.56. A cat and a crested bird beat a quilt with sticks.
f.56b. A man supports a great building.
f.59b. Rabbits running to tuft of grass.
f.63. Two monkeys with axes, whetting them? on square table.
f.71. Two boys catch monkeys: the parent monkey walks off to R. with two others.
f.72. Figure with scroll, MEMENTO MEI DOMINA.
f.75b. Rabbit-hunting by man and dog.
f.76. Youth with stick makes lapdog jump through a hoop.
Lady with lapdog on R.
f.79. Initial. Apostle at desk with book.
Man with fish in basket.
f.79b. Man playing the harp to ferocious swan.
f.88b. Paul with sword and book.
Small dragon in white held up by long-armed figure.
f.90b. Man about to behead a hare.
f.91b. Two musicians, one plays on pot stand ? with distaff. The other on hearth-brush with long spoon?
f.92b. Unwinding yarn from spool.
Hawk watching salamander in the fire.
f.99. Fifteen Psalms. Large initial. King David kneels and holds up a nude infant (his soul). On R. an altar veiled, with chalice and corporal. Above is Christ half length in cloud, with orb.
Below. Two young men: one shoots with bow at a corpse tied to a tree on L. There is an arrow already in its heart. On R. a 3rd turns away, his bow and arrow lie on the ground below. This represents the legendary judgment of Solomon, when three brothers who claimed an inheritance were made to shoot at their father's body. The youngest refused and was adjudged to be the true son.
f.99b. Man with rake. Rabbit with spear.
f.100. Man with two spears. Lady in red writing at desk.
f.101. Man in gold shooting at an owl.
f.102. Initial. Nun with book.
Servant brings silver flagon to a man and woman drinking under a tree.
f.102b. Monkey with ? distaff. Fox with infant fox, cripple.
f.103. Hawk on bush. Horsemen with jesses and lure.
f.107. Large initial. Prayer. Lady (? Nun) in grey over red kneels at draped altar with chalice and corporal. Above Christ in cloud with orb.
Nude figures in margin, one with spear, another with plain gold shield.
f.114b. David harping under canopy.
Man teaching hare to dance?
f.115. Monkey on pattens?
f.118b. A cow milking a woman.
f.121. Two men swimming.
f.121b. Hare with wooden bat about to smite a stooping man.
f.123. A domed building on R., a fire burning inside. On L. three grasshoppers with uplifted heads. (The fable of the Grasshopper and the Ant.)
f.123b. A man lassoes a bird on a bush.
f.128b. A man about to kill a dog? with a bone.
f.131. Monkey with drum.
f.135. Man and boy with baskets.
f.137b. Top. Rabbits in a hill. Monkey approaches with axe.
Below. Boy about to knock down a white butterfly, with a red hood. A woman on L. forbids him.
f.140. Woman with scroll. Memento mei domina.
f.141. Boy with asperge. Bishop. Curtain.
f.143. Memoriae. Initial. SS. Philip and James with scroll and book.
f.143b. Initial. Bartholomew extended nude, flayed by two men.
Boys playing a game below.
f.144. Initial. Angel with scroll, Matheus euangelista.
Boy crouching with muffled head. Two others hit him with their caps.
f.144b. Initial. Simon and Jude seated, with books.
Two women fold up a white cloth.
f.145. Init. Cosmas and Damian seated, with books.
f.145b. Init. Gervasius and Prothasius seated, with books.
Nuns kneeling.
f.146. Init. Nicasius in chasuble, headless, holding his mitred head.
Nuns in red kneeling.f.147 Init. Man in bed. Three daughters standing, each has a golden ball. Nicholas as Bp on R. hands a golden ball through a window. Winged figure with a scroll, Memento mei domina
f.147b. Francis preaching to the birds who are in the border on R. Boys with hoops (which have a transverse band).
f.148. Init. Anthony as Bp seated: two pigs at his feet. A man running plays with a triangle and holds two candles fixed on a bit of wood in his mouth.
f.148b. Init. Dominic raising a youth in a coffin: a Dominican on R.
f.149b. Init. Susanna, Virgin with palm and book. Stag (grotesque) with head of Christ between its horns. A man follows.
f.150. Creed Christ seated with orb.
f.151. Gospel of St John Chrsit standing with orb.
f.55. Spider in web.
f.155b. Lion eating hare
f.156b. Cat ringing handbell.
f.159. Men roasting animal on a spit.
f.159b. A corpse in the water: a magpie pecks its eyes.
f.160. Man with horn and bagpipes. Dogs howling.
f.160b. Man buys basket of eggs from woman.
f.161. Man holding cock, woman holding hen.
f.163. Man with chained lion and very small dog.
f.164b. By a tree a woman with a youth asleep in her lap. A man behind puts a wreath ? on her head.
f.165b. Monkey riding stork.
f.166b. Man with centre bit.
f.170b. Memoriae. Initial (St Ursula). Bishop with ling cross-staff and book. Boys spinning tops.
f.171. Initial. Apollonia bound down on plank on trestles. A man pulls out her teeth.
f.177b. Stag and camel.
f.178b. Squirrel in initial.
f.180. A man puts a dog ? in a bag.
f.182b. A man with red hood raised on a long pole. A bat flies up to it.
f.185b. Horse plays the fiddle.
f.191b. Woman plays on tongs with ladle.
f.192b. Coiner seated stamping coins with hammer and punch.
f.197b. Monkey putting on linen breeches.
f.199b. Christ under canopy. A mailed knight above kneels to Him. One on L. plays fiddle. Below. Bird in nest on tree. Boy approaches on R. with branch and cage of birds.
f.200. Boy with decoy bird in hand blows on the edge of a knife. Another boy sits on the ground. On R. a tree with three birds disturbed. A little dog is tied to the foot of it.
f.200b. St John writing at desk.
f.201b. Boy about to jump through a hoop.
f.205. Crowned and sceptred lion seated. Owl behind. A fox gives a letter to the lion.
f.206b. A monkey searches another's head. A monkey wheeling other monkeys in a barrow. An owl on R. helps to draw it.
f.207. A bearded hermit in a chapel in a tree speaks to a mailed knight below who raises his hand.
f.209. Angel with scroll, ANGELUS DMI. Hunter returning with hare and dogs.
f.211. Man carries monkey seated in a bowl on a long pole.
f.212. Angels with fiddle and trumpet. Monkey with triangle.
f.213. Man with hand-trestles. Bird in nest pecks his head.
f.213b. Blind man with dog, which barks at a monkey.
f.214. Hare with shield and stick runs at the quintain. The shield of the quintain is or3 pales sable.
f.215b. A monkey putting on boots.
f.216. A monkey blowing on a fire, by which lie two eggs. Two people in a bath.
f.216b. Tall figure of Christ, with book and raised arm, under canopy. On right a nimbed Virgin with book. At top a foolish-looking man seated in a bird's nest and holding up something which may be an egg.

Borland, J., Visualizing household health : medieval women, art, and knowledge in the Régime du corps, (University Park, Pennsylvania: The Pennsylvania State University Press, 2022).

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