The James Catalogue of Western Manuscripts

f.1 Kalendar in black, red, blue and gold, not full
f.7 Hours of the Virgin, with many memoriae in Lauds, and the Hours of the Passion intermixed: a memoria of S. Etheldreda and of All Saints is now bound after Prime
f.58 Salue regina
f.58b Seven Psalms
f.66b Fifteen Psalms
f.73 Litany
f.80 Vigiliae mortuorum
f.107b Commendaciones animarum
f.119b Two Memoriae, of S. Peter Martyr and of S. Leonard, in a rather later hand, with spaces left for pictures below them
ff.121b-124 are blank.

In the Kalendar,

1 Mar. S. David, not S. Chad.
8 Mar. S. Felix Ep. C., ix. lect. in red.
Ap. 29. Transl. S. Edmundi, Reg. et M., iii. lect. in red.
Oct. 2. S. Thome herfordensis, Ep. C., in blue.
Nov. 20. S. Edmundi, Reg. M., in blue.

The Memoriae in Lauds are of
The Virgin, the Holy Ghost, the Cross, the Trinity, SS. Michael, John Baptist, John Evangelist, Peter and Paul, Andrew, Stephen, Laurence, Edmund, George, Christopher, Nicolas, Anne, Mary Magdalen, Katherine, Margaret, Etheldreda, All Saints, Relics, Peace.

In the Litany,
Martyrs. Thomas, Marcellus, Quintin... Leodegar, Blasius, Marce... Sebastian, Edmund, Christopher, Alban, Oswald... Kenelm, Elphege, Appollinaris, Symphorian, Lambert, Valentine, George, Vitalis, Peter, Edward, Saturnin, Valerian, Crispin, Crispinian, Quintin.
Confessors. ...Wlstan, Dunstan... Oswald, David, Hugo, Cuthbert... Botulph, Bernard, Richard.
Virgins. Anna... Radegundis, Florencia, Columba, Sytha... Mildreda, Martha, Milburga, Sexburga, Eufemia, Fredeswyda, Etheldreda, Wenefreda.
The suffrage. Ut regi nostro et principibus nostris.

There is a certain East Anglian flavour about the characteristic saints. I regard the marking of the Translation of St Edmund, and the occurrence of Memoriae of Edmund and Etheldreda, as important.

There are two portraits in the book. On f.20, where a man in murrey-coloured short-sleeved jacket over plate armour is kneeling to the Virgin: the other on f.21, where a crowned lady richly dressed with a mantle, on which is gold lettering, kneels to the crucifix. Arms also occur in no.58.

The pictures are exceptionally fine English work: they are as follows:

Kalendar. Two medallions in the border for each month.
1. Jan. Warms his feet and stirs a pot on the fire: another stands by.
2. Aquarius. Pours out water.
3. Feb. Digs. 4. Pisces.
5. March. Two men prune vines. 6. Aries.
7. April. Two men: one holds the trunk of a tree, the other beats earth about it with a large balk of wood.
8. Taurus.
9. May. A girl holding two wreaths.
10. Gemini. Two bodies, one pair of legs.
11. June. ? weeding with clippers. 12. Leo.
13. July. Mows. 14. Cancer.
15. August. Reaps. 16. Virgo with long sleeves.
17. Sept. Threshes.
18. Libra held by man in blue cloak and blue tunic and hose.
19. Oct. Sows, in hat. 20. Scorpius.
21. Nov. Kills a couchant pig. 22. Sagittarius. Man shooting.
23. Dec. King at feast: kneeling man. 24. Capricorn, natural.
25. Matins of the Virgin. Fine border. Four medallions at corners in white and blue, and white and red. Large initial of Annunciation. Angel on L. kneels: scroll Aue -tecum. The Dove above. The Virgin kneeling turns from under canopy. Red and gold ground.
26. Lauds. Border with grotesque medallions in white and blue, and white and red. Large initial. Joseph, old, in beard, asleep on the ground, with pillow, and stick in hand. Axe, hammer, and square, tied together, lie near him. An angel stands over him with scroll: Joseph fili dauid noli timere accipere mariam in coniugem tuam.
27. Memoriae. Of the Virgin. Full page. Knight kneels to the Virgin and Child: he is beardless, in plate armour, murrey-coloured short doublet: hair cut close: scroll salue regina mater misericordie. The Virgin has crown and sceptre: her blue robe is semÃc)e with Maria in gold. Red and gold drapery behind and architecture above.
28. Of the Holy Ghost. Half page. Pentecost: building seen from without. V. on L. at desk. 8 apostles. Dove above. Red and gold ground.
29. Of the Cross. Crowned lady adores Christ on the cross: title: red and gold ground.
30. Ground red and gold except where otherwise specified. Italian Trinity. On red ground surrounded by cloud. The Father in blue, bareheaded. The Dove on L. of the head of Christ.
31. Michael and the Devil. Michael six-winged and feathered, with sword and long cross. The devil furred, and two-faced, light brown.
32. Baptism of Christ. Two figures only. John in yellow robe. Christ up to His middle in the stream.
33. John in Patmos: old and bearded. The eagle pecks his book. Blue angel with trumpet in cloud on R. Two trees.
34. Peter and Paul. Inscr. on ground. Petrus apostolus et Paulus doctor iensium qn̅ u docuerunt legem tuam domine per omnem terram erixit sonus eorum et in fines... tere verba.
35. Martyrdom of Andrew. Two executioners with ropes. On Andrew's robe is ihs · m. xps.
36. Martyrdom of Stephen. He is in blue dalmatic. God's face in red on L. Two executioners.
37. Martyrdom of Laurence. Black and gold ground. Emperor and tormentors on L.; one blows bellows on R. God in gold in cloud above.
38. St Edmund in blue and ermine, with arrow and sword, seated, full-face, on red-covered throne.
39. George and the Dragon. King and Queen in castle on L. Princess kneels with lamb on R. George on white horse with white housings and red cross.
40. Full page. Christopher. Christ in blue and gold, with triangular rayed halo. Hermit's head seen in hut on L.
41. A xvith cent. (early) page pasted on. At top on blue ground a large gold monogram ihs · xps. Below in gold on black: Gloriosa passio domini n. I. C. eruat nos a dolore tristi et perducat nos ad gaudia paradisi. Amen.
42. Half page. Nicholas in blue chasuble, pink dalmatic and alb, mitre and crosier, points to bleeding children in tub on L. Landlord kneels on R., hands out, hatchet by him.
43. Full page. Anne, red kerchief over white veil: blue robe semée with Anna over red. The Virgin in pink semée with aue, crowned, reads out of book held by Anne, inscribed Deus deus meus ad te de luce vigilo. Sitiuit etc. -In|ter(ra). Both stand. Red and gold arms and stone canopy behind. In the border is the motto: lessez dyre Jamaies ne changeray, repeated many times.
44. Half page. Noli me tangere. The Magdalen with casket kneels on L. Christ in pink (semée with xpc) has spade.
45. Katherine and wheels: two demi-angels in air with swords break the wheels: two executioners fall to the ground. 
46. Half page. Margaret in blue semée with M emerges from green four-legged monster. God, in blue, is seen on L.
47. Procession of the Relics. A gold shrine coped and gabled and jewelled, containing a skull, a hand, and two bones, is borne to R. on staves by two deacons in dalmatics: two coped clergy precede and two more follow.
48. Pro pace. Bishop in blue chasuble, red dalmatic, alb, at altar on L., on which is a gold retable of the Virgin and Child and two saints, and a book-desk. A clerk in pink cope holds his mitre. On R. a king in blue and ermine kneels under scarlet canopy. On his robe is Da pacem domine in diebus.
49. Prime of the Virgin. Betrayal. Soldiers in plate armour. Malchus with javelin on L. attacked by Peter. Judas in green, with red hair. Christ in pink, with triangular halo.
50. Initial. Visitation. Two figures only, between rocks.
51. Half page. Etheldreda with crosier, in black and brown with gold sprays. Two lame men, and another old man, kneeling to her on L.
52. All Saints. In C. the Father throned, with lozenge-shaped halo, and orb with tall cross, blessing. On R. John Baptist with book, Peter and two apostles. On L. the Virgin crowned, with sceptre, Katherine with wheel and two virgins.
53. Tierce. Christ before Pilate, in red-tiled building seen from without. Christ in pink held by three men, one with mace. Pilate in hat and blue mantle over scarlet.
54. Init. Nativity. The Child in a stone manger, the Virgin and Joseph kneeling on L. Ox and ass.
55. Sext. Half page. Christ bearing the tau-shaped Cross, led by soldier by a cord round His waist. Other soldiers on R. The Virgin and John follow.
56. Init. Angel and shepherds. Black and gold ground. Red angels in sky: scroll, Gloria -terra p. Three shepherds, many sheep.
57. None. Nailing to the Cross by three men. On the hat of one is a vne, on his robe mary (?) may. One who pulls a cord attached to the feet has forte on his robe. The feet are stretched by a cord pulled round a hook stuck near the foot of the Cross. On the ground is the motto as before. Two rulers' heads on L. Soldiers on R.
58. Init. Adoration of the Magi. The kneeling king is bareheaded. Below in the border is a shield quarterly 1 and 4 gules a cross engrailed arg., in a bordure of the second 2 and 3 arg. a bend dexter engrailed gules.
59. Vespers. Crucifixion. The Virgin swoons on L. John supports her, Magdalen behind. Longinus kneels, with the spear. Centurion, ruler and soldiers on R. On Longinus' robe is amar' and on that of the centurion durant, on the ruler's vere. On the ground: Misericordia et veritas obuiauerunt sibi: Justicia et pax osculate sunt.
60. Initial. Flight into Egypt to R. Soldiers among trees on L.
61. Compline. Deposition. The body supported by Nicodemus or Joseph. The others detach the feet. John, in robe semÃc)e with timeo, on a ladder supports the L. hand. The Virgin and Magdalen on L.
62. Initial. Massacre of Innocents. Three soldiers, three children, two mothers. Herod on L. On the ground: Hostis herodes impius.
63. Half page. Entombment. Joseph and Nicodemus at the head and feet. John supports the Virgin. On the ground the motto: and: crucifixus mortuus et sepultus dessendit.
64. Seven Psalms. Init. Last judgment. Christ on rainbow, silver sword and lily at His head. Lozenge-shaped nimbus. Three men rise from graves.
66. Fifteen Psalms. Init. Susanna and the Elders. She is in a stone tomb in a paled garden. The two Elders on L.
66. Vigils of the Dead. Service in choir. Black and gold pall inscribed Ihesu merci. Two mourners with candles, a Dominican at head and foot and two women. Three priests in copes at desk.
67. In primo nocturno. Job and his friends. Job naked, beardless, seated on L. The friends in gay tunics and loose caps on R.
68. Commend. animarum. God receiving souls. He is seen half-length in air surrounded by cloud, holding a cloth in which are three nude souls. Three graves below. Lozenge-shaped nimbus.

Alexander, J. J. G., 'Painting and manuscript illumination for royal patrons in the later Middle Ages', in English court culture in the later Middle Ages, ed. V. J. Scattergood and J. W. Sherborne (London, 1983), pp. 142-62

Spriggs, G. M., 'The Nevill Hours and the School of Hermann Scheere', Journal of the Warburg and Courtauld Institutes 37 (1974), 104-30.

Orr, M. T., 'Illustration as Preface and Postscript in the Hours of the Virgin of Trinity College MS. B.11.7', Gesta 34 (1995), 162-76.

Krochalis, J. E., 'The Books and Reading of Henry V and His Circle', Chaucer Review 23 (1988), 50-77.

Scott, K. L., Later Gothic Manuscripts, 1390-1490 A survey of Manuscripts Illuminated in the British Isles 6 (London,1996) 2 vol.

Orr, M. T., 'Tradition and Innovation in the Cycles of Miniatures Accompanying the Hours of the Virgin in the Fifteenth-Century English Book of Hours', in Manuscripts in Transition: Recycling Manuscripts, Texts and Images, ed. B. Dekeyzer and J. Van Der Stock (Leuven: Peeters, 2005), pp. 263-270.

Orr, M. T., 'Hierachies of Decoration in Early Fifteenth-Century English Books of Hours' in Tributes to Kathleen L. Scott: Essays on English Medieval Manuscripts, ed. by Marlene Hennessy (Turnhout: Harvey Miller/Brepols, 2009), 171-195.

Scott, K. L., Tradition and Innovation in Later Medieval English Manuscripts (London, 2006)