COLLATION:
97 leaves. 1630 x 1040 mm. Text space 1040-80 x 610-40 mm. 1 column. 23 lines.
A8 B8 wants 6 after B5 C-D8, E8 wants 3 after E2 and 7 after E5 F-I8 K5? L8 M7? N8

TEXT:
The following is a list of the texts and other elements that make up the book of hours. The folio/folio span of the text is given first as: arrangement letter, folio number, recto/verso. For example, A1r means the recto (front side) of folio A1 (the first leaf of the first arrangement, lettered A). B2v-B5v means that the text spans from the verso (back side) of folio B2 to the verso of B5. Please note that only the first two folios of each arrangement have signatures printed on the bottom of the page (ex: A.i., A.ii.).

A1r Title page and frontispiece: Hore beate marie virginis s[e]c[un]d[u]m usum e // cclesie romane totaliter ad longum cum mul // tis suffragiis et orationibus. (Hours of the Blessed Virgin Mary according to the use of the Roman Church, complete and at length with many suffrages and prayers.)

A1v Almanac for the years 1521-1540

A2r-B2r Calendar

B2v-B5v Gospel sequences

B2v-B3v John 1:1-14 – The Incarnation
B3v-B4v Luke 1:26-28 – The Annunciation
B4v-B5r Matthew 2:1-12 – The Nativity, Adoration of the Magi, and angel’s visit to Joseph
B5r-B5v Mark 16:14-20 – Christ’s final appearance to the disciples after the Resurrection, and his Ascension

B7r-C4r The Passion of Christ according to Saint John (John 18:1-19:42)

C4r-C5r Prayers

C4r-C4v Deus qui manus tuas (God, whose hands)
C4v Ave cuius conceptio (Hail, thou whose conception)
C4v-C5r Deus qui nos conceptiones (God, whose conception)
C5r Ave regina celorum
(Hail, Queen of Heaven)

C5v-H2r Hours of the Blessed Virgin Mary, likely intercalated with Hours of the Cross and Hours of the Holy Spirit.

C5v-D6v Matins
D7r-E5v Lauds
E6r-F1v Prime
F2r-F4v Terce
F5r-F7v Sext
F8r-G2r None
G2v-G6r Vespers
G6v-H7r Compline

H7v-I4v Penitential Psalms (Psalms 6, 31, 37, 50, 101, 129, 142)

I5r-K1r Litany of the Saints

K1v-M1r Office of the Dead

M1r-N5v Suffrages of the Saints

M1r-M1v The Holy Trinity
M1v God the Father
M1v-M2r The Son
M2r The Holy Spirit
M2r-M3r The Holy Face of Jesus
M3r-M5v The Most Blessed Virgin Mary

• Obsecro te (I beseech you)
• Stabat mater dolorosa (The sorrowful mother was standing)

N5v-N8r Hours of the Immaculate Conception

N8v Table of contents and colophon

ILLUSTRATIONS:
The book is illustrated with 29 metalcut prints that are overpainted to look like miniatures. These include 12 large metalcuts (set in gold and red ink architectonic frames with dangling cords and tassels), 4 historiated metalcut borders, and 13 small metalcuts.

A1r Large metalcut: Germain Hardouyn’s printer’s device, two putti holding a shield hanging from a tree (adapted from the emblem of the Parisian printer Guillaume Eustace).

B2v Large metalcut: Saint John the Evangelist on the island of Patmos with a vision of the Virgin and Child in the sky. John has his gospel on his lap and is accompanied by an eagle, his evangelist symbol.

B3r Historiated metalcut border: Saint John holding a poisoned cup with a dead man at his feet.

B4r Small metalcut: Saint Luke reading his gospel at a desk, accompanied by his symbol the bull.

B4v Small metalcut: Saint Matthew reading his gospel, accompanied by his symbol the winged man.

B5v Small metalcut: Saint Mark with his gospel being held by a winged lion, his evangelist symbol.

C5v Large metalcut: The Expulsion from the Garden. Adam and Eve, covering themselves in shame, are expelled from the Garden of Eden by an angel with a sword, with God the Father and Christ above.

C6r Large metalcut: The Annunciation. The Angel Gabriel appears to Mary to announce that she will bear Christ, while the Holy Spirit descends on Mary in the form of a dove from God the Father.

D7r Large metalcut: Augustus and the Tiburtine Sybil. The Roman emperor consults the prophetess, who reveals a celestial vision of the Virgin and Child, while a young man looks on.

E4v Historiated metalcut border: Christ before Pilate. Christ stripped and wearing the crown of thorns being clothed in a purple robe by Pilate’s soldiers before the Crucifixion, while Pilate watches from above. At lower right, a bishop, friar, and other clergyman venerate Christ.

E5r Large metalcut: Pentecost. The Holy Spirit descends as a dove from Christ and God the Father onto the Virgin and the apostles.

F2r Large metalcut: The Annunciation to the Shepherds. An angel appears in the sky to three shepherds (one playing the bagpipes) tending their flock to announce the birth of Christ.

F5r Large metalcut: The Adoration of the Magi. The three magi present gifts to the infant Christ held by Mary in the stable.

F8r Large metalcut: The Presentation of Jesus at the Temple. The infant Christ lies on an altar accompanied by Simeon the high priest, Mary, Anna the prophetess, and a man dressed in a habit.

G2v Large metalcut: The Massacre of the Innocents. Two soldiers seize and kill infants while King Herod on his throne and several women look on.

G6v Large metalcut: The Coronation of the Virgin. An angel places a crown on Mary’s head while God the Father, enthroned and holding an orb, blesses her.

H7v Large metalcut: King David repenting. A kneeling David prays for forgiveness outside the walls of Jerusalem with two bodies (of plague victims?) at his feet, while an angel descends bearing a sword and arrow.

H8r Historiated metalcut border: King David observing Bathsheba bathing. Bathsheba rises naked from her bath, with a seated figure at her feet, while David watches from a window above.

K1v Historiated metalcut border: A naked corpse awaiting burial lying on a shroud beside a churchyard cross and a wooden grave marker.

M3r Small metalcut: The crowned Virgin and Child.

M6r Small metalcut: Saint John the Baptist holding a lamb and cross.

M6v Small metalcut: Saint John the Evangelist holding his gospel accompanied by an eagle, with a celestial vision of the Virgin and Child.

M7r Small metalcut: Saint James holding a book and staff.

N1r Small metalcut: The Martyrdom of Saint Sebastien, in which the saint is being executed with arrows by an archer.

N2r Small metalcut: Saint Nicholas in bishop’s robes making the sign of the cross over three resurrected children who are stepping out of a pickling barrel.

N3r Small metalcut: Saint Anthony holding a book and a cane.

N3v Small metalcut: Saint Anne teaching Mary how to read from a book.

N4r Small metalcut: Saint Catherine of Alexandria holding a sword and a book.

N5v Small metalcut: The Annunciation.

Most pages are decorated with ornamental metalcut borders depicting a variety of allegorical, biblical, historical, or religious scenes.