Morgan Library

Morgan Library

Book of Hours, FOL 47

Office of the Dead, First Nocturn of Matins. Psalm 12 from verse 3 onwards with responses, followed by beginning of the first lesson, from Job 7:16-21 (Parce mihi . . .).

Manuscript on parchment. 1 folio, 14 lines. Ruled in red with text in Northern Gothic script below top line.

Brown staining visible at upper left and lower left of recto, upper left corner and middle top margin of verso. Brown pinpoint stains at lower left of recto, lower left and right of verso. Adhesive tape consistent with typical Ege mounting visible at upper and lower right of verso. Follicles visible on verso.

Decorative panel at outer right of recto features diagonal bands in red and blue with scalloped edges and acanthus decoration over illuminated background with red and blue floral sprays. Decorative panel at outer left of verso features image of swan in brown over background of floral sprays (no illumination). Small illuminated capitals as follows: “U” on line 1, recto; “I” on line 5, recto; “Q” on line 10, recto, “E” on line 14, recto; and “R” on line 5, verso. Larger illuminated “P” with trefoil decoration on lines 11-12 of verso. Illuminated line fillers with botanical designs on line 4 and 13 of recto, 4 and 11 of verso. Rubricated letters to mark responses on verso as follows: “A” on line 5, “V” on line 7, and “R” on line 8. Responses written in a smaller module.

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Vigilie mortuorum (traditional liturgy of the Roman Catholic Church)

The Morgan Library & Museum

Late 15th century, northern France or Low Countries

Katherine Philbin

Permission to display images of this leaf has not been obtained to date.

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PDF (transcription only)

Latin

Text

MS M.1021.47

[no text]

illuminated manuscript
18 x 13 cm

Transcription (recto):

Usequeqo exaltabitur inimicus meus super me respice et exaudi me domi- ne deus meus Illumina oculus me- os ne umquam obdormi- am in morte [sic] nequando dicat inimicus meus pre- nalui [sic] adversus eum. Qui tribulant me ex[u]l- tabunt si motus fuero e- go autem in m[isericord]ia[m] tua spe- ravi. Exultabit cor meu[m]

Transcription (verso):

In salutari tuo cantabo Domino qui bona tribu- It michi et psallam no[min]i Domini altissimi. Requiem. A. Illumina oculos meos ne umquam obdor- miam in morte. V. Dirige domine deus meus. R. In con- spectu tuo viam meam. Pat[er] n[oste]r. Et ne nos. Sed libera. Parce michi domine nichil [sic] enim sunt dies mei. Quid est homo q[ui]a

Translation:

How long will be enemy be exalted over me? Consider, and hear me, [O] Lord my God. Give light to my eyes that I may never fall asleep in death, lest my enemy say, I have prevailed against him. [Those] who trouble me will exult if I am disturbed; but I have hoped in your mercy. My heart will exult in your salvation; I will sing [to] the Lord who has granted good [things] to me, and I play [music] to the name of the Lord most high. Rest. A. Give light to my eyes that I may never fall asleep in death. Direct, [O] Lord my God. My way in your sight. Our Father. And [lead] us not. But deliver. Spare me, [O] Lord, indeed my days are nothing. What is man, why

Notes

In verse 4 of Psalm 12, the Vulgate uses the earlier form “inluminare.”

Also in line 4, the Vulgate text uses the accusative of “mors, mortis,” reading “in mortem” rather than the ablative “in morte” as above. The preposition “in” may take either case, but the accusative carries a sense of motion “into.”

On lines 8-9, “prenalui” appears to be an error for “prevalui.”

The use of Psalm 12 and the subsequent responses at this juncture helps to confirm that FOL 47 follows the use of Troyes (see Bibliothèque nationale de France Latin 924, f. 183v-184v; Bibliothèque de l’Arsenal Ms-651 réserve, f. 97v-98v; Houghton Library MS Richardson 7, f. 209r-210r; and University of Iowa xMMs.Bo6, f.103v-104r).