BERGENDAL MS 8

BOOK OF HOURS

Dol de Bretagne, France      s.XV¼

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General description: Manuscript in Latin on vellum.
129 folios collating 1⁸, 2-3⁷, 4⁶, 5⁸, 6⁷, 7⁸, 8⁶, 9-17⁸. The binding is so tight that while the collation for sections 9 to 17 can be determined the collation for sections 1 to 8 is more or less conjectural.
Page size 175 x 138 mm with a writing space of 80 x 62 mm.
For the calendar the space is larger at 95 x 80 mm.
One column of 80 x 62 mm with 12 lines. There are 17 lines on the calendar pages.

Written by one scribe throughout below the top line in brown ink in textualis formata script, very similar to that of B.L. Add. 31833 dated 1411.
Very many illuminated one, two, and three-line initials of burnished gold on grounds that are partly blue and partly rose. Throughout the inner and outer margins are decorated with borders of rinceaux pattern with dots of gold and painted flowers.
There are twelve small calendar miniatures and all of thirty large illuminated miniatures within rinceaux borders, all of great beauty. Foliated in pencil in a mid-twentieth century English hand.

Ruled in rose coloured ink. Vertical bounding lines for writing space run from top to bottom of page. Guiding lines run inside of vertical lines with the exception of top two lines and bottom line which run from gutter to edge of margin. While all three margins are generously wide no guiding pricks survive.

Signatures are not numbered. Catchwords are to be found for sections 4 and 15.

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Condition: On the whole this is very good. Little expense was spared in the preparation of the codex. The parchment is of good quality. The illumination has survived practically unscathed. Signs of use are relatively minimal for something which is getting on for six hundred years old. Single leaves appear to be lacking after folios 12, 17, and 38. The text for the office intended for folios 111 to 113 was never written. Likewise folio 17 was left blank. No text was written under the miniatures on folios 75v and 89r. Folio 89v was also left blank. This is a considerable pity as it is not possible to determine the name of the saint represented in the miniature on 89r. It is one of exceptional grace and beauty.

Binding: Twentieth century brown morocco goat skin, with four raised bands on spine.   Otherwise there is no decoration whatsoever - not even a title label. Sadly the binding is too tight. This makes the determination of the collation quite difficult and inhibits one in any practical use of the codex. The end leaves and pastedowns are of modern vellum.

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Text:

That this Book of Hours was composed for use in Brittany is made evident by the fact of three Bishops of Angers commemorated in the calendar, namely Saint Salvius (January 11), Saint Licinius (February 13), and Saint Maurilius (September 13). Other saints venerated in Brittany found in the calendar are Saint Gildas (January 29), Saint Winwaloe (March 3), Saint William (July 29), and Saint Yvo (October 29). The calendar is unusual in having what might be called blue letter days, instead of red letter days for saints entitled to special prominence. Thus all the Apostles' days are shown in blue. Given such attention are two feasts of Saint Michael Archangel. For September 29 we have Saint Michael in Monte Gargano, and on October 16 there is Saint Michael in Monte Tumba. These two feasts are particular to the Abbey of Mont Saint Michel which in the 15^th century was in the diocese of Dol de Bretagne.  It may be concluded that this book of hours was prepared for the use of Dol. In confirmation of this one notes in the calendar the feast of Saint Samson for July 28^th.  Now this Saint Samson was the first Bishop of Dol where he founded also a great abbey. The see of Dole long enjoyed metropolitan jurisdiction over all the bishops of Brittany. Saint Samson lived from c.496 to c.564.

Provenance:
1)  Likely prepared for a noble woman living in Brittany who had a particular devotion to the archangel Saint Michael.
2)  Bought from H.&M. Fletcher, book dealers, London, January 1981.

References:
1)  Mabillon, Act. Bened. vol I, Page 176.
2)  Father Alban Butler, The Lives of the Fathers, Martyrs, and Other Principal Saints, vol. VII, New York, 1895.
3)  Cottineau, vol. II, 1897.
4)  Chronique du Mont Saint Michel, 1343-1468, Paris 1879.

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