Manuscript leaf from a Book of Hours, in Latin, printed by Germain Hardouyn, produced...

Text: From a Book of Hours, in Latin

Font: Font based on Cursiva Formata (Bastarda) script

Printer: Germain Hardouyn

There are twenty-nine lines of gothic black typeface. There are two two-line versals, six one-line versals and two line fillers. On the bottom edge of the recto is ‘e vii’ to aid the binder.

The text is presented to simulate a manuscript version, with numerous abbreviations, and variations of letters to suit the position in words. Hand painted versals and line fillers are all in gold on red or blue. Capitals are touched with yellow. Red line ruling has been added by hand, but this gives out after line 18 on the recto side. The text of each page is within a four-sided border of fine metalcut scenes, the top portion imitating a floral sculptural motif; the narrow vertical side taking the form of stacked columns; the wide vertical sides with elongated panels depicting hunting scenes. At the bottom secular panels feature dancing figures, a man sleeping, cherubs and dragons.

Recto side:

1 an(tiphona) . Mirabile mysteru(m) declarat(ur) hodie in- [mysterium

2 nouantur nature de(us) ho(mo) fact(us) est id quod

3 fuit permansit : (et) quod non erat assu(m)psit

4 non co(m)mixtione(m) passus neq(ue) divisione(m) . p(ater) .

5 Benedictus d(omi)n(u)s deus israel . Ad Magni-

6 ficat : (et) Nunc dimittis . an(tiphona) Magnu(m) here-

7 ditatis mysteriu(m) templum dei factus est

8 uterus nesciens virum non est pollutus

9 ex ea carne(m) assumens : omnes gentes ve-

10 nient dicentes gloria tibi d(omi)ne . [line filler]

11

Sciendu(m) est q(uod) a vigilia pasche usq(ue)

12 ad ascentiomem d(omi)ni : fit officiu(m) b(ea)te marie [should be 'ascentionem'

13 sicut ante adventu(m) : excepto q(uod) ad benedi-

14 ctus et ad Magnificat : dicitur hec an(tiphona) .

15 Regina celi letare alleluya Quia quem

16 meruisti portare alleluya Resurrexit si-

17 cut dixit all(eluy)a Ora p(ro) nobis deu(m) alleluya

18 Specialis salutatio ad b(ea)ta(m) v(ir)gine(m) maria(m)

19 A Ve cui(us) conceptio sole(m)ni plena gau-

20 dio : celestia terrestia nova replet

21 leticia A ve cuius nativitas nostra fuit

22 solemnitas : ut lucifer lux orie(n)s verum so-

23 le(m) previniens . A ve pia humilitas sine vi-

24 ro fecu(n)ditas : cui(us) annu(n)ciatio nostra fuit

25 redemptio A ve vera virginitas imma-

26 culata castitas : cui(us) purificato n(ost)ra fuit . [purificatio

27 purgatio A ve preclara o(mn)ibus angelicis

28 virtutib(us) : cuius fuit assu(m)ptio nostra glo-

29 rificatio . v(er)s(us) Ora pro nobis sanctissima

Verso side:

1 dei gentrix R(esponsorium) Ut digni efficiamur p(ro)mis-

2 sionibus (christ)i

Oremus . [line filler]

3 D Eus qui nos co(n)ceptionis : nativita-

4 tis : annu(n)ciatonis : purificationis

5 et assu(m)ptionis beate marie virginis gau-

6 dia recolendo letificas : concede nobis sic

7 eius laudibus digne insistere ut eam in

8 omni necessitate et angustia : precipue in

9 hora mortis assistentem et auxiliatricem

10 sentiamus . Per dominum nostrum .

11

12

13

14

15

16

17

Sequuntur septem psalmi peninten-

18 tiales . an(tiphona) . Ne reminis caris .

Psalm(us)

19 ·

20

21

22

23

24 

25 

26 

27

28

29

Notes:

A Printed letters: a,b,c,d,e,f,g,h,i,l,m,n,o,p,q,r,s,t,u/v,x,y,

A,B,E,M,N,O,P,R,S,U/V.

B Painted versals: A,D,

.

C Alternative forms of ‘m’(2), ‘n’(2), ‘r’(2) and ‘s’(2).

D Ligature between letters ‘st’, e.g. in ‘celestia’ (recto, line 20).

E Abbreviation of ‘quod’ (e.g. recto, line 11).

F Abbreviation of ‘christi’ (verso, line 2).

G The meaning of the groups of three dots on the verso side is

uncertain.

Germain Hardouyn, with his brother Gilles, was a prolific printer of Horae in Paris. Gilles Hardouyn had a shop in front of the Church of St. Denis in Chains near the Notre Dame Cathedral. The genre had certain definite, if unspoken, rules. The books were to always be visually attractive, ownership was considered to be a pious act, and the books were to be conservative in appearance, closely based upon manuscript editions, and normally printed on vellum. The use of decorative borders was requisite, as was the type strongly reflecting manuscript calligraphy.