Horae BMV, Use of Paris, in Latin and French

Officium Beatae Mariae ex decreto sacrosancti Concilii restitutum, et Claudii Ruffini cantoris regii manu exaratum, anno domini millesimo sexentesimo tertio, regna[n]te Henrico 4 Fra[nciae] et Na[varre] R[ege]. Paris: 1603

Illuminated manuscript on vellum, 161 leaves (plus 2 flyleaves at front and 2 at back), 6 1/2 x 3 3/4 in.; 165 x 95 mm, 24 lines (including headings) in black ink in a fine humanist bookhand, one- two three-line initials in gold on red grounds or blue on gold grounds with white tracery with matching line fillers, architectural title border and 21 full-page (including 1 repeat) and 12 half-page engraved illustrations by Jean Messager after Léonard Gaultier (LeBlanc II, 273), or Carl de Mallery (LeBlanc II, 592), of which 29 are illuminated in full-colors and gold, and 4 in reddish-grisaille, every page surrounded with a gold- and blue-ruled border, arms of Henri IV painted on title page in lower cartouche; some light marginal stains and soiling. 19th-century black morocco with wide dentelle borders, spine richly gilt, dentelles, edges gilt, brown morocco doublures, by Boyet; extremities and upper joint rubbed.

Baron Jérome Pichon (gold-stamped leather bookplate, Catalogue, 1897, I, no. 72) — Henri Burton (purchased from Lardanchet catalogue 45 (1951), no. 944)

some light marginal stains and soiling. 19th-century black morocco with wide dentelle borders, spine richly gilt, dentelles, edges gilt, brown morocco doublures, by Boyet; extremities and upper joint rubbed.
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A lovely manuscript  written and prepared by Claude Ruffin, of the Royal chapel of music under King Henri IV. Monsieur Ruffin seems to have created a small trade in these personally prepared manuscripts illustrated with contemporary engravings, and beautifully colored; another smaller example dated 1634 was sold by Sotheby's in London (22 June 1993, lot 90).

Illumination

Title (f. 1); 12 half-page scenes of the months (f. 3-14); John on Patmos (f. 15); Luke (f. 16v); Matthew (f. 18); Mark (f. 19v); Annunciation (f. 24); Visitation (f. 36v); Nativity (f. 46); Annunciation to the Shepherds (f. 49); Adoration of the Magi (f. 52); Presentation in the Temple (f. 55); Flight into Egypt (f. 58); Assumption of the Virgin (f. 63v); King David (f. 66v); Crucifixion (f. 83v); Pentecost (f. 88); Saints (f. 91v); Annunciation (mono) (f. 104v); Adoration of the Magi (mono) (f. 109v); Resurrection of Christ (mono) (f. 114v); Crucifixion (mono) (f. 119v); David (repeat, in color) (f. 130v).

Text

Title (f. 1); computus table (f. 2); Calendar (f. 3); Gospel Sequences (f. 15); Institutio Christiana (f. 20v); Hours of the Virgin with Matins (f. 23); Lauds (f. 36v); Prime (f. 46); Terce (f. 49); Sext (f. 52); None (f. 55); Vespers (f. 58); and Compline (63v); Penitential Psalms (f. 66v); Litany of the Saints (f. 74v); prayers (f. 77v); Paraphrase sur le Liberame Domine (f. 79); prayers (f. 82); Hours of the Cross (f. 83); and of the Holy Spirit (f. 88); Suffrages of the Saints (f. 91v); prayer for Confession (f. 97v); prayer after Communion (f. 101); Planctus BMV (f. 102); Bref Recueil en forme de Meditation sur la Salutation Angelique (f. 105); Paraphrase du Psaume 95 (f. 109); other prayers in French (f. 112); Sunday at Vespers (f. 130v) and Compline (f. 158); other prayers (159v).