The Lansel Hours, in Latin and French [southern Netherlands, 15th century, with miniatures and some text pages added in the 19th century]

148x100mm, vellum, 90+i leaves, many missing leaves, ILLUMINATED INITIALS AND FULL BORDERS, 5 large miniatures added on modern blank leaves, very worn, outer borders cropped, brown leather binding, worn

Nicolas Lansel, 15th- or 16th-century inscription; offering good wine as a reward for the safe return of the manuscript 'Cest livre appartient a Nicolas / Lansel demourant en la rue de / la justice celui ou celle qui le / trouvera ie prie qu'il le veut / ce rendre ie lui donnerai dusi / bon vin qu'il s'en contentera' (f.15v).

TEXT AND ILLUMINATION

Calendar (f.1r; ff.1-2 modern); Hours of the Cross (f.14r) and of the Holy Spirit (f.16r); In illo tempore... (f.18r); O intemerata (f.21r) and Obsecro te (f.24r); prayers to various Saints (f.25r); Hours of the Virgin with Matins (f.27r), Lauds (f.45v), Sext (f.47r), None (f.50r), Vespers (f.51v), Compline (f.53r); Office of the Dead (f.57r), litany (f.63r); les xve ioies; Office of the Dead, Vespers, ending imperfect.

The subjects of the miniatures are: (1) f.13v, Annunciation; (2) f.46v, Nativity; (3) 49v, Crucifixion; (4) 56v, Entombment of Christ; (5) f.90r, Papal Coat of Arms.