Latin Breviary, Germany, 15th century

Component identifier:

Item 8

Content Summary:

NOTE: because of the thickness of the volume and the tightness of the binding, it was not possible to digitise all of the pages in this volume for viewing online. Images of the following pages are available: Recto of: fi-vii, f1-59, f61-138, f160; recto and verso of: f139-159, f161-178; and verso of: f179-326, fviii-x.

Description: i-vii, 326 leaves (vellum), viii-x; 123 x 85 mm. with outside measurement 12.5 x 8.7 mm. and 11.25 mm. thick; original cutting of lower edges of some leaves irregular.

Script: German littera cursiva but possibly German Gothic textualis semi-quadrata; not very well penned, with some prefatory matter and notes in German cursive. Script is not of highest quality, as is often the case with such German liturgical volumes, but the flourishing is quite proficient.

Decoration: Calligraphic capitals in red, blue and green ink; rubricated in red throughout.

Layout: One column; 18 lines to the page

Binding: Housed in the original German kermes stained red vellum binding; original heavy corner bosses and central boss on lower board to protect volume during storage (centre boss of upper cover missing from its fixing-pin, which remains).

Provenance: Inscribed on front flyleaf 'Honble Mr Clifford, Munich' in a 19th century hand; inside back cover is inscribed by a 15th century hand 'Maria sit semper' and also has the number '636' in modern pencil.

Reference: Sinclair: No.10 pp. 34-35; Manion Vines: No.64 p.152

Immediate source of acquisition:

The collection was purchased by the National Library of Australia from the estate of the 11th Baron Clifford in November 1963. It reached Canberra in April 1964. The Chertsey Cartulary (item 65), possibly the most important medieval manuscript held in Australia due to the fact that it is one of only three extant from the 14th century and the only one held outside the UK, was received in 1975, following the granting of an export licence by the British Government.

Names:

Clifford, Hugh, Colonel Hon.

Access and use