1. Book of Hours, Latin. Northern France (perhaps Rouen), ca. 1480–1500; sixteenth-century binding with gilt stamp of the symbols of the Passion
2. Book of Hours, Latin; calendar page for March. Northern France (perhaps Rouen), ca. 1480–1500, f.2r
3. Book of Hours, Latin; the Four Evangelists and opening of the Gospel Readings. Northern France (perhaps Rouen), ca. 1480–1500, f.7r
4. Book of Hours, Latin; the Annunciation preceding Matins in the Hours of the Virgin. Northern France (perhaps Rouen), ca. 1480–1500, f.12r
5. Book of Hours, Latin; the Visitation preceding Lauds in the Hours of the Virgin. Northern France (perhaps Rouen), ca. 1480–1500, f.18r
6. Book of Hours, Latin; the Annunciation to the Shepherds preceding Tierce in the Hours of the Virgin. Northern France (perhaps Rouen), ca. 1480–1500, f.25v
7. Book of Hours, Latin; the Adoration of the Magi preceding Sext in the Hours of the Virgin. Northern France (perhaps Rouen), ca. 1480–1500, f.28r
8. Book of Hours, Latin; the Flight into Egypt preceding Vespers in the Hours of the Virgin. Northern France (perhaps Rouen), ca. 1480–1500, f.32r
9. Book of Hours, Latin; the Coronation of the Virgin preceding Compline in the Hours of the Virgin. Northern France (perhaps Rouen), ca. 1480–1500, f.36v
10. Book of Hours, Latin; Pentecost preceding the Hours of the Holy Ghost. Northern France (perhaps Rouen), ca. 1480–1500, f.62v
11. Book of Hours, Latin; St. Michael slaying a dragon from the Suffrages of the Saints. Northern France (perhaps Rouen), ca. 1480–1500, f.93v

103 leaves. 168 by 112mm. Single column, 26 lines, ruled in brown ink, written space 110 by 60mm; lettre bâtarde.

Note: Miniatures for beginning of Obsecro te (after f. 9), Prime (after f. 24), None (after f. 29), Psalms (after f. 50), Hours of the Holy Cross (before f. 61), and Office of the Dead (after f. 64) removed.
Decoration: One- and 2-line initials and line fillers throughout in blue, red or orange on gold grounds with foliate infills and highlighted with white tracery; initials, 3- and 4-line, of the same type. Vertical panel borders of French floral-acanthus design, including birds, insects and grotesques. Twenty-four small rectangular miniatures in vertical borders of the calendar pages, which include signs of the zodiac and the labours of each month. Twenty-three small miniatures in black and gold ruled frames introduce the suffrages. Eight miniatures preface the Hours and main divisions of text.
Binding: Sixteenth-century brown calf the symbols of the Passion stamped in gilt on both boards; all edges gilt.
Provenance: Decorations and miniatures follow patterns established by the Maître François School in Paris from the mid-fifteenth century onwards. The artist responsible for the Four Evangelists (folio 7) and the Annunciation (folio 12) is related to the Rouen School. Front pastedown inscribed ‘Ce precieux manuscrit atteignit a l’hotel de Bullien en 1783 la some de 42411’. The Hotel de Bullion was a Parisian saleroom in the Rue Jean-Jacques Rousseau. Purchased from J. G. Commin, Exeter, catalogue 614 (1949).
References: Manion, Vines, de Hamel no. 64; Reed Early Bibles no. 21.
Shelfmark: RMM MS 8.

Description reproduced from Medieval and Renaissance Manuscripts in New Zealand Collections (London, 1989) by permission of the authors (Christopher de Hamel, Margaret Manion, and the family of Vera F. Vines).