Sacred Leaves Manuscript Collection

The history of the book collection at USF illustrates broad concepts in the history of the Western book, beginning with the manuscript era and moving through the invention of the printing press, the mechanization of printing, and the development of the fine press and the artist’s book. This digital collection highlights illuminated manuscripts including individual leaves that illustrate different types of calligraphic hands and illumination, most dating from the medieval period. Items in this collection are only available online; we do not have physical copies of these items in the USF Library's Special Collections. The original items were returned to the donor.

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Meditations, with Prayers, on the Life and Loving Kindnesses of our Lord Jesus Christ, France

Thomas À. Kempis

The manuscript seen here is a copy of Thomas Kepis' Meditations, with Prayers, on the Life and Loving Kindness of Our Lord Jesus Christ.
Meditations, with Prayers, on the Life and Loving Kindnesses of our Lord Jesus Christ, France, Cover

Thomas À. Kempis

The manuscript seen here is a copy of Thomas Kepis' Meditations, with Prayers, on the Life and Loving Kindness of Our Lord Jesus Christ. The front of the binding on this manuscript further call Christ into mind. Pressed into the leather are six images of animals, including a lion, peacock, pelican, and grifffin. The griffin and lion act as direct symbols of Christ as savior and the Resurrection. The peacock and pelican allude more indirectly to Christ through legend.
Meditations, with Prayers, on the Life and Loving Kindnesses of our Lord Jesus Christ, France, Folio 2, Recto

Thomas À. Kempis

The manuscript seen here is a copy of Thomas Kepis' Meditations, with Prayers, on the Life and Loving Kindness of Our Lord Jesus Christ.
Leaf, February Calendar, Bruges, Southern Netherlands

Unknown

The Calendar is usually the first section of a Book of Hours. Like modern calendars, it contains 365 days of the year divided into twelve months, but it ephasizes feast days. The days in red, known as Red Letter Days, denote major feast days such as Epiphany in January. Lesser feast days such as that of Pope Gregory in March are written in brown ink. To the left of the fest days appear two vertical columns of numbers and letters. The numbers, known as the Golden Numbers, assist one in locating Sundays.
Leaf, January Calendar, Bruges, Southern Netherlands

Unknown

The Calendar is usually the first section of a Book of Hours. Like modern calendars, it contains 365 days of the year divided into twelve months, but it ephasizes feast days. The days in red, known as Red Letter Days, denote major feast days such as Epiphany in January. Lesser feast days such as that of Pope Gregory in March are written in brown ink. To the left of the fest days appear two vertical columns of numbers and letters. The numbers, known as the Golden Numbers, assist one in locating Sundays.
Leaf with Ending of Prime, All of Terce, and Opening to Sext, Hours of the Holy Spirit, Bruges, Belgium, Recto

Unknown

This particular leaf begins mid-Prime, opens Terce on the recto and opens Sext on the verso. The leaf differs from the usual text in that all of the Hours skip the first versicles and responses to begin with the hymn. Each Hour has an individual hymn, but shares the final versicle, response, and oratio.
Leaf with Ending of Prime, All of Terce, and Opening to Sext, Hours of the Holy Spirit, Bruges, Belgium, Verso

Unknown

This particular leaf begins mid-Prime, opens Terce on the recto and opens Sext on the verso. The leaf differs from the usual text in that all of the Hours skip the first versicles and responses to begin with the hymn. Each Hour has an individual hymn, but shares the final versicle, response, and oratio.
Pages from the Past. History of the Written Word. Various Leaves - No. 9 "Sermones" of Simon de Cremona

Simon de Cremona
Leaf from Lauds, Hours of the Virgin, Southern Netherlands, Recto

Unknown

Lauds is associated with the Visitation, an event in the life of the Virgin when she journeyed to the house of her cousin, Elizabeth, and learned that Elizabeth could give birth to John the Baptist. The leaf contains the end of Psalm 62, and a foliate initial "D" opens Psalm 66. Psalm 66 was prayed to ensure the longevity of the church. There is no rubric calling for a division between the two Psalms; the scribe has merged Psalm 62 and 66 in order to treat them as one Psalm.
Leaves from Lauds, Hours of the Virgin, Southern Netherlands, Verso

Unknown

Lauds is associated with the Visitation, an event in the life of the Virgin when she journeyed to the house of her cousin, Elizabeth, and learned that Elizabeth could give birth to John the Baptist. The leaf contains the end of Psalm 62, and a foliate initial "D" opens Psalm 66.
Speculum Historiale

Vincent of Beauvais

One signature of eight leaves, comprising Lib. 30 (c.8 to c.26) of the Speculum historiale, the most widely disseminated part of the author's Speculum Maius.
Leaf from Matins, Office of the Dead, Southern Netherlands, Recto

Unknown

The Office of the Dead in Books of Hours is textually identical to that in the breviary. This allowed the layman to recite the same prayers as the clergy during the funeral service of a loved one.
Leaf from Matins, Office of the Dead, Southern Netherlands, Verso

Unknown

The Office of the Dead in Books of Hours is textually identical to that in the breviary. This allowed the layman to recite the same prayers as the clergy during the funeral service of a loved one.
Leaf from Matins, Office of the Dead, Paris, France, Recto

Unknown

The Office of the Dead is usually the last section in a Book of Hours. Due to its specialized function in funerary services, this section was not read daily. The text of this leaf is written in black ink, with red rubrics which indicate that the recto begins with the response and versicle from lesson four, followed by lesson five.
Leaf from Matins, Office of the Dead, Paris, France, Verso

Unknown

The Office of the Dead is usually the last section in a Book of Hours. Due to its specialized function in funerary services, this section was not read daily. The text of this leaf is written in black ink, with red rubrics which indicate that the recto begins with the response and versicle from lesson four, followed by lesson five.
Hymnal (Saraknoc'), Cilician Kingdom, Sis, Folio 107, Recto

Unknown

This Armenian manuscript is a Hyman, or Saraknoc. This Hymnal contains a colophon, which details the place of origin and the name of the scribe, artist, and sometimes patron. This particular Hymnal contains ten canons, all marked by an elaborately decorated headpiece, each rich with organic decoration and burnished on gold ground.
Hymnal (Saraknoc'), Cilician Kingdom, Sis, Folio 186, Recto

Unknown

This Armenian manuscript is a Hyman, or Saraknoc. This Hymnal contains a colophon, which details the place of origin and the name of the scribe, artist, and sometimes patron. This particular Hymnal contains ten canons, all marked by an elaborately decorated headpiece, each rich with organic decoration and burnished on gold ground.
Hymnal (Saraknoc'), Cilician Kingdom, Sis, Folio 1, Recto

Unknown

This Armenian manuscript is a Hyman, or Saraknoc. This Hymnal contains a colophon, which details the place of origin and the name of the scribe, artist, and sometimes patron. This particular Hymnal contains ten canons, all marked by an elaborately decorated headpiece, each rich with organic decoration and burnished on gold ground.
Hymnal (Saraknoc'), Cilician Kingdom, Sis, Folio 8, Verso

Unknown

This Armenian manuscript is a Hyman, or Saraknoc. This Hymnal contains a colophon, which details the place of origin and the name of the scribe, artist, and sometimes patron. This particular Hymnal contains ten canons, all marked by an elaborately decorated headpiece, each rich with organic decoration and burnished on gold ground.
Hymnal (Saraknoc'), Cilician Kingdom, Sis, Part 1

Unknown

This Armenian manuscript is a Hyman, or Saraknoc. This Hymnal contains a colophon, which details the place of origin and the name of the scribe, artist, and sometimes patron. This particular Hymnal contains ten canons, all marked by an elaborately decorated headpiece, each rich with organic decoration and burnished on gold ground.
Hymnal (Saraknoc'), Cilician Kingdom, Sis, Part 2

Unknown

This Armenian manuscript is a Hyman, or Saraknoc. This Hymnal contains a colophon, which details the place of origin and the name of the scribe, artist, and sometimes patron. This particular Hymnal contains ten canons, all marked by an elaborately decorated headpiece, each rich with organic decoration and burnished on gold ground.
Hymnal (Saraknoc'), Cilician Kingdom, Sis, Part 3

Unknown

This Armenian manuscript is a Hyman, or Saraknoc. This Hymnal contains a colophon, which details the place of origin and the name of the scribe, artist, and sometimes patron. This particular Hymnal contains ten canons, all marked by an elaborately decorated headpiece, each rich with organic decoration and burnished on gold ground.
Hymnal (Saraknoc'), Cilician Kingdom, Sis, Part 4

Unknown

This Armenian manuscript is a Hyman, or Saraknoc. This Hymnal contains a colophon, which details the place of origin and the name of the scribe, artist, and sometimes patron. This particular Hymnal contains ten canons, all marked by an elaborately decorated headpiece, each rich with organic decoration and burnished on gold ground.
Hymnal (Saraknoc'), Cilician Kingdom, Sis, Part 5

Unknown

This Armenian manuscript is a Hyman, or Saraknoc. This Hymnal contains a colophon, which details the place of origin and the name of the scribe, artist, and sometimes patron. This particular Hymnal contains ten canons, all marked by an elaborately decorated headpiece, each rich with organic decoration and burnished on gold ground.