Highly decorative initials, manuscript Missal leaf, c.1425: Large & finely illuminated in the style of a Book of Hours.

Recto:Double column text in Latin written in an assured gothic bookhand in black ink on parchment. Ruled in red, with rubrics in red. One splendid two-line initial 'N' in blue outlined in black with white penwork on a burnished gold ground, infilled with a foliate design. Beside the initial is a six-line marginal panel of coloured acanthus leaves, flowers and leaves in the style of a Book of Hours. Three two-line initials in burnished gold on red and blue grounds highlighted with white penwork and alternating red and blue one-line initials.

Verso: As Recto, with six two-line illuminated initials and without a marginal panel.

Origin: Spain or Southern France.

Date: Early part of the 15th century, c. 1425

Content: The rubrics at the illuminated initial 'N' read : Sancti petri ad vincula , signifying the beginning of the mass for the Feast of St. Peter in Chains, traditionally celebrated on August 1st. The text reads: Nunc scio vere, quia misit Dominus Angelum suum : et eripuit me de manu Herodis, et de omni expectatione plebis Judæorum. Domine, probasti me, et cognovisti me : tu cognovisti sessionem meam, et resurrectionem meam. (Now I know in very deed that the Lord hath sent his Angel, and hath delivered me out of the hand of Herod and from all the expectation of the people of the Jews. Lord, thou hast proved me, and known me : thou hast known my sitting down, and my rising up.)

Condition: The Recto of this leaf is in overall good antiquarian condition. The parchment has some cockling, surface dirt and staining in the margins, but the high quality calligraphy has no ink loss, the colours remain bright and the burnished gold still shines. Verso has a much cleaner surface. The leaf is unconditionally guaranteed genuine.

Size: Size of leaf: approx. 375x275 mm. Text and illuminated area : approx. 250x200 mm. Mat size: approx. 460x385 mm. Archivally mounted, ready to frame.

Notes: A Missal in the Roman Catholic Church is the book containing the prayers said by the priest at the altar as well as all that is officially read or sung in celebrating the Mass over the course of the ecclesiastical year.