Lima Public Library Leaf 46
This leaf is from a Book of Hours made in northern France in the late fifteenth century. It measures 16 x 12 cm, and the arrangement of its responses and antiphons indicates that it accords with the Use of Rouen. Blooming on these pages are acanthus leaves intertwined with a truly impressive variety of what Ege calls "wayside flowers," including thistles, gallic roses, strawberries, grapes, and others which are so stylized as to be nearly geometric. The flowers are fenced in by red lining, a thinner form of which rules the text. There are many well-executed illuminated initials, with lesser first letters filled with yellow; occasionally a lone "cut flower" has been used to fill empty space in the text block. Many leaves are stained from use. See Denison University Leaf 46 for more information about this manuscript.
Text: The leaves we have seen indicate that this Book of Hours accords to the Uses of Rouen and Coutances. This leaf contains text from the Hours of the Virgin at Nones, specifically Psalms 125, 126, and 127.
Reconstruction Note! In Ege's original manuscript, this leaf preceded what is now Leaf 46 in the Ohio University portfolio.
Lima Leaf 46 Recto
Lima Public Library Leaf 46 Recto
Lima Leaf 46 Recto Transcription
in exultatione metent.
Euntes ibant, et flebant: mittentes semina sua.
Venientes autem venient cum exultatione: portantes manipulos suos.
Nisi Dominus aedificaverit domum: in vanum laboraverunt qui aedificant eam.
Nisi Dominus custodierit civitatem: frustra vigilat qui custodit eam.
Vanum est vobis ante lucem surgere: surgite, postquam sederitis, qui manducatis panem doloris.
Cum dederit dilectis suis somnum: ecce hereditas Domini, filii
Lima Leaf 46 Recto Translation
[from Psalms 125] ...shall reap in joyfulness. Going they went, and wept: casting their seeds. But coming they shall come with jollity carrying their sheaves.
[Psalms 126] Unless our Lord build the house: they have laboured in vain, that built it. Unless our Lord shall keep the city: he watcheth in vain, that keepeth it. It is in vain for you to rise before light: rise ye, after ye have sitten, which eat the bread of sorrow. When he shall give sleep to his beloved behold the inheritance of our Lord, children...
Lima Leaf 46 Verso
Lima Public Library Leaf 46 Verso
Lima Leaf 46 Verso Transcription
merces, fructus ventris.
Sicut sagittae in manu potentis: ita filii excussorum.
Beatus vir, qui implevit desiderium suum ex ipsis: non confundetur cum loquetur inimicis suis in porta.
Beati omnes qui timent Dominum: qui ambulant in viis eius.
Labores manuum tuarum quia manducabis: beatus es, et bene tibi erit.
Uxor tua sicut vitis abundans: in lateribus domus tuae.
Filii tui sicut novellae olivarum: in circuitu mensae tuae.
Lima Leaf 46 Verso Translation
[continuing Psalms 126] ...the reward, the fruit of the womb. As arrows in the hand of the mighty: so are the children of them that are shaken. Blessed is the man, that hath filled his desire of them: he shall not be confounded when he shall speak to his enemies in the gate.
[Psalms 127] Blessed are all that fear our Lord: that walk in his ways. Because thou shalt eat the labours of thy hands: blessed art thou, and it shall be well with thee. Thy wife as a plentiful vine: in the sides of thy house. Thy children as young plants of Olive trees: round about thy table.