The manuscript is written by a woman from the Maagdendries monastery, as the colophon mentions "scrijfsersse".
Prayer book made by and for the tertiary monastery Maagdendries in Maastricht, consisting of two different parts (based on the contents; not codicological), different in character. Such a consistent grouping is quite rare in prayer books. Part 1 contains prayers on the Passion and prayers for the Mass. Part 2 contains prayers on the Holy Virgin. The manuscript does not contain any prayers on saints or prayers for the church year. Therefore, the manuscript doesn't contain a liturgical calendar, as it would not be functional. For an extensive description of the contents, including incipits, see Oosterman 2022.
The manuscript can be attributed to the Maagdendries monastery based upon the binding, the owner's inscriptions and the contents (for more information: see Oosterman 2022).
Maagdendries monastery, Maastricht: Catharina Bonen, Elisabeth van den Daele; Alexander Keller (ca. 1897). Purchase by Radboud University from an antiquarian bookseller in 2020.
Two 16th-century owner's inscription on the last free endpaper: "desen bock hoert to suster catterena bonen" and "desen bock hooirt to suster elsabiet". Catharina Bonen was procuratrix in Maagdendries in 1490 and the years after. The second annotation may concern Elisabeth van den Daele, who was procuratrix in 1517 and 1519.
On the same last free endpaper: "Graf Alexander Keller 1897".
Armorial bookplate of the "Comte de Keller" (Gustav Ludwig Emil von Keller?) on the front paste-down with the motto "Vaillant et veillant" with underneath the text "Stern / Paris".
Inscription on the front paste-down in the same hand as the one by "suster elsabiet": "Ick wensse myn siel aen Godt Endt myn lichaem aen de erden" .
Part of auction catalogue mounted on f. 1r, dated later than 1912, based on the contents.
pen-flourished and ink-drawn initials, 6 (inserted) historiated initials. Contains 6 historiated initials, inserted from another manuscript, likely a choir book (music notation on the rear side of the initials) from the Cologne region: (f. 1v) David who felled Goliath; (f. 129r) David knocks off the head of Goliath; (f. 203r) David presenting the head of Goliath to two women; (f. 275r) King David on his throne. Four women make music and sing; (f. 352r) Coronation of the Virgin; (f. 430r) David watches as Bathsheba bathes.
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