A beautiful original manuscript leaf on fine vellum, written ca. 1250 in black ink. The text is Psalms 32:10-11,33:1-16.
Praise the LORD with harp: sing unto him with the psaltery and an instrument of ten strings. Psalm 33:2

This authentic, hand-written vellum leaf has twenty six lines of Scripture text that are ruled in a faint red ink, written in black ink in a handsome gothic bookhand. There seventeen one line initials, alternately in blue and burnished gold, and one three line burnished gold initial on a blue and red geometric ground with white tracery and a marginal decoration extending into the upper margin in mauve, blue and gold leaf. On the recto there is an erasure at the beginning of line 9 and also a correction in the margin of line 18 the word maris was left out by the scribe which was added later by a corrector. On the verso, line 6 the word reprobat was also left out and corrected.

The vellum leaf is in fair condition with traces of aging including, browning, soiling, wrinkling, stains and modern pencil foliation. A vellum leaf of over 750 years old! The calf whose skin was used for this piece of parchment grazed the gently rolling hills of Flanders at the time of the last Crusades!! The vellum is quite firm : the booklet, a breviary*, was meant to be carried about, every day, by traveling monks.

There many small initials, alternately in blue and burnished gold, and one larger one extending into the upper margin in mauve, blue and gold leaf. There is one correction in the margin of the recto : the word maris was left out by the scribe and later added. The text is from the Psalms [ from 31,10 till 32,16] here is the transcription and translation : 10 Multa flagella peccatoris sperantem autem in Domino misericordia circumdabit 10 Many are the scourges of the sinner, but mercy shall encompass him that hopeth in the Lord. 11 Laetamini in Domino et exultate iusti et gloriamini omnes recti corde 11 Be glad in the Lord, and rejoice, ye just, and glory, all ye right of heart. [Psalmus 32 1 Psalmus David ]Exultate iusti in Domino rectos decet [col-] laudatio [1 A psalm for David.] Rejoice in the Lord, O ye just: praise becometh the upright. 2 Confitemini Domino in cithara in psalterio decem cordarum psallite illi 2 Give praise to the Lord on the harp; sing to him with the psaltery, the instrument of ten strings. 3 Cantate ei canticum novum bene psallite in vociferatione 3 Sing to him a new canticle, sing well unto him with a loud noise. 4 Quia rectum est verbum Domini et omnia opera eius in fide 4 For the word of the Lord is right, and all his works are done with faithfulness. 5 Diligit misericordiam et iudicium misericordia Domini plena est terra 5 He loveth mercy and judgment; the earth is full of the mercy of the Lord. 6 Verbo Domini caeli firmati sunt et spiritu oris eius omnis virtus eorum 6 By the word of the Lord the heavens were established; and all the power of them by the spirit of his mouth: 7 Congregans sicut in utre aquas maris ponens in thesauris abyssos 7 Gathering together the waters of the sea, as in a vessel; laying up the depths in storehouses. 8 Timeat Dominum omnis terra ab eo autem commoveantur omnes inhabitantes orbem 8 Let all the earth fear the Lord, and let all the inhabitants of the world be in awe of him. 9 Quoniam ipse dixit et facta sunt ipse mandavit et creata sunt 9 For he spoke and they were made: he commanded and they were created. 10 Dominus dissipat consilia gentium reprobat autem cogitationes populorum et reprobat consilia principum 10 The Lord bringeth to naught the counsels of nations; and he rejecteth the devices of people, and casteth away the counsels of princes. 11 Consilium autem Domini in aeternum manet cogitationes cordis eius in generatione et generationem 11 But the counsel of the Lord standeth for ever: the thoughts of his heart to all generations. 12 Beata gens cuius est Dominus Deus eius populus quem elegit in hereditatem sibi 12 Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord: the people whom he hath chosen for his inheritance. 13 De caelo respexit Dominus vidit omnes filios hominum 13 The Lord hath looked from heaven: he hath beheld all the sons of men. 14 De praeparato habitaculo suo respexit super omnes qui habitant terram 14 From his habitation which he hath prepared, he hath looked upon all that dwell on the earth. 15 Qui finxit singillatim corda eorum qui intellegit omnia opera illorum 15 He who hath made the hearts of every one of them: who understandeth all their works. 16 Non salvatur rex per multam virtutem et gigans non salvabitur in multitudine virtutis suae 16 The king is not saved by a great army: nor shall the giant be saved by his own great strength. - Breviary: A liturgical book used for the celebration of the Divine Office. All members of monastic orders and the clergy are committed to the daily recitation of the breviary. It was popularized by the Dominicans and the Franciscans in the 13th century. - Size : 11.5 x 9 cms ( ca 4.5 x 3.5 ins ). Condition : browned.