[MANUSCRIT]. [BELGIUM]. [HAINAUT]. - Lot 3

Lot n° 3
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Result : 39 000EUR
[MANUSCRIT]. [BELGIUM]. [HAINAUT]. - Lot 3
[MANUSCRIT]. [BELGIUM]. [HAINAUT]. Ritual or Book relating to the Divine Office for the use of a convent of Augustinian Sisters (Notre-Dame de Bélian in Mesvin-lez-Mons?) In French and Latin, decorated manuscript on parchment Belgium, Hainaut (Mesvin-lez-Mons? or Mons?), ca. 1480-1500 78 ff, preceded and followed by three parchment leaves, complete manuscript [collation: i6, ii-x8], gothic script in dark brown and red ink (several passages copied in red ink), up to 25 lines per page, ruled in pale red ink (justification : 187 x 125 mm), headings in red, some capitals enhanced with yellow, initials painted alternately in red and blue, 1-3 lines high, larger initials in blue or red with red or pale purple watermark decoration, 2 large "puzzle" initials in red and blue (ff. 8, 29) with large watermarked decoration extending into the margins. Binding in brown calf on wood, cold-stamped decoration, spine with 5 nerves, boards decorated with a double frame of triple fillets, central panel enriched with cold fillets drawing lozenges, outer frame with small cold irons in the form of radiating stars and small fleurons, intermediate frame with frieze of small repeated cold irons of eagles with double-headed spread wings, central frame with lozenges punctuated with small cold irons representing a swan (or other large bird?), remnants of brass clasps (missing fasteners), brass spikes on the lower board to fix the original fasteners (Binding of the period of the "Louvain" type). Size of leaves: 285 x 190 mm; size of binding: 305 x 205 mm. Spine probably rebound and boards varnished (later?). Some spotting. A few stains on the parchment, not serious. Manuscript generally in excellent condition inside. Provenance : 1. manuscript most certainly copied in Mons for an Augustinian foundation in Mons or in the surroundings. The best local candidate would be the abbey of the Augustinian Sisters of Belian (Mesvin-lez-Mons). We know that the abbey of Belian had a significant library. Let us quote the cartulary (known in the 17th century but since disappeared); the obituary (lost in the 18th century, partial copy in the Library of Mons). 2 Notes on the front of the first guard (16th century hand) concerning the sisters' benefactors: "père et mere de Symon Crohin"; "Monseigneur l'abbé de Saint-Guillain"; "Mademoiselle de la Croix". 3. armorial bookplate: "Ex libris Praesidis Malotau", pasted on the upper back cover. It concerns the Malotau (or Maloteau) family of Guerne, solidly established in the north of France and in Belgium. The best candidate for this bookplate would be Ferdinand-Ignace Malotau, lord of Villerode (born in Tournai, 1682 - died in Valenciennes, 1752), archaeologist, historian and jurisconsult who left a library and numerous manuscripts related to the monumental and heraldic history of the northern regions. He was also Councillor at the Provincial Council of Valenciennes. His son Ferdinand Joseph Malotau des Rumeaux (1726-1794) was President à mortier at the Parliament of Flanders. The son of the latter, François Ferdinand Maloteau de Guerne (1749-1835) was also President à mortier at the Parliament of Flanders. The mention "Praesidis" could favour the second or the third. 4. ex-libris MD vignette pasted on the upper spine. This manuscript does not fit into the traditional categories and nomenclature of liturgical manuscripts made for monastic circles. It is not a book of hours as such, nor a monastic breviary, but it contains texts used to celebrate the Divine Office (Hours of the Virgin, Office of the Dead, Extracts of the Penitential Psalms, Litanies, long extracts relating to the conduct of the Ordinary of the Office). The last section, "The Ordinary of the Divine Office" is a must study and contains many liturgical and ritual details, written in French. It must be a sort of Ritual for the Divine Office. The present manuscript was made for Augustinian Sisters, probably those of the Abbey of Belian, located in Mesvin, near Mons. This monastery was founded in 1244 by Gautier Harduin, canon of the Collegiate Church of Sainte-Waudru in Mons: the Augustinian sisters devoted themselves to the contemplative life and followed the Augustinian rule of Saint-Victor (Paris). The convent was consecrated by the archbishop of Cambrai and the abbot of Saint-Ghislain (Saint Ghislain is mentioned in the litanies). The ancient archives were destroyed in the 16th century, making the present manuscript all the more valuable for the history of the liturgy adopted by this abbey. The community of Bélian recruited mainly from the wealthy families of the city of Mons and its surroundings. The de Crohin family was particularly important, giving
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