binding
Bound, s. XVIII, in speckled brown leather, the covers framed by a single gilt rope-work motif over pasteboards, sewn on hemp(?) cords; the spine with simple horizontal gilt fillets marking the five bands, the second compartment lettered in gilt "MS.[...] / MISSA[L...]"; the spine covering partly defective and the spine side of the lower covering shrunk, perhaps from exposure to fire (not mentioned in the 1930 description), revealing blue marbled paper over the pasteboards; stored in a light-faded green cloth-covered box with a red leather title-piece lettered in gilt "MS. NO. 13 / BOOK OF HOURS / FRAGMENT / ENGLISH / 15TH C."
provenance
Belonged probably to someone closely related to Simon de Felbrigg (d. 3 December 1442), and his first wife, Margaret of Teschen (d. 27 June 1413), daughter of Przemyslaw Noszak, kinswoman and Lady of Honour of Anne of Bohemia, Richard II's wife, who married Simon ca. 1386, as suggested by several of the obits added to the calendar, by the fact that the first miniature (now missing, see below) depicted St Margaret, and by the prayer written in Czech (f. 62); inscribed "Iste liber constat Felbrygg generoso [signed?:] R. ff." (f. 62v); "Felbrygg" scratched into the outer margin of f. 13v. The de la Pole and Cheyne obits in the calendar might be explained if the manuscript passed to Margaret's daughter Elizabeth, and after the latter's death to her husband Miles Stapleton's second wife, Katherine, daughter of Thomas de la Pole and Anne, née Cheyne. Owned, s. XV, by someone with a special veneration for Peter of Verona (feast added to calendar, and prayer added on f. 61v). Inscribed "tout ma fiance", perhaps a motto, written twice (f. 62v). Inscribed with a copy of "An indenture or porcion of devyded among systers" (sic), dated 12 July "... in ye thyrde & forth yeares off ye reynes of sir philipe & marye ..." [i.e. 1556/7], appears to be initialed by the scribe "P W" and signed "William Pa[x?]er of the towne of Congleton within the [county of Cheshire]" (f. 63r). This may perhaps relate to the fact that Simon Felbrigg had three daughters (Alana, Anne, and Elizabeth) by his marriage to Margaret, and no further offspring by his second marriage; Anne was the owner of the Felbrigge Psalter in the British Library (Sloane MS 2400), whose calendar includes the added obits of her parents Simon and Margaret. Inscribed "L EAMES FAVELL"(?) (f. 10, upper margin). Inscribed, s. XIX, in purple pencil with a price and reference number "[£]20/-/- 376(?)" (front pastedown, upper left); and with brown ink price-codes(?) (front pastedown, upper right corner, and f. 1, upper left corner, both very indistinct). George Folliott (d. 1851), of Vicars Cross, Chester; "sold by the joint direction of his daughter, Mrs. E. I. E. Folingsby Walker [d. 1931] ... and her son James Folingsby Walker" at Sotheby's, 12 May, 1930, lot 73, at which time it had 77 leaves and "four full-page miniatures between the calendar and the beginning of the text, seven large historiated initials with full bar and scroll borders", the miniatures representing Sts Margaret, Catherine, George, and the Crucifixion; "In addition to these miniatures are three contemporary pen-and-ink drawings on fly-leaves, one a remarkable full-page pen drawing of St. Christopher" (the latter is reproduced as a full-page plate in the catalog, but it represents John the Baptist with the Agnus dei, not Christopher); bought by "Harris, T." for £155, probably the dealer Tomás Harris (1908–64), of the Spanish Art Gallery, London, who was presumably responsible for removing the four full-page miniatures, historiated initials, and flyleaves with drawings (in addition to being an art dealer, Harris was an MI5 agent and was awarded the OBE in 1945; see ODNB). Inscribed in pencil, March 1946(?): "Sarum Missal / Export Mar. '46". Endowment for Biblical Research, Brookline, Mass., Zion MS 13; inscribed in pencil "Zion MS. 13" (f. 1, upper right corner; cf. box); fol. 65 inscribed "Zion 13 / fol. 66*" (upper right corner); deacessioned after 1985. Sam Fogg Rare Books Ltd, London, acquired by the Huntington through the Library Collectors' Council in January 1999.
