[MANUSCRIT]. [CHARTREUX] Ritual and collection of prayers and blessings (use of the Carthusian monks of Montmerle) In Latin and French, decorated manuscript on paper France, Bresse (Carthusian monastery of Montmerle (Ain)), manuscript dated 1515 118 ff, preceded by a sheet of ruled paper with inscriptions (list of the virtues of the monk; list of the capital sins), complete with the central part, missing in the part added at the end of the manuscript (collation: i14, ii12, iii12, iv12, v12, vi12, vii12, viii12, ix12, x6 (of 12, leaves vii-xii cut out, probably blank?), xi3 (the first leaves of the final quire are missing)), signatures of quires, cursive writing in brown ink, ruled in ink (justification : 72 x 110 mm), headings in red, some initials painted in red with watermarked decoration. Bound in havana calf on wood, spine with 3 nerves (leather missing on the spine, visible nerves), boards with cold-stamped decoration, triple framing with repeated motifs, small irons with Agnus Dei, flower (rose) and fleur-de-lys, paper counter-guards (reuse of old documents), brass clasp. Binding restored to its original state, boards stained and rubbed, some lacerations to the leather (lower board), some wormholes; some ink discharges and acidic ink in places towards the end of the manuscript, some paper tears with lower corners missing. Dimensions: 110 x 150 mm. Rare ritual for the Carthusian monks of the abbey of Montmerle, an important Bresse foundation, also witnessing the bilingualism in the abbeys, alternating between Latin and French in the administration of the rites. This manuscript has the particularity of including several "colophons" which punctuate the codex, giving a dating and very precious copyist elements. A colophon (fol. 12) reveals that the manuscript was made at the request of the prior of the Abbey of Montmerle, Jean Chiurelli in 1515. The Charterhouse of Notre-Dame de Montmerle du Val-Saint-Etienne (Domus Sanctae Marie Montismerulae) was a men's abbey, located in the present-day department of the Ain, in the commune of Lescheroux. Originally a Benedictine priory founded in 1070, it passed to the Carthusian monks in 1210, adopting the rule of Saint Bruno and detaching itself from its dependence on the Abbey of Joug-Dieu. It was the richest of the Bresse houses and was often able to help the others, especially during the Franco-Savoyard wars. Among the many benefactors were the lords of Bâgé and Coligny, as well as the bishop of Mâcon. In the year 1280, by concession of the count Amédée V of Savoy and his wife Sibylle de Bâgé, the Charterhouse became a powerful seigniory with high, medium and low justice on the men and fiefs which depend on it. However, it was tested by the conquest of Franche-Comté by Richelieu during the Ten Years' War: a new monastery was built in a new location further from the river and the community moved there in 1664. It was dispersed in 1792 and the conventual buildings were almost entirely destroyed. According to the Cartusian tradition, the Carthusian monastery bears the arms of its founder Hugues, Lord of Asnières, which are emblazoned as follows: "Of ermine, with a fess denchy of gules". See: André Genton and Gabriel Rude, Montmerle : la chartreuse oubliée, Bourg-en-Bresse, 1999. TEXT f. 1, Contemporary inscriptions (list of the monk's virtues; list of the seven deadly sins); f. 1v, blank page; ff. 2-8, Passion of Christ according to St. John [date on fol. 8: "Scriptum in Monte Merula per me F.A.P.R. 1515"]; ff. 8v-12, Various prayers, first heading, Item dic pro agonizante [for the dying] (fol. 8v); long colophon (fol. 12): "Anno domini millesimo Vc quintodecimo quinta januarii scriptum in domo Montismerule ordinis cartusiensis ad instantiam venerabilis patris prioris Johannis Chiurelli eiusdem domus cui pertinent. Si in aliqua domo ordinis reperietur restituatur eidem et domini predicte montismerule. Le Petit Andrieu" [Le Petit Andrieu or "Andrieu Le Petit" may be the copyist; the initials "AP" are found elsewhere in a colophon]; ff. 12v-13v, ruled blank leaves; ff. 14-28, Ritual for visiting the sick, last sacraments administered to the dying, ritual for burials and sepulchres, in Latin and French, introduced by a long heading: "Quedam exhortationes visitandi infirmum..."; followed by "Sequitur modum in ungendi infirmum secundum ritus de ordinem cartusiensium..."; ff. 28-29, Ritual of visitation of monks, nuns and lay monks; ff. 29-33, Litanies (note St. Bruno, patron saint of the Carthusians, fol. 30v) and prayers; ff. 33-61, Funeral Ritual, with final colophon: "Laus deo 1515. 2 januarii. Iste libellus est domus montismerule or