[15th century illuminated manuscript]. [NORMANDIE] Hours for the use of Rouen, northern France, second half of the 15th century, circa 1460-1470. Volume 187 × 137 × 50 mm including binding, [125] vellum leaves. Page: 179 × 125 mm. Calendar: lower margin: 57 mm; upper margin: 21 mm; inner margin: 22 mm; outer margin: 42 mm; writing area: 61 × 100 mm; one column of 16 lines; line spacing 6 mm; small lettering 9 × 7 mm; medium lettering: 12 × 26 mm. Body text: lower margin: 63 mm; upper margin: 20 mm; inner margin: 24 mm; outer margin: 40 mm; writing area: 95 × 62 mm, one column of 14 lines per page, 7 mm line spacing; small lettering: 12 × 7 mm; medium lettering: 15 × 15 mm to 27 × 15 mm; large lettering: 28 × 25 mm. Owner's mark erased in lower margin of f. 13r. Some leaves missing. Bound in 19th-century ivory vellum, 5-ribbed spine, gilt "Missale" title, small-iron ornamented coffers, boards bordered by a small-iron frame and double fillet, all gilt, gilt roulette on endpapers, antique gilt edges. Calendar The manuscript opens with a calendar in French and Latin, which now contains only the months from March to September (the others are missing). The liturgical commemorations it contains link this manuscript to the use of the diocese of Rouen. These include Saint Vaast (July 16) and Saint Valery, celebrated locally on April 1. Saint Hugues (April 9) is attested in a breviary and two 15th-century Rouen missals (Leroq. B.539, M.725, M.724), which also feature Saint Eutrope (April 30). Saint Gildart (June 8) is mentioned in many breviaries, missals and diurnals used in the dioceses of Bayeux, Coutances, Évreux, Rouen and Sées (Leroq. B.539, B.572, Lat. 1323, B.620, B.571, B.544, B.545, B.631, B.661, B.660, M.725, M.724, Lat. 1334). Saint Cler (July 18) is commemorated in six breviaries and a missal for use in Bayeux, Coutances, Rouen, Sées and Troarn Troarn (Leroq. B.620, B.571, B.572, B.544, B.631, B.661, M.725). The translation of the relics of Saint Ouen (May 6) is also linked to Rouen custom, as is the feast of Saint Martial (July 3), whose name is inscribed in gold ink. Contents Sequences from the four Gospels (f. 8r-12v): Jn 1, 1-13 [missing last verse and final oration]; Lc 1, 27-38 (f. 9r-10r) [missing title and verse Lc 1, 26], Mt 2, 1-12 (f. 10r-11v); Mc 16, 14-20 (f. 11v-12v). Hours of the Virgin [incomplete from beginning], f. 13r-55r: matins (f. 13r- 23v); lauds (f. 24r-35v); orations in honor of the Holy Spirit (f. 35v-36r), the Trinity (f. 36r-v), St. Nicholas (f. 36v-37r), St. Catherine (f. 37r-v), all saints (f. 37v-38r), for peace (f. 38r-v); prime (f. 39r-43v); tierce (f. 43v-46v); sexte (f. 46v-50v) [lacks beginning of none]; vespers (f. 50v-55r); Angelus oration (f. 55r). Abbreviated Hours of the Cross (f. 55v-59r): matins (f. 55v-56r); prime (f. 56r-v); tierce (f. 56v-57r); sexte (f. 57r-v); none (f. 57v- 58r); vespers (f. 58r); compline (f. 58r-59v). Hours of the Holy Spirit (f. 59v) [missing matins, prime, tierce and sexte]; end of sexte (f. 60r); none (f. 60r-v); vespers (f. 60v-61r); compline (f. 61r-v) [f. 62 virgin, set]. Penitential psalms (f. 63r-74r) [beginning missing]; litanies of the saints (f. 74v-81r). Hours of the Dead [missing beginning]; vespers (f. 81v-86r); matins (f. 86r-108v); lauds (f. 109r-112v); orations to the Virgin: "Obsecro te Domina" (f. 113r-117r); "O Intemerata" (f. 117r-121r); the Fifteen Joys of Our Lady (in French) (f. 121r-124v). Decor The calendar is decorated with 7 medium-sized initials (12 × 26 mm) and 57 small initials (9 × 7 mm) at the beginning of the saints' names, which are calligraphed in red and blue ink, some in gold ink. The beginning of the canonical hours is indicated by 7 large initials painted in blue, purple and red ink with white highlights on a gold background (28 × 25 mm). The psalms and prayers of the office feature 99 medium-sized initials in gold ink on a blue and purple background (15 × 15 mm to 27 × 15 mm). Small initials (12 × 7 mm) mark the beginning of each biblical verse, treated in the same tones, as do the ornaments at the end of the line. The style of these lettrines, comparable to several books of hours used in Rouen in the last third of the 15th century, can be compared to a book of hours leaf attributed to the master of the Missel de Troyes, active in the 1460s-1470s (Cleveland Museum of Art, inv. 2011.61). The painted decoration is concentrated on the introductory leaves of the main offices. The inner, lower and upper margins of these leaves are decorated with blue and gold scrolls punctuated with floral motifs, alternating with vine scrolls drawn in black ink, the leaves gilded. These ornaments appear at the beginning of the lauds for the Virgin (f. 24r), tierce (f. 43v), sex