PRAYERS AND DEVOTIONS TO THE VIRGIN MARY, Itinerarium seu peregrinatio beatae virginis Mariae, in Latin, decorated manuscript on paper [Swizerland? or Germany, c.1480s]

A charming devotional manuscript with elaborate penwork initials, likely a precursor to the Swiss and German printed editions.

ii + 16 + vi leaves, complete, c.35-38 lines, ruled space: 169 x 99mm, 10 decorated penwork initials in red, blue and brown ink (some marginal spotting and thumbing, a few wormholes). 19th-century green morocco gilt signed by William Turner Morrell (1840-1880). Modern red velvet box.

Provenance: (1) Written in Germany or Switzerland in the final quarter of the 16th century. The manuscript appears to be contemporaneous with or perhaps a little earlier than the very first printed editions of the text, namely Ulm: Johann Reger, about 1487-88 (ISTC ii00218700; GW M15415; Bod-inc I-047) and Basel: Lienhart Ysenhut, about 1489 (ISTC ii00219000; GW M15411; Bod-inc I-048). (2) J. P. R. Lyell (1871-1948), bibliophile and collector: his bookplate on inside upper cover. Sold by Quaritch, cat. 699 (1952), no 88, likely to: (3) Libreria la Bibliofila, Milan: their bookplate on inside upper cover.

Content: Itinerarium seu peregrinatio beatae virginis Mariae, arranged in seven parts according to the stages of Mary's life, beginning 'Subsequens oratio de beata virgine et dei genitrice': preface f.1-2; part I ff.2-3v; part II ff.3v-5v; part III ff.5v-7v; part IV ff.7v-9; part V ff.9-12; part VI ff.12-14; part VII ff.14-16v.

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