Miscellany including Imitatio Christi, book one; Visio Tnugdali; Tractatus de Purgatorio de Sancti Patricii; Historia de spiritu Guidonis; Historia Udonis Magdeburgensis episcopi; De meditatione passionis Christi; Lignum vitae; Reise ins heilige Land; Visio Philiberti; Dialogus beatae Mariae et Anselmi de passione domini (Latin and Dutch versions); and other texts; In Latin, Low German, and Dutch, decorated manuscript on paper

MISCELLANY WITH ELEVEN IMPORTANT TEXTS REFLECTING THE SPIRITUALITY OF THE MODERN DEVOTION. In Latin, Low German, and Dutch, decorated manuscript on paper, Netherlands (Southeastern?) or West Germany, c. 1460-1480. Dimensions 244 x 143, 222 folios on paper, apparently complete, written by at least four scribes in expert cursive gothic bookhands in 28-30 long lines, seven ORIGINAL TABS or place-markers made from white leather strips, blank spaces for 2-line initials, guide notes for rubricator, majuscules stroked with red, 6- to 2-line red initials. BINDING: modern half-tawed leather and exposed wood, two brass clasp-and-catch fastenings, straps missing, fastening back to front, spine with four raised bands. TEXT: A carefully thought-out miscellany that reflects the spirituality of the Modern Devotion (religious movement) and includes the Imitation of Christ, five visionary texts describing journeys to Heaven and Hell (one copied twice), and six texts on the Passion of Christ. PROVENANCE: Written in the Netherlands, probably in the Southeastern region, or in neighboring Western Germany, c. 1460-80, as indicated by the languages in the manuscript and the watermarks. Later, the manuscript belonged to Rev. A. d. Wagner (1824-1902) of Brighton, a noted collector with a library of more than 12,000 volumes (his ink stamp on f. 4). The manuscript was later owned by Rev. Cecil Deedes (1843-1921), prebendary and librarian of Chichester Cathedral (his note glued inside front cover). Later, Edward Croft-Murray (1907-80), former keeper of prints and drawings at the British Museum, owned the manuscript (ownership note below Deedes's). It was then owned by Joost R. Ritman (b. 1941), Dutch businessman and distinguished collector of art and books, who acquired it from Maggs London in 1993. CONDITION: some water damage but text remains legible, quires reinforced, f. 198 tear, occasional dirty smudges in the outer margins, some soiling and very slight wear along joints of binding, otherwise in very good condition. Full description and images available. (TM 625)