From the Prayer Book of a Very Early Mendicant Franciscan in the 1200s

One of the leaves references Francis’s meeting with the Sultan in Damietta, Egypt, during the Fifth Crusade, an event not too long before the writing of this manuscript

St. Francis of Assisi remains one of the most venerated figures in Christianity. He is a patron saint of Italy and founder of the Franciscan Order. He believed that nature itself was the mirror of God. He called all creatures his “brothers” and “sisters”, and even preached to the birds. He is closely associated with nature and the environment.

The Franciscans, an order established in 1210 prior to his death, were an urban rather than a rural religious order. They lived lives that involved wandering, preaching, begging, and poverty. The image of a the mendicant monk, holding his book and ministering to the people, derives in many ways from the work of Francis. The Englishman Roger Bacon was one such mendicant Franciscans.

13th century Italy was in many ways prospering, having remained independent and serving a primary commercial role. All this would come screeching to a halt a few years later with the arrival of the Black Plague.

Francis of Assisi died in 1226 but his order continued (and continues). Pope Gregory IX canonized him shortly thereafter 1228, after which point he became Saint Francis.

The mendicant monks in his order brought their books of worship to the townspeople throughout Europe, no more so than in Italy. The Breviary was an important medieval text for his purpose, containing the prayers, hymns, readings and other religious texts for daily use. With the canonization of Francis, the words of Francis could now become part of those daily offices and be put into the Breviary. Franciscan writer and historian Julian of Speyer wrote what for a period was the definitive text on Francis to be recited by worshippers. Julian died in 1250.

Twenty decorated 13th century medieval manuscripts, likely from the religious book (breviary) of a mendicant Franciscan monk, Italy, likely Northern, on vellum, a very early reference to the worship of St. Francis, as well as Anthony Padua, whose death and canonization followed shortly after that of Francis. These portions are the original authorship of Speyer. They represent an incredibly early witness to the rise of the veneration of Saint Anthony and Saint Francis; this set of 20 leaves (40 sides) showcases hagiographic-liturgical text by Speyer and an intricately decorated initial, in typical red and blue Italian fashion, heralding the opening of Psalm 1. The set also contains works attributed to Augustine, Ado of Vienne, Freculf of Lisieux, pseudo-John of Chrysostom, Pope John I, Hrabnus Maurus, and Ambrose.

Selections in Latin:

Julian of Speyer’s Office of Saint Francis

…clementiae. Hunc sequantur huic iun-gantur qui ex Egypto exeunt…
…con-ducas et iducas ad cenam agni providi. Amen.

The Office of Saint Anthony

En gratulemur hodie Christo regi io-cundi(us) ad cu(ius) aula gl(or)ie iam iubi-lat Antoni(us)…
… ac <com>par utrique (con)ditor p(ara)clit(us) h(oc) spirutus. Amen.

It is written in Southern Gothic Textualis. A visually arresting 13-line illuminated initial B with additional harping and beading pen flourishes, accompany the opening words to Psalm 1, Beatus Uir, which the scribe has written in alternating red and blue with details in the opposite color.

This collection was acquired decades ago from the late Robert Batchelder, who had it himself for years.