This leaf from a book of hours is of interest because it is in the Dutch language. Vernacular books of hours were written in French, and much more rarely in English, but the Dutch seem to have had a particular fondness for saying their personal devotions in their native language. A fairly standard version is the translation by Geert Grote, founder of the Brethren of the Common Life, a movement to involve people more directly in their own spiritual life. This does not seem to have attracted the same adverse interest by the church authorities as the Lollard movement in England. This work was immensely popular, particularly in the northern Netherlands, and many examples survive.

The verso of this page shows a fine illuminated initial adorned with fancy penwork, indicating that, despite their small size (The page is around 13 x 9 cm.), these could be elegant productions of their kind. Unfortunately the predelictions of fanciers of medieval painting in the past have meant that many books of this type have been dismembered in order to remove the miniatures, leaving orphaned leaves floating around to be collected by those who realise that books also contain writing. To see what the whole productions were like, you have to visit museums or libraries which have retained intact volumes.

The vellum of the page is worked very fine and white, so that it is translucent and both sides look pretty much the same. The ink ruling lines for drawing up the page are very apparent. The script is a very respectable Gothic textura, exactly as would be found in a Latin volume. This leaf contains prayers relating to the Passion of Christ, with indulgences. As with other books of hours, the content was not absolutely fixed, particularly in relation to additional special prayers.