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IM-10056: (100x73mm) Original leaf from a medieval manuscript Psalter.  15 lines of ruled text, written in Latin with dark brown ink on animal vellum. Two two-line illuminated initials in burnished gold on a blue and red ground with delicate white tracery extending into the margin with an ivy leaf design in burnished gold; nine one-line illuminated initials alternating in blue with red pen-work and burnished gold with violet  pen-work.  France, c. 1450-75.

The two-line illuminated “N” begins Psalm 123 (King James 124) complete: “Nisi…” (If it had not been that the Lord was with us, let Israel now say:  If it had not been that the Lord was with us.  When men rose up against...Our soul hath been delivered as a sparrow out of the snare of the fowlers.  The snare is broken, and we are delivered.  Our help is in the name of the Lord, who made heaven and earth..  The two-line illuminated “Q” begins Psalm 124 (KJ 125) 1-3: “Qui...” (They that trust in the Lord shall be as mount Sion:  he shall not be moved forever that dwelleth in Jerusalem...).

The devout were expected to engage in a series of daily devotions, structured around the reading of the Psalms. In the Middle Ages all 150 psalms were to be recited each day, but as this proved impractical, the sequence was restructured to encompass a full week!