Graduale Romanum: de tempore, et sanctis. Iuxta ritum missalis, ex decreto sacrosancti Concilii Tridentini restituti et Pii V. pont[ificis] maximi iussu editi. Cum calendario gregoriano, & officiis s[acro]s[anctis], ex praecepto Sixti V. et s[ancti] d[omini] n[ostri] Clementis VIII.

Folio: [22 (of 24)]-845-[1]-ccxxvi-[8] pp. (occ. soiling, some ff. reinforced, marg. tiny wormholes in last quires, occ. contemp. ms. annot., 1st and last ff. sl. loosening, marg. tears in last ff.).

17th-c. blind-st. and roll-st. calf, spine with raised bands, iron bosses, rivets, clasps and catches (large scratches, spine faded, head and central boss of lower cover missing). Good inside copy.

Impressive graduale (51 x 32,5 x 13,5 cm; ca. 13 kg!) printed in large types in black and red, preceeded by the calendar, agremented with musical scores and ill. with ornamental black or black and red initials, incl. 2 signed "PB" (= Peeter van der Borcht). Engr. ill. designed by Maarten de Vos and printed by Lynken van Lanckvelt: title (46 x 27 cm) figuring angels making music (above), and the celebration of the Mass (lower half) with King David to the left and St Cecila to the right; and the Annunciation (28 x 18,5 cm) surrounded by a red typographical border of fleurons. The edition was partly supported by Mathias Hovius (1542-1620), archbishop of Mechelen, and Vaast de Grenet (d. 1603), abbot of Saint-Bertin. Without the 2 unsigned folios, usually inserted after f. *2, which contains de Grenet's dedication to Clemens VIII. Enriched with "Prose de S. Augustin", ms. hymn with musical notation, 4 ff.
Ref. Imhof (Moretus) G-19. - BT 1319. - Pettegree (NB) 10734 = USTC  407080.
Prov. Hermès Le Clercq (d. 1629), physician of the city of Tournai, gave this book to the monastery of Prés Porchin in Tournai for the protection of the souls of his daughters Jeanne, Marguerite (abbess, 1618-1654) and Agnès, nuns in the monastery (ms. entry 1613).