PBA Galleries

6 illuminated leaves on stiff card, each leaf tab-mounted and backed with moire silk, interleaved with glassine protective sheets. 31.5x27 cm (12½x10½") newly bound in full blue morocco with a blue and white calf onlay on the front featuring the Cross of St. Andrew, the flag of Scotland. Slipcase. Bound by Keith Felton of Toronto.

Each leaf richly illuminated in various colors and gilt, the text in a handsome calligraphic script in black with initial letters and words in colors, within elaborately decorated and illustrated borders. Nine hand-painted scenes of various sizes, most of battles on land and at sea, adorn the leaves. The manuscript is signed at the lower right of the second leaf, W.H. James, the date 1877 has been added in pencil. Attributed to William Henry James Weale, British art historian, pioneer in the study of Early Netherlandish painting and a scholar of the history of bookbinding. The poem is the story of Robert the Bruce, the 14th century King of Scots who, on his deathbed, asked that his heart be carried into battle on crusade. Sir James Douglas took the King's heart with him to Spain but, in a battle with the Moors, was killed. Bruce's heart was returned to Scotland and buried in Melrose Abbey, his body was interred at Dunfermline Abbey. The anonymous text appeared in The Catholic World magazine in 1866 as The Legend of the Lockharts", credited as having been reprinted from the English periodical "Once a Week". Each leaf illustrated at pbagalleries.com.