Manuscript in the hand of Gabera ʼEgaziʼabeḥér, containing miracles of Mary, Ff. 1r–3v: Introduction to the Miracles of Mary, መቅድመ: ተአምረ: ማርያም: ዘሙዓልቃ:, to be read on Sundays, explaining the feast days of Mary; Ff. 3v–5r: Second, shorter Introduction to the Miracles of Mary, ስምዑ እነግረክሙ, to be read Monday through Saturday; ff. 5r–193r One Hundred Fifty Two Miracles of Mary, Varia: ff. iv rv: Hymn to Mary, “I Prostrate Before You,” እሰግድ ለኪ., and Illuminations: ff. ii v: an illustration of the first of the miracles of Mary contained in the book. Mary sits on throne (left) and holds out a cloth in her left hand to a man seated before her (right) and who is copying a book; above right an angel hovers; on the far left, behind Mary, stands another angel; f. iii r: an angel armed with two spears stands (left) before a man who has fallen on his back, with feet in the air (right); f. 48v: The Annunciation; f. 69v: Our Lady Mary, Enthroned. f. 108v: The Weighing of Souls (Mary on the left; Satan(?) on the right; f. 117r: Our Lady Mary with the Body of Jesus, flanked by two angels; f. 128v: A saint kneels at left before a crucifix; a king sits enthroned on the right with several men looking on; f. 141v: The burial of Mary, where King David plays the harp to her
Description:
In Geʻez., Leather bound between wooden boards with four chain stitches. In black and red ink. Three columns, 26-27 lines per page. There is fine cloth between the turndowns on the inside back cover., Detailed illustrations in the first flyleaves, depicting Mary, among many other human and angelic figures. Decorative headpieces throughout. Some marginalia. Numerical markings at the beginning of each quire. Various illuminated pages throughout the text depicting the life and miracles of Mary., 1868-1913 (ff. 5r and passim) mention Emperor Menilek, 1868–1913; and f. 195v mentions Ras Mikael of Wollo, 1850–1918); the harags also indicate production in the Menilek scriptorium., and 1. The last of the miracles (ff. 193v–195v) is written in a different hand and dated in the time of “Our King Mika’el,” i.e., Ras Mikael of Wollo, 1850–1918.; 2. Inside cover contains the ownership plate of Yale University Library, Gift of Laurence and Cora Witten; 3. f. ir: written in the upper left corner [12210]; 4. Ff. i v–ii r, iii v, and 69r are blank.