1000

 

1041

Lady Godiva of Coventry bequeathed to the Benedictine priory she founded a set of gems threaded on a cord that she used to recite her prayers.(Winston-Allen)

1100

 

1200

 

1300

 

1393

The Goodman of Paris (Le Menagier de Paris) writes:
"After this is the Paternoster which teaches us to call Him Father and to pray Him to forgive us our trespasses as we forgive them that trespass against us, and to lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil, Amen. Then is said thrice the Agnus Dei, praying God to have mercy upon us and give us peace; which may be taken as to have mercy upon us and give us peace; which may be taken as peace between body and soul, that the body may be obedient to the soul, or peace between us and our enemies, in whatsoever sense it is understood." First section, third article.

1400

 

1434

Jean Arnolfini and Jeanne Cenani, his wife . Portrait by Jan Van Eyck.(The Trustees, The National Gallery, London)

29 beads(amber, crystal, or glass (?)), greenish tassles on both ends.

I've read in a couple places that Van Eyck was fascinated with light and reflections. To me, it looks like the Paternoster hanging on the back wall is made of some sort of yellow-reddish clear crystal that is concentrating light into a golden "shadow" behind the beads.

1475

Earliest known rosary book. [Dis ist] Unser lyben frowen Rosenkrantz und wie er von ersten offkummen (This is Our lady's rosary and how it first came to be).(Winston-Allen)

1483

First printing of Von dem psalter vnnd Rosenkrancz vnser lieben frauen (About the Psalter and Rosary of Our Lady). Reprinted 7 times from 1483-1502.(Winston-Allen)

Exemplum 10 of Ulm handbook tells how a knight was instructed to make a set out of five stones: (1) a multicolored stone to signify one's manifold sins; (2) a light one to represent unpredictable death (which is, indeed, certain in the future); (3) a red one for the Last Judgement; (4) a black one for hell; and (5) a golden one to represent the glory and joy of the saints. (Winston-Allen)

Bibliography:

Winston-Allen, Anne, Stories of the Rose: the Making of the Rosary in the Middle Ages. Pennsylvania State University Press, University Park, PA, 1999.

Power, Eileen, trans. The Goodman of Paris. Avon: The Folio Society, 1992. Reprint of the original edition of 1928.

Other resources:
Paternosters group on Yahoo!

Copyright © 2004-2006 Monica Kroger.