Henry Suso's Buchlein der ewigen Weisheit is a fourrteenth-century devotional and meditational work, written in High Alemannic dialect. Meliora Muheim (d. 1630), later Prioress of the convent of Hermetschwil, acquired the parchment manuscript from a Zürich bookbinder in 1598 (Ir). (ron)

This manuscript contains a collection of prayers in Bohemian; eight prayers are attributed to Johannes of Neumarkt (around 1310-1380), an early representative of Bohemian humanism. The manuscript is decorated with several red and blue initials. An image of the Arma Christi used to be glued onto f. 39r, of which only residue remains. (sau)

This large-format antiphonary, with rich fleuronné decoration from the second quarter of the 14th century, contains the chants of the Office from Pentecost to the beginning of Advent. It was written for the St. Leonhard Monastery of Augustinian canons in Basel and only came to Muri Abbey in modern times. (gam)

Pontifical rites for Johannes Feierabend, Abbot of the Cloister at Muri from 1500 through 1508. On July 12, 1507 Pope Julius II conferred the pontifical upon Abbot Johannes Feierabend and his successors. (pel)

The Italian Dominican Jacobus de Varagine, known as the author of the Legenda aurea, wrote not only lives of the saints, but also extensive cycles of sermons. This collection from the first half of the 14th century contains about 340 sermons for all Sundays and holidays of the church year. In 1553 it came to the library of Muri Abbey. (gam)

This 15th century Missale speciale contains the formulas for the Mass for the highest holidays of the church year (Christmas, Epiphany, Easter, Ascension, Pentecost, Trinity Sunday, Michaelmas, All Saints' Day and the dedication of the church) as well as for the Mass for the dead and for several votive Masses. This compilation was suited for worship service in a chapel. An image of the crucifixion of Christ has been removed from this manuscript. (gam)

The history of the early Christian church by the Greek church father Eusebius of Caesarea was translated into Latin by Rufinus of Aquileia and continued until the end of the 4th century. In this manuscript from the second half of the 13th century, each of the eleven books of church history begins with distinctive multicolored initials. (gam)

This 12th century manuscript with commentaries on the four Gospels is probably from Alsace. This is suggested by the history of the founding of the Benedictine monastery of St. Faith in Sélestat, added on the last pages. In 1530, the manuscript was owned by Johannes Schornegg, parish priest in Muri. (gam)

This composite manuscript consists of an incunable from Freiburg i. Br. from 1494 and two parts in manuscript, which were copied in 1498 and 1499 by Brother Johannes Bengel, Conventual at Alpirsbach Abbey in the Black Forest. The three texts on scholastic logic are by Peter of Spain and by Petrus Tartaretus, a contemporaneous Parisian philosopher whose mnemonic device, a logical figure called pons asinorum has also been copied. (gam)

First volume (Temporale) of the two-volume gradual with liturgical songs that Abbot Laurentius of Heidegg from Muri Abbey purchased from the convent of canonesses at Säckingen in 1532, after the furnishings of Muri Abbey, along with the liturgical books, were destroyed in the Second War of Kappel. The abbot had the large pen-flourish initial at the beginning painted over with the miter, the abbatial crozier, his own coat of arms and that of the abbey. (gam)

Second volume (sanctorale) of the two-volume gradual, which Abbot Laurentius of Heidegg from Muri Abbey purchased from the convent of canonesses at Säckingen in 1532, after the furnishings of Muri Abbey, along with the liturgical books, were destroyed in the Second War of Kappel. The abbot had the large pen-flourish initial at the beginning painted over with the miter, the abbatial crozier, his own coat of arms and that of the abbey. (gam)

First volume (winter part) of the two-volume antiphonary with the chants of the Liturgy of the Hours; it was used alternately with MsMurFm9. This large-format manuscript from the 15th century is largely unadorned. On the basis of the responsories of the Advent season, it can be assigned to the Cistercian Order. (gam)

Second volume (summer part) of the two-volume antiphonary that was used alternately with MsMurFm6. This large-format manuscript from the 15th century is largely unadorned. On the basis of the feasts of saints (Bernard of Clairvaux, Edmund of Abingdon, Robert of Molesme), it can be assigned to the Cistercian Order. (gam)

This breviary from the second half of the 14th century contains the texts for the Divine Office for the entire liturgical year. According to the wording of the prayers and the rubrics in German, it was meant for a convent of Benedictine nuns; several antiphons suggest the area around Engelberg Abbey and Muri Abbey. (gam)

This extensive breviary, with rubrics in German, was produced around 1300 for a convent of Dominican nuns. Over the next two centuries, various hands added new rhymed offices to the end, most of them to Dominican saints. In the 17th century, the breviary was the property of Wurmsbach Abbey, a convent of Cistercian nuns on Lake Zurich. (gam)

This small format missal, written in 1483, was used by members of the Franciscan order, as can be deduced from the calendar that precedes it. In the 16th century, it belonged to Rudolf Gwicht, Conventual at Muri, who later became abbot of Engelberg Abbey. In the calendar, he recorded his entry into the monastery and added his coat of arms to the back pastedown. (gam)

Part two (New Testament) of an illuminated three-volume bible (of which MsWettF 1 and MsWettF 2 remain), probably bequeathed to the cloister of Wettingen by Rudolph Schwerz, choirmaster of the Grossmunster Cathedral of Zurich and pastor of Altdorf. The origin of the Biblia Sacra is not documented, but it is assumed that it originated in the Zurich art circle. There is some text loss because certain initials have been cut out. (wue)

A richly illustrated Swiss chronicle in three parts, or books. The newest and most comprehensive book (Part I) contains the origin and history of the Confederation up to the 14th century. The oldest book (Part II) contains a description of the Burgundian wars of the 15th century. The subsequent book (Part III) describes selected events from the history of the Confederation during the 15th and 16th centuries, such as the deposition of Hans Waldmann (1489) and the Battle of Marignano (1515), and contains an illustrated catalog of ordnance captured in the Swabian War of 1499. (pel)

A richly illustrated Swiss chronicle in three parts, or books. The newest and most comprehensive book (Part I) contains the origin and history of the Confederation up to the 14th century. The oldest book (Part II) contains a description of the Burgundian wars of the 15th century. The subsequent book (Part III) describes selected events from the history of the Confederation during the 15th and 16th centuries, such as the deposition of Hans Waldmann (1489) and the Battle of Marignano (1515), and contains an illustrated catalog of ordnance captured in the Swabian War of 1499. (pel)

The Eidgenössische Chronik by Werner Schodoler (1490-1541) is in chronological order the last of the illustrated Swiss Chronicles of the late Middle Ages. It was written by private initiative between 1510 and 1535 and took as its model primarily the Official Bernese Chronicle - Amtliche Berner Chronik - by Diebold Schilling and the Chronicle - Kronica - by Petermann Etterlin. This volume, the third and last of the Chronicle, presents the events of the Burgundian Wars and the Swabian War; it ends with the Italian military campaigns, among others the Battle of Marignano on September 13th and 14th 1515, in which presumably the author himself took part. The volume is illustrated with 196 uncolored pen sketches by an anonymous artist. Today the three volumes are held in different libraries: the first volume is in the Leopold-Sophien-Bibliothek in Überlingen, the second in the City Archives in Bremgarten, and the third in the Cantonal Library of Aargau. (ber)