Add. 49999, f.75 Initial 'D' depicting A Woman at Prayer, illustration from the 'De Brailes...

The "De Brailes Hours" in the British Library (MS Add. 49999) is the earliest surviving separate English book of hours (it has incorrectly been claimed to be the earliest anywhere, and the prototype of the form), the type of book that was to become the leading vehicle for illumination in the late Middle Ages. It was probably created for an unknown laywoman whose generic "portrait" is shown four times. It has been suggested she was from North Hinksey near Oxford, and possibly called Suzanna. Signed twice by "W. de Brail", adding once "q[ui]. me depeint" ("who painted me"). Despite its small size of 150 x 123 mm, it contains a large number of historiated initials and full page miniatures introducing sections.