Eighteenth-century work of private devotion, written by a woman in a very clear and legible hand, containing more than 30 German songs and prayers. The manuscript opens with a beautifully drawn title page with the Geertruy Möhlman (dates unknown), who was likely the author of the manuscript. Although we have not been able to find any records of her, she calls herself a "Bethanien Bürger" in the second prayer on the recto of leaf [20], which means she may have been a nun or religious lay woman. The first half of the manuscript contains songs. The first, titled Hilff, herr Jesu las gelingen, was written by Johan Rist (1607-1667), and was often sung on New Year's eve. The second, Was soll Unglück mich betrüben, is attributed to Sophie Eleonore von Limpurg-Gaildorf (1655-1722), and was first published in 1676. The remaining songs are anonymous. However, the lyrics are usually written to an already existing melody, which is mentioned. As such, it is possible that the lyrics were written by Möhlman herself. After the songs follow several prayers in German. Several songs and prayers in Dutch have been added in a later hand. These are written in the same vein and in the same lay-out as the rest of the work, and have been singed "N. Saverding" on the final fly leaf.
With an inscription in French on the recto of the first free flyleaf, and mostly faded annotation in coloured pencil on the end leaves at the back. The leather on the boards is somewhat dried and cracked, the edges and corners of the boards are scuffed, the spine has been rubbed, with a small compartment cut out from the middle of the spine, revealing a title. Some of the leaves are lightly foxed, an ink stain on the recto of leaf [24]. Otherwise in good condition.