The Vaux Passional is an illuminated manuscript from the late fifteenth to early sixteenth century. With thirty-four large miniatures in the style of the Flemish School it is one of the most elaborately decorated manuscripts in the collection of the National Library of Wales in Aberystwyth. It retains an original binding of wooden boards covered in velvet from the early sixteenth century. The volume contains the book plate of Watkin Williams of Penbedw. The first section of the manuscript, La Passion de Nostre Seigneur, which was originally translated from Latin into French for Isabelle of Bavaria in 1398, is almost identical to several other Passion de Jésus-Christ manuscripts such as Bibliothèque de l'Arsenal MSS. 2038 and 2386, and Bibliothèque Mazarine MS. 949. Thirty-three of the thirty-four miniatures accompany this text. The presentation page shows Henry VII and his children, Margaret, Mary and the future Henry VIII, mourning the death of Elizabeth of York, his wife and their mother. The king is clad in robes of mourning; in the background his daughters, wearing black hoods, kneel in front of a fire; and behind them their brother Henry, dressed in a green smock, clasps his arms around his head and weeps on his mother's deathbed. A poem Le miroir de la mort by Georges Chastellain is the second text in the manuscript. Gwendoline and Margaret Davies of Gregynog purchased this manuscript and donated it to the National Library in 1921. It was one of the manuscripts that were not included in the sale of the Peniarth Manuscripts to Sir John Williams.
Binding
The Vaux Passional is a rare example in the National Library of Wales of a manuscript from the middle ages that retains its original late-medieval binding. The wooden boards, which are visible in places, are covered in crimson velvet. There are marks on the upper cover that were left by the brass bosses that adorned the volume, which was probably bound in a London workshop early in the 16th century. Peniarth 481 is also bound in its original crimson velvet and retains the five brass bosses.
Full-page miniatures
File:Vaux_Passional._Henry_VIII_.jpg|f. 9 Presentation page File:Raising_of_Lazarus_.jpg|f. 11r Raising of Lazarus File:Christ_and_disciples_at_table_in_the_house_of_Symeon_the_leper,_with_Mary_Magdalen_and_Martha_serving_.jpg|f. 14 House of Symeon File:Mary_Magdalen_anointing_Christ%E2%80%99s_feet_.jpg|f. 15v Christ and St Mary Magdalen File:Entry_into_Jerusalem_.jpg|f. 17v Entry into Jerusalem File:Two_scenes_in_the_Temple_Christ,_the_woman_taken_in_adultery,_and_Pharisees,_Christ_drives_out_the_money-changers_.jpg|f. 20v Two scenes in the Temple File:Christ_disputing_in_the_Temple_.jpg|f. 23v Finding in the Temple File:Christ_tells_his_mother_of_what_is_to_come;_Judas_on_his_way_to_the_chief_priest;_Judas_bargaining_with_the_chief_priests_and_receiving_his_silver_.jpg|f. 27v Three scenes with Christ and Judas File:The_two_disciples,_Peter_and_John,_are_sent_to_prepare_the_Passover_.jpg|f. 32 St Peter and St John at Passover File:Christ_praying_in_the_garden_of_Gethsemane._Two_shields_of_unidentified_arms_in_borders,_with_motto_%E2%80%9CEntre_tenir_Dieu_le_viuelle%E2%80%9D_.jpg|f. 40 Christ at Gethsemane File:The_Betrayal_Peter_raises_his_sword;_Judas_hangs_himself_.jpg|f. 45v Two scenes with St Peter and Judas File:The_Buffeting_before_the_high_priest_Mary_faints_in_John%E2%80%99s_arms_outside_the_gate._One_of_the_unidentified_shields_of_arms_repeated_in_border_.jpg|f. 51 St Mary and St John before the high priest File:Christ_before_Pilate,_and_before_Herod;_angels_in_border_.jpg|f. 54v Christ before Herod and Pilate File:The_Scourging_.jpg|f. 63 Scourging of Christ File:Christ_before_Pilate,_with_Pilate_washing_his_hands_.jpg|f. 70 Christ before Pilate File:Christ_is_nailed_to_the_Cross;_Mary_and_another_pray_in_border_.jpg|f. 76 Crucifixion of Christ File:The_Crucifixion_Christ_on_the_Cross_between_two_thieves_.jpg|f. 80 Crucifixion with thieves File:The_Crucifixion_Christ_dead_on_the_Cross,_with_the_Virgin_Mary,_John_and_the_Three_Maries_mourning_.jpg|f. 92v Pieta File:The_Crucifixion_Longinus_pierces_Christ%E2%80%99s_side_.jpg|f. 98v Longinus pierces Christ File:The_Deposition_Christ%E2%80%99s_body_is_removed_from_the_Cross_.jpg|f. 103 Deposition File:Entombment_.jpg|f. 108v Entombment File:The_Virgin,_John_and_the_other_mourners_leave_the_sealed_tomb_.jpg|f. 117v Departure from sealed tomb File:Carimes_and_Lentius_writing_their_narrative_of_the_harrowing_of_hell;_Christ_harrowing_hell_.jpg|f. 120 Carimes and Lentius File:Harrowing_of_hell_Christ_leads_Adam_by_the_hand._On_scroll_in_border,_the_motto_%27Entre_tenir_Dieu_le_viuelle%27_.jpg|f. 125 Harrowing of hell File:The_Resurrection_Beaufort_arms_in_border_.jpg|f. 131 Resurrection with Beaufort arms File:Christ_appears_to_Mary_Magdalen_as_a_gardener__.jpg|f. 134v Noli me tangere File:Christ_appears_to_two_disciples_on_the_road_to_Emmaus_.jpg|f. 137 Christ at Emmaus File:The_incredulity_of_Thomas,_who_places_his_finger_in_the_wound_.jpg|f. 142v Doubts of St Thomas File:The_Ascension_.jpg|f. 148 Ascension File:Pentecost_descent_of_the_Holy_Ghost_as_a_dove_.jpg|f. 151 Holy Ghost at Pentecost File:Siege_and_destruction_of_Jerusalem_.jpg|f. 155v Siege of Jerusalem File:Pilate_sends_Albanus_to_the_Emperor_Tiberius._Albanus_is_wrecked_on_the_coast_of_Spain_.jpg|f. 172 Pilate and Albanus File:The_Emperor_sends_Vespasian_with_an_army_to_destroy_the_Jews_.jpg|f. 177v Caesar and Vespasian File:Young_woman%E2%80%99s_corpse_lying_on_the_ground,_youth_stands_holding_a_mirror_at_her_feet;_an_older_man_sits_gazing_at_the_scene_.jpg|f. 186 Le Miroir de la Mort, frontispiece File:Peniarth 482D f. 196r.jpg|f. 196r Illuminated page
