Medieval & Renaissance Manuscripts

Book of Hours
France, Saint-Omer, between 1320 and 1329
MS M.754 fol. 20r

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Decorated initial S of Psalm 129:01 (Vulg., 128:01), Sepe expugnauerunt me a iuuentute mea.
Decorated initial U of Hymn, Ueni creator spiritus mentes, enclosing bust of soldier wearing helmet and chain mail.
Decorated initial A of Chapter, Abluti estis et sanctificati estis in nomine domini nostri, enclosing crowned hybrid man.
Two decorated initials, G and U enclosing hybrid animals.
Margins decorated with rectilinear and curvilinear foliate stems, and balls.
Margin, upper, inhabited by hybrid man grasping body of hybrid serpent; rabbit with forepaws raised, lying on back, on line ending.
Margin, lower, inhabited by two monkeys, one looking at mirror, seated on leaf, the other wearing hat and trousers, holding spherical object, possibly ball, and hybrid woman, forming part of foliate stem, wearing snood with fillet, raising hands toward ball, or catching ball above (burlesque, ball-playing in right margin).
Margin, right, inhabited by standing monkey with joined hands raised.
Line endings decorated.