Medieval & Renaissance Manuscripts

Moralized Bible
France, Paris, between 1227-1234
MS M.240 fol. 5v

	From top to bottom in left and right columns, eight medallions enclose as follows:
	Left column:
	1A) Apocalypse: New Jerusalem -- Beneath clouds, John, nimbed, raises right hand and his left hand is touched by left hand of nimbed angel, wearing fillet, both beside six wingless angels, wearing fillets, in six gates of city, above ground.
	Biblical quotation, ET SUSTULIT ME IN SPIRITU IN MONTEM MAGNUM ET ALTUM ET OSTENDIT MICHI CIUITATEM SANCTAM IERUSALEM DESCENDENTEM DE CELO A DEO PARATAM, based on Revelation 21:10;
	HABENTEM CLARITATEM DEI. ET LUMEN EIUS SIMILE LAPIDI PRECIOSO TANQUAM LAPIDI IASPIDIS SICUT CRISTALLUM, from Revelation 21:11.
	1B) Scene, Liturgical: Confession -- Tonsured monk, seated, raises right hand toward seated man wearing hooded garment, with chin resting on right hand;
	Scene, Liturgical: Baptism -- To right, two nude figures, one with joined (?) hands raised, sit in font, flanked by tonsured priest, wearing stole, with object (?) in left hand and right hand raised toward them, and by man, wearing cap and hooded garment, grasping shoulder of one baptized, and woman wearing berbette (couple, possibly godparents);
	above, Christ, cross-nimbed, with arms outstretched, emerges from clouds.
	Commentary, LUMEN QUOD ASSIMILATUR PETRE IASPIDIS PRECIOSE ET CRISTALLO SIGNIFICAT QUOD UIRTUS SANCTE ECCLESIA EST FIRMA IN UIRORE FIDEI BAPTIMATIS ET IN OPERIS ET CONFESSIONIS CLARITATE.
	2A) Apocalypse: New Jerusalem measured -- John, nimbed, raises left hand, beside nimbed angel, wearing fillet, holding reed, beside heavenly city of Jerusalem.
	Biblical quotation, ET MURUS CIUITATIS HABERIS FUNDAMENTA .XII. ET IN IPSIS NOMINA .XII. APOSTOLORUM, from Revelation 21:14;
	ET QUI LOQUEBATUR MECUM HABEBAT MENSUREM HARUNDINEAM AUREAM UT METIRETUR CIUITATEM from Revelation 21:15.
	2B) Christological Scene -- Christ, cross-nimbed, with right hand raised in blessing and book in left hand, seated on cushioned bench, is flanked by twelve patriarchs (inscribed), wearing pointed hats, with hands raised, all emerging from clouds, in two rows, and by twelve apostles (inscribed), including Apostles Paul and Peter, both nimbed, holding books, and three with hands raised, all seated, in row three.
	Commentary, MURUS CIUITATIS SIGNIFICAT FIDEM IHESU CHRISTI .XII. FUNDAMENTA SIGNIFICANT .XII. PATRIARCHAS SIUE APOSTOLOS. HARUNDO AUREA SIGNIFICAT SANCTAM SCRIPTURAM IN QUA TOTA UERA SAPIENTIA CONTINETUR.
	Right column:
	3A) Apocalypse: New Jerusalem -- John, nimbed, and nimbed angel, wearing fillet, raising left hand, both stand beside heavenly city of Jerusalem; clouds above.
	Biblical quotation, ET ERAT STRUCTURA EIUS EX LAPIDE IASAPIDE. IPSA UERO CIUITAS AURUM MUNDUM SIMILE UITRO MUNDO based on Revelation 21:18;
	FUNDAMENTA MURI CIUITATIS OMNI LAPIDE PRECIOSO ORNATA from Revelation 21:19.
	3B) Apocalypse: Illustration -- Mitered bishop sits on cushioned bench, raising right hand toward two tonsured friars, wearing Dominican habits, one with right hand raised, and the other with open book in left hand; to right, horned Moses (representing prophet), holds Tables of Law in left hand and raises right hand toward patriarch, wearing pointed cap, raising right hand and holding scroll in left hand;
	to right, horned Moses (representing prophet), holds Tables of Law in left hand and raises right hand toward patriarch, wearing pointed cap, raising right hand and holding scroll in left hand. Figures in architectural setting.
	Commentary, HOC QUOD MURUS EST DE IASPIDE ET CIUITAS AUREA SIGNIFICAT QUOD PRELATI DEBENT E(SS)E FIRMIORES IN FIDE ET MELIORIS UITE SICUT PRECIOSIOR EST AURO IASPIS. ORNATUS FUNDAMENTI EX LAPIDIBUS PRECIOSIS SIGNIFICAT QUOD PROPHETE ET PATRIARCHE FUERUNT REPLETI OMNIBUS BONIS UIRTUTIBUS ET ORNATI.
	4A) Apocalypse: New Jerusalem -- John, nimbed, stands with right hand raised and left hand draped, beside city in which are Christ, nimbed, with right hand raised in blessing and book in left hand, seated on cushioned bench, and Lamb of God, cross-nimbed.
	Biblical quotation, ET .XII. PORTE DUODECIM MARGARITE SUNT ET PLATEE CIUITATIS ERANT AURUM MUNDUM TANQUAM UITRUM PERLUCIDUM based on Revelation 21:21;
	ET TEMPLUM NON UIDI IN EA. DOMINUS ENIM DEUS OMNIPOTENS TEMPLUM ILLIUS EST ET AGNUS from Revelation 21:22.
	4B) Apocalypse: Illustration -- Before church, mitered bishop, with right hand raised, presents with left hand round object, possibly coin, to cripple, wearing cap, kneeling (Scene, Secular: Distribution of Money ?);
	to right, behind draped table laden with food and utensils (Scene, Secular: Banquet) sit two couples, men wearing hats, one presenting piece of food across the table to raised right hand of man, wearing cap, seated, and women wearing berbettes, raising hands (Scene, Secular: Distribution of Food);
	above clouds, Personification of Church (inscribed), nimbed, raises joined hands toward Christ, cross-nimbed, with open book in left hand and with right hand crowning her (type of Virgin Mary: Coronation).
	Commentary, DUODECIM PORTE EX MARGARITIS SIGNIFICANT PRELATOS QUI DEBENT E(SS)E CLARI UIRTUTIBUS. PLATEE AUREE CONIUGATOS QUI SUNT IN LATITUDINE MUNDI. QUOD NON ERAT IN EA TEMPLUM SIGNIFICAT QUOD SANCTA ECCLESIA CUM FUERIT GLORIFICATA NON INDIGEBIT ORATIONE.

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