Medieval & Renaissance Manuscripts

Book of Hours
England, probably Oxford, ca. 1325-1330
MS M.700 fol. 72r

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Constantine the Great: Scene, Vision -- Constantine the Great, crowned, sleeps on pillow and bed with vair-lined blanket, before rack on which are hung helmet, sword, mail and heraldic shield of Holy Roman Empire (or, a double-headed eagle displayed sable). Above, Christ, cross-nimbed, with left hand extended, emerges from cloudy arc of heaven in which is gold cross.
Scene against gold diapered background within initial D with ornament of foliage; spandrels decorated with diapered ornament.
Margins decorated with rectilinear foliate extensions and sprigs of foliage.
In upper margin, rabbit pursued by dog.
In right margin, hybrid man with pointed forefingers, and heraldic escutcheon of Murdac (or, a fretty sable).
In lower margin, winged hybrid woman wearing headdress of snood and berbette, with multi-tails, confronting winged hooded hybrid man, and heraldic escutcheon of du Bois, variant (argent, two bars and a canton gules, within a bordure engrailed or).
In left margin, heraldic escutcheon of du Bois (argent, two bars and a canton gules).