Medieval & Renaissance Manuscripts

Moralized Bible
France, Paris, between 1227-1234
MS M.240 fol. 7v

	From top to bottom in left and right columns, eight medallions enclose as follows:
	Left column:
	1A) Apocalypse: Time at Hand -- John, nimbed, with right hand raised, sits on bench, beside nimbed angel raising right hand and holding round objects in left hand;
	to right, woman and man, wearing hooded garment (couple), both with fillets, embrace kissing; to right, nimbed male saint, tonsured, wearing Dominican monk’s habit, with book in right hand and left hand raised, departs to right;
	above, mitered bishop saint, nimbed, with hands raised toward Christ, nimbed, with right hand raised in blessing and book in left hand, flanked by two tonsured clerics with hands raised, one with left hand on shoulder of the bishop, and by angel with hands raised, all emerge from clouds.
	Biblical quotation, ET DIXIT MICHI NE SIGNAUERIS UERBA PROPHETIE HUIUS. TEMPUS ENIM P(RO)PE EST. QUI NOCET NOCEAT ADHUC ET QUI IN SORDIBUS EST SORDESCAT ADHUC ET IUSTUS I(US)TICETUR ADHUC, based on Revelation 22:10-11.
	1B) Scene, Ecclesiastic: Preaching - Franciscan monk, tonsured, wearing habit, with open book in left hand and right hand raised preaches to eight men, one wearing hooded garment, with right hand raised to face, and left hand extended, another wearing cap, with sword in left hand and right hand extended, all before church;
	Saint, Scene: Martyrdom -- To right, executioner, wearing cap, with scabbard at belt, raises sword in right hand and with left hand grasps head of nimbed male saint kneeling with hands raised; above, four personifications of souls, all (?) with hands raised, emerge from clouds.
	Commentary, HOC QUOD DICIT NE SIGNAUERIS LIBRUM SIGNIFICAT QUOD PREDICATORES NON DEBENT DIMITTERE UERITATEM PREDICARE PROPTER SCELUS MALORUM.
	2A) Apocalypse: Garments washed in Blood of Lamb -- At open portal of city gate, man holds garment in right hand and raises left hand, beside city wall enclosing eight men, one with hand raised, and another holding garment in vessel into which blood flows from Lamb of God, cross-nimbed, on altar.
	Biblical quotation, BEATI QUI LAUANT STOLAS SUAS IN SANGUINE ANGI UT SIT POSTESTAS EORUM IN LIGNO UITE from Revelation 22:14
	2B) Apocalypse: Illustration -- Male figure (as penitent), wearing long loin cloth, holds scourge in left hand and raises right hand, beside man, wearing hooded garment, holding cask and round object in right hand, beside Franciscan monk, tonsured, wearing habit, extending right hand, and monk with open book in right hand, round objects in container under right arm, and left hand raised toward head of Christ (name cited), unnimbed, in tree; architectural setting.
	Commentary, LAUANT ILLI STOLAS SUAS IN SANGUINE AGNI QUI FACIUNT PENITENTIAM IN FIDE: IHESU CHRISTI POTESTAS EORUM EST FRUCTUS QUI FIDUCIAM SUAM HABENT NON IN SUA PENITENTIA U(E)L IN SUIS OPERIBUS SED IN PASSIONE IHESU CHRISTI.
	Right column:
	3A) Apocalypse: Evil excluded from Jerusalem; Scene, Pagan -- Among group of ten men, one raises hands toward idol armed with shield in niche on pedestal, another holds fantastic animal, another holds sword in right hand and raises left hand, another hooded raises left hand, and another holds animal, mostly outside city wall, inside which nimbed angel stands with right hand raised.
	Biblical quotation, ET PER PORTAS INTRENT IN CIUITATEM from Revelation 22:14;
	FORIS CANES UENEFICI ET IMPUDITI ET HOMICIDE ET YDOLIS SERUIENTES ET OMNIS QUI AMAT ET FACIT MENDACIUM from Revelation 22:15.
	3B) Apocalypse: Illustration -- Two devils grasp nude souls of Damned issuing from mouths of two men, wearing caps, reclining in bed, each holding moneybag, one holding model of building;
	above, nude, crowned souls of Elect, with hands raised, all emerge from clouds.
	Commentary, ILLI INTRANT CIUITATEM PER PORTAS QUI IN DOCTRINA ET PENITENTIA APOSTOLORUM TRANSMIGRANT DE HOC SECULO. ET ILLI NON SUNT PARTICIPES GLORIE QUI IN PESSIMIS OPERIBUS ET IN SUA INFIDELITATE MORIUNTUR.
	4A) Apocalypse: Christ sending Angel to John, and Apocalypse: Waters of Life -- Christ, cross-nimbed, with right hand raised in blessing and chalice in left hand, seated, surrounded by clouds, is flanked below by John, nimbed, with left hand raised, seated on cushioned bench, beside nimbed angel with right hand indicating the Christ, and by nine tonsured monks, two with hands raised.
	Biblical quotation, EGO IHESUS MISI ANGELUM MEUM TESTIFICARI UOBIS HEC IN ECCLESIIS. EGO SUM RADIX ET GENUS D(AUI)D STELLA SPLENDIDA ET MATUTINA from Revelation 22:16;
	ET SPONSUS [> spiritus] ET SPONSA DICUNT UENI ET QUI AUDIT DICAT UENI. QUI SITIT UENIAT ET QUI UULT ACCIPIAT AQUAM UITE GRATIS, based on Revelation 22:17.
	4B) Trinity: Two Persons flanking Dove -- Dove of Holy Ghost, cross-nimbed, descends from clouds between Christ and God, both cross-nimbed, seated, with right hands raised in blessing and books in left hands, all surrounded by clouds;
	below, Christ: Resurrection - Christ, cross-nimbed, wearing mantle, with right hand raised in blessing and book in draped left hand, stepping from sarcophagus, beside five men, two with hands raised, kneeling;
	to right, Personification of Church, nimbed, crowned, veiled, stands with right hand raised and chalice in left hand.
	Commentary, HOC QUOD IHESUS EST RADIX SIGNIFICAT QUOD OMNIA SUSTINET Q(UA)NT(UM) AD SUAM DIUINITATEM. EST A(UTEM) DE GENERE D(AUI)D QUO AD CARNEM: STELLA CLARA QUE ILLUMINAT MUNDUM PER SUAM DOCTRINAM ET ORNAUIT CARNEM PER SUAM RESURRECTIONEM.

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