Medieval & Renaissance Manuscripts

Psalter
England, East Anglia or London, ca. 1300-1310
MS M.302 fol. 4v

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Upper register:
Thomas ³l Becket: murdered before High Altar -- Three soldiers, wearing armor, armed with three swords and two shields, attack Thomas ³l Becket, wearing vestments. One soldier strikes head of Thomas. He kneels with hands raised beside draped altar behind which is Chaplain Grim, holding cross-staff in right hand. Lamp above altar hangs from architectural frame.
Scene is flanked by bishop, wearing miter and vestments, possibly Oswald of York, right hand raised, holding model of church in draped left hand, and Apostle Paul, pearled nimbus, holding book in left hand and sword in right hand.
Lower register:
Bishop, possibly Oswald of York, wearing miter and vestments, right hand raised, holding staff in left hand, is seated on bench, feet on ram. Beside him sits tonsured abbot, possibly Ednoth of Ramsey, wearing vestments, holding crozier in right hand and open book with pseudo-inscriptions in left hand on left knee, feet on bull.
They are flanked by Catherine of Alexandria, crowned, pearled nimbus, holding wheel in left hand, and Margaret of Antioch, crowned, pearled nimbus, holding book in draped left hand and cross-staff in right hand, standing on dragon.
All scenes and figures with patterned backgrounds decorated with rosettes and within architectural frame.