Medieval & Renaissance Manuscripts

Psalter-Hours
France, Amiens, between 1280 and 1299
MS M.729 fol. 16r

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Psalm 001 (Vulg., 001) -- 1) In initial B decorated with ornament of interlace and foliage, David, bearded, as musician, is seated, playing positive organ in front of seated youth operating bellows. Below, young David holds stone in his left hand and raises sling with a stone in his extended right hand, beside seated dog; herd of three sheep on hillock.
2) In right margin, within two-storied Gothic gabled tower, Goliath, with stone on his forehead, wears helmet and chain mail and holds spear and human-faced shield. Below, bearded musician plays five-stringed fiddle; in the foreground is recumbent man, wearing tunic, possibly Personification of Sloth.
3) Other margins - Rectilinear bars decorated with foliage, enclosing three heraldic shields, including Moreuil (one).
Upper margin inhabited by three birds, columbine, peapods, and rabbit.
Left margin inhabited by dog wearing monk's cowl and holding tau-staff and two birds.
Lower margin inhabited by monkey wearing hooded cape and blowing trumpet with heraldic banner of eagle displayed, woman wearing snood, blowing trumpet with heraldic banner, and mounted on lion with bit in jaws, led by right hand of partly draped youth, with club in his left hand.