Medieval & Renaissance Manuscripts

Psalter-Hours of Guiluys de Boisleux
France, Arras, after 1246
MS M.730 fol. 138v

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Initial L:
Psalm 119:105 (Vulg., 118:105).
Initial L formed by male musician playing pipe and tabor, emerging from jaws of fantastic animal, bitten by another fantastic animal, and, in upper margin, entwined with animal issuing man, wearing cap, armed with sword and shield (buckler), from its jaws and its tail bitten by fantastic animal. Below the initial, man squatting above round object or ball in jaws of fantastic animal in left margin.
Line ending: heraldic escutcheon of Boisleux; two men, armed with shields, one decorated with heraldry of Neuville-Vitasse, on a chief, azure a label of three, both combatting with spears.
Line ending: two escutcheons, one gules, a cross argent, and the other gules, a cross argent, on a canton gules a fess indented argent.
Line ending: snail encountering soldier, wearing helmet and chain mail, armed with sword and shield, hurling javelin (Burlesque: Fighting).
Line ending: man, armed with sword, pursued by rabbit.
Line ending: cat holding mouse in mouth.
Line ending: heraldic escutcheon of Neuville-Vitasse, on a chief, azure a label of three.
Line ending: escutcheon of gules, a bordure argent; two men wrestling.
Line endings: geometric and foliate ornament.