Oxford, Bodleian Library, Ms. Selden supra 57, fol. 89r, 1348 | MARGOT

Detailed manuscript information (based on Ernest Langlois, Les manuscrits du Roman de la rose. Description et classement, Geneva: Slatkine Reprints, 1974, p. 158 and early manuscripts at Oxford University.

Parchment, measure: 239x172mm, 165 fols, two columns at 38 lines. Beginning of second folio: Pour oïr des oisiaus les sons. The manuscript contains the Roman de la rose on fols 1r-153r and the Testament on fols 154r-170v. The Testament is incomplete at the beginning.

Scene depicted

The Duenna speaks to Fair Welcoming.

Miniature description

Size:

239x172mm

Column miniature

Height: 9 lines

Material and colors:

Parchment

Gold leaf, blue, red,white, brown, black, grey

Frame:

Simple gold leaf exterior frame with inner red and white frame. Gold leaf foliate extenders are on both the left and right sides of the frame, with three "sperm" details.

Rubric:

Twelfth line above the miniature: "Ci parole la vielle"

Two lines directly above the miniature: "Comment la vielle enseigne a / Bel acueil les .x. commandemens d'amors"

Initial:

Gold leaf initial "B" with red and white decorative interior and framed in red, blue, and white. Another similar "B" can be seen on the top right of the folio.

Background:

Background shows a red and blue diaper pattern in alternating checkerboard fashion, with decorative details.

Place of production of miniature:

France

Date of production of miniature:

1348

Similarities with other images of the corpus:

The position of the allegory is similar in the following manuscripts: BSG, Ms. 1126, fol. 91r; BNF, Ms. fr. 24392, fol. 130v.

Secondary Sources:

Langlois, Ernest. Les manuscrits du Roman de la Rose. Description et classement. Geneva: Slatkine Reprints, 1974, p. 158.

Detailed description

Allegories:

Fair Welcoming is on the left.

Duenna is on the right.

Clothing:

1. Fair Welcoming

Red hood covering the shoulders, with headdress piece like a crown
Pink cotehardie
Black girdle with decorative details
Brown chausse

2. Duenna

Light blue cotehardie with tippets
Interior white kirtle
White wimple falling to the shoulders

Gestures:

The Duenna has her left finger raised in speech and her right hand raised, palm facing upward. Fair Welcoming's hands are hidden, and crossed under the extension of the hood.

Ex-libris

On a flyleaf page: John Betts His Books. 1606.
Fol. 1r: 21° Sauvage Arundell 1611.