Folio 55v - the phoenix, continued.

Folio 56r - the phoenix, continued.

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COMMENTARY

Text

The phoenix. The bird turns to face the sun, beats its wings to fan the flames which will incinerate it. It rises from its ashes, a sign of the Resurrection.

Illustration

A ventral view of the bird between two trees, with wings out stretched and head to one side, beating its wingsd and looking for the sun.

Comment

Possibly a faint sketch to left of initial F (type 2), in the margin. The rubric is missing. Initial type 2.

COMMENTARY

Text

The phoenix. The bird makes a container for its ashes and rises again from the dead in its old form.

Illustration

The phoenix turns to face the sun, beats its wings to fan the flames and is consumed. The image may equally show the bird rising from its own ashes, a symbol of the resurrection.

Comment

There is some pouncing around the bird and flames. This was probably done while the manuscript was being made because it is concealed by the back of f.56r being stuck to another sheet. Thus f. 56r and 56v are actually two sheets stuck back to back. The glued backing to this sheet conceals the hole in its vellum.