Folio 20r - Dogs, continued.
foolish men who often forsake what is theirs by right out of desire for some unknown object; with the result that, while they are unable to obtain the object of their desire, they needlessly lose what they have given up.
Some dogs are called licisici, wolf-hounds, because they are born of wolves and dogs, when by chance these mate. In India bitches are tethered at night in the forests to breed with wild tigers, by whom they are mounted, producing very fierce dogs, so strong that with their grip they can pull down lions.
Whenever a sinner wishes to please his maker, it is necessary and advantageous for him to seek out three spiritual masters, who will hire three spiritual servants with three spiritual gifts in order to reconcile the man with his maker. The masters and their servants with the three gifts are in this order: the first servant is a tearful heart; the second, true confession; the third, sincere repentance. Their masters are the love of God, righteous desire and good deeds. The spiritual gifts are cleanliness of body and mind, purity of speech, and perseverance in good works. The servants and their masters with their spiritual gifts appear before the Trinity in this way: before God the Father appears the tearful heart bearing cleanliness of body and mind; before God the Son appears true confession with righteous desire and purity of speech; before the Holy Spirit appears sincere repentance with good deeds, bearing perseverance in good works.
As potions are necessary for a sick body to heal its infirmities, a potion is needed to cure its spiritual corruption, a potion of four ingredients - a tearful heart, true confession, sincere repentance and good conduct. This potion is a fitting remedy for the spiritual ailments of the body because when the soul is anointed with it, it is at once cured of its frailties.
But if the soul, once healed, is left without a decent covering, how, in the heavenly court where it must be presented,
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Commentary
Text
Dogs and a short sermon. How some dogs are crossed with tigers to create fierce hunters; three spiritual guides are needed to help a sinner redeem himself.
Comment
Part of the page is excised for the illustration of sheep on f.20v.
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Transcription
stultos homines propter ambicionem ignote rei, id sepe quod proprii\iuris est relinquere. Unde fit, ut dum non valent adipisci id \quod cupiunt, perdere frustra norunt id quod reliquerunt. Licisci \dicuntur canes, quod ex lupis et canibus nascuntur, cum inter se \forte miscentur. Solent et inde femine canes noctum silvis al\ligate admitti ad tigres bestias a quibus insiliri et nasci ex eo\dem fetu canes acerrimi adeo fortes ut complexu leones pro\sternant. Quocienscumque peccator vult factorem suum placere \necessarium est ei et utile, ut tres spirituales conductores querat, \qui tres spirituales legatos cum tribus donis spiritualibus ad recon\ciliationem sui coram factore conducant. Qui conductores \et legati cum suis donis spiritualibus ita disponuntur. Primus \legatus est cordis ploratus, secundus vera confessio, tertius vera penitentia. \Conductores eorum sunt, amor domini, bona voluntas, rectum opus. \Dona spiritualia sunt mundicia corporis et anime, oratio pura, \boni operis perseverantia,[qui legati et conductores cum spiritualibus] \donis sic coram tri[nitate procedunt. Coram deo patre procedit] \ploratus cum amore d[ei defferens mundiciam corporis et anime.] \Coram filio vera co[nfessio cum voluntate bona puram orati] \onem deferens. Coram spiritu sancto peni tencia vera cum recto] \opere perseverantiam bo[ni operis portans. Sint corpori debili\] \tato necessarie sunt pociones ad sanandas illius infirmita\] \tes, ita anime peccati[rici, necessaria est pocio, per quam sanetur] \spiritualis eius corruptio, fit autem pocio anime ex quatuor speciebus] \id est cordis ploratus, vera confessione, penitencia vera, operati] \one recta. Que ita co [mpetens est ad sanandas illius infirmi\] \tates, quod dum ab ea anima inungitur, statim a suis infir\mitatibus sanatur. Sed sanata si sine honesto indumento \relinqueretur, quomodo in celesti curia ubi debet presentari\Translation
foolish men who often forsake what is theirs by right out of desire for some unknown object; with the result that, while they are unable to obtain the object of their desire, they needlessly lose what they have given up. Some dogs are called licisici, wolf-hounds, because they are born of wolves and dogs, when by chance these mate. In India bitches are tethered at night in the forests to breed with wild tigers, by whom they are mounted, producing very fierce dogs, so strong that with their grip they can pull down lions. Whenever a sinner wishes to please his maker, it is necessary and advantageous for him to seek out three spiritual masters, who will hire three spiritual servants with three spiritual gifts in order to reconcile the man with his maker. The masters and their servants with the three gifts are in this order: the first servant is a tearful heart; the second, true confession; the third, sincere repentance. Their masters are the love of God, righteous desire and good deeds. The spiritual gifts are cleanliness of body and mind, purity of speech, and perseverance in good works. The servants and their masters with their spiritual gifts appear before the Trinity in this way: before God the Father appears the tearful heart bearing cleanliness of body and mind; before God the Son appears true confession with righteous desire and purity of speech; before the Holy Spirit appears sincere repentance with good deeds, bearing perseverance in good works. As potions are necessary for a sick body to heal its infirmities, a potion is needed to cure its spiritual corruption, a potion of four ingredients - a tearful heart, true confession, sincere repentance and good conduct. This potion is a fitting remedy for the spiritual ailments of the body because when the soul is anointed with it, it is at once cured of its frailties. But if the soul, once healed, is left without a decent covering, how, in the heavenly court where it must be presented,
