Book V, A bishop receiving pleas from laymen and clerics
Fitzwilliam Mus. MS McClean 201.8
Raymund de Peñafort, Decretals of Gregory IX
Cutting from a single leaf
Bologna, ca 1260–1270

Image reproduced by kind permission of the Syndics of the Fitzwilliam Museum, Cambridge

Book V of the Decretals is entitled ‘On Accusations, Inquisitions and Denunciations’ and the illustration at its beginning shows a bishop receiving pleas of this nature on the left from a kneeling layman and on the right from standing clerics. The figure style and foliage ornament is characteristic of Bologna in the third quarter of the thirteenth century where the book from which this part leaf has been cut was assuredly made. The original manuscript has not been identified and perhaps no longer exists other than as fragmented leaves. The commentary text surrounding the Decretals text, as for the previous item, is by Bernardo Botone of Parma (d. 1266) who studied and taught at the university of Bologna.