Table Of ContentThe Theophilus Legend
in Medieval Text and Image
This book is for Susie, Charlie, and Cecilia
The Theophilus Legend
in Medieval Text and Image
Jerry Root
D. S. BREWER
© Jerry Root 2017
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the author of this work has been asserted in accordance with
sections 77 and 78 of the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988
First published 2017
D. S. Brewer, Cambridge
ISBN 978 1 84384 461 7
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Contents
List of illustrations vi
Acknowledgements x
Introduction 1
1 Homage to the Devil: ritual, writing, seal 13
2 The self as dissemblance 63
3 Intervention of the Virgin 105
4 Sacramental action and Neoplatonic exemplarism 163
Conclusion 201
Works cited 211
Appendix: Image charts 221
Illustrations 227
General index 275
Index of figures 286
v
Illustrations
1 Homage to the Devil, Prayer to the Virgin, Retrieval and Return of contract,
Chantilly, Ingeborg Psalter (ca. 1210) Photo: René-Gabriel Ojéda, © RMN –
Grand Palais / Art Resource, NY, Musée Condé, MS 1695, fols 35v and 36 228
2 Homage to the Devil, London, BL, The De Brailes Hours, © The British Library
Board, MS Add. 49999, fol. 34 228
3 Theophilus goes to the Jewish intermediary; pays homage to the Devil, Lambeth
Apocalypse (ca. 1260–75), © Lambeth Palace Library, MS 209, fol. 46 229
4 The bishop gives Theophilus’s position to another, Besançon, Miracles de Nostre
Dame (late-13th), © Bibliothèque municipale de Besançon, Clichés : IRHT/CNRS,
MS 551, fol. 6v 230
5 Theophilus speaks with Jewish intermediary and makes homage to the Devil;
Virgin retrieves contract and returns it to Theophilus; Theophilus returns to the
bishop and the story is told to the congregation, Madrid, Cantigas de Santa Maria,
Real Biblioteca de El Escorial (1283), © Patrimonio National, MST.I.1, fol. 8 231
6 Theophilus loses position; Homage to the Devil; Prayer to Virgin and Child;
Virgin retrieves contract; Virgin returns contract, St. Petersburg, Miracles de Nostre
Dame (1260–70), © National Library of Russia, MS Fr. F.v.XIV.9, fol. 45v 232
7 Theophilus pays homage to the Devil, Besançon, Miracles de Nostre Dame (late-
13th), © Bibliothèque municipale de Besançon, Clichés : IRHT/CNRS, MS 551,
fol. 7v 233
8 Theophilus writes up a contract, Besançon, Miracles de Nostre Dame (late-13th),
© Bibliothèque municipale de Besançon, Clichés : IRHT/CNRS, MS 551, fol. 8 234
9 The Devil rewards Theophilus, Besançon, Miracles de Nostre Dame (late-13th),
© Bibliothèque municipale de Besançon, Clichés : IRHT/CNRS, MS 551, fol. 8v 234
10 Theophilus pays homage to his bishop, Besançon, Miracles de Nostre Dame (late-
13th), © Bibliothèque municipale de Besançon, Clichés : IRHT/CNRS, MS 551,
fol. 6 235
11 The Virgin in apparition, Besançon, Miracles de Nostre Dame (late-13th), ©
Bibliothèque municipale de Besançon, Clichés : IRHT/CNRS, MS 551, fol. 14 236
12 Theophilus writes a contract; the Devil examines the seal matrix, London, BL,
Smithfield Decretals (1300–40), © The British Library Board, Royal MS 10. E.
IV, fol. 166v 236
13 Homage to the Devil with contract and seal, London, BL, Smithfield Decretals
(1300–40), © The British Library Board, Royal MS 10. E. IV, fol. 167 237
14 Theophilus giving alms; Theophilus refuses the position; Theophilus goes to
the Jewish intermediary; Led to the Devil; Homage to the Devil; Virgin retrieves
contract, The Hague, Miracles de Nostre Dame (1320–40), © Den Haag,
Koninklijke Bibliotheek KB, 71 A 24, fol. 1 237
15 Devil takes ink from Theophilus’s tongue, New York, Arbégé des histoires
divines (1300–10), © The Morgan Library & Museum, MS M.751, fol. 68 238
16 Homage to the Devil; Prayer to the Virgin; Return of contract, London, BL,
Stowe Psalter (1310–20) © The British Library Board, Stowe 17, fols 255v–56 239
vi
Illustrations
17 Virgin retrieving contract; Virgin returning contract, The Hague, Miracles de
Nostre Dame (1320–40), © Den Haag, Koninklijke Bibliotheek KB, 71 A 24,
fol. 6v 240
18 Virgin returns contract, Paris, Miracles de Nostre Dame (13th), © Bibliothèque
nationale de France, BNF Fr 25532, fol. 9 240
19 Virgin returns contract; Theophilus prays to Virgin and Child, Paris, Miracles de
Nostre Dame (late 13th), © Bibliothèque Nationale de France, BNF Fr 22928,
fol. 42 241
20 Theophilus before a statue of the Virgin, Besançon, Miracles de Nostre Dame
(late-13th), © Bibliothèque municipale de Besançon, Clichés : IRHT/CNRS, MS 551,
fol. 11v 242
21 Virgin takes back contract, hellmouth; Return of contract, Lambeth Apocalypse
(ca. 1260–75), © Lambeth Palace Library, MS 209, fol. 47 243
22 Homage to the Devil, Paris, Miracles de Nostre Dame (1328–34), © Bibliothèque
Nationale de France, BNF NAF Fr 24541, fol. 8v 244
23 Theophilus turns to the Jewish intermediary, Besançon, Miracles de Nostre Dame
(late-13th), © Bibliothèque municipale de Besançon, Clichés : IRHT/CNRS,
MS 551, fol. 7 245
24 Theophilus receives gifts, Besançon, Miracles de Nostre Dame (late-13th), ©
Bibliothèque municipale de Besançon, Clichés : IRHT/CNRS, MS 551, fol. 9 246
25 Theophilus, the hand of God, hellmouth, Besançon, Miracles de Nostre Dame
(late-13th), © Bibliothèque municipale de Besançon, Clichés : IRHT/CNRS, MS
551, fol. 10 247
26 Theophilus is guided to the Devil; Theophilus in power, Munich, Matutinalbuch
(1200–50), © Bayerische Staatsbibliothek München, Clm 17401, fol. 18v,
urn:nbd:de:bvb:12-bsb00091699-9 248
27 Another clerk gets the position; Theophilus goes home and then meets the Jewish
intermediary, Munich, Matutinalbuch (1200–50), © Bayerische Staatsbibliothek
München, Clm 17401, fol. 18, urn:nbd:de:bvb:12-bsb00091699-9 249
28 Theophilus giving gifts; Theophilus prays to the Virgin; An angel returns the
contract; Theophilus takes it to the bishop, Munich, Matutinalbuch (1200–50),
© Bayerische Staatsbibliothek München, Clm 17401, fol. 19, urn:nbd:de:b-
vb:12-bsb00091699-9 250
29 Theophilus distributes alms; The bishop offers the position, Munich,
Matutinalbuch (1200–50), © Bayerische Staatsbibliothek München, Clm 17401,
fol. 17v, urn:nbd:de:bvb:12-bsb00091699-9 251
30 Impoverished Theophilus, London, BL, The De Brailes Hours (ca. 1240), ©
The British Library Board, MS Add. 49999, fol. 33 252
31 Arrogance, London, BL, The De Brailes Hours (ca. 1240), © The British Library
Board, MS Add. 49999, fol. 36 252
32 Theophilus and his horse, Cambridge, Carew-Poyntz Hours (1330–60), ©
Fitzwilliam Museum, Cambridge, Fitzwilliam 48, fol. 179v 253
33 Theophilus and his horse, London, BL, Smithfield Decretals (1300–40), ©
The British Library Board, Royal MS 10. E. IV, fol. 169v 253
34 Theophilus speaks with the Jewish intermediary, Besançon, Miracles de Nostre
Dame (late-13th), © Bibliothèque municipale de Besançon, Clichés : IRHT/CNRS,
MS 551, fol. 9v 254
35 Theophilus heads toward a church, Besançon, Miracles de Nostre Dame (late-13th),
© Bibliothèque municipale de Besançon, Clichés : IRHT/CNRS, MS 551, fol. 11 255
vii
Illustrations
36 Prayer before an empty altar, London, BL, The De Brailes Hours (ca. 1240), ©
The British Library Board, MS Add. 49999, fol. 38 256
37 Prayer to an apparition of the Virgin, London, BL, The De Brailes Hours (ca. 1240),
© The British Library Board, MS Add. 49999, fol. 39v 257
38 Author writing; Theophilus praying to a painting of the Virgin and Child, The
Hague, Miracles de Nostre Dame (1320–40), © Den Haag, Koninklijke
Bibliotheek KB, 71 A 24, fol. 2v 257
39 Prayer to the Virgin; Virgin consults Christ, London, Lambeth Apocalypse (ca.
1260–75), © Lambeth Palace Library, MS 209, fol. 46v 258
40 Theophilus prays to a statue, Paris, Proiere Theophilus, Miracles de Nostre
Dame (second-half-13th), © Bibliothèque Nationale de France, BNF Fr 1533,
fol. 262v 259
41 Theophilus prays to the Virgin and Child, London, BL, The Taymouth Hours
(1325–50), © The British Library Board, Yates Thompson MS 13, fol. 159v 259
42 Theophilus roped and praying to Virgin; Devil holding contract; Communion,
The Hague, Picture Bible (ca. 1200), © Den Haag, Koninklijke Bibliotheek,
KB 76 F 5, fol. 42 260
43 The Virgin’s first appartion, Besançon, Miracles de Nostre Dame (late-13th), ©
Bibliothèque municipale de Besançon, Clichés : IRHT/CNRS, MS 551, fol. 13b 261
44 Theophilus praying; Virgin and Child in apparition, The Hague, Miracles de
Nostre Dame (1320–40), © Den Haag, Koninklijke Bibliotheek, KB, 71 A 24,
fol. 5v 261
45 Gautier/Theophilus prays to the Virgin, Paris, Miracles de Nostre Dame (second-
half-13th), © Bibliothèque Nationale de France, BNF Fr 1533, fol. 42 262
46 The Virgin goes to Hell to retrieve the contract, Besançon, Miracles de Nostre
Dame (late-13th), © Bibliothèque municipale de Besançon, Clichés : IRHT/CNRS,
MS 551, fol. 15 262
47 The Virgin returns the contract, London, BL, Bohun Psalter Hours (1370), ©
The British Library Board, Egerton MS 3277, fol. 126v 263
48 Homage to the Devil; Devil holds Theophilus by the head; Theophilus prays to
statue, Bohun Psalter and Hours (1370–80), © Bodleian Libraries, The University
of Oxford. MS Auct. D.4.4, fol. 182 264
49 Virgin returns contract, New York, Psalter (1280s), © The Morgan Library &
Museum. MS M.183. Purchased by J. Pierpont Morgan (1837–1913) in 1902, MS
183, fol. 285v 265
50 Virgin returns contract, Paris, Psalter (1265–75), © Bibliothèque Nationale de
France, BNF Lat 1077, fol. 202v 266
51 Theophilus prays to the Virgin, Paris, Miracles de Nostre Dame (13th), ©
Bibliothèque Nationale de France, BNF Fr 818, fol. 70v 266
52 The Virgin returns the contract to the sleeping Theophilus, London, BL, Neville
of Hornby Hours (1335–40), © The British Library Board, MS Egerton 2781,
fol. 22 267
53 The Virgin returns the contract to the sleeping Theophilus, Besançon, Miracles de
Nostre Dame (late-13th), © Bibliothèque municipale de Besançon, Clichés : IRHT/
CNRS, MS 551, fol. 15vb 267
54 The Virgin returns the contract to the sleeping Theophilus, Besançon, Miracles de
Nostre Dame (late-13th), © Bibliothèque municipale de Besançon, Clichés : IRHT/
CNRS, MS 551, fol. 15vc 268
55 Burning the contract, London, BL, The De Brailes Hours (ca. 1240), © The British
Library Board, MS Add. 49999, fol. 42v 269
viii
Illustrations
56 The bishop burns the contract before the congregation, Besançon, Miracles de
Nostre Dame (late-13th), © Bibliothèque municipale de Besançon, Clichés : IRHT/
CNRS, MS 551, fol. 16a 270
57 Theophilus reconciled with the bishop, Besançon, Miracles de Nostre Dame
(late-13th), © Bibliothèque municipale de Besançon, Clichés : IRHT/CNRS,
MS 551, fol. 16b 271
58 Theophilus takes communion, Besançon, Miracles de Nostre Dame (late-13th),
© Bibliothèque municipale de Besançon, Clichés : IRHT/CNRS, MS 551, fol. 16v 272
59 Patron portrait, Alfonso X; Virgin returns contract, Madrid, Cantigas de Santa
Maria, Real Biblioteca de El Escorial (1283) © Patrimonia National, MST.I.1,
fol. 196 detail 273
60 William de Brailes, the hand of God, London, BL, The De Brailes Hours (ca.
1240), © The British Library Board, MS Add. 49999, fol. 43 273
The author and publishers are grateful to all the institutions and individuals listed for
permission to reproduce the materials in which they hold copyright. Every effort has
been made to trace the copyright holders; apologies are offered for any omission, and the
publishers will be pleased to add any necessary acknowledgement in subsequent editions.
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