One of the saints is peculiar, being the
Prior of Bridlington, perhaps the "Robertus scriba" who copied certain
theological treatises for the library, and who lived in the time of
Stephen or Henry II.
In the beautiful initial D is the figure of a lady praying, the first
few words of the prayer being written on a floating ribbon above her
head. A fine panelling of black and gold forms the background. The
lady's costume is that of the end of the fourteenth century, her
head-dress being somewhat lower than that worn in the time of Isabella
of Bavaria; in other respects she recalls the figure of Christine de
Pisan in Harl. 4431--one of the fine MSS. of the French school. As the
psalter or offices was once the property of the Grandison family, as is
shown by the numerous entries respecting them in the calendar, no doubt
this lady was the first owner of the MS., and probably the same as shown
in the beautiful miniature of the Annunciation previously given. Many
charming initials follow this one, and brightly coloured bracket
treillages and borders are given in profusion, introducing every variety
of coloured ideal leaf-form known to the art of the time. It seems
probable from its style and the costumes that the MS. was executed for
the Lady Margaret, widow of Thomas, the last Lord Grandison, who died in
1376, and given to her by Sir John Tuddenham, her second husband.
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