The initial was drawn and painted on March 18, and March 20 I finished the penwork, wrote the text, and calligraphed it.
The text reads:
Foremost amongst the qualities of a lady be that she
Be good and discreete.
Flee affectation or curiositie
Have a good grace in al her doings
Be of good condicions and wel brought up
Not to be haughtie, envious, yltunged, lyght, contentious, nor untowardlye
Have the vertues of the minde, as wisdome, justice, noblenesse of courage, temperance, contingency, sobermoode, etc.
All these and more are shewn by Luna de la Lorenzo, wherefore we make her a lady by awarding her arms, on April 10, a.s. xliv.
The text is adapted from "Of the chief conditions and qualityes in a wayting gentylwoman" English 16th C, originally found for use with the Scarborough Faire Performing Company History, Customs, and Manners SAPA 2000 by Susan Von Rudolph, and available online at ftp://ftp.cirr.com/pub/SCRIBE/History/Gntlwmen.Txt.
The design is adapted from British Library MS Egerton 2633, fol. 1, a French translation of Boethius made in the Netherlands, 15th C.
© 2010, Sara L. Uckelman.
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