Life of St. Margaret

St. Margaret was a popular figure in France, England and Flanders. When La Vie de Sainte Marguerite was written in the 12th century by the Norman poet Wace, the cult of St. Margaret was widespread in Flanders. By the 1500s, however, it had spread to France where she had become a popular figure. Other known Medieval manuscripts containing this poem were produced in Northern France and Flanders, supporting the probabilty that this manuscript originated in the same region. Additionally, the naturalistic style of illumination is ascribed to the Brabant province (as noted in the description of the UNC Greensboro leaf) just north of Reims.

While Books of Hours often belonged to women, the particular evidence supporting that this Book of Hours was made for a young woman is that St. Margaret of Antioch is the patron saint of pregnant women. This could have even been a wedding gift.

The miniature which begins this poem depicts Margaret as she is usually seen, emerging from the belly of a dragon. In her story, the devil appears to Margaret in the form of a dragon and swallows her. Using her crucifix, she cuts open the dragon from the inside and emerges. This iconic image identifies St. Margaret as a Christian martyr.

The leaves here contain lines 1-205 and 465-507. A transcription of these lines can be found here, beginning with "Après la sainte Passion..."