Incipit: ‘Gregorius episcopus servus servorum dei ...’
[Historiated initial illustrating the papal bull: Pope Gregory IX is depicted seated on a throne. He is grasping with both hands (or perhaps is handing over) a volume offered to him by a tonsured friar, who is accompanied by another friar standing behind him. ]
Incipit primus liber de summa trinitate et fide catholica
Incipit: ‘Firmiter credimus et simpliciter confitemur ...’
[Historiated initial illustrating book I: Representation of the Trinity: God the Father and Christ are depicted seated. Their portrayal is identical and does not allow for them to be distinguished: they are both elevating their right hands in a blessing gesture (index and middle fingers raised) and holding a volume with their left hands. The volume should perhaps be seen as a visualisation of the Liber Extra, therefore the image may suggest the divine legitimisation of the law collection. Between the two flies the dove of the Holy Ghost, descending from above. All three entities composing the Trinity are haloed.]
55r
Incipit liber secundus de iudiciis
Incipit: ‘De quo vult deo centuriensis episcopo ...’
[Historiated initial illustrating book II: A pope acting as a judge is depicted seated, his right index finger and his left hand raised to address the people in front of him. These are a tonsured cleric and a layman, perhaps the defendant and his lawyer. The cleric responds to the pope by also raising his index finger and hand. ]
103r
Liber tertius de vita et honestate clericorum
Incipit: ‘Ut laici cecus (sic) altare ...’
[Historiated initial illustrating book III: A priest is standing in front of an altar covered by a cloth, on top of which is a chalice. He raises both hands towards the chalice, as he prepares to celebrate the Eucharist. Behind him, an acolyte grabs the arm of a layman and pushes him away from the sacred space, as he is not allowed to witness the ritual.]
151v
Incipit liber quartus de sponsalibus et matrimonio
Incipit: ‘De Francia quidam nobilem mulierem ...’
[Historiated initial illustrating book IV: A priest is standing between a man and a woman, officiating their marriage. His right hand is elevated in a blessing gesture (index and middle fingers raised) and his left hand is raised to guide the ritual. The spouses join their right hands to make their union official (dextrarum iunctio), and raise their left hands to express their consent.]
168r
Incipit liber quintus de accusationibus inquisitionibus et denuntiationibus
Incipit: ‘Si legi(ti)mus non fuerit accusator ...’
[Historiated initial illustrating book V: A pope acting as a judge is depicted seated, his right hand elevated in a blessing gesture (index and middle fingers raised) and his left hand raised to address the people in front of him. These are a group of Benedictine friars, one of who addresses the judge by raising his index finger and his hand. ]
213v
Explicit: ‘... pro spiritualibus facere quis homagium compellatur’
2 — Bernardus Parmensis, Glossa ordinaria. Gloss to Gregorius IX's Decretales
Illustrations: Historiated initials on ff. 1r (illustration of the papal bull: Presentation of the Decretales to Pope Gregory IX; illustration of book 1, "De summa trinitate et fide catholica": The Trinity), 55r (illustration of book II, "De iudiciis": Judgement scene with pope), 103r (illustration of book III, "De vita et honestate clericorum": Celebration of the Eucharist), 151v (illustration of book IV, "De sponsalibus": Wedding ceremony), 168r (illustration of book V, "De accusationibus, inquisitionibus et denunciationibus": Judgement scene with pope). Flourished initials at the beginning of the tituli, simple initials alternatively supplied in red and blue.
Iconclass: pope; insignia of the pope, e.g. tiara; sitting figure; codex; monk(s), friar(s); tonsure; Canon Law; 'Legge canonica' (Ripa); sitting on an elevation; God the Father enthroned, usually with sceptre and/or globe; adult Christ together with others (non-narrative representations); God the Father and Christ as identical persons; blessing (either of things or persons), e.g. by anointing; Holy Ghost represented as a dove (in flames); nimbus, halo ~ radiance emanating from persons or things; Trinity in which God the Father and Christ are represented as persons, the Holy Ghost as dove; 'Giudice' (Ripa); lawyer, attorney at law; court session (court of justice); judicial duel; priest (Roman Catholic); the Eucharist ~ the fourth of the seven sacraments; palm of the hand turned up - AA - both arms or hands; chalice; altar-cloths, e.g. veil covering the altar at Lent; altar; acolyte, chorister, lector, ostiarius, etc. ~ functionaries in Roman Catholic church; pushing something; strife of laity and clergy; marriage, married couple, 'matrimonium'; blessing (either of things or persons), e.g. by anointing; shaking hands, 'dextrarum junctio'; gripping someone by the hand or the wrist; clasped hands; couple before the priest ~ marriage; palm of the hand turned up; blessing (either of things or persons), e.g. by anointing; monastic orders, monastic life: Benedictines; 61B2(GREGORYIX); 31A25561(+915) index finger and middle finger raised, closed (+ blessing); 31A25551(+932) index finger upwards (+ addressing); 31A25521(+932) palm of the hand turned up (+ addressing); 31A25561(+915) index finger and middle finger raised, closed (+ blessing)
