Shepherds Purse: manuscript - Hours of Henry VIII (mowers)

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I have included four scenes from the Hours of Henry VIII, created ca. 1500 in Tours and currently located at the Pierpont Morgan Library (MS H.8). The current calendar scene (fol. 3v) shows a group of mowers who have containers for provisions set to one side of their working area: a lumpy white sack and several costrels. The sack is of the "double-ended" type designed to be carried over a shoulder (or possible over a pole between two people?). This is a style commonly associated with field workers, as well as sometimes with travellers, but would be awkward to carry while working.

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References

Wieck, Roger S., William M. Voelkle & K. Michelle Hearne. 2000. The Hours of Henry VIII: A Renaissance Masterpiece by Jean Poyet. p.62