le prayers. (Fig.4), (Fig.5) The portraits are assumed to be John of Lancaster, Duke of Bedford, and his wife Anne, Duchess of Bedford, possible original owners of the manuscript. The last group of unusual leaves is placed at the very end of the manuscript. The focus of the illustration is narrative rather than devotional. The miniature shows The Legend of the fleurs de lys, accompanied by thirty lines of French verse. (Fig.6) It tells the story of a heavenly gift to French King Clovis of fleurs de lys, the royal arms of France. The illumination depicts the Almighty dispatching an angel to entrust the fleurs de lys to the hermit of Joyenval, who in his turn, hands them to Clovis's wife, Clothilda. The legend was much favored by the Dukes of Burgundy, for Clothilda was a Burgundian Princess. The story could therefore be used as an allegory to underline the vital importance of their support to any claimant to the French crown at the beginning of the 15th century.
             The story was probably of great significance to the French Duchess, Anne of Burgundy.
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