Allegorical costume design for a horse and rider
Emblems of Prudence and Fortitude, peacock feathers and a mirror shield
This leaf carries a detailed written program, headed with the name of Messer Antonio Gri of Venice, for an allegorical costume for a horse and rider. Prudence in red with three eyes and Fortitude in white are to appear on wheels at the horse's flanks, holding laurel and a necklace as emblems of hope, charity and virtue. The caparison of horse and man is to be cloth of gold sewn with peacock eyes, crowned by a hemisphere and a peacock with spread tail, and the shield is to bear a great mirror. A faint sketch and the label 'gold thread' accompany the text, and further untranscribed writing is present on the facing leaf 251v.
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Emblematic caparison of gold and peacock feathers
The caparison of horse and rider is specified as plain woven gold sown with peacock eyes, the crest a torse of peacock feathers on a field of gold. Above the helmet a half-ball stands for our hemisphere in the form of the world, surmounted by a peacock with spread tail passing over the crupper. On the shield a great mirror signifies that whoever truly wants favour must mirror himself in his own virtues.
Allegory of Prudence and Fortitude
On a wheel centred at the horse's hind thigh appears Prudence dressed in red, seated in a fiery chair with a sprig of laurel for the hope born of serving well; opposite stands Fortitude in white with her necklace, both crowned, and Prudence shown with three eyes. The costume is framed as a moral allegory of the virtues rewarded by grace.