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Bay 214 - The Life of St Eustace
(All images © Dr Stuart Whatling)
A1 - Placidus hunting a stag (1/2) B1 - Placidus hunting a stag (2/2) C1 - Christ speaks to Placidus through the stag's mouth (1/2) D1 - Christ speaks to Placidus through the stag's mouth (2/2) A2 - Placidus is baptised and takes the name 'Eustace' (1/2) B2 - Placidus is baptised and takes the name 'Eustace' (2/2) C2 - After various calamities Eustace and his family flee their home D2 - Eustace negotiates passage on a ship to Egypt A3 - The sailors cast Eustace and his sons ashore and kidnap his wife B3 - Eustace decides to head for Alexandria with his sons C3 - While fording a river, his sons are snatched away by wild animals D3 - Unbeknown to Eustace, the boys are separately rescued by local villagers A4 - Emissaries come seeking the former General Placidus (1/2) B4 - Emissaries come seeking the former General Placidus (2/2) C4 - His former comrades persuade Eustace to return and lead the army D4 - The Emperor places Eustace in command of his army A5 - Eustace leads the army into battle B5 - Eustace crushing the enemy C5 - After the battle, Eustace's two sons recognise each other D5 - Eustace discovers his long lost wife A6 - Eustace refuses to sacrifice to the pagan gods in thanks for his victory (1/2) B6 - Eustace refuses to sacrifice to the pagan gods in thanks for his victory (2/2) C6 - The Emperor has Eustace and his family boiled alive (1/2) D6 - The Emperor has Eustace and his family boiled alive (2/2) E - Foliar motif (Not photographed) F - Foliar motif (Not photographed) G - Unidentified bishop saint
Index to panels:
First Register:
A1 - Placidus hunting a stag (1/2)
B1 - Placidus hunting a stag (2/2)
C1 - Christ speaks to Placidus through the stag's mouth (1/2)
D1 - Christ speaks to Placidus through the stag's mouth (2/2)

Second Register:
A2 - Placidus is baptised and takes the name 'Eustace' (1/2)
B2 - Placidus is baptised and takes the name 'Eustace' (2/2)
C2 - Eustace and his family flee their home
D2 - Eustace negotiates passage on a ship to Egypt

Third Register:
A3 - The sailors cast Eustace ashore and kidnap his wife
B3 - Eustace decides to head for Alexandria with his sons
C3 - Both his sons are snatched away by wild animals
D3 - The boys are separately rescued by local villagers

Fourth Register:
A4 - Emissaries come seeking the former General (1/2)
B4 - Emissaries come seeking the former General (2/2)
C4 - His former comrades persuade Eustace to return
D4 - The Emperor places Eustace in command of his army

Fifth Register:
A5 - Eustace leads the army into battle
B5 - Eustace crushing the enemy
C5 - After the battle, Eustace's sons recognise each other
D5 - Eustace discovers his long lost wife

Sixth Register:
A6 - Eustace refuses to sacrifice to the pagan gods (1/2)
B6 - Eustace refuses to sacrifice to the pagan gods (2/2)
C6 - The Emperor has Eustace and his family boiled alive (1/2)
D6 - The Emperor has Eustace and his family boiled alive (2/2)

Upper section:
E - Foliar motif (Not photographed)
F - Foliar motif (Not photographed)
G - Unidentified bishop saint
Overview:
Direction of reading follows a simple left to right, bottom to top pattern.

For other tellings of the ever-popular St Eustace story, see the windows at Chartres, Le Mans and Sens.
For a detailed discussion of the Eustace story from the standpoint of narrative theory, see chapter 8.c of my PhD Thesis, page 222ff.