The broad manner in which these illuminations are treated, with foliage boldly designed, and animals of various kinds disporting themselves among the branches, is indicative of the period.  There is a striking contrast between this large, bold treatment and the minute style of the next century, although the period of transition occupied but a few years.  The change began with the development of the initial letter, which was the starting-point of the border and of the miniature.

The Royal Ms. 1 D 1, a Latin Bible of the middle of the thirteenth century, forms an excellent example of this development.  It is written on fine vellum, and in a perfect style of calligraphy.  The paintings are few if we except those connected with the initial letter, which serves admirably to illustrate the growth of the border from its pendants, cusps, and graceful finials, showing how the initial and miniature came to be combined.  Writing about this same Ms. Sir Edward Thompson says:  “In the large initial we see the combination of the miniature with the initial and partial border, a combination which is typical of book decoration of the thirteenth century.  In MSS. of earlier periods the miniature was a painting which usually occupied a page, independently of the text . . . or if inserted in the text it was not connected with the decoration of the page.  It was, in fact, an illustration and nothing more.  But now, while the miniature is still employed in this manner, independently of the text, the miniature initial also comes into common use, the miniature therein., however, continuing to hold for some time a subordinate place, as a decoration rather than as an illustrative feature.  In course of time, with the growth of the border, the two-fold function of the miniature, as a means of illustration and also of decoration, is satisfied by allowing it to occupy part or even the whole of a page as an independent picture, but at the same time, set in the border, which has developed from the pendent of the initial.  This development of the border it is extremely interesting to follow, and so regular is its growth, and so remarkable are the national characteristics which it assumes, that the period and place of origin of an illuminated Ms. may often be accurately determined from the details of its border alone.” *

* English Illuminated MSS., p. 37.

The distinguished writer goes on to show that in tracing this development one sees how the initials first terminate in simple buds or cusps, and how, in the next stage, characteristic of the thirteenth century, they put out little branches, the buds growing into leaves and flowers, and how thus gradually the border comes to surround the whole page.