The thing (80v & 82r)

[-JKP-]

Not sure what it is. Maybe a distaff representing the cosmos:

[Koen G]

From what I can read, the text is about the planets, so this lady surely represents the Liberal Art of astronomy. If this is not some real tool for astronomy, then the only thing I can think of is indeed a cosmic distaff.

[Emma May Smith]

Looking for something else I found an image described as "Table of significant events".

Physician's Almanac, BL Harley 2332, England, 1411-1412, f 20v.



Is that a Thing in the bottom left corner?
It must have been self-explanatory or mnemonic for the author, as there is no accompanying text and it appears nowhere else in the Ms. The surrounding images all evoke important events such as the nativity, battles and the deaths of kings.
Note that the woman in the upper right corner is holding a distaff, and I don't know what that is meant to refer to.  Is this object in the lower corner meant to be the spindle? Or... an enema? Or what?
ETA based on the numbers above it, the object marks an event that took place 63 years prior to the MS's manufacture in 1412, which gives a date of 1349. I have no idea which event is referred to. Wikipedia gives lots of Black death and earthquakes for You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view., but nothing that might evoke this object.

It's a shrouded body. All bodies in medieval England would be wrapped in linen or woollen shrouds before burial. It refers to the Black Death.

[Koen G]

Ah.. let's assume that this is not The Thing.

[-JKP-]

I thought it interesting that Harley 3719 includes a vein man with a distaff. The distaff is not usually included in traditional depictions:


   

[Davidsch]

If the thing is a squirting thing, like it was suggested somewhere,  it could be the Ecballium elaterium

[bi3mw]

The object You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view. on You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view. could actually be a bellows. In his last blog, @MarcoP introduced the You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view.. The illustration is much clearer than the one in Ms. 838.-  The next nymph in the VMS holds a red ring that could possibly symbolize heat.





BAV Ross 379                                                                          Ms. 838

[-JKP-]

bi3, looking at this as a bellows, can we find an explanation for that ring of fluff around the end? That's not usually found on a bellows. It doesn't quite look like the catch-wheel of a spindle either, but at least a spindle typically has something there.

Also, a bellows is quite useless if held in one hand. What would account for the posture?



So... there are two things that don't quite make sense... is there some reason for adding the extra thing at the end to a drawing of a bellows, or is it some kind of very unusual bellows? or is it metaphorical? and why is it held in this very unbellows-like (and unspindle-like) way?

[Paris]

Personally, I'll suggest another explanation : the loofah.

The loofah is a plant. Same family as cucumber.

   

It's used as a glove in multiple countries in Asia, north Africa, south America...

It makes sense with the lady in the water.

Nevertheless, as pointed out by JKP, I can't explain the ring of fluff around the end.

[bi3mw]

...

Also, a bellows is quite useless if held in one hand. What would account for the posture?
...

Holding things as if they slip away is not uncommon in the VMS. Remember the "Blue Sweater Man" You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view.. I don't know what the ring of fluff or whatever around the end is. Maybe it is just decoration.