Again, the first miniature in the French and Flemish Horae usually represents Saint John in Patmos writing his Gospel. The eagle stands by patiently holding the Evangelist's inkhorn. In some manuscripts the Devil, evidently in much awe of the eagle's beak, makes a feeble attempt to upset the ink. In the latest manuscript Horae this scene is replaced by the one of Saint John at the Latin Gate.
A two-columned page of text had, of course, two sets of framing lines, one for each patch of writing.
In some manuscripts lines are ruled in blue or purple, but much less frequently than in the more decorative vermilion.
In certain classes of books, such as large Bibles and Prayer-books, the custom of ruling red lines lasted till the present century.
These guiding letters were used in all the early printed books which had initials painted in by an illuminator.