The Canon

Holbein's dance of death. The canon's cape is made of square pieces of fur laced with animals' tails.

Holbein's dance of death. The priest is followed by a helper with a pot of holy water.

Death is disguised as a server. This may be a device that shows us that the canon dies while at work. The canon is dressed in a cape of fur made of square pieces of fur, adorned with animals' tails, just like he is in Holbein's great dance of death.

Death carries an iron pot with holy water and sprinkler (aspergillum). In Holbein's dance of death (picture to the right), the priest is assisted by Death, while a human server carries the holy water.

The accompanying text for this letter goes: »Sy flyssen sich all des geytz von dem minsten bis zu dem mersten / Sy betriegen all von dem propheten biß zu dem priester«.

This is from Jeremiah 6,13 which in Luther's version sounds: »Denn sie gieren alle, klein und groß, nach unrechtem Gewinn, und Propheten und Priester gehen alle mit Lüge um«. In English: »For from the least of them even unto the greatest of them every one is given to covetousness; and from the prophet even unto the priest every one dealeth falsely«.