31. WACE. CHRESTIEN DE TROYES. LIVES OF SAINTS. B.9
SOMME LE ROY, ETC.
Vellum, 11.5 x 8, 29 x 21 (centim.), ff. 239+ 8, double columns of 40 lines.
Early 14th cent., in a beautiful hand: ink blacker at the beginning of the volume.
Fine ornaments.
Donor, T. C. S. 2 fo. Cler. temps.
Collation: 6 flyleaves, 18 - 208 216 | 228 - 308 312 (wants 2), 2 flyleaves.
An elaborate description of this volume, with extracts, is given by M. Paul Meyer, Romania VIII (1879), pp. 309-324: to this reference should be made: it is printed separately under the title of Les MSS. Français de Cambridge (pt I).
Contents:
1.
Wace. la Conception . . . . . . . . . f. 1
Cest de Dieu et de sa mere
Ou non Dieu qui nous doint sa grace
Oez que nous
dist maistre Gace
. . .
Et pour
lamour sainte Marie
Amen amen
chascuns an die
Expl. de lestoire de Dieu et de sa glorieuse mere.
See Romania VI 10.
2. The fifteen signs of the end of the world . . . . . . . 53
Li quinze signe
Sil ne uous deuoit esnuier
Ou
destourber daucun metier
. . .
An ioie an
solaz an deduit
Dites an Pater noster tuit
Expl. des quinze
signes.
See Romania VI 22.
3. Crestien. Vie de S.
Guillaume Roi d'Angleterre . . . . . . 55
La vie
saint guillaume roy d'angleterre
Crestiens se uiaut
antremestre
Sans rien
oster et sans riens mestre
. . .
Uns miens compeins Rogiers li cointes
Qui de meins
(sic) preudome iert acointes.
Expl. la vie seint Guill. qui fu rois d'angleterre.
One other copy is known,
Paris Bib. Nat. fr. 375: ed. Franc.
Michel 1840, Chroniques Anglo-normandes III.
This MS. is to be used by
Prof. Wendelin Förster, of Bonn, for
his critical edition of
Chrestien de Troyes.
4. La vie Sainte Paule .
. . . . . . . . . 76
Li proverbes
au vilein(s) dist
Que (?ou) lan a trove maint bon dit.
. . .
Quele a
asiegneus deseruie.
Expl. de seint
paule.
No other copy was known to
M. Meyer. It is to be edited by
Prof. Wendelin Förster.
5. Lives of Saints in prose
. . . . . . . 84
Viz., SS. John Evangelist
(84a), Andrew (88b), Thomas (90),
Paul (97), Jasque de
Galice (= James the Great, 100b ),
Bartholomew (102b), Macé (=Matthew, 105b), Simon and
Jude (109b), Phillip (115), Jasques qui fu freres
Saint Symon
et saint Jude (116),
Peter (116b), Agapitus (131b), Clement
(133b),
Chrysanthus and Daria (136), Cervestre (=Silvester,
139b), Agnes (152b), Lucy
(156b), Agatha (157), Juliana
(160), Mark (163b).
M. Meyer gives the opening
words of each life and notes
coincidences (or
differences) with two MSS. in the Bibl. Nat.,
viz. 13496 and 23112 of
the 'fonds français').
6. La Somme le Roi . . . . . . . . 167
Le prumier comandement que
Diex comande cest cestui: tu
narras mie diuers Diex, etc.
Ends f. 240: mes ci fenira
ma matiere a la gloire nostre
seignor a cui en soit
toute l'onor qui nous maint en la com-
peignie la ou est
pardurable uie. Amen.
Ce liure compila et fist
uns freres de lordre desprescheors a
la requeste dou roy de
France Phelippe en lan de lincar-
nacion Ihesu Crist M. et
cc. lxxix. Deo gracias.
The book contains a number of good miniatures: good in colour but rather hasty in execution. M. Meyer has given a list of those in the first part of the book and has transcribed the directions to the artist which have survived in the margin opposite
to a large number of them. I here give a somewhat fuller description.
1.
f. 1. Initial. Gold ground (as throughout in the first
part). A man and woman
kneel
on L. On R. the Virgin stands
resting a book on an altar.
In lower margin grotesques. Goat eating at tree. Man with crossbow about to shoot at a pig on
his hind legs holding a distaff and spindle.
2.
f. 8. Lanoncion des pastors (rubric).
Two shepherds, one seated with club, the other with long pipe. Angel flies down with scroll.
3.
f. 34b Christ on the cross between the two thieves
who are on Tau-crosses with their arms bound behind the cross-beam. Inscription cut. ...ou il pent | ...la croiz...
les ii larrons.
4.
f. 41. Noli me tangere. Magdalene kneels on L., red nimbus. Tree in C. Christ fully draped on R. with tall cross. comme
il apparut a Magd.
5.
f. 45b.Group of
apostles. Feet of ascending Christ
above. Si comme il se depart de ses
apostres et monte es cieuls.
6.
f. 47. Seated and standing
Apostles. Dove above. Si comme il enuoie lou saint esperit a ses
apostres.
7.
f. 53 (Fifteen Signs). Christ as
judge on red throne. Above on R. and L. angels with spears, and crown of thorns and nails: below on each side men rising. lou jugement
quent dix jugera le monde.
8.
f. 55 (St William). King and
Queen with staves walk to R. un Roy et une reine qui
vont empelerinage.
9.
f. 76 (St Paula). Two bishops
and a black monk bear to R. a coffin with bluish pall and five candles
above: nuns in white follow. Si comme dui euesque la portent en vne
biere en terre e noneins blanches apres.
10.
(Lives of Saints). f. 84. King
on L. John in caldron on R. : three tormentors. de s. jehan leuangelistre ou (?) comme en le brust et lempereour le commande.
11.
f. 84b. Three people on L. On R.
John in mass vestments stands in red coffin
before altar. Si com.
s. jehans touz reuestuz est deuant lautel et genz darrier lui.
12.
f. 88. Andrew vested, bound to
cross horizontally by 3 men. Si com. lan lie en la croiz de trauers S. Andri.
13.
f. 90b. Four men on L., one
pierces S. Thomas, who stands at altar on R. Si comme
en pierce S. Thomas dun tariere parmi le cuer tout reuetu deuant .i.
autel. Grotesques (boar hunt) in lower
margin.
14.
f. 97. Paul, beardless, falls from
dappled horse: he holds a short spear.
A hand in clouds on L. holds
the rein of the horse. Si com. S. pols trabuche desus I cheual a
tout le cheual et une main qui ist dune nue retient le cheual par le frain.
15.
f. 100b. Man with sword on L. points to R. In C. another man with sword cuts the throat of St James, who pours
water from bottle on the head of one kneeling on R. Si comme en cope a S.
Jasque la teste en bapteant I crestien.
16.
f. 102b. Two mailed men with swords; one beheads St Bartholomew, who
kneels in linen drawers. On R.
is a boy wounding him with a knife, and another man with sword. Si com.
len descole s. berchemi e decope
a coustiaus.
17.
f. 105b. Man with spear pierces S. Matthew in mass vestments holding the
host,
at altar, on which is chalice under corporal.
Si com. S. mace chante a
lautel et le
le
fiert dun glaiue par le cuer en
faisant leuacion.
18.
f. 109b. Two men stone Simon and Jude kneeling. A man in C.
with sword. Si comme en lapide S. Symon et S. Jude.
19.
f.115. A monk in black girt with
rope, and four other men, bear the body of Philip to R. Above it are seen cross
and 4 candles. Si comme emporte S. Phelipe en terre.
20.
f. 116. A robed man smites S.
James the Less (on R.) with club on
the head. Si com. len fert S. Jasques dun baston a deus mains par la teste.
21.
f. 116b. Christ seated on L.
gives a huge key to Peter kneeling. Si com. nostre sires baillie les cles de paradis a s. pere.
22.
f. 130b. Peter bound to cross head downwards by four men. Si com. lan
lie s. pere en la croiz ce desouz desus.
23.
f. 131b. Ruler sits on L. Two men pierce and behead Agapitus
kneeling. Si comme I rois fet
cuper
la teste S. agapiste et I tirans li pierce le cuer dun glaiue.
24.
f. 133b. Two men hold over the water the body of S. Clement (quite
stiff) in peaked tiara and mass vestments with an anchor tied to his neck. Si comme
en giete S. climant. en la mer reuestu comme
euesque et une ancre de mer pendue a son col.
25.
f. 136. Two men stone
Chrysanthus and Daria kneeling. Si comme en lapide s. crisant et sainte
daire.
26.
f. 139b. Silvester on L. in peaked tiara and mass
vestments. Jews (5) in peaked caps on R. Si
com. s. ceruestres apostoles despute aus maistre de la loi.
27.
f. 146. Above. On L.,
Constantine and Helena seated.
Silvester stands facing R.
Two
bishops sit before him also facing R. A Jew facing L. addresses him. Tonsured
men kneel on R.
Below. A crowd of seated people,
a bishop in the centre.
Si comme
constantins et sa mere et li euesque
dune part desputent au mestres de la loy.
Et li pueples les escote qui se siet desouz.
28.
f. 152. Ruler on L. Man
beheads Agnes kneeling. Si comme li preuos commande que sainte agnes soit ferue dun glaiue par la gorge.
29.
f. 155b. Ruler on L. Man pierces Lucy standing. Si com.
li preuos fest S. luce ferir dune
espee par le cuer.
30.
f. 157. Two men with green
bow-shaped instruments twist the breasts of S. Agatha. Ruler on R. Si com.
li emperere fest teurdre les
mamelles Ste. agace.
31.
f. 160. Above. Ruler sits before a building and addresses
people on R. Below.
Juliana, nude, stretched on the tire of a wheel between two
columns. A man on either side turns a
handle. Fire below. Si comme
en rotist Ste Juliene en une roe au feu.
32.
f. 163b. Men walk to L. with
cord attached to neck of S. Mark, who lies clad in linen drawers on the
ground. Behind, a seated ruler with men
about him. Inscription gone: a bit of
vellum is cut out of the lower margin.
Miniatures of the Somme le Roy. Here there are rubrics only.
1.
f. 167. Coment diex donne ses commandements a moyses. On. L. Moses
receives the tables. On R. he breaks them.
2.
Coment li ypocrite adorent le
veel. Blue ground patterned. Two men blow trumpets, others kneel to the calf.
Hunting scene in lower margin.
3.
f. 168. Coment li apostre font la credo.
They sit: the dove descends: in C.
a desk with book on which is written Credo in deum.
4.
f. 169b. Beast with seven heads and ten crowns tramples on a
friar: a man kneels to it. Ceste
beste senefie le deable.
5. f.185b. Three quarters of
page. Three tiers. Cest
li iugemens nostre seignour.
a. L.
Angel with spear and crown of thorns.
The Virgin kneeling. C. Christ as judge, two swords
proceeding from His mouth. R. Angel
with cross and nails. John Evangelist
kneeling. The ground of C. is lozengy of gold lozenges and white
fleur-de-lys on blue.
b. Angels with trumpets R. and
L.:
more figures kneel and stand: pope, bishop, king, monk, etc.
c. Peter with the blessed: C.
and R. souls in caldron in
hell-mouth: other souls led by devils (obliterated).
6.
f. 192b. Cest li iardins des vertuz, etc. Seven maidens among seven
trees; from the root of each tree flows a stream: each maiden holds a bowl.
7.
f. 194. Pentecost: very like no.
5 in part I, f. 47.
8.
f. 195b. In four compartments. Prudence. Crowned woman at desk addressing
audience. Atemprance. Crowned woman
at table admonishes man seated by her, to whom servant offers cup. Force. Crowned woman holds disc with lion. Justice crowned, seated with scales and sword.
9.
f. 198. Humilite holds obliterated disc with ? angel. Orgueil. King (Ahaziah) falls out of tower. Le
pecheeur kneels at altar. Hypocrite kneels, but turns away from altar.
10.
f. 201b. Amistie crowned, stands on dragon, holds disc with bird. Hely stands with hand to face. Dauid.
Jonatas embrace. Saul et dauid. David sits playing harp.
Saul throned on R. drops
javelin upon him.
11.
f. 203b. Equite crowned, stands on wolf? and holds disc with lamb, and
plummet. Felounie. Cain kills Abel
with spade. Noah's ark seen in section
on the water: birds above, men in C., beasts below. Moses addresses the two Jews disputing, with
clubs.
12.
f. 206b
207. Prouesce
crowned, stands on ox, holding disc with lion. Peresce in hat
reclines: oxen and plough stand in front.
David . Goulie. Goliath very large in mail with blue
surcoat, stone in forehead. Labour sowing in field.
13. f.
213. Misericorde crowned stands on sheep (?), gives garment to kneeling
suppliant, and holds disc with doves. Auarice.
Man by open chest of money.
Devil (defaced) above. Qui recoit les anges. Lot leads two angels clad as travellers
into house on L. La
bone dame qui depart luile in a house: she pours oil from one vessel into
another.
14.
f. 221. Chaaste crowned, stands on
unicorn, holds disc with bird. Luxure holds elliptical white object and
chain of wreaths. Holoferne. Judith. She
beheads him in tent. Joseph et la fole dame. She addresses him.
15.
f. 234b. Sobriete crowned, stands on ? tiger, holds disc with
bird. Gloutonnie
at
table, vomiting. Below, Dives and wife
at table. Servant with club points them
to Lazarus, who stands at door on R.
with clapper and bowl; a dog licks his leg.
Below, Dives in caldron in Hell: defaced.
On f. ii at beginning, in a hand of the 16th cent. are six six-lined stanzas of English verse:
When slepe had slipt out of my heade
and sundrie
thowghts amaisd my brayne
me thowght I
herd in verey deede
a thundryng
voice yt cride a mane
come tyme before the Lord or
kynge
and maik
accompt of euerie thinge.
On f. vib is a 15th cent. list of contents, partly copied from the directions to the artist.
A rectangular piece has been cut out of the first of the 2 flyleaves at the end. Lower down is the letter N (in black letter).
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION
Negative microfilm in St John's College Library.
2. Cameron Louis, 'Two Middle English Doomsday poems', Bulletin of the Modern Language Society (of Finland) 1: 92 (1991), 43-6.
3. A. J. Holden, Chrétien: Guillaume d'Angleterre, edition critique (Genève, 1988).
Professor Wendelin Förster has published his critical edition as part of Romanische Bibliotek (Halle, 1911).
M. Wilmotte also has an addition found in the series Les Classiques Français du Moyen Age, no.55 (Paris, 1927), which has a critical discussion of the text.
Part of f. 116 verso was reproduced in The Council on Library Resources Inc. Sixteenth Annual Report, 1972.
6. La Somme le Roi, Fourteenth century English translation in, W. N. Francis (ed.), The book of vices and virtues (1942), Early English Texts Society, vol. 217. See also S. 30 (MS 256), no.1.
Janet Ferrier, 'A husband's asides: the use of the second
person singular in Le Ménagier de Paris', French studies vol.
31:3, July 1977, pp. 257-67.
14. f. 221 J. N. Einhom, Spiritalis Unicornis (Munchen, 1976).
Exhibited at 'A thousand years of French Books', National Book League, A thousand years of French Books (London, 1948), cat. no. 22.
R.H. and M.A. Rouse, Manuscripts and their makers: commercial book producers in medieval Paris 1200-1500 (Turnhout, 2000) vol. I pp. 168-169, vol. II fig. 83 (f.169v).