Jacques de Longuyon — 14th century, first quarter; French, Metz (?)

Title

Jacques de Longuyon — 14th century, first quarter; French, Metz (?)

Richard de Fournival — 14th century, first quarter; French, Metz (?)

Jacques Bretel — 14th century, first quarter; French, Metz (?)

Huon de Mery — 14th century, first quarter; French, Metz (?)

Shelfmark

MS. Douce 308

Date

14th century, first quarter

Language

Old French (842-ca. 1400)

Contents

Decoration

Good miniatures.

Good borders.

Good initials.

Acquisition

Bequeathed to the Bodleian in 1834

Provenance

Francis Douce, 1757–1834

Title

French volume in four parts

Shelfmark

MS. Douce 308

Summary

Made up of at least four MSS., comprising:

(fol. 2)(about the second quarter of the 14th cent.) At end:-- 'Explicit li romans de Cassamus', also known as Les Væux du Paon, in verse [author, Jakes de Longuion. E.W.B.N.]. Paul Meyer says that this part cannot have been written before A.D. 1312. There is a footnote [Because (Alex. le Grand, ii. p. 269) the end of the poem in one MS. says it was written 'au commant Tybaut, qui de Bar fu nays', whose death (in 1312) is mentioned. But this end is not in MS. Bodl. 264, nor MS. Douce 165 (which is longer), nor in the present MS. (which is longer still): it may be a late addition, and by another hand. Tybaut was a married man in 1281, and I fully believe the present copy (see the writing of ff. 41-85) and the rest of the volume to be late 13th cent. E.W.B.N.]. The MS. was probably written in Lothringen: and that it was certainly owned in that district in the 15th cent. ('Cest ay Fransoie le Gournaix', fol. 3: 'Il est au ser Renalz le Gornaix chevalier', fol. 106v, cf. 107cv, 139v, 'Lyvre de con Ray gamier': 250bv, 283v).

(fol. 86d) (first half of 14th cent., written by -- Bretons) At end:-- 'Explicit li Arriere Bans damor . Bretons lescrit', the Bestiaire d'Amour, a comparison of lovers with animals, by Richard de Fournival, in prose.

(fol. 107d)(soon after A.D. 1320?) Les Tournois de Chauvenci, by Jacques Bretel, without title, in verse: the preface states that the poem was written in A.D. 1285 by 'Jaikes Bertiaz' at Salm.

(fol. 140) A valuable collection of Trouvère poetry, in seven classes (Grands chants, Estampies, Jeux partis, Pastourelles, Balletes, Sottes chansons contre l'Amour, Motets), in all 530 pieces, of which nearly 450 are unique. The first six classes have an 'Abecelaire', or list of first words. Two leaves are missing after fol. 240, and there are few miniatures. One of the balletes is believed to have been not written before A.D. 1320. There is a footnote: [It refers to a style of headdress, the cornette, adopted in France 'vers' 1320: so Meyer ('s'il est vrai'), after de La Villemarqué, after Jules Quicherat. But Quicherat's authority is unknown, and Littré attributes to the 13th cent. another French poem mentioning cornettes. E.W.B.N.].

(fol. 250cv) (early 14th cent.?) At end:' Ci fine li Tornoie mens Antecrist', by Huon de Meri, in verse. Another piece, ' li prophetie Sebile', in prose, once preceded, but only the last page (fol. 250cr) is left, with the colophon, and a miniature.

A full description of the MS., by m. Paul Meyer, with extracts, is in the Archives des missions scientifiques et littéraires, 2e Série, tome v (1868), pp. 154, 213: and Douce has prefixed some notes to the volume.

Date

written in the 14th cent.

Language

French

Physical facet

On parchment, with miniatures, illuminated capitals

Physical extent

301 leaves, in double columns