Volume 1

Catalogue of romances in the Department of Manuscripts in the British Museum.

  • British Museum. Department of Manuscripts
Date:
1883-1910
Catalogue details

Licence: In copyright

Credit: Catalogue of romances in the Department of Manuscripts in the British Museum. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    79/984 page 55
    grant faicte et ordonnee par abrege de moy guy de la coulompne inessaue [messane] . Et translatee en fraucois . Premierement du coiuniandement du maire de la cite de beauuais. Eu nona et eii lonneurde . Earles le Key de Irance . Ian mil • ccc • quatreviugz.” f. 1. This is followed by: “ Cy commence le prologue.” The pro- logue begins: “ Combien que tons les iours les anciennes choses communement soyent mises en oubly pour la cause des iiouueles naturelement plaisans a oyr ou a Regarder. Neantmains aucunes choses passees sont ou furent de si grant excellence . et si notables a recorder et remembrer . que ne vielesse ne mors de ver ne les peult delfacer.” f. 1. After complaining of the fables of Homer and the other poets, it goes on: “ Mais pource que la verite des aucteurs qui loyau- meut et proprement ont escript puisse demourer tout tempz aux habitans en la region doccident Pource au profilt et deduit de ceulx qui entendent gramaire . et qui scoyuent la verite distiuguer de la fauscete . je propre iuge de la coulompne messane . ce que jay peu lyre et comprendre de la verite de la dicte hystoire veul cy ordonneement escripre . et registrer sans aucune fiction,” etc. f. 1, col. 2. The prologue gives some account of Dictys and Dares, and of what will be added to them in the work itself, and it ends : “ Ces choses sont presuposees. 11 est tempz que nous commencons a racompter la maniere de la dicte destruction.” f. 1 b. The work itself seems to have been intended to be divided into 35 books, but many of them are left rmnumbered. The first that is numbered is the seventh (f. 17 b), and the last is the 29th (f. 76). The commencement of each book, excepting the first and 14th, is denoted by a miniature. The last numbered book, the 29th, only relates the incidents just following the death of Penthe- silea; and after this there are six miniatures. The miniatures are on the following pages: fi‘. 1, 3, 4, 8 b, 11 b, 14b, 17 b, 20, 24 b, 25 b, 28, 30, 32 b, 39, 47, 48 b, 50, 51 b, 55, 56, 58, 60 b, 62 b, 64, 66 b, 71, 73, 76, 80, 85, 88 b, 92, 95 b, 98 b. The first book begins: “ Ou Royaume de thesalie de la pro- uince de la dicte romanie . eu quel habitent vne gent quon appelle myrioudons. combien que maintenant nous les appellons soloncins . regna iadis ung roy noble home et iuste quon nommoit pelleus auec sa femme quon appelloit thetide.” f. 2 b.
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