Volume 2

Universal palaeography, or, Fac-similes of writings of all nations and periods, copied from the most celebrated and authentic manuscripts in the libraries and archives of France, Italy, Germany, and England / by M.J.B. Silvestre ; accompanied by an historical and descriptive text and introduction by Champollion-Figeac and Aimé Champollion, fils ; translated from the French and edited, with corrections and notes, by Sir Frederic Maddan ... in two volumes.

Joseph-Balthazar Silvestre

Date:: 1849-1850

Credit: Universal palaeography, or, Fac-similes of writings of all nations and periods, copied from the most celebrated and authentic manuscripts in the libraries and archives of France, Italy, Germany, and England / by M.J.B. Silvestre ; accompanied by an historical and descriptive text and introduction by Champollion-Figeac and Aimé Champollion, fils ; translated from the French and edited, with corrections and notes, by Sir Frederic Maddan ... in two volumes. Source: Wellcome Collection.

175/458 page 533

Due de Berry et d’Auvergne” etc. From these details, there¬ fore, it may be inferred, that Frere Jean Le Lone made the French translation of these Latin travels about the year 1351; that the manuscript was presented to the Duke of Berry, (who died in 1416,) by his nephew John, surnamed sans Peur, Duke of Burgundy, who did not succeed to the dukedom until 1404, and, consequently, that it was between 1404 and 1416 the manuscript must have been presented to the Duke of Berry, the catalogues of whose library made in 140] and 1403 do not mention this rich volume. The miniature of the first page exhibits the arms of France, Burgundy, Flanders, and Hainault, in two escutcheons, which indicate a period posterior to the death of the Count of Flanders in 1384'/r, which gave to Philip le Ilardi, Duke of Burgundy, (father of Duke John,) the sovereignty of the duchy of Burgundy, the counties of Flanders, Rethel, etc., and we have, therefore, sure grounds for considering it as a work of the end of the fourteenth century-]-. The fine modern Gothic writing employed in the text and rubrics indicate also the same period. This minuscule is large, heavy, tall, very angular, and much conjoined; the top-strokes and tails short, and always terminated in points, the down- stroke always ending in a triangular form, or in a rounded hair-stroke bent upwards ; the i and y are accented ; in other respects the writing lias the words quite distinct, is punctuated, and of a regular and marked elegance. The initial letters C and E are closed, with embroidered work in the thick part * These arms are, probably, first, Burgundy modern and ancient, quarterly, with Flanders in pretence; and second, Flanders and Holland, quarterly; and they refer to John sans Peur, and his wife Margaret of Bavaria, to whom he was married in 1385. — Ed. •j* In Humphreys’ Illuminated Bools ofi the Middle Ages, a fac-simile is given of a page of this manuscript, from the travels of Mandeville; but the miniature and border on it, as well as the shield of arms in the initial letter, have evidently been executed by a much later hand than flic pre¬ ceding portion of the volume.—Ed.

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