Royal MS 20 D XI

From George F. Warner and Julius P. Gilson, Catalogue of Western Manuscripts in the Old Royal and King’s Collections, 4 vols (London: British Museum, 1921), II, pp. 384-87:

'Chansons of the cycle of Guillaume d'Orange: a longer series than in 20 B. XIX, see above. A similar text is in a Paris MS., fonds fr. 24369. For a fuller description see Ward, Cat. of Romances, i, p. 632, and for some discussion of the relations of the two series see H. Suchier, Les Narbonnais, Soc. des anc. textes français, 1898, ii, p. iii, with other articles noted below. The subsequent discovery of the Chancun de Willame (now Add. MS. 38663) must, however, be taken into account in considering the origins of the poems.

The general title here is as follows: 'Ci coumence lestoyre de Guerin de Monglenne, et aprez de Girart de Vienne, et de Renier de Gennes, et de Milon de Puille, et de Hernaut de Biaulande; et aprez daymeri comment il ot Nerbone, et Ermengart a moullier, et des enfans qui deuls issirent: cest a sauoir de Guillaume dorenge, et de Bernart de Brubant, et de Bueuon de Comarchis, et de Guerin danseune, et dernault le Rous, et daymer le Chetif, et de Guibert qui fu roys dandrenas, et de leur v. sereurs comment elles furent mariees, et a quelz seigneurs; et y sont li ver Fouque de Candie, et tout li fait Renoart au Tinel et de son filz Maillefer, et tout li fait Guillaume dorenge dusques a sa mort'. Contents:-

1. Garin de Montglanne: in about 12600 lines (tirades of alexandrines, a six-syllable line with unaccented e rhyme at the end of each tirade). For partial editions, see Ward, op. cit. f. 1. Begins:-'Seignour or escoutez pur dieu omnipotant Que dame diex vus doint honor et ioie grant.'Ends:-'Qui les fist cheualiers et armes leur donna. Bien furent emploices.'Colophon, 'Explicit de Guerin et de Mabile'.

2. 'Ci commence li liures de Gyrart de Uianne et de ses freres coment il alerent seruir en estranges contrees, et comment il orent guerre contre Cha[r]lemaingne': the poem by Bertrand of Bar-sur-Aube, cf. 20 B. XIX, art. 1. The first tirade here is evidently added. Instead of the division into two parts, as in the earlier MS., this article is divided (by miniatures and rubrics) into three (ff. 53 b, 60). f. 41. Begins:-'Seignours barons entendez i. example Vne chancon qui va par connoissance.'Ends:-'Nauront repos en trestout mon ae Li glouton de putaire.'

3. 'Ci comence lestoire daymeri: comment il ot Nerbone et Hermengart a moullier': Cf. 20 B. XIX, art. 2, together with fourteen tirades of the opening of art. 3 in that MS. The present text was collated for Demaison's edition of Aymeri de Narbonne 1887. f. 63. Begins:-'A ceste estoire dire me plaist entendre Ou len puet sens et example aprendre.'Ends:-'Or lai plus chier assez comme deuant Car il fera preudoume.'

4. 'Comment Aymeris mena vne partie de ses enfans a court, et comment il furent fait cheualier, et comment Guillaumes ama Orable premiere[me]nt et comment Tic. baus assist la cite de Nerbone': Les Enfances Guillaume in about 4300 lines (tirades of decasyllables without final short line). Since Ward's description the relation of this and earlier forms of the story has been discussed by H. Suchier in Les Narbonnais, ii, p. vii, who also prints (ii, pp. 4-28) some of the connecting passages, and by Jeanroy in Romania, xxvi, 1897, pp. 1-33. f. 79. Begins:-'Or faites pais pour dieu seignor baron Sorrez chancon qui moult est de grant non.' Ends:-'Que Sarrasins qui dieu puist mal donner Vont par la terre por tot prendre et rober.' 5. 'Coment la Mirauls de Babiloine asiega Nerbone et Desramez et Tiebaut': Le Siége de Narbonne, cf. 20 B. XIX, art. 4, but with the connecting links and other modifications printed by Suchier, op. cit. ii, pp. 29-101. f. 92 b. Begins:-Ce fu en may que la rose est florie Lorieus chante et li rosignous crie.'Ends:-'Ou le royaume ne tendra ia ses fis Ains aut querre autre terre.'6. 'Coment Loys fu coronez par Guillaume a Ais' Le Couronnement Looys, in about 2860 lines (tirades of decasyllables without final short line). Printed, since Ward's description, by E. Langlois, Le Couronnement de Louis, Soc. des anc. textes français, 1888; see also the society's Bulletin, 1896, pp. 51-58, and A. Jeanroy in Romania, xxv, 1896, p. 353. f. 103 Begins:-'Guillaume fu tous drois en son estant Il iure dieu le pere tout poissant.'Ends:-'Mes ne len sot rois Loeys nul gre Si com orroiz se lauez escoute.'

7. 'Coment li rois Loys departi ses terres et dona a G[uillaume] ce ou il nauoit que donner, et pus en fu ii sires': the Partition of Fiefs, in about 960 lines (metre as in the preceding article): really, it would seem, a part of art. 8, but here separated by a rubric and miniature. Besides the edition noted by Ward, ll. 1-421 were printed by P. Meyer, Recueil d'anciens textes, i, 1874) p. 237. See also under the following article. f. 112 b. Begins:-'Oies seignor diex vous croisse bonte Li glorleux li rois de maiste.'Ends:-'Je le feral sel loent mes empires Et il respondent il dist voir biau dous sire.'

8. 'Ci comence li charrois de Nimes, comment ele fu prise et li rois Otrans mors': the rest of the Charroi de Nîmes, about 650 lines in the same metre. Besides Jonckbloet's edition and the other literature noticed by Ward, the chanson has been discussed by Jeanroy in Romania, xxvi, 1897, pp. 1-33, and F. Lot, ib. p. 564; see also Bulletin de la soc. des anc. textes fr., 1896, pp. 60, 61. f. 116. Begins:-'Segneur baron or oies la deuise Con faitement Guillaumes a emprise.'Ends:-'Li rois lentent grant ioie en a menee Dieu en aoure et la virge honoree.'

9. 'Coment Guillaumes oy nouueles dorenge et comment il la prist et par quel engin': La Prise d'Orange, in about 2040 lines of similar metre, a chanson closely related to the last and discussed with it by Jeanroy, l.c. f. 118. Begins:-'Oies seigrur que diex vus beneie Li glorieus li fii seinte Marie.'Ends:-'Vers moi se traie qui les voudra entendre Jen chanterai qui en sai reson rendre.'

10. 'Ci comence la branche de Viuien coment il fu menez en ostage pur son pere, et comment il eschappa et ocist puis Marados le Sarrazin': Les Enfances Vivien, in about 3260 lines of similar metre. Edited from this and other MSS. by C. Wahlund and H. von Feilitzen, Les Enfances Vivien, Upsala and Paris, 1886- 1895; discussed also by A. Nordfelt, Études sur la Chanson des Enf. V., Stockholm, 1891, and by Jeanroy, l.c. f. 124 b. Begins:-'Plaist vus oir chancon de grant mesure Des vielles gestes anciennes qui furent.'Ends:-'En la bataille des felons Sarrazins Diex en ait lame car il por dieu le fist.'

At f. 126 b is a marginal note on the arrangement of the cycle:-'En tant com Viuiens fu auecques la marcheande fu li sieges de Barbastre et li couronemens de Guibert. Et la bataille des Saietaires [described in the Mort d'Aimeri] si fu quant R[enoars] fu moines. Mais pur ce que il ni a fait nul incidences est chascus liurez mis par soi et non pas en ordonande'.

11. 'Coment Viuiens fu fais cheualiers': Le Covenans Vivien or La Chevalerie Vivien, in about 1890 lines of similar metre. Edited from this and other MSS. by A. L. Terracher, La Chevalerie Vivien, Paris, 1909, and discussed by R. Weeks, 'Origin of the Covenant Vivien', University of Missouri Studies, vol. i, 1902, no. 2. Weeks also published a facsimile of the Boulogne MS., with notes, in 1909 (ib. Lit. and Linguistic series, vol. i, no. 1). f. 134 b. Begins.-'Seignor baron pur dieu or entendez Iceste estoire iames meillor norrez.'Ends:-'Iames nul ior plus grant dolor norrez Cis les maudie qui en crois fu penez.'

12. 'Comment Guillaumes perdi ses homes en Alichans': La Bataille d'Aliscans, in about 8020 lines of similar metre. Besides the editions of this branch in its various forms noticed by Ward, reference must be made to the still earlier form in the Chancun de Willame (now Add. MS. 38663) printed privately [by George Dunn] in 1903, edited by H. Suchier (lines 1-1983 only), Bibliotheca Normannica viii, La Chançun de Guilleime, Halle, 1911 (cf. articles by P. Meyer in Romania, xxxii, 1903, p. 597, Raymond Weeks in Modern Philology, ii, 1904, no. i, &c.), critical edition of Aliscans by Wienbeck, Hartnacke, and Rasch, Halle, 1903, and articles by Weeks in Romania, xxx, p. 184, xxxiv, p. 237, xxxviii, p. 1. f. 140 b. Begins:-'Ai ce ior que la dolor fu grans Et la bataille orrible en Aleschanz.'Ends:-'Pus fu il rois et amiraus clamez Jusqua Monnuble conquist les heritez.'

13. 'Coment Rainuars desconfi ceulz du Dromont et de la grant paine que ii souffri sus mer': La Bataille de Loquifers (with part of Le Moniage Rainouart, according to Paulin Paris' division) in about 5970 lines of f. 240. similar metre. f. 166. Begins:-'Seignour oies merueilleuse chancon Ia de plus vraie ne chantera aus hom.'Ends:-'Dist Maillefer ce me uient mult en gre Mais dauoir feme nai encor volente.'

14. 'Coment paien ariuerent a Ponpaillart et comment Maillefers se combati a R[enouars] son pere': the remainder of Le Moniage Rainouart, with a link connecting it with Le Moniage Guillaume, about 2838 lines in all, in similar metre. f. 185. Begins:-'Dist Maillefer sire lessieme ester Je nai or cure certes de marier.'Ends:-'Se uait li quens na congie demande Pus ne la uirent en trestout leur ae.' The last eleven lincs of f. 193 b are erased, and the last three lines of art. 14 and rubric of art. 15 are written in another hand over the erasure. As the gathering (ff. 184-193) is short of two leaves it is possible that art. 14 originally had a different conclusion and that art. 15 is a later addition.

15. 'Ci comence comment Guillaumes fu moines et hermites, et comment il ala aus poisons a la mer, et comment il fu pris des Sarrazins et menez a Palerne, et comment il fu deliures et puis se combati a Ysore devant Paris': the later recension of Le Moniage Guillaume, in about 6776 lines of similar metre. Besides the references given by Ward, see a study of some points in the chanson by F. Lot in Romania, xxvi (1897), pp. 481- 494, and a complete edition by W. Cloetta, Les Deux Rédactions en vers du Moniage Guillaume, Soc. des anc. textes fr., 1906-1911. f. 193 b. Begins:-'Boine chanchon uielle uolez oir De fiere geste bien sont li mot assis.'Ends:-'Pardon nous faice par la soie merci Dites amen que dix lotroit ensi.'Colophon, 'Explicit le mort de Guillaume dorenge. Deo gracias'.From this point to the end of the gathering (nearly four columns) is blank. Art. 16 begins a new quire.

16. Le Siége de Barbastre: cf. 20 B. XIX, art. 5, in tirades of alexandrines with short final line; about 7706 lines. Without title. f. 216. Begins:-'Plaist vous oir chancon bien faite et compassee Toute est de vielle ystoire de lonc tans porpenssee.' Ends:-'Et Guibers sen ala courrouciez et dolant Conquerre estrange terre.'Colophon, 'Ci fine du siege de Barbastre'.

17. 'Coment Guibers fu rois dandrenas': Guibert d'Andrenas, cf. 20 B. XIX, art. 6, in tirades of decasyllables with final short line; 2369 lines. f. 240. Begins:-'Ce fu a pasques la feste seignouri Dedenz Nerbone fu li quens Aymeri.'Ends:-'Que bien cuidoit li frans, rois poestis Quil perdist la couronne'.

18. 'Ci parole du roy Loys, et daymeri et de ses enfans et de la bataille que il orent encontre les Saytaires': La Mort d'Aimeri, the text printed from this and other MSS. by J. Couraye du Parc for the Société des anc. textes fr., 1884, which differs considerably from that of 20 B. XIX, art 7. About 3998 lines of similar metre. f. 247 b. Begins:-'Seignor oez qui chancon demandez Soiez en pes et si moez conter.'Ends:- 'Ne trouueres qui auatit vus en die Sil ne fausse lestoire.'Colophon, 'Ci fine daymeri de Nerbone et de sa lignie'.The last page of the gathering is left blank. Art. 19 begins a new quire.

19. Foulque de Candie: the six chansons and epilogue by Herbert le Duc (or according to other MSS. by Guibert le Clerc), about 17935 lines, partly alexandrines, partly decasyllables. There is no mark of division except at the beginning of the sixth chanson (rubric, 'Ci comence lacorde de Loys et du roy Tiebaut', and miniature, f. 309 b) and before the epilogue (1 line blank). f. 261. Begins:-'Oies bons uers qui ne sont pas frarin Ne les trouuerent Gascoing ne Angeuin Herbers li dux les fist a Damrnartin Et fist escrire en i. brief Bauduin.'Ends:-'Or vueille diex par sa beneicon Nous qui ci soumes chascun faire pardon.'Colophon, 'Explicit de Fouque de Candie'.134 b.The names G. Darell and G. Pekeryng are scribbled in 15th- 16th cent. hands on f. 317 b. Cat. of 1666, f. 34; not in CMA.

Vellum; ff. 317. 15 in. x 12 in. First half of XIV cent. Gatherings of 12 leaves (vi², x¹³, xvii¹⁰, xix¹⁰, xxiii⁹, xxiv¹⁰, xxviii¹¹), with catchwords. There are two systems of signatures, each pair of leaves being marked, according to one system, in red or green ink a-f with a distinguishing mark for the different quires (cf. 20 A. XIII) such as a, a, a, a, whereas in the other system they are marked in black ink, a, aa, aaa, aaaa, va, via, or in a similar arrangement of other letters (b-g, sometimes with a distinguishing mark, but in no regular order), also II. D VI. Triple columns of 53 lines. Sec fol. 'Dont ce seroit'. A few illuminated initials; one (f. 1) with partial border and hounds chasing a stag. Others flourished in red and blue. The miniatures, about 21/2 in. square (except the first, which is in six compartments), mostly have chequy or gold (diapered) backgrounds.'