Egerton MS 1069

Contents:

Le Roman de la Rose:

ff. 1-31r: The first section by Guillaume de Lorris, begun around 1220, incipit, 'Maintes gens dient quen songes';

ff. 31r-148r: The continuation by Jean de Meun, composed between 1269 and 1278, incipit, 'Et si lai je perdue espoir'. The attribution to the two authors is on ff. 72v-73v. f. 148 has been added, and contains the final 21 lines, ending with, 'Explicit le romans de la rose / Ou lart damour est tout enclose'.

Decoration:

1 large miniature, followed by a small miniature and a large decorated initial, with full foliate borders, in colours and gold (f. 1r). 85 small miniatures, partly coloured pen drawings. Small initials in red or blue. Highlighting of letters in yellow.

The subjects of the miniatures are:

f. 1r: L'Amant or the Lover is welcomed at the gate of the Garden of Pleasures by Oiseuse;

f. 2 r: The allegorical figures of Haine (above) and Felonnie with Vilenie (below);

f. 2v: Convoitise (left) and Avarice (right);

f. 3r: Envie and Tristesse;

f. 3v: Viellete;

f. 4r: Papelardie;

f. 4v: Povrete with a crutch and begging bowl (left) and l'Amant outside the walled garden (right)

f. 5r: L'Amant walking through the forest towards the walled garden (left) and trying to open the gate to the garden (right);

f. 5v: Oiseuse opening the gate of the garden for l'Amant;

f. 6r: L'Amant and Oiseuse in the walled garden, where three birds perched atop trees sing to them;

f. 8r: Doulz-regart, holding ten arrows and dancing with Diex d'Amours, with two bows lying on the ground;

f. 9r: Diex d'Amours dancing with Beaute and Franchise;

f. 9v: Largesse giving arms to a beggar with a stick;

f. 10r: The dance of Franchise, with two musicians playing trumpets;

f. 10v: The dance of Courtoisie (left) and Jeunesce kisses his girlfriend (right);

f. 12r: Narcissus at the fountain;

f. 12v: Narcissus kneeling beside the fountain;

f. 13v: Diex d'Amours wounding l'Amant with his arrows;

f. 15r: Diex d'Amours taking l'Amant prisoner and demanding allegiance;

f.15v: L'Amant swearing allegiance to the Diex d'Amours with a kiss;

f. 16v: Diex d'Amours locking l'Amant's heart with a key;

f. 21r: L'Amant bidding farewell to the Diex d'Amours;

f. 21v: Bel-acueil allowing l'Amant to approach the rosebush;

f. 22r: Bel-acueil giving a rose petal to l'Amant (left) and Bel-acueil asking l'Amant to give him the rosebud while Dangier looks on (right);

f. 22v: Dangier expelling l'Amant from the garden (left) and Raison coming down from the tower to speak to l'Amant (right);

f. 23v: Raison instructing l'Amant;

f. 24r: L'Amant is advised by Ami to apologise to Dangier;

f. 24v: L'Amant speaking to Dangier.

f. 25v: Franchise and Pitie talking to Dangier (above) and Franchise sending Bel-acueil to l'Amant (below);

f. 26r: Bel-acueil and l'Amant;

f. 26v: Bel-acueil allowing l'Amant to kiss the rose;

f. 27r: Male-bouche waking up Jalousie (left) and Jalousie condemning Bel-acueil for allowing l'Amant to kiss the rose (right);

f. 27v: Honte defending Bel-acueil to Jalousie.

f. 28r: Peur speaking to Honte (left) and Peur and Honte waking up Dangier (right);

f. 28v: Dangier making the walled garden more secure;

f. 29r: Male-bouche talking to Jalousie about l'Amant;

f. 29v: Jalousie's castle with four gates;

f. 30r: The four guards placed by Malebouche guard Jalousie's castle where Bel-acueil is imprisoned;

f. 32r: Raison comforting l'Amant;

f. 38v: Pecune, or Riches, having wings attached to her back by Jeunesce, represented by two young men;

f. 50v: L'Amant talking to l'Ami;

f. 69v: L'Amant asking directions of Richesse, who is embracing her lover;

f. 72r: Diex d'Amours sending out a message to summon his barons (above left), instructing his barons (below left) and Abstinence holding back Faus-semblant before the Diex d'Amours (right);

f. 75r: Diex d'Amours speaking to Faus-semblant;

f. 82v: Diex d'Amours instructing his followers to raise an army;

f. 83v: Malebouch offering shelter to two pilgrims;

f. 85r: Male-bouche kneeling in penitence before Faus-semblant (above left), Faus-semblant and Abstinence throwing Male-bouche in a ditch (below left), la Vieille accepting the demands of Faus-semblant, Abstinence, Courtoisie and Largesce;

f. 87v: La Vieille speaking to Bel-acueil;

f. 100r: La Vieille giving good news to l'Amant (left) and La Vieille showing lhim how to get into the castle (right);

f. 100v: L'Amant and Bel-Acueil exchanging thanks;

f. 101r: L'Amant is warned by the guards;

f. 110r: Nature as a blacksmith producing babies in her forge;

f. 111r: Nature's confession to Genius;

f. 131v: Genius giving Nature absolution;

f. 132r: Genius leaving Nature (above left), Genius meeting Amours' army (below left), Genius delivering Nature's message (right);

f. 132v: Genius climbing into the pulpit before a congregation (left) Genius preaching a sermon (right);

f. 139v: Genius concludes his sermon by throwing down a burning candle;

f. 140r: Venus in her chariot attacking the castle and threatening the guards (left) and Venus confronting Honte (right);

f. 140v: Venus shooting a flaming arrow through a tiny opening in the castle;

f. 141v: Pygmalion and the statue;

f. 144r: Venus throwing her torch into the castle and setting it on fire;

f. 144v: Bel-acueil sending the rose to l'Amant;

f. 145r: L'Amant, dressed as a pilgrim, setting off on a pilgrimage;

f. 146v: L'Amant opening the curtains to reveal the statue or relic;

f. 147r: L'Amant smelling the rose.

f.147v: L'Amant picking the rose.