Add MS 6797

JEHAN MANSEL: 'La Fleur des Histoires', vol. 2, part 2; late 15th cent. French. Origin: France. The complete work is in four volumes, the second of which covers the history of Rome to the reign of Constantine. The present MS., the second of a two-part set, is of the second recension, which was completed in 1467. Beg. 'Les consules et les pretres comencerent' (f. 2). Ends (Epilogue): 'a tous leaulz crestiens le pere et le filz et le saint esperit. Amen.' (f. 275v). Followed: (a) by a treatise on the virtues. Beg. 'Comme doibuent auoir loenge'. ff. 276-307v. Colophon: 'Cy fine la derreniere partye de nostre second volume de la fleur des histoires'. (f. 307v);- (b) Acrostic verses giving the name of the author. Beg. 'Jamais ne peut ingratitude'. ff. 308-308v. Colophon: 'Finitur laboris laus Christo grata sit oris/ Qui sit scriptoris requies mercesque laboris. Cy fine le second volume de la fleur des histores. Amen.' f. 308v. See: A. P. Paris, Les manuscrits François de la Bibliotheque du Roi, i (1836), pp. 59-65; R. Tuve, 'Notes on the Virtues and Vices', Journal of the Warburg and Courtauld Institutes, xxvi (1963), pp. 264-303; Royal MS. 16 F. VI, VII. Arms presumably of the first owner, ff. 2, 134v: Quarterly 1, 4, Bussy/Rabutin, 2 De Mony, Sieur de la Milleraye,

3 Montmorency-Laval, Sieur d'Antichy, escutcheon overall Mathefelon, supporters and crest, lions. See also memoranda in an 18th cent. French hand,

f. 1v. Presented by Smart Lethieullier, Esq., F.S.A., May 1760, see f. 1* and Donations Register, Manuscripts Departmental Archives.

Vellum; ff. 308+1*. Contemporary foliation in roman numerals 288-592 from f. 2. Old folio 354 is missing between ff. 67-68 with loss of text. Old folios 486, 498, 526 occur twice. Sec. fol. 'qui estoit amy'. 420 x 305mm. Gatherings generally of 8 (ix lacks 4, xxvi6, xxxv6, xxxviii6), irregular from f. 306. Fly-leaf, f. 1. Catchwords regular from f. 8v, some cropped. Two series of quire marks and signatures, many cropped, on bottom right-hand corner of first four folios of each quire, the first series continuing from the first volume of the set: (a) small letters and roman numerals, eg. ff. 96-99;- (b) small letters and arabic numerals, eg. ff. 160-163. Double columns. Bastard secretary book script, ff. 2-297v. Completed in another similar, but more rounded, hand, ff. 298-308v. Headings in red. British Museum red leather binding, gilt-stamped.

Decoration consists of ten half-page historiated miniatures and 17 small historiated miniatures, with decorative initials at beginning of chapters, borders of flowers, fruit and leaf scrolls with animals, birds, grotesques, etc., in gold and colours. Coat of arms, ff. 2, 134v. Other penwork initials in red, blue and gold.