Add MS 36880

From the printed Catalogue of Additions (1907):

'PALAMEDES: a compilation of Arthurian romance, in French prose. Imperfect at the beginning, and also after ff. 163, 173, 261, and at the end. In three parts (of which the first two are imperfect, and. the third wanting altogether), as follows:

1. Guiron le Courtois. The first two leaves mutilated and injured by damp, and the writing on the first page re-traced, sometimes (it would appear) incorrectly. Begins with the adventure of Meliadus and Hector or Absalon : ',En ceste partie dit li contes que puis que li rois Meliadus [s]e fire compagniei [for fu accompagnies?] au chevalier qui auoit [for amoit?] la fill& Esara ensi con li contes a ia deuise cararrieres tot apertement . et il furent ambedui uenuz a la meison de religion . dont ge uos ai parle." f. 1. This corresponds in a general way (though the wording is quite different) with the printed Gyron le Courtoys (Paris, A. Verard, 1501 ?), f. evi. b, col. I ; and it agrees with the Paris MS. fr. 355 (formerly 6975): see E. Löseth, Le Roman en prose de Tristan, etc. (Bibl. de 1'École des Hautes Études, Fasc. 82, 1890), p. 455. The second paragraph begins: "Qvant li rois est uenus dusqua la croiz " ( = Gyron le Courtoys, f. cvi. b, col. 2, 1. 26). f. 1 b. From this point the MS. agrees fairly closely with the printed Gyron, down to f. 153 b, near foot of col. 1 (pr. ed., f. cccxl. b, foot of col. 1), where a chapter ends (speaking of Guiron's son Galinans): " tant com il ot de bien en soi, ot il del pere et de la mere. Mes tout le mal li uint de la partie del uil sane dunt il fu norriz. Mes atant leisse ore li contes a parler de lui qar assez en auom dit a ceste foiz et retornerom au roi Alelyadus por conter alcune choses de ses auentures." The next chapter begins: " Or dit li contes qe puis qe li Rois Melyadus ot tant trauaillie que la tombe fu faite sor Tessala et sor Esalon." f. 153 b. It narrates the adventures of Meliadus, and agrees with ch. clviii. of the printed Meliadus de Leonnoys (Paris, 1528 and 1532); see too Löseth, p. 464. The narrative is continued in the next chapter: " En ceste partie dit li contes que longement quist li Rois Melyadus Guron," etc. ( = Meliadus, ch. clxvii., the intervening chapters being inserted out of place: see Lösetb, p. 464). f. 157, col. 2. The concluding paragraph of this part (omitted in the printed Meliadus, but contained in many MSS., see Löseth, p. 465) begins: "Einssint furent en un seul an tuit li bon chevalier departi . les hons chevaliers di ge qi estoient a celui tens de haut renom. Qar les uns furent enprisonez et les autres furent partiz del Roiaume de Logres." f. 160. The list of knights includes " Palamides le vaillant, de cui memoire cest liures fu encomenciez." The paragraph ends : " en trois parz est nostre liures deuisez . . . La premiere si finera ici . La segonde finera droitement au comencement de la grant qeste del graal, la ou ge deuiserai les cent et cincante poors et les cent et cinqante hardemenz des conpeignons de la table reonde. La tierce part de nostre liure si finera apres la mort le ]Roi Artus. Ormais retornerom a nostre matire . et commeincerom la segonde partie de nostre liure en ceste maniere. Deo gracias." (Cf. Löseth, p. 465.) f. 160, cols. 1-2.

2. Part ii. begins: " Apres ce que li bon chevalier de qi ge uos ai ia mainte merueille contee . fu enprisonez a un tens en tel guise com ge uos ai ia deuise ca arrieres tot apertement. et li Roi Meliadus se fu partiz de Camahalot." f. 161. It agrees in substance with what A leaf is lost after f. 163, and f. 164 is mutilated. Breaks off, just after Arthur and his companion have left the castle of the knight who made his guests prove their knighthood : " A celui ]point tout droitemant qe li chevalier estoit entrez en celui penser si durement. Atant euos oissir dune broches un chevalier arme de toutes armes . . . li Rois qi uenoit deuant ne de l ioste nestoit appareilliez, qar li escuer portoit son escu et son glaiue, ne set que il doit dire." f. 173 b. This seems to be neary the place at which the Paris MS. fr. 350 (formerly 6970) breaks off: see Löseth, p. 466, note. The rest of the page (more than a column and a half) is left blank, and the next two leaves have been cut out. After the lacuna the MS. goes on: " Qant Baudemagus uoit la damoisele si laide riens com ele estoit il est si fiereiment esbahiz." f. 174. It continues the narrative of Arthur's wanderings in quest of Guiron and Meliadus, recounting the adventuresof Kex with the two scornful damsels, Arthur's meeting with the old knight Helianor de la Montaigne, etc., and ends imperfectly, just after Guiron has rescued Arthur from the giants and returned to captivity and Arthur has rejoined his companions at Malohaut: " Seignors, fet li rois, done mest ii auis que uos auez por noiant trauaille de ceste chose. Sire, dient il, bien est uoirs. et bien sachiez ueraiement." f. 263 b, col. 2. Other MSS. of the same cycle are Add. 12228, 23930 (Cat. of Romances, i. pp. 364, 369), and 36673. For a full discussion of the subject see Löseth, as above, but Part ii. of the present MS. seems to differ widely from all the versions noticed by him. Vellum; ff. 263, in double columns. XIV. cent. Large initials, enclosing coarsely-executed miniatures, at the beginning of chapters, and flourished initials in red and blue at the beginnings of paragraphs. A shield of arms (argent, three bendlets azure), surmounted by a coronet, inserted on f. 1. Bookplate of the Rev. Walter Sneyd, of Keele Hall, co. Staff. (d. 1888, sale-cat. 1903, lot 504). 11 in. x 7 3/4 in.'