Royal MS 16 F VI-VII

16 F. VI, VII

JEHAN MANSEL, La Fleur des Histores: the 'second volume' only, containing the history of Rome to Constantine the Great and a collection of examples of virtue. For the scheme of the complete work see Paulin Paris, Les MSS. François de la Bibl. du Roi' i, p. 60 and cf. also 18 E. VI. The preface to this volume is chiefly taken from the work called Orose en François (or Le Fait des Rommains, 16 G. VII, f. 219), and the other main sources are:-(a) Livy, first decade.-(b) Leonardo Bruni of Arezzo on the First Punic War (cf. the French ed. of Livy, Paris, N. Savetier, 1530);-(c) Livy, xxi-xxxix;-(d) Orose en François or some similar compilation, much abridged, to A.U.C. 628 (cf. 16 G. VII, ff. 177-194, and the continuation of Livy in ed. above, foll. cxxii-cxxxvi b);- (e) L'Histoire Tripartite, or some similar compilation, A.U.C. 635-654 (cf. 18 E. V, ff. 249 b-272 b, 285 b-289, 357-369 b);-(f) Le Fait de Julius César (or Le Fait des Rommains, 16 G. VII, ff. 220-end);-(g) Unidentified sources for the lives of the Emperors Augustus (latter part, vol. ii, ff. 254 b- 258), Tiberius, Gaius, and Claudius (partly abridged from Vincent of Beauvais, cf. 20 C. 1, ff. 258 b-260, 271 b- 276, 279b-280), Nero (as in 20 C. I, but not from Vincent), Galba, Otho, and Vitellius (cf. 20 C. 1) and succeeding Emperors. Preface (f. 17) beg. '[U]ne chascune personne qui raison a et entendement'; text, 'Apres la destruction de la noble cite de Troye faite et executee par les Gregois'. The narrative ends 'maintenue jusques a present' and epilogue 'a tous leaulz crestiens le pere et le filz et saint esperit'. Second part or 'recollection dexemples' (vol. ii f. 282 b) beg. 'Comme doibuent auoir louenge'; ends 'glore de paradis, laquelle nous vueille octroier le pere', &c. Colophon, 'Cy fine la derreniere partie de nostre second volume de la fleur des histores', followed (f. 313 b) by the acrostic verses beg. ' Iamais ne peut ingratitude', the initials of part of which give 'Jehan Mansel composa ce livre Nomme des histores la fleur. Celuy qui de tous mauls delivre Lui soit loier de son labeur'. Second colophon, 'Finitur Iabor is, laus Christo grata sit oris, Qui sit scriptoris requies mercesque laboris'. Two volumes.

Paper, except ff. l7, 28 (outer leaves of first quire of text) in vol. i ff. 287, 314. 15 in. x 10¹/₂ in. Circ. 1470-1480. Gatherings of 12 leaves. Sec. fol. in vol. i (table) 'de Veye', (text) 'ensicurions'; in vol. ii 'que celle'. Initials in red and blue. A space on f. 17 is left for illumination. At the end of vol. ii (f. 314) is the name Philippe de Cleues, possibly the son (d. 1528) of Adolphus, Herr zum Ravenstein, second son of Adolphus, Duke of Cleves. On f. 314 b is a note 'To pay for this and th' other volume xxvs. 8 July, 1650, John Theyer'. Theyer sale-cat. no. 8; CMA. 6657.