Royal MS 20 E I-VI

20 E. 1-20 E. VI

CHRONIQUES DE FRANCE ou de Saint Denis, with continuations for the reigns of Charles VI and VII, ending in 1461. Many leaves and whole sections have been lost, including among other portions the entire reign of Philip of Valois and all but two leaves of that of Charles V. The volumes were formerly much disordered by the binder, and some little displacement still remains (see below). In general the text resembles that of the printed edition of the Saint Denis chronicle (ed. Paulin Paris, 1836-1838) for the period down to Charles V (cf. also 16 G. VI, which, however, contains a different life of S. Louis, and 20 C. VII); the continuation down to 1402 (20 E. V, ff. 1-169 b) consists of the chronicle of Jean Juvénal des Ursins, afterwards Archbishop of Rheims (ed. D. Godefroy, 1653, pp. 1-152; the text is slightly abridged towards the end); for the rest of Charles VI's reign (from the birth of Charles VII) the text follows the first part of the brief chronicle of Charles VII written in the name of Alain Chartier, but generally ascribed to Gilles le Bouvier, Berry King of Arms (printed 1528, &c., see the reprint of this portion in Godefroy, op. cit. pp. 412-443); lastly, the chronicle from the accession of Charles VII (20 E. VI) is that of Jean Chartier (Cf. 20 C. IX). Six volumes. Vellum. 21 1/4 in. x 14 1/2 in. Written for Sir Thomas Thwaytes, Treasurer of Calais, A.D. 1487, as a present to Henry VII, see the colophon at 20 E. III, f. 94 b, 'Cy finissent les fais et gestes du roy Loys le gros, ensemble les fais et gestes de tous les autres dessus nommez ses predecesseurs, ce qui bien doit souffire pour le contenu du premier volume present (over 670 very large folio leaves!) des nobles cronicques de France, escriptes en la fourme et maniere que dessus par le commandement de noble homme messire Thomas Thwaytes cheuallier engloys conssiller de treshault trespuissant et tresexcellent prince Henry le viie par la grace de dieu roy dangleterre et tresorier de ses ville et marches de Calays. Et fut ce present et premier volume desdictes cronicques paracheue et fine de la main de Hugues de Lembourg natif de Paris poure clerc et humble seruiteur domestique du dessusnomme tresorier, lan du regne du dessusdit son souuerain seigneur et maistre iiie, le xiiiie iour doctobre'. Gatherings of eight leaves (rarely⁶), with catchwords at right angles to the text. Double columns of 32 lines. The illuminated initials, borders, and miniatures, in imitation of Flemish style, were probably to be put in by English artists, as the directions to the miniaturist which survive here and there are in English. They are of poor quality and unfinished, vol. i having only quires i and vii (with the smallest initials of quire viii) filled in; vol. ii (the first part of which was originally attached to vol. i) has nothing before f. 224; vol. iii has the first two quires completed, the rest partly filled, sometimes with miniatures only, sometimes with initials only; vol. iv is untouched; vol. v has most of the small initials, one finished and one unfinished miniature; vol. vi most of the small initials and a few miniatures. Many of the missing leaves doubtless contained miniatures which have been abstracted, and a few others have been cut out (the vellum repaired by modern binders). The arms and badges, &c., of Henry VII are repeated frequently in the ornament. The subjects of miniatures are:-

In 20 E. I:-

1. Childebert and Clothaire before Saragossa, landscape with several scenes: advance of the French army; religious procession within the city; the King interrogating a peasant; the king, speaking to the bishop; bishop and clergy bringing out relics of S. Vincent. Border of flowers (iris, pink, sweet-pea, &c.) and fruit, &c., in perspective on a grey ground; Royal arms (with crest, a crowned lion), banner with motto 'Dieu et mon droit' supported by a red wyvern, &c. f. 47.

In 20 E. II:-

2. Slaughter of clergy (black monks) and sacrilege at Metz. Border on lake ground; arms and portcullises. f. 227 b.

3. Baptism of Rollo, Duke of Normandy, and his marriage. Border with portcullises and red roses; arms with crown and scroll bearing the King's style between two scrolis 'Domine salu[um fac regem]'. f. 233.

4. Landscape with river and bridge: meeting of Duke Wllliam of Normandy and the Count of Flanders; the Count in a boat; murder of the Count on the bank. Border with portcullises and red roses, &c., scrolls of 'Henricus Septimus' and 'H.S.'; arms within Garter. f. 241.

5. Coronation of Lothair; attack with cannons and other siege engines on a fortified city. Full border in particoloured compartments; red roses, portcullises, letter S, &c.; shield of arms held by Divine figure. f. 249.

6. Cliffs of English coast; vessels and men-at-arms with cross of branches on Border of interlaced branches on purple ground; scroll 'Domine saluum fac regem', and arms. f. 258 b.

7. King Robert building and making war. Borders of flowers (double red rose, daisies, pinks), strawberries, &c., in lozenge panels. f. 262.

8. Siege of Montaigu castle. Border with flowers, portcullises, arms, and crown. f. 271 b.

9. Assault of Montlehery: Count Guy's daughter within. Border of flowers (pansies, &c.); arms supported by two angels. f. 274 b.

10. Assault on castle of Ste. Susanne. 'H. S.', arms and crown in border. f. 287.

In 20 E. III:-

11. Baron selecting the King; within, coronation of Louis le Gros. Full border with flowers (red roses, white roses, columbines, &c.) and portcullises on grey ground, royal arms, arms of Edward the Confessor and arms of S. George, each within a Garter. f. 3 b.

12. Murder of Guy de la Roche- Guyon: the murderer pointing him out in the chapel; above, the castle and the murder, his wife throwing herself in front of him. f. 11.

13. Hugues de Puisac in favour with the King; and outside, plotting; behind, the traitors banged. Border of flowers (thistles, &c.) and portcullises; arms with supporters a red wyvern and white greyhound. f. 28.

14. 'Ynterpris of a setic and castell': assault of a city and castle (bowmen, ladders, &c.). 'Border with scrolls 'Dieu et mon droit', red and white rose within a Garter.' f. 30 b.

15. Army laying siege to a castle. f. 49 b.

16. Death of Philip, son of Louis le Gros, his horse frightened by a boar. f. 53b.

17. Marriage of Louis VII and Eleanor; capture of Acre by the infidels ; bishops persuading Louis to take the cross. Full border. f. 61b.

18. Battle between the Emperor (with triple crown) and infidels (in Oriental dress). f. 69.

19. 'A batell of Frensch men and Turks . . . ' . f. 71 b.

20. Siege of Damascus (longbows and crossbows). Arms in border surmounted by an uncrowned lion under a tent inscribed 'Dieu et mon droit'. f. 79.

21. Landscape and three interior scenes:-(a) Louis VII and Queen at altar praying for a son;-(b) Louis VII in bed and his vision of himself holding a cup of blood;-(c) Birth of Philip Augustus (Dieudonné). Full border of flowers, portcullises, &c., on pale gold ground; arms in two lozenge shaped shields, one supported by redrobed angels f. 96.

22. battle of Philip and the Count of Flanders; the King receiving Count's submission. Border with banner supported by red wyvern. f. 109 b.

23. Siege of Vergy. f. 112 b. In the initial on f. 114 a air of wrestlers.

24. The King directing the paying of Paris. Arms in border supported by angels. f. 115 b.

25. Cardinal-legates making peace between Philip and Henry II. In border arms within rose, and supporters, wyvern and greyhound. f. 125 b.

26. Siege of Acre (small hand-gun, &c.). f. 146.

27. Capture of Évreux (cannon, &c.). In border, besides Royal arms, a shield, arg., on a fess sa. three bezants (for Thwaytes ?). f. 152 b.

28. Richard I doing homage to Philip for Normandy. In border a red and white rose surmounted by a crown and wyvern with banner (H.); also shield of arms of Thwaytes as above. f. 155 b.

29. Queen Eleanor and Arthur doing homage to Philip for Poitiers and Anjou. f. 163.

30. Constantinople taken by the French (battering-ram, &c.). In border arms and banner (H.S.) supported by a wyvern. f. 167 b.

31. Two scenes: (a) Activity of Paris University;-(b) Philip presides at the burning of the heretical follower. of Amaury of Chartres. Full border of flowers. &c., on blue ground; arms supported by red-robed angels. f. 177 b.

32. French fleet attacked at Sluys. f. 186 b.

33. Landscape with three scenes: (a) Louis VIII besieges Avignon;-

(b) his death at Montpensier;-(c) his burial at S. Denis. Full border of birds, flowers, &c., on gold ground; wyvern with banner of arms, gmybound, portcullis, arms within Garter, &c. f. 23 (much injured by damp). In border on f. 224 white greyhound, red wyvern, white hart, and red lion. On f. 226 b scrolls with 'Auxilium Meum a domino', 'Spero lucem'. 'Panem nostrum cotidianum da [nobis hodie]'.

In 20 E. V:-

34. Landscape and three interior scenes, viz. (a) Country ravaged by the English;-(b) Council of dukes and barons;-(c) Lawyers, &c., reading opinions to Louis of Anjou and Sicily, the mob waiting outside;-(d) Coronation of Charles VI. Full border of flowers, &c., on grey ground; scroll with 'Dieu et mon droit', arms supported by red-robed angels, &c. f. 8.

35. Offering to Charles of treasures at Rheims (?). f. 12 (unfinished).

In 20 E. VI:-

36. Marriage of Henry V and Catharine. Full border of lozenge-shaped compartments, containing alternately a portcullis on a blue ground semé of S and a white rose with red centre. At the foot, arms with crest, a crowned lion, and supporters, wyvern and grey. hound, f. 9 b.

37. Siege of Mont S. Michel. Border imitating jewels. f. 15 b.

38. Attack on Saint-James in Normandy. f. 20.

39. Siege of Montargis and drowning of Pierre de Giac. f. 22. Similar ornaments and devices occur in many of the smaller borders.

The identification of the volumes in the old catalogues is uncertain. There are some traces of old numbers (20 E. III, f. 95 ; 20 E. V, f. 1) cut off by the binder. Some of the volumes may be nos. 60 or 85-88 of the cat. of MSS. at Richmond Palace in 1535 (see 15 D. 1); perhaps cat. of 1666, f. 13 b; not in CMA.