Stowe MS 50-51

LA LEGENDE DORÉE: the French version of the Legenda Aurea of Jacobus de Voragine, made by Jean de Vignay, circ. 1340, including the additional Lives given by De Vignay for which there is no original in Jacobus. There are in all 236 narratives, including those which refer to Festivals as well as the Lives of the Saints. Begins, without title, with the rubric "Cy comence le prologue de lacteur de ce liure," etc., which introduces the translator's preface, beg. "Monseigneur saint iherome." The author's preface follows, beg. "Le temps de ceste presente vie," f. 1b. The table of contents begins on f. 2, and the text of the work on f. 4. In two volumes. The last Life is that of St. Aubin [Albinus], ending with the words "du benoit saint le pere le filz et le saint esperit. Amen." This MS., or one very closely resembling it, appears to be the original from which the copy 1275 h. 3 in the British Museum [undated, described in the Catalogue as 1480?] was printed. They agree in omitting the names of SS. Sebastien, Losmer, and Donat from the table of contents, though their Lives are given in the text. After the Life of Ste. Waudrut, with which the first volume of the MS. ends, a blank space of nearly a leaf is left in the printed copy, so as to begin the next Life at the beginning of a new leaf. Further, the water-mark of the paper of the MS. [a shield bearing three fleurs-de-lis, with a cross pendant below] is identical with that of the first 77 folios of the printed copy. Paper, except vol. i., ff. 1 and 10, which are vellum. Two vols.; ff. 242 and 282. Late xvth cent. The original foliation is continuous through the two vols., from i. to v^cxxx.; but in vol. i. ff. 77-86 are misplaced between ff. 20 and 21, and in vol. ii. ff. 409-528 are misplaced between ff. 529 and 530, with which the volume ends. In double columns of 43 lines. The first page is ornamented with a miniature and decorative border. On the last page of vol. ii. is the name of Jacques Losien as owner, in a 16th-cent. hand. Folio.