Harley MS 3723

This 14th-century manuscript contains a hitherto unidentified collection of the works of the Dominican friar Géraud [Gérald or Gérard] de Frachet [Geraldus de Fracheto] (b. 1205, d. 1271), historian and hagiographer of the Dominican Order. Among other works, it features his universal chronicle, chronicle of the Dominican order, and work on the Twelve Sybils. While at least 25 manuscripts of the universal chronicle have been identified, only three of these (Angers, Bibliothèque municipale, MS 668; Paris, Bibliothèque nationale de France, latin 5005A; and Reims, Bibliothèque municipale, MS 1458) feature this particular arrangement of texts, including De decem Sybillis [On the Ten Sybils] (see Rech, 'Charles d'Anjou' (2000), 466-67). Inscriptions by a contemporary corrector at the end of each quire and in the margins throughout the manuscript indicate that a workshop systematically copied an exemplar closely related to this sub-group of French manuscripts. Marginal annotations made in an English cursive hand indicate that manuscript was in England by the late 14th or early 15th century.

Contents:

ff. 1r-6r: An index of subjects, beginning: 'Ortus ydolatrie'.

ff. 7r-108r: Géraud de Frachet, Cronica ex diversis hystoriis abreviata (Abbreviated Chronicle from Various Histories) [a universal chronicle from the Creation until the year 1266], beginning: 'In primordio temporis ante omnem diem deus pater in verbo et per verbum suum fecit ex nichilo rerum omnium materiam . quam postea per .vi. dies varios formans et distinguens in species tribus primis diebus eam disposuit tribus sequentibus ordinavit'.

ff. 108r-109v: De Aquitania (On Aquitaine), beginning: 'Aquitania ut dicunt julius et crosius [sic] et ysidorus et gesta francorum tercia pars est galliarum et habet tres provincias'.

f. 109v: A table of the provinces of the Dominican Order.

ff. 110r-113r: Géraud de Frachet, Chronica ordinis fratrum praedicatorum (Chronicle of the Order of Friars Preachers) [A historiy from the Order's foundation until the year 1258] beginning: 'Anno domini .mo. cco.cc. [sic] iiio. Beatus dominicus nacione yspanus scientia dei plenus . vita sincerus . religionis conspicuus'; including a reference to the author himself on f. 113r: 'octavus frater Geraldus de Frachet'.

ff. 114r-122v: Provinciale Romane ecclesie (Province of the Roman Church), beginning: 'Isti sunt episcopi sub romano pontifice qui non sunt in alterius provincia constituti'.

ff. 123r-126v: Géraud de Frachet, De decem Sybillis, beginning: 'Decem fuerunt sibille . prima persis . secunda libica . tercia delfica in templo. Delfici apollinis genita. que vaticinata est troiana bella'.

The manuscript contains several additions:

f. 7r: A title inscription: 'Chronica Thomae Alb[ion]is' [perhaps referring to Thomas Walsingham (b. c. 1340, d. c. 1422), historian and monk of St Albans]; added in the (?) 17th century.

f. 88v: A marginal annotation: 'Anno domini 1086 incepit ordo Carthusianorum per beatum Brunum etcaetera'; added in the 16th/17th century.

ff. 127v-128v: A miscellaneous collection of historical notes, mostly relating to Classical antiquity (e.g. notes on Romulus and Remus, Lucius Tarquinius Superbus, Hannibal, and the Tiburtine Sibyl), but some also to the Middle Ages (such as the Great Comet of 1264); added in the late 14th century.

Annotations by a 14th-century corrector on last versos of quires and in margins throughout the manuscript.

Annotations by different English hands in the (?) 14th/15th century throughout the manuscript (e.g. see ff. 11v, 12r, 26r, 43r, 61v, 76v, 92v, 114v, 122r, 122v, etc.).

Decoration:

Large puzzle initial in red and blue with pen-flourishing in the same colours (including 'J-borders') (f. 1r). Large initials in blue with red pen-flourishing (ff. 108r, 120r, 123r). Numerous smaller initials in red or blue with pen-flourishing in the other colour. Paraphs in alternating red or blue. Capitals marked with red ink.