Harley MS 4903

Contents:

Continuations of the Roman des sept sages. There are 7 continuations or sequels to the Roman des sept sages de Rome. This copy is now divided into two volumes, of which this is the second, containing part of the fourth and the fifth and sixth romances.

ff. 1-16: Helcanus (final part: this text begins in Paris, BnF, MS fr. 17000);

ff. 16-134: Peliarmenus;

ff. 135-231v: Kanor.

The first three romances, Marques de Rome, Laurin and Cassidorus and the beginning of the fourth, Helcanus, are in the first volume, now Paris, Bibliothèque nationale de France, ms francais 17000.

Decoration:

Two-column miniatures in colours with gold at the beginning of the main divisions (ff. 1r, 5v, 16r, 40v, 59r, 67v, 69r, 75r, 79r, 94r, 102r, 106r, 116r, 123r, 126,r 135r, 146r, 186v, 190r, 204v, 222v). An unfinished large miniature with the composition drawn in ink and the underlying coat of gesso applied on areas which were to be covered in gold leaf (f. 180v). Column-width miniatures in gold and colours at lesser divisions (ff. 12r, 13r, 18v, 21r, 25v, 29v, 34v, 37v, 44v, 46r, 49v, 52v, 59v, 64v, 66v, 71v, 77r, 82v, 83v, etc.). 2 historiated initials (ff. 66v, 75r). Large initials in gold and colours with ivy leaves, sometimes including a dragon head (e. g. ff. 59r, 67v), or accompanied by a foliate bar border ending in an animal head (f. 1 only). Puzzle initials in red and blue with pen-flourishing in the same colours (ff. 32v, 134r, 136r, 158v, 201r, 218r, 226r). Numerous initials in red or blue with pen-flourishing in the other colour. Initials decorated with faces drawn in brown and red ink (f. 198v).

The subjects of the miniatures are:

f. 1r: The King of Spain ('Arragon') and his army are defeated;

f. 5v: Two young Romans with their wives on horses, leaving the King of Spain to return home;

f. 11v: Peliarmenus ('Pelyarmenus') leaving the Chateau Mignot to go to the King of Spain;

f. 13r: Peliarmenus telling lies about Helcanus to Josias ('Josyas') of Spain;

f. 16r: Dyalogus throwing the Emperor Cassidorus' children into the river to obey the order of his brother Peliarmenus; Dorus is rescued by a fisherman; an unidentified coat of arms in the outer margin, at the beginning of Peliarmenus;

f. 18v: Peliarmenus having returned from Britain to Rome, tells his mother, the empress, about his journey;

f. 21r: Cassidore and Dorus are recognised by a knight in the castle of the Duke of Borleus ('Borleuz');

f. 25v: Helcanus is put in prison at the command of Josias;

f. 29v: Cliodorus ('Clyiodorus' or Celidoine) leaving the Duke of Borleus' castle;

f. 34v: Peliarmenus trying to crown himself Emperor of Constantinople;

f. 37v: Mirus ('Myrus') being given advice by a young woman as he leaves a castle;

f. 40v: Mirus in combat with Malquidant, defending Helcanus;

f. 44v: A young squire escapes from the traitors;

f. 46r: Mirus and his companion stay with the young woman for two months;

f. 49v: Mirus takes a message from Helcanus to his brother Peliarmenus;

f. 52v: Karus and Mirus part from each other;

f. 59r: Peliarmenus brings his nephew, Helcanus and Cliodorus to Constantinople;

f. 59v: Cliodorus leaves Helcanus to go to Spain;

f. 64v: The emperor Cassidorus leaves the well where he has left Helcanus prisoner;

f. 66v: Borleus and the barons discuss what has happened to Helcanus; inhabited initial with the head of a young man;

f. 67v: Mirus defeating Dubius ('Dubyus') with a lance;

f. 69r: Battle of Laomedon;

f. 71v: Peliarmenus and the King of Spain;

f. 75r: Helcanus before Fastidorus and his wife in Rome; inhabited initial with the head of a lady;

f. 77r: Aphode and Isodore ('Ysodore') angered by Helcanus;

f. 79r: Battle between Cassidorus and Peliarmenus at Constantinople;

f. 82v: Nera of Spain goes to Rome;

f. 83v: Knights searching for Nera;

f. 85r: The Emperor before Constantinople;

f. 86r: Peliarmenus telling a tale;

f. 88v: Nera is attacked by a steward;

f. 89v: Helcanus released from prison goes searching for Nera;

f. 93r: Emperor Cassidorus, finding the lion and encountering the hermit;

f. 94r: Cassidorus and Peliarmenus meet, with hounds attacking a stag;

f. 96r: Knights leave Peliarmenus and Dialogus in the forest;

f. 98v: Cassidorus seated at the entrance to a hermitage with a lion and birds in the trees;

f. 102r: The knights of Rome and Constantinople celebrating;

f. 105r: Dorus at a tournament in Rome;

f. 106r: A tournament;

f. 106v: Emperor Cassidorus and the empress playing chess;

f. 108r: Cassidorus and the empress brought to the hermitage by the lion;

f. 113v: King Celidus (‘Celydus’) of Jerusalem;

f. 116r: Celidus and Dianor riding away from the emperor;

f. 118v: The Prince of Antioch at the parliament of Rohais;

f. 121v: Peliarmenus before a city gate;

f. 123r: Peliarmenus and his army preparing to attack Constantinople

f. 126r: Helcanus on a quest, meets Helcanus and Nera on a horse;;

f. 130r: Hayno and Dorus and their companions meet;

f. 132r: Abylon loses Dorus and Hayno finds out how the maiden has kept Dorus in her fortress;

f. 133r: Mardocheus searching for Dorus;

f. 135r: The lion taking Emperor Cassidorus's children into the mountains, at the beginning of the Romance of Kanor;

f. 137v: Celydus and Dyanor in armour and with shields bearing their arms arriving before the castle of Melchior or Rohais;

f. 146r: The princes of Constantinople in discussion with the King of Aragon between a tent and a castle;

f. 153v: The empress and the duchess in discussion;

f. 156v: Cassidorus' children placed by the lion on the mountain, with a figure standing to the right (probably 'Nichole');

f. 162r: Cassidorus' sons being brought before the king of Hungary;

f. 164r: Messengers kneeling before Celidus at the castle of Margas;

f. 169r: A young woman, banished by a monk, taking away a baby;

f. 171r: The empress’s baby and the monk’s baby being switched at birth;

f. 174r: The empress of Constantinople riding, disguised as a squire, with a knight in armour holding a shield with his coat of arms;

f. 180v: Jasphus, Josias and Mardocheus leaving the castle to enter the perilous forest (unfinished);

f. 186v: Josias of Spain, meeting the queen and her retinue hunting, hounds attacking a stag to the right, butterfly and birds in the trees;

f. 190r: Mardocheus meeting a knight in the forest, birds in the trees;

f. 198r: Maidens putting Japhus in prison;

f. 203r: The chatelaine of the prison and a maiden addressing the prisoners;

f. 204v: The king of Hungary fighting to deliver the imprisoned chatelaine and the four knights;

f. 208v: A banquet celebrated in honour of the four sons of the emperor and empress of Rome;

f. 212r: Rainfort, son of the king of Aragon, marrying Cassidore, duchess of Athens;

f. 214r: The king of Hungary delivering the four knights kept prisoner in the castle of Cyno;

f. 222v: The empress of Constantinople speaking to her son Libanor under a tree near a castle.

Attributed to Jeanne de Montbaston (Rouse and Rouse, Commercial Book Producers, 2000). Rough sketches of the scenes depicted in the miniatures in the lower margins as a guide to the miniaturist (e.g. ff. 75r, 79r, 116r), sometimes combined with written instructions (e.g. f. 105r). Most of these preliminary drawings have subsequently been erased. A count of miniatures or 'histoires' is noted in the lower margin of f. 197r.

Quire signatures continued from Paris, BnF, MS fr. 17000 (see f. 8v) and leaf signatures. Catchwords written horizontally.