Add MS 39659

PARHAM MS. LXXVII. THE FALL OF PRINCES: a poem in nine books by John Lydgate, translated from Laurent de Premierfait's French prose version of Boccaccio's Latin prose work, De casibus Virorum Illustrium. See H. Bergen, Lydgate's Fall of Princes, E.E.T.S., cxxi-cxxiii, 1924, in the introduction to the forthcoming fourth volume of which the present MS. will be described. There are various omissions and transpositions in the text. Thus the following lines (in Bergen's numeration) are omitted : Bk. i, 2673- 79 ; ii, 1058-99, 4481-87 ; iii, 3837-71 ; iv, 645-51, 2633-39 ; v, 2989-95 ; ix, 43-49, 162-532, 3303-93, 3621-28 (prob. lost in hiatus). In Bk. i, ll. 5454-60 are transposed with 5461-67. In Bk. ix ll. 3394- 3540 precede ll. 3239-3302. In these features the MS. agrees with Harley 1245 and (according to Dr. Bergen) the Longleat MS. The divisions between books are marked by explicits and incipits in red, and there are a number of rubricated chapterheadings closely resembling those in Harley 3486. Heading : " Incipit Liber Bochasii de casu Principum." Prol. beg. " He that whilom dide his dilligence," text " Whan Iohn Bochas considrid had and souht." Text ends (imperfect): "Who lovith most vertu hihest shal ascende " (bk. ix, l. 3620). Paper and (outer leaves and two interior leaves of gatherings) vellum. The watermark is Briquet's " fleur en forme de tulipe," resembling most nearly his group 6642-6652 (1440-1554). Ff. i + 185.

1 ft. 3 7/8 in. x 10 3/4 in. Second half of XV cent. Double columns of 49 lines, Gatherings of 16 leaves, the last of 9, leaves being lost at the end.

Catchwords and signatures. Sec. fol. " Some he can." Full border of rough work to f. 1, a blue shield defaced in the initial and three blank shields in the lower border. Large initials in colours, usually with border prolongations, at the beginning of books. Small initials in blue flourished with red at other divisions. "This is Robert Curzon his booke If it be loste, & you it finde, I pray you heartlie be so kinde, As for to take a litel payne, To send me my boke home agayne." f. i b.

Modern binding of green velvet. Curzon Cat., MSS. in Modern Languages, no. 4.

Poetry ENGLISH: J. Lydgate, Fall of Princes: 15th cent.

John Lydgate: Fall of Princes: 15th cent.

Art. Illuminations and Drawings ENGLISH: Lydgate, Fall of Princes : full border and initials: 15th cent.