Add MS 22937

Les Trois Pèlerinages, three poems composed in 1330-1358 by Guillaume de Diguleville (or Guillermus de Deguilevilla, Degulleville, Deguileville), a monk of Chaalis in Valois.

ff. 1r-74v: Pèlerinage de Vie Humaine, prologue and four books containing the first recension of the text, an allegory of the pilgrimage of the soul in this world;

ff. 75r-132r: Pèlerinage de l'ame, a further allegory of the soul's pilgrimage, in the long version with the last 132 lines omitted;

ff. 132v-191r: Pèlerinage de Jésus Christ, a version of the Gospel story.

Other copies of the poems are in Additional 38120, Additional 25594 and Harley 4399. The present manuscript contains a unique arrangement of chapter divisions and rubrics that are more extensive than those in other copies of the text (see Veysseyre 2016).

Decoration: One double column miniature with full foliate border in colours with gold, incorporating coats of arms, lions, birds and fruit. 41 framed miniatures (ff. 1r-30v). Spaces for about 100 miniatures after f. 30v. Initials in red, blue and gold with pen-flourishing and partial borders with foliate decoration in colours with gold, some incorporating coats of arms. Rubrics in red. Cadels.

The subjects of the images are:

f. 1r: Guillaume reads the Roman de la Rose and sleeps; below, his vision of the Heavenly Jerusalem;

f. 1v: The angel guarding the Heavenly Jerusalem; the Church Fathers teach the people to make wings to fly to the city;

f. 2r: Saint Benedict holds a ladder for the pilgrims to climb the walls of the city;

f. 2v: Saint Peter, with the keys, leads souls to the gates of Jerusalem; the pilgrim meets God's Grace (Grace Dieu);

f. 3r: Grace, beautifully adorned, presents herself to the pilgrim;

f. 3v: Grace shows her beautiful palace to the pilgrim;

f. 4r: The pilgrim is baptised by a priest in front of Grace;

f. 4v: The pilgrim in Grace's palace, with a large head and a bishop, representing Moses; the bishop gives the priest bottles of ointment for the pilgrim;

f. 5r: A bishop and priest talking, and beside them is Reason, represented as a young woman who has come down from a tower;

f. 6r: The pilgrim watches a marriage performed by a priest, who joins the hands of the bride and groom;

f. 6v: Reason shows the pilgrim Moses tonsuring four monks;

f. 9r: Moses gives the keys and sword to the pilgrim;

f. 9v: The pilgrim watches Moses and Reason perform the Eucharist;

f. 10r: The pilgrim asks Reason about the Eucharist;

f. 10v: Nature as an old woman talks to Grace, who is in a tower, and the pilgrim watches;

f. 12v: Nature kneels before Grace, who pardons her;

f. 13r: Penitence and Charity stand before Moses and his followers, seated at a table;

f. 16r: The pilgrims, accompanied by Penitence and Charity, receive absolution from Moses, who holds a list;

f. 20r: Grace gives the pilgrim his staff and bag or scrip from a chest;

f. 21v: Grace helps the pilgrim to put on his bag with twelve fasteners, representing the twelve articles of faith;

f. 22r: Grace gives the pilgrim his staff;

f. 22v: Grace shows the pilgrim his arms and apparel in her chamber; the pilgrim is given his armour by Grace;

f. 23r: The pilgrim puts on his hauberk or armour;

f. 24r: Grace tells the pilgrim about his armour;

f. 25v: Grace fastens the sword around the pilgrim's waist;

f. 26r: The pilgrim stands fully armed before Grace;

f. 27v: The pilgrim removes his armour, against the will of Grace; he then regrets having lost his armour;

f. 28r: Grace brings Memory to carry the armour for the pilgrim;

f. 28v: Grace and the pilgrim give the burden to Memory, who has eyes in the back of her head, and Moses blesses the pilgrim;

f. 29r: The pilgrim and Memory stand before Grace;

f. 29v: The pilgrim and Memory set off on the pilgrimage; the pilgrim meets an old man with a stick who represents Misunderstanding;

f. 30r: Reason intercedes with Misunderstanding;

f. 32v: Reason helps the pilgrim, now fully armed, to get past Misunderstanding.