Royal MS 17 F V

'LISTOIRE de tres hault, tres excellent et tres victoriex prince Godefroy, Duc de Buillon, en son temps roy de lhsrusalem': a history of Godfrey of Bouillon and his successors Baldwin I and II, Kings of Jerusalem. The anonymous compiler takes his matter, paraphrased and abridged, almost exclusively from the history by William of Tyre in its French translation (see 15 E. I), following the order of the original from the beginning of the work closely except in the biographical chapters (bk. ix, ch. 5-8 of P. Paris' edition), which are re-arranged by way of prologue and epilogue to Godfrey's history. The whole work is in forty-eight chapters (table at beginning). Beg. 'Selon ce que on treuue es anciennes histoires de la vye de Godefroy de Buillon et aussy de sa lignie'. The Godfrey section ends 'deuant la souueraine deite laquelle vit et regne pardurablement per infinita seculorum secula. amen'. The narrative continues (f. 118b) 'Apres la mort du noble Godefroy le royaume de Iherusalem' and concludes with the death of Jocelin de Rohés (cf. bk. xiv, ch. 3), ending 'auec la haute et infinie deite laquelle (&c.). Icy fine ceste presente histoire'.

Vellum; ff. 179. 20 in. x 141/4 in. Late XV cent. Written in Flanders. Gatherings of 8 leaves, without catchwords. Double columns. Sec. fol. in table 'Comment la cite'; in text 'femme et deuote'. One large miniature with border of flowers (pinks, columbines, &c., on a large scale), foliage, fruit, and butterflies, shown in perspective on a grey ground. The subject is a king seated with courtiers, one with a hawk, &c.; without, guards and a landscape. Fairly well executed. Arms of England, with crown and Garter, at the foot, but these appear to be a subsequent addition. A smaller miniature (f. 118b) represents the coronation of Baldwin I, with similar border-ornament (thistles, bluebells) at the foot. Initials elsewhere in gold flourished with black or blue flourished with red No. 44 in cat. of MSS. at Richmond Palace in 1535 (see 15 D. I); cat. of 1666, f. 13; not in CMA.