Royal MS 18 E VI

'LA FLEUR DES HYSTOIRES', vols. ii and iii. The recension of this large historical collection by Jean Mansel to which the present volume belongs is not that contained in 16 F. VI, VII and the Paris MSS. Bib]. Nat., londs fr. 302-304, &c., but the earlier (?) recension contained in Paris MSS. fonds fr. 55-58 and 296-299. For the contents of the four volumes see Paulin Paris, Les MSS. François de la Bibl. du Roi, i, p. 64, and L. Delisle in Journal des Savants, 1900, pp. 16, 106, 196. The greater part of vol. iv is perhaps to be found in 15 D. V, artt. 2, 3 (see above). The table beg. 'Ce sont les rubrices du second volume de la fleur des hystoires ouquel volume sont traictiez les fais de nostre sauueur Ihesu Crist auee pluseurs mistcres de la foy catholicque. et aussi la conception et la natiuite de la glorieuse vierge Marie. et dont elle descendi par generacion. et aussi la legende des sains'. The last six words are an addition. After the rubric 'De la noblesse des edifices', &c., is 'Icy fine la table du second volume de la fleur des hystoires qui la veult mettre en quatre volumes. Icy apres sensuiuent les hystoires de pluseurs sains mises en ce liure selon lordre del A B C'. Text beg. (f. 8) 'Combien que la matiere principale de tout ce liure'. After the history of the Incarnation, &c., from the birth to the assumption of the Virgin, follow (f. 88) a series of about eighty miracles of the Virgin, and (f. 130) of angels; the compiler resumes Roman history at the death of Augustus (f. 134 b), gives a chapter on Virgil and a brief account of the Emperors to the accession of Domitian, then (f. 143 b) an account of the provinces alphabetically, concluding with a chapter on the buildings of Rome and greatness of the Romans. A leaf (possibly blank) has been cut out before the alphabetically arranged lives of saints (f. 175). which beg. 'Saint Andrieu fu nez de Galilee' and ends ('S. Xpofle') 'la plus grant partie de son peuple'.

Vellum; ff. 462. 18 1/4 in. x 14 in. Circ. 1460-1480. Gatherings (beg. f. 8) of 8 leaves (xxi⁷), with catchwords at right angles to the text. Double columns of 40 lines Sec fol. in table 'appellent', in text 'enffans'. Executed, doubtless at Bruges, for Edward IV. Initials in gold, flourished, or red and blue. One large and one smaller miniature, of fair execution. The subjects are:-

1. Birth of the Virgin, with inscription on wall 'Joye sans fin' (cf. 18 E III, f. 24): without, Joachim with staff, seated; beyond, the angel appearing to Joachim among the sheep in the desert; still further, meeting of Joachim and S. Anne at the Golden Gate. Border of foliage, flowers, fruit, and grotesques on gold ground, with arms of England with Garter and crown and Yorkist badge. A white rose in initial. f. 8 (large).

2. S. Andrew, holding a cross. f. 175.

Probably no. 25 in cat. of MSS. at Richmond Palace in 1535 (cf. 15 D. I); cat. of 1666, f. 14 b; not in CMA.