Royal MS 19 C III

'LIBER de quatuor nouissimis' (so colophon): treatise of the four last things, viz. Death, judgement, Hell, and Heaven, in French, being a version of the Latin treatise, doubtfully attributed to Henricus de Langenstein, al. de Hassia [Rector of the University of Vienna, d. 1397, see Fabricius, Bibliotheca Mediae Aetatis, ii, p. 216] entitled 'De quatuor novissimis, sive Cordiale' (cf. Harley MS. 3239, f. 217). For an account of the various versions of this treatise see Archaeologia, vol. xxxi, p. 413, where J. Winter jones, in describing an early printed edition of the present version, ascribes the translation, on the authority of M. Barrois, to Jean Mielot, Chanoine de St. Pierre à Lille, secretary to Philippe le Bon, Duke of Burgundy (see also Baron de Reiffenberg in Annuaire de la bibliotèque royale de Belgique, 1846, p. 126). In four parts. Prologue, introduced by the rubric 'Cy commence le prologue des quattre derrenieres choses qui sont a venir', beg. 'Memorare nouissima tua . . . Ecclesiaste dist en son viie chapitre les parolles qui sensieuent'. Pt. 1 beg. (f. 4) 'La premiere des quatre desrenieres choses dont la memoire retrait lomme des pechies cest la mort presente ou temporele'; pt. iv ends 'et conferme en bonnes oeuures par quoy on paruient a la gloire eternelle. Amen'.

Vellum; ff. 115. 121/4 in. x 81/2 in. Late XV cent. Written in Flanders. Double columns of 23 lines. Gatherings (beg. f. 4) of 8 leaves (xiii⁸, last²). Sec. fol. in prologue '-brance'; in text 'Thobie'. Illuminated miniature and border with blank shield for arms at the beginning (f. 4), illuminated initials at the four divisions, and smaller initials in gold throughout. The subject of the miniature is apparently S. Bernard, with crozier, writing at a desk or a table, S. Augustine, also with crozier, standing by, holding a heart together with the author, in red cap and white tippet over a blue robe, holding a book, and the translator with purse at his girdle. Cat. of 1666, f. 14 b or f. 15; not in CMA.