Royal MS 19 C XI

MORAL TREATISES and poems, mostly French translations from Latin works. Contents:-

1. The Moralized Game of Chess in French, translated by Jean de Vignay from the 'De ludo Scaccorum' (see 12 B. XXIII, 12 E. I, art. 9) of Jacobus de Cessolis, preceded by a prologue dedicating the work to 'Jehan de France, Duc de Normandie' [afterwards Jean II, King of France, 1350]. The table of chapters is headed thus: 'Cy comencent les articles des chapitres du liure de la moralite des nobles hommes et des gens de peuple sur le jeu des eschez, translate de latin en francois par frere Jehan de Vignay, hospitalier de l'ordre de hault pas'. J. de Vignay (d. circ. 1342) was a Hospitaller of the Italian Order of St. Jacques de Haut Pas, the principal French house of which was in Rue St. Jacques, Paris, It was this version which Caxton made the basis for the Game of the Chesse, and he utilized J. de Vignay's prologue for the dedication of his work to George, Duke of Clarence. Treatise beg. 'En trestous [entre tous] les mauuais signes qui peuent estre en nul homme'; ends 'Et regner en son regne pardurablement aueucques lui'. Colophon, 'Je frere Jehan de Vignay hospitalier de lordre de hault pas ay translate de latin en francois ce liure de la moralite des nobles hommes et des gens de commun peuple sur le jeu des eschez. Sy pry a tous les lisans que se ilz treuuent aucunes deffaultes que il leur plaise moy tenir pour excuse et les corrigier et prier nostre seigneur pour moy et je lui prieray quil vous ottroie la gloire de paradis. Explicit'. f. 1.

2. Tale of Melibeus, from the Latin of Albertano of Brescia: the same version [by Renaud de Louens?] as in 19 C. VII, art. 2. Beg. 'Uns jouuenceauls appellez Melibee puissant et riche'; ends 'que dieu au point de la mort nous veulle pardonner les nostres. Amen. Explicit'. Colophon, 'Finito libro sit laux (sic) et gloria Christo Vinum scriptori debetur de meliori'. f. 52.

3. 'Cy, commence le liure de moralite': a translation of the Moralis Philosophia of Guillaume de Conches (see 8 A. XIII, art. 1, &c.). The colophon purports to give the name of the translator: 'Icy, fenist le liure de moralite que maistre Jehan de Meum compila et translata', but this attribution to Jean de Meun is unsupported (P. Meyer in Romania, xvi, p. 69). Another copy (anonymous) in Paris MS. fr. 190 (formerly 6850) is noticed by Paul in Paris, Les MSS fr., ii, p. 125. Preface beg. 'Talent mestoit priz de raconter des philosophes de celle clergie'; text, 'Trois manieres sont de conseil prendre'; ends 'vs et paine a faire ce que ilz commandent'. f. 66.

4. 'Cy aprez commencent les vii articles de la foy catholique que maistre Jehan de Meun compila au lit de la mort': the longer of the two poems sometimes entitled Le Codicile de maistre Jehan de Meun (see above, 19 A. XXII). It appears to be really by Jean Chapuis. Stanzas 35-48, 56 are here omitted. f. 79. Begins:-

'O glorieuse Trinite Vne essence en vraye vnite.'

Ends:-

'Prendras en gre que jen chappuis Car ce te plaist que on en puet faire. Explicit.' 5. 'Cy aprez commence le chappel des fleurs de lis que maistre Philippe de Vittery Jadis euesque a Meaulz compila': poem by Philippe de Vitry, Bishop of Meaux (d. 1361). Edited from five MSS., of which this is one and Harley MS. 4878 another, by A. Piaget in Romania, xxvii (1898), pp. 55-92. The present MS. is very defective, containing only 916 out of 1148 lines. f. 89. Begins:-

'Par maniere desbatement A este fait nouuellement.'

Ends:-

'Et que aprez lonneur transitoire Lestat royal ait vraye gloire. Amen.'

6. Le chemin de Povreté et de Richesse: the poem of Jean Bruyant (see above, 19 B. IV, art. 2). f. 95 b. Begins:-

'On dit souuent en reprochier Vne parole que jay chier.'

Ends:-

'Appelle la voie ou ladresse De pourete et de richesse. Explicit.'

7. 'Elucidaires' : translation of the well-known Latin dialogue Elucidarius (variously attributed to Honorius of Autun, Lanfranc, and others), see above, 7 D. I, art. 1, &c. The text includes (in bk. ii) certain passages contained in 8 C. VIII and the printed Latin text, but not in most of the other MSS. The translator omits the original preface, substituting a short prologue beg. 'Cest liure fist vn maistre par la priere de ses disciples. Sy est appelle cest liure Elucidaires'. After explaining the initials D[isciples] and M[aistres] by which the speakers are distinguished, he concludes 'Qui cest liure lira si lui souuiegne de ce Et si prie pour cellui qui cest liure translata de latin en francois que dieux en sa compaignie le mette. Or demande premierement le disciple Et son maistre respont. Et si dit le disciple'. Text beg. 'Glorieux maistres je te pry'; ends 'en sa clarte tous les jours de ta vie. Amen. Explicit'. Colophon, 'Cy fenist le liure de Elucidaires'. f. 14.

8. 'Cy aprez sensieuent les sept saulmes en latin et aussi en francois': the penitential psalms, each Latin verse being followed by a paraphrase in a French couplet. For another copy of this (13th cent. ?) version see Add. MS. 15606, f. 97 b, and cf. Paul Meyer in Romania, vi, p. 18. f. 148. Begins:-

'Domine ne in furore . . (&c.). Dieu en ton iugement ne margues pas, sire. En cest sieccle present me chastie sans yre.' 9. Prayers and hymns in Latin, viz. (a) 'Vne oroison de nostre dame et de saint Jehan leuangeliste', the prayer beg. 'O intemerata et in eternum benedicta'. f. 152;-(b) Hymn on the Seven joys (Chevalier, Rep. Hymn. 30635) beg. 'O Maria, mater Xpristi, qui (sic) de celo suscepisti'. Followed by other prayers. f. 152 b. -(c) 'Qui ceste oroison dira a la eleuacion de nostre seigneur lx jours de pardon aura', the hymn (Chev. 18175) 'Salue sancta caro dei'. Followed by another (Chev. 9910), 'Iuste iudex, Ihesu Xpriste'. f. 154;-(d) 'Vne ymne du benoit saint esperit', the hymn (Chev. 21204) 'Veni, creator spiritus'. Followed by the Gloria in Excelsis and Nicene Creed. f. 154 b;-(e) 'Vne sequence de nostre dame', followed by 'Vne autre sequence' (Chev. 2428, 19456), 'Benedicta es, celorum regina' and 'Stella maris, O Maria'. f. 155;-(f) 'Anthiphona de sancta Maria' (Chev. 18150), 'Salue regina misericordie', and two prayers. f. 155 b;-(g) 'Vne oroison aprez la eleuacion de nostre seigneur', beg. 'In presencia veri corporis'. f. 155 b.

Vellum; ff. 1 + 156. 13 in. x 10 in. Early XV cent. Gatherings of 8 leaves (x⁶, end of art. 3, xv³, end of art. 6, xix⁶, xx⁴, end of art.

7), with catchwords. Double columns. See. fol. 'aprez quant'. Small miniatures (artt. 1, 2) and partial borders; illuminated initial to art. 3; other initials flourished in red, blue, and black. The subjects of the miniatures are:-

1. Jean de Vignay writing. f. 1.

2. A king, in blue, with crown, sceptre, and orb. f. 4 b.

3. A queen, in blue, with two attendants. f. 6 b.

4. Two alphins or judges, one in blue, the other in red, with open book before them. f. 11 b.

5. A knight in armour, with a red cap, riding, with pennon on lance. f. 13 b.

6. Two 'rochs, qui sont vicaires du roy', riding, with gold sticks. f. 18 b.

7. First pawn, or labourer, with spade, rod, and pruning-hook. f. 23.

8. Second pawn, or wright, with hammer, hatchet, and mason's trowel. f. 26.

9. Third pawn, or scribe, with knife, shears, pen-case, and ink-pot at girdle, and pen behind ear. f. 27 b.

10. Fourth pawn merchant, with scales and table, and purse at girdle- 31 b.

11. Fifth pawn, or physician, with book and box. f. 34.

12. Sixth pawn, or innkeeper, at the inn-door, with pot of wine, receiving two guests. f. 37.

13. Seventh pawn, or city officer, with key, measure, and purse. f. 39 b.

14. Eighth pawn, or messenger, with long hair, dice, pot of money, and wallet for letters. f. 41 b.

15. Chess-board, black and gold. f. 44.

16. Melibee and Prudence. f. 52.

On f. 156 is the inscription (early 17th cent.) 'Giue my nephew Brigham in Icy of this an ould booke of Statutes, per me Edm. Thorold'. According to the pedigree in Add. MS. 5524, f. 87, this would be Edmund Thorold, marshal of the Exchequer, whose niece Anne, daughter of John Thorold of Morton, co. Linc., married William, second-son of Christopher Brigham of Cannon End, co. Oxon. On f. i b is 'ex dono Willelmi Noy armigeri [the Attorney General ?], 5^to Maii 1623', and later scribbling on f. 156 contains the names John Shearley and John Hawes, 1639. On f. 142 is a note in the hand of John Theyer. Theyer sale-cat. no. 22; CMA. 6633.

includes:

• f. 114 Petrus Abailardus: Elucidarium atrrib. to: 15th cent.: French transl.