Royal MS 19 E I

GIOVANNI BOCCACCIO, Decameron: French translation made by Laurens de Premierfait from a Latin version which was made for him, as he states in the preface prefixed to the Duc de Berry's copy, by Antonio of Arezzo. This copy is now in Paris, Bibl. Nat. fonds fr.

129 (formerly 6798³, see Paulin Paris, Les MSS. Franç., i, p. 238). Both translations were made in the years 1411-1414 (see colophon). Another copy of the French is in Add. MSS. 35322, 35323 (Rothschild xiii, xiv). It was printed at Paris in 1521, &c., but in an abridged text and with certain modifications. Thus novels 76 and 80 (eighth day, 6 and 10), the stories of Calendrino's pig and of Nicolò Salabaetto, which in the MSS. are the same as in the Italian, are replaced in the editions by two other tales, Olivier Maillart and Angle le poissonnier. The MSS., however, like the editions, add to novel 89 (ix. 9), The two counsels of Solomon (see f. 404 b), a third counsel given to Rosain, who inquired of the reality of a wife's love. Boccaccio's prologue beg. 'Le propre et droit office domme et femme est que ilz soient debonnaires'; and text, 'Mes tresgratieuses dames, toutes et quantes fois que je regarde'; ends 'en lisant ou escoutant ces presentes cent nouuelles '. Colophon 'Cy fine le liure de decameron aultrement surnome le prince Galeot, qui contient cent nouuelles racomptees en dix iours par sept dames et trois jouuenceaulz. Le quel liure ja pieca compila et escript Jehan Bocace de Certald en langage florentin et qui nagueres a este translate, Dremierement en latin et secondement en francois, en lostel de noble et sage homme Bureau de Dampmartin escuier, conseillier de trespuissant et tresnoble prince Charles viie de ce nom roy de France, par moy Laurens de Premierfait familier dudit Bureau. Lesquelles deux translations par trois ans faites furent acomplies le xve iour de Juin la[n] mil cccc xiiii'.

Vellum; ff. 463. 181/2 in. x 13 in. Executed, doubtless at Bruges, for Edward IV. A.D. 1473-1483? Gatherings of 8 leaves, without catchwords. Double columns of 39 lines. Sec. fol. '-tes uoies'. One large miniature (f. 1) representing the Duc de Berry, under a canopy on the r., receiving the book from the translator; courtiers and a dog in the foreground. In the border are the arms and badge of Edward IV and arms of his two sons differenced and arranged as in 14 E. VI. Except on f. 1 and f. 1 b, the initials are flourished in blue and red or gold and black. Probably no. 52 in the cat. of MSS. at Richmond Palace in 1535 (see 15 D. I). Not identified in the other old catalogues.