Yates Thompson MS 32

The manuscript contains the Chroniques abrégées des Anciens Rois et Ducs de Bourgogne, attributed to Olivier de la Marche.

On the title page (f. 1v) is the following rubric: 'S'ensuivent aulcunes chroniques, extraittes d'aulcunes anciens registres et aultres enseignements d'anciens rois, princes et plusieurs saintes personnes issues de la tres noble et enchienne maison de Bourgogne', but there is no reference to the author. The text, relating key incidents of Burgundian history from the first to the late fifteenth century, has been ascribed to Olivier de la Marche, but the author may have been Philippe Martin, chamberlain of Philip the Good, or Philippe Bartin, secretary to Maximilian. Another work by de la Marche, Mémoires, records his experiences at the Burgundian court between 1435 and 1488.

Paris, BnF, f. fr. 4907, a 16th-century manuscript contains the only other known copy of the Chroniques, on ff. 109-111, and also a copy of Mémoires and de la Marche's other work, Le chevalier deliberé.

Decoration:

11 full-page miniatures, the first with the text on a scroll, the others accompanied by large initials and scatter borders in the lower margin, in colours and gold (ff. 1v, 2r, 3r, 4v, 5v, 7v, 9v, 10v, 13r, 14r, 15r).

Small initials of white acanthus on brown grounds highlighted in gold.

The subjects of the miniatures are:

f. 1v: The author of the chronicle, standing behind a brown scroll on which is inscribed the title of the work, in gold letters; behind him, to the left, two lions support the old arms of Burgundy, with shelves of books on the right;

f. 2r: Stephen, the second legendary king of Burgundy, setting out on a pilgrimage to Victor of Marseilles, with Andrew's cross carried before him. In the background on the left, Trophimus, the first king of Burgundy, is baptised by Maximus with his wife, as Mary Magdalene watches. In the background on the right, Mary Magdalene intercedes for the king and queen who are depicted as rising from their graves, with a scatter border of flowers, acanthus, and a peacock;

f. 3r: Chilperic, King of Burgundy, accompanied by members of his court, receiving saints Oyant and Luxicine, with a scatter border of flowers and insects;

f. 4v: The baptism of Clovis by a bishop, as his queen Clothilda and courtiers look on, with a miniature of the martyrdom of Maurice in a compartment on the left, with a scatter border of flowers, acanthus, a moth, and a monkey holding a bird;

f. 5v: A battle scene, probably a reference to the the Battle of Étamps in 604, in which Thierry, King of Burgundy, defeated Lothaire II, King of France, with a decorated initial 'T'(hiery), and a scatter border of flowers and a female grotesque figure;

f. 7v: A battle, probably between Gerard or Girart de Roussillon, son of the King of Burgundy and Charles the Bald, with an abbey, probably Vezelay, which he founded, in the background and with a border in the lower margin containing flowers and two monkeys;

f. 9v: Bernard with the monks of Cîteaux taking possession of the Abbey of Clairvaux with the church in the background based on St Servatius in Maastricht, a decorated initial 'S'(aint) and scatter border of flowers, a bird, and a butterfly;

f. 10v: Frederick Barbarossa about to embark on his first Crusade, bidding farewell to the Emperor, a decorated initial 'F'(ederich) and scatter border with flowers, peas in a pod, a snail and a fly;

f. 13r: Philip the Good enthroned among members of the Knights of the Golden Fleece, while a lion sits at his feet, with a scatter border of flowers, a dragonfly, and a lady holding a white dog;

f. 14r: Charles the Bold and his court, decorated initial 'D'(udit), and scatter border of branches and flowers with a woman and a man playing musical instruments;

f. 15r: Maximilian of Austria giving a knight's sword to his son, Philip, who stands with Mary of Burgundy, the daughter of Charles the Bold, with a scatter border of flowers and acanthus, and a man taking aim at a bird with a bow and arrow.

Illuminations attributed by Durrieu, La miniature flamande (1921) and McKendrick, Flemish Illuminated Manuscripts (2003) to the Master of the Trivial Heads (attributed by Dogaer, Flemish Miniature Painting (1987) to the school of the Master of Edward IV). The iconography is related to that of Paris, Bibliothèque de l'Arsenal, MS 5082-5083, a manuscript of Josephus, dated 1485-1486 (see Wiesman, La rivalité franco-bourguignonne', p. 525.