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Cotton MS Tiberius B VIII/2
- Record Id:
- 040-003377738
- Hierarchy Root Ancestor Record Id:
- 032-001101582
- MDARK:
- ark:/81055/vdc_100045498942.0x000001
- LARK:
- ark:/81055/vdc_100165159670.0x000001
- SLARK:
- Format:
- ISAD(G)
- Reference (shelfmark):
- Cotton MS Tiberius B VIII/2
- Title:
- Coronation Book of Charles V, King of France
- Scope & Content:
-
This manuscript contains a presentation copy of the Coronation Book of Charles V (r. 1364–1380), King of France, comprising the French coronation order commissioned by him in 1365 (see his colophon on f. 74v). The order was subsequently supplemented with texts of several oaths, probably sometime in or after 1378, including the oaths sworn to Charles V and Charles of Navarre, his nephew, in 1378 by a bishop and the captains of the King of Navarre in Normandy (Contamine, ‘'L'Oriflamme de Saint-Denis’ (1973), pp. 204-05). The version of the king’s coronation oath on ff. 41v-42r differs from that found on ff. 46r-47v.
The manuscript was formerly bound together with a Pontifical that belonged to Glasgow Cathedral, now known as Cotton MS Tiberius B VIII/1. The Pontifical was originally ff. 3-34, 81-197 of the composite volume, while the Coronation Book corresponded to ff. 35-80. The two parts were separated and rebound in 1937.
Contents:
ff. 35r-41r: French translation of the directory of the royal coronation, known as the 'Ordo of Reims', edited in Jackson, Ordines Coronationis Franciae (2001), II, pp. 321-37 (Manuscript B); rubric: 'Cest lordenance a enoindre et a coronner le roy'; the text beginning, 'Premierement len doit'.
ff. 41v-42r: Latin text of the king's coronation oaths, rubric: 'requisicio episcoporum regni francie’; the text beginning, 'A vobis perdonari'. The text of the oaths is also appended to the translation of the 'Ordo of Reims' in three other manuscripts listed by Jackson, Ordines Coronationis Franciae (2001), II, p. 335.
ff. 42r-42v: A list of the old and new peers of France in French, beginning, 'Ou temps ancien'.
ff. 43r-71v: Latin text of the coronation ordo of the kings of France, known as the ‘Ordo of Charles V’, edited in Jackson, Ordines Coronationis Franciae (2001), II, pp. 469-522 (Manuscript A); rubric: 'Ordo ad inungendum et coronandum regem’; the text beginning, 'Omnipotens sempiterne deus'.
ff. 71v-72r: Benediction of the standard, rubric: 'Benedictio vexilli'; the text beginning, 'inclina domine'.
ff. 72r-74v: Litany.
f. 74v: Charles V's autograph colophon (see Provenance).
f. 74v: Oath of the porte-oriflamme (added, end of the 14th century), beginning, 'Vous Jurez et promettez sur le precieux corps ihesuchrist'.
ff. 75r-80r: Series of the oaths of the peers of France, barons of Guyenne, knights returning into the king’s service, officers of the royal mint, heralds and captains (added after 1378), rubric: 'Cest le serement des pers de france’; the text beginning, 'Vous iurez par vostre foy';
f. 80r: Oath of allegiance of a bishop to the king of England (added c. 1450), beginning, 'Je serra loial'.
Decoration:
The miniatures in the volume have been attributed to the Master of the Coronation Book, named after this manuscript. 38 miniatures in colours and gold, within the text or in the lower margins, showing stages of the liturgy of the French royal coronation (ff. 35r, 43r, 44v, 46r, 46v, 47r, 47v, 48r, 48v, 49r, 49v, 50r, 50v, 51r, 51v, 54v, 55r, 55v, 56r, 56v, 57r, 58r, 59r, 59v, 63r, 64r, 65r, 65v, 66r, 67r, 67v, 68r, 68v, 69r, 69v, 70r, 72r, 73r).
Puzzle initials in red and blue (ff. 35r, 43r). Initials in blue with red pen-flourishing and in red with blue pen-flourishing.
Line fillers in red and blue.
The subjects of the miniatures are:
f. 35r: The King's arrival at Reims cathedral (beginning of the French translation of the 'Ordo of Reims').
f. 43r: The Archbishop of Reims blessing the King (beginning of beginning of the 'Ordo of Charles V').
f. 44v: The Bishops of Reims and Beauvais raising the King from the thalamus.
f. 46r: The Abbot of St Remi presenting the holy Ampoule to the Archbishop of Reims.
f. 46v: The Archbishop of Reims administering the oath to the King.
f. 47r: The Bishop of Laon and Beauvais placing the King on the cathedra (marginal).
f. 47v: The King removing his outer garments.
f. 48r: The Duke of Bourbon (the Grand Chamberlain) vesting the King with the royal shoes.
f. 48v: The Duke of Burgundy vesting the King with the spurs.
f. 49r: The King offering the sword on the altar.
f. 49v: The Archbishop of Reims returning the sword to the King.
f. 50r: The King transmitting the sword to the Seneschal (Duke of Anjou).
f. 50v: The Archbishop of Reims preparing the holy balm.
f. 51r: The Archbishop of Reims unfastening the King’s tunic.
f. 51v: The Archbishop of Reims reciting ‘Te invocamus’ and the King praying.
f. 54v: The Archbishop of Reims closing the King’s tunic after the anointment.
f. 55r: The Chamberlain (Duke of Bourbon) vesting the King with the royal tunic.
f. 55v: The King receiving the unction of the hands.
f. 56r: The Archbishop of Reims blessing of the King’s gloves.
f. 56v: The Archbishop of Reims placing the gloves on the King's hands.
f. 57r: The King receiving the ring.
f. 58r: The King receiving the sceptre and the virga ('Main de la Justice').
f. 59r: The Archbishop of Reims placing the crown on the King's head.
f. 59v: The Peers of France sustaining the crown.
f. 63r: The Peers of France leading the King to the throne on the solium.
f. 64r: Enthronement on the solium.
f. 65r: The King making an offering and kissing the Archbishop’s hand.
f. 65v: The King receiving the communion.
f. 66r: The Queen entering the cathedral.
f. 67r: The Archbishop of Reims blessing the Queen.
f. 67v: The Queen removing her outer garments.
f. 68r: The Queen receiving the unction on her breasts.
f. 68v: The Queen receiving the ring.
f. 69r: The Queen receiving the sceptre and virga.
f. 69v: The Archbishop of Reims placing the crown on the Queen's head and the barons sustaining her crown.
f. 70r: Barons sustaining the Queen's crown.
f. 72r: The Queen receiving the communion.
f. 73r: The Archbishop of Reims blessing the Oriflamme.
- Collection Area:
- Western Manuscripts
- Project / Collection:
- Cotton Collection
- Hierarchy Record Ids:
- 032-001101582
040-003377738 - Is part of:
- Cotton MS : Cotton Manuscripts
Cotton MS Tiberius B VIII/2 : Coronation Book of Charles V, King of France - Hierarchy:
- 032-001101582[1382]/040-003377738
- Container:
- View / search within Archive / Collection: Cotton MS
- Record Type (Level):
- File
- Extent:
-
1 volume
- Digitised Content:
- http://access.bl.uk/item/viewer/ark:/81055/vdc_100165159670.0x000001 (digital images currently unavailable)
- Thumbnail:
-
- Languages:
- French, Middle
Latin - Scripts:
- Latin
- Start Date:
- 1365
- End Date:
- 1380
- Date Range:
- 1365-1380
- Era:
- CE
- Access:
- Restrictions to access apply please consult British Library staff
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- User Conditions:
- Letter of introduction required to view this manuscript
- Physical Characteristics:
-
Material: Parchment.
Dimensions: 280 x 190 mm (text space: 174 x 117 mm).
Foliation: ff. 80 (46 folios, ff. 35-80; + 6 unfoliated modern paper flyleaves: 3 at the beginning and 3 at the end). Earlier, modern foliation: ff. 33-78.
Collation: i8 (ff. 35-42), ii8-1 (ff. 43-49; 1 folio missing after f. 48), iii8-1 (ff. 50-66; 1 folio missing after f. 53), iv-vi8 (ff. 57-80). Gatherings mounted on guards.
Layout: Written in one column of 20 lines, except ff. 42r-42v, 72r-74r: written in two columns of 20 lines.
Script: Gothic. Written by two hands: ff. 35r-41v; 43r-74v and ff. 42r-42v; 75r-80r, with added texts: Charles V's autograph colophon (f. 74v); text of an oath: Gothic cursive, late 14th century (f. 74v); text of an oath to the king of England: Gothic cursive, c. 1450 (f. 80r)
Binding: British Museum in-house. Red leather, gold-stamped with the Cottonian arms on the upper and lower covers; gilt edges. Rebound in 1937.
- Custodial History:
-
Origin:
Paris, France.
Provenance:
Charles V de Valois (b. 1338, d. 1380), king of France: commissioned by him in 1365: his autograph inscription: 'Ce livre du sacre des rois de France est a nous / Charles le Ve de notre nom, roy de France, et / le fimes coriger, ordener, escrire et istorier / l'an M.CCC.LX.V / Charles' (f. 74v). Added oath of the porte-Oriflame, before 1380 (f. 74v).
Charles VI de Valois (b. 1368, d. 1422), king of France: included in the inventories of the royal library at Louvre compiled in 1411 and 1413 (Delisle, Recherches sur la libraire de Charles V, 1907).
John of Lancaster (b. 1389, d. 1435), duke of Bedford, regent of France during the minority of Henry VI; purchased by him with the entire French royal library after the death of Charles VI: included in the inventory compiled at the request of Charles VI's executors in 1424 (Delisle, Recherches sur la libraire de Charles V, 1907).
Added oath of a bishop's allegiance to the king of England, c. 1450 (f. 80r).
Sir Robert Bruce Cotton (b. 1571, d. 1631), 1st baronet, antiquary and politician; included in the first catalogue of his collection (Harley MS 6018, f. 90, no. 191), and the Cottonian catalogue, Add MS 36682 (ff. 77v-78). The Coronation Book and Pontifical were bound together by him after 1604. Cotton’s collection was augmented by his son, Sir Thomas Cotton (b. 1594, d. 1662), 2nd baronet, and his grandson, Sir John Cotton.
Sir John Cotton (b. 1621, d. 1702), 3rd baronet: bequeathed the entire Cotton collection of books and manuscripts to trustees ‘for Publick Use and Advantage’, 12 and 13 William III, c. 7.
Formed one of the foundation collections of the British Museum in 1753.
- Former Internal References:
- Cotton MS Tiberius B VIII, ff. 35–80
- Information About Copies:
- Complete digital coverage available: see Digitised Manuscripts http://www.bl.uk/manuscripts.
- Publications:
-
E. S. Dewick, The Coronation Book of Charles V of France (Cotton Ms. Tiberius B.VIII), Henry Bradshaw Society, 16 (London, 1899).
L. Delisle, Recherches sur la libraire de Charles V, 2 vols. (Paris, 1907), I, p. 218; II, p. 41 no. 232.
P. E. Schramm, 'Ordines-Studien 2: Die Kronung bei den Westfranken und Franzosen', Archiv fur Urkundenforschung, 15 (1938), 3-55 (pp. 42-47).
Millard Meiss, French Painting in the Time of Jean de Berry: The Late XIV Century and the Patronage of the Duke, 2 vols, National Gallery of Art Kress Foundation Studies in the History of European Art, 2 (London: Thames and Hudson, 1967), I, p. 383 n. 99.
F. Avril and J. Lafaurie, La Librairie de Charles V (Paris, 1968), no. 170 [exhibition catalogue].
C. R. Sherman, The Portraits of Charles V of France (1338-1380) (New York, 1969), pp. 34-37.
F. Avril, 'Une Bible historiale de Charles V', Jahrbuch der Hamburger Kunstammlungen, 14-15 (1970), 45-76.
P. Contamine, 'L'Oriflamme de Saint-Denis aux XIVe et XVe siècles. Étude de symbolique religieuse et royale', Annales de l'est, 25 (1973), 179-244 (pp. 204-05, fig. 3).
R. Jackson, ‘Les manuscrits des ordines de couronnement de la bibliotheque de Charles V, roi de France’, Le Moyen Age, 82 (1976), 67-88 (pp. 67-70, 74, 75, 76, 77, 81, 84, 85, 86-88).
C. R. Sherman, 'The Queen in Charles V's "Coronation Book": Jeanne de Bourbon and the Ordo ad reginam benedicendam', Viator, 8 (1977), 262-66.
F. Avril, Manuscript Painting at the Court of France. The Fourteenth Century (1310-1380) (London, 1978), pls 27 and 28.
A. G. Watson, Catalogue of Dated and Datable Manuscripts c.700-1600 in the Department of Manuscripts, The British Library, 2 vols (London, 1979), I, no. 557.
Les fastes du Gothique: le siècle de Charles V, Galeries nationales du Grand Palais 1981-1982 (Paris: Réunion des musées nationaux, 1981), no. 279.
C. R. Sherman, 'Taking a Second Look: Observations on the Iconography of a French Queen, Jeanne de Bourbon', in Feminism and Art History: Questioning the Litany, ed. by N. Broude and M. Garrard (New York: Harper and Row, 1982), pp. 101-17.
Anne D. Hedeman, ‘Copies in context: The Coronation of Chales V in his Grandes Chroniques de France’, in Coronations: Medieval and Early Modern Monarchic Ritual, ed. by János M. Bak (Los Angeles: University of California Press, 1990), pp. 72-97.
Anne D. Hedeman, The Royal Image: Illustrations of the Grandes Chroniques de France, 1274-1422 (Berkeley: University of California Press, 1991), pp. 112-13, pls 5, 6.
Janet Backhouse, The Illuminated Page: Ten Centuries of Manuscript Painting in the British Library (London, 1997), no. 106.
Jean-Claude Bonne, 'Images du sacre', in Le Sacre royal à l'époque de Saint Louis, ed. by Jacques Le Goff and others (Paris: Gallimard, 2001), pp. 91-226 (pp. 215-24).
Carra Ferguson O'Meara, Monarchy and Consent: The Coronation Book of Charles V of France: British Library MS Tiberous B VIII (London: Harvey Miller, 2001) [with colour reproductions of all miniatures].
Richard A. Jackson, Ordines Coronationis Franciae: Texts and Ordines for the Coronation of Frankish and French Kings and Queens in the Middle Ages, 2 vols (Philadelphia: University of Pennsylvania Press, 2001), II, pp. 454, 462, 466-69.
Justin Clegg, The Medieval Church in Manuscripts (London: British Library, 2003), p. 49, pl. 40.
Art from the Court of Burgundy (1364-1419) (Paris: Réunion des Musées Nationaux, 2004), no. 4 [exhibition catalogue].
The Cambridge Illuminations: Ten Centuries of Book Production in the Medieval West, ed. by Paul Binski and Stella Panayotova (London: Harvey Miller, 2005), pp. 136, 268.
Margaret Scott, Medieval Dress and Fashion (London: British Library, 2007), pls 63-64.
Spektakel der Macht: Rituale in Alten Europa 800-1800, ed. by Barbara Stollberg-Rilinger and others (Darmstadt: WBG, 2008), p. 174, no. II.26.
Scot McKendrick, John Lowden, and Kathleen Doyle, Royal Manuscripts: The Genius of Illumination (London: British Library, 2011), no. 138 [exhibition catalogue].
Joanna Frońska, 'The Livre du Sacre of Charles V of France: A Story of the Book', in 1000 Years of Royal Books and Manuscripts, ed. by Scot McKendrick and Kathleen Doyle (London: British Library, 2014), pp. 113-30.
- Material Type:
- Archives and Manuscripts
- Legal Status:
- Not Public Record(s)
- Notes:
- This manuscript is part of The Polonsky Foundation England and France Project: Manuscripts from the British Library and the Bibliothèque nationale de France, 700-1200.