Royal MS 15 E IV, ff 1r-174v

The first volume of the Recueil des croniques et anciennes istoires de la Grant Bretaigne by Jean de Wavrin, seigneur de Forestel, contains a chronicle of British history from its mythical origins up to the reign of Edward II. It has been bound in two separate parts. Part 1 contains a table of rubrics for the entire volume with divisions into six books, followed by the prologue and the beginning of the chronicle. It breaks off in mid-sentence in book 3, during the battle between Mordred's sons and Constantin, King Arthur's chosen successor (f. 174v). The sentence is completed on the first page of part 2. The Prologue begins with the rubric: 'Prologue de l'acteur sur la totalle recollation des sept volumes des anchiennes et nouvelles croniques dangleterre...'; incipit 'Edouard par la grace de dieu..' (f. 14r). Text incipit, 'Iadis pour le te[m]ps que le preu hercules et thezeus regnerent en grece...' (f. 16r); explicit, '...laquelle il fist assaillir moult vigoureusement cest' (f. 174v).

Decoration:

1 large miniature in colours and gold with a full border containing the royal arms of England encircled by the Garter and supported by two Lions of March, and a knight holding a banner with the motto 'Honny soit qui mal y pense'; and an illuminated initial 'E'(douard), at the beginning of the prologue (f. 14r). 16 large miniatures in colours and gold, with full foliate borders, and initials in colours and gold, at the beginning of major text divisions (ff.16r, 20v, 24v, 36r, 41v, 52r, 57v, 69r, 73r, 93r, 118v, 120r, 134r, 141v, 146r, 156r). Each miniature is marked by the same letter of the alphabet as the first page of the quire in which it is situated. Initials in gold on blue and rose grounds with penwork decoration on white. Line-fillers in blue and rose with penwork decoration in white.

The subjects of the miniatures are:

f. 14r, Edward IV enthroned, wearing the order of the Golden Fleece, receiving the book from Jean Wavrin;

f. 16r, The marriage of Diodicias, king of Syria;

f. 20v, Albina, one of the fourteen daughters of King Diodicias of Syria, cutting the throat of her husband, King Sardacia of Damascus. She failed to kill him and was exiled to Britain, which she named Albion after herself;

f. 24v, A view of England, with a walled tower, and ships;

f. 36r, Ships and camp of Brutus on the River Loire;

f. 41v, Queen Gaudoline (Gwendoline) on her deathbed;

f. 52r, Death of Gincelin: the combat of Morbidus and the sea-monster;

f. 57v, Caesar building a fleet to invade Britain;

f. 69r, The Pope receives an envoy from Lucius, the legendary first Christian king of Britain;

f. 73r, Marriage of Constans and Helena: birth of Constantine;

f. 93r, Vortigern consulting the magicians;

f. 118v, The landing of Aurelian and Uther on the shores of Britain;

f. 120r, The death of Hengist and destruction of his army;

f. 134r, Gorlois and Igraine (Ygerne) at the court of Uther;

f. 141v, The coronation of King Arthur by the Archbishop;

f. 146r, The Scottish fleet around an island in a lake;

f. 156r, Arthur slaying the 'swine-eating' Spanish giant on the island of Mont St Michel, and rescuing Helena, niece of Hoel of Brittany.