Manuscript, on parchment, in a single hand, incomplete, containing the text of a prose allegorical pilgrimage of the soul. The narrator's soul is led by Dame Inspiration to the Fountain of Penitence (Fontaine de penitence); after being washed there, the soul continues her journey toward the Promised Land (Terre de promission) on the Ship of Penitence (Navire de penitence).
Description:
Decoration: 13 large full-color miniatures in architectural frames illustrating various events in the allegorical pilgrimage of the author's soul, guided by Dame Inspiration. The opening miniature is full-page and depicts the author asleep beneath a tree hung with her coat of arms. Other subjects include: the soul, accompanied by Dame Inspiration, begins her pilgrimage to the Fontaine de Penitence f.9; Inspiration explains to the soul what needs to be done in order to reach the Fontaine de Penitence f.11, the soul, carried on the back of Inspiration, flies to the Château de Contention diabolique f.17, Inspiration and the soul meet Raison f.20; the soul enters the Chemin de Crainte de Dieu f.35; souls are cleansed in the Fontaine de Penitence f.47; the soul sets off on her journey to the Terre de Promission f.50v; the company journey to the coast where they find boats awaiting them f.53; the company embark f.58; the company sets off on the Navire de Penitence f.61; the company is attacked by seven other boats f.63; the company is swept up by the Vent de Hypocrisie f.69v., Ex libris Catherine d'Amboise; Remy Megret of the Premonstratensian abbey of Notre Dame de Thenailles in Douay. Previously owned by Allan Heywood Bright. Purchased from Richard A. Linenthal (Christie's London sale, 16 July 2014, lot 24) on the Edwin J. Beinecke Book Fund, 2014., Laid in: autograph letter,signed, from the Liverpool bookseller Jaggard to Allan Heywood Bright, 1896 April 27, concerning the unknown early provenance of the manuscript. With autograph and typed notes by Allan Heywood Bright, 1898 and undated., Layout: single columns of 19 lines., Opening sentence: Les continuelles meditationes de la volubilite et soudaine mutation des creatures raisonnables., Script: gothic bastarda., and Title from ownership inscription by Remy Megret (f80r).
Subject (Name):
Amboise, Catherine d', 1481?-1550, Bright, Allan Heywood--Ownership., Megret, Remy., and Megret, Remy--Autograph.
Subject (Topic):
Allegories., Devotional literature, French--Early works to 1800., French prose literature--Early works to 1800., Illumination of books and manuscripts, French., Illumination of books and manuscripts, Medieval., Illumination of books and manuscripts, Renaissance., Manuscripts, Medieval--Connecticut--New Haven., Medieval and Renaissance Manuscripts in Beinecke Library., Repentance--Early works to 1800., Soul--Early works to 1800., Women authors, French., and Women--Conduct of life--Early works to 1800.