Manuscript on paper (trimmed), with parchment bifolios interspersed, of Julius Caesar, Commentary on the Gallic Wars, translated into French by Jean Duchesne. Written for Jacques Donche, counselor of Charles the Bold of Burgundy
Description:
In French., Watermarks: similar to Briquet Armoires: Trois fleurs de lis 1741., Script: Written in neat batarde script by Hellin de Burchgrave., Ten half-page miniatures, each in an arched frame composed of two thin bands, gold and red highlighted with white, edged in black, the arch with tiny cusps; beneath, initials, 6-, 4-, or 3-line, blue or blue and red with white highlights on a gold ground of irregular shape conforming to the letter, edged in black, with serifs protruding into the left margin; filled with green and/or red and crimson trilobe leaves on curling stems with white and/or yellow highlights, or with a blue, green, crimson, and gold diapered ground with white highlights. Three smaller miniatures, 12- or 14-line, occasionally cut off at the upper edge so as to fill only part of a line of text; frames rectilinear, otherwise identical to those described above, Beneath, 2-line initials, blue, with white highlights, filled with trilobe leaves, as above, once (f. 25r) with one leaf of spiky acanthus added, and once (f. 256r) with a pink ground with gold filigree. There is a blank space on f. 27r for another miniature of this type. Other decoration consists of 2-line calligraphic initials, paragraph marks, line fillers (spirals and heraldic dragons), page and chapter headings, all executed in red. The first one or two lines of some books (as well as occasional lines within the text) are underlined in red., A few folios have tears in the margins., and Binding: Eighteenth century. Spattered and gilt edges. Red goatskin, gold-tooled, with the arms of Eugene of Savoy on cover and his monogram on spine.
Subject (Geographic):
Connecticut, New Haven., and Gaul
Subject (Name):
Caesar, Julius.
Subject (Topic):
French literature, Illumination of books and manuscripts, Medieval, Literature, Medieval, Manuscripts, Medieval, and History
Manuscript on parchment of 1) Dares Phrygius, De excidio Troiae historia, in the Latin translation ascribed to Cornelius Nepos, followed by the lists of those killed by the heroes on both sides. 2) Geoffrey of Monmouth (Galfredus Monemutensis, d. 1154), Historia regum Britanniae. 3) De origine Normannorum, a short history of Normandy up to Henry I, King of England and Duke of Normandy (d. 1135). The main part of this text derives from Hugh of Saint-Victor (Hugo de Sancto Victore, d. 1141), Excerptiones allegoricae, X, 10 (PL 177.284) and is followed by a short list of Dukes of Normandy. 4) Three unidentified poems on the miracles of St. Benedict, followed by rhymed liturgical prayers to be said in the presence of the relics of the saint, and another poem on St. Benedict. This manuscript, which from the beginning contained all four texts described above, was copied in a Benedictine abbey
Description:
In Latin., Script: Carefully copied by one hand in Northern Gothica Textualis Libraria., Headings and running titles in red, many now poorly legible. Heightening of majuscules in red. Large decorated Romanesque initials, red or green, at the head of artt. 1 and 2; 2- or 3-line plain initials alternately in red and blue and 1-line initials in the same colours in the middle of the text in art. 2; on f. 91r, at the beginning of Book XI, there is a 3-line flourished initial in blue with red penwork, which may be added later. 3-line red plain initial at the beginning of art. 3. 2-line initials in art. 4, of the same kind as in artt. 1-2., and Binding: Eighteenth century. Sprinkled calf over cardboard; the covers have gilt edges.
Subject (Geographic):
Connecticut, New Haven., Great Britain, Normandy (France), and Troy (Extinct city)
Subject (Name):
Dares, Phrygius. and Benedictines.
Subject (Topic):
Devotional literature, Latin (Medieval and modern), Illumination of books and manuscripts, Medieval, Latin literature, Medieval and modern, Literature, Medieval, Manuscripts, Medieval, and History
Manuscript on parchment (fine, smooth) of 1) Prologue. 2) Moamin, De scientia venandi per aves, translated into Latin by Theodorus of Antioch. Although the prologue states that there are four treatises composed by Moamin, the fourth (Quartus naturam et medicamen qutrupedum [sic] cum quibus uenamur) is omitted in this manuscript. 3) Treatise of Dancus rex. 4) Treatise of Guillelmus falconarius. 5) Four anonymous descriptions of types of falcons. Produced probably for Ferdinand II of Aragon (arms on f. 1r).
Alternative Title:
Moamin
Description:
In Latin., Script: Written by a single scribe in elegant round humanistic script below top line., One miniature, f. 1r, five falcons sitting on a perch in a niche, with a 6-line initial, blue and light green, with green and blue acanthus, against gold, framed in red, with white dots; full border, pink and blue flowers on stems with pink, orange and green leaves and gold dots spiraling around a pink and gold bar; framed in gold and inhabited by birds, putti, four of the putti in lower margin supporting a coat-of-arms. 5-line initials, gold, filled with blue or crimson with flowers in white, on irregular grounds, crimson or blue with flowers in white, and hair-spray extensions with crimson and blue leaves, flowers and gold trefoil leaves or dots. 2-line initials, gold, filled with crimson or blue against irregular crimson or blue grounds with white filigree. Rubrics throughout., and Binding: Nineteenth century. Red goatskin, gold-tooled with "Cetreria" on spine. Gilt edges with lettering on fore-edge.
Subject (Geographic):
Connecticut and New Haven.
Subject (Topic):
Falconry, Illumination of books and manuscripts, Medieval, Literature, Medieval, and Manuscripts, Medieval
Manuscript on paper of Konrad von Megenberg (1309-1374), Die deutsche Sphaera, an adaptation in German of Iohannes de Sacrobosco, De sphaera. With 23 verses dealing with the numerical value of the letters of the alphabet, excerpted from Hugutio of Pisa (d. 1212), Liber derivationum
Description:
In German., Script: Copied by one hand in Gothica Cursiva Libraria/Currens., The initials are not executed. Coarsely drawn diagrams; the principal ones are on ff. 2r (Earth in the middle of the circles of the elements, the planets and the heavens), 9v (a quadripartite circular map of the world, three quarters covered with sea and inhabited by fish), 10v (a circular diagram and another with "cauda Draconis" and "caput Draconis"), 11r (two diagrams showing eclipses), 11v (related diagrams)., and Binding: Yellow limp vellum too large for the present manuscript.
Subject (Geographic):
Connecticut and New Haven.
Subject (Name):
Sacro Bosco, Joannes de, fl. 1230.
Subject (Topic):
Astronomy, German poetry, Illumination of books and manuscripts, Medieval, Literature, Medieval, Manuscripts, Medieval, Numerology, and Science, Medieval
Manuscript on parchment of Aristotle, Ethica. An anonymous Tuscan translation made for Nuno de Guzman from the Latin translation of Leonardo Bruni
Description:
In Italian., Script: Text written in a well formed humanistic bookhand by a single scribe; the rubrics, in majuscules, by another scribe who used excessive punctuation., The decoration is by Gioacchino de' Gigantibus. A gold initial, 5-line, on f. 1r embedded in white vine ornament, extending into sides, top, and lower margin, filled in with green, red, and blue, with small section at regular intervals filled with gold; a green bird near the initial; in lower margin, an empty laurel wreath supported by putti filled later with a coat of arms (unidentified) in pen, now effaced; a few gold dots with hair-spray in brown ink. Other initials, gold, 5- to 4-line, on ff. 7r, 93v, 106v, 126r, 161v, in same manner, but with gold infilling., Significant stains in margins of first few leaves., and Binding: Eighteenth century. Edges gilt. Green calf with tan, gold-tooled label.
Subject (Geographic):
Connecticut and New Haven.
Subject (Name):
Aristotle.
Subject (Topic):
Ethics, Illumination of books and manuscripts, Medieval, Italian literature, Literature, Medieval, Manuscripts, Medieval, and Philosophy, Ancient
Manuscript on parchment (trimmed) in two volumes of Petrus Comestor, Historia Scholastica, translated into French by Guyart des Moulins. Missing the beginning of Numbers (v. 1, one folio following f. 115), the beginning of 3 Kings (v. 1, one folio following f. 236), and part of Luke (v. 2, one folio following f. 260).
Alternative Title:
Historia scholastica
Description:
In French., Script: Written in a formal batarde with some loops by one scribe. Marginal glosses in a similar but smaller script by the same hand. Corrections by a later hand (15th century) in brown ink., One large, 2-column miniature, 18-lines, f. 3r, of three scribes, set in a wide (25 mm.) frame, brown, decorated with a continuous garland of flowers in gold, green and white, outlined on both inner and outer edges with bands of pink, gold and blue, highlighted in white. Text surrounded by a 3/4 band of pink and gold with white highlights, edged in black. Full border: curling sprouts of blue, gold and some red and light blue acanthus on green stems, largely confined to the corners and centers of the border, with blossoms containing animals, devils, knights; the intervening spaces filled with trailing vines of green and gold leaves with varied flowers in red, blue, light blue, strawberries, grapes and beans as well as denser vines in black ink with leaves in gold and green, with flowers, as above; the entire border densely filled with pen flecks, black, with gold dots., Historiated initials (one column, 8-line), for the Seven Days of Creation (ff. 4v, 5r, 5v, 6v, 7v, 8v and 10r), roundels, with circular frames, brown with garlands as above, in some cases with the top and bottom of the roundel lopped off, set against a field of acanthus and/or flowers, as above, and set between two thin gold bands, edged in black. Short, thin borders of acanthus, vines, and flowers as above, divided from text by gold and pink bands, edged in black. Each miniature with a 5-, 4- or 3-line initial, blue with white highlights, filled with strapwork and blue and pink ivy with white highlights, on irregular gold ground. 2-line initials throughout, gold filled with red set against a blue ground or vice versa, trailing black hairspray with gold, red and blue dots. Initials cruder in v. 2. Line-fillers in both text and glosses in similar fashion. Running headings (in v. 1 only), and keys for glosses in red throughout. Traces of tabs in outer margins., and Binding: 1981. Bound in a brown, linen buckram case in the Yale Library Conservation Studio to replace an 18th century brown calf binding. One board of this binding retained in box.
Subject (Geographic):
Connecticut and New Haven.
Subject (Name):
Petrus, Comestor, 12th cent.
Subject (Topic):
History Bibles, French literature, Illumination of books and manuscripts, Medieval, Literature, Medieval, and Manuscripts, Medieval
Manuscript on parchment (trimmed) in two volumes of Petrus Comestor, Historia Scholastica, translated into French by Guyart des Moulins. Missing the beginning of Numbers (v. 1, one folio following f. 115), the beginning of 3 Kings (v. 1, one folio following f. 236), and part of Luke (v. 2, one folio following f. 260).
Alternative Title:
Historia scholastica
Description:
In French., Script: Written in a formal batarde with some loops by one scribe. Marginal glosses in a similar but smaller script by the same hand. Corrections by a later hand (15th century) in brown ink., One large, 2-column miniature, 18-lines, f. 3r, of three scribes, set in a wide (25 mm.) frame, brown, decorated with a continuous garland of flowers in gold, green and white, outlined on both inner and outer edges with bands of pink, gold and blue, highlighted in white. Text surrounded by a 3/4 band of pink and gold with white highlights, edged in black. Full border: curling sprouts of blue, gold and some red and light blue acanthus on green stems, largely confined to the corners and centers of the border, with blossoms containing animals, devils, knights; the intervening spaces filled with trailing vines of green and gold leaves with varied flowers in red, blue, light blue, strawberries, grapes and beans as well as denser vines in black ink with leaves in gold and green, with flowers, as above; the entire border densely filled with pen flecks, black, with gold dots., Historiated initials (one column, 8-line), for the Seven Days of Creation (ff. 4v, 5r, 5v, 6v, 7v, 8v and 10r), roundels, with circular frames, brown with garlands as above, in some cases with the top and bottom of the roundel lopped off, set against a field of acanthus and/or flowers, as above, and set between two thin gold bands, edged in black. Short, thin borders of acanthus, vines, and flowers as above, divided from text by gold and pink bands, edged in black. Each miniature with a 5-, 4- or 3-line initial, blue with white highlights, filled with strapwork and blue and pink ivy with white highlights, on irregular gold ground. 2-line initials throughout, gold filled with red set against a blue ground or vice versa, trailing black hairspray with gold, red and blue dots. Initials cruder in v. 2. Line-fillers in both text and glosses in similar fashion. Running headings (in v. 1 only), and keys for glosses in red throughout. Traces of tabs in outer margins., and Binding: 1981. Bound in a brown, linen buckram case in the Yale Library Conservation Studio to replace an 18th century brown calf binding. One board of this binding retained in box.
Subject (Geographic):
Connecticut and New Haven.
Subject (Name):
Petrus, Comestor, 12th cent.
Subject (Topic):
History Bibles, French literature, Illumination of books and manuscripts, Medieval, Literature, Medieval, and Manuscripts, Medieval
Manuscript on parchment (soft, furry; trimmed) in two parts, the first of which has several distinct formats. Part I: 1) Pierre de Peckham, La lumiere as Lais, lacking all of Book I and part of Book II. Part II: 2) Edmund Rich, St., abp. of Canterbury, Speculum amicicie, also known as Speculum religiosorum or Speculum ecclesie, in a French translation. 3) Poem on the love of God and the hatred of sin. 4) Hymn based on the "Iesu dulcis memoria" (14 quatrains). 5) Appeal of Christ to sinner. 6) Collection of recipes
Description:
In French., Script: Part I: Written in gothic textura by two hands: Scribe 1) ff. 1r-71v; Scribe 2) ff. 72r-85v. Part II: Written in gothic textura by two hands: Scribe 1) ff. 86r-99v (column 1); Scribe 2) ff. 99v (column 2)-110v., Decoration, Part I: One historiated initial, f. 16v, Master expounding to a pupil, figures predominantly pink and blue on a pale purple and gold diapered ground; blue initial with white filigree and pink and green curling vine serifs on a pink ground with white ivy; ground framed by a thick gold band, edged in black. Two styles of minor decoration that correspond to work division of the two scribes: ff. 1r-71v, 2-line initials, blue or gold with red or blue penwork with flourishes; 1-line initials, blue or gold; numerous line-fillers, almost every line in different styles, blue and gold; first letter of each verse stroked in red. ff. 72r-85v, 2-line initials, blue with red penwork and flourishes. No line-fillers. First letter of each verse stroked in red. Rubrics throughout. Part II: Decorative initial, divided red and blue, 4-line, on f. 86r, with blue and red flourishes and design cascading down inner margin. 2-line initials, blue, with red penwork and flourishes. 1-line initials, red or blue. Rubrics throughout. Very crude drawings (16th century) added on f. 111r-v., and Binding: Nineteenth century. Brown, hard-grained goatskin, blind- and gold-tooled. Bound by F. Bedford (London, active 1851-ca. 1883). Title on spine: "Lume As Lais/ Poemes francais MS. XIV siecle".
Subject (Geographic):
Connecticut and New Haven.
Subject (Name):
Pierre, de Peckham, -1293.
Subject (Topic):
Devotional literature, French, French literature, Illumination of books and manuscripts, Medieval, Literature, Medieval, and Manuscripts, Medieval
In English and Latin., Script: Slovenly written mostly by one hand in Gothica Cursiva Currens (Secretary), with calligraphic extensions on the top line. The headings of the chapters are in Northern Gothica Textualis Libraria or more often in a somewhat more solemn form of Secretary., The majuscules are heightened in red. In the middle section of the manuscript the chapter headings are marked by a pointing hand; in the final section (ff. 20r-22v) horse-headed (?) dividers are used. Some initials in the headings are decorated with human heads. Numerous coarse pen-drawings in the margins, in black and red, more or less loosely illustrating the text., Badly damaged paper with leaves pasted onto stubs., and Binding: Nineteenth century. Blind-tooled brown calf over cardboard boards. Spine with gold-tooled title: "OLD ENGLISH VOCABULARY. MS. XV. CENT." Red marbled endpapers.
Subject (Geographic):
Connecticut and New Haven.
Subject (Topic):
Dictionaries, Polyglot, Illumination of books and manuscripts, Medieval, Literature, Medieval, and Manuscripts, Medieval