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 Boethius, De consolatione philosophiae, translated into French by Renaut de Louhans. As the translator states in the prologue, his work incorporates material from a commentary on Boethius made by another member of the Dominican order (Nicholas Trevet) as well as his own digressions
Description:
In French., Script: Written in batarde by a single scribe., Two intricate penwork initials, 5-line, on ff. 1r and 2r in red and blue; less detailed penwork initials, 3-line, in same colors throughout text; first letter of each verse stroked in red., and Binding: 17th-18th centuries. Brown spattered calf, with peculiarly striped turn-ins. Title, in gold, on spine: BOECE EN VER FRANC.
Subject (Geographic):
Connecticut and New Haven.
Subject (Name):
Boethius, -524., Trivet, Nicholas, 1258?-1328., and Dominicans
Subject (Topic):
Manuscripts, Consolation, French poetry, Literature, Medieval, and Manuscripts, Medieval
Manuscript on parchment of The Horloge de Sapience, a loose translation and adaptation into French of Henry Suso, Horologium sapientiae. With a Colophon, in French verse, stating that the translation was made by a French Franciscan master of theology at Neufchateau in 1389
Description:
In French., Script: Written in batarde script, below top line., Plain initials, 4- to 1-line, headings, paragraph marks, initial strokes, foliation and underlining, all in red., and Binding: 1800-1810, France. Diced brown calf, blind-and gold-tooled. Edges gilt. Stains from turn-ins of early binding on original front parchment pastedown. Rebacked.
Subject (Geographic):
Connecticut and New Haven.
Subject (Name):
Seuse, Heinrich, 1295-1366. and Franciscans
Subject (Topic):
Manuscripts, Devotional literature, French, Literature, Medieval, Manuscripts, Medieval, and Mysticism
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
Manuscript on parchment of Jacobus de Voragine (c. 1228-1298), Legenda aurea, in French translation according to Jean de Vignay (c. 1285-1350).
Description:
In Middle French., Script: Copied by various similar hands, all writing Gothica Cursiva Libraria/Formata (Bastarda)., Decoration: Red headings and underlinings; alternately red and blue paragraph marks; yellow heightening of majuscules; 2-line dentelle initials in gold, blue, and red, with white penwork; 3-line initials of the same type and with the same decoration; and on f. 1r, 6-line foliate initial and two-column-wide oblong miniature showing the translator presenting his work to queen Jeanne, ascribed to the Master of the Cité des dames., and Binding: Eighteenth century brown calfskin over cardboard, with undecorated covers but five raised bands and an inscription on the spine.
Subject (Geographic):
Connecticut and New Haven.
Subject (Name):
Jacobus, de Voragine, approximately 1229-1298.
Subject (Topic):
Christian hagiography, Literature, Medieval, and Manuscripts, Medieval
Manuscript on parchment of Pope Nicholas IV, Rule of the Third Order of St. Francis (Papal Bull Supra Montem, issued 17 August 1289), in French translation
Description:
In French., Script: copied by one hand in Gothica Textualis Formata, careful but not without inconsistencies. A scribe with initials “F.R.” is not attested., Red underlining; paragraph marks alternately red and blue, and line fillers in the same colours. A few 1-line flourished versals, and 2-line flourished initials alternately in red and blue, with penwork in the contrasting colour, at the head of all chapters. A 3-line flourished initial in the same colours at the beginning of the Prologue, f. 2r., and Binding: early, white deerskin over pasteboard, spine with four raised bands. Marks of two leather ties.
Subject (Geographic):
Connecticut and New Haven.
Subject (Name):
Nicholas IV, Pope, 1227-1292. and Franciscans.
Subject (Topic):
Bulls, Papal, Literature, Medieval, Manuscripts, Medieval, Monasticism and religious orders, and Third orders
