£ 8. d. some held by figures of animals, in pen and ink; modern A VERY FINELY WRITTEN AND BEAUTIFULLY ILLUMINATED ENGLISH 5 BOCCACCIO. DES CLERES ET NOBLES FEMMES. (Fol. 1a:) Cy commence le liure que fist Jehan bocace de certalde des cleres et nobles femmes leql il enuoya a andree des actioroles de florece contesse de haulteuille Sm. folio, MANUSCRIPT ON VELLUM, 66 leaves, written in neat lettres bâtardes, double columns of 40 lines; with a large MINIATURE (damaged) on the first page, and 40 small FINELY PRINTED AND RICHLY ILLUMINATED MINIATURES, numerous illuminated ornamental initials and marginal pen flourishes; old rough calf Early Saec. XV 375 0 0 Like all ancient and medieval books of the kind, this treatise was composed or compiled when History was still an art and when the supreme test of value was not truth of fact, but dramatic skill in the writer. These stories or biographies are pursued, not through family archives or parliamentary papers, but from author to author. In this book of illustrious and noble ladies Boccaccio puts together what in an unusually extensive course of reading he has found most interesting and most generally accepted. Owing to the unscrupulous way in which they were edited and re-dedicated by the earliest printers-(it has been said that the inventor of dedications was necessarily a liar)—the true author of this translation is never found to be actually named, but circumstantial evidence is very strongly in favour of its being, like the "Cas des nobles Hommes et Femmes," and the "Decameron," the work of Laurent de Premierfait. This industrious writer, the most celebrated of translators in the busiest age of translations, was a learned cleric of the Province of Champagne, a native of the city of Troyes, and was engaged in literary labours for about forty years, i.e., from 1380 to 1420. In the course of these labours he became known to, and employed by "Loys de Bourbon", called Louis II, Duc de Bourbon, Comte de Clermont et de Foresto, Seigneur de Beaujeu, etc., maternal uncle and guardian of Charles VI; and one of the most distinguished statesmen and soldiers of his time. The patronage of this prince would naturally bring Premierfait into notice, and accordingly we find him named as the translator of various Latin authors for other great patrons. Among those done for Louis de Bourbon we select one, the De Senectute and de Amicitia of Cicero for the sake of its dedication. Here is an extract: "a tres excellent glorieux et noble prince Loys oncle de roy de France duc de Bourbon Conte de Clermont et de Forest Seign. de Beaujeu grant chambrier et per de France droictment et bien vser de votre dignite et puissance terrienne . . . a vous comme seigneur et prince prompte et pleine obeissance du moy Laurent vostre humble clerc et subject," &c. Louis, who was a grandson of Charles de Valois, being a son of Isabella his daughter by his third wife, was born 1337 and died 1410, so that these various translations of Premierfait must have been executed before the latter date. Now this very translation, an early copy of which lies before us, was printed at Paris and published by A. Vérard 23 April, 1493, and is said to have been made for King Charles VIII and Queen Anne (i.e., Anne of Brittany), but no mention is made of the name of the translator. Of course the oversight, which, according to some French writers, makes the zenith of Premierfait's celebrity to be the year 1483, needs no further notice. It is simply an inference gathered from Vérard's imprint, but in assigning the translation to him some sort of evidence must have been present. Of course, copies of the translation exist in MS. in public Libraries. There are two in the Royal Collection in the British Museum, one of which is the actual copy of the other, including the very same set of miniatures, but in a later handwriting and having a later style of initial letters. One MS. is manifestly older than the other by many years. The older one is 20 C. V-a tall folio containing 168 leaves-the other is 16. G. V. With the aid of these MSS. and notes on several printed copies we will now examine the MS. before us. Here we have a thin, rather square, folio bound in old brown rough calf. The first page presents what was once a handsome and well-executed miniature half the size of the page. It is now unfortunately spoiled and smeared, as if it had been made a play book for the nursery. It is in two compartments, one shewing the author in his study, with the usual writing-table, books, etc., now utterly defaced; the other shews the author presenting his book to the lady to whom it is dedicated. The latter still gives a glimpse of the lady's appearance, with a very fair attempt at the portrait of the author in his maturer years. The rubric under this miniature says: "Here begins the book which John Boccace of Certaldo composed, of illustrious and noble ladies, and which he sent (the picture, as usual, makes him present it in person) to Andrea 'des Actioroles' de Florence, Contesse de Haulteville." This "des actioroles", which occurs in each of these versions, is replaced by "des Alpes" in another version in the Nat. Lib. Paris (6801). Further on in this preface the translator renders the passage (Andrea) "Contesse jadis del Monte Oderiso et alors de Altavilla." But whatever might be the actual locality intended, it seems that Boccaccio was personally known to her, and that she was a lady residing once at Florence, but we shall see that when this little book, as he calls it, was presented to her she was among the noble ladies residing at the court of the celebrated Joanna, first Queen of Naples (Sicily) and Jerusalem. In the middle of the first column on fol. 1 v. the author mentions, "Iehanne la tres noble royne de Iherusalem et de cecille," and says how he would like the "humble et petit" book to be brought to her notice, but he fears that her glory and brilliant deeds, etc., would quite eclipse his little rushlight; and so meditating on what he should do he bethought him of the many other noble ladies living at her court, and thus addresses himself to the Countess of Altavilla as being herself one of the noblest of womankind: “Tu soyes,' says he, “en nostre temps le tresbel and trescler mirouer et exemplaire des proesses anciennes." You are in our time the fairest and clearest mirror and exemplar of ancient prowesses. In the last of the hundred and odd chapters of his book he recounts the story of Queen Iehanne, a story, it is sad to say, missing from the present volume. The first story is that of Eve. (We notice the spelling in this MS. differs from the others we have quoted, thus: here we have loenges for louanges; there we have louenges: y celle, icelle, iceulz, y ceux, etc., shewing this to be an earlier copy. Sometimes words are transposed, as expose et mis, mis et expose.) Between fol. 3 and 4, at least one folio is missing altogether. The words "certaine maniere," beginning folio 4, are not in the prologue, as they seem to be, but in the latter part of the story of Semiramis queen of Assyria, the commencement of which, with the miniature and rubric, is missing. Fol. 5 v., the miniature here is much superior to that of 20 C. v. Opis and Juno follow all right, but on fol. 6 v. comes a hiatus, consisting of the lives (each with a rubric and miniature) of a number of personages, viz.: Ceres (7). Ninive (8). Venus (9). Jeis? (10). Europa (11). Libia (sibyl ?) (12). Two queens of the Amazons (13). Thisbe (& Pyramus) (14). By the way, in the Dutch printed copy of 1487 Thisbe is a spirited woodcut and is represented as falling on the same sword that has passed through the body of her lover. Ypermeslie (Hypermnestra) (15). Niobe (16). Fol. 7. The last few lines of the story of Niobe and the beginning, with miniature of that of Ypsephille queen of Lemnos. (17). fol. 8, Medea (18). fol. 9 continued. fol. 9 v. Arachne. 10 v. The daughters of the Queen of Amazons (20). Between 10 v. and 11 several leaves are missing containing rest of (20) and all (21), Erythrea Medusa (22), and Iole (23), first portion. fol. 11, end of Iole. f. 12 v. Dejanira (24). Notice in the miniature, the peculiarly medieval conception of Hercules shooting the centaur who is carrying off the lady. The Norman castle in the background and Nessus, not a centaur at all but a French dude, and the lady with arm round him evidently not unwilling. fol. 13. Yocase (Iocasta Queen of Thebes) (25). The miniature gives rather dramatically the pitiably cruel ending of the story of Edipus and his mother, only here she stabs herself; the old fabulists say "hanged." Notice Edipus tearing out his own eyes. It is one of the chief tragedies of the Ancient Classic Drama. fol. 14. The story of Almathea or Deiphila (26), the sibyl who offered the sibylline books to King Tarquin, the usual medieval custom of showing successive events in the same picture-the Sibyl presents 6 volumes, and yet 3 are burning outside. The ease with which these half dozen folio volumes are held is marvellous. [The miniature very fairly represents (excepting the fire) Christine de Pisan presenting her works to Charles VI]. fol. 14 v. Nychostrate (27), miniature and story missing (see it in Ovid Fasti), at least partly the latter half on fol. 15 and 15 v. fol. 16. Pocris (Procris) wife of Cephale (28). The amazing want of proportion in this miniature completely spoils the point of the story. (It is one of Ovid's in the Metamorphoses (vii. 26)). Unfinished. Now more gaps and missing leaves between folios 16 and 17. Aryia (29) missing. Manthone (30), do. Wife of Jason (31), do. Penthesilea (32), do. Polisena (Polyxena) (33), do. Hecuba (34), do. Cassandra (35), do. Clytemnestra (36), do. Helen, wife of Menelaus (37). Miniature gone. fol. 17. Text to 18 v. 18 v. Circes. Miniature and most of story gone (38). 19. Camilla, Queen of the Volscians (39). fol. 20 v. Penelope (40). 7 columns. f. 22, 2nd col. Lavinie, Queen of the Laurentines (41). Miniature of the birth of Aeneas Sylvius. f. 23. Dido, Queen of Carthage (42). The miniature gives the incident of Dido's purchase of land when shipwrecked on the coast of Africa-the ox-hide, which she had cut into narrow strips, and so got a piece of land on which she built her first fort of Byrsa. Between 24 v. and 25 another omission. Ethiopians (43). Pamphille (44). Reayle (45). of Lesbos (47). Missing: Nicaule, Queen of the f. 23. Lucretia, wife of Collatinus and sovereign of Roman chastity (18). Miniature: the tragedy of her death. Between 25 and 26, missing: Thamyris (49) except latter part ending 26 v. 1. f. 26 v. Leana, the Greek: mistress of Harmodius. Being tortured to confess the names of his associates, bit out her own tongue-notice the blood spurting from her mouth in the miniature (50). story. f. 27 v. Athalis (Athaliah) (51). f. 28 v. Between 28 v. and 29 missing: Clolia, miniature and beginning of f. 29. f. 30. the Tiber. f. 30 v. f. 31. latter part of Clelia. Ypone (53). Miniature seems to be the one intended for Clelia swimming Negulis (54) and her remarkable dowry. Veturia (55), mother of Coriolanus. Miniature of her visit to her son, with his wife. f. 33 v. Thamar (Timarete), daughter of Mikōa (56). f. 34. Artemisia (57). Miniature of building the Mausoleum. Note the misleading character of the picture: she is merely cremating her husband's body. It appears as if he was being burnt to death. Again, she appears twice in the same picture a common mediæval practice. f. 36 v. Virginia (58). Missing between 37 v. and 38 are Yrene (59), Leonce (60), Olimpiade (61), Claudia the Vestal (62), Virginia, wife of Lucian (63), Flora (64), A Roman Maiden (65), Narcea (66), part of Sulpitia (67). f. 38, last col. of Sulpitia. Armouye (68) missing before 39. Sophonisba (70). f. 40. Theosene (71) (Theoxena ?). Birse (69). f. 41 v. Beronice (72), Berenice (73). Here a leaf at least gone with beginning also of history of Orgiagonte. 43. Emilienne (74), Wife of Scipio Africanus the elder. (See the story in Valer. Maximus VI. 7). Missing between 43 and 45: Drupetrue (75), Sempronia (76), Claudia (Quinti) (77), Hipsicratie (78), Part of Sempronia Secunda (79). f. 45 v. End of Sempronia. f. 46. Les Femmes des Cimbres (In 20 c. 5, called The Sicambrian Women) (30). This story refers to the campaign under Marius against the Cimbri. The miniature represents their self-destruction. f. 47. Julie, femme de Pompec (daughter of Julius Cæsar) (81). The miniature refers to the incident of her meeting the servant bringing Pompey's blood-stained robe to fetch another-after a sacrifice-causing her a sudden fright and death in childbirth. f. 47 v. Portia, daughter of Cato (82). Miniature of her tragic death. Note the burning coal in the maid's left hand. f. 48 v. Curia, wife of Qu. Lucretius (83), rubric only. Story and miniature gone. Others missing between 48 and 49: Hortensia (84), Sulpicia (85), Cornificia poetess (86), Marianne (87). f. 49. Cleopatra (88) (miniature gone), long account. f. 51 v. Anthonia (d. of Anthony) (89) as a noble widow. f. 52. Agrippina, wife of Germanicus (90). Miniature depicting her being forced to eat. f. 53. Pauline (91). The treachery of Mundus. f. 54. Agrippina, mother of Nero, "la plus cruelle beste de tout le monde ” (92). Horrible picture of his cruelty. f. 56. Epicaris (Epicharis) (93). Tortured for refusing to betray fellow conspirators. f. 57. Pompee, Pauline femme de L. A. Senecque (94). Miniature of her opening her veins, to die with her husband. f. 58. Poppee (Poppaa), wife of Nero (95). Miniature of Nero's brutal behaviour which caused her death. f. 59 v. Triare (Triaria), wife of Luc. Vitellius, noted for cruelty (96). f. 60. Probe (Falconia Proba) (97). The Roman Poetess who composed a History of the Bible out of Virgil. Missing between 60 v. and 61: Faustina (98), Semiramira? (99). Here instead of Jehanne de Sicille we have the story of Zenobia from another version. There should follow Zenobia, POPE Joanna, The Empress Irene, and three or four others, including Constance Empress of Constantinople and Queen of Naples, but the text concludes on fol, 66 (modern pencil folios). Such is this interesting but somewhat ill-used MS. The handwriting is that of France (bâtarde) of the time of Charles the 6th, which continued in France and England until after 1475 with very little change. The armour and costumes of the miniatures are of the same reign of Charles the 6th. We may therefore assign this MS. to a time very shortly after the beginning of the 15th century, allowing, perhaps, thirty years as the interval between the first execution of the picture designs and their production in this MS. L. de Premierfait's own date to his version of the other work of Boccaccio is 1409, and this must have been somewhere about the same period, whether himself or any other translator was its author. The decoration of the first page shews fine Burgundian work, but the features and dresses are decidedly French. The large initials are exceedingly fine. The title-page at foot has at some time had a coat of arms in the centre, removed At a later period the volume has fallen into the hands of an owner of the name of Lan de grace 1560 et le 7 de Mai feu de bonne Memoire Mons' Maistre françoys 6 HORAE BEATAE MARIAE VIRGINIS SECUNDUM £ s. d. Sm. 4to., RICHLY ILLUMINATED MANUSCRIPT ON VELLUM, 149 leaves, BY AN ENGLISH SCRIBE, written in bold eren Gothic letter, long lines, 20 to a full page, red and black, many hundred small illuminated initials and ornaments, and ornamental pen letters; with 32 LARGE AND VERY BEAUTIFUL ILLUMINATED MINIATURES, WITHIN BROAD AND VERY RICH BORDERS of floreate designs_interspersed with fruits, etc. chiefly having opposite borders of similar decoration enclosing a large richly illuminated ornamental initial within an inner decorative frame (most of the large miniatures are without text on the backs); 22 VERY FINELY DECORATED SMALL INITIAL MINIATURES in the Commune of Saints, etc.; bound in CONTEMPORARY NETHERLANDS BINDING OF OAK BOARDS, covered with black leather, with 4 stamped panels on each cover, with divisions of Morris Dancers, Angels with trumps, birds and animals, each with inner border containing the inscription: "Anthonius de Gavere ob laudem xpisti librum hunc recte legavi," massive silver gilt clasps, with crystal openings, under which are two small miniatures on vellum, one of the Handkerchief of Veronica, the other of David praying Saec. XV 1750 00 A REMARKABLY FINE ILLUMINATED MANUSCRIPT, in first-rate condition throughout, with wide plain margins. The writing is English, the miniatures and decorations Franco-Flemish. THE CALENDAR IS OF SARUM USE WITH VARIATIONS. It begins with the calendar, which occupies 6 leaves followed by a miniature of a priest sacrificing before an altar with a nude figure of Christ and the instruments of the crucifixion, a cardinal in red with a bambino, kneeling figures of a man and woman holding scroll inscriptions from the Psalms (probably meant for the persons for whom the MS. was made), with a prayer to Jesus Christ opposite, the rubric being illegible. The remaining miniatures are as follow: A miniature of Christ robed in green and gold, holding a globe, and having a saltire cross as nimbus, under a canopy, with two angels, on a diapered and mosaic ground; opposite, "Oratio devota Jhesum xpistum.' Then come COMMEMORATIONES SANCTORUM ET SANCTARUM, having FULL MINIATURES WITHIN BORDERS of the Trinity (the Deity holding the dead Christ under a canopy), the dove above, two angels, on a chequered and mosaic ground; S. John the Baptist; S. THOMAS OF CANTERBURY with his office, a fine miniature of the Martyrdom, the assassins in coat armour (the office scratched through with a pen in oblique lines, but not obliterated); S. George and Dragon, S. Christopher, S. Agnes, S. Anna (with the Virgin and Child and an angel), S. Maria Magdalena (a fine interior with an angel playing on a viola), S. Katherine with her emblems, S. Barbara, S. Margaret (face defaced). Then come the Agony in Gethsemane, with the Annunciation opposite (this last has the rubric "INCIPIUNT HORE BEATE MARIE VIRGINIS SECUDO CONSUETUDINEM ANGLIE"); Christ Betrayed, the Meeting of Mary and Elizabeth opposite; Christ before Pilate, the Nativity opposite; the Shepherds, one a female seated; Christ bearing the Cross, followed by men in armour, opposite; the Offerings of the Magi; the Crucifixion (with 3 officers, 2 Maries, and S. John), opposite; The Presentation in the Temple; Taking Down from the Cross (Nicodemus, 2 Maries, and S. John), opposite; The Massacre of the Innocents; Entombment of Christ opposite; The Flight into Egypt; Vigilia Mortuorum (interior, with nuns and monks); "Commendationes Animarum," nude Christ, with Passion emblems; Psalterium S. Hieronimi, miniature of S. Jerome in cardinal's habit. The clasps have been put on later than the binding, and bear inside of them the name of "JOHN BROWN," with a device. His autograph and device are written on the end cover (Cent. XVI), and in the first cover is the following inscription: "The Gift of Lady Ayloff to John Topham Esq. 1783." The small initial miniatures are very delicately finished, and the whole of the decorations of the volume are of high artistic value. 7 MISSALE SECUNDUM CONSUETUDINEM ROMANAE CURIAE, CUM CALENDARIO. £ 8. d. Sm. folio, MANUSCRIPT ON PURE ITALIAN VELLUM, 285 leaves, finely written in bold open Italian Gothic letters, red and black, with square musical notes, double columns of 27 lines; the Calendar in long lines on leaves, the first page of text surrounded by a SPLENDID DECORATIVE BORDER VERY RICHLY PAINTED AND ILLUMINATED, consisting of flower designs, nude boys, one playing a viola, two large grasshoppers, a bird eating a chrysalis, etc. a coat of arms in lower margin; the border is connected with a large initial miniature of David praying, and a rich ornamental initial; before the Canon is a very FINE FULL-PAGE PAINTING OF THE CRUCIFIXION, WITH MARY AND JOHN, ANGELS CATCHING THE BLOOD IN CUPS; within a rich decorative border of gold and colours, the arms which are on the first leaf repeated in the lower margin; 17 fine large HISTORIATED INITIAL MINIATURES, 12 richly decorated large ornamental initials, large capitals in gold, ornamental pen-letters with marginal flourishes throughout; modern blue velvet binding Late Saec. XV 575 0 0 A VERY FINE AND APPARENTLY PERFECT MANUSCRIPT ending with the |