Thomas Frognall Dibdin - A Bibliographical, Antiquarian and Picturesque Tour in France and Germany, Volume Two

T >> Thomas Frognall Dibdin >> A Bibliographical, Antiquarian and Picturesque Tour in France and Germany, Volume Two

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THE SAME WORK: with the same date--but the hand-writing is evidently more
modern. Of the illuminations, it will be only necessary to mention the
large one at fol. iij.c. (ccc.) in which the gray tints and the gold are
very cleverly managed. At the end is seen, in a large sprawling character,
the following inscription: "_Ce Livre est A Le Harne. Fille Et Seur de Roys
de France, Duchesse de Bourbonnois et dauuergne. Contesse de Clermont et de
Tourez. Dame de Beaujeu."_ This inscription bears the date of 1468; not
very long before which I suspect the MS. to have been executed.

THE SAME: of the same date--which date I am persuaded was copied by each
succeeding scribe. The illuminations are here generally of a very inferior
character: but the first has much merit, and is by a superior hand. The
text is executed in a running secretary Gothic. There are two other MSS. of
the same work which I examined; and in one of which the well known subject
of the _wheel of fortune_ is perhaps represented for the first time. It
usually accompanied the printed editions, and may be seen in that of our
Pynson, in 1494,[39] folio. I suspect, from one of the introductory
prefaces, that the celebrated _Laurent le Premier Fait_ was the principal
scribe who gave a sort of fashion to this MS. in France.

PTOLEMAEUS, _Latine_. A magnificent MS.--if size and condition be alone
considered. It is however precious in the estimation of Collectors of
portraits, as it contains one of Louis XII;[40]--This portrait is nearly in
the centre of the frontispiece to the book. Behind the monarch stand two
men; one leaning upon his staff. A large gothic window is above. A crucifix
and altar are beneath it. There is but one other similar illumination in
the volume; and each nearly occupies the whole of the page--which is almost
twenty-three inches long by fourteen wide. The other illumination is hardly
worth describing. This noble volume, which almost made the bearer stoop
beneath its weight, is bound in wood:--covered with blue velvet, with a
running yellow pattern, of the time of Louis--but now almost worn away.

TITE-LIVE. Fol. A noble and magnificent MS. apparently of the beginning of
the XVth. century. It seems to point out the precise period when the
artists introduced those soft, full-coloured, circular borders--just after
the abandonment of the sharp outline, and thin coat of colour--discoverable
in the illuminations of the XIIIth and XIVth centuries. The first grand
illumination, with a circular border, is an interesting illustration of
this remark. The backgrounds to the pictures are the well-known small
bright squares of blue and gold. The text is in a firm square and short
gothic character.

L'HISTOIRE ROMAINE: No. 6984: Folio, 3 vols. written in the French
language. These are among the _shew books_ of the library. The exterior
pattern of the binding is beautiful in the extreme. Such a play of lines,
in all directions, but chiefly circular, I never before saw. The date, on
the outside, is 1556. The writing and the illuminations are of the latter
part of the XVth century; and although they are gorgeous, and in a fine
state of preservation, yet is the character of the art but secondary, and
rather common.

ROYAL BIOGRAPHY OF FRANCE. Fol. This exquisite volume may be justly
designated as the _nonpareil_ of its kind. It is rather a book of
PORTRAITS, than a MS. with intermixed illuminations. The scription, in a
sort of cursive, secretary gothic character, merits not a moment's
attention: the pencil of the artist having wholly eclipsed the efforts of
the scribe. Such a series of exquisitely finished portraits, of all the
Kings of France (with the unaccountable omission, unless it has been taken
out, of that of Louis XII.) is perhaps no where else to be seen. M. Coeure,
the French artist employed by me, stood in ecstasies before it! These
portraits are taken from old monuments, missals, and other ancient and
supposed authentic documents. They are here touched and finished in a
manner the most surprisingly perfect. The book appears to have been
executed expressly for CHARLES IX.--to whom it was in fact presented by
_Dutilliet_, (the artist or the superintendant of the volume) in his proper
person. The gilt stamp of the two reversed C's are on the sides of the
binding. I should add, that the portraits are surrounded by borders of
gold, shaded in brown, in the arabesque manner. All the portraits are whole
lengths; and if my time and pursuits had permitted it, I should, ere this,
have caused M. Coeure to have transfused a little of his enthusiasm into
faithful facsimiles of those of Francis I.--my avowed favourite--of which
one represents him in youth, and the other in old age. Why do not the
Noblesse of France devote some portion of that wealth, which may be applied
to worse purposes, in obtaining a series of engravings executed from this
matchless volume?!

ROMANCES, BOOKS OF TOURNAMENT, &c.

LANCELOT DU LAC shall lead the way. He was always considered among the
finest fellows who ever encircled the _Table Ronde_--and _such_ a copy of
his exploits, as is at this moment before me, it is probably not very easy
for even Yourself to conceive. If the height and bulk of the knight were in
proportion to this written record of achievements, the plume of his helmet
must have brushed the clouds. This enormous volume (No. 6783) is divided
into three books or parts: of which the first part is illuminated in the
usual coarse style of the latter end of the XIVth century. The title to
this first part, in red ink, is the most perfect resemblance of the
earliest type used by Caxton, which I remember to have seen in an ancient
manuscript. The other titles do not exhibit that similarity. The first part
has ccxlviij. leaves. The second part has no illuminations: if we except a
tenderly touched outline, in a brownish black, upon the third leaf--which
is much superior to any specimen of art in the volume. This second part has
cccj. leaves. At the end:--

_Sensuit le liure du saint graal_.

The spaces for illuminations are regularly preserved, but by what accident
or design they were not filled up remains to be conjectured. The third
part, or book, is fully illuminated like the first. There is a very droll
illumination on folio vij.^{xx}. xij. At the end of the volume, on folio
ccxxxiij., recto, is the following date: "_Aujourduy iiij. Jour du Jullet
lan mil ccc. soixante dix a este escript ce livre darmes par Micheaugatelet
prestre demeurant en la ville de Tournay_." Just before the colophon, on
the reverse of the preceding leaf, is a common-place illumination of the
interment of a figure in a white sheet--with this incription:

ICI: GIST. LECORS: GALAHAVT: SEIGNEVR
DES. LOINTENES. ILES. ET. AVECQVES. LVI. REPOVSE: MESIRE
LANCELOT. DVLAC. MELLIEVR. CHRL. DV. MVDE. APRES. GVALEAT.

There are two or three more illuminated MSS. of our well-beloved Lancelot.
One, in six volumes, has illuminations, but they are of the usual character
of those of the fifteenth century.

LANCELOT DU LAC, &C. This MS. is in three volumes. The first contains only,
as it were, an incipient illumination: but there is preserved, on the
reverse of the binding, and written in the same character with the text,
three lines--of which the private history, or particular application, is
now forgotten--although we learn, from the word _bloys_ being written at
top, that this MS. came from the library of Catherine de Medici--when she
resided at Blois.

The second volume of this copy is in quite a different character, and much
older than the first. The colophon assigns to it the date of 1344. The
volume is full of illuminations, and the first leaf exhibits a fair good
specimen of those drolleries which are so frequently seen in illuminated
MSS. of that period. The third volume is in a still different hand-writing:
perhaps a little more ancient. It has a few slight illuminations, only as
capital initials.

LANCELOT DU LAC: No. 6782. This MS. is executed in a small gothic
character, in ink which has now become much faded. From the character of
the illuminations, I should consider it to be much more ancient than either
of the preceding--even at the commencement of the thirteenth century. Among
the illuminations there is a very curious one, with this prefix;

_Vne dame venant a.c. chr. q dort en son
lit & ele le volt baisier. mais vne
damoiselle li deffendi_

You will not fail to bear in mind that the history of Lancelot du Lac will
be also found in those of Tristan and Arthur. I shall now therefore
introduce you to a MS. or two relating to the former.

TRISTAN. No. 6957, 2 vols. _folio_. This is a very fine old MS. apparently
of the middle of the XIVth century. The writing and the embellishments
fairly justify this inference. The first volume contains three hundred and
fifty-one leaves. On the reverse of the last leaf but one, is the word
"_anne_" in large lower-case letters; but a ms. memorandum, in a later
hand, at the end, tells us that this copy was once the property of "_the
late Dame Agnes" &c_. The second volume is written in more of the secretary
gothic character--and is probably somewhat later than the first. It is
executed in double columns. The illuminations are little more than
outlines, prettily executed upon a white ground--or rather the vellum is
uncoloured. This volume seems to want a leaf at the commencement, and yet
it has a title at top, as if the text actually began there. The colophon is
thus:

_Explicit le Romat de. T. et de yseut
qui fut fait lan mille. iijc. iiijxx. et xix.
la veille de pasques grans._

TRISTAN, FILS DE MELIADUS. No. 6773. A folio of almost unparalleled breadth
of back;--measuring more than six inches and a quarter, without the
binding. A beautiful illumination once graced the first leaf, divided into
four compartments, which is now almost effaced. In the third compartment,
there are two men and two women playing at chess, in a vessel. What
remains, only conveys an imperfect idea of its original beauty. The lady
seems to have received check-mate, from the melancholy cast of her
countenance, and her paralised attitude. The man is lifting up both hands,
as if in the act of exultation upon his victory. The two other figures are
attendants, who throw the dice. Upon the whole, this is among the prettiest
bits I have yet seen. It is worth noticing that the yellow paint, like our
Indian yellow, is here very much used; shaded with red. The generality of
the illuminations are fresh; but there is none of equal beauty with that
just described. From the scription, and the style of art, I should judge
this MS. to have been executed about the year 1400 or 1420; but a
memorandum, apparently in a somewhat later hand, says it was finished in
1485:--_Par Michean gonnot de la brouce pstre demeurant a croysant._
Some lines below have been scratched out. The colophon, just before, is on
the recto of the last leaf:

_Explicit le romans de tristan et de la Royne
Yseult la blonde Royne de cornoalle._

TRISTAN: No. 6774. _Folio._ 2 vols. The illuminations are magnificent, but
lightly coloured and shaded. The draperies are in good taste. The border to
the first large illumination, in four parts, is equally elegant in
composition and colouring, and a portion of it might be worth copying.
There is a pretty illumination of two women sitting down. A table cloth,
with dinner upon it, is spread upon the grass between them:--a bottle is
plunged into a running stream from a fountain, with an ewer on one side in
the fore-ground. One woman plays upon the guitar while the other eats her
dinner. The second volume has a fine illumination divided into four parts,
with a handsome border--not quite perhaps so rich as the preceding. Among
the subjects, there is a singular one of Lancelot du Lac helping a lady out
of a cauldron in a state of nudity: two gentlemen and a lady are quietly
looking on. The text appertaining to this subject runs thus: "_Et quant
elle voit lancelot si lui dist hoa sire cheualiers pour dieu ostes moy de
ceste aure ou il a eaue qui toute mait Et lancelot vint a la aure et prent
la damoiselle par la main et lentrait hors. Et quant elle se voit deliure
elle luy chiet aux pies et lui baise la iambe et lui dist sire benoite soit
leure que vous feustes oncques nes, &c_." The top of the last leaf is cut
off: and the date has been probably destroyed. The colophon runs thus:

_Cy fenist le livre de tristan et de la
royne yseult de cornouaille et
le graal que plus nen va_.

The present is a fine genuine old copy: in faded yellow morocco binding--
apparently not having been subjected to the torturing instruments of De
Rome.

LE ROY ARTUS. No. 6963. Folio. I consider this to be the oldest illuminated
MS. of the present Romance which I have yet seen. It is of the date of
1274, as its colophon imports. It is written in double columns, but the
illuminations are heavy and sombre;--about two inches in height, generally
oblong. There are grotesques, attached to letters, in the margin. The
backgrounds are thick, shining gold. At the end:

_Explicit de lanselot. del lac[41]
Ces Roumans fu par escris. En lan
del Incarnation nostre Segnor. mil
deus cens et sixante et quatorse le
semedi apres pour ce li ki lescrist_.

It is in a fine state of preservation. Mons. Meon shewed me a manuscript of
the ST. GRAAL, executed in a similar style, and written in treble columns.

LE MEME. This is a metrical MS of the XIIIth century: executed in double
columns. The illuminations are small but rather coarse. It is in fine
preservation. Bound in green velvet. Formerly the outsides of this binding
had silver gilt medallions; five on each side. These have been latterly
stolen. I also saw a fine PERCEFOREST, in four large folio volumes upon
vellum, written in a comparatively modern Gothic hand. The illuminations
were to be _supplied_--as spaces are left for them. There is also a paper
MS. of the same Romance, not illuminated.

ROMAN DE LA ROSE: No. 6983. I consider this to be the oldest MS. of its
subject which I have seen. It is executed in a small Gothic character, in
two columns, with ink which has become much faded: and from the character,
both of the scription and the embellishments, I apprehend the date of it to
be somewhere about the middle of the XIVth century. The illuminations are
small, but pretty and perfect; the backgrounds are generally square,
diamond-wise, without gold; but there are backgrounds of solid shining
gold. The subjects are rather quaintly and whimsically, than elegantly,
treated. In the whole, one hundred and sixty leaves. From Romances, of all
and of every kind, let us turn our eyes towards a representation of
subjects intimately connected with them: to wit,

A BOOK OF TOURNAMENTS. No. 8351. Folio. This volume is in a perfect blaze
of splendour. Hither let PROSPERO and PALMERIN resort--to choose their
casques, their gauntlets, their cuirasses, and lances: yea, let more than
one-half of the Roxburghers make an annual pilgrimage to visit this tome!--
which developes, in thirteen minutes, more chivalrous intelligence than is
contained even in the mystical leaves of the _Fayt of Arms and Chyvalrye_
of our beloved Caxton. Be my pulse calm, and my wits composed, as I essay
the description of this marvellous volume. Beneath a large illumination,
much injured, of Louis XI. sitting upon his throne--are the following
verses:

_Pour exemple aulx nobles et gens darmes
Qui appetent les faitz darmes hautes
Le Sire de gremthumse duyt es armes
Volut au roy ce livre presenter_.

Next ensue knights on horseback, heralds, &c.--with a profusion of
coat-armours: each illumination occupying a full page. On the reverse of
the ninth leaf, is a most interesting illumination, in which is seen the
figure of _John Duke of Brittany_. He is delivering a sword to a king at
arms, to carry to his cousin, the Duke of Bourbon; as he learns, from
general report, that the Duke is among the bravest champions in
Christendom, and in consequence he wishes to break a lance with him.

The illumination, where the Duke thus appears, is quite perfect, and full
of interest: and I make no doubt but the countenance of the herald, who is
kneeling to receive the sword, is a faithful portrait. It is full of what
may be called individuality of character. The next illumination represents
the _Duke of Bourbon accepting the challenge_, by receiving the sword. His
countenance is slightly injured. The group of figures, behind him, is very
clever. The ensuing illumination exhibits the herald offering the Duke de
Bourbon the choice of eight coats of armour, to put on upon the occasion. A
still greater injury is here observable in the countenance of the Duke. The
process of conducting the tournay, up to the moment of the meeting of the
combatants, is next detailed; and several illuminations of the respective
armours of the knights and their attendants, next claim our attention. On
the reverse of the xxxijnd, and on the recto of the xxxiijd leaf, the
combat of the two Dukes is represented. The seats and benches of the
spectators are then displayed: next a very large illumination of the
procession of knights and their attendants to the place of contest. Then
follows an interesting one of banners, coat armours, &c. suspended from
buildings--and another, yet larger and equally interesting, of the entry of
the judges.

I am yet in the midst of the emblazoned throng. Look at yonder herald, with
four banners in his hand. It is a curious and imposing sight. Next succeeds
a formal procession--preparing for the combat. It is exceedingly
interesting, and many of the countenances are full of natural expression.
This is followed by a still more magnificent cavalcade, with judges in the
fore-ground; and the "dames et damoiselles," in fair array to the right. We
have next a grand rencontre of the knights attendant--carried on beneath a
balcony of ladies

whose bright eyes
Reign influence, and decide the prize.

These ladies, thus comfortably seated in the raised balcony, wear what we
should now call the _cauchoise_ cap. A group of grave judges is in another
balcony, with sundry mottos spread below. In the rencontre which takes
place, the mace seems to be the general instrument of attack and defence.
Splendid as are these illuminations, they yield to those which follow;
especially to that which _immediately_ succeeds, and which displays the
preparation for a tournament to be conducted upon a very large scale. We
observe throngs of combatants, and of female spectators in boxes above.
These are rather more delicately touched. Now comes ... the mixed and
stubborn fight of the combatants. They are desperately engaged with each
other; while their martial spirit is raised to the highest pitch by the
sharp and reverberating blasts of the trumpet. The trumpeters blow their
instruments with all their might. Every thing is in animation, bustle,
energy, and confusion. A man's head is cut off, and extended by an arm, to
which--in the position and of the size we behold--it would be difficult to
attach a body. Blood flows copiously on all sides. The reward of victory is
seen in the next and _last_ illumination. The ladies bring the white mantle
to throw over the shoulders of the conqueror. In the whole, there are only
lxxiiij. leaves. This is unquestionably a volume of equal interest and
splendor; and, when it was fresh from the pencil of the illuminator, its
effect must have been exquisite.[42]

BOOK OF TOURNAMENTS: No. 8204. 8vo. We have here a sort of miniature
exhibition of the chief circumstances displayed in the previous and larger
MS. It is questionless a very precious book; but has been cruelly cropt.
The text and ornaments are clearly of the end of the fifteenth century;
perhaps about 1470. Nothing can well exceed the brilliancy and power of
many of the illuminations, which are very small and very perfect. The
knight, with a representation of the trefoil, (or what is called club, in
card playing) upon a gold mantle, kills the other with a black star upon a
white mantle. This mortal combat is the last in the book. Each of the
knights, praying before going to combat, is executed with considerable
power of expression. The ladies have the high (cauchoise) cap or bonnet.
The borders, of flowers, are but of secondary merit.

POLYBIUS, _Graece_. Folio. M. Gail placed before me, in a sly manner--as if
to draw off my attention from the volumes of chivalry just described,--the
present beautiful MS. of Polybius. It is comparatively recent, being of the
very commencement of the sixteenth century: but the writing exhibits a
perfect specimen of that style or form of character which the Stephenses
and Turnebus, &c. appear to have copied in their respective founts of the
Greek letter. It has also other, and perhaps stronger, claims to notice.
The volume belonged to Henry II. and Diane de Poictiers, and the
decorations of the pencil are worthy of the library to which it was
attached. The top ornament, and the initial letter,--at the beginning of
the text--are each executed upon a blue ground, shaded in brown and gold,
in the most exquisitely tasteful manner. This initial letter has been
copied "ad amussim" by old Robert Stephen. Upon the whole, this is really
an enchanting book, whether on the score of writing or of ornament.

Farewell, now, therefore--to the Collection of MSS. in the _Bibliotheque du
Roi_ at Paris. Months and years may be spent among them, and the
vicissitudes of seasons (provided fires were occasionally introduced)
hardly felt. I seem, for the last fortnight, to have lived entirely in the
"olden time;" in a succession of ages from that of Charles the Bald to that
of Henri Quatre: and my eyes have scarcely yet recovered from the dazzling
effects of the illuminator's pencil. "II faut se reposer un peu."

[38] Vol. i. p. ccxx-i.

[39] See _Bibl. Spenceriana_, vol. iv p. 421.

[40] The fac-simile drawing of this portrait, by M. Coeure--from which the
print was taken, in the previous edition of this work--is also in the
possession of my friend Mr. Ponton. See note, page 79 ante.

[41] The words "del lac" are in a later hand.

[42] What is rather singular, there is a duplicate of this book: a copy of
every illumination, done towards the beginning of the sixteenth
century; but the text is copied in a smaller hand, so as to compress
the volume into lxviij. leaves. Unluckily, the copies of the
illuminations are not only comparatively coarse, but are absolutely
faithless as to resemblances. There is a letter prefixed, from a
person named _Le Hay_, of the date of 1707, in which the author
tells some gentleman that he was in hopes to procure the volume for
100 crowns; but afterwards, the owner obstinately asking 200, _Le
Hay_ tells his friend to split the difference, and offer 150. This
book once belonged to one "_Hector Le Breton Sievr de la
Doynetrie_"--as the lettering upon the exterior of the binding
implies--and as a letter to his son, of the date of 1660, within the
volume, also shows. This letter is signed by Le Breton.

_LETTER V._

SOME ACCOUNT OF EARLY PRINTED AND RARE BOOKS IN THE ROYAL LIBRARY.

As the ART of PRINTING rather suddenly, than gradually, checked the
progress of that of writing and illuminating--and as the pressman in
consequence pretty speedily tripped up the heels of the scribe--it will be
a natural and necessary result...that I take you with me to the collection
of PRINTED BOOKS. Accordingly, let us ascend the forementioned lofty flight
of stone steps, and paying attention to the affiche of "wiping our shoes,"
let us enter: go straight forward: make our obeisance to Monsieur Van
Praet, and sit down doggedly but joyfully to the glorious volumes...many of
them

Rough with barbaric gold,

which, through his polite directions, are placed before us. To come to
plain matter of fact. Receive, my good friend, in right earnest and with
the strictest adherence to truth, a list of some of those rarer and more
magnificent productions of the ancient art of printing, which I have been
so many years desirous of inspecting, and which now, for the first time,
present themselves to my notice and admiration. After the respectable
example of M. Van Praet,[43] I shall generally, add the sizes, or
measurement[44] of the respective books examined--not so much for the sake
of making those unhappy whose copies are of less capacious dimensions, as
for the consolation of those whose copies may lift up their heads in a yet
more aspiring attitude. One further preliminary remark. I send you this
list precisely in the order in which chance, rather than a preconcerted
plan, happened to present the books to me.

RECUEIL DES HISTOIRES DE TROYE. _Printed by Caxton_. Folio. The late M. De
La Serna Santander, who was Head Librarian of the public Library at
Brussels, purchased this book for the Royal Library for 150 francs.[45] It
is in the finest possible state of preservation; and is bound in red
morocco, with rather a tawdry lining of light blue water-tabby silk.

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