Cambridge, Corpus Christi College, MS 494: Laurent d'Orléans OP, La somme le roi, translated into Middle English

Description

Alternative title
[Untitled]
Type of resource
mixed material
Extent
ff. 117
Date created
[ca. 1400-1499]
Language
English, Middle (1100-1500), French, Old (ca. 842-1400)
Material
Paper
Layout
25 lines to a page
Height (mm)
200
Width (mm)
142
Collation
quire gone | 1(12)-10(12) (wants 10-12).
Writing
in two clear hands
Foliation
ff. i + 1-117 + ii. Partially imaged: front cover exterior and interior + ff. 49r-53v + back exterior only
Provenance
In the cover (f. iv): Ex dono dignissimi viri Johannis Boothe Collegii Corp. Xti in Cant. dudum socii. John Booth was Fellow 1627-40. He bequeathed a printed book to the College and says Masters (Lamb, p. 175) at the same time a MS. of his own was presented, whose contents I could never learn. Probably this is the volume in question.
Additions
Old stamped binding over boards, clasps gone.
The covers are lined with portions of 2 leaves (f. ir-iv, f. iir-iiv) of a xivth cent. MS. in double columns in French prose, perhaps from a romance. The name Galelzout (Galehot) occurs several times.

Abstract/Contents

Summary
The sole text in CCCC MS 494, dating to the fifteenth century, is a unique translation in Middle English of La somme le roi, a treatise on religious instruction compiled for Philip III of France in 1279 by Laurent (or Lorens) d'Orléans OP. It was given to the College by John Booth, Fellow, 1627-40. The paste downs are fragments of a French romance, the prose Lancelot. The book retains its original medieval stamped binding. As a result of the fragility of this binding it has only been possible to image the exterior and interior of the front cover, the exterior of the back cover, and part of the text pages, ff. 49r-53v.
Contents
La somme le roi, translated into English

Bibliographic information

M.R. James Date
xv
Downloadable James Catalogue Record
https://stacks.stanford.edu/file/druid:km465kx7859/MS_494.pdf
Superseded Interim Catalogue Record
https://stacks.stanford.edu/file/druid:hz101qb8480/494.pdf
Contains
  • Laurent d'Orléans OP, La somme le roi, translated into English. 1r-117v
    Author
    Laurent d'Orléans OP
    Note
    (1r) Begins imperfectly
    Incipit
    (1r) unauysed he deyeth that lerneth not to deye. thu shuldest lerne to dye if thu kowdest weel lefe
    Note
    (34r) Liber II
    Ends
    Explicit
    (117v) to whom be all honour wiche vs brynge to hys companye where is euere lastyng lyf. Amen
    Rubric
    (117v) This book compyled and made yn frensch a frer prechour at the Requeste of Phylypp the kyng of fraunce the yer of thyncarnacion of our lord ml cc lxxix
Repository
UK, Cambridge, Corpus Christi College, Parker Library
Location
MS 494

Access conditions

Use and reproduction:
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License:
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