Lancelot-Graal Project: Manuscript Specifications for British Library, Royal 14.E.III

LANCELOT-GRAAL PROJECT
PROJECT MANUSCRIPTS: SPECIFICATIONS
London, British Library, MS Royal 14.E.III (hereafter Royal)

GENERAL INFORMATION

Estoire (ending incomplete), Queste, Mort Artu (ending incomplete); Merlin and Lancelot missing.

Bindings and Quire Structure: 1 volume, ii+162+ii ff. ff. 1, 2, and 162, are ruled with 18 lines in 2 cols, blank intercolumnar space: 400x240. The rest, numbered ff. 3-161, measure 480-4x338(342x242)mm.

Text format and ink: Written in textualis media in 3 columns, 51 lines, in black ink; rubrics occasionally above miniatures in red ink by another scribe (see analysis of scribal hands by M. Gullick).

Initials: Penflourished initials, three lines high, in gold and blue-mauve, alternating with red and blue, all with flourished borders. Champie initials without miniatures or rubrics in Mort Artu on ff. 143v, 146v, 148, 150, 152, 154v, 156v, 158, 160; champie initials accompany miniatures on ff. 87 (Estoire); ff. 142v, 146, 151v, 152v, 154v, 156v, 158v, 159, 161 (Mort Artu).

Illumination: Four-line initials containing figures or heads on ff. 3, 89, 140, with borders and animals, hybrids, figures, above or below; 116 miniatures in one column, most preceded by two-line spaces left blank for rubrics, all illustrated by one artist; outer fillets in gold throughout. Most miniatures accompanied by penflourished initials, except as noted above and miniatures followed by plain ink capitals on ff. 3, 89 col. c, 90.

Notes and Rubrics: Many notes written in leadpoint in the bottom margin on illustrated pages. Rubrics on ff. 3, 7, 11v, 101v, 109 only; rubric spaces elsewhere except with opening miniatures.

Estoire: ff. 3-88v, col. c, line 51 (last line). No opening rubric. Text inc. 'Chil ki la hauteche et la signourie de si haute estoire comme est chele du graal...' (Ponceau I 1.1, cf. S I 3.1), ending incomplete, '...ke sil en eust eu a touchier a ses'/ (S I 295.31; Ponceau II 575. 905. 5); 63 miniatures by one illuminator, accompanied by a four-line historiated initial and border supporting figures on f. 3, the rest accompanied by penflourished initials and flourished borders except on f. 87-2 which has a champie initial; rubrics above miniatures on ff. 3, 7, 11v, spaces left black above most of the other miniatures.

Queste: ff. 89 col. a, line 1-139v col. a, line 48. No opening rubric. Text inc. 'A la ueille de la pentecouste...' (S VI 3.1; Pauphilet 1.2). Expl. '...et boort ot contees les auentures del saint graal teles com il les auoit aveues si furent mises en escrit et gardees en labeie de salebieres dont maistres gautiers map traist a faire son liure del saint graal pour la mour del roi henri son seigneur qui fist lestoire translater de latin en franchois. Si se taist atant li contes ke plus nen dist des uentures del saint graal.' (S VI 199.5; Pauphilet 280.5). 31 miniatures, accompanied by rubrics on ff. 101v, 109.

Mort Artu: ff. 140 col. a, line 1-161v col. f, line 51 (last line). No opening rubric. Text inc. 'Apres che que maistres gautiers map ot traitie des auentures del saint graal asses sousfissaument si come il fu auis au roi henri son seignor ke che quil auoit fait nen deoit pas souffrir sil ne racontoit la fin de chiaus dont il auoit deuant fait mention...' (S V 203.1; Frappier 1.1.1). Ending incomplete, '...que dire non mie quil ait paour '/ (S VI 295.25; Frappier 140. 109. 19). 12 miniatures accompanied by champie initials except on f. 140 which has an initial with a bishop's head and ff. 150, 153v which have a penflourished initial; spaces left blank for rubrics; 9 champie initials without miniatures or rubrics (listed above).