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Oxford, Bodleian Library, Douce 178

lestoire de merlin (title in explicit)

General information

Folios421
LanguageLanguage object (48)
Approx. date?1270 to 1299
Date notesOn art historical grounds, '1270-1300' (Fabry-Tehranchi 2011, 45). This date is also suggested by the Lancelot-Graal project. Jonas gives 1270-1275. Arthurian Fiction has two date ranges 1270-1285 and 1300-1325.
Place(s) of productionNorthern Italy
'Bologne / Venise' (Fabry-Tehranchi 2011, 45). Arthurian Fiction suggests Bologna.
First words of second recto folio[f. 2ra] stre nos sauons que uos estes ue / nus dedíeu .
First words of last recto folio[f. 417ra] Sí refírent tant lí romaín qe
Incipit[f. 1ra] CIl qui la hautece / et la seíngnorie de / si haute estoire co(m) / me est cele del gra / al met en escrit pa(r) / lecomandement / del grant mestre
Explicit[f. 417rb] Einssi / comme li contes le uos deuísera / ca auant : // Ci fíne lestoíre de merlín: // <Apres uient la marche de gaule: > //

Material

Material:Material object (4)
Watermark:
Condition:Very good quality parchment, with only occasional small holes and sewn tears. f. 1r is particularly worn, and many of the historiated initials elsewhere have also sustained damage. The codex has been trimmed considerably.

Structure

Collation:

1-18819720-528536

Quire structure:18 quaternions, a quaternion wanting its final leaf, 33 quaternions, no doubt one quaternion wanting its final two leaves.
Quire marks:
Catchwords:
Catchword disposition:MSCatchwordDisposition object (4)

Physical description

General illustration:Two illuminated miniatures, at the start of the 'Estoire' on f. 1ra (column-width; height: 13 lines), and at the start of the 'Merlin' on f. 149ra (height: 11 lines). The same artist was likely responsible for the historiated initials that illustrate the first three quires of both the 'Estoire' and the 'Merlin'. These are mostly 8 lines in height and employ gold, green, orange, red, pink, and blue. For the remainder of the codex, the historiated initials are rather less refined, with considerably less use of gold.
General decoration:Paragraphs are marked throughout by decorated initials (height: chiefly 3 lines). For the first three quires of the 'Estoire' and the 'Merlin', the letters are in blue or pink against a gold ground, with in-fill in red, pink, blue, and cream. They are otherwise pen-flourished in red or blue, with decoration in the opposing colour. Guide letters are present. Majuscules are sporadically highlighted red.
Evidence of readership:Manicula, nota marks, and doodles in several hands. As well as synoptic headings in French, there are comments in Occitan, e.g. the upper margin of f. 99r: 'AĆ­si dessotz so(n)t los noms ??...??'. One reader showed particular interest in Dodinel, writing his name in the margin dozens of times towards the end of the volume. At the base of f. 148r there is an erased coat of arms.
Foliations description:Modern pencil numbering in upper right corner of recto sides. Two folios were initially omitted, giving rise to ff. 125a, 125b, 243a, and 243b.

Mise en page

Description 1
Page sampledf. 10r
LayoutMSLayout object (3)
Page dimensions316x216 (mm)
Justification241x161 (mm)
Columns2
14mm between columns
Column ruling present in Colours object (4) (RulingMaterials object (3) )
Lines45
Line ruling present in Colours object (4) (RulingMaterials object (3) )
RubricationNo tituli in red ink.
Writing above top line?False
Sample page layout:

Description 2
Page sampledf. 399r
LayoutMSLayout object (3)
Page dimensions315x216 (mm)
Justification239x163 (mm)
Columns2
16mm between columns
Column ruling present in Colours object (4) (RulingMaterials object (3) )
Lines44
Line ruling present in Colours object (4) (RulingMaterials object (3) )
RubricationNo tituli in red ink.
Writing above top line?False
Sample page layout:

Hand(s)

Level of Execution:Execution object (4)
ScriptScript object (1)
Folio rangeFrom 2ra to 63vb
Date?1275 to 1325
Scribe description:A carefully copied southern textualis that displays the following characteristics: two-compartment 'a' (open upper bow); tall, round, or occasionally trailing 's' in final position; 'u' in initial position (chiefly). Tironian 'et' occurs without a bar.
Notes

Level of Execution:Execution object (4)
ScriptScript object (1)
Folio rangeFrom 64ra to 148ra
Date?1275 to 1325
Scribe description:Distinguished from Hand #1 by its greater angularity, the absence of trailing 's', and the zigzag shape of majuscules.
Notes

Level of Execution:Execution object (4)
ScriptScript object (1)
Folio rangeFrom 149ra to 212vb
Date?1275 to 1325
Scribe description:Similar to, or same as, Hand #1.
Notes

Level of Execution:Execution object (4)
ScriptScript object (1)
Folio rangeFrom 214ra to 417rb
Date?1275 to 1325
Scribe description:Same as Hand #2.
Notes

Provenance

Descriptionf. 417rb below the expunged catchword for the (missing) 'Prose Lancelot': A . ANNE . DE . GRAVILLE . / SVIS .
Date?1510 to 1545
PlacePlace object (1)
OwnershipPerson object (46)