Late 15th-century manuscript of an incomplete copy of the verse drama 'Istoire de la destruction de Troye la grant' by Jacques Milet, composed between 1450 and 1452.

Item

Identifier: Adv.MS.19.1.9

Staff Only

Scope and Contents

The manuscript is incomplete, containing only the prologue and the first two out of four ‘journées’. There is also a folio missing between folios 8 and 9, containing lines 11-54 of the first `journée`. Three gatherings have been misplaced: folios 253-286 should follow folio 310. Stage directions in French and Latin are placed centrally, not in the margins. Written in one hand throughout. Three spaces were left for decorated initials (folios 1, 8) and there are a few large initials, probably by the scribe, one of which (folio 229) includes a face. Two drawings of towers contain catchwords (folios 56 verso, 68 verso); other catchwords are in scrolls. Red ink is used to underline stage directions, mark paragraphs, etc., and yellow is used on many initials.

Folio 345 ruled but otherwise blank.

Dates

Creation: Late 15th century.

Extent

1 Volumes (ii + 345 folios.)

Language of Materials

French, Middle (ca.1400-1600)

Additional Description

Arrangement

Collation: 1¹⁰ (-1, 10), 2-16¹², 17¹⁴, 18¹², 19¹⁴, 20-22¹², 23¹⁰, 24-28¹², 29¹² (-12). Catchwords placed centrally. 23-25 lines. Written space 200 x 120 millimetres.

Physical Characteristics and Technical Requirements

Paper; watermark similar to Briquet 14369. Late 18th-century French binding of olive green morocco, gilt-tooled.

Immediate Source of Acquisition

Presented, 1925, by the Faculty of Advocates to the nation on the foundation of the National Library of Scotland.

Bibliography

For a bibliography of the work, see `Jacques Milet et son Epître Epilogative` by Marc-René Jung, ‘Travaux de Linguistique et de Littérature’, xvi, 1 (1978), pages 248-250).