Details

Subject(s)

• Great Britain—History—To 1485—Early works to 1800 [Browse]
• Brutus the Trojan (Legendary character)—Romances [Browse]
• Manuscripts, English (Middle)—New Jersey—Princeton [Browse]

Former owner

• Sulyard, John, approximately 1428-approximately 1488 [Browse]
• Bourchier, Thomas, approximately 1442-1512 [Browse]
• Dunn, George, 1864-1912 [Browse]
• Garrett, Robert, 1875-1961 [Browse]

Donor

Garrett, Robert, 1875-1961 [Browse]

Bookseller

• Sotheby's (Firm) [Browse]
• J. & J. Leighton [Browse]
• Wilfred M. Voynich (Firm) [Browse]

Related name

Princeton University. Library. Manuscript. Garrett MS. 150 [Browse]

Rare books genre

• Blind tooled bindings [Browse]
• Wooden boards [Browse]
• Clasps [Browse]

Getty AAT genre

• decorated initials [Browse]
• illuminated manuscripts [Browse]

Medium/​Support

parchment rdamat

Summary note

Narrative of British history. Extended version with continuations to the year 1419.

Notes

• Beginning: "... [th]is lond Bretayn after his own name. This Brute begyn[neth] [ ] Cite of London thanne called by him newe Troye in Re[me]mbraunce of old Troy ffro whens he and his lynnage were alle [Icomen] as aftyrward full opynly is declared. The which book many good men as abbotis Prioris and many other compylid and wretyn alle maner of auenturs that byfell in theire tyme and made theerof greet Bokys and Rememberaunce and lete calle hem Cronicles and in this lond hath ben vnto kyng Edwarde the thrid aftyr the conquest cxxxvii kynges whos lyves and actis be shortly compiled in this book folowing conteynyng cc and xxxviii Chapiters. The proloog of this Book declarith and tellyth how this lond was fyrst callid Albyon aftyr the eldest doug[h] ter of the Roiall king Dioclesian of Surre callid Alb[yne], the which Albyne with hyr xxxii Systers and no man among theym were exiled oute of theire own contre ..."
• Explicit: "And than the kyng entred into the towne and rested hym in the Castell tyll the towne was sett in Rewle and in governaunce. Explicit."
• Ms. codex.
• Title from introduction (f. 1r).
• Inscriptions and calligraphy practice on folios before and after the text. Line drawings of a coat-of-arms and a griffin (fol. 159r).
• Collation: Parchment ; fol. ii (lifted pastedown and flyleaf) + 160 ; catchwords ; modern foliation in pencil.
• Layout: 38 long lines per page ; ruled.
• Description: Folio 1 is defective.
• Decoration: Remnants of a large initial in gold leaf on blue and mauve ground (fol. 1r). 7-line initial W in burnished gold on a blue and rose ground with white foliate design, with foliage (fol. 64v). The remaining chapters open with 3-line initials alternating between blue with red penwork and gold leaf with brown penwork.

Binding note

Contemporaneous binding. England, 15th century. Brown calf, blind-stamped and tooled over cushioned beech boards (9 mm thick). Binding in poor condition, lower board lacks most of leather covering. Remnants of leather straps on upper board, and metal catches on lower board.

Language note

Middle English;

Script

Secretary

Provenance

Probably first owned by Sir John Sulyard (ca. 1425-1488), a lawyer and knight of Werden Hall, Suffolk. Apparently passed through his widow Anne to Sir Thomas Bourchier. Later signatures present are Henry Drury, John Prestemen, Wyll[ya]m Iamond, and Hery Walter. In 1905 sold at Sotheby's to J. and J. Leighton. Owned by George Dunn. Sold from his collection in 1913 at Sotheby's and purchased again by J. and J. Leighton. On 7 April 1925 sold at Sotheby's, London to Wilfrid M. Voynich on behalf of Robert Garrett of Baltimore, Maryland, Class of 1897, who donated it to the Princeton University Library in 1942.

Source acquisition

Gift; of Robert Garrett, Princeton Class of 1897, 1942.

References

Medieval & Renaissance manuscripts in the Princeton University Library, volume 1, pages 348-350.

Other format(s)

Also available in an electronic version.

Place name(s)

England

Title from print catalog

Prose Brut.

OCLC

1340477705

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