Beschreibung:

LIVIUS, TITUS (59BC-17AD). First Decade of the Histoire Romaine , the French translation of Pierre Bersuire, ILLUMINATED MANUSCRIPT ON VELLUM [Paris, c.1390] Illuminated by Remiet Perrin. LIVIUS, TITUS (59BC-17AD). Premiére Décade de l' Histoire Romaine , traduction en Français de Pierre Bersuire, manuscrit enluminé sur vélin . [Paris, vers 1390] Enluminé par Remiet Perrin. 400 x 300mm. 306 leaves: 1 4(bound out of original sequence, should follow 2), 2 1 2, 3 3(of 4, lacking final blank once foliated xvi), 4-18 1 2, 19 8, 20-27 1 2, 28 3(probably of 8, gathering divided at the end of the first Decade, final verso with offsetting from the miniature opening the second Decade), text of first Decade COMPLETE, original foliation in red roman numerals in upper outer corner runs xvii-xx, i-xv and xxi-cccvii, modern pencil foliation 1-306 followed here, catchwords towards lower corner of final versos, binder's signature marks inner upper corner of first folios, two columns of 49 lines in a lettre bâtarde in brown ink between four verticals and 50 horizontals ruled in plummet, justification: approximately 285 x 180mm, an additional pair of horizontals for running titles, running titles and rubrics in red, one-line initials alternately of red or blue with contrast flourishing of black or red, two-line initials alternately of blue or burnished gold with elaborate flourishing of red and black, ELEVEN LARGE ILLUMINATED INITIALS accompanied by bar borders of gold, pink and blue with trefoil and ivy-leaf sprays into the margins, FOUR MINIATURES in colours and gold and with diapered or chequered backgrounds (smudging to miniature on f. 208, occasional very minor smudging to other illumination). 18th-century red morocco gilt with a triple fillet, floral stamps at the corners and central cartouche with the arms of a marquess, spine gilt in seven compartments with floral and foliate stamps and a black lettering piece (small loss of leather at foot of spine, extremities and surfaces slightly rubbed). PROVENANCE: 1. The manuscript was undoubtedly produced in Paris at the end of the 14th century, and from the circumstances of the commission of the translation -- at the command of the King of France -- and the known owners of other copies, it seems most likely that this too was made for a royal or noble patron. 2. There are three erased ownership inscription in the upper and lower margins of the opening folio, one apparently reading 'Ex libris Ston' and another 'Ex Bibliotheca L...'. 3. The armorial bearings on the upper cover show the crown of a marquess above a quartered shield supported by two gryphens. 4. Sir Thomas Phillipps (1792-1872), Middle Hill, Cheltenham, Ms 265 and 863: his stencil inside upper cover and labels on spine. The manuscript presumably remained in Gloucestershire until the Robinson brothers bought the remaining part of the Phillipps collection in 1946. 5. Robinson brothers: their Bibliotheca Phillippicca bookplate inside upper cover CONTENT: Bersuire's 'mos estranges', the explanation of terms difficult to translate or understand from the Latin, addressed to Jean le Bon, King of France ff.1-4v; List of the rubrics for all three Decades of the Histoire romaine ff.5-19v; La premiere decade de Titus livius in the French translation of Pierre Bersuire, prior of St Eloi in Paris ff.20-306v In his prefatory explanation Bersuire (d.1362) makes clear that he has undertaken the translation of Livy on the command of the King who, like 'tous excellens princes' wished to 'encercher at savoir les vertueus fais et les notables euvres des princes anciens...par lesquelles ils conquisirent jadis les pays...ediffierent empires et royaumes...et deffendirent et gouvernerent et tinrent par grans successions et par longues durees'. The King was not the only French prince who sought to learn from classical precedent and it is known that several copies, other than the dedication copy, were made for members of the royal family. One (P