COLLECTION NAME:
Medieval Collection
Record
Image Number:
JRL0925076dc
Reference Number:
English MS 103
Previous Accession Number:
R15385
Link to Catalogue:
Image Title:
King Vortiger and Merlyn
Parent Work Title:
Brut Chronicle (1347 Continuation)
Alternative Parent Work Title:
Brute or the Chronicles of England
Date Created:
14th century [mid]
Page:
22v
Image Sequence Number:
022v
Description:
An illuminated initial 'W' introduces the tale of how Merlyn tells Vortiger that two dragons are fighting in a pool under the castle. Vortiger's men mine deeply and find a red and a white dragon fighting. The white dragon overcomes the red. The written space is c.182 x 112 mm and the script is anglicana formata.
Transcription:
Whan Merlyn had herd al þat his moder had saide : he spak to þe king in þis manere : sire how J was bigeten axe ȝe no more . for it falleþ nouȝt to ȝow ne to non oþ(er) for to wite . but telleth me enchesou(~) wherfore J am to ȝow brouȝt and wherfore ȝe haue sent aft(er) me // Certes q(uo)d þe king : my wise counceilers hauen don me to vnderstande þat þ(e) mort(er) of a werk þat J haue don bigonne bihoueþ be tempred with ȝoure blood or þe foundeme(~)t shal faille for eu(er)more // Sire q(uo)d M(er)lyn Wile ȝe sle me for my blood for to temp(er)e with ȝou re morter : ȝe quod þe king or ell(es) shal neu(er)e my castel stonde as my counceilers don me to vnderstonde // þo ansuerde Merlyn to þe king : sire he saide lete ham come bifore me þo wyse councelers and J wil p(ro)ue þat þey seye nouȝt wel ne trewely . And whanne þe wise were comen // Merlyn axe de ȝif his blood were þe enchesou(~) to make þe werk stande to endure . Alle þese wise weren abasshede and couþ(e) nouȝt ansuere // Merlyn þo saide to þe king sire J shal telle ȝow þe enchesou(~) wherfore ȝoure werk þus falleþ and may noȝt stonde . þere is vnder þe mountayne þ(er)e þat ȝe haue bigonne ȝoure tour a grete ponde of wat(er) . and in þe botme of þe pon- de vnd(er) þe wat(er) þere be .ij. dragouns þat on is whit and þ(t) oþer rede þat fighte togid(er)e agayn ȝour werk . Doth myne depe til ȝoure men come to þe ponde and doth ȝour men take a way þe wat(er) al out / and þanne ȝe shull se þe dra- gouns as y haue ȝow tolde þat togidre fighten agayne ȝoure werk . and þis is þe enchesou(~) certes wherfore þe foundeme(~)t failleþ // þe king anon lete digge vnder til þat me(~) come(~) to þat ponde & lete don a way al þat wat(er) and þe(~)þey founde .ij. d(ra)gouns as M(er)lyn had tolde þat eg(e)- ly foughten togidres // þe white dragoun egrely assailede þe reede and laide on him so st(ro)ngly þat he might nouȝt endure but wiþdrow him and hid him in þe same cafe and restede // And whanne he had a while restede : he wente bifore and assailede þe reede dragou(~)n angrily &
Language Code:
enm-GB
Subject:
Wales--History--To 1063
Subject:
Arthurian romances
Subject:
Chronicles of England
Subject:
Chronicles of England--Manuscripts
Subject:
Great Britain--History
Category of Material:
Manuscripts
Sub-Category:
Codex
Technique Used:
Illumination (image-making process)
Medium:
Ink
Support:
Vellum
Time Period Covered:
1 BCE - 500 CE
Places Covered:
England
People Covered:
Vortigern, active 450
People Covered:
Merlin (Legendary character)
Item Height:
278 mm
Item Width:
183 mm
Current Repository:
The University of Manchester Library, U.K.
Rights Holder - Image:
The University of Manchester Library
Rights holder - Work:
The University of Manchester Library
Access Rights:
References:
Parts of this catalogue have been reproduced from Ker, N.R., 'Medieval manuscripts in British libraries, vol. III, Lampeter-Oxford' (Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1983), p. 417. By kind permission of Oxford University Press.
References:
Tyson, Moses, 'Hand-List of the Collection of English Manuscripts in the John Rylands Library' (1928), p.23.
Bibliographic Citation:
Brie, Friedrich W. D., 'The Brut, or, the Chronicles of England / edited from Ms. Rawl. B 171, Bodleian Library &c.', (London: Kegan Paul, Trench, Trübner for the Early English Text Society, 1906-1908)
Cost:
Purchased by the John Rylands Library from the London booksellers J. & J. Leighton for £36.00 on 18 June 1908.
Date Captured (yyyy-mm-dd):
2009-07-22
Multi Page Number:
270
Image Creation Technique:
Digital capture by The University of Manchester Library
Date Image Added (yyyy-mm):
2010-06
Metadata Language:
eng-GB
Collection Code:
Medieval
King Vortiger and Merlyn
