A catalogue of Western manuscripts at the Bodleian Libraries and selected Oxford colleges

MS. Fr. b. 3

Summary Catalogue no.: New Summary Catalogue 47152 (partial description)

Guardbook

Contents

Mostly post-medieval documents; only the medieval items are described here.

MS. Fr. b. 3, fols. 1-2

Contents

(fols. 1–2)

Document relating to the negotiation of the treaty between England and France, 1411

Rubric: Les doubtes et difficultes suruenues entres les messaiges de la partie de france et dangleterre a leur darreriere assemblee facte a leulingheham le xxixo iour doctobre ...
Language(s): Middle French

Physical Description

Form: roll
Support: paper
Extent: Two leaves; formerly a roll (?)

History

Origin: 1411 ; French

Provenance and Acquisition

Sir Thomas Phillipps, MS. 36218

Bought, Sotheby's, 24 June 1935, lot 163.

MS. Fr. b. 3, fol. 16

Contents

(fol. 16)

Letter missive from the Seigneur de Courtimon, chancellor of John the Fearless, duke of Burgundy, to Thierry Gherbode

Language(s): Middle French

Physical Description

Form: codex
Support: paper

History

Origin: c. 1420 ; French

Provenance

Sir Thomas Phillipps, MS. 36210

MS. Fr. b. 3, fol. 32

Contents

(fol. 32)
Lancelot du Lac (fragment)

Fragment cut from MS. Ashmole 828, fol. 7 (which is marked ‘found defaced in 1830’)

Language(s): Old French

Physical Description

Form: codex
Support: parchment
Dimensions (fragment): c. 135 × c. 140 mm.

Decoration

Miniature: Queen Evaine of Guannes joins Queen Elaine of Benoic at the Abbey of Moustier Royal.

History

Origin: 14th century, first quarter ; Northern France, perhaps Thérouanne

Provenance and Acquisition

‘Bought of Malison next The Change from an old French romance concerning Sir Lancelot’, 19th century.

Sotheby’s, 11 December 1972, lot 6.

Christie's, Script and Illumination: Featuring the Karl and Elizabeth Katz Collection (online 16160, 5-12 Dec. 2017), lot. 17.

Purchased by the Bodleian.

Additional Information

Record Sources

Description adapted (Sept. 2024, rev. July 2025) from the New Summary Catalogue, and from R. W. Hunt, 'List of Phillipps manuscripts in the Bodleian Library', Bodleian Library Record 6 (1957), p. 368, with limited additional description.

Custodial History

Rehoused in 2025. Conservation documentation is available.

Last Substantive Revision

2025-07: Description of fol. 32 added.