Beinecke MS 591
England, s. XIV in
Guy of Warwick, in French

1. ff. 1r-80r	Ens icel temps qe Deu fu ne / Et establi fust la Crestiente / Multes aventures sunt 
avenuz, / Qi touz homes ne sunt pas souz ... E issi nous doint Deu servir / qe en sa glorie pussum 
venir. Amen.

Roman de Gui de Warewic, A. Ewert (ed.), Gui de Warewic, roman du XIIIe siecle. Les 
classiques francais du Moyen Age, 74-75 (Paris, 1932-1933), verses 1-11632.

2. ff. 80r-86r	Ore avez, seignours, de Gui oi, / com il sa vie eu ben fini, /
Fei e leaute tut dis ama, 
/ Sur tote reins Deu honura ... Nous doint en terre l[ui servir,] / Qe a lui en gloire po[issum venir. 
Amen]. Deu li Conpeire qe Crist e[    ] / E si li face qe ceo list, / E tuz iceuz qi ce lire oirunt / En la 
beneton de Deu s'il serunt. A[men].		f. 86v ruled but blank

So-called Roman de Herolt d'Ardenne, in fact the final part of art. 1, dealing with Guy's son 
Reinbrun, ed. Ewert, verses 11633-12926, followed by 4 verses apparently not found in other 
manuscripts.


Parchment (sheepskin?), ff.  I (paper) + II (parchment) + 86 + I (parchment) + I  (paper), 255 x 
165 mm.  The outer quire side is flesh side. The manuscript is waterstained and considerably 
trimmed. Many lower edges are defective; the lower outer corner of f. 34 is cut off, with 
considerable loss of text; part of the outer column of f. 86 is likewise lost, with loss of some text; 
both leaves have been repaired; a few letters at the bottom of the outer column of f. 58 are 
equally missing.

I-X 8 (ff. 1-80), XI 6 (ff. 81-86). Long horizontal catchwords below the inner column, sometimes 
framed.

Ruled with brown ink for two columns of 36 lines below top lin, 217/220 x  135/137 mm., 
intercolumnar space 12 mm.; sometimes an additional line is added at the bottom of a column. 
The complicated ruling has three vertical bounding-lines at the left of each column and one at its 
right; two horizontal through lines both at the top and at the bottom; and narrowly-spaced double 
marginal lines in the upper, outer and lower margins. All horizontal lines cross the intercolumnar 
space. 

Probably one hand, writing Northern Gothica Textualis Libraria, with often loops or bold and 
calligraphic extensions at the ascenders at the top line.

Red heightening of the majuscules. 2-line flourished initials in red and blue, with extensions in 
the margins or in the intercolumnar space; the alternance of red and blue initials is mostly not 
respected.

Binding s. XIX/XX: de luxe gold-tooled maroon morocco over cardboard in brown leather box, 
by Riviere & Son; gold-tooled armorial stamp in the middle of the front cover. Gold-tooled spine 
with five raised bands and title "ROMANT DE GUI DE WARWIC ET DE LA BELLE 
FELICE". Gilt edges.

Owned by the Cholmondeley family: the Cholmondeley family arms consisting of two helmets 
and a garbe are drawn on a checkered piece of parchment pasted on the parchment fly-leaf 
before f. 1. Collection of Norman Holmes Pearson, Yale 1932, MS 270. Bequeathed  by him in 
1976.

Albert Derolez

R 06.06.08