Le Roman de Tristan en prose (BL Add. MS 5475)

Lancelot leaves a lady's chamber in breeches and a chemise, f. 150v.

Colloquial name(s): Le Roman de Tristan en prose

Official name(s): British Library, Additional MS 5474

Date: 4th quarter of 13th C (source)

Origin: Cistercian Abbey of Fontfrede, Languedoc, N. France (source)

Online facsimile available via: British Library Digitised Manuscripts

This manuscript was made for the Cistercian Abbey of Fontfrede (also spelt Fontfroide) in Languedoc, N. France before being sold to an unknown family - this information is contained in a note on f. 1r (source). Following this, it appears to have been owned by 'Anthoinne de Campo' in the 15th Century as this name is written in the manuscript in a 15th Century hand (source).

The manuscript contains the longer version (Version II) of the prose Roman de Tristan, Part II, with interpolations from the Lancelot en prose in ff. 141r-151r (source). The death of Tristan is followed by nine episodes; the final episode is imperfect at the end (source). Some pages (e.g. ff. 139r and 267r) are damaged and there are lacunae in the text (source).

The manuscript is illustrated with 26 miniatures in colours and gold as well as some later ink drawings of helmets and crowns plus some puzzle initials (source).

Descriptions of the illustrations, transcribed and translated from the accompanying rubrics, are provided by the British Library with the facsimile.