• Le secret des secrets, Brittany, ca. 1425-50.

Curatorial Notes:

• In this Middle French version of the Secret of Secrets, a miniature shows the author or translator presenting a book to the enthroned King of France. This pseudonymous treatise is framed as a letter from Aristotle to his pupil, Alexander the Great, in which the philosopher offers advice on such secret topics as alchemy and the art of kingship. This subject matter made the text particularly appropriate as a gift for royalty, often in elaborate presentation copies.

Credit Line:

• Gift of Robert Garrett, 1942, Manuscripts Division, Department of Special Collections, Princeton University Library

Format:

• Manuscript
• Book

Language:

• English

Text language:

• Middle French

Publisher:

• [France] : [producer not identified], [between 1425 and 1450]

Date:

• 1425-1450

Extent:

• 79 leaves : parchment, illustrations ; 298 x 221 (202 x 140) mm bound to 308 x 233 mm.

Abstract:

• Apocryphal letters between Alexander the Great and Aristotle on princely government, and Legrand's treatise on manners.

View in catalog:

• https://catalog.princeton.edu/catalog/99113442483506421

Subject:

• Education of princes—Early works to 1800
• Conduct of life—Early works to 1800
• Manuscripts, French—France
• Manuscripts, French—New Jersey—Princeton
• Parchment (Paper)
• decorated initials
• illuminated manuscripts
• illuminations (paintings)
• Gold tooled bindings (Binding)

Bookseller:

• Librairie Damascène Morgand (Edouard Rahir et cie, successeurs)

Donor:

• Garrett, Robert, 1875-1961

Contributor:

• Princeton University. Library. Manuscript. Garrett MS. 130

Description:

• Incipit: [Le gouuernement des rois] “Sensuit le prologue dun dotteur en recommandant aristote. Dieu tout puissant vueille garder notre Roy et la gloire de ceulx qui croient en lui. Et conferme son roiaume pour prendre la loi de dieu…” -- [Le liure de bonnes meurs] “[C]y commence la Premiere partie de ce liure laquelle parle du Remede qui est contre les sept pechez mortelz. Et premierement, Comment Orgueil desplaist a dieu de quoy parle ce premier Chappitre. Tous orguilleux se veulent a dieu comparer en tant quilz se glorifient en eulx mesmes et es biens quilz ont…”
• Explicit: [Le gouuernement des rois] “Mais considere tous les signes dun homme et regarde les signes qui plus habondent en lomme et te tien a la mielleur et plus prouffitable partie. Explicit le gouuernement des Rois et princes terriens.” -- [Le liure de bonnes meurs] “Parquoy il appert que pou vault lesperance de ceulx qui dient que ce monde durera moult longuement. Cy fine le liure du philosoge(!) de sapience ou Autrement dit Le liure de bonnes meurs. Deo gratias.”
• Ms. composite codex.
• Title from explicits of the two works.
• Collation: Parchment ; fols. iii (modern paper) + 79 + iv (modern paper) ; catchwords on the last verso of the quires ; modern foliation in pencil in lower corner.
• Layout: 34 lines per page in two columns ; ruled in red.
• Description: Rubricated ; each rubric prededed by a blue paraph mark ; alternating blue and gold paraph marks.
• Decoration: Chapters and sections begin with 3- to 6-line pink or blue initials on gold fields, with flowers and tracery. Le Gouvernement des rois opens with a 1-column miniature and half border. Livre de bonnes meurs opens with a 2-column miniature and full border; books 2-5 accompanied by half borders. See the entry in Medieval & Renaissance manuscripts in the Princeton University Library, volume 1, page 299 for detailed descriptions of the miniatures.
• Origin: Executed about 1435, perhaps for a patron in Brittany, to judge by the decoration.

Binding note:

• United States, 20th century. Gold-stamped central circle with title on upper cover. Gold-tooled and stamped border on covers and turn-ins.

Contents:

• 1. fol. 1r-1v: [Table of contents of Le gouuernement des rois et princes terriens]
• 2. fol. 2r-23r: Le gouuernement des rois et princes terriens. French translation of portions of Secretum secretorum, a Latin version of a portion of Kitāb Sirr al-asrār.
• 3. fol. 24r-24v: [Table of contents of Liure de bonnes meurs]
• 4. fol. 25r-79r: Le liure de bonnes meurs. A vernacular adaptation of the second part of Sophologium sapientie.

References:

• Medieval & Renaissance manuscripts in the Princeton University Library, volume 1, pages 297-300.

Provenance:

• Unidentified and obscured heraldic device, perhaps belonging to the original owner (fol. 25r). In 1900 owned by the Paris firm of Damascène Morgand. Robert Garrett purchased the two parts of the manuscript. His gift to the Princeton University Library, 1942.

Identifier:

• ark:/88435/gb19fc791