Title || Synopsis || Middle English text || Modern English translation || Glossary || Sources

Le Livre des tournois:

A French treatise on organization of tournaments at the BnF, Français 2693.

Synopsis: Le Livre des tournois, officially known as Traité de la forme et devis comme on peut faire les tournois, is sometimes referred to as King René's Tournament Book. The title translates to "Treatise on the Form and Manner in Which Tournaments Can Be Held." It is attributed to René I, duke of Anjou (1409-1480), and is currently held in Bibliothèque nationale de France (Français 2693). The text describes the preparations, ceremonies, and specialized equipment necessary to organize a tournament. It is believed that the original book (Fr. 2695) was written in the 1460s based upon allusions in the text and iconography of the illustrations. The artwork is attributed to Barthélemy d'Eyck. The following transcription and translation are based upon a later copy (Fr. 2693) made between 1480 and 1488. It contains 26 full and and double page illustrations. A modern translation is provided in bold with a transcription of the original French in italics below.

The book opens with an illustration on folio A of King René sitting upon a throne with a pair of hunting dogs at his feet and surrounded by a room full of nobles as he is presented with the book. The text at the base states:

As an example to nobles and men-at-arms Who desire to frequent deeds of arms, The Lord of Gruuthuse, skilled in arms, Wished to present this book to the king.

Pour exemple aulx nobles et gensdarmes . Qui appetent les faitz darmes hanter . Le sire de gruuthuuse duyt es armes Voulut au roy ce liuure presenter

The illuminated initial "E" in folio B contains two small motto scrolls. The upper, written in French, says Plus de en vous; the lower, written in Middle Dutch says Meer es in u. Both translate to "There is more in you," which is the the motto of the House of Gruuthuse. Beginning with that initial "E" the introduction states the following:

In the year of our Lord one thousand three hundred eighty and twelve (1392), on the eleventh day of the month of March, a tournament was held in the city of Bruges by the very high and powerful lord, My Lord of Gruuthuse, challenger on the one part, and the very high and powerful lord, My Lord of Ghistelles, defender on the other part.

Which tournament participants, following the customary order and manner of tournaments, have placed below their crested coats of arms and their names only, as one may see, because all the regulations pertaining to a tournament are herein depicted and illustrated. Wherefore I refrain at present from speaking any further of it.

En l'an de nostre seigneur milnostre seigneur mil trois cens quatrevings et douze, le vnzieme jour du mois de mars, fut fait vng tournoy en la ville de bruges par treshault et puissant seigneur, Monseigneur de la gruthuse, appellant d'une part, et treshault et puissant seigneur, monseigneur de ghistelle, deffendantuelz tournoyans ont, en ensuivant l'ordre et maniere des tournoys acostumez, cy dessous mis leurs armes timbrees et leurs noms tant seullement, comme l'en pourra veor, pour ce que toutes les ordonnances appartenans a vng tournoy sont cy dedans pourtraictes et figurees. Pourquoy je me tais quant a present d'en plus parler.

WORK IN PROGRESS