Title || Synopsis || Folio 1r || Folio 1v || Illustrations || Glossary || Sources

Le Livre des tournois — BnF Français 2693

Part II: Undertaking a Tournament

Transcription, English translation, and illustrations from René d’Anjou’s medieval tournament treatise.

Synopsis: Explore a transcription and English translation of BnF Français 2693, an illustrated medieval tournament manuscript, with folio images, a glossary, and source notes. A modern translation of the section on Undertaking a Tournament is provided in bold with a transcription of the original French in italics below. Text that was written in red ink is similarly rendered in a red font both in English and French.

Folio 1 recto

The manuscript begins with an illuminated initial "A" in folio 1 (recto). The text continues in its address to René's brother, Charles of Anjou:

To the very high and powerful prince, my most dear, most beloved, and only full brother, Charles of Anjou, Count of Maine, Mortain, and Guise: I, René of Anjou, your brother, make known to you that for the pleasure I have long known you take in hearing new histories and new poems, I have decided to make for you a small treatise—extended as fully as I was able—on the form and arrangement by which it seems to me a tournament should be undertaken at court or elsewhere in any region of France when any princes wish to hold one.

Which form I have drawn as closely as possible to that which is observed in Germany and along the Rhine when tournaments are held; and also according to the manner they observe in Flanders and Brabant; and likewise after the ancient customs with which they used to hold them in France, as I have found in writings. From which three customs I have taken what seemed good to me, and have made and compiled a fourth way of doing so, as you will be able to see, if it pleases you, in what follows hereafter.

Hereafter follows the form and manner of how a tournament ought to be undertaken; and in order for it to be done and accomplished well, honorably, and rightly, one must observe the order declared hereafter.

A Treshault et puissant prince mon treschier tresamé et seul frere germain charles d'anjou conte du maine de mortaing et de guyse · Je rene d'anjou vostre frere vous fait savoir que pour le plaisir que ie congnois de pieça que prenez a scou- histoures nouvelles et ditties nouveaulx · me suis advisé de vous faire vng petit traittie le plus au long estendu q j'ay sceu de la forme et devis comme il me semblerait que vng tournoy serait a entreprendre a la court ou ailleurs en quelque marche de france quant aucuns princes le wouldrient faire faire · Laquelle forme j'ay prinse au plus pres et iouxte de celle qu'on garde es almaignes et sur le rin quant on fait les tournoys Et aussy selon la ma- niere qu'ilz tiennent en flandres et en brabant Et mesme- ment sur les anciennes façons qu'ilz les souloient aussy faire en france · comme j'ay trouve par escriptures · Des quelles trois façons en ay prins ce qui ma semble bon Et en ay fait et compille vne quatriesme façon de faire ainsi que pourrez sçavoir s'il vous plaist par ce que cy apres s'ensu-

Icy apres s'ensuit la forme et maniere comment vng tou- rnoy doit estre entrepris Et pour bien et honnourablement et a son droit estre fait et accomplyr fault garder l'ordre cy apres declaree

Folio 1 verso

The manuscript continues in folio 1 (verso) with its instructions:

And firstly:

Whoever wishes to hold a tournament, it must be some prince, or at least a high baron or banneret, who must proceed as is set forth hereafter.

That is to say:

That the said prince must first send secretly to the prince to whom he wishes to present the sword, in order to learn whether it is his intention to accept it or not, so that he may afterwards carry out the ceremonies belonging thereto as follows below in the event that he wishes to accept it. That is to say, that the said prince, before all his barony or at least a great number of knights and esquires, must call the King of Arms of the region—for this duty belongs to him above all other kings of arms, or in his absence to some notable herald—and, handing him a blunted sword of the type used in tournaments, he must speak to him the words that follow.

But to better explain how this is done, I have here taken as an example the Duke of Brittany as challenger on the one side, and the Duke of Bourbon as defender on the other. And for all the coats of arms necessary for this present tournament, I shall make use only of arms invented at my pleasure. Thus, therefore, follow the words that the said lord Duke of Brittany, challenger, shall say to the […]

Et premierement

Qui veult faire vng tournoy · fault que ce soit quel- que prince ou du moins hault baron ou banneret lequel doit faire ainsi que cy apres s'en devise

C'est assavoir

Que ledit prince doit premierement envoyer secretemet devers le prince a qui il veult faire presenter l'espee pour savoir se c'est son intencion de la accepter ou non pour faire puis apres les cerimonies qui yappartiennent come cy apres s'ensuit ou cas qui la wouldra accepter · C'est assa- voir que ledit prince voyant toute sa baronnie ou du moins grant quantite de chevaliers et escuiers · doit appeller le roy d'armes de la contree · car a lui appartient de- vant tous autres roys d'armes Et s'il n'y est en son absence quelque herault notable Et en lui baillant vne espee ra- batue de quoy on tournoye lui doit dire les parolles qui s'en suivent · Mais pour mieulx en faire entendre la façon j'ay cy prins par similitude le duc de bretaigne pour appellant de l'ung des costez Et le duc de Bourbon pour deffendant de l'autre Et pour tous blasons necessaires pour ce pre- sent tournoy ne me aideray que de blasons controuvez a plaisance · Aimsy doncques s'ensuivent les parolles que dira ledit seigneur duc de bretaigne appellant audit

Folio 2 recto

The text from the previous folio continues onto folio 2 (recto):

King of Arms, handing him a tournament sword such as is depicted below.

Hereafter is portrayed the manner and way in which the Duke of Brittany, challenger, hands the sword to the King of Arms to send it to be presented to the Duke of Bourbon, defender.

roy darmes en luy baillant vne espee de tournoy telle que cy dessoubz est figuree.

Icy apres est pourtraictie la façon et maniere cõment le duc de bretaigne appellant baille lespee au roy darmes pour l'en- uoyer presenter au duc de bourbon deffendant

Folio 2 verso

Folio 2 (verso) contains a full-page illustration of the Duke of Brittany handing the sword to the King of Arms (see first image in Illustrations below).

Illustrations

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