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Manuscript Description USA, New York, NY, Pierpont Morgan Library & Museum MS M 817 | |
| MS Appellation: | Campsall |
| Title: | Troilus and Criseyde |
| Author: | Chaucer |
| Contents: | Troilus and Criseyde |
| Language: | English |
| Date Range: | 1403-1413 |
| Scribal Hands: | Examples of the hand. Click on the link above for full details and images of individual letter forms.                 |
| Material: | Parchment |
| No of Folios: | 1 (medieval guard leaf) + 2-120 |
| Quiring: | 1(8) - 14(8) 15(7) |
| Signatures: | No signatures. |
| Catchwords: | Traces visible on ff9v, 57v, 59v, 81v, 89v, 97v, 105v, 113v. Only one catchword on f41v has survived cropping. |
| Page Size: | 305 x 210 |
| Frame: | 1 x vertical, 2 x horizontal extending into inner, though not outer margin. Ruled in drypoint or very faint pencil. Occasional pricking is visible. |
| Writing Space: | 199-202 x 121 |
| Incipits and Explicits: | Book and prologue titles in red, explicit to the whole also in red. |
| Borders: | On first leaf is full border, other borders use left margin and upper and lower margins only; mauve-pink, blue, dark red, gold leaf. |
| Historiated Initials: | The first initial on f2r has a miniature enclosed in the letter 'T a lady and gentleman exchanging tokens. |
| Illuminated Initials: | Illuminated capitals attached to the borders begin proems and books. Small gold leaf initials begin each stanza with alternate red and blue background colour. |
| Miniatures: | In the first initial of the manuscript. |
| Other Names (not owners): | By 1530, the manuscript belonged to Robert Wood, a 'servus' of Cardinal Wolsey; remained in his family until the 18th century when it seems to have belonged to Richard Frank of Campsall. |
| Further Information: | Krochalis, Jeanne, ed. Pierpont Morgan Library Manuscript M.817. Norman, Okla.: Pilgrim Books, 1986. Seymour I: 60-61. |