Collection of Tales, Fables, and Proverbs

This manuscript is well known among medievalists because of its rich corpus of material, which consists of no less than 61 tales, fables, fabliaux, proverbs, romances, Partenopeus de Blois, and includes the popular Floire et Blanchefleur. It is believed that no other copy exists for about twenty of the works, making this precious book treasure a true unicum. This diverse French literary collection was created at the beginning of the 14th century for a wealthy layperson and has been signed twice “Philippe Alamande, Lady of Chassenaige”, which may point to Sassenage, in Drôme, southeastern France. There are also miscellaneous notes in the lower margins of two pages from a 14th century hand as well as a note concerning a disastrous deluge that happened on August 19, 1443, in nearby Luc-en-Diois. The manuscript thus offers an inside view into the literary tastes and events in this region of France during the Late Middle Ages.