Description of Free Library of Philadelphia, Lewis E 211: Noels (Christmas carols) contributor Diane Biunno cataloger Nicholas Herman cataloger Judith Weston Council on Library and Information Resources Free Library of Philadelphia These images and the content of Free Library of Philadelphia, Lewis E 211: Noels (Christmas carols) are free of known copyright restrictions and in the public domain. See the Creative Commons Public Domain Mark page for usage details, http://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/. To the extent possible under law, Free Library of Philadelphia, Special Collections has waived all copyright and related or neighboring rights to this metadata about Free Library of Philadelphia Lewis E 211: Noels (Christmas carols). This work is published from: United States. For a summary of CC0, see https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/. Legal code: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/legalcode. Water damage to center of pages in fols. 2r-16v and to upper outside corner throughout; edges of the paper are worn and fragile Two scribes, the first responsible for fols. 1r-43v and 48r-51v; a later sixteenth-century hand has copied fols. 44r-47r and fol. 52r to the end; only the folios produced by the first scribe are decorated At the top of fol. 9r, a contemporary note indicates a version of "L'Homme armé" as the melody: "Sur Et Robinet tu m'as t'amour donnée"; other melodies are suggested in notes contemporary on fols. 10r, 13r, 18r, 19r, 22r, 23v, 29v Inscription in frame on fol. 1r reads: "REGINA CELI LETARE ALLELUYA QUIA QUEM MERUISTI PORTARE ALLILUYA RESURREXIT SICUT DIXIT ALLELUYA ORA PRO NOBIS DEUM ALLELUYA AMEN AMEN" Supplement to the Census of Medieval and Renaissance Manuscripts in the United States and Canada, originated by C. U. Faye, continued and edited by W. H. Bond (New York: The Bibliographical Society of America, 1962), p. 451, no. 22. M. B. Parkes, ed., The Medieval Manuscripts of Keble College Oxford, a descriptive catalogue with summary descriptions of the Greek and Oriental manuscripts. (London: Scholar Press, 1979), cf. cat. no. 33. United States Philadelphia Free Library of Philadelphia John Frederick Lewis Collection of European Manuscripts Lewis E 211 https://know.freelibrary.org/Record/1610925 22 This well-used manuscript on paper contains an anthology of lyrics for Christmas Carols, or Noels, written principally in French and dating to the beginning of the sixteenth century. The carols appear to be a combination of well-known songs published elsewhere or existing in other manuscript anthologies, such as Paris, BnF Rothschild ms. 2982, and unique or unrecorded texts. One carol, "Il fault mourir à ce coup cy" is attributed by an inscription to its author Olivier Maillard (fol. 41v). Most of the carols are introduced by lively inhabited penwork initials that have been tinted. Many of the carols are accompanied by pen-and-ink drawings of pastoral scenes in a rustic style, added after the transcription of the text and in the margins. The use of the regional Angevin term "nau" for Noël, as well as the notarial document re-used as a wrapper mentioning Nantes, point to the Western Loire Valley as a region of production and use. The manuscript can be dated to circa 1520-1530 on the basis of the style of the marginal images and costume, with later sixteenth-century additions to the text. Latin; Middle French (ca. 1400-1600) Noels (Christmas carols) Maillard, Olivier, approximately 1430-1502 2r Latin hymn Conditor alme syderum / Eterna lux credentium / Christe redemptor omnium / Exaudi preces supplicum... (fol. 2r) ...Laus honor virtus gloria / deo patri et filio / Sancto simul paraclyto / In sempiterna secula / Amen (fol. 2v) 3r Carol 1 L'autruy en gardant / Notre bergerie... (fol. 3r) ...Noel chanton pour la vierge / Doulce rose de Syon. (fol. 4r) 4v Carol 2 (end lacking) Qui t'es tu levé faire / Pastoureau a menet... (fol. 4v) ...Tu as foussée aux tasses / Recommence le goubelet (fol. 4v) 5r Carol 3 (Chanson de la Grue, beginning lacking) Or faisons comme on souloit / Au benoist Jesus hommaige... (fol. 5r) ...Et tout faulx conseil corvue / Si feront dancer la grue (fol. 5r) 5r Carol 3a O cueur pensif à la venue de nau / Ne doibz tu point de foye t'esbaudre... (fol. 5r) Nous donner paix affin que resionyr / Nous nous puisson et chanter naulet nau. (fol. 5v) 6r Carol 4 Lessez piastre vos bestes / Pastoureaulx par montz et par vaulx... (fol. 6r) ...A ceulx de purgatoire / Leurs pechez effacez (fol. 7v) 8r Carol 5 Pouvre humaine nature / Et toy, peuple de Syon... (fol. 8r) ...J'ay ouy au ciel, une voix [...] / C'est de toute gloire moult joye. (fol. 8v) 9r Carol 6 Noël, noël, noël ceste journée / Doibt on chanter pour la Vierge honorée... (fol. 9r) ...Les pastoureaulx de toute la contrée / S'en vont chantant pour la Vierge honnorer (fol. 9v) 10r Carol 7 Chanton par mellodie / Noel grans et petiz... (fol. 10r) ...Qu'il nous doint saul, noel naulet marie / Qu'il nous doint saulvement. (fol. 11r) 11v Carol 8 Pastourelles et pastouraulx / Qui dormez sur la prée... (fol. 11v) ...Entre nous gentilz pastoureaulx / Qui sommes sur la prée et nau (fol. 12v) 13r Carol 9 Guillot mon joliet garson / Robin t'appelle... (fol. 13r) ...Et donne bénédiction / Sempiternelle. (fol. 14r) 14v Carol 10 Noel noel est venu / O sa grant robe de frize... (fol. 14v) ...Qu'il nous mecte en ung bon lieu / En sa grant gloire infinye (fol. 15r) 15v Carol 11 Noel chanton pour la Vierge / Doulce rose de Syon... (fol. 15v) ...À Jesus le fruict de vie / Le congnoissant dieu et hom (fol. 16v) 17r Carol 12 Pour l'amour de Marie, cleres chantez / ycy devottement... (fol. 17r) ...Et de péché dieu nous vueille garder / Er en la fin en paradis aller. (fol. 17v) 18r Carol 13 Et nau nau, Marie m'amye / Vous estes si belle et jolye... (fol. 18r) ...Lassus au lieu celestiau / Et nau nau (fol. 19r) 19r Carol 14 Et le roy boit, et le roy boit / Et je a beu, et je l'ay veu... (fol. 19r) ...La chanterons à bon droit / Et le roy boit. (fol. 20v) 21r Carol 15 Chantons noel, en armonieux chant / faisons rondeau, balade resonnant... (fol. 21r) ...Temps et espace / Que nos enormitez pleuron. (fol. 22r) 22r Carol 16 Il faict bon aymer loyaulment servir / La Vierge maries et Jesus son filz... (fol. 22r) ...Tout le peuple affin que votre doulx fils / Après ceste vie nous doint paradis. (fol. 22v) 23r Carol 17 Chantons nau tretous à tère / Et buffons en nos fageots mère vère... (fol. 23r) ...Qu'il nous garde de tout mau, mère vère / Qu'il nous garde de tout mau de par de nau (fol. 23r) 23v Carol 18 Au sainct nau chanteray sans point m'y faindre / Je n'en daigntroys riene craindre... (fol. 23v) ...Et que notre paix soit faicte / Au grant jour quant sonnera la trompette / Qu'en son paradis nous [...] / En son réaulme par[...] (fol. 24v) 25r Carol 19 Vien t'en Michau plus ne sommeille / Chanton à haulte voix noel... (fol. 25r) ...Nous, quoy, nous veille donner la gloire / Nous, quoy, vueille pardurablement (fol. 26r) 26v Carol 20 Gentil pastoureau / Pren ton taboureau... (fol. 26v) ...La hault en sa gloire, Puissons chanter nau / Au réaulme éternau, Et naulet naulet nau (fol. 28r) 28v Carol 21 Pastoureau nau nau nau / Naulet nau chanton... (fol. 28v) ...Lors que serons trespassez, et passez / Aux saincts cieulx, en son repauce, nous menton (fol. 29r) 29v Carol 22 Que faictz tu la cy pastoureau / du chant ne te souvient il point... (fol. 29v) ...Logez nous en votre chaffault / Où grant truailles de cahault (fol. 31r) 31r Carol 23 Chantons noel, je vous en prie / Pui qu'en est venu la saison... (fol. 31r) ...Garder le Roy, et toute la mesgme / De mort subite aussi de trahison (fol. 32r) 32r Carol 24 Tant que vivray en caige florissant / Je servirai la mère au dieu puissant... (fol. 32r) ...Offrir presens, myrre et encens / Et or fin au Roy trèspuissant. (fol. 33r) 33r Carol 25 Anges archanges, cherubim seaphim / Menez grant joye, pour l'amour du daulphin... (fol. 33r) ...En enfer avecq les damnés mauldicts / Mais à la fin qu'il nous doint paradis (fol. 34r) 34r Carol 26 Noel pour l'amour de marie / Nous chanterons joyeusement... (fol. 34r) ...Ainsi fut logé notre maistre / Le doulx Jesus en Betlheem (fol. 35v) 35v Carol 27 Or est venue la nuictée / Que fut ne le doulx Jesucrist (fol. 35v) ...Qu'il nous garde de mort amanée / Et nous doint à tous paradis (fol. 36v) 37r Carol 28 Or vous trémoussez pasteurs de Judée / Estez vous lassez y quette nuictée... (fol. 37r) ...La mère et l'enfant, qu'en leur héritaige / Nous puissions avoir houstau, Naulet. N. N. (fol. 37v) 38r Carol 29 O l'estoille jouvnau / Je te pry m'aine mu m'aine... (fol. 38r) ...Et à la fin nous conceder / Paradis qui tousjor regne (fol. 38v) 39r Carol 30 Susbout susbout qu'on se resveille / Pour l'amour de novel qui vient... (fol. 39r) ...Ou avecques luy vous serez / Pour paix acquerre. (39v) 40r Carol 31 Mais ou s'en est allé nau / Nau nau et nolet nau (fol. 40r) ...Nau nau, et naulet nau / De retarder la journée (fol. 41r) 41v Carol 32 (Olivier Maillard, "Il fault mourir à ce coup cy") Il fault mourir à ce coup cy / Puisque le gros sainct a sonné... (fol. 41v) ...Pauvre pecheur pense de toy / Pour rendre compte et religua (fol. 43r) 43v Carol 33 (unidentified, in a later 16th century hand, with a note regarding the composer) Quet jour [...] histoir / A parmoy je nucilitoir... (fol. 43v) ...Que [...] je [...] / Qui nous [...] grace. (fol. 46r) 46r Carol 34 Nouel nouel nouel / Chantons je vous en prie... (fol. 46r) ...Jui cy sa gloire Infinie / Nous avora saulvement. (fol. 47v) 48r Carol 35 O pleuple humain / Qui tant as atendu... (fol. 48r) Pour nous pêcheurs c'est faict homme mortel / Dont le monde moult se resjoyra. (fol. 49r) 49r Carol 36 Suis que la terre à Jésus Reconqueis / quant à sa mort trembla visiblement... (fol. 49r) Hérode après de grant fureur surprent / Par désespoir s'occist et desvia. (fol. 49v) 50r Carol 37 À la venue de Noel / Chascun se doibt resjouyr... (fol. 50r) Dieu le pere qui tout crea / Nous doint à la fin paradis. (fol. 51r) 51r Carol 38 À la venue de Noel / Celluy ne se peult resiouyr... (fol. 51r) Ou ils pourront après [...] / Joyeusement chanter noel. (fol. 51v) 52r Carol 39 J'ay ouy la crier / D'en haults ang[es?] chantant... (fol. 52r) Jamais ne cessera la fêstie / Tous jouer l'on l'hautier à noel. (fol. 53v) 53v Carol 40 Noel passera il ainsy / Santi que l'on dit chanson nouvelle... (fol. 53v) Doucy par amour puis jouer vieulx / C'est de n'oublier l'amour du roy du cieulx. (fol. 54v) 55r Carol 41 Feueillers vouti veutilz pastilier / Et venus chanter avecq moy... (fol. 55r) Beate par don de nos pechiez / n'avient conniver (?) le temps passé. (fol. 56v) 57r Carol 42 Chantons nau joyeusement / Et le criant haultement... (fol. 57r) Que nos ames de dieu saint / mises à sa gloire. (fol. 58r) 58r Carol 43 Chantons noel chantons / Chantons de bon couraige... (fol. 58r) Que Jesus son cher fils / Nous oste de servage. (fol. 59v) 59v Carol 44 Chantons noel je vous prie/ en ce temps joyeusement... (fol. 59v) Qu'il nous [...] au tour la gloire / du paradis triumphant. (fol. 61r)

Paper

Watermark appearing on most folios is similar to Briquet 10943 and 10945; on last 14 leaves is a different, unidentified mark 61; 264 x 185 mm; written area of varying dimensions depending on line length and number of stanzas per page bound to 271 x 194 mm Three separate hands have foliated the pages, one modern in pencil, two older in the upper and lower right corners

Structure uncertain

 One column with varying number of lines; one frontispiece miniature; twenty-five vignettes in ink and watercolor; sixteen decorated and inhabited initials in ink and watercolor; three decorated ink and watercolor initials; seven initials in paint and gold Bâtarde Humanistic Humanistic Cursive One frontispiece miniature; twenty-five vignettes in ink and watercolor; sixteen decorated, inhabited initials in ink and watercolor; three decorated ink and watercolor initials; seven initials in paint and gold 1rFull-page illustration, Nativity with Shepherds with putti holding banderole that reads "GLORIA IN EXCELSIS DEO," inscription in frame 2rIlluminated initial C 4rIllustration, slaughter of a boar 5rIllustration, man drinking with food 5rAnthropomorphic initial O 6rIllustration, man holding drink and food 6rAnthropomorphic initial L 8rIllustration, man carving meat with a dog watching from right side 8rDecorated initial P 9rIllustration, upright goat near a tree 9rIllustration, man playing bagpipes with a dog alongside 9rDecorated initial N 10rIllustration, Man with a staff and a dog on a leash 11vIllustration, man and woman with staffs resting; man standing holding staff; angel with banderole announcing "PAIX EST CRIÉE" 11vIlluminated initial P 12rIllustration, shepherdess resting with her sheep; shepherd resting against rock; shepherdess standing with staff 13rIllustration, shepherd standing with staff and man playing hurdy-gurdy with boy 14vIllustration, man with pointed hat 15vIllustration, Flight into Egypt with bull and ass 16rIllustration, man threshing crops with a sickle; Joseph from Flight into Egypt 17vIllustration, boar playing the bagpipe, two men and a woman dancing 19rIllustration, king and two peasants sharing a meal 20vIllustration, woman shearing a lamb 22rIllustration, prophet holding an inscribed banderole, "ECCE VIRGO CONCIPIET ET PARIET FILIUM" 22vIllustration, jester playing a flute 23rIllustration, jester playing a flute 23rAnthropomorphic initial C 23vAnthropomorphic initial A 24rIllustration, Angel holds a banderole inscribed "GLORIA IN EXCELSIS DEO," while below a man reclines in the right margin and another stands and plays the flute on the left 25rIllustration, two men labeled Michau and Robin face each other across the text block 25rAnthropomorphic initial V 26rIllustration, two greyish figures, one plays the drum 26vIllustration, man playing the drum and the flute 26vAnthropomorphic initial G 28vAnthropomorphic initial P 29rIllustration, man playing a pipe to an upright goat with staff 29vAnthropomorphic initial Q 30vIllustration, Temptation of Adam 31rIllustration, serpent and Temptation of Eve 31rAnthropomorphic initial C 32rIllustration, Man with sword 32rAnthropomorphic initial T 33rAnthropomorphic initial A 34rIllustration, Mary and Christ Child 34rAnthropomorphic initial N 35vIllustration, man and woman playing instruments 35vIlluminated initial O 37rIlluminated initial O 38rAnthropomorphic initial O 39rIlluminated initial S 40rIlluminated initial M 41vIlluminated initial I 48rAnthropomorphic initial O 49rAnthropomorphic initial S 50rAnthropomorphic initial A 51rAnthropomorphic initial A

Sixteenth-century limp vellum binding, made from a notary document from Nantes; "Nantes" is inscribed in pencil on the inside front cover; illegible word beginning with B is written in pencil on the back

Beginning of the sixteenth century

France H. P. Kraus (Cat. 75, No. 77) to the Free Library of Philadelphia, June, 1955 Book Type Accounts Antiphonary Armorial Bible Biography Book of Hours Breviary Chronicle Collection of Sermons Commentary Document Dogale Friendship book Genealogy Glossary Gospel Lectionary Gospels Gradual Haggadah Homilary Horologion Hymnal Koran Lectionary Mass book Miscellany Missal Pontifical Portolan chart Prayer book Private devotional text Processional Protective scroll Psalter Psalter-Hours Qur`an Recipe book Saint's Life Scribal manual Torah Treatise Century 6th century 7th century 8th century 9th century 10th century 11th century 12th century 13th century 14th century 15th century 16th century 17th century 18th century 19th century 20th century Culture Abbasid Arabic Armenian Ashkenazi Austrian Byzantine Carolingian Chinese Christian Coptic Dutch Egyptian English Ethiopian Fatimid Flemish French German Indian Islamic Italian Jewish Mamluk Mughal Ottoman Ottonian Persian Portuguese Qajar Rajput Russian Safavid Sephardi Spanish Timurid Turkish Yemenite Descriptive term Accordion book Album Annotated Binding Calligraphy Caroline minuscule Chart Charter Colophon Damage Diagrams Drawing Early Abbasid script Fragment Gloss Gothic Gothic book hand Grisaille Grotesques Headpiece Heraldry Historiated initial Humanistic Illumination Illustration Inhabited initial Kufic Manicules Medallion Micrography Miniature Missing leaves Musical notation New Abbasid style Notable binding Original binding Ornament Painting Palimpsest Paper Penwork initial Puzzle initial Ragini Romanesque Scrapbook Scroll Scroll-work initial Seals Tables Textura Treasure binding Watermark White-vine lettering Woodcuts Geography Afghanistan Armenia Austria Belgium Central Arab lands (Near East) Central Asia China Egypt England Ethiopia Flanders France Germany Greece India Iran Iraq Israel Italy Maghreb Morocco Netherlands Pakistan Portugal Romania Russia Spain Sub-Saharan (West) Africa Turkey Yemen Other Alchemy Allegory Astrology Astronomy Biblical Binding waste Cartography Church Fathers Cosmology Devotion Financial records Fortune-telling Friendship Games Geography Geomancy Grammar History Kabbalah Legal Literature -- Poetry Literature -- Prose Liturgy Logic Magic Maritime Mathematics Mineralogy Philosophy Piyutim Responsa Science Science -- Medicine Scripture Sufism Theology Hymnal 16th century France French Christian Illustration Inhabited initial Miniature Paper Penwork initial Watermark Damage