The Lancelot-Grail Project:
Chronological and Geographical Distribution of Lancelot-Grail Manuscripts

© Alison Stones 2007, rev. 2008, 2009, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019


I use the symbol + to indicate manuscripts which I consider were made by the same craftspeople or are closely related to each other stylistically.  Justification of the stylistic groupings of thirteenth and early fourteenth-century manuscripts can be found in A. Stones, The Illustrations of the French prose Lancelot (Ph.D. University of London, 1970-71); F. Avril in Les Fastes du gothique, le siècle de Charles V (Paris, 1981); for late fourtenth-century manuscripts see M. Meiss, French Painting in the Time of Jean de Berry, I, The Late Fourteenth Century and the Patronage of the Duke, 2 vols., London, 1967; for Jacques d'Armagnac's manuscripts, see S.A. Blackman, The Manuscripts and Patronage of Jacques d'Armagnac, Duke of Nemours (1433-1477), 2 vols. (Ph.D., University of Pittsburgh, 1993, Ann Arbor, Mich. University Microfilms, 1994); and for other fifteenth-century copies, see F. Avril and N. Reynaud, Les manuscrits à peintures en France 1440-1520 (Paris, 1993). See also T. Delcourt, ed. La Légende du roi Arthur (Paris: BnF 2009); A. Stones, Studies in Arthurian Illustration, 2 vols. (London: Pindar, 2018).

Carol Chase verified the Estoire list; Irène Fabry verified the Suite Vulgate manuscripts and reviewed the entire list; Martine Meuwese and Roger Middleton gave valuable assistance.  I have published several partial lists (1977, 1988, 2000, 2003, 2018...) which the present list supercedes.  For a list by library, see Lancelot-Grail Library List.  Not every manuscript on that list can be firmly attributed.  Here I include only those whose attribution is reasonably assured; the others can be consulted via the Library List.

Textual components are indicated as follows: E=Estoire, M=Merlin, SV=Suite Vulgate du Merlin, L=Lancelot (L1=En la marche de Gaulle; L2=Journey to Sorelois, L3=Conte de la Charette, L4=Suites de la Charette, L5=Agravain); Q=Queste, MA=Mort Artu.
Other Versions: J=Joseph in prose, based on Robert de Boron's verse version, often copied as selections interpolated into Estoire; for details, see O'Gorman's edition; SM=Suite du Merlin (Huth Version, not to be confused with Suite Vulgate du Merlin, see Text Editions Page), Didot-Perceval; Post-Vulgate Q ueste. For editions see Text Editions Page.  Square brackets [ ] enclose references to manuscripts containing non-Lancelot-Grail texts.

Links are to libraries' sites or to our descriptions; some sites include images.

Date

Place

Library and Shelf Number

Text Branches

Number of Illustrations

[c. 1210-20 ?]

North France: Champagne ?

Modena, Bibl. Estense E 39

[J, M, Didot-Perceval, Lapidaire]

15

c. 1220
North France
Nottingham, UL WLC Lm7 E (beginning incomplete) M fragment
unillustrated

c. 1220

Paris ? Champagne ?

Rennes, BM 255

E, M, L1, L2 incomplete, L3 incomplete

64

c. 1220

Champagne ? attr. England

Paris, BNF fr. 752

L1

unillustrated

c. 1220

Champagne ?

London, BL Landsdowne 757

L1

unillustrated

c. 1220

North France

Berkeley, UCB 73 (ed. Bogdanow)

QMA

1 (Q)

c. 1220

Champagne ?

Paris, BNF fr. 768

Gallica bw

L1-L2 (MS de base of Kennedy's edition of the non-cyclic Lancelot)

1 (L1)

c. 1220-30

Savoie ?

Copenhagen, KB Thott
1087

MA

unillustrated

c. 1230-40 ?

North France

Paris, BNF fr. 337

Gallica bw

M[Livre d'Artus]

unillustrated

c. 1230-50

North or East France

London, BL Royal 19 C.XIII

L1L2L3L4L5QMA

1(L1); distinctive penflourishing

c. 1230-50

Thérouanne or South France ?

Paris, BNF fr. 748 +
Paris, BNF fr. 754

Gallica bw+ Gallica bw

JM
L1 incomplete

15

c. 1230-50

North France

Paris, BNF fr. 747
Gallica bw

EMSV, L1 announced but absent [MS de base of Micha's ed. of M]

3

c. 1230-50 North France Paris, BNF fr 751

Gallica bw

L1L2L3L4L5 incomplete, QMA 1(L1)

c. 1225-50

North France

Paris, BNF n.a.fr. 4380

MA

unillustrated

c. 1240-50

North France

Paris, BNF fr. 771

Gallica bw

L5Q

2

c. 1250

Soissons or Laon ?

Oxford, Bodl. Rawl. D. 899

L5QMA

2 (QMA)

mid-13th c. ?

North France

Paris, BNF fr. 423

Gallica bw

[J]Mabridged

unillustrated

mid-13th c.

Cistercian ?

Paris, BNF fr. 1430

Gallica bw

L1L2L3

unillustrated
penflourishing cf. Pontigny

c. 1250

Paris ?

Berkeley, UCB 107
(ex-Phillipps 1279)

L1L2L3L4

5

c. 1250

Paris ?

Paris, BNF fr. 339

Gallica bw

L1L2L3L4L5QMA

120

c. 1250

Paris ?

London, BL Royal 19 C.XII

E

unillustrated

c. 1250

Paris

Brussels, BR 9627-8

QMA

37

c. 1250

Paris

Chicago, Newberry f21Ry.34 12261+
Paris, Ars. 3347 

Gallica

L1L2L3L4
L5QMA

3
3

c. 1250-75 ?

Paris ?

London, BL Add. 17443

QMA

2

c. 1250-75 ? Paris ? Paris, Ars. 2997 ME 1(M)

c. 1250-75 ?

Jumièges ?

Berkeley, UCB 106 (ex-Phillipps 3643) 

[Vies des pères] EMSV

21

13th c., second half

England ?

Cambridge, Corpus Christi College 45

L1L2L3L4L5 (copied in BL Roy. 19.B. VII)

unillustrated

13th c., second half

England ?

London, BL Royal 20 B.VIII

L5


13th c., second half
North France

Paris, BNF fr. 20047

Gallica bw

Robert de Boron, Estoire in verse
unillustrated

1271 ns
IduM written by Jacquemin d'Acre

North France

Chantilly, Musée Condé 476(644)

[Image du monde, Health Treatise] EQMA

unillustrated

c. 1275 for Blanche d'Artois and Edmund Crouchback

London

Paris, BNF fr. 123

Gallica bw

L5QMA

90

1274 written by a female scribe

Douai ?

Paris, BNF fr. 342

mandragore

L5QMA

92

c. 1280

Douai

Oxford, Bodl. Digby 223

L5QMA

12

c. 1280 written by Walterus de
Kayo

Douai

Le Mans, MM 354

enluminures

E with J interpolations

17

c. 1285

Douai

Paris, BNF fr. 770

Gallica bw

Le Mans and BNF fr. 770 compared

EMSV[Histoire d'Outremer et du roi Saladin, La fille du Comte de Ponthieu, L'Ordre de chevalerie]

140

c. 1285

Douai ?

Oxford, Bodl. Douce 303

E

2

1284 written by Michael nomine felix

Champagne ?

Paris, BNF fr. 12581

Gallica

Q[literary miscellany]

1

c. 1275-85

Saint-Omer or Thérouanne

Paris, BNF fr. 19162

Gallica bw

EMSV

83

c. 1275-85

Saint-Omer or
Thérouanne

Paris, BNF fr. 24394

BNF fr. 19162 and 24394 compared

Gallica bw

EMSV

71

1286 written by Arnulphus de Kayo

Amiens and
Cambrai or Thérouanne

Bonn UB 526

EMSVL1L2L3L4L5QMA

346

c. 1270-1300

Bologna ?
Venice ?

Oxford, Bodl. Douce 178

EMSV

162

1288 written by Bonifacio de Gualandis for Brexianus de Salis, Podesta of Modena

Genoa ? Modena ?

Chantilly, Musée Condé 1111(649)

MA

4

c. 1280-1300

Genoa

Berlin, DSB Ham. 49

L1 incomplete

24

c. 1280-1300

Genoa

London, BL Harley 4419

L2L3L4

1

c. 1280-1300

Genoa

Paris, BNF fr. 354

Gallica bw

L4L5 incomplete

22

c. 1280-1300

Genoa

Venice, BMarciana XI (254)

L5 incomplete


c. 1280-1300

Genoa

Venice, BMarciana XII (255)

L5 incomplete


c. 1290

Genoa

Udine, Bibl.Arcivescovile 64/177    
Facsimile

Q

34

c. 1290

Bologna

Paris, BNF fr. 16998

Gallica

L2L3L4

1

c. 1290

Bologna

Paris, BNF fr. 773

Gallica bw

L1 incomplete

1

c. 1300

Tuscany

Paris, BNF fr. 767

Gallica bw

L1L2L3L4L5incomplete

2 distinct parts (composite manuscript)

unillustrated

c. 1300

Naples ?

Venice, BMarciana Fr.Z.15 (228)

[Roman d'Artus]


c. 1300

Naples ?

Private Collection

L fragment

1

c. 1280-1300

London

London, BL Roy. 20.C.VI

L5QMA

3

c. 1290-1300

England

Paris, BNF fr. 25520

Gallica bw

QMA

1

c. 1300

England

Cambridge, UL Add. 7071

EMSM

unillustrated; distinctive penflourishing

c. 1300

England

London, BL Royal 19.B.VII

L1L2L3L4L5 ending incomplete

unillustrated; distinctive penflourishing

c. 1300

England

London, BL Egerton 2515

Hue de Rotelande, Ipomedon and Prothesiliaus; L5 ending incomplete

unillustrated; distinctive penflourishing

copied from a MS that says on f. 293 it was made for Philippe Auguste († 1223)
Paris ?

Paris, BNF fr. 2455

Gallica bw

EM
unillustrated

c. 1290-1300

Metz or Verdun

Private Collection (Lebaudy, olim
Phillipps 1047)

EM

129

c. 1290-1300

Metz or Verdun

Paris, BNF fr. 344
(see Private Collection Lebaudy)
Gallica

EMSVL1L2L3L4L5QMA

344 (sic)

c. 1290

Acre, Cyprus, or Italy ? 

Tours, BM 951

enluminures

EJMSVcatchword for L1

133 by the Hospitaller Master and a Mediterranean artist

c. 1290

Paris or Acre ?

Paris, BNF fr. 12580

Gallica bw

L5QMA

3 by the Hospitaller Master

c. 1295

Thérouanne or Cambrai

Paris, BNF fr. 110

 

EMSVL1L2L3L4L5QMA

99

c. 1295

Thérouanne or Cambrai

London, BL Add.5474

[Tristan] L5 interpolations

23

c. 1290-1300

Thérouanne or
Cambrai

Paris, BNF n.a.fr. 5237

ML5MA fragments

elegant penflourished initials

c. 1290

Thérouanne

Paris, BNF fr. 95

Gallica

EMSV[Sept Sages, Pénitence Adam]

163

c. 1290

Thérouanne

New Haven, Yale Univ. Beinecke 229

Beinecke 229

L5QMA

166

c. 1300

Thérouanne or Ghent

Oxford, Bodl. Ash. 828
(see Bologna AS b.1.bis and Turin BN L.III.12)

L1 incomplete

40

c. 1300

Thérouanne or Ghent

Paris, BNF fr. 749

Gallica bw

E[Jfragments]MSV

126

c. 1300

Thérouanne or Ghent

Bologna, AS b.1.bis

E, fragments


c. 1300

Thérouanne or Ghent

Turin, BN L.III.12

MSV

20

c. 1300

Arras ?
East France ?
South France ?

Geneva-Cologny, Bodmer Foundation 147 (ex-Ph.1046) 

E[Gospel extracts, Genesis extracts and other interpolations including J interpolations]M[Histoire de Troie]SV[interpolations][Maurice de Sully, Sermons]QMA

167

c. 1300

Arras

Darmstadt, HLB 2534

EMSV

3

1301

Normandy ?

Paris, BNF n.a.fr. 4166

[J]M [Didot-Perceval, Prophécies de Merlin]

unillustrated

c. 1300-10

Paris

St Petersburg, NLR Fr. F.v.XV.5

E with J interpolations

43

c. 1300-10

Paris
written by Ernoul d'Amiens

Oxford, Bodl. Rawl.Q.b.6

L1L2L3L4L5QMA

212

c. 1310

Laon or Saint-Quentin ?

Paris, BNF fr. 12573

Gallica bw

L5QMA

78

c. 1310

Laon or Saint-Quentin ?

London, BL Add. 38117 (Huth)

JMSM 

67

c. 1310-20

Amiens, Laon, Noyon or Saint-Quentin

New York, The Pierpont Morgan Lib. M.805-6

L1L2L3L4L5

175

c. 1315

Arras

London, BL Royal 20 D. IV

L2 incomplete, L3L4L5 incomplete

12 by the Maître aux Mentons fuyants

c. 1317 ns

Saint-Omer, Tournai or Ghent

London, BL Add. 10292-4

EMSVL1L2L3L4L5QMA

747

c. 1310-20

Saint-Omer, Tournai or Ghent

Amsterdam, BPH 1 (ex-Phillipps 1045/7[numbering problematical],
and 3630)/Oxford, Bodl. Douce 215/Manchester, Ryl.fr.1

EML12345QMA

189

c. 1310-20

Saint-Omer, Tournai or Ghent

London, BL Royal 14 E.iii

EQMA

116

1319

Avignon

Florence, Laur. Ash. 121(48)

Q

62

c. 1320

England

London, BL Add. 32125

EMSV

unillustrated; distinctive penflourishing

c. 1320

England

London, BL Royal 20.A.II

L2 fragment; Q incomplete

unillustrated

c. 1320

Paris

Paris, BNF fr. 333

L5

36

c. 1320-30

Paris

Paris, BNF fr. 105
Gallica bw


BNF fr. 105 and 9123 compared

EMSVL1 announced but absent

127
by the Sub-Fauvel Master

c. 1320-30

Paris

Paris, BNF fr. 9123

+
Paris, Ars. 3481

Gallica bw + Gallica

Rubric List, EMSV

 

Rubric List, L1L2L3L4

167

78

by the Sub-Fauvel Master , the Maubeuge Master and the Montbaston Master

c. 1320-30

Paris

Oxford, Bodl. Douce 199

L5Q

32

c. 1330-45

Tournai

Paris, BNF fr. 1422-4

L5incomplete,QMA

73

c. 1340 ?

Tournai and England ?

Paris, BNF fr. 769

E

5 and unfinished later drawings

1345

Tournai

Paris, BNF fr. 122

L3 incomplete, L5QMA

120

1351 written, illuminated and bound
by Pierart dou Thielt

Tournai

Paris, Ars. 5218

Q

1357 written by Jean de Loles

Tournai

New Haven, Yale Univ. Beinecke 227

Beinecke 227

JEMSV

164

mid-14th c.

North France

Paris, Ars. 2996

[J]M

unillustrated

c. 1340-50

Paris

Paris, BNF fr. 16999

Gallica

L1L2L3L4

115

c. 1350

Paris

Paris, Ars. 3482

Gallica

MSVL5 incomplete,QMA

136

14th c.

North France or England ?

Paris, BNF fr. 341
Paris, BNF fr. 24367

L1L2 incomplete
MA

unillustrated; elegant penflourishing

14th c.


Aberystwyth, NLW 5018

L5

unillustrated

14th c.

France

Chantilly, Musée Condé 643(307)

E with J interpoplationsMSV

1 miniature, 3 spaces for illustrations

14th c.

Spain

Escorial, BR P.II.23

L

unillustrated

c. 1380

Milan

Paris, BNF fr. 343

Gallica

Post-Vulgate Q[Tristan]MA

119

late 14th c.
Western France ?
Paris, BNF n.a.fr. 934 no. 28
M fragment
1

c. 1400-1410

Paris ?

Private Collection Switzerland (olim Bodmer unnumbered, Günther Cat. 3 no. 11, Tenschert Cat. 16 no. 6-7, Kraus Cat. 165 no. 9, olim Clumber, Newcastle 937)

EMSV[Vie de du Guesclin]


1402


Turin, BN *1688 (L.V.30)

L5


c. 1406 sold by Jacques Raponde to Jean Duc de Berry

Paris

Paris, BNF fr. 117-120

Gallica (117)

Gallica (118)

Gallica (119)

Gallica (120)

EMSVL1L2L3L4L5QMA

131 by the Master of Berry's Cleres Femmes
c. 1470 repainted by Jacques d'Armagnac

1405 sold by Jacques Raponde to Jean Duc de Bourgogne ?

Paris

Paris, Ars. 3479-80

Gallica (3479)

Gallica (3480)

EMSVL1L2L3L4L5QMA

130 various artists

c. 1425-1450 Metz ?

Paris, BNF fr. 98

Gallica bw

EMSVL12345QMA

Decorative borders for EML no miniatures

c. 1440-55

Angers or Poitiers

Paris, BNF fr. 96

Gallica bw

EMSVL1L2L3L4

36 + spaces
by the Maître d'Adelaïde de
Savoie

c. 1450

Paris

olim London, Alpine Club
now dispersed

L1L2L3L4L5QMA for Prigent de Coëtivy, Admiral of France (d. 1450)

34 by the Dunois Master, Jean Haincelin

c. 1450-60

Tours-Angers

Dijon, BM 527
Facsimile

Q[Tristan]

45 by the Master of Charles du Maine (younger brother of René d'Anjou)

c. 1450

Central France ?

New York, Pierpont Morgan Lib. M.207-8 http://ica.themorgan.org/manuscript/thumbs/77100

EMSV

32

1466, paper, watermark similar to Briquet 10005-60

Paris ?

Paris, Ars. 3349

E

unillustrated

c. 1470

Central France ?

New York, Morgan Lib. M.807 http://corsair.themorgan.org/cgi-bin/Pwebrecon.cgi?BBID=147056

QMA

2

c. 1470

Central France

Paris, BNF fr. 112

Gallica (vol. 1)

Gallica (vol. 2) bw

Gallica (vol. 3)

Special Version for Jacques d'Armagnac (ed. Pickford)

258 by Evrard d'Espingues

c. 1475

Central France

Paris, BNF fr. 113-116

Gallica (113)

Gallica (114)

Gallica (115)

Gallica (116)

EML1L2L3L4L5QMA

209 by Evrard d'Espingues

1479

Bruges

New York, Pierpont Morgan Lib. M.38

Graal abrégé written by Lois Daymereyes for Ysembert des Rolin (d. 1528), seigneur de Rymeries, bailly Dayweryres, chancellor of the Duc de Bourgogne

unillustrated

c. 1480 paper

Champagne ?

Geneva-Cologny, Bodmer Foundation 105

L1L2L3L4L5QMA
owned by Guyot le Peley de Troyes (d. 1485)

45 miniatures on parchment added

1480-82

Bourges  ?

Brussels, BR 9246
Paris, BNF fr. 91

Gallica bw

E
MSV
Guillaume de la Pierre's adaptation for Jean-Louis de Savoie, Bishop of Geneva

52
16
part by Jean Colombe

c. 1480-85 for Yvon du Fou, sénéchal de Poitiers, grant veneur de France (d. 1488)

Poitiers

Paris, BNF fr. 111

Gallica bw

L1L2L3L4L5QMA

over 50 by the artist of BNF fr. 22500

15th c.

West France

Paris, BNF fr. 121

Gallica bw

L1L2L3incomplete

1

15th c.


Aberystwyth, NLW 445

L2L3

unillustrated

15th c.


Chantilly, Musée Condé 307(643)

EM

unillustrated

15th c. paper, no watermarks


Paris, Ars. 3350

An abridged version of the whole cycle (cf. Morgan M.38)

unillustrated

15th c. paper


Paris, BNF fr. 1469

Gallica bw

[J]M

unillustrated

15th c.  paper


Paris, BNF fr. 753

L1 incomplete

unillustrated

15th c. paper


Paris, BNF fr. 1426

Gallica bw
Paris, BNF fr. 332

Gallica bw

E
MSV

unillustrated; note for a miniature on BNF fr. 1426, f. 158v

15th c.


Giessen, UB 93-94

LQMA

unillustrated

15th c.


London, BL Harley 6340

MSV

unillustrated

15th c. paper (watermark Lyon 1483-84, Briquet 13042)


London, BL Harley 6341-2

L2L3L4L5, Q announced but absent

unillustrated

1504, written by F[r]. J. de Rochemeure
paper


Paris, BNF fr. 1427

Gallica bw

E

unillustrated


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