Geraardsbergen Manuscript, Text 68 (fols. 131v-132v)

‘Here follows an exemplum sent by one honourable esquire, named Jan van Hulst, to Mr. Percheval vanden Noquerstocque, priest in Geraardsbergen.’

Brussels – KBR – 837-45, fol. 131v: Heading of the verse letter (by courtesy of the KBR Brussels)

This letter (see image) may give some clues about the origins of the manuscript. It tells us two names, Jan van Hulst and Perceval vanden Nocquerstocque. The latter one being from Geraardsbergen, the same town as mentioned in Text 69.

See also: the complete table of contents.

Geraardsbergen Manuscript, Text 35 (fol. 114r)

Brussel – KBR – 837-45, fol. 114r: A text to write next to a mirror (by courtesy of KBR Brussels)

Medieval man was not that different from us as we sometimes would like to believe. They had mirrors, mirrors with captions and self knowledge, just like we do. This very short text reads: ‘To write next to a mirror: know yourself!’

A modern miror with wise advise!

A famous image of a medieval mirror can be seen in this painting by Van Eyck.

See also:

• the complete table of contents.
• captions

Go back to: Geraardsbergen Manuscript, Story 3

Geraardsbergen Manuscript, Text 45  (fol. 115r)

‘Next to Saint George’s statue in the church of the Austin friars in London is written: Pestifer afflatu crux dente celeque volatu urbis vicina fuerat draco causa ruine deficiente gregis . scauro quam filia regis debuit exponi fors contulit esta draconi sanctus ac absque mora sua sena georgis ora sic vi compressit quam salua puella recessit sic ut saluemer . a peste nec hoste grauemur martir sancte dei fer opem nos dans requiei’.

Brussels – KBR – 837-45, fol. 115r: A text found next to Saint George’s statue in London (by courtesy of KBR Brussels)

Apart from a number of Dutch captions the manuscript contains several Latin captions. This one from London may indicate that the scribe/compiler of the manuscript has been there, but is it also possible he copied it from someone else. The Latin captions show us that the scribe/compiler new Latin, and must have been an educated man (woman?).

See also:

• the complete table of contents
• captions

Brussels – KB – 837-45, fol. 134v: Heading and beginning of the confession aid (by courtesy of the KBR Brussels)

Geraardsbergen Manuscript, Text 73 (fols. 134v-139v)

Before you can enter heaven your soul should be freed of all your sins. Some time in purgatory might help, but is not recommended. The simplest way to free yourself from sins is by confessing them (repenting them and do penance for them). Text 73, a confession aid, guides you through the seven deadly sins and gives suggestions for sins to confess. Wrath? You should confess when you enjoyed somebody else’s misfortune. Gluttony? You should confess when your children are living in poverty because you have been eating and drinking too much. Sloth? You should confess when you have wasted your time by staying in bed too long. Lust? The list for lusty sins is quite a long one, but you should definitely confess when you have done ‘something against nature, which should better be discussed in the confessional than be written down here’!

Text on a church wall (image published in Queeste (1999), see Further reading: Reynaert)

The heading (?) of the text attributes this confession aid to the famous Parisian theologian John Gerson. Apparently this text was to be posted on the church wall. When we look on medieval miniatures (?), like this image below, we notice that there were texts posted on church walls indeed! The putting up of lists in the church may be an indication of a more general literacy in the fifteenth century.

See also: the complete table of contents.

Geraardsbergen Manuscript, Text 23 (fols. 112v-113r)

Brussels – KBR – 837-45, fol. 112v: Heading and beginning of Text 23 (by courtesy of KBR Brussels)

In this twenty line verse text some general guidelines for good government are listed. Most of these suggestions are still valid today (on national level): a town should be governed harmoniously; the public welfare should be taken into account; justice should be equal for the rich and poor; one should be friends with the neighbouring towns; its freedom should not be violated; and those who misbehave should be ‘thrown out’. The text ends with a warning: ‘(Pay attention to this, because) it is an old lesson. If these guidelines are not followed, the town will be in fear! And (then) everyone should take a good look at himself, because he will die one day (and should better have confessed his sins by then).’

Wedding room of the City Hall in Brussels (image published in Hogenelst and Van Oostrom 2002, see: Further reading)

This reminder for governours to do an honest and a good job is a kind of short verse text that could be found posted on a town hall wall. Several examples of this and similar texts can still be seen in the Low Countries, painted on the beams supporting ceilings of large rooms:

• Brussels, City Hall (wedding room), post-medieval – Contact: Hôtel de Ville
• Deventer, Municipal Archives, medieval cut paper letters – Contact: Stadsarchief en Atheneumbibliotheek

See also: the complete table of contents.

Brussels – KBR – 837-45, fol. 183v: The abrupt ending of The Nine Worthies (by courtesy of KBR Brussels)

Geraardsbergen Manuscript, Text 89 (fols. 170v-183v)

By far the longest text in the Geraardsbergen manuscript is the well known verse text about the Nine Worthies: the nine most brave knights in history. The lifes and most remarkable deeds of three heathen knights (Hector of Troy, Alexander the Great and Julius Caesar), the Jewish knights (Joshua, David and Judas Machabeus) and three Christian knights (King Arthur, Charlemagne and Godfried of Bouillon) are described.

Compared to the other texts in this manuscript, the Nine Worhties seems the odd one out. It is longer and more narrative than most other texts. And there is one question that cannot be solved: was this really the last text in the manuscript? The text ends abruptly on the last leaf of the manuscript, leaving the reader in the dark about the end of Godfried of Boullion’s description and the epilogue. The scribe would have needed only a few more leaves. Did someone tear out the last bit, did it get damaged and therefore removed, or was the abrupt ending all the scribe did copy, or could copy? We will never know (but maybe…)

See also: the complete table of contents.

Go back to: Geraardsbergen Manuscript, Story 3

Travellers, pilgrims and itinerary merchants all needed a place to sleep at night. They could stay at an inn, or sleep in a farmer’s barn, the former providing beer too! In the Geraardsbergen Manuscript we learn about an inn called ‘In the French shield’ in Geraardsbergen, once owned by Guillebert the Mets.

Inns and taverns were some of the most important social meeting places in the Middle Ages. The pilgrims in Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales, for instance,  meet in the ‘Tabard’ in Southwark before they set out on their pilgrimage.

For more information on inns and taverns, click here.

Go back to:

• The Geraardsbergen Manuscript entrance room
• A pilgrim as a tourist (about Text 69 in the Geraardsbergen Manuscript)
• Inn-owner Guillebert de Mets

Guillebert de Mets was a scribe of manuscripts born in Geraardsbergen. Even though he is not mentioned in the Geraardsbergen Manuscript, there may have been a connection between him and this codex: Guillebert used to be the owner of an inn in Geraardsbergen mentioned in Text 69, the ‘In the French shield’.

Compared to the manuscripts Guillebert copied – books meant for the dukes of Burgundy, lavishly illuminated –  the Geraardsbergen Manuscript looks very modest.

It has been argued that Guillebert may have been involved in the production of the Geraardsbergen Manuscript (see Story 2), but that seems unlikely. The presence of Dutch, French and Latin texts seems to fit his profile, but since there are no archival records about him anymore after 1460 the chances he copied this manuscript in the 1460’s are small. This does not rule him out as a possible compiler, though.

• People connected with the Geraardsbergen Manuscript
• Geraardsbergen Manuscript: Story 2
• Geraardsbergen Manuscript opening page

In the early fourteenth century in the city of Geraardsbergen a relatively well-organized group of actors was active. This group was allowed by the town council to do performances during the most important events each year. In the 1420 the group became more prominent when they switched from religious plays to more profane pieces, e.g. the Chanson de Rolande. An act from 1427 shows that this group of actors was directed by Pieteren den Brant, apparently a woodcraftsman by profession, but somehow able to spend much time on stage.

Pieteren den Brant is one of the few authors in the Geraardsbergen Manuscript referred to by name. The text mentioning his name in the opening rubrics is Text 83. It counts 100 lines and gives descriptions of the four temperaments of man: phlegmatic, choleric, sanguine and melancholic. The ideas underlying the text are based on common knowledge of astrology and humorism. The information the reader receives in this text is altogether not very difficult to understand for an average, medieval, urban audience. Pieteren does not seem to know every detail of this theory either. The text becomes even more a ‘humorism for dummies’ by the insertion of stopgaps (e.g. ‘verstaet na mi’ – ‘believe me’).

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• People connected with the Geraardsbergen Manuscript
• Table of contents
• Geraardsbergen manuscript opening page