Beaubray, France. Chapelle des Minières.

Foundation documents. [Incipit:] Au nom de la saincte trinite ung seul dieu de tout createur.

[Normandy], 1521-27/8.

8vo (180 x 120 mm.). MANUSCRIPT ON VELLUM IN FRENCH AND LATIN. [15], [1 blank = rear pastedown] leaves. Mostly in a single Gothic hand (hybrida formata) in brown ink (short passages in a second contemporary hand and in a 17th-century hand, see below), 20 lines per page, text block c. 110 x 65 mm., ruled in ink, fore-edges pricked, three three-line and five two-line foliate initials in white and blue ink on gold grounds, smaller initials and line fillers in red, blue and gold. FULL-PAGE ILLUMINATION OF CHRIST CARRYING THE CROSS WITH THE VIRGIN MARY AND MARY MAGDALENE in an architectural frame of gold and red ink. Below the miniature are three lines of text and the painted arms of Thomas Postel, seigneur de Minières (left) and those of his wife Katherine Callenge (right).

Contemporary blind-tooled calf (slightly wormed, minor lacunae, rear hinge cracked), outer frame of an architectural capital roll repeated in the middle of the panel between two vertical impressions of a lattice work roll with dolphins, lilies and crowned ermine tails, seven (of eight) repoussé brass corner pieces and two repoussé brass center pieces, evidence of two brass clasps and catches.
PRESERVED IN THEIR ORIGINAL PROTECTIVE LEAD CASES, THE TWO CIRCULAR WAX SEALS, BEARING THE ARMS OF HUSBAND AND WIFE, have been attached by their red velvet-covered woven cords to the binding, his to the front board and hers to the rear (velvet mostly worn off).

THE FOUNDING DOCUMENTS OF THE MANORIAL CHAPEL AT LES MINIÈRES (Beaubray), conceived, built, decorated and endowed by Thomas Postel and his wife Katherine Callenge between 1521 and 1525. THOMAS AND KATHERINE THEMSELVES AUTHENTICATED THIS PROFESSIONAL TRANSCRIPTION, likely intended to be kept in the chapel. They both affixed their signatures twice, affirming specific articles, and he added his autograph eschatocol stating that the original documents resided with the family (f. 11r).
            The property has belonged to the Postel family since 1234. In 1998 the chapel was designated a National Historic Monument for the remarkable preservation of its original furnishings — the large stained glass window of Thomas and his family, the richly carved funerary stonework, the statues of saints Leonard, Fiacre, Anthony and Benedict, and “the only extant example of a sarcophagus preserved in a wooden cabinet” (Cloulas), whose doors served as an altar triptych for Good Friday services. (The example at the Met lacks its doors.)
            The finely executed opening illumination visually represents the chapel’s consecration to the Passion and the Virgin. The foundation charter, in French, follows. Its stipulations concern the nomination, approval and installation of the chaplain, his compensation in cash and in kind and his duties. Next come the Bishop of Évreux’s validation of the arrangement and the codification of revenues, taxes, concession, building maintenance and inheritance. Compliance in all civil matters rested with the municipal authorities. The ascendance in 1521 of the “young” Jean Postel to the chaplaincy is also noted.
            In 1527/8, some two years after the death of his wife, Thomas Postel decided to become a cleric, had his intention added at the end and signed it. In 1673, one Philippe Lucas visited the chapel, transcribed the present manuscript, placed the new copy in the chapel and recorded the event on the antepenultimate and penultimate leaves. In very good condition.
¶See Cloulas’ “La mise au tombeau de la chapelle seigneuriale des Minières” in Bulletin monumental 130/2 (1972) 129-135 and Charpillon’s Dictionnaire historique…de l’Eure 217.

Item #11523

Price: $45,000.00

Status: On Hold