Miniature from the Romance of Pelyarmenus, in the 'Cycle des Sept sages', Paris, 2nd quarter of the 14th century.

Recto: A combat on horseback between a knight and five other knights, all in armour, three of the latter party lying wounded on the ground. Diapered background.
Verso: text from Pelyarmenus, 'Mais il ot gregnour pitie de son cheval que de lui. Adonc descendi a pie et trova son cheval forment navre si quil vit b[ie]n quil ne peust pas m[ou]lt longuement durer. Lor[s] commenca a sonner un cor moult aigrement si ques aucuns de ceulx de sa compagnie loyrent si a[..]des x. en vindrent les vi[...]'.
The manuscript this miniature comes from was written on 3 columns and the miniature was the width of one column.

May have come from the collection of William Young Ottley: his sale, Sotheby's London, 11-12 May 1838, maybe part of lot 128 (see Kidd 2020). Collection of Nathaniel Philips Simes: his sale, Sotheby's London, 9-13 July 1886, part of lot 1095. Purchased from Charles Fairfax Murray in 1894 as part of a group of cuttings (now Museum nos 799-1894 to 817-1894) for the total sum of £190 10s 10d.
A duplicate number MS.803 was assigned to this object in error and was subsequently cancelled.

Cuttings from the same manuscript in the V&A collection: 813-1894 and 814-1894.

Cuttings from the same manuscript in other collections: Oxford, Bodleian Library, MS. Douce d. 13, f. 2r (3 cuttings; probably purchased by Sir Francis Douce from London bookseller John Simco); Reims, Musée Saint-Rémi, inv. 978.28391 , 978.28392, 978.28393, 978.28394 (4 cuttings from Le Roman de Laurin; acquired from Auguste Duchesnes in 1858).

Cuttings from the same manuscript, whereabouts unknown: collection of Sir George Holford at Dorchester House: his sale, Sotheby's London, 12 July 1927, lot 2 (3 cuttings).

This miniature comes from an early 14th-century Parisian manuscript or set of manuscripts which contained romances belonging to the 'Cycle des Sept sages'. It depicts a scene from the Romance of Pelyarmenus and is stylistically close to two other copies of this text contained in:
- Paris, Bibliothèque nationale de France, fr. 22548-22550
- Paris, Bibliothèque nationale de France, fr. 17000 and London, BL, Harley MS 4903.

813-1894