Team Pigment and multi-spectrally imaging fragments at Bristol Central Library Credit: Professor Leah Tether
Academics from the Universities Durham and Bristol have identified fragments of Medieval manuscripts that were found in Bristol, which tell part of Merlin's story, the most well-known character from Arthurian legend.
Analysis also revealed how handwritten documents ended up at Bristol. It also highlighted differences in text between previous versions of the story. Researchers used multi-spectral imaging technology to read damaged portions of text that were not visible by the naked eye. They could even identify the ink type.
Michael Richardson, from the University of Bristol's Special Collections Library, stumbled upon the seven parchment fragments by accident in early 2019. They were found in the bindings for four early-modern volumes published between 1494-1502, and are now held in Bristol Central Library’s rare books collection.
These fragments include a passage from an Old French sequence text known as the Vulgate Cycle (or Lancelot-Grail Cycle) which dates back to the 13th century. Sir Thomas Malory (1415-1471), may have used parts of this Cycle as a source for Le Morte Darthur, first printed by William Caxton in 1485. This text is the main source for many modern retellings in English of the Arthurian legend.
It attracted significant media attention. The Bristol Merlin quickly became a household name, and made headlines around the globe.
Professor Leah Tether (President of the International Arthurian Society, British Branch) was informed of the discovery. Her husband, Dr. Benjamin Pohl, a medieval historian and manuscript specialist from Bristol University, and Dr. Laura Chuhan Campbell (a specialist in Old French Merlin stories from Durham University), set out to analyse and examine the fragments in depth to learn more.
Their joint research and findings include a complete transcription and translation into English of this text. They have now published a book entitled The Bristol Merlin: Revealing The Secrets of a Medieval Fragment. The book was recently published by ARC Humanities Press. It includes full-page colour images of fragments taken by Don Hooper, a Bristol-based photographer.
Professor Tether stated that the manuscript fragments were dateable to 1250-1275 by a palaeographic analysis. A linguistic study also located the manuscript to northern France, possibly north-eastern France.
"The text (the Suite Vulgate du Merlin), was written between 1220-1225. This puts the Bristol manuscript within one generation of its original authorship.
We were also able place the manuscript in England as soon as 1300-1350 due to an annotation in the margin. This allowed us to date the handwriting and identify it as English.
"Most manuscripts of this text that are known to be in England in Middle Ages were written after 1275. This makes it an early example of both Suite Vulgate manuscripts anywhere and especially those known to have made their way to England via France in the Middle Ages.
Close-up of one fragment showing damage to text and an inscription in the host volume. Credit: Don Hooper
"Working alongside Professor Andy Beeby of Durham University’s Department of Chemistry was also a game-changer for our project, thanks to the mobile Raman spectrumrometer, developed by him and Team Pigment, specially for manuscript study. Through digital processing, we were able to read certain parts of the text better by taking images of damaged sections.
This helped us establish that, as the text looked dark under infra red light, it was actually carbon-based ink made from soot. It was called 'lampblack'. It is possible that the reason why the scribes chose to use ink from a particular ink-making material was due to their location.
The team not only discovered the date of the manuscript but also was able to reconstruct how fragments got into the books and how they reached Bristol.
The team deduced that the fragments and the manuscript they come from had been discarded in Oxford or Cambridge. They were then reused for their parchment and not their content in the books where we find them. This probably occurred before 1520.
It is not known why the manuscript became a waste, but it could be due to newer English versions of the Arthurian legend being made available in new media of print (like Malory’s Le Morte Darthur).
Based on other books in the Bristol collection that have been provenance, it seems likely that the books were transported via Tobias Matthew Archbishop of York (1606-1628).
Matthew was previously the Dean and Bishop at Durham. He also collected many books that belonged to monks. Many of these bindings were from Oxford, as many Durham monks had studied at Durham College (now Trinity College).
Matthew, a Bristol native, would later co-found the Bristol Public Library in 1613. He also donated many of his books to the foundation of the library, some of which were posthumously. His bequest included the books that contained the Merlin fragments.
The team also discovered that the fragments from Bristol were able to show subtle but significant differences in the storylines of modern editions.
Some sections included more detailed descriptions, especially in relation to battle action. This is evident in the section where Merlin provides instructions as to who will lead each of Arthur's four divisions. However, the roles of the characters responsible for each division differ from the more well-known narrative.
Sometimes, only minor details were altered. King Claudas was wounded through his thighs in the modern edition. The fragments do not reveal the wound's nature, which could lead to differing interpretations of the text. Thigh wounds are often used metaphorically to describe impotence and castration.
Close-up of text showing the hands of both scribes. Credit: Don Hooper
Another example is the slightly less dramatic account of Merlin's encounter with Viviane, the enchantress better known to Malory readers under the name Lady of the Lake.
Each of the seven leaves represents a continuous sequence of Vulgate Merlin narratives (though they were bound out of chronological order' - specifically a section known as Suite Vulgate du Merlin (Vulgate Continuation of Merlin).
The events begin with Arthur and Merlin, Gawain, and other knights as King Ban and King Bohors prepare for battle at Trebes against King Claudas (and his followers).
Merlin is strategising for the best attack plan. The battle is described in detail. One point Arthur's forces appear beleaguered, but Merlin gives a speech encouraging them to resist cowardice. Merlin leads the charge by using Sir Kay's special dragon-standard that Merlin gifted to Arthur. It breathes real fire.
Arthur's forces win the final battle. The Castle of Trebes hosts Kings Arthur, Ban, and Bohors as well as the other knights.
Ban and Queen Elaine have a baby that night. Elaine has a bizarre dream about a lion or a leopard. The latter seems to be prefiguring Elaine's still-to-be born son. Ban has another terrifying dream, in which he hears voices. He wakes up, and he goes to church.
According to legend, Arthur stays in Benoic for the month and Ban and Bohors can continue fighting and defeating Claudas. However, Arthur leaves to take care of matters in his own lands and Claudas wins again.
Next, the narrative moves on to Merlin's explanation of Ban and Elaine's dreams. Merlin then meets Viviane, who wants to learn how to make people sleep. She also wishes to show her parents. Viviane stays with Merlin for a week. He seems to fall in love with Viviane, but he resists sleeping with him. Merlin returns to Benoic, where he will rejoin Arthur and his companions.
Professor Tether said: "Aside from the exciting conclusions, one of the most important things that this study, edition and translation of the Bristol Merlin revealed is the immeasurable benefit of interdisciplinary collaboration. This has in our case forged an holistic, comprehensive model to study medieval manuscript fragments, which we hope will inform, encourage and support future research in the field.
"It also showed us the tremendous potential of local manuscript, rare book and library collections in Bristol, especially in the Central Library, where many more unidentified fragments of manuscript are awaiting discovery."
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More information: ARC Humanities Press publication titled 'The Bristol Merlin: Revealing The Secrets of a Medieval Fragment’ by L. Tether and L. Chuhan Campbell.
