X. (No. 1524).  A folio vol. from Colbert’s library, bound in red and yellow morocco, on which is painted, on a blue ground, a vine laden with grapes twining round the trunk of a tree.  On either side and in gold letters is the device, Sin e doppo la morte (until and after death).  Following the title-page, on which the work is called “The Decameron of the most high and most illustrious Princess, Madame Margaret of France,” is a curious preface signed “Adrian de Thou,” and dated “Paris, August 8, 1553.”  This Adrian de Thou, Lord of Hierville and canon of Notre Dame de Paris, counsellor and clerk of the Paris Parliament, was the fourth son of Augustine de Thou and uncle to James Augustus de Thou, the historian.  He died in October 1570.  His MS. of the Heptameron, a most beautiful specimen of caligraphy, contains a long table of various readings and obscure passages; this was consulted in preparing the text for the present translation.  The titles to the tales have also been borrowed from this MS.; they were composed by De Thou himself, and figure in no other MS. copy.

XI. (No. 1525).  A small folio, calf, from Colbert’s library, very incomplete and badly written, but containing the Miroir de Jesu Crist crucifie, the last poem Queen Margaret composed (see ante, vol. i. p. lxxxvi.).

XII. (No. 2155).  A small quarto, red morocco, from the library of Mazarin, whose escutcheon has been cut off.  The text, which is complete and correct, excepting that a portion of the prologue has been accidentally transposed, is followed by an epitaph on the Queen.  The handwriting throughout is that of the end of the sixteenth century.

The other MSS. of the Heptameron are the following:—­

XIII. (Orleans town library, No. 352).  A folio vol. of 440 pp.  It is doubtful whether this MS. is of the sixteenth or seventeenth century.  It bears the title L’Heptameron des Nouvelles, &c.  There are numerous deficiencies in the text.

XIV. (Vatican library, No. 929; from the library of Queen Christina of Sweden).  A folio vol., calf, 95 leaves, handwriting of the end of the sixteenth century.  This only contains fifteen of the stories.

XV. (present possessor unknown).  A folio vol., red morocco; text (ending with tale lxix. ) in sixteenth-century handwriting, with illuminated initial letters to each tale. Catalogue des livres de feue Mme. la Comtesse de Verrue, Paris, G. Martin, 1737.

XVI. (possessor unknown).  MS. supposed to be the original, a large folio, handwriting of the period, antique binding, containing the seventy-two tales. Catalogue des livres, &c., du cabinet de M. Filheul, &c., Paris, Chardin, 1779, pp. xxi. and 280.

XVII. (possessor unknown).  A folio vol., blue morocco, gilt.  No. 1493 in the catalogue of the Bibliotheque de Simon Bernard, chez Barrois, Paris, 1734; and No. 213 in a Catalogue de manuscrits interessants qui seront vendus... en la maison de M. Gueret, notaire, Paris, Debure fils jeune, 1776.