Text and Commentary

Our transcription of the documents catalogued as Paris, Archives Nationales, J 821 A-D differs significantly from the previous edition, prepared by A. M. Chazaud in 1871. Where Chazaud eliminated duplicate information found in the rolls, we have chosen to include all redundant text in our edition. A current version of the text and translation, and accompanying commentary (in separate documents), can be downloaded using the following links:

Because language norms were not yet fixed in thirteenth-century French-language documents, particularly those created in Outremer, we have opted to privilege original orthography and word spacing when possible. Moreover, this is an edition of one manuscript only, not a critical edition of multiple manuscripts (where multiple copies exist, ie. Rutebeuf). We have therefore adopted the following norms to make the manuscript image more accessible and to aid in reader comprehension.

For the Old French Transcription 

• We have use the following currency symbols: b̸ (bezant), d (denier), lb (livre/pound), s (sous) q (quarroble). When these denominations are spelled out or partly-spelled out in the document, we have done the same in the transcription.
• We have retained the raised punctus as it appears in the manuscript; it serves multiple purposes that might be addressed by the range of modern punctuation, including bullet points, commas, semi-colons and other sigla. In this document, the raised punctus is often used to designate successive items in a list.
• Numbering: the document consistently uses roman numerals, which we have chosen to retain. NB the use of superscript multipliers, eg., vii^xx = 140.
• We have not consistently expanded the abbreviation for item, but reproduced what appears on the document.
• The document contains pilcrows or paragraph markers (Fr. pied de mouche), which we have indicated with the ⁋ symbol.
• We have reproduced all proper names (people and places) as in the document.
• Standard abbreviations (eg. ꝯ = moins, con, & = et, ⁊= et, ƿ = ser) have been expanded silently.

For the Translation:

• We have standardized all proper names.
• We have translated item as likewise.

• We have calculated all Roman numeral groupings and expressed them in Arabic format.

Our goal is not to impose the outdated editorial norms once practiced for print-only versions, since previous readers of these hard-copy versions rarely had recourse to document images. Since we now have ready access to the online images, our aims are to facilitate ease of reading for users, understanding that our interpretations can be queried by looking at the high-resolution image placed alongside our transcription online or available at the link provided in the final print version. 

• The interface below allows access to the text and translation only, as follows:To view the successive images and accompanying transcriptions, click through the pages using the button at top right.
• To view the translation, click the “Show Translation” button above the right-hand transcription screen.
• There are 10 images in total. Rolls A-D each contain a front and back image (8 images). Roll A , however, is lengthy, and the image had to be divided into two parts. There are therefore 4 images for Roll A, for a total of 10 images.
• NB: The image display on page 2 [Roll 1A Front, Part 2, (rotated)] will not automatically align with the typed version in the transcription pane. Use the arrow buttons on the image screen and click twice to rotate the image 180 degrees, to align with the typed content.