A fragile 13th century manuscript fragment, hidden in plain sight as the binding of a 16th-century archival register, has been discovered in Cambridge and revealed to contain rare medieval stories of Merlin and King Arthur.
The manuscript, first discovered at Cambridge University Libraryin 2019, has now been identified as part of the Suite Vulgate du Merlin, a French-language sequel to the legend of King Arthur. The story was part of the Lancelot-Grail cycle, a medieval best seller but few now remain.
There are less than 40 surviving manuscripts of the Suite Vulgate du Merlin, with each one unique since they were individually handwritten by medieval scribes. This latest discovery has been identified as having been written between 1275 and 1315.
The manuscript had survived the centuries after being recycled and repurposed in the 1500s as the cover for a property record from Huntingfield Manor in Suffolk, owned by the Vanneck family of Heveningham.
It meant the remarkable discovery was folded, torn, and even stitched into the binding of the book – making it almost impossible for Cambridge experts to access it, read it, or confirm its origins.
What followed the discovery has been a ground-breaking collaborative project, showcasing the work of the University Library’s Cultural Heritage Imaging Laboratory (CHIL) and combining historical scholarship with cutting-edge digital techniques, to unlock the manuscript’s long-held secrets – without damaging the unique document.
Dr Irène Fabry-Tehranchi, French Specialist in Collections and Academic Liaison at Cambridge University Library, was among those who first recognized the importance of the find.
“It was first thought to be a 14th century story about Sir Gawain but further examination revealed it to be part of the Old French Vulgate Merlin sequel, a different and extremely significant Arthurian text.”
As every manuscript of the period was copied by hand, it means each one is distinctive and reflects the variations introduced by medieval scribes.
This one is believed to belong to the short version of the Vulgate Merlin, and small errors—such as the mistaken use of the name “Dorilas” instead of “Dodalis”— will help Dr Fabry-Tehranchi and her colleague Nathalie Koble (ENS Paris), to trace its lineage among surviving manuscripts.
The text is written in Old French, the language of the court and aristocracy in medieval England following the Norman Conquest and this particular fragment belongs to the genre of Arthurian romances which were intended for a noble audience, including women.
The second passage presents a more courtly scene, set on the Feast of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary, with Merlin appearing at Arthur’s court disguised as a harpist—a moment that highlights his magical abilities and his importance as an advisor to the king.