D. H. (Jarnahan — Malstre Eloy du Mont, diet Costentin. 91 



Numerous large initials with flowered tracing. Three. miniatures in 

 colors. Manuscript written entirely in the same handwriting. The 

 manuscript of the National Library is the only one existing. 



We have little exact information in regard to Eloy du Mont, the 

 author of the " Poesies." To his pen is also due the mystery of the 

 " Resurrection,'" which is an abridgment of the long mystery of 

 the same name attributed by M. Petit de Julleville to Jean Michel.^ 

 M. Petit de Julleville gives the date of this abridged mystery as 

 towai'ds the year 1530, on account of the references in the dedica- 

 tory epistle to the rigors employed by the king against the heretics.^ 

 It might well be dated any time from 1530 to 1536, as these severe 

 measures were practised against the Protestants continuously during 

 these 3'ears.^ The references, moreover, are quite vague in respect 

 to date, as one may see ; f ol. 2, recto, line 5, " Si de par vous remede 

 on n'y eust mys," and lines 10-11, "la bonne justice Qui faict en 

 est par vous, donne notice." A probable date for the representation 

 of this mystery would be 1532, when the king passed through Nor- 

 mand}^ on his way to the coronation of his son Francis, as Duke of 

 Brittany. In the dedicatory poem of his "Poesies," Eloy du Mont 

 speaks of a present made to him at Vasteville in the name of the 

 king ; there may be confusion in the manuscript between the name 

 of this town and Vatteville, where Francis passed the fourth and 

 fifth of March, 1538.'' 



The few details in the life of our author with which we are 

 acquainted are furnished by two of his works, which have come 

 down to us. In " La Resurrection," he styles himself, simply, 

 "Costentin, du Roy serf loyal (fol. 2, verso), Maistre Eloy du Mont, 

 diet Costentin (fol. 10, recto.), Aeligii Montani Constantinatis (fol. 

 10, recto.), Costentin, vostre humble vallet (fol. 11, verso)." The 

 term " valet du Roy " may imply nobility of rank but does not 

 necessarily do so, as there are instances of wiiters who are not of 

 noble birth being in attendance upon royalty. If of noble rank, 

 the name of Costentin would point to the house of Costentin-Tour- 

 ville in Normandy, but, unfortunately, a study of the genealogy of 

 this family reveals no one who may answer to his description. The 



1 Manuscript B. N., 2238, f. fr. 



- See " Note sur le Mystere de la Resurrection attribue k Jean Michel." G. 

 Macon. Paris, 1898. 



^ Les Mysteres, vol. i, p. 336. 



•• See '• Le Journal d'un Bourgeois de Paris," p. 169 et seq. 



'" Catalogue des Actes de Frangois 1, tome II, mars, 1538. 



