XLIII - Seigner n’Audric

Summary

9 MSS: A (28^v) Mareabrans, C (177^r) Marcabru (C Reg. Marc e bru), D (208^v) follows on without a break from XX, I (117^r-v) Marcabrus, K (103^r) Marcabrus, R (5^v) marc e bru, a¹ (572) follows on without a break from XX, d (303^r-v) Marcabrus, z (2 col. F) follows on without a break from XX

Analysis of the manuscripts

See also the analysis of the MSS for XX. The transmission of XLIII seems to have posed scribes fewer problems than that of XX. Da¹z are again distinct from the other MS traditions not simply because of versification, but because of individual readings and errors: see in Dz. (which are particularly close throughout XLIII) lines 1, 2, 3, 8 and so on; and in a¹ lines 1, 2, 3, 4, 6 and so on. The division between AlK and CR is, as in XX, marked: see lines 3, 10, 13, 14, 16 and so on; in addition CR give the ‘b’ rhyme as -as throughout whereas in all the other MSS it is -arts. The readings of the names in lines 1 and 35, though confirming at least in part the AIK/CR division, do not weigh conclusively in favour of either group of MSS; see the notes to these lines. Some CR readings are perfectly acceptable (for example lines 10, 14, 35) and only one can with certainty be regarded as a common error (line 13), but others are arguably facilior. see the notes to lines 3,16, 21, 28–29, 30 and 33. A seems almost error-free, offering arguably difficilior readings for each of these lines, which may suggest editing/innovation on the part of the common source of CR, but it could also be the AlK tradition that has innnovated. There are some minor divergences between C and JR on the one hand (see lines 1, 30 and 36), and A/IK on the other (see lines 4 and 17 where IK agree with CR), but none of these disagreements is significant. A is probably in error in line 10; K innovates independently of I in line 29, see the note. JR has a number of copying errors: see lines 2 and 21.

A case can be made that CR offer a series of facilior readings (see above and the notes to lines 3, 16, 21, 28-29, 30 and 33), but the arguments in favour of this hypothesis are not conclusive.