Nicholas of Bray

Nicholas of Bray (or Nicolas de Brai) was a French clergyman and poet who wrote a Latin epic on the deeds of King Louis VIII of France (1223–1226), the Gesta Ludovici VIII. The only copy of the Gesta today is a copy made by André Duchesne in the 17th century. Nicholas imitates Ovid's Metamorphoses, introducing thereby much classical mythology, but still contains some useful information for the historian. On the whole, the Gesta reveals more about mores and customs than historical events.

Editions Nicolao de Braia, "Gesta Ludovici VIII, Francorum Regis", Recueil des historiens des Gaules et de la France (Paris: 1818 ), pp. 311–345.