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List of medieval bestiaries

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This is a list of medieval bestiaries. The bestiary form is commonly divided into "families," as proposed in 1928 by M. R. James and revised by Florence McCulloch in 1959–1962.

Latin bestiaries

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First family

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The subfamily designated the "B-Is" version, dated to the 10th–13th centuries, are based upon the "B" version of the Physiologus and the writings of Isidore of Seville:

  • Cambridge, Corpus Christi College, MS 22
  • London, British Library Royal MS 2.C.xii
  • London, British Library Stowe MS 1067
  • Los Angeles, Getty Museum Ludwig XV 3
  • Los Angeles, Getty Museum Ludwig XV 4
  • Oxford, Bodleian Library MS Bodley 602
  • Oxford, Bodleian Library MS Douce 167
  • Oxford, Bodleian Library MS Laud Misc. 247
  • Paris, Bibliothèque Nationale Nouv. acq. lat. 873
  • Vatican, Cod. Palat. lat. 1074

The "H" versions,[1] late 13th-century, which in addition to a base Physiologus text, adds and arranges the content according to the "H" text or Book II of De bestiis et aliis rebus of Hugues de Fouilloy (olim of Pseudo-Hugo de St. Victor).[2][3]

  • Cambridge, Sidney Sussex College 100
  • Chalon-sur-Saône, Bibliothèque Municipale MS 14
  • Paris, Bibliothèque Nationale lat. 2495A
  • Paris, Bibliothèque Nationale lat. 2495B
  • Paris, Bibliothèque Nationale lat. 3638A
  • Paris, Bibliothèque Nationale lat. 14429
  • Valenciennes, Bibliothèque Municipale MS 101

The "Transitional" group, appearing from the 12th to 14th century, incorporate material from other sources used by second family bestiaries:[4][3]

  • Northumberland Bestiary (Alnwick Castle, MS 447)
  • Cambridge, Trinity College R.14.9
  • Leningrad, Rossiiskaia natsional'naia biblioteka Q.v.V,1
  • London, British Library Royal MS 2.B.vii
  • London, British Library Royal MS 12.C.xix
  • Munich, Bayerische Staatsbibliothek gall. 16
  • New York, Morgan Library M. 81

Second family

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Detail of folio 8 recto from the Aberdeen Bestiary, the tiger.

The works in this group are based principally on Isidore's Etymologiæ with significant additional material from Solinus, Saint Ambrose's Hexameron,[5][6] Rabanus Maurus and others:[7]

  • Aberdeen Bestiary (Aberdeen University Library MS 24)
  • Brussels, Bibliothèque Royale 8340
  • Brussels, Bibliothèque Royale Hs 8827-42
  • Cambridge, Corpus Christi College MS 53
  • Cambridge, Fitzwilliam Museum MS 379 (C, W(B))
  • Cambridge, Gonville and Caius College MS 109/178
  • Cambridge, Gonville and Caius College MS 372/621
  • Cambridge, Gonville and Caius College MS 384/604
  • Cambridge, University Library Ii.4.26McCulloch|1960
  • Canterbury, Cathedral Library Lit.D.10
  • Chartres, Bibliothèque Municipale 63 (125)
  • Copenhagen, Kongelige Bibliotek Gl. Kgl. 1633 4°
  • Douai, Bibliothèque Municipale MS 711
  • Le Mans, Bibliothèque Municipale 84
  • London, British Library Add MS 11283
  • London, British Library Harley MS 3244
  • London, British Library Harley MS 4751
  • Rochester Bestiary (London, British Library Royal MS 12.F.xiii)
  • London, British Library Sloane MS 3544
  • Los Angeles, Getty Museum, Salvatorberg Bestiary
  • Nîmes, Bibliothèque Municipale 82
  • New York, Morgan Library MS M. 890
  • Oxford, Bodleian Library MS. Ashmole 1511
  • Oxford, Bodleian Library MS. Bodley 533
  • Oxford, Bodleian Library MS. Bodley 764
  • Oxford, Bodleian Library MS. Douce 88 A
  • Oxford, Bodleian Library MS. Douce 151
  • Oxford, St. John's College MS. 61
  • Oxford, St. John's College MS. 178
  • Oxford, University College MS. 120
  • Paris, Bibliothèque Nationale lat. 3630
  • Paris, Bibliothèque Nationale lat. 11207
  • Paris, Mazarine Library 742 (1115)
  • Vatican, Apostolic Library Reg. 258
  • Zirc, Országos Széchényi Könyvtár Cod. Lat. 506

Third family

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These, from the 13th century, expand on the above with various races of humans, mythological creatures, and sometimes wonders of the world from Bernard Silvestris and others:

  • Cambridge, Fitzwilliam Museum 254
  • Cambridge, University Library MS Kk.4.25
  • Oxford, Bodleian Library, MS. e Musaeo 136
  • Oxford, Bodleian Library MS. Douce 88 E
  • Westminster Abbey Library MS 22

Fourth family

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The sole work in this family, from the 15th century, is distinguished by its incorporation of writings by Bartholomaeus Anglicus:

  • Cambridge, University Library MS. Gg.6.5

Dicta Chrysostomi

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These works were attributed in their time to John Chrysostom and appeared, mostly in Germany, from the 12th to 15th century:

  • Bad Windsheim, Ratsbibl. Cod. 28
  • Brussels, Bibliothèque Royale 18421-29
  • Chicago, Newberry Library MS 31.1
  • Epinal, Bibliothèque Municipale 58 (209)
  • Göttweg, Stiftsbibl. Cod. Ms. 154
  • Göttweg, Stiftsbibl. Cod. ms. 200
  • Harvard University, Houghton Library MS Typ 101
  • Leningrad, Gos. Publ. Biblioteka Saltykova-Shchedrina lat. Q.v.III,1
  • Leipzig, Universitätsbibl. Paul. fol. 351
  • Leipzig, Universitätsbibl. Paul. 4° 1305
  • Linz, Studienbibl. Cod. ms. Cc.II.15
  • London, British Library Sloane MS 278
  • Munich, Bayerische Staatsbibliothek clm 536
  • Munich, Bayerische Staatsbibliothek clm 2655
  • Munich, Bayerische Staatsbibliothek clm 3221
  • Munich, Bayerische Staatsbibliothek clm 5613
  • Munich, Bayerische Staatsbibliothek clm 5921
  • Munich, Bayerische Staatsbibliothek clm 6908
  • Munich, Bayerische Staatsbibliothek clm 9600
  • Munich, Bayerische Staatsbibliothek clm 14216
  • Munich, Bayerische Staatsbibliothek clm 14348
  • Munich, Bayerische Staatsbibliothek clm 14693
  • Munich, Bayerische Staatsbibliothek clm 16189
  • Munich, Bayerische Staatsbibliothek clm 19648
  • Munich, Bayerische Staatsbibliothek clm 23787
  • New York, Morgan Library MS M. 832
  • Paris, Bibliothèque de l’Arsenal lat. 394
  • Paris, Bibliothèque Nationale lat. 10448
  • Uppsala, Universitetsbibliotek C 145
  • Vienna, Osterreichische Nationalbibliothek 303
  • Vienna, Osterreichische Nationalbibliothek 1010
  • Vienna, Osterreichische Nationalbibliothek 2511
  • Vienna, Osterreichische Nationalbibliothek 4609
  • Vienna, Osterreichische Nationalbibliothek 13378
  • Wolfenbüttel, Herzog August Bibliothek 35a Helmst. (Manuscript digitized)

Single Author manuscripts

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Many manuscripts contain portions of bestiaries that can be attributed to a single author. These include works by Isidore of Seville's Etymologiae, Thomas de Cantimpré's Liber de Natura Rerum, and Hugues de Fouilloy's De avibus

Hugues de Fouilloy

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  • Munich, Bayerische Staatsbibliothek, Clm 9649 (Hugues de Fouilloy, De avibus in a miscellany)

Isidore of Seville

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  • Philadelphia, University of Pennsylvania, Kislak Center for Special Collections, Rare Books and Manuscripts, LJS 184 (Isidore of Seville, Etymologiae)

Thomas de Cantimpré

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  • Philadelphia, University of Pennsylvania, Kislak Center for Special Collections, Rare Books and Manuscripts, LJS 23 (Thomas de Cantimpré, Liber de Natura Rerum)
  • Brugge, Openbare Bibliotheek, Ms. 410 (XIII)
  • Brugge, Openbare Bibliotheek, Ms. 411 (XV)
  • Brugge, Openbare Bibliotheek, Ms. 412 (XIV)
  • Brugge, Openbare Bibliotheek, Ms. 413 (XIV)
  • Wrocław, Biblioteka Uniwersytecka, Ms. R 174 (XV)

French bestiaries

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The French bestiaries are all derived from works with commonly attributed authorship, and are divided as such:

Bestiaire in Verse by Philippe de Thaon

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  • Copenhagen, Kongelige Bibliotek Gl. kgl. S. 3466 8º
  • London, British Library Cotton MS Nero A.v
  • Oxford, Merton College MS. 249

Bestiaire of Gervaise

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  • London, British Library Add MS 28260[8]

Bestiaire of Guillaume le Clerc

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  • Cambridge, Fitzwilliam McLean 123
  • Cambridge, Fitzwilliam Mus. J.20
  • Cambridge, Trinity College O.2.14
  • London, British Library Cotton Vespasian A.vii
  • London, British Library Egerton MS 613
  • London, British Library Royal MS 16.E.viii
  • Lyon, Palais des Arts 78
  • Oxford, Bodleian Library MS. Bodley 912
  • Oxford, Bodleian Library MS. Douce 132
  • Paris, Bibliothèque de l'Arsenal 2691
  • Paris, Bibliothèque Nationale fr. 902
  • Paris, Bibliothèque Nationale fr. 1444
  • Paris, Bibliothèque Nationale fr. 2168
  • Paris, Bibliothèque Nationale fr. 14964
  • Paris, Bibliothèque Nationale fr. 14969
  • Paris, Bibliothèque Nationale fr. 14970
  • Paris, Bibliothèque Nationale fr. 20046
  • Paris, Bibliothèque Nationale fr. 24428
  • Paris, Bibliothèque Nationale fr. 25406
  • Paris, Bibliothèque Nationale fr. 25408
  • Paris, Bibliothèque Nationale Rothschild IV.2.24
  • New Haven, Beinecke Library MS 395 (formerly Phillipps 4156)
  • Vatican, Apostolic Library Regina 1682
  • In a Psalter, the Queen Mary Psalter, British Library Royal MS 2B, vii
  • In a psalter, the Isabelle Psalter, State Library, Munich

Bestiaire of Pierre de Beauvais

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  • Malines, Bibliothèque du Séminaire 32
  • Montpellier, Bibliothèque de la Faculté de Médecine H.437
  • Paris, Bibliothèque de l'Arsenal fr. 3516
  • Paris, Bibliothèque Nationale fr. 834
  • Paris, Bibliothèque Nationale fr. 944
  • Paris, Bibliothèque Nationale nouv. acq. 13251
  • ex-Phillipps 6739 [C, M]
  • Vatican, Apostolic Library Reg. 1323

Middle English bestiary

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  • London, British Library Arundel MS 292

Italian bestiaries

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  • Florence, Bibl. Laurenziana Cod. plut. LXXXX Inf. Cod. 47 (Bibl. Gadd.)
  • Florence, Bibl. Laurenziana Cod. Ashb. 649
  • Florence, Bibl. Naz. Cod. Magliabecchiano II.8.33
  • Florence, Bibl. Naz. cl. XII Cod. Strozz. Magliabecchiano 135
  • Florence, Biblioteca Ricardiana Cod. 1357 P.III.4
  • Florence, Biblioteca Ricardiana Cod. 2183 R.IV 4 Nr. 2260
  • Florence, Biblioteca Ricardiana Cod. 2281
  • Naples, Bibl. Naz. XII.E.11
  • Padova, Museo Civico di Padova (Bibl. Comun.) Cod. C.R.M.248
  • Paris, Bibliothèque Nationale ital. 450
  • Rome, Bibl. Corsini 44.G.27

Catalan bestiaries

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  • Barcelona, Bibl. Universitària 75
  • Barcelona, Bibl. de Catalunya 87
  • Barcelona, Bibl. de Catalunya 310
  • Vic, Bibl. Capitular 229
  • Vic, Bibl. Capitular 1354

Icelandic bestiary

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  • Copenhagen, Arnamagnæanske Institut, Arnamagnæanske Institut, AM 673a 4º

German bestiary

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  • Munich, Bayerische Staatsbibliothek, Cgm 38 (Konrad von Megenberg, Das Buch der Natur)
  • Munich, Bayerische Staatsbibliothek, Cgm 8414 (Konrad von Megenberg, Das Buch der Natur)

References

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  1. ^ Clark (2006), pp. 128, 227.
  2. ^ McCulloch (1962), pp. 31–32.
  3. ^ a b Yapp (1985), p. 1.
  4. ^ McCulloch (1962), p. 33.
  5. ^ Crane, Susan (2012). Animal Encounters: Contacts and Concepts in Medieval Britain. University of Pennsylvania Press. p. 76. ISBN 9780812206302.
  6. ^ Clark (2006), passim. (notes to translated chapters)
  7. ^ McCulloch (1962), pp. 34–35.
  8. ^ "British Library, Add MS 28260 (Bestiaire of Gervaise)". The Medieval Bestiary. Retrieved 2012-03-07.
Bibliography