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The manuscripts of the Speculum Doctrinale

The sigla used for the surviving manuscripts of the Speculum Doctrinale are derived from the inventory in Hans Voorbij, Het 'Speculum Historiale' van Vincent van Beauvais, Groningen 1991, Appendix 2.2, pp. 335-337, and gradually expanded later additions occurring.


Earlier versions of this list of surviving manuscripts of the Speculum Doctrinale mentioned 6 more manuscripts. Irene Villarroel Fernández (De enciclopedia a florilegio: la transmisión de los libros V y VI del "Speculum doctrinale" de Vicente de Beauvais. Madrid 2016 (Ph.D., Universidad Complutense de Madrid, 2015). [online available]) shows that these 6 manuscripts do not contain the original text of the Speculum Doctrinale. They contain instead a florilegium that is derived from books V and VI of the Speculum Doctrinale. For this reason, these 6 manuscripts have been moved to the page on manuscripts containing anonymous abbreviations and adaptations of the Speculum Maius.


The following components make up the Speculum Doctrinale (Do):


  • Libellus Apologeticus (LA-3) + short prologue to the Speculum Doctrinale (Pdoct) + list of chapter titles

  • A short résumé on the Fall of men (Rmor)

  • Text of the Doctrinale (Doct) consisting of 17 books, numbered as 2-18.

List of surviving manuscripts


19 surviving manuscripts of the Speculum Doctrinale are known today. 7 of these manuscripts contain only books V and VI, which deal with monastica. The study by Irene Villarroel Fernández shows that these 7 manuscripts constitute a separate branch of the manuscript tradition of the Speculum Doctrinale.


Key

Do* - Corresponding books in the printed edition of the Speculum Naturale, Douai, 1624; I - Additional information on the speculum text as present in the manuscript, or on other texts present in the manuscript, or on material damage; D - Date of the manuscript; P - Country, region or place of production; if available, information on the scribe(s) of the manuscript; O - Medieval and pre-modern owners of the manuscript; L - Hyperlink to digital facsimiles of the manuscript; R - Reference to manuscripts listed in other parts of the inventory, with which this manuscript at the time of its production constituted a set of volumes. Manuscripts that have been collected into a set by a single medieval collector (library) within several decades, are indicated with cf.


  • Basel, Öffentliche Bibliothek der Universität, Cod. membr. Basiliense B.IX.6, fols. 9ra-112vb, books V-VI (Do* IV-V)

    • Siglum: Do1

    • I: Fols. 209ra-221rb contain excerpts of the Speculum Historiale; the manuscript contains also (excerpts from) several other works on morality and preaching.

    • D: early 14th century

    • P: ?

    • O: Dominican friar Günther, possibly identical with the prior of the Dominican house at Basel since 1315 (Iste liber est fratris Guntheri monachi sed post mortem suam erit conventus Basiliensis ubicumque etiam mortuus fuerit); Basel O.P. (Iste liber est fratrum predicatorum domus basiliensis); incorporated into the University library in the 16th century (Ex libris Bibliothecae Academicae Basilensis)


  • Bologna, Reale Collegio di Spagna, ms. 43, books I-V,175 and XI,140-154 (Do* I-IV,175 and X,140-154)

    • Siglum: Do25

    • I: The folios containg the text of V,176-XI,139 are missing.

    • D: 14th century

    • P: ?

    • O: ?

    • L: Digital facsimile of the entire manuscript


  • Bruges, Stadsbibliotheek, 251, books I-IX (Do* I-VIII)

    • Siglum: Do2

    • D: last quarter of 13th century

    • P: Northern France (Douai?)

    • O: cl. Ter Doest O.Cist. (f° 239r: Beate Marie de Tosan); later cl. Ter Duinen O.Cist.

    • L: Digital facsimile of the entire manuscript

    • R: cf. Do3


  • Bruges, Stadsbibliotheek, 252, books X-XVIII (Do* IX-XVII)

    • Siglum: Do3

    • D: 14th century

    • P: ?

    • O: cl. Ter Doest O.Cist., later cl. Ter Duinen O.Cist.

    • L: Digital facsimile of the entire manuscript

    • R: cf. Do2


  • Budapest, National Library (Országos Széchényi Könyvtar), 387, fols. 62r-88r, books V,3-146 (Do* IV,3-146)

    • Siglum: Do24

    • I: The manuscript contains a series of spiritual and mystical texts.

    • D: 1485-1488, following the scribe's annotations at several pages.

    • P: Germany (Rhine-Hesse), by the scribe Mathias Maselhart (Explicit […] per fratrem Mathiam Maselhart de Alczeija at fols. 49v, 61r, 111v, 128r, 131r, 173v, 266r, 270v, 284r and 391v)

    • O: Alzey (Germany), Augustinians.


  • Budapest, University library (Egyetemi Könyvtar), Lat. 112, fols. 51r-144v, books V,3-45 and 56-176, and VI,22-31, 35-37 and 135 (Do* IV,3-45 and 56-176, and V,22-31, 35-37 and 135)

    • Siglum: Do23

    • I: Originally this was a composite volume containing both incunabulum printings and hand written texts. The printed parts, containing the Historia Bohemica by Aeneas Silvius Piccolomini, are kept separately nowadays. The manuscript part also contains, among others, texts by Baptista Spagnuoli Mantuanus and St. Augustine as well as treatises dealing with Jerome of Prague.

    • D: Early 16th century, and (fols. 146r-151v) middle of the 15th century.

    • P: The 16th century scribe calls himself Frater Johannes de Zypraw (Scriptus per fratrem Johannem Czypra anno ab incarnati verbi Mo quingentesimo septimo (fol. 144v); Scripta per fratrem Johannem Zyprau in die sancti Viti […] Mo quingentesimo sexto (fol. 161v)

    • O: Probably originating from Czechia; in 1671 incorporated into the library of the Collegium Pazmanianum S.J. at Vienna, following a note in the incunabulum part of the original volume (Collegij Pazmaniani Sub Cura P. P. Societatis Jesu Viennae fundati Catalogo inscriptus 1671); University library at Budapest since the 1780's.


  • Krakow, Biblioteka JagielloÅ„ska, Rkp. 498 IV, books II-IX (Do* I-VIII); and Rkp. 447 IV, books X-XVIII (Do* IX-XVII)

    • Siglum: Do4

    • I: ms. 498: The Libellus Apologeticus and the list of chapter titles are missing; ms. 447: due to loss of leaves, the text of book XII has lacunas.

    • D: ms. 498: 1418 (fol. 245v: … in uigilia diuisionis apostolorum Sub anno domini millesimo CCCC° XVIII°); ms. 447: 1419 (fol. 290r: … finita sabbato ante dominicam ramis palmarum Sub anno domini Millesimo CCCCXIX°).

    • P: Poland (Krakow), copied by Vincentius de Casimiria (ms. 498, fol. 245v: Explicit liber, prima pars speculi doctrinalis per manus Vincencii de Kazimiria …; ms. 447, fol. 290r: … per manus Vincencii clerici de Kazimiria …)

    • O: ?

    • L: Digital facsimile of Rkp. 498 IV and Rkp. 447 IV.

    • R: cf. Hebc1


  • London, British Library, 11.A.XIV, fols. 223-312: book X (Do* IX)

    • Siglum: Do21

    • I: This manuscript contains treatises on canon law.

    • D: 15th century

    • P: England

    • O: Richard Clarke; John Theyer


  • London, British Library, Add. 18.334, fols. 109r-128v, books V-VI (Do* IV-V)

    • Siglum: Do15

    • I: The manuscript contains theological works by, among others, Hugh of Saint Victor, Bernard of Clairvaux and ps.-Dionysius the Areopagite.

    • D: Final third of 13th century

    • P: Austria?

    • O: Austria (St. Georgenberg O.S.B.?)?; acquired in 1850 by Adolf Asher, Berlin, for the library of the British Museum; since 1979 incoporated into the British Library.


  • Mons, Bibliothèque universitaire, 32/362, books II-IX (Do* I-VIII)

    • Siglum: Do5

    • D: ca. 1270-1280

    • P: Northern France (region of Cambrai)

    • O: cl. Cambron O.Cist. (14th century owner's mark at fol. 1r: Liber sancte marie de Camberone)

    • R: Hd5 and Nb8


  • Paris, Bibliothèque de l'Arsenal, 1015, books I-X,1 (Do* I-IX,1); 1016, books X-XVIII (Do* IX-XVII)

    • Siglum: Do7

    • D: ca. 1310-1350

    • P: France

    • O: Paris, cl. Grands-Augustins O.E.S.A.


  • Paris, Bibliothèque nationale, lat. 6428, books I-XVIII (Do* I-XVII)

    • Siglum: Do8

    • D: ca. 1270-1310

    • P: France

    • O: Pierre de Foix, cardinal from 1414 to 1464; Collège de Foix, Toulouse; J.-B. Colbert since 1680

    • R: cf. Nb10 and Nb12

    • L: A monochrome facsimile (microfilm) is available in the Gallica database of the Bibliothèque Nationale de France.


  • Paris, Bibliothèque nationale, lat. 16100, books I-XVIII (Do* I-XVII)

    • Siglum: Do9

    • D: ca. 1260-1300

    • P: France

    • O: Bequeathed to the library of the Sorbonne by Pierre de Limoges, member of the Collège de Sorbonne (2nd half of 13th century).

    • R: cf. Nb14


  • Paris, Bibliothèque de la Sorbonne, 53, books I-XVIII (Do* I-XVII)

    • Siglum: Do10

    • D: 14th century

    • P: France (Paris)

    • O: Owner's mark from the 16th century on flyleaf at the front: Hic liber, qui dicitur libellus tocius operis apologeticus, est reverendi in Christo patris ac domini domini Guillelmi, episcopi Constan[ciensis]; Paris, Collège du Maître Gervais or Collège des Jésuites Louis-le-Grand?

    • L: A selection of color images is available for consultation in the Bibliothèque virtuelle des manuscrits médiévaux of the Institut de recherche et d’histoire des textes at Paris.

    • R: He83 and Nb16


  • Perugia, Biblioteca Comunale Augusta, 1096, fols. 49r-137r, books V-VI (Do* IV-V)

    • Siglum: Do17

    • I: The manuscript also contains ps.-Vincent of Beauvais De fructibus penitentie (fols. 1r-48v); and the Liber de laudibus beate Marie Virginis by Vincent of Beauvais (fols. 137r-140r).

    • D: Final quarter of 13th century

    • P: Italy (Northern Lazio)

    • O: Leonardo Mansueti O.P., Master General of the Dominican Order (1474–1480); cl. Santa María sopra Minerva O.P. at Rome; cl. San Domenico O.P. at Perugia.


  • Philadelphia, private collection Albert C. Baugh, no shelf number, books V-VIII (Do* IV-VII)

    • Siglum: Do11

    • D: 15th century

    • P: ?

    • O: Cologne, cl. St. Barbara O.Carth. (owner's mark at flyleaf at the front: Liber domus sancte Barbare Colonie ordinis Carthusiensis)


  • Pisa, Biblioteca del Seminario, Arciv. S. Caterina 54, fols. 1r-64v and 70r-105v, books V and VI,1-90 (Do* IV and V,1-90)

    • Siglum: Do12

    • I: Fols. 64v-69r contain thematical and alphabeteical indices to books V and VI of the Speculum Doctrinale.

    • D: End of the 13th or early 14th century

    • P: Italy (Pisa?) by Johannes Puccini of Pistoia (f. IIv: Istum librum scripsit frater Iohannes puccini de Pistorio. Mortuus est in maxima mortalitate conuentualis in Pisis scripsit manu propria et fuit ualde deuotus et magister meus nouitiorum quando intraui ordinem).

    • O: Pisa, cl. S. Catherina O.P. (owner's marks at fol. IIr and IIv).


  • Valencia, Catedral, Núm. 1, books I-XVIII (Do* I-XVII)

    • Siglum: Do13

    • I: Incorrectly identified as a manuscript of the Speculum Historiale by E. Olmos y Canalda, Catalogo descriptivo. Codices de la Catedral de Valencia, segunda edición, Valencia 1943, p. 24.

    • D: 14th century

    • P: ?

    • O: Possibly Valencia, Catedral.


  • Vienna, Österreichische Nationalbibliothek, 4827, fols. 173r-229r, books V-VI (Do* IV-V)

    • Siglum: Do20

    • I: The text belongs to the second part of a composite manuscript consisting of 3 parts, dating to the 14th and 15th centuries. This second part also contains Auctoritates sanctorum de virtutibus et vitiis secundum ordinem alphabeti, ps.-Vincent of Beauvais De fructibus penitentie, and an alphabetical index to books V and VI of the Speculum Doctrinale.

    • D: End of 14th or early 15th century

    • P: ?

    • O: (Parts of the) manuscript owned by Heinrich Totting von Oyta († 1397); Hermann of Treysa; Vienna, Dominikanerkloster; Vienna, University Library (1623-1756).


Image: Brugge, Stadsbibliotheek 251, f° 24ro.

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