Chapter XXXIV: Appendix: I

THE MANUSCRIPTS OF THE DE NATURA RERUM

Of the half dozen or so MSS which I have examined Egerton 1984, 13th century, fols. 34-145, and Arundel 323, 13th century, fols. 1-98, present a different version from the others, arranged in a different order and somewhat more condensed, although sometimes inserting points omitted in the other MSS, as has already been illustrated in the text in the reproduction of the chapter on the lion. These two MSS open with what is usually the 16th book on the seven regions of the air and continue with the subjects of the heavens and elements to which books 17-19 are usually devoted. Then, omitting the themes of the usual first three books, they consider quadrupeds (Egerton 1984, fol. 51v; Arundel 323, fol. 33r), other animals, and herbs. Then follow precious stones and metals, after instead of before which comes a truncated version of the book on fountains (Egerton 1984, fol. 142v; Arundel 323, fol. 91r). Next comes a treatment of parts of the human body which roughly answers to Thomas’s first book but omits entirely the chapters dealing with generation and obstetrics. Indeed in Egerton 1984 the text breaks off at fol. 145v in the midst of the chapter on teeth and in the middle of a word, and then ends on the upper part of fol. 146r with the closing portion of the chapter _De anchis_ and the chapter on _Spondilia_. Arundel 323 continues as far as the 44th chapter on the spleen. It then at fol. 98r introduces a brief discussion of geography (_Incipiunt Divisiones Provinciarum_), at the close of which we read, “Explicit liber lucii annisii Senece Cordubensis fortini stoyci discipuli De naturis rerum.” The text, however, goes on to fol. 103v with a discussion of diseases, remedies, and astrological medicine. Neither this nor the list of provinces forms a part of the _De natura rerum_ as contained in Royal 12-E-XVII and 12-F-VI.

As the _Histoire Littéraire de la France_ listed only MSS of the _De natura rerum_ at Paris and in a few other continental libraries, and as the authorship of Thomas of Cantimpré is seldom recognized in the MSS catalogues, I append a list of MSS in British and continental libraries which are not noted in the _Histoire Littéraire_. No doubt the list is still very incomplete. C. Ferckel (1912), pp. 11-18 gives a fuller list than that in the _Histoire Littéraire_, but only those MSS which are marked with an asterisk in the following list have been noted by Ferckel:

British Museum

Egerton 1984, 13th century, described above.

Royal 12-E-XVII, 13th century.

Royal 12-F-VI, 14th century, fols. 3-119.

*Arundel 323, perhaps 13th century, described above.

*Arundel 142, 15th century, fols. 1-93.

The following contain only portions of the work:

*Arundel 298, perhaps 13th century, fols. 1-83, Books 3-9.

*Arundel 164, 15th century, fols. 5-58, preface and four
books.

Sloane 2428, 13th century, 9 fols., Book 14 on gems.

Sloane 405, 15th century, fols. 65-107, “De natura rerum
liber primus,” attributed to Albertus Magnus but really
the prologue of Thomas and most of his first book on
anatomy.

At Oxford

Selden supra 75 (Bernard 3463), early 14th century, fols.
1r-231v, de naturis rerum secundum diversos philosophos.
In 1919 the proof sheets for the new Summary Catalogue of
Bodleian MSS still stated: “The author, who wrote while
Jacobus de Vitriaco was bishop of Tusculum (1228-44: fol.
1v), appears to be unknown.”

*Canon. Misc. 356, 14th century, Anon. De naturis rerum.

Corpus Christi 221, 14th century, fol. 2-. Liber in quo
tractatus de motu coeli, de elementis, de mari, de
propriis mirabilibus cuiuslibet terrae, de lapidibus
pretiosis, de metallis, de fructibus, de avibus, de
bestiis, etc.

*Corpus Christi 274, 15th century, fol. 6-, Anon, de naturis
rerum.

Lincoln College 57, 13th century, Anon, de proprietatibus
rerum. This is the version in 20 books.

At Cambridge

Trinity 1058, 13th century, well-written, the version in 20
books, ending at fol. 186v.

James fails to rectify the attribution of the work to Albertus Magnus in both the following MSS:

Gonville and Caius 414, 13th century, fols. 1-161v.

Gonville and Caius 35, 15th century, fols. 1-137.

At Vienna

Vienna 2357, 14th century, fols. 1-46, Lucretius de naturis
rerum.

Vienna 5371, 15th century, fols. 1-100r, Opus de rerum
naturis.

At Munich

CLM 326, 14th century, 95 fols. The catalogue states, “Liber
Thomae Cantipr. vel. Conradi Megenb. similis, sed multo
amplior”; but its preceding description of the contents is
sufficient to identify the work as Thomas of Cantimpré’s.

CLM 2655, 13th century, fols. 1-94, de naturis rerum
visibilium.

CLM 3206, 13-14th century, fols. 1-145, de naturis rerum
liber.

CLM 6908, 13th century, fols. 1-78, Tractatus de naturis
animalium in xx libros divisus quorum tres extremi desunt.

CLM 8439, 15th century, fols. 84-144, Alberti Magni de
naturis rerum.

CLM 11481, anno 1390, de naturis rerum.

CLM 13582, 14th century, Thomae Cantipratensis liber de
natura rerum.

CLM 14340, 15th century, Thomae de Catimprato de naturis seu
proprietatibus rerum, in codice tributus Alberto Magno.

CLM 21008, 14th century, De proprietatibus rerum.

CLM 23879, 15th century, fols. 1-93, de natura rerum.

CLM 27006, anno 1409, fols. 1-170, de natura rerum.

Miscellaneous

*Wolfenbüttel 4499, 14th century, the version in 20 books,
catalogued by Heinemann as anonymous.

Dôle 173-80, 15th century, fols. 1-189, “De secretis nature,
Alberti Magni.”

S. Marco XII-65, 15th century, ascribed to Albert,
but opening, “Septem sunt regiones aeris, ut dicunt
philosophi.”

* Florence, Ashburnham 115, 15th century, “Expliciunt
Capitula de naturis Lucii Anney Senece Cordubensis,
Fortini Stoyci discipuli.”