Chapter LV: Appendix: I

MANUSCRIPTS OF THE SPECULUM ASTRONOMIAE

The descriptions of the first group of MSS in the Amplonian collection at Erfurt are drawn from Schum’s _Verzeichniss_.

Amplon. Quarto 189, on the verge of the 13th-14th centuries,
following fols. 40-67 Alberti Magni liber de mineralibus
et lapidibus, fols. 67-8 Notae de coloribus (fortasse
Alberti Magni tribuendae), and fol. 68 Notae variae, come
in a new hand at fols. 68-70 De imaginibus astronomicis,
and fol. 70 Notae ex capitulis speculi Alberti quibus de
imaginibus et de commendatione astronomiae inscribitur
extractae.

Amplon. Quarto 223, late 14th century, fols. 105-116,
Tractatus de nominibus librorum astronomie cui inscribitur
_Speculum Alberti_ (Magni). “Explicit liber de nominibus
librorum astronomie dictus Speculum Alberti.”

Amplon. Quarto 348, 1393 A. D., fols. 114-125, “Incipit
liber Alberti Magni episcopi Ratisponensis de libris
mathematice facultatis licitis et illicitis Erphordie
conscriptus ... / ... Finitus est Erphordie liber Alberti
de libris mathematice facultatis licitis et illicitis 1393
die 29 mensis Maii luna in capricorno et sole in geminis,”
etc.

Amplon. Quarto 349, by two different hands of the mid-14th
century, fols. 98-108, “Liber de nominibus librorum
astronomie sive speculum domini Alberti.”

The following MSS in the Bibliothèque Nationale and Bodleian are those which I have personally examined:

BN 7440, 14th century, fols. 1r-7r. The Speculum astronomiae
here opens without Titulus or Incipit but some later hand
has inserted, “Incipit speculum alberti prohemium.” Only
the bottom of the second column on fol. 1r is occupied
by the text of the Speculum, which is preceded by some
lines of text ending “Explicit liber hermetis” which are
the conclusion of the treatise on fifteen stars, stones,
and herbs at fols. 13v-16v. The Speculum is followed at
fol. 7r by the De urina non visa of William of England
or Marseilles and other astrological treatises. At fols.
38v-40v and 25r-32v is an astrological passage from what
is called in the headings at the tops of the pages “Meth’a
Rog’i” (Metaphysics of Roger), which Mr. Steele has
printed in Opera hactenus inedita Rogeri Baconi, Fasc. 1.
But the occurrence of this fragment in the same MS with
the Speculum can scarcely be adduced as any indication of
the Baconian authorship of the Speculum, since the same
later hand, which has here inserted “Incipit methafisica
Rogeri baconis de ordine predicatorum” (_sic!_), wrote in
the ascription of the Speculum to Albert.

BN 7408, 15th century. Here the Speculum is bound at the
close of a MS containing astronomical and astrological
works. It is ascribed to Albert not only in the general
table of contents for the MS and in a Titulus written
at its beginning in another hand than its text, but the
text itself closes, “Expliciunt liber dicta speculum
alberti magni de nominibus librorum astronomie tam
demonstrativorum quam judicialium quem composuit frater
albertus ut sciatur qui libri sunt contra fidem et qui
non.” The same hand then goes on to cite Albert’s work on
minerals concerning images on stones.

BN 7335, 15th century, fols. 108r-114v, “Incipit libellus
alberti magni de discretione astronomie a falsa aliter
intitulatus speculum ... / ... Explicit tractatus qui
dicitur speculum domini alberti.”

Digby 228, 14th century, fol. 76-, no author is named in
the text itself of the Speculum but in the upper margin
of this page a hand of the same century has written the
following note: “Tractatus magistri Philippi cancellarii
Parisiensis de libris astronomie qui tenendi sunt secundum
integritatem fidei catholice et qui non.” This MS seems to
give a more correct text than any of the three following
other MSS in the Bodleian.

Ashmole 345, later 14th century (the name, “Kenelme
Digby,” is written at the top of the first page of the
MS), fols. 14v-21, Tractatus in quo corriguntur errores
quorundam astrologorum et philosophorum fidei catholicae
repugnantes, “Occasione quorundam librorum apud quos non
est radix scientie ... / ... sed quod ambo inveniuntur ab
eodem creata. Explicit.” Although it opens as usual, it
omits much of the earlier chapters and bibliography of the
Speculum. No author seems to be named.

Digby 81, on paper, fols. 102-18, “Explicit iste tractatus
quem composuit Albertus frater predicator.” But a hand of
the 17th century adds the note, “Albertus non fuit author
huius libri sed Philippus cancellarius Parisiensis, ut
ex vetustissimo exemplari manuscripto manifestum est,”
which I presume is a reference to the note to that effect
in Digby 228. As a table of contents for this portion of
the MS at fol. 101r shows, this “Albertus de scientiis
licitis et illicitis” was once followed by “Cosmographia
Rogeri Bacon”; but it will be noted that although the 17th
century hand questions Albert’s authorship, its writer was
not moved to ascribe the Speculum to Bacon.

Canon. Misc. 517, 15th century, fols. 52v-59v, “Incipit
speculum alberti ... / ... finis Spectubili Alberti.”
Written in a print-like hand which is prettier than Digby
228, but the text nevertheless contains a good many slips,
as in the omission of words from the Incipits in the
bibliographies of deserving and illicit books. Also it has
19 chapters instead of the usual 17, as in Digby 228 and
the printed text.

The following MSS I have not examined but list according to the various catalogues:

Arsenal 387, 13th century, fols. 16-31. Fols. 15-34 are
now missing but in the 16th century Claude de Grandrue
gave the description: “Liber Alberti magni de nominibus
librorum astronomie tam demonstrativum quam judicialium,
ut sciatur qui libri sunt contra fidem et qui non.” The
correspondence of this wording with BN 7408 is perhaps
worth noting.

Brussels, Library of Dukes of Burgundy, 936, anno 1418,
Alberti Maqui Speculum astronomiae; 1030, 15th century,
Alberti Magni Speculum; 1466, 15th century, an abridgement
of the Speculum.

Florence, Ashburnham 136, early 15th century, fols. 178-83,
Speculum Alberti Magni.

Catania 87, 15th century, #13, Albertus Magnus, Summa
librorum astronomiae.

S. Marco XI-71, 16th century, 19 fols., Alberti Magni
astronomiae speculum. Valentinelli remarks, “Opus Rogero
Baconi male tributum, recte sub Alberti Magni nomine
pluries editum est.”

CLM 27, 14-15th century, fol. 55, Alberti Magni iudicium de
libris Messahallach sequentibus; presumably a fragment.

CLM 221, 15th century, fols. 223-8, Speculum mathematicae.

CLM 267, 14th century, fol. 91, de recapitulatione omnium
librorum astronomiae.

CLM 8001, 14th century, fol. 145, where the Speculum occurs
in the same MS with Albert’s De vegetabilibus and other
commentaries on Aristotle.

Berlin 963, 15th century, fol. 142, “Speculum dn̄i alberti
magni episcopi ratisponensis. Occasione quorundam
librorum....”

Vienna 5508, 14-15th century, fols. 161v-180v, Speculum
geomanticum (the MS as a whole is largely devoted to
geomancy, but the opening words, “Occasione quorundam
librorum” identify it as our treatise).

CU Trinity 1185, 16th century, fols. 1-7, Speculum Alberti
Magni, “Occasione quorundam librorum.”