Manuscript 504 contains the Speculum naturale of Vincent of Beauvais (c. 1190-1264), a French Dominican scholar. The Speculum discusses the natural sciences and natural history, including among others biological, geological, astronomical, and zoological knowledge. Together with the Speculum doctrinale, that discusses scholastical knowledge, and the Speculum historiale, a world history, the Speculum naturale form the so-called Speculum maius, the largest encyclopaedic work produced in the Middle Ages. The Speculum naturale is divided into 32 books, of which this copy only contains the first ten. The last book is incomplete; the text stops abruptly at the top of fol. 167v. The presence of the Ten Duinen stamp on this leaf (see below) indicates that this was already the case in the early seventeenth century. The copy is 42 cm high and has been executed carefully. Decoration is present throughout. The first page of each book begins with a large initial, while the text is surrounded by a decorated frame, all in elaborate penwork. Minor initials have been added alternately in red and blue ink, with penwork in the other colour. Running titles and rubrics are present, although these lack towards the end of the volume. The margins are clean and there are no traces of usage. This manuscript was owned by Ten Duinen abbey. The cross-shaped stamp of the abbey is found on the first and final leaves. In the seventeenth century it was rebound in a binding of the 'Campmans' type, although without the gilded crest of the abbot. [Summary by Dr. Mark Vermeer]
[f. 1r] bovenmarge buitenhoek, 17de-eeuwse titel, Carolus de Visch?: 'Speculum naturale vincentii. 25. I'
Note
[f. 1r] rubriektitel: 'I. De causa suscepti operis et eius materia'
Note
[f. 1r] inc.: 'Qvoniam multitudo librorum et temporis breuitas'
Note
[f. 167v] expl.: 'Nascitur in locis aquasis et in paludibus et in partis. In hiis radicibus illa'; hier breekt de tekst af
Note
Bevat Liber I-X (onvolledig, tot 161); Bruges Version
Note
[verso schutblad vooraan] titel 18de-eeuwse hand: 'Speculi naturalis Vincentii pars prima'
Note
Meerdere handen
Note
Naar het einde toe zijn de rubriektitels niet meer ingevuld, de lopende titels wel
Genre/form
Spiegels|Q35197
Genre/form
Encyclopedieën en summa's|Q5292
Topic general subdivision
Wiskunde - natuurwetenschappen
Topic general subdivision
Godsdienst
Material
Perkament (Wikidata Q226697)
Extent
i + 167 ff. + i
Dimensions
420 x 320 mm
Decoration and binding
gedecoreerde initialen|Q63872683
Decoration and binding
Campmansband (ca. 1625-1650)
Script
gotisch
Bibliographic references
De Poorter, A., Catalogue des manuscrits de la bibliothèque publique de la ville de Bruges (Catalogue général des manuscrits des bibliothèques de Belgique 2), Gembloux: Duculot, 1934
Bibliographic references
Albrecht, Eva, De ontstaansgeschiedenis en de compilatie van het "Speculum Naturale" van Vincent van Beauvais (1264). Ph.D., Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, Louvain 2007, 2 vols.
Bibliographic references
Voorbij, Hans, Het `Speculum Historiale' van Vincent van Beauvais. Een studie van zijn ontstaansgeschiedenis, (Ph.D. Groningen University) Groningen 1991 (with an English summary)
Bibliographic references
Online catalogue description by Dr. Evelien Hauwaerts (Public Library Bruges). Online catalogusbeschrijving door Dr. Evelien Hauwaerts (Openbare Bibliotheek Brugge)
