not; and some lions have simple hair of mane, and those lions have
sharp and fierce hearts, and by their foreheads and tails their virtue
is known in the beast, and their stedfastness in the head: and when
they be beset with hunters, then they behold the earth, for to dread
the less the hunters and their gins, that them have beset about: and
he dreadeth noise and rushing of wheels, but he dreadeth fire much
more. And when they sleep their eyes wake: and when they go forth or
about, they hele and hide their fores and steps, for hunters should
not find them.... It is the kind of lions, not to be wroth with man,
but if they be grieved or hurt. Also their mercy is known by many and
oft examples: for they spare them that lie on the ground, and suffer
them to pass homeward that were prisoners and come out of thraldom,
and eat not a man or slay him but in great hunger. Pliny saith that
the lion is in most gentleness and nobility, when his neck and
shoulders be heled with hair and main. And he that is gendered of the
pard, lacketh that nobility. The lion knoweth by smell, if the pard
gendereth with the lioness, and reseth against the lioness that
breaketh spousehood, and punisheth her full sore, but if she wash her
in a river, and then it is not known. The lion liveth most long, and
that is known by working and wasting of his teeth: and when in age he
reseth on a man: for his virtue and might faileth to pursue great
beasts and wild. And then he besiegeth cities to ransom and to take
men: but when the lions be taken, then they be hanged, for other lions
should dread such manner pain. The old lion reseth woodly on men, and
only grunteth on women, and reseth seldom on children, but in great
hunger.... In peril the lion is most gentle and noble, for when he is
pursued with hounds and with hunters, the lion lurketh not nor hideth
himself, but sitteth in fields where he may be seen, and arrayeth
himself to defence. And runneth out of wood and covert with swift
running and course, as though he would account vile shame to lurk and
to hide himself. And he hideth himself not for dread that he hath, but
he dreadeth himself sometime, only for he would not be dreaded. And
when he pursueth man or beast in lands, then he leapeth when he reseth
on him. When he is wounded, he taketh wonderly heed, and knoweth them
that him first smiteth, and reseth on the smiter, though he be never
in so great multitude: and if a man shoot at him, the lion chaseth him
and throweth him down, and woundeth him not, nor hurteth him.... He
hideth himself in high mountains, and espieth from thence his prey.
And when he seeth his prey he roareth full loud, and at the voice of
him other beasts dread and stint suddenly: and he maketh a circle all
about them with his tail, and all the beasts dread to pass out over
the line of the circle, and the beasts stand astonied and afraid, as
it were abiding the hest and commandment of their king.... And he is
ashamed to eat alone the prey that he taketh; therefore of his grace
of free heart, he leaveth some of his prey to other beasts that follow
him afar.... And the lion is hunted in this wise: One double cave is
made one fast by that other, and in the second cave is set a whiche,
that closeth full soon when it is touched: and in the first den and
cave is a lamb set, and the lion leapeth therein, when he is an
hungered, for to take the lamb. And when he seeth that he may not
break out of the den, he is ashamed that he is beguiled, and would
enter in to the second den to lurk there, and falleth smell, if the
pard gendereth with the lioness, and reseth against the lioness that
breaketh spousehood, and punisheth her full sore, but if she wash her
in a river, and then it is not known. The lion liveth most long, and
that is known by working and wasting of his teeth: and when in age he
reseth on a man: for his virtue and might faileth to pursue great
beasts and wild. And then he besiegeth cities to ransom and to take
men: but when the lions be taken, then they be hanged, for other lions
should dread such manner pain. The old lion reseth woodly on men, and
only grunteth on women, and reseth seldom on children, but in great
hunger.... In peril the lion is most gentle and noble, for when he is
pursued with hounds and with hunters, the lion lurketh not nor hideth
himself, but sitteth in fields where he may be seen, and arrayeth
himself to defence. And runneth out of wood and covert with swift
running and course, as though he would account vile shame to lurk and
to hide himself. And he hideth himself not for dread that he hath, but
he dreadeth himself sometime, only for he would not be dreaded. And
when he pursueth man or beast in lands, then he leapeth when he reseth
on him. When he is wounded, he taketh wonderly heed, and knoweth them
that him first smiteth, and reseth on the smiter, though he be never
in so great multitude: and if a man shoot at him, the lion chaseth him
and throweth him down, and woundeth him not, nor hurteth him.... He
hideth himself in high mountains, and espieth from thence his prey.
And when he seeth his prey he roareth full loud, and at the voice of
him other beasts dread and stint suddenly: and he maketh a circle all
about them with his tail, and all the beasts dread to pass out over
the line of the circle, and the beasts stand astonied and afraid, as
it were abiding the hest and commandment of their king.... And he is
ashamed to eat alone the prey that he taketh; therefore of his grace
of free heart, he leaveth some of his prey to other beasts that follow
him afar.... And the lion is hunted in this wise: One double cave is
made one fast by that other, and in the second cave is set a whiche,
that closeth full soon when it is touched: and in the first den and
cave is a lamb set, and the lion leapeth therein, when he is an
hungered, for to take the lamb. And when he seeth that he may not
break out of the den, he is ashamed that he is beguiled, and would
enter in to the second den to lurk there, and falleth into it, and it
closeth anon as he is in, and letteth him not pass out thereof, but
keepeth him fast therein, until he be taken out and bound with chains
till he be tame.... The lion is cruel and wood when he is wroth, and
biteth and grieveth himself for indignation, and gnasheth with his
teeth, and namely when he hungreth, and spieth and lieth in wait, to
take beasts which pass by the way. He hideth himself in privy caves,
and reseth on beasts unawares, and slayeth them with his teeth and
claws, and breaketh all their members, and eateth them piecemeal: and
if he see any come against him to take away his prey, then he
beclippeth the prey, and grunteth and smiteth the earth with his tail,
and if he nigheth him he leapeth on him, and overcometh him, and
turneth to the prey. First he drinketh and licketh the blood of the
beast that he slayeth, and rendeth and haleth the other-deal limb-
meal, and devoureth and swalloweth it.
The leopard is a beast most cruel, and is gendered in spouse-breach of
a pard and of a lioness, and pursueth his prey startling and leaping
and not running, and if he taketh not his prey in the third leap, or
in the fourth, then he stinteth for indignation, and goeth backward as
though he were overcome. And he is less in body than the lion, and
therefore he dreadeth the lion, and maketh a cave under earth with
double entering, one by which he goeth in, and the other by which he
goeth out. And that cave is full wide and large in either entering,
and more narrow and straight in the middle. And so when the lion
cometh, he fleeth and falleth suddenly into the cave, and the lion
pursueth him with a great rese, and entereth also into the cave, and
weeneth there to have the mastery over the leopard, but for greatness
of his body he may not pass freely by the middle of the den which is
full straight, and when the leopard knoweth that the lion is so let
and holden in the straight place, he goeth out of the den forward, and
cometh again into the den in the other side behind the lion, and
reseth on him behindforth with biting and with claws, and so the
leopard hath often in that wise the mastery of the lion by craft and
not by strength, so the less beast hath oft the mastery of the strong
beast by deceit and guile in the den, and dare not rese on him openly
in the field, as Homer saith in the book of the battles and wiles of
beasts.
Churls speak of him [the wolf] and say that a man loseth his voice, if
the wolf seeth him first. Therefore to a man that is suddenly still,
and leaveth to speak it is said, "Lupus est in fabula," "The wolf is
in the tale." And certainly if he know that he is seen first, he
loseth his boldness, hardihood, and fierceness. The wolf is an evil
beast, when he eateth, and resteth much when he hath no hunger: he is
full hardy, and loveth well to play with a child, if he may take him;
and slayeth him afterward, and eateth him at the last. It is said,
that if the wolf be stoned, he taketh heed of him that threw the first
stone, and if that stone grieveth him he will slay him: and if it
grieveth him not, and he may take him that throweth that stone, he
doth him not much harm, but some harm he doth him as it were in wrath,
and leaveth him at last.... The wolf may not bend his neck backward in
no month of the year but in May alone, when it thundereth. And when he
goeth by night to a fold for to take his prey, he goeth against the
wind for hounds should not smell him. And if it happeth in any wise
that his foot maketh noise, treading upon anything, then he chasteneth
that foot with hard biting.... I have read in a book that a string
made of a wolf's gut, put among harp strings made of the guts of
sheep, destroyeth and corrupteth them, as the eagle's feathers put
among culvours', pulleth and gnaweth them, if they be there left
together long in one place.
He [the cat] is a full lecherous beast in youth, swift, pliant, and
merry, and leapeth and reseth on everything that is to fore him: and
is led by a straw, and playeth therewith: and is a right heavy beast
in age and full sleepy, and lieth slyly in wait for mice: and is aware
where they be more by smell than by sight, and hunteth and reseth on
them in privy places: and when he taketh a mouse, he playeth
therewith, and eateth him after the play. In time of love is hard
fighting for wives, and one scratcheth and rendeth the other
grievously with biting and with claws. And he maketh a ruthful noise
and ghastful, when one proffereth to fight with another: and unneth is
hurt when he is thrown down off an high place. And when he hath a fair
skin, he is as it were proud thereof, and goeth fast about: and when
his skin is burnt, then he bideth at home; and is oft for his fair
skin taken of the skinner, and slain and flayed.
Physiologus speaketh of the Panther and saith that he hateth the
dragon, and the dragon fleeth him: and when he hath eat enough at
full, he hideth him in his den, and sleepeth continually nigh three
days, and riseth after three days and crieth, and out of his mouth
cometh right good air and savour, and is passing measure sweet: and
for the sweetness all beasts follow him. And only the dragon is a-
feared when he heareth his voice, and fleeth into a den, and may not
suffer the smell thereof; and faileth in himself, and looseth his
comfort. For he weeneth that his smell is very venom.
All four-footed beasts have liking to behold the divers colours of the
panther and tiger, but they are a-feared of the horribleness of their
heads, and therefore they hide their heads, and toll the beasts to
them with fairness of that other-deal of the body, and take them when
they come so tolled, and eat them.
The mermaid is a sea beast wonderly shapen, and draweth shipmen to
peril by sweetness of song. The Gloss on Is. xiii. saith that sirens
are serpents with crests. And some men say, that they are fishes of
the sea in likeness of women. Some men feign that there are three
Sirens some-deal maidens, and some-deal fowls with claws and wings,
and one of them singeth with voice, and another with a pipe, and the
third with an harp, and they please so shipmen, with likeness of song,
that they draw them to peril and to shipbreach, but the sooth is, that
they were strong hores, that drew men that passed by them to poverty
and to mischief. And Physiologus saith it is a beast of the sea,
wonderly shapen as a maid from the navel upward and a fish from the
navel downward, and this wonderful beast is glad and merry in tempest,
and sad and heavy in fair weather. With sweetness of song this beast
maketh shipmen to sleep, and when she seeth that they are asleep, she
goeth into the ship, and ravisheth which she may take with her, and
bringeth him into a dry place, and maketh him first lie by her, and if
he will not or may not, then she slayeth him and eateth his flesh. Of
such wonderful beasts it is written in the great Alexander's story.
The tiger is the swiftest beast in flight, as it were an arrow, for
the Persees call an arrow Tigris, and is a beast distinguished with
divers specks, and is wonderly strong and swift. And Pliny saith that
they be beasts of dreadful swiftness, and that is namely known when he
is taken, for the whelp is all glimy and sinewy; and the hunter lieth
in await, and taketh away the whelps, and fleeth soon away on the most
swift horse that he may have. And when the wild beast cometh and
findeth the den void, and the whelps away, then he reseth headlong,
and taketh the fore of him that beareth the whelps away, and followeth
him by smell, and when the hunter heareth the grutching of that beast
that runneth after him, he throweth down one of the whelps; and the
mother taketh the whelp in her mouth, and beareth him into her den and
layeth him therein, and runneth again after the hunter. But in the
meantime the hunter taketh a ship, and hath with him the other whelps,
and scapeth in that wise; and so she is beguiled and her fierceness
standeth in no stead, and the male taketh no wood rese after. For the
male recketh not of the whelps, and he that will bear away the whelps,
leaveth in the way great mirrors, and the mother followeth and findeth
the mirrors in the way, and looketh on them and seeth her own shadow
and image therein, and weeneth that she seeth her children therein,
and is long occupied therefore to deliver her children out of the
glass, and so the hunter hath time and space for to scape, and so she
is beguiled with her own shadow, and she followeth no farther after
the hunter to deliver her children.
Avicenna saith that the bear bringeth forth a piece of flesh imperfect
and evil shapen, and the mother licketh the lump, and shapeth the
members with licking.... For the whelp is a piece of flesh little more
than a mouse, having neither eyes nor ears, and having claws some-deal
bourgeoning, and so this lump she licketh, and shapeth a whelp with
licking.... And it is wonder to tell a thing, that Theophrastus saith
and telleth that bear's flesh sodden that time (of their sleeping)
vanisheth if it be laid up, and is no token of meat found in the
almery, but a little quantity of humour.... When he is taken he is
made blind with a bright basin, and bound with chains, and compelled
to play, and tamed with beating; and is an unsteadfast beast, and
unstable and uneasy, and goeth therefore all day about the stake, to
the which he is strongly tied. He licketh and sucketh his own feet,
and hath liking in the juice thereof. He can wonderly sty upon trees
unto the highest tops of them, and oft bees gather honey in hollow
trees, and the bear findeth honey by smell, and goeth up to the place
that the honey is in, and maketh a way into the tree with his claws,
and draweth out the honey and eateth it, and cometh oft by custom unto
such a place when he is an-hungered. And the hunter taketh heed
thereof, and pitcheth full sharp hooks and stakes about the foot of
the tree, and hangeth craftily a right heavy hammer or a wedge tofore
the open way to the honey. And then the bear cometh and is an-
hungered, and the log that hangeth there on high letteth him: and he
putteth away the wedge despiteously, but after the removing the wedge
falleth again and hitteth him on the ear. And he hath indignation
thereof, and putteth away the wedge despiteously and right fiercely,
and then the wedge falleth and smiteth him harder than it did before,
and he striveth so long with the wedge, until his feeble head doth
fail by oft smiting of the wedge, and then he falleth down upon the
pricks and stakes, and slayeth himself in that wise. Theophrastus
telleth this manner hunting of bears, and learned it of the hunters in
the country of Germany.
A fox is called Vulpes, and hath that name as it were wallowing feet
aside, and goeth never forthright, but always aslant and with fraud.
And is a false beast and deceiving, for when him lacketh meat, he
feigneth himself dead, and then fowls come to him, as it were to a
carrion, and anon he catcheth one and devoureth it. The fox halteth
always, for the right legs are shorter than the left legs. His skin is
right hairy rough and hot, his tail is great and rough; and when an
hound weeneth to take him by the tail, he taketh his mouth full of
hair and stoppeth it. The fox doth fight with the brock for dens, and
defileth the brock's den, and hath so the mastery over him with fraud
and deceit, and not by strength.... The fox feigneth himself tame in
time of need, but by night he waiteth his time and doeth shrewd deeds.
And though he be right guileful in himself and malicious, yet he is
good and profitable in use of medicine.
THE SOURCES OF THE BOOK
ADAMANTIUS (fl. 258). Origen it quoted under this name. His
commentaries on the Old Testament are the works quoted from.
AEGIDIUS CORBOLIENSIS, of Corbeil (d. 1220). A doctor at Montpellier,
and Canon of Paris.
ALANUS DE INSULIS, OR DE RYSSEL (d. 1202). A monk of Canterbury, most
probably an Englishman. His principal work is a poem in 9 books,
called ANTI-CLAUDIANUS, largely quoted by all Middle Age writers. An
account of it is given in the notes on the Secreta Secretorum
(E.E.T.S.). He also wrote DE PLANCTU NATURAE, PARABOLAE, etc.
ALBERTUS MAGNUS (1193-1280). A famous doctor in the University of
Paris and a Dominican Theologian. The works quoted are commentaries on
the Natural Histories of Aristotle. They have often been printed. He
was teacher of Thomas Aquinas and a contemporary of our author.
ALBUMAZAR (d. 886). An Arab astronomer.
ALCUIN (735-804). An English theologian: the work quoted is his "De
Septem Artibus."
ALEXANDER NECKHAM, OR NEQUAM (1157-1217). His principal work is "De
Naturis Rerum," a book little known on the Continent. Its use by
Bartholomew is thus another proof of his English birth.
ALFARAGUS (9th cent.). An Arab astronomer, whose work is notable as
being the chief source of the celebrated astronomical treatise, "The
Sphere," of Johannes Sacrobosco (John of Halifax), a contemporary
Englishman. It was the popular text-book for over three centuries, and
was as well known as Euclid.
ALFREDUS ANGLICUS (fl. 1200). A physician and translator of Aristotle.
See JACOB'S AESOP for a discussion on his works.
AL GHAZEL (1061-1137). A sceptic opponent of Averroes.
AMBROSE (d. 397). The Hexameron is the work used.
ANSELM (1033-1109). Theologian, Archbishop of Canterbury. The inventor
of Scholasticism.
ARCHELAUS. A Greek geographer.
ARISTOTLE (384-322 B.C.). I would refer the reader to BRÈCHILLET
JOURDAIN on the EARLY TRANSLATIONS OF ARISTOTLE, where he will find a
mine of information on the works of this writer used in the Middle
Age.
AUGUSTINE (d. 430).
AURORA, THE. A metrical version of the Bible by PETRUS DE RIGA, Canon
of Rheims (d. 1209).
AVERROES (d. 1217). Moorish commentator on Aristotle.
AVICEBRON (d. 1070), OR IBN GEBIROL. A Spanish Jew. Author of the
FONTIS VITA. A work translated by Gundisalvi, of the greatest
influence on the Metaphysic of the Middle Age. See MUNCK, MÉLANGES.
AVICENNA (980-1036). An Arab physician, and commentator on Aristotle.
AYMON, OR HAYMON (d. 1244). An English Franciscan, afterwards General
of the Order, who revised the breviary and rubrics.
BASIL (329-379). In HEXAMERON.
BEDE (673-735). The work by which he was best known in the thirteenth
century was not his History but the works on the _Calendar_, etc.
BELETH, JOHN (before 1165). A French writer on ecclesiastical matters.
BERNARD (1091-1153).
BESTIARIUM. A collection of early myths on animals; of Eastern origin.
There are many different forms of this work. All are founded on
Physiologus.
BOETHIUS (470-526). His treatise on arithmetic is the work quoted
here. His "Consolation" was almost unknown in the early Middle Age,
his popularity resting on his translations of Aristotle and his
treatises on Music and Arithmetic, the latter being a very important
work in the history of the science.
CALLISTHENES, PSEUDO-. Author of the HISTORIA ALEXANDRI MAGNI DE
PRELIIS. See BUDGE'S Syriac Version of this work.
CASSIODORUS (480-575). DE SEPTEM DISCIPLINIS. One of the favourite
Middle Age Text-Books.
CATO (233-151 B.C.). On AGRICULTURE.
CHALCIDIUS (3rd cent.). A commentator on the TIMAEUS of Plato. Only a
part of this is preserved.
CICERO (107-44 B.C.). In SOMN. SCIPIONIS.
CONSTANTINUS AFER (d. 1087). A Benedictine monk of Monte Cassino, and
most probably the introducer of Arab medicine into Italy. He wrote the
VIATICUM and the PANTEGNA (20 books). He introduced Arab medicine into
Europe through the School of Salerno, translating many Arab authors.
CYPRIAN (d. 285). A Syriac astrologer, afterwards Bishop of Antioch,
and Martyr in the Diocletian persecution.
DAMASCENE (11th cent.). Quoted by Constantinus Afer. A physician.
DAMASCENE, JOHN (end of 12th cent.). An Arab physician.
DAMASCIUS (circ. 533). A Syrian commentator on Aristotle, who took
refuge in Persia. Author of a work on wonders quoted by Photius.
DIOSCORIDES (d. 47 B.C.).
DIONYSIUS AREOPAGITUS, PSEUDO- (circ. 400). DE CELESTI HIERARCHIA, DE
DIVINIS NOMINIBUS.
DONATUS (333). A Grammarian.
EUFICIUS (circ. 600). A disciple of Gregory.
FULGENTIUS (circ. 550). A grammarian.
GALEN (131-210).
GILBERTUS (circ. 1250). A celebrated English physician in France;
wrote COMPENDIUM MEDICINAE.
GREGORY (circ. 590). On Job.
HALY (circ. 1000). A Jewish physician. Wrote a PANTEGNI or
COMPLEMENTUM MEDICINAE. The first medical work translated by
Constantius Afer.
HERMES. In ALCHEMIA (not now extant).
HIPPOCRATES (460-351 B.C.).
HUGUTION PIZANUS (d. 1210). A jurisconsult and writer on Grammar.
HYGINUS, PSEUDO- (6th cent.). Writer on Astronomy.
INNOCENT III. (d. 1216). Wrote "De Contemptu Mundi," etc.
ISAAC (circ. 660). An Arab physician, who translated many Greek
authors into Arabic.
ISIDORE (d. 636). Bishop of Seville. He wrote a work on Etymology in
20 books, one of the most popular works of the Middle Age.
JACOBUS DE VITRIACO (d. 1240). A Crusading Bishop, afterwards Cardinal
legate. Wrote an EXEMPLAR, and 3 books of Eastern and Western History.
JEROME (340-420).
JOSEPH BEN GORION (900). Abridgment of Jewish History containing many
legends.
JOSEPHUS (37-95). Jewish historian.
JORATH. DE ANIMALIBUS. A Syriac writer (?).
LAPIDARIUM. See MARBODIUS DE GEMMIS. There are many treatises under
this name.
LEO IX. (1054). See Migne, Patrologia.
LUCAN (d. 65). One of the most popular Latin poets of the Middle Age.
MACER FLORIDUS (6th cent.). On THE VIRTUES OF HERBS.
MACROBIUS (circ. 409). His commentary on the dream of Scipio was a
favourite work in Medieval times.
MARTIANUS CAPELLA (circ. 400). Wrote a poem, THE MARRIAGE OF MERCURY
AND PHILOLOGIA, treating of THE SEVEN LIBERAL ARTS, which was the
standard text-book from the 5th century for the schools.
MESSAHALA (circ. 1100).
METHODIUS, PSEUDO- (8th cent.). DE AGARINI.
MICHAEL SCOT (circ. 1235). At this time concerned in the translation
of some Arabic works on Astronomy, and Aristotle's DE COELO and DE
MUNDO DE ANIMA, and HISTORIA NATURALIS with commentaries.
MISALATH ASTROLOGUS (?).
PAPIAS (circ. 1053). Grammarian. [Milan, 1467, etc.]
PERSPECTIVA SCIENCIA. I cannot say whether this is Bacon's, Peckham's,
or Albertus Magnus', but I believe it to be Peckham's, who was an
Englishman, and afterwards Archbishop of Canterbury.
PETRUS COMESTOR (d. 1198). Named MAGISTER HISTORIARUM or Master of
Histories, wrote an account of the world from the Creation, which,
when translated into French, was called the "Mer des Histoires." A
favourite Medieval book.
PHILARETUS (1100). A writer on Medicine.