Manuscript

Bibliothèque Nationale de France, fr. 135
(Livre des proprietés des choses)

Codicology

Produced: France (Le Mans), 1445-1450
Current Location: Bibliothèque Nationale de France, Paris, France
Manuscript Type: Encyclopedia
Language: French
Folios: 358
Author: Bartholomeus Anglicus
Illustrated: Yes
Media: Parchment
Sample page - Bibliothéque Nationale de France fr. 135
Folio 65r

Description

The De proprietatibus rerum of Bartholomaeus Anglicus (Bartholomew the Englishman), in the French translation completed in 1372 for Charles V by Jean Corbichon, who is pictured on folio 29r presenting his book to the king. The manuscript has only a few illustrations; none are of beasts.

Volume one of two volumes (fr.135 and fr. 136). This volume contains Book 1 to 9; fr. 136 contains Book 10 to 19, which includes the three books on animals (12, 13, 18)

Two folios are bound out of order in Book 9 (time), displacing the two folios that belong there. The misbound folios are both from Book 18 (animals); the correct folios for Book 9 are bound into Book 18 (as folios 169 and 174) which is found in fr. 136.

  • Folio 169 from Book 18 is bound into Book 9 where it is numbered Page 335/336. It contains the last part of the chapter on the pig, the complete chapters on the louse and the flea, and the start of the chapter on the unicorn.
  • Folio 174 from Book 18 is bound into Book 9 where it is numbered Page 345/346. It contains the complete chapters on the wild cow (except the rubric) and the calf, and the start of the chapter on the male bear.

Additional Descriptions

Additional description

Editions and Facsimiles

Digital facsimiles

Bibliothèque Nationale de France