An Illustrated Medieval School-Book of Bede's "De Natura Rerum"

Author(s): Harry Bober

Source: The Journal of the Walters Art Gallery, Vol. 19/20 (1956/1957), pp. 64-97
Published by: The Walters Art Museum
Stable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/20168870
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 . < * >.
FIGURE 1 WALTERS ART GALLERY
Zodiac Circle
(Ms. W. 73,/oi. 1 recto)

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 AN ILLUSTRATED MEDIEVAL SCHOOL-BOOK
OF BEDE'S "DE NATURA RERUM"
BY HARRY BOBER

Associate Professor, Institute of Fine Arts, New York University,

Honorary Fellow, The Warhurg Institute, University of London

From the time of its first published notice, a class, manuscripts with predominantly schem
the Walters "Cosmography" (W. 73) has been atic drawings, such as found in W.73, are prac
something of a puzzle, mainly with respect to tically an unexplored world. Only a few illus
its text.1 Among the many manuscripts shown trations of this type seem to attract any atten
in the memorable 1949 exhibition of the Walters tion and they are usually such schemes as the
Art Gallery, it was the only one whose content Zodiac (fig.l) and Wind Circle (fig.7), since
could not be identified.2 More recently, when these entail the use of figures. Little wonder,
some passages and authors were recognized, they then, that the character of those texts which are
were thought to be but part of a general ' 'hodge the principal carriers of such illustrations should
podge of extracts. ' '3 Their place in the composi be vaguely understood, if recognized at all.
tion, and the significance of the whole was still It is the purpose of this study to supply a use
not seen. Since, as we shall see, the Walters ful description and analysis of the content of the
manuscript is actually a common type of medi Walters manuscript. Inevitably, this must in
eval "scientific" compilation, it might seem odd clude discussion of the illustrations and ques
that there should have been any mystery about it. tions of date and provenance of W.73. The main
The unfamiliar appearance of the content is, emphasis, however, will be given to the most
in large measure, a concomitant factor of the significant and most troublesome problem?that
peculiar nature of the illustrations. These are al of the textual composition and sources, with a
most entirely abstract and schematic, remote in view to discovering the internal character of the
appearance from the usual scenic and figurai re manuscript and its place in a historical perspec
presentations in medieval book illustration. As tive.

1 For various courtesies and general helpfulness in the gath 2 Walters Art Gallery, Illuminated Boohj of the Middle Ages
ering of material for this paper, I am especially indebted to and Renaissance (Baltimore, 1949), no. 35, pi. XX, where it is
Miss Dorothy Miner, Librarian and Keeper of Manuscripts of called French, of the twelfth century.
The Walters Art Gallery, and to Mrs. Enriqueta Frankfort of 3 Walters Art Gallery, The World Encompassed, an Exhibition
The Warburg Institute, University of London. The solutions and
of the History of Maps (Baltimore, 1952), no. 14, pi. II. Here the
interpretations offered here form part of an extensive work on manuscript is placed in Northern France and dated ca. 1220
Mediaeval Schemata now being completed by the author, thanks A.D. Otherwise it is mentioned only in Ellen Beer, Die Rose der
to encouraging and generous support by the Bollingen Founda
Kathedrale von Lausanne (Bern, 1952), p. 42 and fig. 48.
tion over a period of years.

65

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 THE JOURNAL OF THE WALTERS ART GALLERY

That this manuscript should have conveyed an which mainly Pliny, but also the other classical
impression of a textual potpourri is easily under writers are often quoted. As for Abbo of Fleury,
standable if we consider that random scanning he is like most of our medieval writers whose
of its leaves seems to produce a bewildering sources are in large measure indirectly derived
number and variety of source citations. They in from previous compilers. But all three are ' 'stand
clude pagans and Christians, poets and philoso ard" authors for the Middle Ages and it is a
phers, natural scientists and encyclopedists, such simple matter to demonstrate that the essence of
as Isidore of Seville, the Venerable Bede, Abbo the Walters text is formed of their writings.
of Fleury, Pliny, Hyginus, Ptolemy, Varro, and For the sake of simplicity and immediate con
Virgil. But to "count noses" indiscriminately in venience, I shall here outline the main headings
a medieval text is highly misleading. Most of the of my complete textual analysis (see Appendix).
authors named are cited for a phrase or two at From this point it will be possible to proceed
most, or else in vague allusion to commonplace to the real questions of interpretation. Although
matter as: "Hyginus and other astrologers say chapter titles are only intermittently present in
there are five zones to the heavens" (Iginus et alii the manuscript, most are readily restored, as I
astrologi ferunt quod quinqu? sunt zone celi: fol.6vo). have done here. For facilitating reference and
Second consideration tells us that the entire list discussion I have assigned an arabic number se
of "sources" may be subsumed under the first quence to the texts even though, in some cases,
two or three names in the series, for we know it may not correspond exactly to chapter divi
that Isidore and Bede wrote compilations in sions in the original sources.

TABLE OF CONTENTS (W.73)

1. [Concerning the winds: De venus] Isidore, Etymologiae, XIII, xi
2. [Concerning the Zodiac Circle: De zodiaco circulo] Bede, De Hatura Rerum, XVI
3. Concerning the sunrise: De ortu solis Isidore, De Hatura Rerum, XVII, 3, etc.
4. Concerning the twelve signs: De duo?ecim signis Bede, De Hatura Rerum, XVII
5. Concerning the course and the size of the sun: De cursu et Bede, De Hatura Rerum, XIX
magmtu?me solis
6. Concerning the orbit of the planets: De cursu ylanetarum Bede, De Hatura Rerum, XII
1. Concerning the stars: De stellis Bede, De Hatura Rerum, XI
8. Concerning the nature and position of the moon: De natura Bede, De Hatura Rerum, XX
et situ lunae

9. Concerning the eclipse of the sun and of the moon: De Bede, De Hatura Rerum, XXII
eclipi solis et lunae
10. Concerning comets: De cometis Bede, De Hatura Rerum, XXIV
11. Concerning the air: De aere Bede, De Hatura Rerum, XXV
12. [Concerning the Milky Way: De l?cteo circulo] Bede, De Hatura Rerum, XVIII
13. When none exists and why: Ubi non sit et auare Bede, De Hatura Rerum, XXIII
14. Text commencing: Deniaue luna . . . Abbonian
15. Concerning the course of the sun and of the moon: De cursu Abbonian
solis et lunae

16. [Concerning the course of the moon through the signs: De Abbonian
cursu lunae yer signa]

66

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 AN ILLUSTRATED MEDIEVALSCHOOLBOOK

17. [Concerning the intervals of the planets: De intervallis Pliny, Historia Haturale, II, xix'xx
ylanetarum]
18. Concerning the orbits of the planets: De ahsidihus ylanetarum Pliny, II, xii-xiii, cf. Bede, De Hatura Rerum,
XIV
19. [Concerning the position of the planets: De psitione . . . Pliny, II, vi. cf. Bede, De Hatura Rerum, XII
^lanetarum]
20. [Concerning the difference between the circle and the sphere: Abbo of Fleury, Sententia
De differentia circuli et spre]
21. Text commencing: Certa ratio . . . Abbo of Fleury, Sententia
YL. [Concerning the five zones: De auinaue circulis] Isidore, De Hatura Rerum, X, 1-2
23. Text commencing: Iginus et alii astrologi . . . Abbonian
24. [Concerning the five zones of the world: De auinaue circulis Bede, De Temprum Ratione, XXXIV
mundi]
25. [Concerning the elements of the world: De prtihus mundi] Isidore, De Hatura Rerum, XI, 1
26. continuation of 25 Isidore, De Hatura Rerum, XI, 2-3
27. [Concerning the four seasons: De auattuor temprihus] iuxta Ysidorum (cf. De Hatura Rerwm, VII)
28. [Concerning the harmony of the sea and the moon: De con ut Beda (cf. De Temprum Ratione, XXIX)
cordia maris et lunae]

29. [Concerning the tides of the ocean: De aestu oceani] Bede, De Hatura Rerum, XXXIX
30. Of the three ways of reckoning time: De trimoda ratione Anonymous after Bede, De Temprum Ratione,
temprum etc.

While the table of contents brings into clear in apparently chaotic sequence. Nevertheless,
focus all the essential material needed to explain after an examination of the choice of chapters
the nature of the text, that explanation cannot and authors, and their relationship to each other,
be grasped from the table alone. For instance, the seemingly nebulous collection will emerge
the impression of a m?lange may not seem altered as a distinct constellation. We shall see that the
even if we now have only three main sources to Walters "Cosmology" is actually a fine example
deal with. The basic pattern of composition of an unrecognized but significant kind of medi
shows a main body of content from the Vener eval school treatise on natural science. Both text
able Bede, supplemented by two minor groups and illustrations can be accounted for within a
of selections from Isidore of Seville and Abbo of circumscribed sphere of monastic learning, form
Fleury. We shall not deal separately with those ed and consolidated out of the Bede tradition,
sources which were normally absorbed within reflecting his derivation from Isidore and, at the
the works of the principal authors, as in the case same time, bearing the stamp of their passage
of Pliny who is so extensively used by Bede.4 through the Abbey of Fleury.
But even within the Bede material the excerpts In spite of appearances, the Bede content is
seem to come from a number of different works not at all haphazard. It may seem natural that all

4 See Charles W. Jones, Bedae Opera de Temporibus (Cam

the chapters associated with his name in the
bridge, Mass. Mediaeval Academy of America, 1943), passim. table borrow from Bede's scientific treatises
5 There is no modern critical edition of Bede's De Natura
Rerum, for which I have used }. P. Migne, Patrolog?a Latina, only. But the coherence of this compilation goes
XC, 187-276. For Bede's De Temporum Ratione and De Tem
poribus see the excellent edition and analysis by C. W. Jones,
beyond such superficial uniformity in that the
op. cit. De N?tura Rerum5 is the chosen framework

67

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 LONDON, BRITISH MUSEUM

(Barley Ms. 3017, fol 135 recto)

Tidal Rota

FIGURE 3

uttttttv cunta

WALTERS ART GALLERY

(Ms. W. 73, fol S verso)

Tidal Rota

I'; t ?3 $miurr *rr i\. y.A- R<* f.??^H??!

?^tr^mttioitrm^im?4^tmr.

I ?ftr
FIGURE 2

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 AN ILLUSTRATED MEDIEVAL SCHOOLBOOK

around which consistent "revision" and "edit from Bede's De N?tura Rerum (IX, X). This pat
ing" develops. A dozen chapters, literally cop tern of selection and substitution has the tenor
ied, and two others substantially derived from of didactic editing which we shall encounter re
that book comprise the core of W.73. Of three peatedly in W.73. It is not the product of an
other "Bede" sections (our chapters 24, 28, 30), individual scholar in a lone scriptorium but a
only chapter 24 is literally his, copying from the composition which develops through the prac
De Temprum Ratione half of chapter XXXIV, De tice of schools, whose cumulative marks may
quinqu? circulis mun?i et subterr?neo si?erum meatu. still be observed.
Chapter 22 prepares the way for the subject by On the subject of the concordia maris at lunae,
using the brief, simple account given by Isidore our chapter 28 gives a general explanation of the
in his De N?tura Rerum, X.6 In doing so the com Tidal Rota illustrated above the text (fig. 2) and
piler deliberately avoids the chapter on the claims to be ut Beda. While depending on the
same topic, found in Bede's De 'N?tura Rerum, information found in De Temprum Ratione,
IX. The reason for this substitution must lie in XXIX, it is an independent summary and not a
the didactic effectiveness of Isidore's text which copy. The following chapter (29), however,
is geared to an accompanying illustration (quorum quotes most of Bede's discussion de aestu oceani
circulorum divisiones talis ?istinguit figura) (fig. 16). from the De H?tura Rerum, XXXIX. To the ob
This is followed, in chapter 23, by a general servations indicated by the examination of the
statement which is by neither of our authors, al treatment of the climate zones, this present clus
though found in this very context and sequence ter of text and illustrations adds further insight.
in a number of school treatises. On this same While our chapter 28 was written for and
page (fig. 16), two climate schemes figure promi about a rota, and always refers to it, Bede's
nently. It is only then, for chapter 24, that the texts on the tides do not call for any figurae.
compiler turns to Bede's De Tem?orum Ratione, Evidently Isidore's method of developing his
XXXIV, a more detailed and advanced discus discussion around figurae has been borrowed and
sion of the climate zones. All this the compiler applied to Bede's information on the tides, for
has done instead of simply copying chapters which his authority was widely recognized.7 We
do indeed find such a commentator who, writ
6 References to Isidore's De Natura Rerum are to the text as
given in J. P. Migne, Patrolog?a Latina, LXXXIII, 963-1018. ing ? propos of Bede's De Natura Rerum, XXXIX,
7 Cf. Jones, op. cit., notes to De Tern. Rat., XXIX, on pp.
362-365.
already uses this method. The commentary in
8 This is the Vetus Commentarius printed among the Scholia question is thought to be of the late tenth cen
to De Nat. Rev., XXXIX, in Migne, PL., XC, 258-260. For
discussion of the Vetus Commentarius and bibliography, see
tury and perhaps by Abbo of Fleury.8 His text,
C. W. Jones, Bedae Pseudepigrapha: Scientific Writings Falsely beginning with Ista rota is just such a "black
Attributed to Bede (Ithaca, N. Y., 1939), p. 10.
9 Jones, Bedae Opera . . ., p. 365. board" demonstration as our chapter, and also
10 London, Brit. Mus., Harley Ms. 3017, f. 135r, and Paris, specifies ut Beda docet in libro de temprum ratione.
Bibl. Nat., Ms. lat. 5543, f. 135v. Cf. notes to these mss. and
bibliography in Jones, Pseudepigrapha, pp. 122, 128, and sup It is thought that the Tidal Rota was "invented
plementary notes in Jones, Bedae Opera . . ., cf. Index Codicum.
Apparently there is a slip in the former work (p. 35), where in or near Fleury"9 but, in any case, the earliest
the Tidal Rota is said to appear for the first time in the Paris Ms.
examples date from the ninth century (figs. 3,
lat. 5239 called Limoges, ninth century. The manuscript is cer
tainly later and may be of the tenth century, as described in 13a).10 It would seem that the Carolingian
the manuscript index of the same book. It is said to be dated
1025 A.D. by A. W. Byvanck, in De Platen in de Aratea van
schools created a Tidal Schema based on Bede
Hugo de Groot (Mededelingen der Koninl{lijkfi Nederlandsche
Akademie van Wetenschappen, Afd. Letterkiinde, Nieuwe Ree\s, and that this in turn motivated the explanatory
Deel 12, 2), (Amsterdam, 1949), no. 97. discussions incorporated into the texts as early

69

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 WALTERS ART GALLERY

WALTERS ART GAL

Schemata of Figura Solida ana of Microcosmic-Macrocosmic Harmony

(Ms.
(Ms.W.W.73,
73, fol.
fol. 77verso)
verso)

douaa ana oj microc?smica

?KSKCtti lUk'tV!

FIGURE 5

WALTERS ART GALLERY

Schemata of Harmony of the Year and Seasons, and Harmony of the Elements,

Seasons, Humors (Ms. W. 73, fol 8 recto)

FIGURE 4

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 AN ILLUSTRATED MEDIEVAL SCHOOLBOOK

as the tenth century in the famous monastic and-answer form, the brief explanations very
school of Fleury. much resemble those in our concentrated "chap
The final ''chapter" relating to Bede (ch.30) ter." It is in the nature of the case that no single
consists of three parts, closely?even redund model can be found for chapter 30, but there is a
antly?related in content and method of presen final clue which leads back to Bede's teaching as
tation. It gives concise definitions or explana the point of origin for the content. The heading
tions of computistic terms and data, forming a of this section in W.73, De trimoda temprum
sort of glossary, not particularly suitable for il ratione,is also the heading for chapter II of the
lustration. As such, it occupies a reasonable De T^emyorum Ratione and the opening sentence
place at the end of the manuscript, apart from much the same in both. This distinction of three
the main text with its succession of illustrations. kinds of time was first introduced by Bede, as
Definitions of such terms as dies, annus, etc., are Professor C. W. Jones tells us, and its use is in
apt to be much alike in this circumscribed per dicative of derivation from him.13 The fact that
iod. Mundus vero est universitas quae constat celo et out text omits the explanation of that distinc
terra et mari, one of our ''definitions'' (fol.9vo, tion is not unusual, for this was often taken to
col. 1), is practically identical with the first sen be understood.14 Here again, in an extended
tence of Bede's De N?tura Rerum, III (Quid sit portion of the text?called a "chapter" only for
mundus), and Isidore's De N?tura Rerum, IX. convenience of reference?the method of didac
However, the phrases used in chapter 30 go tic compilation is to be seen. Although the basis
back to Bede's De ^emyorum Ratione for the most of content is found in Bede, it is well to recall
part. This is to be expected, for in that work that the "glossary" form of cumulative short
Bede had assimilated the computistic tradition statements, as well as many of the phrases used,
of his day. He clarified and systematized it with have preserved more than an echo of Isidore's
such success that it remained the standard source method in the Etymologiae (cf. V, xxix, etc.).
for the subject. It became, in fact, the basis for As for Isidore of Seville's place?as the sec
many short treatises where the substance of the ond major source in the composition of W.73?
De Tewporuw Ratione was condensed in many this has been partly indicated by now. His books
forms even by Bede himself. One such work by were already among the most basic texts of
him is the dialogue De Ratione Computi.n Another, monastic instruction in Bede's day and remain
falsely ascribed to him, is the De Divisionibus ed such for centuries to come.15 It is significant
Temyorum.12 In both cases, but for the question that Isidore's compendium, De Ncitura Rerum,
should have inspired title, plan, and much of
the content of Bede's youthful work (ca. 703
11 Migne, P.L., XC, 579-600. Cf. Jones, Pseudepigrapha, pp.
A.D.). Although the superiority of Bede's De
38 ff. J\[atura Rerum is taken for granted, it is not
12 Migne, P.L., XC, 653-664. See also the De Computo Dia
logus, Migne, P.L., XC, 647-652. Both are discussed by Jones, necessarily an improvement on Isidore in all re
Pseudepigrapha, p. 48, as spurious but having "the greatest right spects, as we have had occasion to note. How
to be in Bede's canon, for the material is virtually contemporary
and insular, though probably Irish." ever, the first chapter in the Walters manu
13 Jones, Bedae Opera . . ., p. 331, notes to De Tern. Rat. II.
^Loc. cit. script is an interesting instance of the rejection
15 See e.g., Aug. Ed. Anspach, Das Fortleben Isidores im of both Isidore's De J^atura Rerum, XXXVI, and
Vil. bis IX Jahrhundert in Miscellanea Isidoriana; Homenaje a
S. Isidoro de Sevilla en el XIII Centenario de su Muerte, ed. La Bede's equivalent (and similar) chapter, De ven
Provincia de Andalucia S. I. (Rome, 1936), pp. 323 f?. us, in his De N?tura Rerum, XXVI, in favor of

71

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 WALTERS ART GALLERY

t^|?|^fpmai<C?^ 6 ?iMbUwif atom? V^^fcwity |fc

y?fy? ? "T4 ?kw*** jWm^ fvtiamwtf ? <# W que M?arastr. JL 4tia?

w 4 ? wwc AnAcr- 4fr?4n*wife 4*utf n??imnjtein r twAu? ^ untan cwtfi|*r' ??*jr fufe J?* ?? cag? <SWm ??a ?fofate? ft?**?* **" *Mw** *"* * ??**? ??ir?

(Ms. W. 73,/ol. 1 verso)

Wind Rota
^mtt^C?cJHtK *^tt?>r4tW|fr7lt^^

FIGURE 7

Jut? ?f tamr

? y *\uoj;t: v?'l ftU'trr. FIGURE 6 LONDON, BRITISH MUSEUM

aterra freir?n ''int. 7*?-'|*H1a?"

-'-a?Vr,% rrM f 'N Jwtr.?i?urubuj;
*tu? dtrittmfawta Arta *tii wm rtt\ "~

d t Un? acft'UohiUli
Tttr?*?? renn.- ni <- nf
n crucmwni
fun nif\vt
f i?f: .11
mmi v

Wind Rota
(Cotton Ms. Tiherius E.IV, fol 30 recto)

w
jrt?tth. .'lufi ?fn&qt'Ttoiiffir ?wf\*ctj?
a * *? ri:- J'crrvp Jtijii trmt wo f?.vn i (.'\ n?t

fiTi^tf inurnn..lii?i^',Alcnmir.utr*i .il?

[itinpumr. ? titftttfr&tif ?mn ?uiM^uf;
; ^Wr et i ir i .if r. Jtmun fn?tr^, ~"^^* '

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 AN ILLUSTRATED MEDIEVAL SCHOOLBOOK

the Etymologiae, XIII, xi. This choice marks the century Remigius of Auxerre is the famous
critical selectivity of didactic practice, in that drawing in a late eleventh-century manuscript
the discussion of the winds in the Etymologiae is from Regensburg, showing the quadriga solis,
superior to the others, being more to the point whose four horses are identified by name.18 For
and more informative than the meager state these and other discussions of the theme, the
ments in either version of the De N?tura Rerum. common sources are ultimately Fulgentius and
Moreover, we know of at least one other manu Ovid. Our manuscript, in reporting the names
script where the same Isidore chapter has been (given as Britheus, Acteos, Lampaos, and Philo
used as the opening text of a kindred compila geus) thus preserves a cherished bit of Carolin
tion, thus reinforcing this interpretation of the gian classicism. But, unlike the De Mundi which
preference.16 mentions the horses' names from both Fulgen
The brief chapter De ortw solis (ch.3) will serve tius and Ovid, with little more point than
to illustrate the incorporation of Isidore's ma^ mythological embellishment, the Walters text
terial within a new synthesis. It opens with an relates the distinction to the general sense of the
introductory sentence by the ''editor," followed chapter. The reader is told that 'The sun is said
by a barely recognizable revision of Isidore's De to have four horses or rather four seasons."19
J^atura Rerum, XVII, par.3, concerning the sun In so many instances, Isidore's De N?turaMe
and the seasons. The rest of the chapter, for rum gave the "classic" statement on its subject,
which I have found no exact textual model, is and this is certainly the case in our chapters 23
about the four horses of the sun chariot. But the 24 which copy all of De Hatura Reruro, XII, De
subject, particularly in its curious interest in the yart?bus mundi. Nowhere in Bede have I found its
names of the differently colored horses, enjoys a equivalent for simplicity and compactness. Isi
certain vogue among Carolingian writers. An dore's exposition is favored further by didactic
entire chapter is given to De solis equorum nomini cogency through graphic clarity, referring twice
lus in a spurious Bede work, the De Mundi Coel to illustrations which were obviously conceived
estis Terrestrische Gwstitutiowe, otherwise inter' in the original plan of the work (fig. 5). Both in
esting as "a brilliant exposition of the teaching the midst, and at the end of his chapter, he
of the rational schools of the ninth century."17 pauses to reinforce through image, what has just
Stemming from a commentary by the ninth been explained in words (Haec itaque ne confusa
minus intelligantur, suhjecta exyressi yictura). Our
manuscript makes the most of this by the use of
16 London, B. M., Cotton Ms. Tiberius E. IV, fols. 29v-30r,
discussed in various other connections later in this article. two chapters for Isidore's one, separating them
17 For the text of De solis equorum nominibus see Migne, at the point where illustrations are cited and
P.L., XC, 900, and cf. discussion of De Mundi m Jones, Pseud
epigrapha, pp. 83-85. supplying them (fol.7vo).
18 Munich, Staatsbibliothek, Ms. 14271, f. llv, reproduced De quattuor temyorihus, elementis, humorihus, the
in Erwin Panofsky, Studies in lconology (New York, 1939),
fig. 13 {cf. pp. 22-23). The horses are named in the drawing heading for the last chapter in the Isidore group
as follows: Lam bus, Eritreus, Acteos, and Filogeus.
19 Sol dicitur habere quattuor equos vel propter quattuor (ch.27) is not used in our manuscript, but is
t?mpora. In linking the horses to the seasons, the Walters text borrowed from Bede's De Temprum Ratione,
follows the tradition of Fulgentius, where they are further asso
ciated with the times of the day (Mythologiae, I, xi on Apollo) XXXV. However, the text of this chapter does
as follows: Huic quoque quadrigam scribunt, illam ob caussam,
quod aut quadripartitis temporum varietatibus anni circulum not come from that work, or any other by Bede
peragat; aut quod quadrifido limite diei metiatur spatium (ed. or Isidore. It is common doctrine found in vari
Augustino van Staveren, Auctores Mythographi Latini, Lug
dunum Batavorum, 1742). ous forms and contexts in both authors and else

73

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 THE JOURNAL OF THE WALTERS ART GALLERY

where (cf. Bede, De Natura Rerum, IV; Isidore, copies, but also a variety of new textual combi
De N?tura Rerwm, VII, IX, and Etymologiae, IV, nations, intermingling and rearranging Bede,
v, V,xxxv).20 Our compiler's summary of this Isidore, and other excerpts. The textual accre
material is more compact and fuller than any tions found in such composite manuscripts
thing comparable in a single place in Isidore's point to the vigorous scientific activities of these
writing, yet he credits his exposition as being monastic schools. At Fleury in particular, the
iuxta Ysidorum. Why, it might be asked, did he most important individual to be identified with
not simply copy the comprehensive statement in the composition of basic commentaries and ad
Bede's De Temprum Ratione, XXXV? The an ditions to the inherited teachings was the
swer is plainly that our chapter 27 is written "eminent philosopher" Abbo. Such was his
about the illustrations and, for these, the source repute that he was called to head the school of
and model of method is properly Isidore. More Fleury and thence to England where he prob
important than his text are his rotae, among ably directed instruction at the new monastery
which the unforgettably simple and ingenious at Ramsey. Two years later, in 988 A.D., he
schemes for the Microcosmic-Macrocosmic Har returned to France to become Abbot of Fleury.
mony (fig.4) remain the ' 'classic" graphic state The new Abbot, for whom nihil in vita jucundius
ments for the Middle Ages. The writers wove quam discere aut docere, brought new fame to the
explanations around such rotae and, while the already celebrated abbey of which he saw him
consequent texts may vary in detail, they are self only the kumilis Eloriacensium rector.2* What
necessarily related in substance. In this instance, insular learning had been to the Carolingian re
the acknowledgement of Isidore as source refers vival, Fleury was to the restoration of late
to one of his most characteristic devices, the tenth-century England, recovering from the
wheel schemata, as a method of expressing textu
al correlations by graphic means, for which he 20 On this doctrine in general note the discussion of Bede's
is rightly credited among the schoolmen. De Tern. Rat., XXXV, in Jones, Bedae Opera, pp. 368-371,
which gives some of the most important literature.
Abbo of Fleury (ca.945-1004 A.D.) remains 21 See A. Van de Vyver, "Les oeuvres in?dit?s d'Abbon de
to be discussed in this review of component Fleury" in Revue B?n?dictine, XLVII (1935), pp. 125-169, and
Jones, Pseudepigrapha, pp. 8-10, 13, etc.
sources of the Baltimore manuscript. The pres 22 Through whom, of course, the tradition of Bede was
transmitted to the continental schools. Cf. M. L. W. Laistner,
ence of writings by him, already noticed in part, Thought and Letters in Western Europe, A.D. 500 to 900
is the "fossil index" of an important horizon in (London, 1957), pp. 193 if.
23 Cf. manuscript lists in M. L. W. Laistner, A Hand-List
the corpus of early medieval scientific works.21 of Bede Manuscripts (Ithaca, N. Y., 1943), and Jones, Bedae
Opera. . . .
Both the Abbot and his monastery play a critical 24 Georges Chenesseau, L'Abbaye de Fleury ? Saint-Benoit
r?le in the transmission of the Bede tradition in sur-Loire (Paris, 1931), pp. 19-21. For Fleury in the tenth
century, see Charles Cuissard, L'?cole de Fleury-sur-Loire ? la
particular. The ninth century witnessed the in fin du Xe si?cle, in M?moires de la soci?t? arch?ologique de
troduction and establishment of Bede's treatises l'Orl?annais, XIV, Orleans, 1875.
25 Cf. Etienne Gilson, La Philosophie au Moyen Age, 2e ?d.
into the continental schools, newly organized (Paris, 1952), p. 230: "D?s la fin du Xe si?cle, la France com
mence ? rendre ? l'Angleterre ce qu'elle en avait re?u au d?but
under the aegis of Charlemagne and the guiding du IXe. Ce n'est pas ? York, mais ? Fleury-sur-Loire . . .
qu'Oswald, mort archev?que d'York en 992, a fait ses ?tudes,
intellect of Alcuin of York.22 Among the numer et, de m?me qu'Alcuin se tournait jadis vers York, comme vers
ous fine copies of Bede's works which survive le jardin ferm? des Lettres et la Cit? des Livres, c'est vers
Fleury que se tourne ? pr?sent Oswald, lorsqu'il invite Abbon
from the leading Carolingian scriptoria, those ? venir enseigner les moines de l'abbaye de Ramsey, fond?e en
969." See also, G. O. Sayles, The Mediaeval Foundations of
written at Fleury on the Loire hold an impor England (London, 1948), pp. Ill if.
tant place.23 They include faithful textual 26 For these questions see Jones, Pseudepigrapha, passim.

74

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 AN ILLUSTRATED MEDIEVAL SCHOOLBOOK

havoc of Scandinavian invasions. The ties be putistic writing was considerable, leaving an
tween Fleury and England were not only those indelible mark on all learning which passed
of borrowing, as in the case of Abbo, but the through this center. For the Bede corpus, our im
election of churchmen from Fleury-trained mediate concern, it is enough to point out that

<4it4feit*N*t*
Cttttl ftttttC;

eta*

fym&hmcmu* _ _
T?t

WALTERS ART GALLE

Schema of Wind N?mcs

(Ms. W. 73.. fol 2 recto)

monks, as well as the sending of young English the recent recovery of "lost" Abbo treatises
men to school at the great monastery on the has entailed the painstaking process of disen
Loire.25 gaging his works from the dubious and spurious
In the natural sciences, the school of Fleury Bedes among which Abbonian writings had be
did not merely preserve and store its inherit come enmeshed ever since his day.26
ance, but contributed new syntheses, consoli Of the two longer Abbonian excerpts in
dating much of both insular and continental W.73, one actually refers to Abbo (our ch.14),
sources. Their effect on astronomical and com while the other (ch.20), without indication of

75

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 WALTERS ART GALLERY

(Ads. W. 73, fol 9 recto)

Consanguinity Schema (Stemma III)

FIGURE 10

OXFORD, ST. JOHN S COLLEGE

(Ms. 17, fol 6 verso)

Consanguinity Schema (Stemma II)

tf)Uf.arn*v

FIGURE 9

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 AN ILLUSTRATED MEDIEVAL SCHOOLBOOK

source, is nevertheless the most characteristic, more or less regular pattern. A particularly rich
and commonly cited, Sententia Ahbonis de differ example is the miscellany in the British Museum,
entia circuli et spere . . . The history of this latter Royal Ms. 13 A.XI, possibly of the early
excerpt is one of remarkable consistency and twelfth century. It contains all of Bede's scien
continuity. Its presence in all sorts of astronomi tific works (De N?tura Rerum, fols. 14vo-22r;
cal compilations leads one to think that it was De Temporihus, fols. 22r-28r; De Temprum Ra
absolutely required reading in every major tione, fols. 30vo-104r) followed by Abbo ex
school. There is an important early example? cerpts (on Hyginus, fols. 105r-l 13r; and on fols.
probably our earliest?in a splendid manu 113r-115vo, the Sententia Ahhonis de differentia
script of Abbo's lifetime, the famous Harley circuli et spere).29 Here we see the typical juxta
Ms. 2506 of the late tenth century, containing position of Abbo and Bede in a manuscript
beautiful drawings to Cicero's Aratea.27 The thought to be "possibly a transcript of material
distinctive excerpt (Inc.: Studiosis astrologiae brought to England with Abbo of Fleury."30
The path from this manuscript to the text of
-primo sciendum est per geometricam . . .) is already
present, although the author is not named, in W.73 can be traced through additional steps,
the midst of a variety of commonplace excerpts. which ' 'legitimize' ' the Abbonian interpolation
Incidental to our immediate problem is the fact along venerable lines indeed.
that the famous drawings in Harley Ms. 2506, In substance, the compositional pattern of
long cited among the earliest of the English Royal Ms. 13 A.XI is hardly exceptional. It ap
"Winchester'' school, are now thought to have pears repeatedly, though sometimes in modified
originated in Fleury together with the rest of sequences, in a number of manuscripts which, as
the manuscript.28 a group, are among the most handsome illus
Whatever the full text of Abbo's work may trated scientific manuscripts of the Middle Ages.
have been, the remarkable fact is that its char
This circumstance hints strongly at the possi
acteristic form of survival is through excerpts, bility that a certain calculated importance at
which became embedded in compilations in a tached to this composition?perhaps on the
very account of its Fleury descent. The first of
this group is the Cotton Ms., Tiberius E.IV,
27 Described in Fritz Saxl and H. Meier (ed. Harry Bober),
Catalogue of Astrological and Mythological Illuminated Manu
from Winchcomb, and dates early in the twelfth
scripts of the Latin Middle Ages, v. Ill (in 2 parts), Manuscripts century. Its contents include the Bede treatises
in English Libraries, pt. 1, pp. 157 f?.
28 Francis Wormald, English Drawings of the Tenth and (De Temporum Ratione, De N?tura Rerum, De
Eleventh Centuries (London, 1952), pp. 32-33, and cat. no. 35 Temporihus, fols. 46r-135r), followed, almost
(citing Van de Vyver). Note Hanns Swarzenski, Monuments of
Romanesque Art (London, and Chicago, 1954), p. 21. Compare directly, by Abbo's Sententia (fols. 140r
the views of E. F. Jacob, "Some aspects of classical influence in
Mediaeval England," Vortr?ge der Bibliothe\ Warburg, 1930/ 141vo).31 Closely related to the Cotton Ms. is
1931 (Leipzig, Berlin, 1932), esp. pp. 10 fT.
29 Described in Saxl-Meier, op. cit., pp. 197-198.
that in Oxford, St. John's College, Ms. 17 (ca.
30 Jones, Bedae Opera, p. 153. 1110 A.D.), possibly from Thorney Abbey.32
^Ibid., pp. 152, 165, 170. Related to both, indeed "almost certainly a
32 Ibid., pp. 156, 165, etc.; cf. Jones, Psendepigrapha, pp.
127-128. copy" of Cotton Ms. Tiberius E.IV, is the
33 Jones, Bedae Opera, pp. 152, 165. thirteenth-century British Museum Egerton Ms.
34 Described in Saxl-Meier, op. cit., pp. 128-134. See Neil
Ker, "Membra Disiecta," in The British Museum Quarterly, XII 308833 and, in fragmentary state, a Peter
(1937-1938), pp. 131-132, where a quire of ten leaves (B. M.,
Harley Ms. 3667) is recognized as having been originally part
borough compilation of ca. 1122 A.D., Cotton
of Tiberius C. I.
Tiberius C.I.34 The fragments are closely re
77

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 THE JOURNAL OF THE WALTERS ART GALLERY

lated to the Winchcomb and Thorney manu manuscripts of the ninth century35 already
scripts. shows this process at work in the pre-Abbonian
What these manuscripts show repeatedly is school. It contains selected Bede chapters, sev
a regular distinction among three broad areas of eral from the De Temporibus and the De Temporum
content: (a) tables, calendars, etc., (b) proper Ratione, intermingled with Isidore excerpts,
copies of Bede, and (c) collected excerpts. The rotae, and other material.
St. John's manuscript, one of the finest and most There would be little point in adding further
complete of the series, may be examined for a descriptions or comparisons, especially since
reasonably typical cross-section of the text area they are noted in the appendix to this study
(c), as it relates to our problem. Between the under the appropriate sections of W.73. How
preliminary calendrical and computistic tables ever, one additional comment concerning Cot
and rotae (fols.l-36r), and the Bede treatises ton Ms. Tib. E.IV will serve to underscore the
(fols.58vo-123r, De Temporibus, De l^atura connections with the Walters manuscript. After
Rerufn, De Temporum Ratione), the collected ex some preliminary tables, the running text of the
cerpts (c) appear. I shall not attempt to identify London manuscript begins on folio 29vo, and
all of the selections but only one sequence from that text, in fact, is the De ventis from the
the series in St. John's College Ms. 17: Etymologiae. We may now recall that the same
f. 37r Isidore, De Hatura Rerun, XXIII chapter also served as the opening text of W.73
= W. 73 . . . where it was the sole excerpt from the Etymo
f. 37vo~38r Abbo, Inc.: Stuiiosis astrologie logiae. A final point, which should settle the
= W. 73 ch. 20
question of this relationship, is that the second
f. 38vo Abbo, Inc.: Deniegue luna . . .
= W. 73 ch. 14 text folio of the London manuscript (fol.30r)
f. 39r Isidore, De Hatura Rerum, XI, 1 shows a colored drawing of the Wind Rota and
= W. 73 ch. 25
this, as we shall see, is as nearly a model for
f. 39vo Isidore, De datura Rerum, XI, 2-3
= W. 73 ch. 26 that of W.73 folio lvo as one might hope to
f. 39vo Ratio Macrobii de situ orhis find (figs.6,7).
= W. 73 . . . Thus far we have considered sources for indi
f. 40r Isidore, De Hatura Rerum, X, 1-2
= W. 73 ch. 22 vidual parts of the Walters manuscript, al
f. 40r Abbo, Inc.: Iginus et alii . . . though the search led to the discovery of group
= W. 73 ch. 24 ings among those texts, and evidence of their
f. 40vo Isidore, De Hatura Rerum, XXXVII internal as well as historical relationships. In
= W. 73 rota, f. 2r
considering the nature of the compilation as a
The choice and combination of sources is obvi whole, and its raison-d'etre, we must return to
ously much like our manuscript, even if not in points at which its didactic character was so
the same sequence. As for the Bede texts of pronounced. Everything about this manuscript
W.73, they would have been superfluous in St. suggests that the compilation originated in a
John's 17 where the full treatises are present. regular tradition of monastic teaching and
But the distinction between the treatment of learning; that our manuscript was written in
strict textual copies as opposed to compound continuation of such practice. An examination
texts could only reflect school usage, where the
latter would have been employed for introduc 35 B. M., Harley Ms. 3017; cf. Jones, Bedae Opera, pp. 152,
tory purposes. One of the characteristic Fleury 165, 372, and his Pseudepigrapha, p. 122.

78

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 EtiftmmiWftbw?iiw

*H5 h$ in tarins priM^

Ott V> V S

?ix *'*? t .
*,*?? *' *! y S . ?B?? ^HH^HhljBBdjMMflB?ili^^^^P^*!:'?s??**?*** " ff? * *' -
i iifct'iiuvfiiftnwv
'PmxuT fiiierut..

? - -^tUtXtO
.filATtOMAC*?
4UC1LC&M t>f

v''' : -^ "tT rf' *^ * '' * ' - "iJB

If.; ,?^. . < ' " iV?t>. i'-'"' /?ste??
FIGURE 11 OXFORD, ST. JOHN'S COLLEGE FIGURE 12 OXFORD, ST. JOHN'S COLLEGE
Schema of MicrocosmicMacrocosmic Harmony Schema of Figpra Solida
(Ms. 17, fol 39 verso) (Ms. 17, fol 39 recto)

FIGURE 13 PARIS, BIBLIOTHEQUE NATIONALE

Left: Tidal Rota; Right: Schemata of Harmony of the Year and Seasons, and MicrocosmicMacrocosmic Harmony
(Ms. lat. 5543, fols. 135 verserl36 recto)

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 f

i iMiiii#?iiiKrwi^ifafa?irrih?|t'

iimilTT*" n|Ml I-"j dt?stnn.ife?!?wfiir. <ji fMtm^mn

FIGURE 15 OXFORD, ST. JOHN S COLLEGE

f ilftf.JNliiiifmm$wkmM^Stm.n

MS?W?*3Ma??
___ .4 nu? irftm imwrftnt' h?? if I nrnr? *"' ?* *f "**- ' ' Grajjh of Planetary Courses in Zodiac (Ms. 17, fol 38 recto)

FIGURE 14 WALTERS ART GALLERY

f^?S?S?A"
?F?iq^w^^'Z *Bt*^ WWW 1tl%ilSWD^L,

4P MltMt CttttlllrtltCTI<ltC^lwlttHRytllMIWWWt-^tt flft

wmmw-Atnoe?ttU tuera* c?fcm m?C$v?

UUIHNW **

Graph of Planetary Courses in Zodiac (Ms. W. 73, fol 5 verso)

?fimcvV.

? * ??????m?*!?* ?y ?www. wwwy

? &*ftfet? mm tacMfenr -

ftc#Ett?A3ufUiAfiitt?A

rtt?tttm<^?CM
(GP IKIUMIt_

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 AN ILLUSTRATED MEDIEVAL SCHOOLBOOK

of the illustrations leads to the same conclusion text-books everywhere in the Carolingian sys
as we examine them, both in relation to the tem of schools."38 Of all his works, the De "N?r
texts and their peculiar nature as schemata. tura Rerum was the most elementary, and its
The fact that Bede's youthful work, and level almost interchangably matching the equal
probably his earliest scientific treatise, the De ly popular beginner's "Cosmology," Isidore's
N?tura Rerum, was used as the main body of the De N?tura Rerum. Although Bede may not have
Walters compilation affords our most revealing been entirely happy about his early attempt
index of the whole. This treatise (and Isidore's) (judging from the expanded and corrected ma
has been characterized as one of the "tiny sur terial in the later books), his De N?tura Rerum
veys," the last trickle in an ebbing encyclopedic was obviously the ideal basis for an introduc
and epic tradition of Lucretius and the Elder tory text-book in preparation for the specialized
Pliny.36 Professor Jones' study of the De N?tura and technical computistic problems of his De
Rerum concludes that it "was prepared simply Temporum Ratione. The additional texts and il
as a volume of excerpts on a common subject."37 lustrations, the changed sequences and omis
Paradoxically, those very peculiarities which sions, all worked around Bede's De l^atura
are its faults became the positive ingredients Rerum, show that the interest lay in creating a
for its success. Not only did this treatise pro useful, introductory Bede for the schools. That
vide a "tiny survey/' in which useful data from purpose could scarcely have been served as well
the past became conveniently available for cur by a scriptorium copy of the whole De N?tura
rent monastic needs, but it had done so in a Rerum which, as such, was an independent and
form (as excerpts) which allowed of additions, ?already for Bede, and loecause of his later works
substitutions, and re-arrangements, as the prop ?old-fashioned, partly obsolete, work.
er and most suitable method for its further
adaptation as use might require. We have al The illustrations, no less than the text, con
ready observed in the corpus of Bede writings vey the unmistakably didactic intention of W.
that there was one line of strict scriptorium "edi 73, serving much as lantern slides or black
tions," copying his treatises as complete texts. board diagrams might in a lecture. That they
Another line amply illustrates the equally com are decoratively handsome is a tribute to the
mon practice which involved excerpting and quality of this example, but has no bearing on
compilation as standard?even, learned?meth their function. They are not merely "visual
od. The nature of the substitutions and inter
aids," but visual instruments, artfully forged
polations analyzed in W.73 proves that we in a proven pedagogic tradition. There, from
must think twice before dismissing the latter the beginning, they were always integral with
type as categorically chaotic. There is practical the text. The remarkable thing is that so few of
method in the selection of chapters from Isidore the drawings are employed at the ordinary level
to substitute for those of Bede, as we have seen. of mere visual statement, exemplifying the writ
Bede's computistic treatises "were required ten word, as in the modern dictionary. One ap
parent instance of that use is seen in the Zodiac
on folio lr (fig.l), whose text (ch.4) does not
36 Jones, Bedae Opera, p. 125. appear until folio 3r. The differences between
37 C. W. Jones, "Manuscripts of Bede's De Natura Rerum,"
Isis, XXVII (1937), pp. 430-440. the specific content of chapter 4 and the com
38 Jones, Pseudepigrapha, p. 1. prehensive overtones of the schema will help us

81

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 _Jrf?f
fuencrir*^nKot?fW

?>1?lwadm*btm

noo? MtnuHtfigRAttidcifl
^oicruluf' ?Urtf?f4reoiji?imMcti
Bar*

FIGURE 17 LONDON, BRITISH MUSEUM

(ft!ta?ltr???CTt taiingdfm ?151?*ofttndir taccnT. ftictAt* Orttnf

JbtnimAlif*

* T'twrtiftw?iurTi?ttwi?

(Cotton Ms. Tiberius C.I., /ol. 11 ve

Schemata of the Celestial and Terrestrial Climate Zones

-??*
f ^s&^^T?^1"

FIGURE 16 WALTERS ART GALLERY

(Ms. W. 73, fol 6 verso)

Schemata o/tke Celestial anJ Terrestrial Climat

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 AN ILLUSTRATED MEDIEVAL SCHOOLBOOK

to understand why the Zodiac could be sepa venit, and Vulturnus declares, Omnia desicco, etc.
rated from its text to serve as an effective Whereas these "speeches" constitute introduc
"frontispiece." Text and image report the zo tions, and the rota is placed at the head of the
diacal signs and the corresponding months, but general chapter on the winds, the next schema
then part ways. The text goes on to mention elaborates the theme in a significant way. For
such things as the mythologies of the signs, a that next scheme (fol.2r) (fig.8) the entire text
gentilium falulis, and pedestrian technical data. ?but for a short final paragraph?of Isidore's
But the Zodiac schema shows far more than the De N?tura Rerum, XXXVII, De nomin?bus ven
superficially obvious signs and month-names, torum has been presented as a circular scheme
for we must not overlook the concentric bands
with twelve sectors. In addition to providing
radiating outward from Terra at the center. schematic continuity, here is an instance of an
Without counting the band of month-names, we entire "schematic chapter" used to supplement
have Terra, and three others (not inscribed) the ordinary lines of running text.
which can only refer to the elements. The One rota (fol. 9r) (fig. 10), the last in the manu
scheme would thus allude to the formation of
script, can be recognized as a Consanguinity
the cosmos out of the four elements, in harmoni
Schema, dealing with lines of family relationship
ious relationship to mundus (made of the same and descent. It is entirely independent of any
elements) and annus, whose months are named. written content in the manuscript and its place
The scheme is therewith a worthy ' 'frontis may seem unaccountable. It follows chapter 29,
piece' ' or schematic prelude to the compen on tides, and precedes the omnibus computistic
dium of natural science. It may be said to ap "glossary" of chapter 30. The scheme comes
proximate the function of the preliminary chap from Isidore's Etymologiae XI,vi,29, in which it
ters of Bede's De Natura Rerum (omitted by our is Stemma III in a sequence of figurae to the "Likr
compiler) on such themes as De quadrifario Dei Consanguinitatis."*9 While it does not, obvious
opere, De mundi formatione, and Quid sit mundus. ly, relate to the discussion of tides, it can be ex
The choice of the Zodiacal Rota for the be plained as supplementary "appendix" material,
ginning may also be said to coincide with a therefore placed at the end together with the
general plan of progression within the series of computistic section. After all, the condensed
schemata, for it is followed by another?the only geneology of the rota is to the human sphere
other?-figured scheme, that of the Winds (fig. what the "glossary" of chronology is to the tem
7). What with the T-map at the center, and the poral, or computistic, sphere. In the discussion
outer circle of the twelve winds, this too ex as found in the Etymologiae, Isidore even likens
presses something of the preliminary cosmic the six stages of human descent in the Stemma to
orientation. The didactic as versus decorative the six ages of the world. The general utility of
intent of the Wind Rota assumes an interesting content of such consanguinity stemmata was
form here in that each personified wind is caused widely acknowledged and they are found to
to speak a part, as in a play, telling how he "migrate" into a wide variety of manuscripts.
affects the world. Circius says, De me grando However, within the specific limits of our prob
lem, the inclusion of the Consanguinity Schema
39 For the Etymologiae, see the edition of W. M. Lindsay, has precedent from the earliest to the latest
Isidori Hispalensis Episcopi Etymologiarum sive Originum, Libri
XX, 2v., Oxford, 1911, where the figurae arc reproduced to compilations. The ninth-century Fleury manu
accompany Lib. IX, vi, 28-29. script (Harley 3017), mentioned for its mixture

83

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 THE JOURNAL OF THE WALTERS ART GALLERY

of Bede chapters, introduces Stemma I of Isidore's the year with the basic system (citing calendar,
schemes in a preliminary context. The St. seasonal divisions and duration and cardinal
John's Ms. 17 copies Stemma II from the same orientation). The last (fig.4) reiterates the first,
source (fig. 9), placing it (fol.6vo) with general but on a different level, for emphasis is given to
introductory matter. As an example of the uses the interlocking unity and continuity among the
to which the schemata are put in our manuscript, Elements (of Mundus), the Seasons (of Annus),
this rota is like the second Wind Circle in ef and the Humors (of Homo). Those interrelation
fectively supplementing the ordinary chapters ships are demonstrated by the way in which
by means of a text schema. the Elements, Seasons, and Humors each share
As opposed to the figured schemata, such as the one pair of the four primal qualities.
Zodiac, those just discussed may be called The general doctrine carried by these schemes
"textual," in that they are primarily vehicles is hardly original with Isidore,41 although dis
for substantial text. Their geometrical network seminated widely through his works. The wide
serves as clarifying frame, marking various rela appeal of Isidore's formulation is to be seen in
tionships between parts of the text. But there is the fact that his chapter XI of De Natura Rerum
another aspect of the schemata which is more dis is often excerpted and used in various compila
tinctive of their nature, and that is their pecu tions. Such excerpts commonly divide his chap
liar capacity to give visual expression to broad ter into two parts (just as in our chapters 25
syntheses of a given subject; to show correla 26) and carry his schemes of the Figura Solida,
tions between its parts, and even indicate inter and the first Microcosmic-Macrocosmic Rota.
pretations of various themes. This is the sense in The Thorney manuscript, to cite one instance,
which the phrase "visual instruments" was in follows the same procedure (figs. 11,12). But the
tended in the earlier references to schemata, and rotae for this subject were often considered self
its appropriateness may be observed by ex explanatory and are to be found without any
ample. Thus, the group of three circular schemes accompanying text, as in the ninth-century
on folios 7vo and 8r (figs.4,5) are used to state Fleury manuscript in Paris (lat.5543) (fig. 13b).
one of the central themes of Christian cosmo Texts accompanying such rotae, beyond the
logical doctrine, as well as some of the permuta standard citation of Isidore's De partibus mundi,
tions of that doctrine. Their main theme is that did not have to follow any particular model, for
of the Microcosmic-Macrocosmic Harmony in they could be composed as necessary to explain
the basic constitution of the universe. Here is the figures used. Our chapter 27 is a case in
the essential point of reference for understand
ing the genetic unity of all creation and a point
40 In fact the De Nat. Rer. of Isidorus was alternatively known
of departure for speculation de natura rerum. It is as the Liber Rotarum (see n. 42, below). The idea was extended
the theme to which the "frontispiece" made even to literary compositions of cosmological import as in the
very early instance of a seventh century Gallic poem, De Asia
generic allusion and is implicit in the very idea et de universi mundi rota. If we did not know from the content
of rotae.40 The series in W.73 sets forth the doc of this poem that the author depended on Isidore, we might
possibly have guessed as much from the use of rota in the tide.
(For bibliography on this poem, see F. J. E. Raby, A History
trine in explicit terms. The first scheme (fig.5) of Secular Latin Poetry in the Middle Ages, v. I (Oxford, 1934),
is the most comprehensive, embracing Mundus, p. 157 and note 1.
41 For the late antique and early mediaeval background of
Homo, and Awnu5. The second (fig.4) singles out this doctrine cf. H. Bober, The Zodiacal Miniature of the Tr?s
Annus from the whole in order to elaborate upon Riches Heures of the Du\e of Berry?Its Sources and Meaning,
in four nal of the Warburg and Courtauld Institutes, XI (1948),
the particulars of time which further conform esp. pp. 2 ff.

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 AN ILLUSTRATED MEDIEVAL SCHOOLBOOK

point, and may be said to be a product of the

rotae rather than a source for their composition.
The effective simplicity of graphic method
employed in this group of schemata is worth brief
mention. In basic form they are identical?each
composed of two concentric circles, leaving a
wide intervening zone between them, which
carries intersecting arcs. That all three bear up
on one basic idea is thus imparted from the out
set. To indicate the particular aspect of the
general theme which the individual rota ex
presses, all that is required is a change in num
ber and combination of arcs in the "operative"
zone, adding appropriate inscriptions.

The historical questions of the sources of the

figurae in W.73, and the explanation of their
collective form, are vast, and their pursuit too
extended for this paper. A brief indication of
the answers is, however, necessary for our un
derstanding of the Baltimore manuscript. Judged
only from the fact that the text is composite, it
would appear likely that the illustrations too
might have "migrated"?individually or in Schemata of tke Celestial an? Terrestrial Climate Zones
(Ms. 17, fol 40 recto)
certain groups?out of diverse original con
texts. Indeed, that is the case, as may be seen at
a glance. The largest proportion of the schemes
Solstices, and the Figura Solida. But the Con
are, in fact, commonly found together in the
sanguinity Schema, which had no place in the De
early manuscripts of Isidore's De N?tura Rerum
N?tura Rerum, did play an important part in the
which, for obvious reasons, soon became known
Etymologiae, where it was one of three such
as the Liber Rotarum.42 Among those rotae and
Stemmata intended by the original text. The
other schemes which survive without interrup
Tidal Rota, on the other hand, although early
tion from Isidore to our manuscript, we find the
wedded to Bede's text (and discussions ut
Microcosmic Schemata, the Climate Zones, the
Beda), does not seem to have taken its form be
fore the ninth century (cf. fig. 13a). Similarly,
42 For instance, in Paris, B.N., ms. lat. 4860, of the tenth(?)
century, where the De Nat. Rer. is introduced on f. 98v: the Graph of the "cursus septem planetarum per
Incipit Liber Rotarum. Cf. note 40, above, and Sarton, op. cit.,
p. 472, as well as Jones, Bedae Opera, notes to De Tern. Rat., zodiacum" (fig. 14), alien to the original inten
XXXIV, p. 368. tions of both Isidore and Bede, appears to de
43 Cf. discussion of Vetus Commentarius (see note 8, above)
to Bede's De Nat. Rer., XIV, De apsidibus eorum [i.e., plane velop in Abbo's Fleury.43 It must be noticed
tarum] (Migne, P. L., XC, glossae et scholia to cols. 218-229).
Illustrations in Migne, op. cit., 227-228, 1153-1154. See also, that our group of twelfth-century English manu
note following. scripts preserves the direct association of the

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 THE JOURNAL OF THE WALTERS ART GALLERY

Graph with Abbo's text which begins, Studiosis and the collection of excerpts (fols.l33vo ff.)
astrologie. . . (cf. figs. 14,15).44 More than these among which many of our schemes (fig. 13) and
instances, there is other evidence from ninth and non-Bede excerpts are to be found. The pattern
tenth-century manuscripts to show that the syn continues in the tenth century (and later), as in a
thesis of didactic figurae out of diverse sources Limoges manuscript now in the Biblioth?que
had become regular school method. The Harleian Nationale (lat. 5239).47 The distinction indi
Ms. 3017, one of the most characteristic com cated by other evidence discussed earlier seems
puti of ninth-century Fleury, presents a lengthy confirmed from this approach as well. It is that
and elaborate synthesis of selections from Bede, of an apparant differentiation between the un
Isidore, and others, interwoven among a good illustrated texts of Bede in their original form
number of our schemata. The latter include our and the illustrated teaching compilations where
Microcosmic and Wind Schemata, the Figura Soli the Bede material is variously rearranged.
da, the Tidal Rota and, as mentioned previously, This dichotomy probably has foundation in
the Consanguinity Schema. One of the interesting the character of Bede as teacher, scholar, and
points to be observed is the extent to which person. One gets the impression that he must
those schemes which originated in Isidore's De have taken his own intellectual?and particular
Natura Rerum show a strong tendency to pre ly mathematical?abilities for granted, expect
serve the bond with his original chapters, no ing that his students should be able to grasp ab
matter how they may be reassembled. stractions without recourse to teaching "aids,"
such as tables and schemes. Moreover, his polite
but critical view of Isidore leads us to sup
The critical study of Bede's D?natura Rerum pose that he attached little or no value to the
has yet to be written. In the meantime, available Isidoran rotae, and such devices.48
evidence warns against the temptation to guess If we now return to the Walters manuscript,
that the manuscripts of his elementary cosmol the sense of this distinction is very clearly pre
ogy simply borrowed, or adapted, figurae which served, even in this seemingly homogeneous
were to be seen in his model, Isidore's De "Natura
Rerum. I have selected three fine examples of 44 For textual context note, Cotton Tib. E. IV, f. 14lr, where
the graph follows directly upon Abbo's Sententia, and St. John's
early Bede manuscripts to illustrate a typical as Ms. 17, f. 38r where this is again the case. A few other texts are
pect of this problem. The first, Nouv. Acq. lat. interposed between Abbo and the graph, in the instance of
Royal Ms. 13 A. XI, for which the reader may consult the de
1615 (Paris), is a ninth-century text which may scription in Saxl-Meier, op. cit., p. 198. There, under fol. 143r,
reference is made to the discussion of this graph by Karl R?ck,
have come to Fleury from Auxerre. It contains Ausz?ge aus der Naturgeschichte des C. Plinius Secundus,
Programm des K?niglichen Ludwigs-Gymnasium f?r das Stu
complete texts of Bede's De Temporum Ratione, dienjahr 1887/1888 (M?nchen, 1888), p. 86.
De N?tura Rerum and De Temporihus (fols.l9r 45 Jones, Bedae Opera, pp. 156, 166.
W Figurae are found on fols. 159v, 160v, 161r, 170v, I75r,
140vo).45 Whereas this part of the manuscript 175v, 176r.
is not illustrated, the later portions (from folio 47 There, the Bede texts are De Tern. (fols. 32r-38r), De Tem.
Rat. (fols. 40r-95v), cf. Jones, Bedae Opera, pp. 155, 166.
156vo on) show many of our figurae and texts.46 Among those leaves only two drawings are found (fols. 38r,
The same is true of the beautiful Fleury manu 38v) and they are simple diagrams rather than schemata of the
type under consideration. On the other hand, Isidoran and other
script, lat. 5543, also in Paris. There we see a schemes are found among diverse textual excerpts in the latter
part of the manuscript (fols. 138r, 139r, 139v, 140r, etc.).
marked distinction between the unillustrated, 48 For the attitude of Bede toward Isidore see Jones, Bedae
full texts of Bede, De Temporum Ratione, De J\[a Opera, pp. 128, 131-132; for views on tables and "aids" see
idem., p. 355 (notes to De Tem. Rat., XX), and p. 358 (notes
tura Rerum, De Temporibus (folios 25r-90vo), to De Tem. Rat., XXIII).

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 AN ILLUSTRATED MEDIEVAL SCHOOLBOOK

"picture book." We see that the textual core of discovered. Nevertheless, W.73 has been consis
the manuscript, Bede's De Natura Rerum (our tently given a French attribution, while its dat
chapters 4-13), is compressed into an uninter ing has vacillated somewhat. It was first placed
rupted and unillustrated sequence of written in the twelfth century without qualification,
text. These chapters are preceded by introduc but later thought to date in the thirteenth, ca.
tory texts and schemes, mainly from Isidore; 1220 A.D. The comparative material which I
they are followed by the richly illustrated sec have adduced for the problems of text and na
tion of excerpts from Abbo, Isidore, and Bede. ture of the illustrations in W.73 affords the
That the pattern of this composition is not principal evidence for answering questions of
unique in the instance of W.73, but represents attribution as well.
established practice, is by now evident. The As for the provenance of our manuscript,
simplest demonstration, apart from all that has
there can be no question but that it is English.
been said, may be found in the page layout of The similiarities between W.73 and the group
folio 6vo of W.73 (fig. 16). There we find the of English manuscripts discussed for their text
text of Isidore's De Natura Rerum, X,l-2 (the consistently bears this out, not only with re
first line of which beginning: In definitione autem spect to the character of the script in the
. . . , is on the preceding page). This is follow schemes, but in their spacing as well. The com
ed by the chapter beginning: Iginus et alii astro parisons of page layouts cited above go further
logi; the central area of the page shows two to prove these manuscripts to be part of one co
schemes for the Climate Zones. Text combina herent stylistic group. The evidence extends to
tions and schemes are exactly the same as those such important particulars as the circle of the
in two of our group of English manuscripts, personified winds (fig.7). For this, the corre
those from Peterborough (fig. 17) and Thorney sponding illustration in Cotton Ms. Tiberius
(fig.18). E.IV (fig.6) is as close a model as one might
hope to find as proof of this connection.
No doubt the Winchcomb manuscript is
Such questions as provenance and date earlier than W.73. This may be seen in their
would, in the case of a manuscript with ordi differences, such as the change from tight lines
nary figured scenes, present no special problem and patterns of the wind gods in the former, to
since figures must change each time they are summary and fluent drawings in the latter. The
drawn, and those changes are the usual matter Winchcomb manuscript may be dated in the
of the history of miniatures. But when, as in the first decades of the twelfth century, close in
Walters manuscript, the illustrations are largely time to its textual "cousins," the St. John's Ms.
geometric schemes drawn with mechanical in 17 (ca. 1110 A.D.), and Cotton Ms. Tiberius
struments?figures being few or entirely absent C.I. (ca. 1122 A.D.). In order to estimate the
?the difficulties are compounded. For one dating of W.73 beyond this general relation
thing, such illustrations betray fewer obvious ship, we must depend on such evidence of fig
changes, from time to time or place to place. ure style as this manuscript offers. This leaves
For another, there is practically no comparative only the busts of the wind gods (fig. 7) and the
material of this nature available in publications, zodiacal constellations (Virgo, Libra, and
leaving little to go on for measuring such re Aquarius) (fig.l). The latter show general re
gional or chronological pecularities as might be semblance in treatment of drapery, to figures in

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 THE JOURNAL OF THE WALTERS ART GALLERY

It would be difficult to avoid noticing one of

the charming iconographical curiosities of the
Walters Zodiac, in which Scorpio looks more
like a two-headed swan than anything else.
Strange as it may be, this corruption seems to
belong to a good English line of misunderstood
scorpions, which are to be found in the twelfth
century. One of those, equally original, is found
in a manuscript in a Cambridge library (St.
John's College, Ms. B.20) (fig.21).51 There we
see a winged dragon for Scorpio, and its triple
headed tail may give the needed clue to the line

FIGURE 19 LONDON, BRITISH MUSEUM

St. Guthlac Conveyed to Crowland

(Barley Roll Y. 6)

the Guthlac Roll of the British Museum (Harley

Roll, Y.6) (fig. 19), usually dated in the last
years of the twelfth century.49 The profile head
of Guthlac's companion in the bow of the boat,
furthermore, resembles some of the wind gods FIGURE 20 LONDON, BRITISH MUSEUM
of the Walters manuscript. Somewhat closer is
Giraldus Camlrensis, Hawking
the likeness between the figure of Aquarius of
(Royal Ms. 13 B.VIII, fol 22 verso)
W.73 to the style of drawing and figure propor (after Oxford History of English Art)
tions in a Giraldus Cambrensis manuscript in
London (Royal Ms. 13 B. VIII), of ca. 1188 A.D.
of misinterpretations which led to the creature
(fig.20).50 On the strength of such comparisons in the Walters manuscript.
as these, and pending the discovery of better "Tractatus de sphaera" the title which W.73
examples, I would place the Baltimore manu bears on folio lr, probably added in the thir
script toward the end of the twelfth century, teenth century, is quite wrong for this manu
preferably ca. 1190-1200 A.D.
script. Why the later scribe chose this title can

49 Cf. Margaret Rickert, Painting in Britain, The Middle 50 Boase, op. cit., p. 197, and pi. 31e.
Ages, The Pelican History of Art (Harmondsworth and Balti
more, 1954), pp. 110-111, placing the Guthlac Roll ca. 1200 51 See Montague Rhodes James, A Descriptive Catalogue of
A.D. T. S. R. Boase, English Art, 1100-1216, The Oxford His the Manuscripts in the Library of St. John's College, Cambridge
tory of English Art, v. Ill (Oxford, 1953), p. 288, also prefers (Cambridge, 1913), no. 42, pp. 42 f?. Cf. Boase, op. cit., p.
to place this manuscript somewhat later than 1196 A.D., the 109, n. 1.
date with which it has been associated on the basis of the 52 See Lynn Thorndike, The Sphere of Saaobosco and its
translation of the relics of St. Guthlac in that year. Commentators (Chicago, 1949).

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 AN ILLUSTRATED MEDIEVAL SCHOOLBOOK

not sensibly be explained. If he thought it was he was certainly a poor student of the quadrivi
the Tractatus de Sphaera by John of Sacrobosco, he urn. Otherwise he would have known, even if
might have done so only from the knowledge he had not read, the first sentence of Abbo's
that it was a very short work. Otherwise, the chapter, so carefully carried through the cen
opening Ventus est ave commotus could not be mis turies: Studiosis astrologiae primo sciendum est per
taken for the Sacrobosco preface, which opens geometricam quid distat inter circulum et speram.
with the words of the title.52 Perhaps it was a Walters 73 may be called an illustrated school
hasty and indifferent inventory notation by edition of Bede's De N^ura Rerum although the
someone who glanced only at the rotae. But if he title "Cosmography/' which Miss Dorothy
took his title to be a "modern* ' equivalent for Miner gave it from the first, would be almost
the Liber Rotarum?which is conceivable?then equally suitable.

*s?/

FIGURE 21 CAMBRIDGE, ST. JOHN S COLLEGE

Scorpio, a detail from Zodiac and Labors of the Month

(Ms. B. 20)

APPENDIX
CONTENTS OF WALTERS ART GALLERY W.73

Manuscript of 9 vellum leaves, 10-5/8 x 6-1/4 inches. named in a surrounding band, form great
Note: Chapters in arabic numerals, indicated in the circle. The winds blow toward the cen
left-hand margin, are intended only for convenience in ter of the circle (T-map) along "spokes"
reference to the discussion in this article. bearing short characterization of the
winds.
Chapter titles not found in the manuscript are given in
brackets. C/.Br.Mus.,Cotton Ms. Tiberius
f.lr Tractatus de Sphera, title added, probably E.IV, f.30r.
thirteenth century,
f.lr Zodiac Circle (fig.l) Ch.l. f.lv [DeVentis]
Circular scheme of the twelve constella Inc.: Ventus est aer commotus et pro diversis
tions as figures shown in outer zone, partihus celi diversa nomina sortihus.
with month names written below appro f.2r Des.:unde et propter celeritatem tarn ventos
priate signs. TERRA at center, auam fulmina poete alata fingunt.
f.lv Wind Rot? (fig. 7) Isidore, Etymologiae, XIII,xi; c/.ed.
Twelve profile busts of the winds, each W.M. Lindsay (Oxford, 1911).

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 THE JOURNAL OF THE WALTERS ART GALLERY
f.2r Schema of the Wind Names (fig.8) Des.: Sol ubic[ue tenens equinoctialem circulum
Circular scheme, framed by the names of iteriaue parti temperiem facit.
the winds, with T-map at center. Each f.3r Schema of the Solstices and Equinoxes
wind is characterized in its sector, by an Circular scheme within which are shown
excerpt from Isidore's De 'Hat. Rer. the solstitial and equinoctial positions of
Isidore, De Natura Rerum, XXXVII, the sun.
De nominibus ventorum (Migne, Patro
log?a Latina, LXXXIII, 1006-1008). Ch.4. f.3r De duodecim signis
Inc.: Signa xii vel a causis annalihus vel a
Ch.2. f.2r [De zodiaco circulo]
gentilium jabulis nomina sumpserunt
Inc.: Zoiiacus vel signifer, est circulus obli f.3v Des.: a medio mensis, id est, xv kalendarium
quus, xii signis constans
die semper incipiens.
Des.: Saturni, duahus ut sol.
Bede, De Nat. Rer., XVII (Migne,
Bede, De N?tura Rerum, XVI (Migne, P.L.,XC, 232). See the list of in
P.L.,XC,231),Cf. discussion of in cipits of the related text in De Tem.
cipits to Bede's De Tem. Rat. XVI, Rat.,XVI discussed by Jones, Bedae
in Jones, Bedae Opera de Temporilus, Opera, p.352, no,4.
pp.351-352.
Ch.5. f.3v De cursu et magnitudine solis
f.2v Schema of planetary orbits and zodiac
Inc.: Solis ignem dicunt acaua nutiri, mul
Concentric circles of the seven planets
tosaue hunc luna ampliorem
with TERRA at center and framing bor
der of zodiacal names. Des.: ne si semper in Kisdem moraretur locis,
alia calor, alia frigus absumeret.
f.2v Schema of the planet cycles
Concentric bands with text stating the Bede, De Nat. Rer., XIX (Migne,
P.L.,XC, 234-235).
period of each planet. The same content
is given in a tabular text at the left of Ch.6. f.3v De cursu planetarum
this circle.
Inc.: Inter celum terramaue septem sidera pen
Follows standard texts such as dent
Isidore, Etymologiae, III,lxvi (Lind Des. : Radiis autem solis prepedita, an?mala vel
say ed.), Isidore, De N?t. Rer., retrograda, vel stationariafiunt.
XXIII (Migne, P.L., LXXXIII, Bede, De Nat. Rer.,XII, (Migne,
995-996), and Bede, De Nat. Rer., P.L.,XC, 208-211).
XIII (Migne, P.L.,XC,211-214).
Ch.3. f.3r (a)De ortu solis Ch.7. f.3v (a)De stellis
Inc.: Stelle lumen a sole mutuantes, cum
Inc.: Hoc modo ut ista formula assignavimus
cursus solis hiemalis at eauinoctialis et mundo verti, utpote in uno loco fixe.
estivalis probatur. Cui ideo deus diver Des.: lumen sideris imitari, trucihus cito ori
sos constitu?t cursus entihus ventis.

Des.: ob celi rigor em nobis hilerni frigoris de (b)De vario effectu siderum
relinauit Inc.: Sidera autem alia sunt in liauorem
From Cui ideo, after Isidore, De Nat. soluti humoris fecunda.
Rer.,XVII,3 (Migne,P.L.,LXXXIII, Des.: et ut nimbosus orion, et canicula, aue
990). nimium fervens, xv kalendas augusti
f.3r (b)[De solis eauorum nominibus] emergit.
Inc.: Sol dicitur h?here iiiior eauos Both parts, (a) and (b) form one
Des.: Sero autem descendendo terram petit chapter of Bede, De Nat. Rer.,XI
(Migne, P.L.,XC, 206-208). The
Cf.De Mundi Coelestis Terrerestriscjue
chapter is thus divided in many
Constitutione (Migne, P.L.,XC, 900,
manuscripts of the De Nat. Rer., ac
and see discussion of this spurious
cording to C.W. Jones, "Manu
Bede in Jones, Vseudepigrapha, pp.
scripts of Bede's De N?tura Rerum,"
83-85).
Isis, XXVII(1937),p.437,n.5.
f.3r (c)[De solstitio et eauinoctio]
Ch.8. f.3v De natura et situ lune
Inc. : Sol ab ortu aut cum mundo corripitur aut
ipse suum circulum contra mundus per Inc.: Lunam non minui nee crescere dicunt
obliqua distendit. philosophi

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 AN ILLUSTRATED MEDIEVAL SCHOOLBOOK

Des. : eadem die vel nocte nullo alio in signo produced in Migne, P.L., XC, illus
quam ariete conspici. trations to cols. 255-256, 399-400,
Bede, De Nat. Rer.,XX, (Migne, 400-401, 407-408.
P.L.,XC,236-237). W.73 omits The same scheme, including the text
last two sentences of this chapter, of the inner circle, is found in Ox
but this is also true of mss. A and B ford, St. John's Ms.17, f.38v, col.2,
used by Migne, loc.cit., col.237, and the Br. Mus. Ms. Cotton Tib. E.
note 2. IV, f.l41v, col. 2.
Ch.9. f.3v De eclipsi soli et lune Ch.13. f.4r Ubi non sit et quare
Inc.: Solem interventu lune, lunamque terre Inc.: Defectus solis lune vespertinos orientis
obiectu nobis perhihent occultari incole non sentiunt

Des. : latitudo signiferi lunam superius in Des. : Armenia inter Xam et Xlam sensit.
feriusve transmittit. Bede, De Nat. Rer.,XXIII, (Migne,
Bede, De Nat. Rer.,XXII, (Migne, P.L.,XC, 242-243).
P.L.,XC, 240-242). Ch.14. f.4r Title?
Ch.10. f.3v De cometis Inc.: Denique luna totius zodiaci, signa,
Inc.: Comete sunt stelle fiammis crinite, re puncta, partes, studioso lectori mani
pente nascentes festait
Des.: sed cometes nunquam in occasum parte f.4v Des.: Sed nos ut dictum est diei nomine
celi est. xxiiii horarium spacium dicimus.
Bede, De Nat. Rer.,XXIV, (Migne, Abbonian text, found also in Ox
P.L.,XC, 243-244). ford, St. John's Ms.17, f.38v, and
Ch.ll. f.3v De aere B.M., Cotton Ms.Tib.E.IV, fols.
141r-141v.
Inc.: Aer est omne quod inani simile vitale
Ch.15. f.4v De cursu solis et lune
hunc spiritum fundit
Des.: Et celi celorum dicuntur siderei celi Inc.: Sol ut diximus tarditate sui cursus
istorum aeriorum tanquam superiores unum quodque signum xxx at x semis
inferiorum. horis peragit
Bede, De Nat. Rer.,XXV, (Migne, Des.: tantum cursus peragit quantum sol in
xxiiii horis et xxi ostentis.
P.L.,XC, 244-246).
Ch.12. f.3v [De l?cteo circulo] Ch.16. f.4v [De cursu lunae per signa]
Inc. : [L]acteus circulus est figura candidior Inc.: Si etiam de luna approbare volveris
Des.:;n quitus candidum circulum signifer qualiter explet xii signa
cmgit. - Des. : et fac exinde xxviii dies et viij horas
sicut supra scriptum est.
Bede, De Nat. Rer.,XVIII, (Migne,
P.L.,XC, 233). Ch.17. f.4v (a)[De intervallis planetarum]
f.4r Schema of Phases of the Moon Inc.: Intervalla planetarum a terra multi
Circular scheme of seven phases of the indagare temptaverunt
moon (color washes on moon discs, barely Des. : ita vii tonis effici quam diapason armon
visible in photograph), oriented to the iam vocant.
West (at right) where Sol xxx corres From Pliny, ~N?turalis Historia, Lib.
ponds to the last day, when moon is not II,xix-xx,83-84, (ed.H.Rackham, v.
visible. Cycle begins with new moon I, 1944, Loeb Classical Library).
(Monoides) in counter-clockwise progres Found in the following manuscripts;
sion. Terra at center. Text within circle
B.M.,Cotton Tiberius B.V.pars 1,
of moon phases. f.52v (English, ca.991-1016 A.D.),
Scheme combines main elements of and Cotton Tiberius C.I,f.40r
two other types; (a) auot punctis lu (Peterborough, ca. 1122 A.D.). See
ceat luna, which gives six divisions descriptions in F.Saxl and H.Meier,
of the thirty points, and (b) schemes Catalogue of Astrological and Mytholo
correlating moon phases with zodi gical Illuminated Manuscripts, v.III,
ac. Such schemes are found in the ed. by H. Bober (London, 1953),
Bede commentaries and the types re pp.126, 134.

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 THE JOURNAL OF THE WALTERS ART GALLERY

(b)[Dimensio celestium spatiorum secundum Circular scheme with Terra at center,

quosdam] and zodiac forming outer frame. Shows
Inc. : A terra ad lunam tonum esse pernuntiant planetary orbits as having their own cen
ters, thus circles are not concentric.
Des.: id est miliaria cix, ccc.lxxv.
Also in Cotton Tiberius B. V.pars 1, Ch. 19. f.5r [De positione et cursu septem planetarum]
f.54r, and Cotton Tiberius C.I, Inc.: Inter celum et terram certis discreta
f.41v-42r. F. Saxl and H. Meier, spatiis septem sidera pendent
loc.cit.
f.5v Des. : a tric?sima luce ad easdem vices exit.
Cf. Isidore, De Harmonia et Coelesti
Although opening sentence begins
M?sica, cap. 86, which covers the
content of both sections in similar as in Bede, De Nat. Rer. ,XII (Migne,
P.L.,XC,208 if.) this text excerpts
terms (Migne, P.L.,LXXXIII, notes Pliny, Hist. Nat., II,vi, 32-34 (ed.
to cols.987-988). Rackham), most of which is absent
For section (b), cf. "Byrhtferth" from the Bede chapter.
glossae to Bede, De Nat. Rer., XII,
cited in Migne, P.L., XC,208-209. Ch.20. f.5v (a)[Sententia Ahhonis de differentia circuli et
spere]
Inc.: Studiosis astrologie primo sciendum est per
Ch.18. f.4v (a)De absid?bus planetarum geometricam quid distat inter circulum
Inc. : Tres plan?te, Saturnus, Jupiter et Mars et speram.
supra Solem site occultantur f.6r Des.: Si vero nota est; aliquis planetarum est.
f.5r Des.: cum hoc in altissimis evenit signis. (b)[Sententia AMwnis de cursu septem planetarum
per zodiacum circulum]
To ut deprehendi possint, excerpt from
Pliny, Hist. Nat., II,xii, 59-61, Inc.: Signifer in latitudine xii, in longitudine
ccc.lxv discriminibus interstinctus
modified at the incipit which in
Pliny is Errantium autem tres quas Des.: Alioaui ex contrario partium suarum
supra solem diximus sitas. Also found motu mundus stare non posset.
in Cotton Tib.B.V.pars 1, fols. For (a) and (b), cf. B.M., Harley Ms.
53r-53v, and Cotton Tib. C.I,fols. 2506,fols.30v-32r, late tenth cen
40v-41r, (Saxl-Meier, loc.cit). Cf. tury, Fleury(?); see Saxl-Meier, op.
Jones, Pseudepigrapha, pp.84-85 on cit.,pp. 157-158 for description of
the inferior planets. this manuscript and bibliography
(b)[De absidihus planetarum] for this text. Note especially, A.
Inc.: Absides autem dicuntur circuli earum Van de Vyver, Les oeuvres in?dites
greco vocabulo d'Ahhon de Fleury in Revue Benedictine,
Des.: ad centrum necesse est, sicut in rotis XLVII (1935), pp.140 ff.
radios. Other manuscripts with this text
include; B.M., Royal 13.A.XI, fols,
Paraphrase, closely following Bede,
113r-115v(English, twelfth cen
De Nat. Rer., XIV, (Migne, P.L., tury), Durham, Hunter 100, fols.
XC, 215-225), who properly cites 65r-68r (Durham, ca. 1100-1135
Plinius Secundus ex quo ista nos ex
A.D.).
cerpsimus. The excerpted portion is
from Pliny, Hist.Nat.,II,xiii, 63-64 For (a) only, cf. Oxford, St. John's
(ed.H.Rackham). College, Ms. 17, fols. 37v-38r
(Thorney (?) ca. 1110 A.D.), and
f.5r Schema of the Harmony of the Spheres B.M., Cotton Tib.E.IV, fols.L40r
Shown as seven separate discs arranged 141 r (Winchcomb, twelfth century).
in a row across the page, names of planets f.5v Graph of planetary courses in the zodiacal
within the discs, musical intervals writ
ten between them. signs (fig. 14)
Graph in square shape, subdivided
Above and below the row of planet into grid of 12 x 12 smaller squares.
discs, inscription: Bisse* signifere numer The vertical coordinate is the latitudo,
antur sidera spere: per quern plan?te dicuntur constans xii partibus, while the horizontal
currere septem: que: repetunt: rursum: pro is the Longitudo zodiaci constans ccc.lxv. par
prium: complent: uhi: cursum: tihus. (The captions are not present in
f. 5r Schema of the planetary orbits W.73 but are borrowed from the iden

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 AN ILLUSTRATED MEDIEVAL SCHOOLBOOK

tical scheme, accompanying the same text f.6v Schema of the terrestrial climate zones
in St. John's Ms. 17, f.38r.) Names of the (fig. 16)
celestial circles and the musical dis Circular scheme of earth's climate zones
tances of their intervals are written ver
shown as arcs, except for the lowest
tically along the strip just below the zone, which is a small circle (circulus in
graph. In St. John's 17, the latter series habitabilis frigore), and a larger circle of
is labeled Armonia.
Ethiopium terra., above it.
The scheme accompanies the Abbo As in St. John's Ms.17, f.40r, Cot
text in the following additional ton Tib.C.I.,f. 11 v, etc.
manuscripts: Cotton Tib.E.IV, f.
141r, Royal 13 A.XI, f.l43v. For Ch.24. f.6v [De quinqu? circulis mundi et subterr?neo siderum
the latter, see description and refer meatu]
ences in Saxl-Meier, op.cit., p. 198.
Inc. : Sane quoniam de temporihus Jo^uentes
Ch.21. f.6r [De ratione hissexti et embolismi] f.7r Des.: Semper rote ruhens, et torida semper ab
igni.
Inc.: Certa ratione et vera etatis lune compu
tatio Bede, De Temporum Ratione, XXXIV,
see Jones, Bedae Opera, pp.244-246,
Des.:per certo totius xix cycli lunationes et 367-368. Walters text omits last
embolismorum annos invenies.
portion of this chapter, from Ipsa est
aequinoctialis to end, (Jones, p.245,
Ch.22. f.6r [De auinque circulis]
lines 45-79.).
Inc.: In defmitione autem mundi circuios f.7r Schema of the terrestrial climate zones and
aiunt philosophi
Riphaean mountains (fig. 22)
f.6v Des.: Quorum circulorum divisiones talis dis
Similar to that on f.6v, but for the
tingua figura.
Riphei Montes, shown here as seven tri
Isidore, De Nat. Rer. ,X, 1-2 (omits
angular silhouettes, extending across the
3-4), (Migne, P.L.,LXXXIII,978).
lower third of the circle. Inscription
f.6v Schema of the celestial climate zones (fig. 16) Ethereus zonis qui?is accingitur orbis frames
Circular scheme of five circles forming circle.
"rose" around central circle. The center
is labeled Emerinos . . ., while those sur The Riphaean mountains were
thought to mark the beginning of
rounding it include one of the celestial
Europe, north of the Don: cf. G. H.
equator (M?dius), two tropical (secundus
Kimble, Geography in the Middle
and auartus), and two polar (primus and Ages (London, 1938), pp.21,243.
quintus).
See also, Isidore, Etymologiae, XIV,
Text within scheme (Emerinos latine dici viii,8, and Bede, De Tem. Rat.,
tur dies ataue nox, etc.) and to the sides of XXXIII (Jones ed.,p.243, line 75).
the circle are excerpted from Isidore, Ety Similar schematized representations
mologiae, III,xliv, 2-4 (cf.XIII, vi,2-3). of the Riphei montes are to be seen in
Texts outside the circle are grouped under Cotton Tib.E.IV, f.75v, and St.
headings (Oriens Solstititialis, etc.) so as John's 17, f.87v.
to relate the scheme to the four celestial
f.7r Schema of the Moon circuit in the zodiac
climates, as in Isidore, Etymologiae, III,
xlii (De quattuor partibus caeli). Cf. Bede,
(%22)
Concentric circles divided into twelve
De Nat. Rer., X, De plagis mundi (Migne,
P.L.,XC, 204-206). sectors to correspond to the zodiac, and
serving to correlate the signs, lunar
Ch.23. f.6v [De quinqu? Zonae caeli]
months, and subdivisions of thirty
' 'points. ' ' Diametrum at bottom of circle
Inc.: Iginus et alii astrologi ferunt quod is locus ubi XVta erit luna ideo diametrum
quinqu? sunt zone celi dicitur quia ihi est dimidia mensum celi.
Des. : de antipodihus noluit quasi certam con Similar schemes are found in St.
firmare. John's Ms.17, f.77v, and Cotton
As in St. Johns Ms.l7,f.40r, and Tib.E.IV,f.62r (fig.23). The "base"
Cotton Ms. Tiberius C.I, f.llv of the scheme in W.73 which tapers
(for latter see Saxl-Meier, op.cit., off rather vaguely, may be under
p.131). stood from the examples cited. In

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 il??ni cm6? m
r r I. u

JJL
FIGURE 22 WALTERS ART GALLERY

Schemata 0/ Terrestrial Climate Zones and Riphaean

Mountains, and Moon Circuit in Zodiac
(Ms. W. 73, fol 7 recto)

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 AN ILLUSTRATED MEDIEVAL SCHOOLBOOK

'W?m^
both instances, the diametrum forms
a distinct pedestal, or base, below
the main scheme.

Ch.25. f.7v [De partibus mundi]

Inc.: Partes mundi quatuor sunt. Ignis, Aer,
Aqua, Terra.
Des.: Hec itaque ne confusa minus colligantur
subiecta pictura d?clar?t.
Isidore, De Nat. Rer., XI, 1 (Migne,
P.L.,LXXXffl, 979-980).
Ch.26. f.7v [De partibus mundi], continuation of Ch.25
Inc.: Ceterum Sanctus Ambrosius eadem ele
menta per qualitates
Des.: Quorum distinctam communionem suhi
ecti circuli figura d?clar?t.
Isidore, De Nat. Rer., XI ,2-3, (Migne,
P.L.,LXXXffl,980-982).
f.7v Schema of the cube (Figura Solida) (fig. 5)
Two overlapping squares with common
diagonal. Inscribed: Hec figura solida est
secundum geometricam rationem. Qualities
and properties of the elements written in
upper square. The Sun (Ennagonus Sol), in
upper left, and the Moon (Epagonus luna)
in lower right, corners.
This is the first cubic number and
solid, hence the association with the
primal elements. Cf. Macrobius,
Comm. in Somnium Scipionis, I,V,11:
i*t*H
"Hence it is apparent that the num
ber eight both is and is considered
a solid body, if indeed one is repre
sented by a point, two by drawing
a line . . . and four ... to form a
square. When these four are dupli
cated and made eight, forming two
equal squares, and one is superim
posed upon the other, giving the
figure altitude, the result is a cubi
cal figure, which is a solid body."
(W. H. Stahl, Macrobius, Commen
tary on the Dream of Scipio, N.Y.,
1952, p.97).
Cf. Migne, P.L.,LXXXIH,980.
f.7v Schema of Microcosmic-Macrocosmic Har
mony, (Mundus, Homo, Annus) (fig.5) FIGURE 23 LONDON, BRITISH MUSEUM
Circular scheme with central circle of
Schema of the Moon Circuit in Zodiac
Mundus, Homo, Annus. Intersecting arcs
form four main divisions and axes, for the (Cotton Ms. Tiberius E. IV, fol. 62 recto)
four elements. Four secondary arcs create
4x2 pairs of compartments, linking a pair
of primal qualities with each of the ele De convenientia cosmi, microcosmi, et
ments. The inner compartments on the anni, from an unidentified manu
main axis link the seasons and humors script, is the heading given to this
with the elements. scheme in Migne, P.L., XC,461

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 THE JOURNAL OF THE WALTERS ART GALLERY
462, but the source is Isidore, De Anonymous didactic exposition of
Nat. Rer. (see Migne, P.L., LXXX the rota illustrated on same leaf, fol
111,981-982). Cf. H. Bober in Art lowing the pattern of such commen
Havs, 54(1956), pp.42-45. tators as the Vet.Comment, to Bede's
De Nat. Rer.,XXXIX, (Migne,P.L.,
Ch.27. f.7v [De quattuor tempor?bus, elemewtis, humoribus] XC,258-260), who composes a text
Inc. : Rotule post posite ad unam quidem fidem to explain the illustration. That text
spectant begins: Ista rota pertinet ad concordiam
Des. : sicut hec figure evidentissime patent. maris et lunae, quae si concordat, maxima
est, ut Beda docet in lihro II[?] de Tem
Anonymous iuxta Ysidorum, mainly
the De Nat. Rer. Cf. Bede, De Tem. porum ratione. (It is ch.XXLX of the
De Tem. Rat. which deals with the
Rat., XXXV(ed. Jones, pp. 246
248, 368ff.) tides.) The text of the Vetus Com
mentarius is found in Berlin, Ms. 138,
f.8r Schema of Harmony of the Year and Seasons f.35r with the rota, and its author
(fig.4) thought to be Abbo of Fleury (see
Circular scheme relating the seasons and Jones, Pseudepigrapha, p. 10).
qualities to the year. Annus, cuius commun
ionis his est figura, at center. Eight inter Ch.29. f.8v [De aestu oceani]
secting arcs arranged on cross-axis give Inc. : Estus oceani lunam sequitur
the four qualities, seasons, cardinal direc Des.: Malina vero a xii luna et a xxviii.
tion, and dates of seasonal changes.
Bede, De Nat. Rer.,XXXIX (Migne,
De temporibus ac partibus eius, et quali
P.L., XC, 258-259), but W. 73
tatihus anni, schema is the heading
breaks off at point indicated, just
given to this scheme by Migne,
P.L.,XC,459-460, found in one of beyond the middle of the chapter.
his sources. Cf. Jones, Bedae Opera, notes to De
Tem. Rat.,XXIX, pp.362-363.
On the beginning of the seasons and
their duration see Isidore, De Nat. f.8v Tidal Rota (fig.2)
Scheme of the moon and the tides in cir
Rer.,VII,5 (Migne, P.L.,LXXXIII,
975) whose dates were widely fol cular form, with T-map at center. Four
lowed in spite of variations of a day smaller circles at outside diagonal cor
or two. Cf. Bede's discussion of the ners, giving four tidal divisions of the
subject in De Tem. Rat.,XXXV,32 lunar months (ledones and malinas). Main
45 (ed.Jones, Bedae Opera, p.241 and circle has three narrow outer rings : (a) giv
notes on p.369). ing thirty divisions of the lunar month,
(b) ring of aqua, for oceanus, which sur
f.8r Schema of Harmony of Elements, Seasons,
rounds the world, and (c) ring of cycle of
Humors (fig.4) rise and fall of tides, numbered, in four
Circular scheme with center inscribed:
successive series. Between rings and the
Communio elementorum mundi, temporum an
T-map are the twelve wind sectors.
ni, humorumque corporis humani. Eight This rota, labeled "De concordia maris
equal, intersecting arcs form continuous
et lunae," is found from the ninth
series around the center naming the four
century on in many manuscripts, for
elements, seasons and humors, and a pair
of qualities associated with each.
which cf. discussions in Jones,
This scheme in substance is the Bedae Opera, notes to De Tem. Rat.,
XXIX, pp. 362 ff., and esp. p.365.
same as that to Isidore, De Nat. Rer.,
See also Jones Pseudepigrapha, pp.10,
VII, of which a different version is
35. The date given for B.N., lat.
reproduced in Migne, P.L.,LXXX 5239 on p.35 is an error (cf.p.128,
111,975-976.
giving the more likely later date).
Ch.28. f.8v [De concordia maris et lunae] The Tidal Rota is printed many
Inc.: Hec figura excogitata est ad demonstran times in the edition of Migne, P.L.,
dum oceani cum luna concordiam, qui ut
XC, 259-60, 277-278, 385-386,
Beda docet 423-424.
Des.: sicut ascripta vocabula deformis singulis f.9r Consanguinity Schema (fig. 10)
rotulis ut signetur quota luna quis Concentric circles, with Vox filii utrius
eorum aue sextus at center; rest divided into six

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 AN ILLUSTRATED MEDIEVAL SCHOOLBOOK

rings and ten sectors, with text of blood Cf. De Divisionibus Temporum I, an
lines of family descent and relationships. swer to third question (Quomodo
Isidore, Etymologiae, IX,29, De agna crescunt majores numeri de minores),
tis et cognatis, where this is Stemma (Migne, P.L.,XC,650-651). W.73
III (repr.ed.Lindsay). Isidore, loc. condensed, and differs mainly in
first and last lines.
cit.: Ideo autem usque ad sextumgeneris
gradum consanguinitas constituta est, ut Followed by condensed summary of
sicut sex aetatibus mundi generatio et divisions in each part of time, from
hominihus status finitur, ita propinquitas Athomus, Ostentum, Minutum . . .
generis tot gradilms terminaretur. to, Ebdomada, Mensis Solaris, Mensis lunaris.
Cf. scholiae to Bede, (Migne, P.L.,
Ch.30. f.9r De trimoda ratione temporum et divisionibus XC315-316, 303).
eorum
f.9v Quibus modis soleat annus nominari
Inc.: Tempora dicta sunt a communi tempera Inc.: Primus modus est de luna
mento
Des.:uH primum statuta fuer ant et dec.
Des. : Divisiones temporum sunt (followed by
annis impletur
tabular list from Atomus to Mundus).
For theme, cf.Bede, De Tem. Rat. ,11,
but general content is based on the
short computistic tracts using Bede
material of the De Tem. Rat. Thus,
compilation, definitions of time and SOME NEOMEMPHITE RELIEFS
its divisions, follow the lines of such
works as his De Ratione Computi, and (Continued from page 41)
dialogues, such as De Divisionihus
Temporum, with added excerpts
from Isidore. diet that if new fragments are found they will
Thus, the first sentence is from include the bestowing of the usual handsome
Isidore, Etymologiae,V,xxxv,l, while
and succulent offerings of bread, beer, oxen and
the rest resembles Bede, De Ratione
Computi I (Migne, P.L., XC, 579), fowl, rendered with the precision of a great
and De Divisionibus Temporum I sculptor, worthily memorializing a priest of
(Migne, P.L., XC, 653). For dis
cussion and attribution of these and Ptah of Memphis, patron of craftsmen.
related treatises, see Jones, Pseudepi
grapha, pp.38ff, and 48ff.
f.9r Inc.: He autem divisiones temporum
Des. : deinde in plenitudine dicitur mundus.
Cf.De Divisionihus Temporum I, an AN ALTARPIECE
swer to second question (Migne,
P.L.,XC, 653).
BY ANDREA DI BARTOLO
This section is followed by tabular list
ing with brief characterizations and defi (Continued from page 21)
nitions;
f.9r Inc.: Athomusgrece, indivisio latine and Arrest of Christ and the Way to Calvary
f.9v Des.: Mundus vero est universitas quae constat to the left of the three known Passion scenes.
celo et terra et mari.
The unknown altarpiece was probably about
Like De Divisionibus Temporum, de
rived from Bede, while both, in ten feet (3.00 m.) wide, and its largest panel
turn, preserve excerpts from Isidore, was probably twice as high as wide. It is
Etymologiae and De Nat. Rer.
worth considering in detail how the intact dl
f.9v Quomodo ex minoribus temporum divisiones
Inc.: Trecenti LXXI athomi unum ostentum tarpiece looked because there is hope that more
efficiunt than three portions of the original work have
Des.: omnes cycli in unum conveniunt. survived.

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