De lapidibus et gemmis (Medeltidshandskrift 59, Universitetsbiblioteket, Lunds Universitet)
Latin literatureLatinsk litteraturLatin languageLatinska språketMedeltidslatinMedeltidshandskriftBartholomaeus AnglicusLapidarierLäkekonstMedeltidenMagiEncyklopedierMedieval manuscriptsEncyclopaediasMedieval medecineLapidariesLanguages and Literatures
ABSTRACTThis thesis contains a partial edition of a previously unpublished manuscript, De lapidibus et gemmis (MH 59, Lund University Library). The manuscript was probably written in the late XVth century and consists of five parts. Part 1 (ff 1r-1v) and 2 (ff 2r-14r) are written in Latin, part 3 (ff 14v), which is probably later than the rest of manuscript (XVI century?), in German, part 4 (ff 18r-33r) in Latin (some smaller passages in Swedish), part 5 (ff 34r-34v) in Latin and Swedish. The manuscript was written by at least two hands, probably more.I have chosen to examine and edit part 2, ff 2r-14r, which I have identified as a partial transcript of the franciscan Bartholomeus Anglicus encyclopedic work De proprietatibusrerum, probably written between 1230 and 1260. The encyclopedia was immensly popularduring the Middle Ages and the Renaissance. Its popularity is shown by the large number ofmanuscript copies and printed editions to be found in European libraries. MH 59 contains avery abridged copy of parts of book XVI, De lapidibus preciosis and a few items from bookXVII, De arboribus et herbis. The stones in book XVI are described with their medical andmagical properties.It is impossible to know which manuscripts or (possibly) printed editions of Deproprietatibus rerum the scribe had at his disposal. In my edition I have compared themanuscript with Argentine 1485, an early edition of De proprietatibus rerum, which belongsto Lund University Library.