Bartholomaeus Anglicus (before 1203–1272),[1] also known as Bartholomew the Englishman and Berthelet, was an early 13th-century Scholastic of Paris, a member of the Franciscan order. He was the author of the compendium De proprietatibus rerum ("On the Properties of Things"),[2] dated c.1240, an early forerunner of the encyclopedia and a widely cited book in the Middle Ages.[3] Bartholomew also held senior positions within the church and was appointed Bishop of Łuków in what is now Poland, although he was not consecrated to that position.[1]
Early life
Little is known of Bartholomew's early life. He is believed to have been born around the turn of the 13th century to unknown parents. The first record of him was in 1224 in Paris as a teacher, although he is also believed to have studied at Oxford University.[1]
Encyclopedia
The work De proprietatibus rerum was written at the school of Magdeburg in Saxonia and intended for the use of students and the general public.[1] Bartholomew carefully notes the sources for the material included, although, at present, it is sometimes impossible to identify or locate some of them. His annotations give a good idea of the wide variety of works available to a medieval scholar.
The original Latin work was translated into French in 1372 and a number of manuscripts of the Latin and French versions survive. The work was later printed in numerous editions. John Trevisa produced an English translation in 1397. Extracts were compiled by Robert Steele under the title Medieval Lore: an Epitome (1893).[4] A critical edition of Trevisa's translation appeared in 1975.[5]
Stages of Life by Bartholomeus Anglicus (1486).
The work was organized in 19 books. The subjects of the books, in order, are God, angels (including demons), the human mind or soul, physiology, of ages (family and domestic life), medicine, the universe and celestial bodies, time, form and matter (elements), air and its forms, water and its forms, earth and its forms including geography, gems, minerals and metals, animals, and color, odor, taste and liquids.
Book 1 De Deo On God and the names of God
Book 2 De proprietatibus angelorum On angels, good and bad
Book 3 De anima On the soul and reason
Book 4 De humani corporis On the bodily humors
Book 5 De hominis corpore On the parts of the body
Book 6 De state hominis On daily life
Book 7 De infirmitatibus On diseases and poisons
Book 8 De mundo On earth and the heavenly bodies
Book 9 De temporibus On time and motion
Book 10 De materia et forma On matter, form and fire
Book 11 De aere On the air and weather
Book 12 De avibus On birds
Book 13 De aqua On water and fishes
Book 14 De terra On the earth and its surface
Book 15 De regionibus et provinciis On regions and places
Book 16 De lapidibus et metallis On rocks, gems and minerals
Book 17 De herbis et arboribus On plants and trees
Book 18 De animalibus On land animals
Book 19 De accidentibus On colours, smells and tastes, substances, measurements, numbers and music
Lucan (died 65). One of the most popular Latin poets of the Middle Age.
Aemilius Macer (6th century). On THE VIRTUES OF HERBS The extant hexameter poem known as Floridus or De viribus (aut virtutibus) herbarum, traditionally ascribed to Macer, is actually a medieval production by Odo Magdunensis, a French physician.
Macrobius (c. 409). His commentary on the dream of Scipio was a favourite work in Medieval times.
Martianus Capella (c. 400). Wrote a poem, THE MARRIAGE OF MERCURY AND PHILOLOGIA, treating of THE SEVEN LIBERAL ARTS, which was the standard text-book from the 5th century for the schools.
Michael Scot (c. 1235). At this time concerned in the translation of some Arabic works on Astronomy, and Aristotle's DE COELO and DE MUNDO DE ANIMA, and HISTORIA NATURALIS with commentaries.
Perspectiva Sciencia. According to William Morris this may be Bacon's, Peckham's, or Albertus Magnus', but he favors Peckham.[6] Others say; Alhacen's De Aspectibus, a medieval Latin translation of Ibn al-Haytham's Kitab al-Manazir (Book of Optics), was first cited in this compendium, dated about 1240.[12]
Petrus Comestor (died 1198). Named MAGISTER HISTORIARUM or Master of Histories, wrote an account of the world from the Creation, which, when translated into French, was called the "Mer des Histoires." A favourite Medieval book.
PHILARETUS (1100). A writer on Medicine. date seems wrong here redirects to Theophilus Protospatharius The real Philaretus wrote on pulses
Physiologus. A Syriac compilation of moralities on animal myths. It first appears in Western Europe as THEOBALDUS DE NATURIS XII. ANIMALIUM. Of Alexandrian origin, it dates from before the 4th century, and appears to have been altered at the will of each writer.
PLATEARIUS SALERNITANUS (c. 1100) was Johannes, one of a family of physicians at Salerno.[13] His work is called the PRACTICA. A book on the virtues of herbs. [Lugd., 1525, etc.]
Ptolemy (c. 130). An Alexandrian astronomer, known through Arabic translations only at that time. [Ven., 1509, etc.]
Rabanus Maurus (776-856) of Fulda, pupil of Alcuin. A Benedictine, afterwards Archbishop of Mayence, who wrote DE UNIVERSO MUNDO. [1468; Col., 1627, etc.]
Remigius of Auxerre (died 908). A teacher of Grammar in the School of Paris. His grammar remained in use there four centuries. He wrote a gloss on Marcianus Capella.
Richard of Saint Victor (died 1173). A Scottish theologian, Prior of St. Victor. A mystic of considerable acuteness. [Ven., 1506, etc.]
Richard Rufus of Cornwall (c. 1225). A Cornishman who was a doctor in great renown, both at Oxford and Paris. He afterwards joined the Franciscans.
Robert Grosseteste (died 1253), the celebrated Bishop of Lincoln and patron of Bacon. Taught at Paris and at Oxford. Commentaries on Aristotle.
SALUSTIUS (died 363?). DE DIIS ET MUNDO. A geographer.
Schola Medica Salernitana (c. 1100). A treatise on the preservation of health in leonine verse for popular use, said to be addressed to Robert of England. It has been translated and commented on hundreds of times. The Middle Age very sensibly thought preservation from disease a branch of medicine equally important with the cure of it.
SECUNDUS. A writer on Medicine. 4th century used Pliny[14]
Gaius Julius Solinus (c. 100). Wrote an account of things in general—POLYHISTORIA
William of Conches (died 1150). Lectured at Paris, 1139, on Grammar, wrote DE NATURA.
Zeno of Cyprus (c. 400), A writer on Medicine, and teacher at Alexandria.
Church positions
Bartholomew was elected as Minister of Austria in 1247 and was then elected as Minister of Bohemia in 1255. This appointment included Poland where he resolved a dispute between Duke Boleslaw and the Cathedral Chapter at Kraków. Pope Alexander IV appointed him as Papal legate north of the Carpathians in 1256 and appointed him as the Bishop of Łuków. However, he was probably not consecrated in that position due to the second Mongol invasion of Poland in 1259. Bartholomew was appointed as Minister at Saxonia in 1262 and served in that position until his death in 1272.
He was at some point confused with Bartholomeus de Glanvilla, another Franciscan friar who lived a century later.[16]
^M.C. Seymour (ed.). On the Properties of Things: John Trevisa's Translation of Bartholomaeus Anglicus, De Proprietatibus Rerum, 3 vols., Oxford University Press, Oxford 1975-1988.
^*Smith, A. Mark, ed. and trans. (2001), "Alhacen's Theory of Visual Perception: A Critical Edition, with English Translation and Commentary, of the First Three Books of Alhacen's De aspectibus, the Medieval Latin Version of Ibn al-Haytham's Kitāb al-Manāzir, 2 vols", Transactions of the American Philosophical Society, 91 (4–5), Philadelphia: American Philosophical Society, ISBN0-87169-914-1, JSTOR3657357, OCLC47168716{{citation}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link), p.xx, note 32 is on p.cxxiii
Trevisa, John (1988). On the Properties of Things: John Trevisa's Translation of Bartholomaeus Anglicus, de Proprietatibus Rerum: A Critical Text. Oxford University Press. ISBN0-19-818530-8.
