List of medieval bestiaries

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This is a list of medieval bestiaries. The bestiary form is commonly divided into "families," as proposed in 1928 by M. R. James and revised by Florence McCulloch in 1959–1962.

Latin bestiaries[]

First family[]

These appeared in the 10th–13th century are based upon the "B" version of the Physiologus and the writings of Isidore of Seville:

• Cambridge, Corpus Christi College, MS 22
• London, British Library Royal MS 2.C.xii
• London, British Library Stowe MS 1067
• Los Angeles, Getty Museum Ludwig XV 3
• Los Angeles, Getty Museum Ludwig XV 4
• Oxford, Bodleian Library MS Bodley 602
• Oxford, Bodleian Library MS Douce 167
• Oxford, Bodleian Library MS Laud Misc. 247
• Paris, Bibliothèque Nationale Nouv. acq. lat. 873
• Vatican, Cod. Palat. lat. 1074

The following are all late 13th-century texts, based upon the same version of the Physiologus, with the text of De bestiis et aliis rebus by Hugues de Fouilloy.

• Cambridge, Sidney Sussex College 100
• Chalon-sur-Saône, Bibliothèque Municipale MS 14
• Paris, Bibliothèque Nationale lat. 2495A
• Paris, Bibliothèque Nationale lat. 2495B
• Paris, Bibliothèque Nationale lat. 3638A
• Paris, Bibliothèque Nationale lat. 14429
• Valenciennes, Bibliothèque Municipale MS 101

These. appearing from the 12th to 14th century, incorporate material from other sources:

• Northumberland Bestiary (Alnwick Castle, MS 447)
• Cambridge, Trinity College R.14.9
• Leningrad, Rossiiskaia natsional'naia biblioteka Q.v.V,1
• London, British Library Royal MS 2.B.vii
• London, British Library Royal MS 12.C.xix
• Munich, Bayerische Staatsbibliothek gall. 16
• New York, Morgan Library M. 81

Second family[]

The works in this group are based principally on Isidore's Etymologiæ with significant additional material from Saint Ambrose, Rabanus Maurus, Solinus and others:

• Aberdeen Bestiary (Aberdeen University Library MS 24)
• Brussels, Bibliothèque Royale 8340
• Brussels, Bibliothèque Royale Hs 8827-42
• Cambridge, Corpus Christi College MS 53
• Cambridge, Fitzwilliam Museum MS 379 (C, W(B))
• Cambridge, Gonville and Caius College MS 109/178
• Cambridge, Gonville and Caius College MS 372/621
• Cambridge, Gonville and Caius College MS 384/604
• Cambridge, University Library Ii.4.26
• Canterbury, Cathedral Library Lit.D.10
• Chartres, Bibliothèque Municipale 63 (125)
• Copenhagen, Kongelige Bibliotek Gl. Kgl. 1633 4°
• Douai, Bibliothèque Municipale MS 711
• Le Mans, Bibliothèque Municipale 84
• London, British Library Add MS 11283
• London, British Library Harley MS 3244
• London, British Library Harley MS 4751
• Rochester Bestiary (London, British Library Royal MS 12.F.xiii)
• London, British Library Sloane MS 3544
• Los Angeles, Getty Museum, Salvatorberg Bestiary
• Nîmes, Bibliothèque Municipale 82
• New York, Morgan Library MS M. 890
• Oxford, Bodleian Library MS. Ashmole 1511
• Oxford, Bodleian Library MS. Bodley 533
• Oxford, Bodleian Library MS. Bodley 764
• Oxford, Bodleian Library MS. Douce 88 A
• Oxford, Bodleian Library MS. Douce 151
• Oxford, St. Johns College MS. 61
• Oxford, St. Johns College MS. 178
• Oxford, University College MS. 120
• Paris, Bibliothèque Nationale lat. 3630
• Paris, Bibliothèque Nationale lat. 11207
• Paris, Mazarine Library 742 (1115)
• Vatican, Apostolic Library Reg. 258

Third family[]

These, from the 13th century, expand on the above with various races of humans, mythological creatures, and sometimes wonders of the world from Bernard Silvestris and others:

• Cambridge, Fitzwilliam Museum 254
• Cambridge, University Library MS Kk.4.25
• Oxford, Bodleian Library, MS. e Musaeo 136
• Oxford, Bodleian Library MS. Douce 88 E
• Westminster Abbey Library MS 22

Fourth family[]

The sole work in this family, from the 15th century, is distinguished by its incorporation of writings by Bartholomaeus Anglicus:

• Cambridge, University Library MS. Gg.6.5

Dicta Chrysostomi[]

These works were attributed in their time to John Chrysostom and appeared, mostly in Germany, from the 12th to 15th century:

• Bad Windsheim, Ratsbibl. Cod. 28
• Brussels, Bibliothèque Royale 18421-29
• Chicago, Newberry Library MS 31.1
• Epinal, Bibliothèque Municipale 58 (209)
• Göttweg, Stiftsbibl. Cod. Ms. 154
• Göttweg, Stiftsbibl. Cod. ms. 200
• Harvard University, Houghton Library MS Typ 101
• Leningrad, Gos. Publ. Biblioteka Saltykova-Shchedrina lat. Q.v.III,1
• Leipzig, Universitätsbibl. Paul. fol. 351
• Leipzig, Universitätsbibl. Paul. 4° 1305
• Linz, Studienbibl. Cod. ms. Cc.II.15
• London, British Library Sloane MS 278
• Munich, Bayerische Staatsbibliothek clm 536
• Munich, Bayerische Staatsbibliothek clm 2655
• Munich, Bayerische Staatsbibliothek clm 3221
• Munich, Bayerische Staatsbibliothek clm 5613
• Munich, Bayerische Staatsbibliothek clm 5921
• Munich, Bayerische Staatsbibliothek clm 6908
• Munich, Bayerische Staatsbibliothek clm 9600
• Munich, Bayerische Staatsbibliothek clm 14216
• Munich, Bayerische Staatsbibliothek clm 14348
• Munich, Bayerische Staatsbibliothek clm 14693
• Munich, Bayerische Staatsbibliothek clm 16189
• Munich, Bayerische Staatsbibliothek clm 19648
• Munich, Bayerische Staatsbibliothek clm 23787
• New York, Morgan Library MS M. 832
• Paris, Bibliothèque de l’Arsenal lat. 394
• Paris, Bibliothèque Nationale lat. 10448
• Uppsala, Universitetsbibliotek C 145
• Vienna, Osterreichische Nationalbibliothek 303
• Vienna, Osterreichische Nationalbibliothek 1010
• Vienna, Osterreichische Nationalbibliothek 2511
• Vienna, Osterreichische Nationalbibliothek 4609
• Vienna, Osterreichische Nationalbibliothek 13378
• Wolfenbüttel, Herzog August Bibliothek 35a Helmst. (Manuscript digitized)

Single Author manuscripts[]

Many manuscripts contain portions of bestiaries that can be attributed to a single author. These include works by Isidore of Seville's Etymologiae, Thomas de Cantimpré's Liber de Natura Rerum, and Hugues de Fouilloy's De avibus

Hugues de Fouilloy[]

• Munich, Bayerische Staatsbibliothek, Clm 9649 (Hugues de Fouilloy, De avibus in a miscellany)

Isidore of Seville[]

• Philadelphia, University of Pennsylvania, Kislak Center for Special Collections, Rare Books and Manuscripts, LJS 184 (Isidore of Seville, Etymologiae)

Thomas de Cantimpré[]

• Philadelphia, University of Pennsylvania, Kislak Center for Special Collections, Rare Books and Manuscripts, LJS 23 (Thomas de Cantimpré, Liber de Natura Rerum)
• Brugge, Openbare Bibliotheek, Ms. 410 (XIII)
• Brugge, Openbare Bibliotheek, Ms. 411 (XV)
• Brugge, Openbare Bibliotheek, Ms. 412 (XIV)
• Brugge, Openbare Bibliotheek, Ms. 413 (XIV)
• Wrocław, Biblioteka Uniwersytecka, Ms. R 174 (XV)

French bestiaries[]

The French bestiaries are all derived from works with commonly attributed authorship, and are divided as such:

Bestiaire in Verse by Philippe de Thaon[]

• Copenhagen, Kongelige Bibliotek Gl. kgl. S. 3466 8º
• London, British Library Cotton MS Nero A.v
• Oxford, Merton College MS. 249

Bestiaire of Gervaise[]

• London, British Library Add MS 28260^[1]

Bestiaire of Guillaume le Clerc[]

• Cambridge, Fitzwilliam McLean 123
• Cambridge, Fitzwilliam Mus. J.20
• Cambridge, Trinity College O.2.14
• London, British Library Cotton Vespasian A.vii
• London, British Library Egerton MS 613
• London, British Library Royal MS 16.E.viii
• Lyon, Palais des Arts 78
• Oxford, Bodleian Library MS. Bodley 912
• Oxford, Bodleian Library MS. Douce 132
• Paris, Bibliothèque de l'Arsenal 2691
• Paris, Bibliothèque Nationale fr. 902
• Paris, Bibliothèque Nationale fr. 1444
• Paris, Bibliothèque Nationale fr. 2168
• Paris, Bibliothèque Nationale fr. 14964
• Paris, Bibliothèque Nationale fr. 14969
• Paris, Bibliothèque Nationale fr. 14970
• Paris, Bibliothèque Nationale fr. 20046
• Paris, Bibliothèque Nationale fr. 24428
• Paris, Bibliothèque Nationale fr. 25406
• Paris, Bibliothèque Nationale fr. 25408
• Paris, Bibliothèque Nationale Rothschild IV.2.24
• New Haven, Beinecke Library MS 395 (formerly Phillipps 4156)
• Vatican, Apostolic Library Regina 1682
• In a Psalter, the Queen Mary Psalter, British Library Royal MS 2B, vii
• In a psalter, the Isabelle Psalter, State Library, Munich

Bestiaire of Pierre de Beauvais[]

• Malines, Bibliothèque du Séminaire 32
• Montpellier, Bibliothèque de la Faculté de Médecine H.437
• Paris, Bibliothèque de l'Arsenal fr. 3516
• Paris, Bibliothèque Nationale fr. 834
• Paris, Bibliothèque Nationale fr. 944
• Paris, Bibliothèque Nationale nouv. acq. 13251
• ex-Phillipps 6739 [C, M]
• Vatican, Apostolic Library Reg. 1323

Middle English bestiary[]

• London, British Library Arundel MS 292

Italian bestiaries[]

• Florence, Bibl. Laurenziana Cod. plut. LXXXX Inf. Cod. 47 (Bibl. Gadd.)
• Florence, Bibl. Laurenziana Cod. Ashb. 649
• Florence, Bibl. Naz. Cod. Magliabecchiano II.8.33
• Florence, Bibl. Naz. cl. XII Cod. Strozz. Magliabecchiano 135
• Florence, Biblioteca Ricardiana Cod. 1357 P.III.4
• Florence, Biblioteca Ricardiana Cod. 2183 R.IV 4 Nr. 2260
• Florence, Biblioteca Ricardiana Cod. 2281
• Naples, Bibl. Naz. XII.E.11
• Padova, Museo Civico di Padova (Bibl. Comun.) Cod. C.R.M.248
• Paris, Bibliothèque Nationale ital. 450
• Rome, Bibl. Corsini 44.G.27

Catalan bestiaries[]

• Barcelona, Bibl. Universitària 75
• Barcelona, Bibl. de Catalunya 87
• Barcelona, Bibl. de Catalunya 310
• Vic, Bibl. Capitular 229
• Vic, Bibl. Capitular 1354

Icelandic bestiary[]

• Copenhagen, Arnamagnæanske Institut, Arnamagnæanske Institut, AM 673a 4º

German bestiary[]

• Munich, Bayerische Staatsbibliothek, Cgm 38 (Konrad von Megenberg, Das Buch der Natur)
• Munich, Bayerische Staatsbibliothek, Cgm 8414 (Konrad von Megenberg, Das Buch der Natur)

References[]

• David Badke. "Bestiary Families." at The Medieval Bestiary