This is a list of medieval bestiaries. The

bestiary A bestiary (from ''bestiarum vocabulum'') is a compendium of beasts. Originating in the ancient world, bestiaries were made popular in the Middle Ages in illustrated volumes that described various animals and even rocks. The natural history a ...

form is commonly divided into "families," as proposed in 1928 by

M. R. James Montague Rhodes James (1 August 1862 – 12 June 1936) was an English author, medievalist scholar and provost of King's College, Cambridge (1905–1918), and of Eton College (1918–1936). He was Vice-Chancellor of the University of Cambrid ...

and revised by Florence McCulloch in 1959–1962.

Latin bestiaries

First family

The subfamily designated the "B-Is" version, dated to the 10th–13th centuries, are based upon the "B" version of the

Physiologus The ''Physiologus'' () is a didactic Christian text written or compiled in Greek by an unknown author, in Alexandria; its composition has been traditionally dated to the 2nd century AD by readers who saw parallels with writings of Clement of Alex ...

and the writings of

Isidore of Seville Isidore of Seville ( la, Isidorus Hispalensis; c. 560 – 4 April 636) was a Spanish scholar, theologian, and archbishop of Seville. He is widely regarded, in the words of 19th-century historian Montalembert, as "the last scholar of ...

:e * 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 "H" versions, late 13th-century, which in addition to a base

text, adds and arranges the content according to the "H" text or Book II of ''De bestiis et aliis rebus'' of Hugues de Fouilloy (''olim'' of Pseudo- Hugo de St. Victor). * 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 The "Transitional" group, appearing from the 12th to 14th century, incorporate material from other sources used by second family bestiaries: * 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 Solinus,

Saint Ambrose Ambrose of Milan ( la, Aurelius Ambrosius; ), venerated as Saint Ambrose, ; lmo, Sant Ambroeus . was a theologian and statesman who served as Bishop of Milan from 374 to 397. He expressed himself prominently as a public figure, fiercely promo ...

's ''Hexameron'',

Rabanus Maurus Rabanus Maurus Magnentius ( 780 – 4 February 856), also known as Hrabanus or Rhabanus, was a Frankish Benedictine monk, theologian, poet, encyclopedist and military writer who became archbishop of Mainz in East Francia. He was the author of the ...

and others: *

Aberdeen Bestiary The ''Aberdeen Bestiary'' (Aberdeen University Library, Univ Lib. MS 24) is a 12th-century England, English illuminated manuscript bestiary that was first listed in 1542 in the inventory of the Old Royal Library at the Palace of Westminster. Du ...

(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.4.26McCulloch, 1960 * 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 Librar
Harley MS 4751
*

Rochester Bestiary The Rochester BestiaryLondon, British Library, Royal MS 12 F.xiii is a richly illuminated manuscript copy of a medieval bestiary, a book describing the appearance and habits of a large number of familiar and exotic animals, both real and legendar ...

(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 Bartholomaeus Anglicus (before 1203–1272), 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' ...

: * Cambridge, University Library MS. Gg.6.5

Dicta Chrysostomi

These works were attributed in their time to

John Chrysostom John Chrysostom (; gr, Ἰωάννης ὁ Χρυσόστομος; 14 September 407) was an important Early Church Father who served as archbishop of Constantinople. He is known for his homilies, preaching and public speaking, his denunciat ...

and appeared, mostly in

Germany Germany,, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It is the second most populous country in Europe after Russia, and the most populous member state of the European Union. Germany is situated betwe ...

, 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

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 This is an incomplete list of some of the manuscripts from the Cotton library that today form the Cotton collection of the British Library. Some manuscripts were destroyed or damaged in a fire at Ashburnham House in 1731, and a few are kept in othe ...

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

, M The comma is a punctuation mark that appears in several variants in different languages. It has the same shape as an apostrophe or single closing quotation mark () in many typefaces, but it differs from them in being placed on the baseline ...

* 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

;Bibliography * Badke, David.
Bestiary Families
" at ''The Medieval Bestiary'' * * ;

Reprint A reprint is a re-publication of material that has already been previously published. The term ''reprint'' is used with slightly different meanings in several fields. Academic publishing In academic publishing, offprints, sometimes also known a ...

C. N. Potter, 1976 * {{refend

Bestiary A bestiary (from ''bestiarum vocabulum'') is a compendium of beasts. Originating in the ancient world, bestiaries were made popular in the Middle Ages in illustrated volumes that described various animals and even rocks. The natural history a ...

* *