Latin acrostic on William Bates

  • This material is held at
  • Reference
      GB 123 DWL/RB/1/177
  • Former Reference
      GB 123 Treatises v.6 Treatises v.137
  • Dates of Creation
      undated
  • Name of Creator
  • Language of Material
      Latin
  • Physical Description
      ff 6-7 (f 6v and f 7v are blank) 300 x 184 mm.

Scope and Content

In quarto by an unknown hand. The acrostics make the words 'Vivat Bates' and 'Vive diu'.

‘Vt splendens Adamas Orientis lectus in oris,’ f 7r: ‘Joannes Georgius Metzler palatinus Ph: Mag: et S.S.Th. Candid.’

'Viro Admodum Reverendo, pietate, doctrina ac eruditione celeberrimo Domino Doctori. BATES Sacro Sanctae.Theologiae: Doctori dignissimo, Domino Suo omni animi observantia colendo. Salutem ac prosperitatem perpetuam a Deo Optimo Maximo: pecatur'.

Note

The adamas stone, found on a mountain in the east, is referred to by Physiologus in the 4th century in his Greek tales. One of the most popular books in medieval Europe, Physiologus contains allegories of beasts, stones, and trees both real and imaginary, infused by the anonymous author with Christian moral and mystical teaching. In 1587 a version of the book was published in Rome. The tales of Physiologus have appeared in different forms and have been translated into many languages over the centuries.

Other Finding Aids

Argent / Black v.137 (also listed as v.6); Thomas p.25

Bibliography

See Physiologus: A Medieval Book of Nature Lore(University of Chicago Press, 2009) translated by Michael J Curley.

Subjects