Trinity Hall : Imago Mundi

Trinity Hall

<p style='text-align: justify;'>The majority of this manuscript is the text of <i>Imago Mundi</i>, a medieval compendium of classical and ecclesiastical knowledge. The main text <a href='' onclick='store.loadPage(21);return false;'>(fol.1r-158r)</a> has been attributed to Vincent of Beauvais (c.1184/1194 – c.1264) who was a Dominican friar at the Cistercian monastery of Royaumont Abbey, France.</p><p style='text-align: justify;'>There are over thirty additions made in the late 15th century, to the manuscript and its former pastedown. These are a compilation of medieval texts on a variety of subjects including philosophy, the history of Flanders, and poetry. The majority of these texts originate in Flanders or Burgundy.</p><p style='text-align: justify;'>The front former pastedown of the manuscript lists the Nine Worthies - nine heroic individuals from history and legend. This is a motif common to late medieval literature. It also lists the Nine Unworthies: Cain, Nero, Pilate, Jeroboam I, Ahab, Judas Iscariot, J[eh]oram (a name given to two 9th century kings of Israel and Judah who did evil in the sight of the Lord); Julian the Apostate, and Bernabò Visconti (1323-85), Lord of Milan. This manuscript is possibly the only place that they are known to be recorded</p><p style='text-align: justify;'>There are also memorial verses on the nine worthies and four distichs on the Fathers of the Church.</p><p style='text-align: justify;'>This manuscript was given to Trinity Hall by Robert Hare (d. 1611).</p>