The Encyclopedist Vincent of Beauvais and His Mongol Extracts from John of Plano Carpini and Simon of Saint-Quentin

Abstract

IN the mid-thirteenth century, the Dominican scholastic Vincent of Beauvais compiled a staggering compendium or summa known as the Speculum Maius.' This large encyclopedia mirrors the culture of thirteenth century society as it records a general overview of the knowledge available to medieval man. The influence and popularity of the Speculum Maius can be determined from the numerous extant manuscripts, excerpts, epitomes, reworkings, borrowings, and from the fact that the whole or parts of it were translated into French, Catalan, Spanish, Dutch, and German. Its popularity continued into the Renaissance as the entire encyclopedia was printed at least three times in the fifteenth century, once in the sixteenth, and once in the seventeenth.2 Unfortunately, the Speculum Maius has not been published since the latter date. The need for a new critical edition of Vincent's encyclopedia has been recognized for sometime; to date no one has responded to the late B. L. Ullnan's plea forty-one years ago for a new edition.3 Professor Ullman, considered one of the most eminent American palaeographers of the last generation, had himself spent much time and research on the Speculum Maius. After a series of articles on medieval anthologies which pointed out the importance of Vincent's Speculum Maius in studying the culture of the late Middle Ages, Ullman was invited by an international organization to prepare an edition of Vincent's huge work even though it was doubtful that money to finance its execution could be secured.4 Apparently the funds were not forthcoming until Ullman was advanced in years. After delineating the scope and complexity of preparing a critical edition of Vincent's Speculum Maius, Ulhman bequeathed his interest in the -project to the