The Philobiblon of Richard de Bury

THE LOVE OF BOOKS
THE PHILOBIBLON OF RICHARD DE BURY
TRANSLATED INTO ENGLISH BY E. C. THOMAS

"TAKE THOU A BOOK INTO THINE HANDS AS SIMON THE
JUST TOOK THE CHILD JESUS INTO HIS ARMS TO CARRY
HIM AND KISS HIM. AND WHEN THOU HAST FINISHED
READING, CLOSE THE BOOK AND GIVE THANKS FOR EVERY
WORD OUT OF THE MOUTH OF GOD; BECAUSE IN THE
LORD'S FIELD THOU HAST FOUND A HIDDEN TREASURE."
THOMAS A KEMPIS: Doctrinale Juvenum

PREFACE
The Author of the Book.
Richard de Bury (1281-1345), so called from being born near Bury St.
Edmunds, was the son of Sir Richard Aungerville. He studied at
Oxford; and was subsequently chosen to be tutor to Prince Edward of
Windsor, afterwards Edward III. His loyalty to the cause of Queen
Isabella and the Prince involved him in danger. On the accession of his
pupil he was made successively Cofferer, Treasurer of the Wardrobe,
Archdeacon of Northampton, Prebendary of Lincoln, Sarum, and
Lichfield, Keeper of the Privy Purse, Ambassador on two occasions to
Pope John XXII, who appointed him a chaplain of the papal chapel,
Dean of Wells, and ultimately, at the end of the year 1333, Bishop of
Durham; the King and Queen, the King of Scots, and all the magnates
north of the Trent, together with a multitude of nobles and many others,
were present at his enthronization. It is noteworthy that during his stay
at Avignon, probably in 1330, he made the acquaintance of Petrarch,

who has left us a brief account of their intercourse. In 1332 Richard
visited Cambridge, as one of the King's commissioners, to inquire into
the state of the King's Scholars there, and perhaps then became a
member of the Gild of St. Mary--one of the two gilds which founded
Corpus Christi College.
In 1334 he became High Chancellor of England, and Treasurer in 1336,
resigning the former office in 1335, so that he might help the King in
dealing with affairs abroad and in Scotland, and took a most
distinguished part in diplomatic negociations between England and
France. In 1339 he was again in his bishopric. Thereafter his name
occurs often among those appointed to treat of peace with Philip of
France, and with Bruce of Scotland. It appears that he was not in
Parliament in 1344. Wasted by long sickness--longa infirmitate
decoctus--on the 14th of April, 1345, Richard de Bury died at
Auckland, and was buried in Durham Cathedral.
Dominus Ricardus de Bury migravit ad Dominum.
The Bishop as Booklover.
According to the concluding note, the Philobiblon was completed on
the bishop's fifty-eighth birthday, the 24th of January, 1345, so that
even though weakened by illness, Richard must have been actively
engaged in his literary efforts to the very end of his generous and noble
life. His enthusiastic devoted biographer Chambre[1] gives a vivid
account of the bishop's bookloving propensities, supplementary to what
can be gathered from the Philobiblon itself. Iste summe delectabatur in
multitudine librorum; he had more books, as was commonly reported,
than all the other English bishops put together. He had a separate
library in each of his residences, and wherever he was residing, so
many books lay about his bed-chamber, that it was hardly possible to
stand or move without treading upon them. All the time he could spare
from business was devoted either to religious offices or to his books.
Every day while at table he would have a book read to him, unless
some special guest were present, and afterwards would engage in
discussion on the subject of the reading. The haughty Anthony Bec
delighted in the appendages of royalty--to be addressed by nobles

kneeling, and to be waited on in his presence-chamber and at his table
by Knights bare-headed and standing; but De Bury loved to surround
himself with learned scholars. Among these were such men as Thomas
Bradwardine, afterwards Archbishop of Canterbury, and author of the
De Causa Dei; Richard Fitzralph, afterwards Archbishop of Armagh,
and famous for his hostility to the mendicant orders; Walter Burley,
who dedicated to him a translation of the Politics of Aristototle made at
his suggestion; John Mauduit, the astronomer; Robert Holkot, author of
many books; Richard de Kilvington; Richard Benworth, afterwards
Bishop of London; and Walter Seagrave, who became Dean of
Chichester."[2]
[1] Cp. Surtees Society's edition of Scriptores Tres; also Wharton's
Anglia Sacra.
[2] An unsuccessful attempt has been made to transfer the authorship of
the book to Robert Holkot. Various theories have been advanced
against Richard's claims. It is noteworthy that his contemporary Adam
Murimuth disparages him as "mediocriter literatus, volens tamen
magnus clericus reputari," but such disparagement must be taken with
the utmost caution. The really difficult fact to be accounted for is the
omission on the part of Chambre to mention the book.
The