A extensive commentary on Pseudo-Ptolemy’s De cometis (B.4) composed by Conrad Heingarter for the Duke of Bourbon Jean II. The unique manuscript was copied under Conrad’s supervision and was meant to be the presentation copy to the duke. At least the first part of the commentary was completed on 3 January 1477 (cf. f. 148v: ‘finita fuerunt hec commentaria in Bellapartica tertio die Ianuarii anno 1477^o currente’). The commentary goes well beyond the comets and also deals with winds, rain, frost, thunder, earthquakes and the distances of the stars.

Text ‘(Paris, BnF, lat. 7432) [text] Ptholomeus dixit quod stelle cum caudis sunt novem… [conrad heingarter’s comm.] Dixit Ptholemeus: Stelle cum caudis sunt novem etc. Loquamur nunc in speciali de cometibus sive stellis habentibus comas — (148v) Vale, ducum decus excellentissimum et valeant qui tuam dominationem valere desiderant. Finita fuerunt hec commentaria in Bellapartica tertio die Ianuarii anno 1477^o currente. (149r) In precedentibus cometes quo ad assentias et eorum stationes declaravimus, nunc vero adventum eorum pronosticabimus, et primo ostendamus que proiectio radiorum mutua causet effectus… (149v) Scientia de ventis… Scientia de pluviis… (150v) De gelu et grandine… De tonitruis… De terremotu… De quantitatibus stellarum et earum distanciis a terra secundum Gebrum — [text] … in regibus et divitibus apparebit. [conrad heingarter’s comm.] … et distanciis eorum a terra et climatum quoque distanciis ad presens sufficiant.’

Bibl. M. Préaud, Les méthodes de travail d’un astrologue du XVe siècle, Conrad Heingarter, thèse de l’école nationale des Chartes, Paris, 1969, xv-xvi; M. Préaud, ‘Les méthodes de travail d’un astrologue du XV^e siècle, Conrad Heingarter’, Position des Thèses de l’école des Chartes (1969), 143-149: 145.

Modern ed. ---