Crow, Rochester Bestiary, c.1230

The medieval bestiary records that the crow can live to a great age. It is suggested they can predict the future and know when there may be an ambush, and they can also tell if it is going to rain. They feed their young for a long time and check on them when they are learning to fly and if they weaken they will bring more food (Barber 2008).

Transcription

Translation

Cornix annosa avis corvini generis est. et
inmunda est. Unde in lege quicquid corvini
generis est. comedi perhibetur. hec avis nocturnas
insidias et diurnas manifestat clamore. pluvi-
as vocibus portendit. Unde est. illud. Tunc cornix
plenam pluviam vocat improba voce. Et corvus
cornix certum diei iudicium voce indicat. nec

The crow is an old bird of the raven kind, and it is dirty. Hence, in the law, whatever is of the raven's kind is said to have been eaten; Where is that from? Then the cornucopiae calls full of rain with an impudent voice. And the horned raven indicates with its voice the certain judgment of the day, and is not

75v

fallitur ut monedula; et circa homines eorum est ha-
bitatio. et sollerti intuitu ab ictu se precavent.
Discant homines amare filios comitatu sedulo et sol-
licite prosequantur. ne teneri forte deficiant. cibum
suggerant. ac plurimo temporis spacio nutriendi of-
ficia non relinquant. Nam femine nostri generis cito
ablactant etiam illos quos diligunt. lactare fastidi-
unt pauperiores si fuerint. parvos abiciunt et expo-
nunt. et deprehensos abnegant. Ipse quoque divites ne
per plures suum patrimonium dividatur; in uteros proprios
fetus necant. et paricidialibus suis in ipso genitali
alvo pignora sui ventris extingunt. Priusquam au -
fertur vita; quam traditur. Quis docuit nisi homo
filios abdicari. quis reperit tam immicia patrum
iura; Quis inter nature fraterna consortia fratres
impares fecit. Unius divitis filii diversitati cedunt.
Alius paterne totius sortis ac scriptionibus inunda-
tur. alius occulte hereditatis paterne deplorat exhaus-
tam atque inopem portionem. Numquid natura
divisit filiorum merita; Ex pari omnibus tribuit

deceived like a coin, and their dwelling is around their men, and they guard themselves from the blow with their clever sight. People should learn to love their children, follow them diligently and attentively, so that they do not fail to be held, suggest food, and most of the time do not leave their nursing duties. For the women of our race quickly wean even those whom they love; The rich themselves, lest their patrimony should be divided among many, kill their own children in their wombs, and with their parricides extinguish the pledges of their wombs in the very genital tract. Before life is taken away, it is given. Who has taught that it is not a man who renounces his children, who finds the rights of fathers so intrusive. Who among the fraternal associations of nature made the brothers odd. The sons of one rich man yield to diversity. Another is inundated with the entire paternal lot and writings, another secretly laments the exhausted and destitute portion of his paternal inheritance. Has nature divided the merits of children? He grants to all equally

76r

quod ad nascendi et vivendi possint habere substan-
tiam. Ipsa vos doceat non discernere patrimonio quos
titulo germanitatis equavit. Etenim quibus datur
communiter esse quod nati sunt; non debent ut commu-
niter habeant id quod una substituti sunt invi-
dere.

that they may have substance to be born and to live. Let her teach you not to distinguish between those whom she has ridden with the title of Germania. For those to whom it is given to be in common that which they were born, ought not to envy that they have in common that which they have been substituted together.