Comestor (Or Le Mangeur, I.E., Devourer Of Books), Pierre

Comestor (Or Le Mangeur, I.E., Devourer Of Books), Pierre

Comestor (or le Mangeur, i.e., devourer of books), Pierre

a French theologian, was born at Troyes. He was successively canon and dean of Troyes, then, in 1164, chancellor of the Church of Paris and master of the school of philosophy. He gave up his benefices in order to become canon-regular of St. Victor at Paris. At his death, which occurred in that city October 21, 1198 (others say 1178 or 1185), he left all his goods to the poor. He wrote, among other works, Scholastica Historics super Novum Testamentum (written before 1176, and published at Reutling, 1471; Utrecht, 1473; Strasburg, 1483, 1502; Basle, 1486; Paris, 1513; Haguenau, 1519; Lyons, 1526; Venice, 1728; transl. into French in 1494 by Guyart des Moulins, under the title: La Bible Historie; Paris, without date, with engravings): — Catenua Temporum (transl. into Gothic-French by Jehan de Rely, tinder the title, Mer des Histoires; Paris, 1488): Sermones, under the name of Pierre de Blois (Mayence, 1600, 1605; Lyons, 1677, and often since). See Hoefer, Nouv. Biog. Generale, s.v.; Biog. Universelle, s.v.