X. De Laudibus of Bernard of Besse87
Project Gutenberg EPUB3 edition
Sabatier, Paul and Houghton, Louise Seymour
Bonaventura's work did not discourage the biographers. The historic value of their labor is almost nothing, and we shall not even attempt to catalogue them.
Bernard of Besse, a native probably of the south of France88 and secretary of Bonaventura,89 made a summary of the earlier legends. This work, which brings us no authentic historic indication, is interesting only for the care with which the author has noted the places where repose the Brothers who died in odor of sanctity, and relates a mass of visions all tending to prove the excellence of the Order.90
Still the publication of this document will perform the valuable office of throwing a little light upon the difficult question of the sources. Several passages of the De laudibus appear again textually in the Speculum,91 and as a single glance is enough to show that the Speculum did not copy the De laudibus, it must be that Bernard of Besse had before him a copy, if not of the Speculum at least of a document of the same kind.