‘ascribed to himself many translations. But it is certain that Andrew, a Jew, laboured more in them. On which account Herman reported that Michael knew neither sciences nor languages.’ After completing his studies at Toledo, Michael Scot became again attached to the court of Frederick II, with whom his name and writings, chiefly written at the request of Frederick, must always be intimately associated. He appears to have held the office or received the name of astrologer at the court of that emperor, and he is so designated in the Bodleian manuscript of his work on astronomy (see below). An earlier work, the ‘Liber Introductorius,’ professedly treats of astrology and prognostics.
Dean Milman discovered, or at least first pointed out, that Michael Scot, though his studies and works were chiefly secular, had taken holy orders and was patronised by the pope as well as by the emperor. On 16 Jan. 1223–4 Honorius III wrote to Stephen Langton urging him to find some benefice in his diocese for Master Michael Scot, who was distinguished for his eminence in science; and on 31 May 1224 the same pope granted him a dispensation to hold benefices apparently in Italy, notwithstanding his election to the Irish archbishopric of Cashel. This had been by the direct nomination of the pope, contrary to the election of the canons, who had chosen the bishop of Cork. But Michael declined the office on the ground of his ignorance of Irish (Theiner, Monumenta Hiberniæ et Scotiæ, p. 23; Bliss, Cal. Papal Letters, i. 94, 96, 98). Three years later, in 1227, Gregory IX, the successor of Honorius, renewed the request that a benefice in the diocese of Canterbury might be given to Michael Scot, but he never received any preferment in England or Ireland, though from the reference to ‘benefices’ which he was to be allowed to retain, it seems that he held more than one, probably in Italy (transcripts of papal letters in Addit. MS. Brit. Mus. 15352, ff. 214, 246; Bliss, Cal. Papal Letters, i. 117).
In 1230, according to Roger Bacon, ‘Michael Scot appeared [at Oxford], bringing with him the works of Aristotle on natural history and mathematics, with wise expositors, so that the philosophy of Aristotle was magnified among those who spoke Latin’ (apud Latinos). It is highly probable that this refers to a mission to the universities of Europe on which Frederick II sent Scot to communicate to them the versions of Aristotle which Michael himself and other learned scholars in the emperor's service had made from the Arabic. He doubtless visited Paris and Oxford, where he possibly met Bacon. He may even have revisited his native Scotland, on whose borders there were various later traditions of his death and burial—at Melrose, Glenluce, Holmcultram and Burgh under Bowness. Walter Scott of Satchells (1614?–1694?) [q. v.], the historian of the clan, was shown what was alleged to be his tomb at the last-named place in 1629, but this date is too late for a trustworthy tradition. It appears more probable that Michael returned to Italy, where the Italian traditions evidently place his death, though without naming any particular site. He must have died prior to 1235, for in a poem of Vincent of Beauvais, written in that year, ‘veridicus vates Michael’ is referred to as dead, ‘Sic accusator fatorum fata subivit.’
His great fame and varied learning soon led to an accretion of legends round his name, which hid his real merits and transformed the man of science into a magician. A few of the legends relating to him, despite the fact that their unhistorical character has been proved by recent research, deserve to be noticed, as they have given a theme for literary treatment to many of the masters of European literature, from Dante to Sir Walter Scott.
Dante, in the ‘Inferno,’ c. xx., describes
That other there, whose ribs fill scanty space,
Was Michael Scott, who truly full well knew
Of magical deceits the illusive grace.
Villani records two of his prophecies which were fulfilled, that ‘the Dog of Verona (Can Grande) would become the Lord of Padua’ (lib. x. c. 139), and that ‘Foolish Florence of flowers will not long stand, but will fall into the dirt and live by dissimulation’ (xii. c. 18).
Boccaccio uses as a well-known name to introduce one of his novels, ‘a great master in necromancy called Michael Scot, because he was from Scotland, who received much honour from many gentlemen, of whom some still live, and when he wished to leave laid this charge on two of his scholars, that they should be always ready to serve the pleasure of the gentlemen who had honoured him (8th day, 9th novel).’
Scot is one of the great men accused of magic whom Gabriel Naudé defends. He is said to have predicted the place of the death of Frederick, ‘that he should die in Firenze (Florence).’ The emperor, to avoid the prophecy, would not enter that town, or even, fearing an equivocation, Faenze, but met his fate at Firenzuola (Little Florence). Scot himself, according to the Italian legend, came to his own death in the vain attempt to baffle destiny. He had invented a form of iron helmet, called cere-
