SOURCE: “A Mode of Medieval Thought in Joinville's Credo,” Modern Language Notes, Vol. LXVIII, No. 7, November, 1953, pp. 446–53.

In the following essay, Friedman discusses a particular mode of thought employed by Joinville in the Credo. This common medieval methodology was used to combine similar Biblical quotations into a new statement. Friedman maintains that critical ignorance of this mode of reasoning used by Joinville has caused some confusion regarding what constitutes a quotation in the Credo.

In the opening paragraph of the Credo, Joinville carefully warns those who will see and hear the work that the illustration is according to the humanity of Christ and to our own, since the Divinity and the Trinity cannot be known in themselves by mortal man, in witness whereof he invokes Holy Writ:

… car ce est si grans choses, si com sains Pous et li autre saint le tesmoignent, que iex ne puet veoir...