As regards the _Abbreviatio Avicennae_ indeed, we have actual evidence of the esteem in which Frederick held it. The book remained treasured in the Imperial closet at Melfi for more than twenty years, and, when at last the Emperor consented to its publication, so important was the moment deemed, that a regular writ passed the seals giving warrant for its transcription.[95] Master Henry of Colonia[96] was the person selected by favour of Frederick for this work, and, as most of the manuscripts of the _Abbreviatio_ now extant have a colophon referring in detail to this transaction, we may assume that Henry’s copy, made from that belonging to the Emperor, was the source from which all others have been derived. This Imperial original would seem to be more nearly represented by the Vatican copy[97] than by any other which remains in the libraries of Europe. From it we discover that the Arabic names with which the _Abbreviatio_ abounds were given in Latin in the margin of the original manuscript, which Scot sent to the Emperor.[98] These hard words and their explanations were afterwards gathered in a glossary, and inscribed at the end of the treatise; an improvement which was probably due to Henry of Colonia. The glossary has, however, been quite neglected by later copyists, nor does it appear in the printed edition of the _Abbreviatio Avicennae_. The completeness with which it is found in the Vatican manuscript shows the close relation which that copy holds to the one first made by the Emperor’s permission. The Chigi manuscript[99] seems to be the only other in which the glossary is to be found. It therefore ranks beside that of the Vatican, but is inferior to it as it presents the glossary in a less complete form. The originality of the Vatican text perhaps appears also in the curious triplet with which it closes: ‘Liber iste inceptus est et expletus cum adiutorio Jesu Christi qui vivit, etc. Frenata penna, finito nunc Avicenna Libro Caesario, gloria summa Deo Dextera scriptoris careat gravitate doloris.’[100] Several other copies of the _Abbreviatio_ have the first two lines, but this alone contains the third. In the Chigi manuscript, the place of these verses is occupied by a curious feat of language:— latinum arabicum sclauonicum teutonicum arabicum Felix el melic dober Friderich salemelich.[101] To whatever period it belongs, the writer’s purpose was doubtless to recall to the mind the four nations over which Frederick II. ruled, and the splendid kingdoms of Sicily, Germany, and Jerusalem which he gathered in one under his imperial power.