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Composite manuscript containing four texts by Pseudo-Ramon Llull, c 1525

 Item
Identifier: MS 122

Contents

This manuscript contains texts related to medicine or alchemy, all attributed to Ramon Llull, a Catalan philosopher who lived from around 1235 to around 1315. Many alchemical works were misattributed to Llull in the late Middle Ages and the Renaissance, including those in this manuscript. The versions of these texts included in this manuscript were written around 1525 and the hand seems to be Italian, but a colophon on f. 128v states that it was written by Franciscus de Galliciis, which might refer to Galicia in Spain. The contents are as follows:

Back of original fly-leaf: List of contents

f. 1r: Extract from Ars operativa medica by Pseudo-Llull

ff. 2r-128v: Liber de Secretis Naturae Seu de Quinta Essentia by Pseudo-Llull

ff. 129r-141r: De Medicinis Secretissimis or Medicina Magna by Pseudo-Llull

f. 141v: Recipe ad Stillandum aurum potabile (recipe to obtain potable gold) by Pseudo-Llull

The texts are described separately under MS 122/f. 1r; MS 122/ff. 2r-128v; MS 122/ff. 129r-141r; and MS 122/f. 141v.

Writing

A fair hand, with no attempt at ornament save plain red capitals and diagrams in Book Four, which are careful and elaborate.

Writing

The first section (f. 1r) and the third and fourth sections (ff. 129r-141v) seem to be in a slightly different hand to the second section (ff. 2r-128v), but they are similar. There are some notes and annotations in another hand throughout.

Dates

  • Creation: c 1525

Creator

Language of Materials

Latin

Conditions Governing Access

The collection is open to all. The manuscripts can be consulted in the Centre for Research Collections, Edinburgh University Main Library.

Extent

1 bound MS volume

Custodial History

The script would seem to be Italian, though from the almost entirely erased colophon the scribe appears to be Franciscus de Galliciis, which might refer to Galicia in Spain. Later notes are all by an Italian hand. There are no marks of ownership earlier than a modern stamp, Bibliothecae S. Johannis in Canalibus, Placentiae.

Previous reference

D. b. V. 18.

Previous title

Title given to the manuscript in Catherine Borland’s catalogue: Raymundi Lullii de Quinta Essentia, etc.

Physical Facet

Material: Paper

Binding: Modern, lettered ' Raymundi Lullii liber Secretorum Naturae mss.'

Collation: a12-k12, l10, m11=141

Dimensions

21.59 cm x 15.24 cm

General

Secundo folio: conversionem

Foliation and number of lines to a page: ff. 141, around 36 lines to a page.

Repository Details

Part of the University of Edinburgh Library Heritage Collections Repository

Contact:
Centre for Research Collections
University of Edinburgh Main Library
George Square
Edinburgh EH8 9LJ Scotland
+44(0)131 650 8379