Liber de Secretis Naturae Seu de Quinta Essentia by Pseudo-Llull , c 1525
Contents
This section contains the Liber de Secretis Naturae Seu de Quinta Essentia wrongly attributed to Ramon Llull. This is the central text of the Pseudo-Lullian alchemical corpus. It contains various drawings, charts, and figures that illustrate the principles in the text.
In this manuscript, the incipit reads Incipit liber prime distinctionis nature secretorum seu quinta essentia sacri doctoris Magistri Raimundi Lullii de Insula Majoricorum qui doctrinam dat ejus extractionis a quibuscunque rebus, et applicationis ad corpora humana. Opera terribilia totius artis medicine procuranda. Et etiam metallorum transmutatione obstruitur quae est ymago omnium librorum super hiis tractantium et primo de contristatione Raimundi et ejus lamentatione.
The Prologue starts on f. 2r with the words Contristatus erat Raimundus and ends on f. 3v with quod nota sic intitulatur.
Book One starts on f. 4r with the words Deus gloriose cum tue sublimis bonitatis and ends on f. 30r with a diagram.
Book Two starts on f. 30v and ends on f. 39r.
Book Three starts on f. 39r and ends on f. 98v.
Book Four starts on f. 99r and ends on f. 124v. A note has been inserted in between ff. 114 and 115.
Book Five, or the Disputatio Monachi (Disputation of the Monk), starts on f. 125r. This section acts as an epilogue to the work and starts with the words Dumque Raimundus librum. It ends on f. 128v with the words Christi custodie comendavit. Explicit liber quinte essentie Magistri Raimundi Lullii finis. Deo Gracias. Amen.
The colophon to this text, also on f. 128v, contains information about the provenance of the manuscript, but it has been almost entirely erased. The following can be discerned: Rescripsi ego Franciscus de Grillerijs et friem in-posui die xxiiij Decenbris in die Dominic MDXXV De sero hora septima Conputatus hora prima Mantue.
This section is written all written in the same hand, which is slightly different from the rest of the manuscript.
Dates
- Creation: c 1525
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
127 folios
Creator
- From the Item: Pseudo-Llull, ? 1232-1316 (for works formerly attributed to Ramon Llull) (Author, Person)
- From the Item: Llull, Ramon, ? 1232-1316 (Catalan mystic, philosopher and poet) (Attributed name, Person)
Repository Details
Part of the University of Edinburgh Library Heritage Collections Repository
Centre for Research Collections
University of Edinburgh Main Library
George Square
Edinburgh EH8 9LJ Scotland
+44(0)131 650 8379
heritagecollections@ed.ac.uk