MS 121: Composite manuscript containing seventeen texts, 15th century
Contents
Contains seventeen texts bound together, written in different hands. The margins are badly cropped, and some leaves are missing.
ff. 1r-2: Commentary to 'Mercher ad Fledium. Liber de lapide qui vocatur Rebis'.
ff. 2-68v: 'Experimenta' ('Experiments').
ff. 68v-72v: Alchemic recipes.
ff. 73r-99: 'Lumen luminum minus et perfecti magisteri' by Abū Bakr Muḥammad ibn Zakarīyā Rāzī (known in the West as 'Rhazes' and 'Rasis', version by Wynandus de Ruffo Clipeo).
ff. 94v-95r: Alchemic recipes.
ff. 95v-96v: Instructions on how to summon a demon called Baron (with table).
ff. 97r-99r: 'Liber de sculptura gemmarum' by Marbode of Rennes (?).
ff. 99r-102r: 'De sculpturis lapidum'.
ff. 102r-120r: 'De consecratione lapidum'.
ff. 121r-123r: List of the alchemic recipes contained in the 'Experimenta' (ff. 2-68v).
f. 123r: Alchemic recipe (in Latin).
f. 123v: Alchemic recipe (in German).
f. 124r: 'Figurae corporum planetarum').
f. 124r: 'Nota secretum lune et solis'.
f. 124r: 'Tuciam calcinationem'.
ff. 124v-125r: 'Synonima alchemica'.
f. 125v: 'Congelacio mercurii per scientiam sive sublimacio'.
The texts are described separately, under MS.121/ff. 1r-2; MS.121/; MS.121/ff. 2-68v; MS.121/ff. 68v-72v; MS.121/ff. 73r-99; MS.121/ff. 94v-95r; MS.121/ff. 95v-96v; MS.121/ff. 97r-99r; MS.121/ff. 99r-102r; MS.121/ff. 102r-120r; MS.121/ff. 121r-123r; MS.121/f. 123r; MS.121/f. 123v; MS.121/f. 124r; MS.121/f. 124r; MS.121/f. 124r; MS.121/ff. 124v-125r; MS.121/f. 125v;
The script, which is very round and clear in both main treatises, could be Spanish.
Ornamentation consists of rather roughly ornamented red capitals, ornamental scroll round Roman numerals marking foliation, and occasional hands in the margin.
Dates
- Creation: 15th century
Language of Materials
Latin and German.
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 German script in notes and recipes, of a date not much later than the manuscript, would suggest a German origin, as it certainly points to the book's having gone early to Germany; on the other hand, the script would rather suggest a Spanish origin.
There are no definite marks of ownership. An erased inscription on f. 121r has the date 1652 still legible.
Previous reference
D. b. VI. 4
Previous title
Title given to the manuscript in Catherine Borland's catalogue: Tractatus Varii.
Physical Facet
Material: Vellum.
Binding: Modern. Lettered Liber medicinae mss.
Collation: a8-p8 (wants 8 and 9), q6 (wants 4 and 6) = 126
Dimensions
14.29 cm x 10.48 cm.
General
Secundo folio: reperti quia.
Foliation and number of lines to a page: ff. 126, 22-28 lines to a page.
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