Lumen luminum minus et perfecti magisteri by Abū Bakr Muḥammad ibn Zakarīyā Rāzī (version by Wynandus de Ruffo Clipeo), 15th century
Contents
The treatise expounds the process to obtain the Rebis, i.e. the philosopher's stone, the most important goal sought by alchemy. The author presents himself as Wynandus de Ruffo clipeo (possibly a Latinized form of the German surname Rothschild), a doctor from an area which corresponds today to the Netherlands (Trajectensis; Wynandus entitles the work Gloria mundi et lux solis et via veritatis. It is in fact a version of the Lumen luminum minus et perfecti magisteri written by the Persian polymath Abū Bakr Muḥammad ibn Zakarīyā Rāzī (854 - 925), known in the West as Rhazes or Rasis and famous especially for his medical and alchemic treatises.
Prologue: on f. 73r. It begins with the words Incipit liber Wynandi medici ex minimis philosophorum qui dicitur lumen luminum magnum in quo determinatur operatio verissima de lapide que dicitur Rebis quem omnes philosophi celaverunt et in unum sensum sunt concordati et dicitur liber quinque clavium secretorum.
Text: it begins on f. 73r with the words Ego Wynandus medicus minimus philosophorum dictus de Ruffo clipeo terrensis(?) ex illa parte aquis distans in terra ducatus francie [...] et vocavi istum librum Gloriamundi et lucem solis et viam veritatis. It ends on f. 94r with the words quod scias pro certo in veritate Christi quod invenisti thezaurum scientie et illum recorde diligenter. Adiure te et exorcizo per creatorem omnium rerum et secretissima omnium philosophorum ut celes et occultes et sine dubio habes veram artem quam multi quesierunt nec invenire meruerunt.
This is the second main hand of the manuscript. It is responsible for all the texts until f. 120r, except for the alchemic recipes of ff. 94v-95r.
Dates
- Creation: 15th century
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.
Full Extent
22 folios
Bibliography
Thorndike, Lynn, and Pearl Kibre. A catalogue of incipits of Mediaeval scientific writings in Latin. London: William Clowes and Sons, 1963, col. 493.
Repository Details
Part of the University of Edinburgh Library Heritage Collections Repository
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