Manuscript on paper of an alchemical compilation, apparently the holograph of the original compiler, not identified. Probably the laboratory notes of a practicing alchemist. Includes lists of Flemish names, apparently identifying fellow practitioners in early alchemy; and laboratory procedures, designed primarily to color metals and to carry out other operations with various substances. Leaves inserted and blank pages filled at later dates.
Description:
Binding: Probably original. Stiff parchment over paper boards, flaps over the fore-edge, probably dating from about 1525, conceivably later, as the manuscript contents do not appear to have been bound at the time of writing in any case; flat spine with modern inscription in brown ink, "Alchemical, Headings of procedures in red and blue alternating in the original section, and with some capitals stroked red; no color in the additions. No ornament., Recipes, original blue edges., Script: The original part of the codex (ff. 1-133) written in a very fine, neat, and clear humanistic hand, and using a considerable range of alchemical symbols; the later additions (ff. 134-145) consist of Latin sections written in a neat italic and German passages in flowing cursive, perhaps both by a single German hand of the 18th century., Though the whole of the manuscript has suffered some marginal water-staining since it was bound, it appears certain that other stains and damage occurred while the separated quires, or groups of them, remained unbound., and Watermark: Outstretched hand, the fingerjoints indicated, a four-leafed petal extending from the tip of the third finger, the wrist and cuff of a sleeve also depicted, comparable to Briquet 11423.
Subject (Topic):
Alchemy--Early works to 1800, Manuscripts, Medieval--Connecticut--New Haven, Medieval and Renaissance Manuscripts in Beinecke Library, and Science, Medieval
[Anonymous] Albertus, Magnus, Saint, 1193?-1280 Khālid ibn Yazīd al-Umawī, 7th cent Martin Roesel of Rosenthal Wolfgang the Organist
Published / Created:
1536, ca. 1520, and ca. 1586
Call Number:
Mellon MS 27
Image Count:
141
Resource Type:
Archives or Manuscripts
Abstract:
Manuscript on paper, composed in three parts, of a large number of practical procedures, chiefly alchemical but sometimes medical, with a few standard medieval alchemical texts by Khalid ibn Yazid, Theodoric, and Albertus Magnus. Occasionally there are passages in cipher, added by Martin Roesel of Rosenthal ca. 1586, long after the principal contents were written; the cipher seems to be of a simple number-substitution type.
Description:
Binding: Probably ca. 1586 for Martin Roesel. Red-stained limp parchment (most of the stain now lost), single central clasp and catch now missing from center of fore-edges, two slits on each fore-edge for thong or ribbon ties, also missing., In Latin and German, partly in cipher., Script: Part I (ff. 1-29): Written in 1536 in red and black in a gothic cursive by Wolfgang the Organist. Part II (ff. 30-65): Written in a well-controlled gothic cursive without color. Part III (ff. 66-132): Written in one or possibly two scrawling gothic cursives, with red headings on ff. 109-124., Several initials illuminated in trick have been cut from a late 15th-century MS and pasted into the present MS at ff. 2v, 4v, 5, 10r, and 16r. Marginal drawings of alchemical apparatus are cropped, as also marginalia., and Watermarks: 1) unidentified eagle watermark somewhat resembling Briquet 104; 2) a crown pattern resembling Briquet 4921 and 1922; 3) the Paschal lamb resembling Briquet 61.
Subject (Topic):
Alchemy--Early works to 1800, Illumination of books and manuscripts, Medieval, Manuscripts, Medieval--Connecticut--New Haven, Medicine, Medieval, and Medieval and Renaissance Manuscripts in Beinecke Library
Blank pages not digitized. and Imperfect: some pages mutilated with loss of text.
Subject (Topic):
Alchemy--Early works to 1800, Formulas, recipes, etc, Herbs--Early works to 1800, Manuscripts, Medieval--Connecticut--New Haven, and Medieval and Renaissance Manuscripts in Beinecke Library
Manuscript on paper of John of Rupescissa, De consideratione quinte essentie, anonymously translated into German.
Description:
Binding: Original reddish brown polished leather over finely beveled wooden boards, troughs for two clasps and two spikes on front cover, each cover with five nipplelike wrought brass bosses, one at each corner and one in the center, the lower cover with two large brass roundels used to fasten the now-missing strap ties which emerged from the lower fore-edge; sides ruled to a simple geometric pattern, back with raised bands, the clasps now missing and the hinges cracked, but the binding sound., Headings and capitals (a few decorated) in red throughout., and Script: Written by a very fine and bold German gothic cursive hand.
Subject (Name):
Johannes,--de Rupescissa,--ca. 1300-ca. 1365
Subject (Topic):
Alchemy--Early works to 1800, Manuscripts, Medieval--Connecticut--New Haven, and Medieval and Renaissance Manuscripts in Beinecke Library
Herolt, Johann Nicolaus, von Dinkelsbühl, approximately 1360-1433
Published / Created:
1444
Call Number:
Marston MS 141
Image Count:
259
Resource Type:
Archives or Manuscripts
Abstract:
Manuscript on paper (thick) of 1) Five lines of verse on the proper formulaic conclusion to prayers addressed to members of the Trinity. 2) Nicolaus de Dinkelsbuehl, De septem peccatis capitalibus (Confessionale). 3) Latin and German names of the books of the Bible; Latin and German names of Aristotle's principal works; Latin names of the Minor Prophets; etc. 4) Johannes Herolt ("Discipulus"), Sermones dominicales. 5) Johannes Herolt, Sermo in festo Iohannis Baptiste.
Alternative Title:
Nicolaus de Dinkelsbuehl; Johannes Herolt, etc.
Description:
Binding stays from this and other parchment manuscripts, s. xiii-xiv, inserted throughout., Binding: Fifteenth century, Germany. The backs of the quires are cut in. Original sewing on three double supports is laced into almost flush wooden boards, and the tawed skin cores of braided endbands, sewn through the cover, are also laced. The spine is back cornered with lining extending between supports on the outside of the boards. Large vermilion and sepia roses are painted on each edge. Back pastedown (and perhaps the inner front pastedown, covered by paper) consists of a parchment bifolium (Germany, 1200-1250) containing the Sermones de tempore of Johannes Halgrinus de Abbatisvilla. Written in small neat early gothic bookhand, above top line. Binding stays from this and other parchment manuscripts, 13th-14th centuries. Covered in kermes pink skin blind-tooled with an X in a frame on the front board, tying-up marks on the spine, and a frame on the lower one. Five round, brass bosses on each board and one fastening, the catch inset on the upper board, the lower one cut in for the strap., Crude red initials, 3- to 2-line, throughout; ff. 33v-38r, 113v-114v and 166r-203r rubricated., Imperfect: leaves 123r-124r and 207r-v mutilated., Purchased in 1946 from H. Rosenthal by H. P. Kraus, who sold it in 1957 to Thomas E. Marston., Script: Written by multiple scribes in varying styles of gothic hybrida and bookhand scripts., and Watermarks, in gutter: similar to Briquet Monts 11786 and unidentified bull's head.
Subject (Name):
Dinkelsbuehl, Nicolaus de and John,--the Baptist, Saint
Subject (Topic):
Church year sermons, Confession--Catholic Church, Manuscripts, Medieval--Connecticut--New Haven, Medieval and Renaissance Manuscripts in Beinecke Library, and Sermons--Early works to 1800
Manuscript on paper of Poggio Bracciolini, Dialogus in avariciam., The text has been glossed by a contemporary hand, in both Latin and German., and The text is the revised version made by Poggio following the suggestions of Niccolo Niccoli. The original version was printed in Basel (1538) and Strasbourg (1513), whereas the revised edition was never printed, although it exists in many manuscripts.
Description:
Binding: place uncertain, s. xx. Limp vellum case., Modern binder's blanks and contemporary blanks not scanned., On paper, and Written in elegant batarde by a single scribe.
Subject (Topic):
Avarice, Avarice--Early works to 1800, Dialogues, Latin (Medieval and modern), Manuscripts, Medieval--Connecticut--New Haven, and Medieval and Renaissance Manuscripts in Beinecke Library
A metallurgical experiment book of the type circulated among those interested in alchemy, mining, and metallurgy in the sixteenth century ...
Description:
Binding: Original stiff parchment over paper boards, remnants of two thong ties on the upper cover, slits for similar ties, now missing, on the lower cover; front cover lettered in very faded gothic script, apparently by the scribe: "PROBIER BUCH | ANDREAS OBERLENDER | 1532 |". A title has also been supplied by a modern hand in old style on the backstrip. Plain edges., Denis Duveen, acquired from Dr. Ernst Weil (bookseller), London, 1949; Mellon MS 104, acquired with the Duveen collection. Gift of Paul and Mary Mellon, 1965., Red inks used for tabular data and infrequent sketches of alchemical apparatus in the text., and Script: Written by a single copyist writing a practiced German secretary hand, partly in a modified Fraktur, partly in a more italic cursive, and occasionally (as in the title page) in a formal gothic script; a few additions at the end in a later hand.
Subject (Name):
Oberlender, Andreas
Subject (Topic):
Alchemy--Early works to 1800, German literature--Early modern, 1500-1700, Manuscripts, Medieval--Connecticut--New Haven, Marcasite, Medieval and Renaissance Manuscripts in Beinecke Library, and Metallurgy--Early works to 1800
Johannes, de Rupescissa, ca. 1300-ca. 1365 Křišt̕an z Prachatic, ca. 1366-1439 Wenceslas, Emperor of Germany, 1361-1419
Published / Created:
[ca. 1440]
Call Number:
Mellon MS 9
Image Count:
671
Resource Type:
Archives or Manuscripts
Abstract:
Manuscript on paper of the compilation of a physician interested in medicine, alchemy, and herbs. Includes three texts by Krisean z Prachatic, a physician, herbalist, and teacher of Prague University; Albicus, De regimine sanitatis, a treatise on the treatment of paralysis and the plague; Albicus, Regimen for King Wenceslaus of Bohemia (1361-1419); several alphabets of general scientific terms in Latin with Czech and/or German equivalents; Latin names of herbs with Czech and sometimes Polish equivalents; John of Rupescissa, De consideratione quinte essentie; and hundreds of medical and alchemical recipes.
Description:
Binding: Probably original. Brown calf, the covers ruled with triple parallel lines to a pattern of four rectangles within a rectangle, the larger rectangle crossed with similar ruling; indications of five center and corner pieces on each cover, possibly of iron and certainly fastened with iron nails, now lost; indications of two missing clasps and catches at the fore-edges of the covers; heavily repaired at fore-edges, hinges, and backstrip, the original back divided into four compartments by five heavy double bands, a modern morocco label in the second compartment from the top gold-stamped between double gold rules top and bottom: "ALCHEMICAL-MEDICAL | MISCELLANY | - | MANUSCRIPT | MIDDLE EUROPE | XVTH CENTURY"., Headings, foliation, rubrics, and capital strokes in red., Pagination refers to openings, i.e. facing pages., and Script: The greater part of the manuscript (except the unnumbered quires 15-19) written by a single hand in a clear, round, and steady Gothica cursiva. Quires 15-19 written in a similar but more pointed and flowing hand, sometimes more condensed, similarly decorated.
Subject (Topic):
Alchemy--Early works to 1800, Handbooks, vade-mecums, etc, Herbs--Early works to 1800, Latin language--Glossaries, vocabularies, etc.--Early works to 1800, Manuscripts, Medieval--Connecticut--New Haven, Medicine, Medieval, and Medieval and Renaissance Manuscripts in Beinecke Library