Parker Library On the Web

Alternative title

Alchemica

Type of resource

mixed material

Extent

ff. 129 + 1

Date created

[ca. 1400-1499]

Language

Latin

Material

Vellum

Layout

49 lines to a page

Height (mm)

365

Width (mm)

260

Collation

1 flyleaf, 1(8) (+1) 2(8)-16(8), old pagination incorrect.

Writing

in clear book-hand

Foliation

ff. a-b + i + pp. 1-234 + 234a-b + 235-256 + ff. c-d

Additions

On the flyleaf is pasted a piece of vellum with a list of contents (27 items) cent. xvi early, also a piece of paper with an alchemical extract.

Summary

There are a handful of manuscripts in Parker's collection that attest to the Archbishop's interest in alchemy, a subject of great fascination to many of his contemporaries. One such is CCCC MS 99, a collection of alchemical treatises copied in the late fourteenth century. The presence of a number of rough sketches of alchemical instruments and the profusion of stains that litter the manuscript may reveal that at one time this was no theoretical collection, but rather a working textbook. It is not known how this manuscript came into Parker's possession, though M. R. James noted that the triangle inscribed on one of the flyleaves of the manuscript is a symbol often associated with Parker's contemporary, John Dee (1527-1608).

Contents

Questiones et responsiones -- De occulto lapide philosophorum -- Practica -- Flores secretorum -- Senior mireris -- De lapide philosophorum -- Epistola ad episcopum Iohannem XXII de alchemia -- Speculum alchemiae -- Summa perfectionis magisterii -- Secreta secretorum abbreuiata -- Visio super artem alchemicam -- Alchemical treatise variously ascribed to John of Damascus, Uguictius and Arisleus -- Alchemy -- Aurum potabile -- Lilium Paridis -- Rosarium -- Rosarius (prologue) -- Rosarius maior siue Practica -- Commentarium in libros suos et in libros aliorum philosophorum -- Tract dedicated to Semita semite -- Speculum alchemiae -- Responsio ad Thomam de Bononia -- Epistola ad Bernardum Treuirensem de lapide philosophico -- Quinta essentia -- Liber lucis -- Dicta philosophorum

M.R. James Date

xv

Downloadable James Catalogue Record

https://stacks.stanford.edu/file/druid:vc420wh8808/MS_99.pdf

Superseded Interim Catalogue Record

https://stacks.stanford.edu/file/druid:sj508nb0025/99.pdf

Contains

• Khalid , Questiones et responsiones. 1-6

  Nasmith

  Questiones Kalid regis ad Morienum Romanum. 1-6

  Author

  Khalid

  Incipit

  (1) Moriene manifesta michi magisterium

  Explicit

  (6) malum exitum habentia

  Rubric

  (6) Explicit morieni tractatus

• De occulto lapide philosophorum. 6-11

  Nasmith

  Tractatus qui dicitur, Planta arborem. 6-11

  Note

  Habetur hic tractatus de verbo in verbum in speculo Alchimiae: vide infra 21

  Incipit

  (6) Planta arborem et edifica tibi domum

  Explicit

  (11) consolidans et perseuerans

• Razes (Abu Bakr Muhammad Ibn Zakariyya al-Razi), Practica. 11-13

  Nasmith

  Practica Rasis. 11-13

  Author

  Razes (Abu Bakr Muhammad Ibn Zakariyya al-Razi)

  Incipit

  (11) In dei nomine et cum eius adiutorio. Reducamus primo corpora

  Explicit

  (13) et plumbum rubeum (?) ...

• Razes (Abu Bakr Muhammad Ibn Zakariyya al-Razi), Flores secretorum. 13-15

  Nasmith

  Flores secretorum Rasis de regimine quatuor naturarum. 13-15

  Author

  Razes (Abu Bakr Muhammad Ibn Zakariyya al-Razi)

  Incipit

  (13) In dei nomine amen. Scito fili quia sapientes

  Explicit

  (15) premissi capituli sequitur effectus

• Senior mireris. 15-16

  Nasmith

  Tractatus qui dicitur, Senior Mireris. 15-16

  James

  Senior mereri. 15-16

  Incipit

  (15) Cum queris quid sit lapis

  Explicit

  (16) nunquam indigebit

• Alphidius, De lapide philosophorum. 16-18

  Nasmith

  Documenta Mireris. 16-18

  Author

  Alphidius

  Incipit

  (16) Scito fili quia hunc librum scripsi

  Explicit

  (18) inefficax cesses

• John Dastin, Epistola ad episcopum Iohannem XXII de alchemia. 18-20

  Nasmith

  Epistola Iohannis Dasten. 18-20

  Author

  John Dastin

  Note

  (Dastin)

  Incipit

  (18) Hoc est secretum secretorum

  Explicit

  (20) scripsi quam breuius potui

• Nicolaus de Comitibus (?), Speculum alchemiae. 21-35

  Nasmith

  Tractatus nobilis Nicholai comitis. 21-35

  Author

  Nicolaus de Comitibus (?)

  Incipit

  (21) In nomine domini Amen. Ut ad perfectam scienciam

  Explicit

  (35) qui dat sapienciam sapientibus. Amen

• Jabir ibn Hayyan (attrib.), Summa perfectionis magisterii. 35-92

  Nasmith

  Geberi summa perfecti magisterii. 35-92

  Author

  Jabir ibn Hayyan (attrib.)

  Incipit

  (36) Totam nostram scienciam quam ex libris antiquorum

  Explicit

  (92) Ad artis igitur excelse perquisicionem hec dicta sufficiant

• Jabir ibn Hayyan (attrib.), Secreta secretorum abbreuiata. 93-96

  Nasmith

  Secreta secretorum in opere Solaris et lunaris, Geber abbreviata. 93-96

  Author

  Jabir ibn Hayyan (attrib.)

  Incipit

  (93) Omnes huius sciencie inuestigatores

  Explicit

  (96) et dealbabitur peculiose

• John Dastin, Visio super artem alchemicam. 96-98

  Nasmith

  Visio Iohannis Dastin. 96-98

  Author

  John Dastin

  Incipit

  (96) Cum omni natura constancium

  Explicit

  (98) poma collegimus...timemus

• Alchemical treatise variously ascribed to John of Damascus, Uguictius and Arisleus. 99-102

  Nasmith

  Tractatus qui dicitur Lumen intelligentiae. 99-102

  Author

  John of Damascus

  Uguictius

  Arisleus

  Incipit

  (99) In nomine domini Amen. ffili karissime scias Spiritus domini ferebatur

  Explicit

  (102) deus meus sit merces tua per infinita secula seculorum. Amen

• Johannes Tectinensis, Alchemy. 102-106

  Nasmith

  Tractatus Ioannis Tectivensis. 102-106

  Author

  Johannes Tectinensis

  Incipit

  (102) Hec res prima confricetur

  Explicit

  (106) consequi mereantur in tuo nomine. Amen

• Ramón Lull, Aurum potabile. 106-108

  Nasmith

  Aurum potabile Raymundi. 106-108

  Author

  Ramón Lull

  Incipit

  (106) Respice aurum potabile

  Explicit

  (108) habet humanitatem

• William of Tunis (attrib.), Lilium Paridis. 109-121

  Nasmith

  Lilium Paridis Philosophi. 109-121

  Author

  William of Tunis (attrib.)

  Rubric

  (109) Incipit liber paridis philosophi

  Note

  (not Phebi)

  Incipit

  (109) Naturam circa solem et lunam

  Explicit

  (121) perfecit hoc opus in 80 diebus

• John Dastin, Rosarium. 122-143

  Nasmith

  Rosarius Phebi, aliter vocatus liber Ioannis Dasten. 122-143

  Author

  John Dastin

  Rubric

  (122) Incipit liber philosophi (glossed phebi) de lapide philosophorum

  Incipit

  (122) Desiderabile desiderium

  Explicit

  (143) et est thesaurus preciosus et incomparabilis

  Rubric

  (143) Explicit liber Phebi philosophi (added alibi vocatur liber Joannis Dasten)

• Arnold of Villanova, Rosarius (prologue). 144-149

  Nasmith

  Rosarius minor sive Theorica Arnoldi de Villa nova. 144-149

  Author

  Arnold of Villanova

  Rubric

  (144) Rosarius minor (Arnaldi de villa noua)

  Note

  Added: Theorica habetur pro libro textuali ut patet in commento eiusdem

  Incipit

  (144) Liber abbreuiatus comprobatus

  Explicit

  (149) nullus unquam philosophus tradidit meliora

• Arnold of Villanova, Rosarius maior siue Practica. 150-163

  Nasmith

  Rosarius major sive Practica Arnoldi de Villa nova. 150-163

  Author

  Arnold of Villanova

  Rubric

  (150) Capitula (32) precede

  Incipit

  (150) Manifestum est autem operacionem

  Explicit

  (163) esse de numero sapientum antiquorum

  Rubric

  (163) Explicit rosarius maior philosophorum uerissimus et in arte nostra optimus

• Arnold of Villanova, Commentarium in libros suos et in libros aliorum philosophorum. 164-182

  Nasmith

  Commentarium Arnoldi de Villa nova in libros suos et libros aliorum philosophorum. 164-182

  Author

  Arnold of Villanova

  Incipit

  (164) Incipiunt uerba commentaria primi libri Arnaldi de uilla noua ac phebi ac paridis philosophorum

  Explicit

  (182) quod et tradidi uobis in nomine domini. Amen

  Rubric

  (182) Explicit liber secundus practicus arnaldi de villa noua

• Arnold of Villanova, Tract dedicated to Semita semite. 183-188

  Nasmith

  Tractatus qui incipit, O venerande pater. 183-188

  Author

  Arnold of Villanova

  Note

  Est epistola Avicenae ad Abazez patrem suum de re tecta. Est potius flos florum Arnoldi.

  Incipit

  (183) O uenerande pater gracias ago deo

  Explicit

  (188) quam possis percipere racione

  Note

  14 Verses
  (188) Nam si nature uulgo secreta paterent...Sunt preciosa magis cum rarius inueniuntur

• Speculum alchemiae. 189-194

  Nasmith

  Speculum Alchimiae. 189-194

  Note

  Quaere an Rogeri Bacon?

  Incipit

  (189) Sciendum est quia philosophi per 4or uerba hoc opus compleuerunt

  Explicit

  (194) sufficiunt intellectum habentibus

• Bernard of Treves, Responsio ad Thomam de Bononia. 195-208

  Nasmith

  Epistola Barnardi Trevirensis ad Thomam de Bononia medicum. 195-208

  Author

  Bernard of Treves

  Incipit

  (195) Obsequiis michi possibilibus premissis. Egregie doctor

  Note

  (Notes to title a. Est epistola Comitis Trevirensis ad Thomam de Bononia medicum. b. 2a epistola Barnardi magni philosophi et sunt 3es epistolae eiusdem philosophi)

  Explicit

  (208) esse calidum et humidum

  Rubric

  (208) Explicit epistola cuiusdam philosophi (viz. Barnardi magni)
  (208) Al. de la Brett ut in Trayer co. gg. cum ceteris uel ut in alio libro uocatur Barnardus Treuerensis

• Thomas of Bologna, Epistola ad Bernardum Treuirensem de lapide philosophico. 208-213

  Nasmith

  Secunda epistola ejusdem. 208-213

  Author

  Thomas of Bologna

  Incipit

  (208) In altissimis laudibus micat amicicia

  Explicit

  (213) secretario michi utriusque fideli

• Iohannes de Rupescissa OFM, Quinta essentia. 214-248

  Nasmith

  Johannes de Rupescissa de consideratione quintae essentiae. 214-248

  Author

  Iohannes de Rupescissa OFM

  Incipit

  (214) Primus liber etc. In nomine domini nostri Ihesu Christi incipit liber de famulatu philosophie etc. Dixit Salomon. Sapiencie cao 7o

  Explicit

  (247) uel in eius absencia aqua ardens

  Note

  ? unfinished, p. 248 blank

• Iohannes de Rupescissa OFM, Liber lucis. 249-254

  Nasmith

  Idem de essentia quinta Mercurii sive liber Lucis. 249-254

  Author

  Iohannes de Rupescissa OFM

  Rubric

  (249) Essencia 5a Mercurii [a. per Arnoldum], b. per Johannem de Rupescissa et vocatur Liber Lucis

  Incipit

  (249) Materia lapidis est res vilis

  Explicit

  (254) qui quidem tiranni punientur a domino nostro Ihesu Christo cui est etc. per infinita secula seculorum. Amen

  Note

  Some crosses etc. and ? and ? are added in a hand of cent. xvi

• Dicta philosophorum. 255-256

  Note

  A leaf of an imperfect tract beginning

  Incipit

  (255) Philosophi naturales Auicenna, Hermes, Aurinius, Arsinus, Morienus, Ceber, Jpermenides, Casiarius, Exennius, Pictagoras et alii

TJames

vac.

Stanley

Misc. X

Repository

UK, Cambridge, Corpus Christi College, Parker Library

Location

MS 099

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