Cambridge, Corpus Christi College, MS 395: Iohannes de Rupescissa OFM, Liber de consideratione quintae essentiae. RamÃ³n Lull, Tertia distinctio. Alchemical Tracts

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Abstract/Contents

Summary: CCCC MS 395 is a compilation of alchemical texts copied partly in the early fifteenth century and partly in the late fifteenth or early sixteenth century. It begins with a long text by Iohannes de Rupescissa OFM (Roqetaillade, d. c. 1362 - pseudo-Ramon Lull), his Liber de consideratione quintae essentiae. This section contains a few diagrams and coloured drawings, notably two full-page (ff. 49v-50r) illustrating lunaria grass. The style of this drawing and some texts in Catalan, suggest this part may have been made in Catalonia. Textual additions have been made by an English scribe, and the book seems to have come to England by the second half of the fifteenth century. In addition to a number of other minor alchemical tracts, the codex also contains a number of works attributed to Robert Green of Welby (c. 1467-after 1544), including De fama, Quaestiones super benedicti lapidis philosophici compositione, Secretum, Pulchrum somnium and Dialogus inter Hilardum necromanticum et quendam spiritum. Green's name is also inscribed on a flyleaf of the MS, though it is not clear whether this was intended as a mark of ownership or as a note of the authorship of the texts within the volume.
Contents: Quinta essentia -- De uirtutibus lunariis -- De fama -- Tertia distinctio -- Commentary on the Emerald Table of HermesOperatio lapidis -- Quaestiones super benedicti lapidis philosophici compositione -- Secretum -- Pulchrum somnium -- Dialogus inter Hilardum necromanticum et quendam spiritum

Description

Alternative title	Alchemica
Type of resource	mixed material
Extent	ff. 2 + 133 + 1
Date created	[ca. 1400 - 1499]
Language	Latin; Catalan
Material	Vellum and paper
Height (mm)	219
Width (mm)	146
Collation	2 flyleaves, 1(20)-6(20) (outer and middle sheets vellum, except in 3) 7 (thirteen), one flyleaf.
Writing	in various hands of foreign aspect, apparently Catalan
Foliation	ff. a-b + i-ii + 1-2 + 2a + 3-133 + iii + c

Bibliographic information

M.R. James Date	xv
Downloadable James Catalogue Record	Title https://stacks.stanford.edu/file/druid:mx087jp0166/MS_395.pdf
Superseded Interim Catalogue Record	Title https://stacks.stanford.edu/file/druid:yh656kn5173/395.pdf
Contains	Title Iohannes de Rupescissa OFM, Quinta essentia. 1r-48r Nasmith Liber de consideratione quintae essentiae [per Ioannem de Rupescissa]. 1r-48r Author Iohannes de Rupescissa OFM Rubric (1r) Primus liber de consideratione quinte essencie omnium rerum transmutabilium. In nomine domini nostri Ihesu Christi. Incipit liber de famulatu philosophie datus ab angelis domini nostri Ihesu Christi pauperibus euangelicis viris Note Sixteenth century notes from Ecclus. iii, John xvii and: o curas hominum o quantum est in rebus inane Prologue Incipit (1r) Dixit Salomon sapientie capitulo septimo. Deus dedit michi horum scienciam Explicit (2r) iuxta ordinem titulorum inferius scribendorum Incipit (2r) Secretum primum est. quia per virtutem quam contulit deus Explicit (48r) in eius absencia aqua ardens. Deo omnipotenti patri pariterque filio suo atque spiritui santo sit laus per infinita secula seculorum. Amen Rubric (48r) Explicit liber (2us) de consideratione quinte essencie omnium rerum pauperibus et euangelicis viris erogatum Title De uirtutibus lunariis. 48v-51r Nasmith Tractatus de virtutibus lunariae. 48v-51r Note cum figuris illius plantae haud ineleganter illuminatis A later hand Rubric (48v) Hic sequuntur virtutes lunarie prout habetur in libris hermetis Incipit (48v) Quedam est planta que dicitur (borisa uel) loathii in latino vero vocatur lunaria Explicit (49r) figura ipsius herbe sequitur in foliis sequentibus Note Coloured drawings by an earlier hand: (49v) Two plants. At top, Sun and Moon (50r) Youth in blue gown holding up label inscribed: certes alli desus se troba que es stellaria e lunaria. la qual yo se per estrologiaTwo strange plants: Sun and Moon above (50v) Three plants with leaves and flowers, well drawn Inscriptions begin: Aquesta es la lunaria blaua perco com fa la floreta blaua, etc. La quarta lunaria es aquesta. E com la trobaras cerqua la lunaria dins, etc. Aquesta es reymerola o lunaria menor, etc. Martagon en senis etc. p. 103 blank Title Robert Green of Welby, De fama. 56v-59v Nasmith Epistola Roberti de Welbe de fama, 1506. 56v-59v Author Robert Green of Welby Note Later hand of no. 2 Rubric (56v) Omnibus asumptis rebus maneat tibi fama Intemerata. minus sic tua fata lues Incipit (56v) Fama namque si tibi sit integra serues quisquis es pro viribus Explicit (57v) et causas euita que oppugnarent eam. Et hec de fama sufficiant Note (over erasure: Robertus G(rene) de Welbe. Anno 1506. in las..) Rob. Grene de Welbe. Robert Welby proctor 1479-80 occurs in Grace Book A, pp. xxxii and 142: Robert Welby in Grace Book B I for ad eiusdem degrees 1492 and 3, pp. 38, 65 (H. P. S.) pp. 117-120 blank Title Ramón Lull, Tertia distinctio. 60r-120r Nasmith Tertia distinctio seu pars libri Raymundi de quinta essentia. 60r-120r Author Ramón Lull Note Hand probably that of no. 1 Rubric (60r) Incipit tercia disti(n)ctio que est de alteracione metallorum et de magisterio eorum et medicina Incipit (60r) Hec est tercia distincio huius libri que est de cura metallorum Note Good diagrams, and a pretty volvel on 124, 125, 158 Text seems to end Explicit (113r) omnium principiorum ut secundum ea que dicta sunt Note 228, 229 are occupied by a table Rubric (115r) Taula en pla de les significations de les letres del arbre e de les figuras posades en aquesta art transmutatoria. E primerament del arbre Incipit (115r) A significa chaos que uol dir confussio Note Two similar sections, 232, 233 Receipts in Catalan Incipit (116v) Recipe ço es prenets una onça de luna bona e fina Note 240, 241 blank Title Hortulanos, Commentary on the Emerald Table of Hermes. Averroes, Operatio lapidis. 120v-124v Nasmith Expositio epistolae Hermetis, et operatio lapidis per Averroem. 120v-124v Author Hortulanos Averroes Note Later hand Rubric (120v) Expositio epistole hermetis post Ortholanum et est Auerrois prologus Incipit (120v) Huius libelli series sequentibus splendet capitulis Rubric (120v) Sequitur epistola Incipit (120v) Dicit ergo philosophus sic. Verum est et verissimum Explicit (120v) quod dixi de operacione solis Rubric (120v) Explicit epistola (120v) Exposicio Incipit (120v) Exponitur sic. Verum est dicit ad dandum intelligi Explicit (124r) Et sic completum est quod dixit de operacione solis. Et sic explicit expositio epistolae hermetis secundum Auerroys philosophum Rubric (124r) deo gracias Title Robert Green of Welby, Quaestiones super benedicti lapidis philosophici compositione. 125r-127r Nasmith Questiones perutiles de lapide philosophorum. 125r-127r Author Robert Green of Welby Note Hand of no. 2 Rubric (125r) Questiones perutiles super benedicti lapidis philosophici compositione Incipit (125r) Questiones lapidis benedicti. Questio prima. quoniam aqua nostra ex plumbo Explicit (127r) cum paciencia consequeris. Hic concluditur tota sciencia Rubric (127r) Explicit Note [R. G. de Welbe] Title Robert Green of Welby, Secretum. 127v-130r Nasmith Tractatus qui dicitur, Secretum meum michi. 127v-130r Author Robert Green of Welby Rubric (127v) Secretum meum michi Incipit (127v) Est enim medicine nostre inicium ut soluatur corpus Explicit (129v) infinita maroa videri posset. Deo gracias Rubric (129v) Explicit Secretum meum michi omni laude dignissimum Note [R. de Welbe] 261 blank Title Robert Green of Welby, Pulchrum somnium. 130v-131v Nasmith Visio. 130v-131v Author Robert Green of Welby Rubric (130v) In nomine Ihesu Christi Visio Incipit (130v) Dum eram Iuuenis ibam per mundum uniuersum secreta creatoris altissimi eterne indagans Explicit (131v) piissimo Ihesu adiuuante cui sit laus honor et gloria per infinita seculorum secula. Amen Rubric (131v) Explicit pulcrum sompnium verum et utile Note [R. Green] Title Robert Green of Welby, Dialogus inter Hilardum necromanticum et quendam spiritum. 132r-132v Nasmith Dialogus inter Hilardum necromanticum et quendam spiritum. 132r-132v Author Robert Green of Welby Note Quatuor ultimis tractatibus subscribitur nomen R. G. de Welbe, sed utrum ipse fuerit eorum autor vel saltem possessor codicis dubito Another hand Rubric (132r) Dialogus inter hylardum necromanticum et quendam spiritum feliciter incipit Incipit (132r) Hilardus. Utrum potest fieri lapis qui dicitur philosophorum transformans omnia metalla in auri et argenti speciem. Spiritus. In auro sunt omnia metalla Explicit (132v) et super hoc cessauit nec ulterius loqui voluit Rubric (132v) Explicit dialogus inter Hilardum et spiritum Note [R. Green de Welbe ] Occurs also in MS. Ashmole 1472, art. iii
TJames	366
Stanley	Under D. 9
Location	https://purl.stanford.edu/nq795kd7274
Location	MS 395
Repository	UK, Cambridge, Corpus Christi College, Parker Library

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Collection

Parker Manuscripts

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