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Harley MS 13

Record Id:

040-001615258

Hierarchy Root Ancestor Record Id:

040-001615258

MDARK:

ark:/81055/vdc_100000001515.0x000355

LARK:

SLARK:

Format:

ISAD(G)

Reference (shelfmark):

Harley MS 13

Title:

Scientific miscellany

Scope & Content:

The volume is composed of 6 semi-independent parts (ff. 3r-128r; 129r-140r; 141r-164v; 165r-198v; 199r-230; 231r-241v). It was probably made for John of London (fl. c. 1290- c. 1330), the first recorded owner of the manuscript.

The manuscript includes:

1. Flyleaf with ownership inscriptions (ff. 1r-1v);

2. Theorica planetarum Gerardi attributed to Gerard of Cremona (ff. 3r-8v);

3. 'Canones Luce de utraque eclipsi solis et lune' (ff. 25v-29v);

4. Campanus of Novarra, Rule and table for converting Christian years (from AD 1260) into Arab years (f. 30r);

5. Toledan tables (ff. 31r-38v);

6. A table for converting Christian years into Arabic years with an explanatory text (f. 30v)

7. Toledan tables (ff. 39r-116v);

8. Thebit ben Corat, De motu octave spere (ff. 117r-119v);

9. Thebit ben Corat, De hiis que indigent expositione antequam legatur Almagesti (ff. 119v-122r);

10. Thebit ben Corat, De recta imaginatione spere (ff. 122r-123r);

11. Thebit ben Corat, De quantitatibus stellarum et planetarum et proportione terre (in Latin translation) (ff. 123v-124v);

12. Jordanus de Nemore, De plana spera (ff. 124v-128v);

13. Euclid, Catoptrica (sometimes also attributed to Jordanus de Nemore as De speculis) (ff. 129r-133v);

14. De ratione ponderi attributed to Jordanus de Nemore (ff. 133v-140r);

15. 'De sole' (ff. 140r-140v);

16. Pseudo-Ptolemy, Centiloquium, with a commentary of Haly ibn Ridwan (ff. 141r-164v);

17. Al-Kindi, De radiis (or Theorica artium magicarum) (ff. 165r-173r);

18. Messahala, De cogitationibus ab intentione (ff. 173r-173v);

19. Messahala, Libellus interpretationum sive De inventione occultorum (Latin translation incorporating parts of Dorotheus and Ptolemy on occulta) (ff. 173v-175r);

20. Theodosius, De spheris (ff. 175v-194v);

21. Mileus (or Menelaus) of Alexandria, De figuris sphericis, in Latin translation by Gerard of Cremona (ff. 195r-198r);

22. Alcabitius, Liber introductorius, in Latin translation by John of Seville (ff. 199r-218v);

23. Messahala, Liber coniunctionis et receptionis in Latin translation by John of Seville (ff. 218v-228v);

24. John of Seville, Glossa super 60 propositionem Centiloquii Ptolemei (ff. 229r-230r);

25. Messahala, De motibus (De orbe) (ff. 231r-241v);

26. Alphabetical index 14th century (f. 242r).

The text was written by several scribes probably over a period of time, but the decoration was completed in one location in England.

Decoration:

2 historiated initials, in colours and gold, and partial bar borders with zoomorphic elements (ff. 129r, 133v). Large initials in colours and gold with foliate decoration, some with animal or human heads and partial bar borders at the beginning of texts. Small initials in blue with red pen-flourishing, or in red with blue pen-flourishing. Paraphs in red or blue. 5 volvelles, all now broken (ff. 3r, 3v, 4v, 5r, 6v). Numerous diagrams in colours. Tables in brown and red (ff. 12r, 18r, 30r-116r, 120r, 200v, 201v, 202r). Capitals highlighted in red.

Collection Area:

Western Manuscripts

Project / Collection:

Harley Collection
Harley Science Project

Hierarchy Tree:

[{ "id" : "040-001615258", "parent" : "#", "text" : "Harley MS 13: Scientific miscellany" , "li_attr" : {"class": "orderable"} },{ "id" : "041-001615279", "parent" : "040-001615258", "text" : "Harley MS 13, ff 1r-1v: Ownership inscriptions" },{ "id" : "041-001615285", "parent" : "040-001615258", "text" : "Harley MS 13, ff 3r-8v: Gerard of Cremona (attributed to), Theorica planetarum Gerardi" },{ "id" : "041-001615292", "parent" : "040-001615258", "text" : "Harley MS 13, ff 25v-29v: Canones Luce de utraque eclipsi solis et lune" },{ "id" : "041-001615295", "parent" : "040-001615258", "text" : "Harley MS 13, f 30r: Campanus of Novarra, Rule and table for converting Christian years (from AD 1260) into Arab years" },{ "id" : "041-001615297", "parent" : "040-001615258", "text" : "Harley MS 13, ff 31r-38v: Toledan tables" },{ "id" : "041-001615298", "parent" : "040-001615258", "text" : "Harley MS 13, f 30v: A table for converting Christian years into Arabic years" },{ "id" : "041-001615299", "parent" : "040-001615258", "text" : "Harley MS 13, ff 39r-116v: Toledan tables" },{ "id" : "041-001615300", "parent" : "040-001615258", "text" : "Harley MS 13, ff 117r-119v: Thebit ben Corat, De motu octave spere" },{ "id" : "041-001615301", "parent" : "040-001615258", "text" : "Harley MS 13, ff 119v-122r: Thebit ben Corat, De hiis que indigent expositione antequam legatur Almagesti" },{ "id" : "041-001615302", "parent" : "040-001615258", "text" : "Harley MS 13, ff 122r-123r: Thebit ben Corat, De recta imaginatione spere" },{ "id" : "041-001615304", "parent" : "040-001615258", "text" : "Harley MS 13, ff 123v-124v: Thebit ben Corat, De quantitatibus stellarum et planetarum et proportione terre" },{ "id" : "041-001615305", "parent" : "040-001615258", "text" : "Harley MS 13, ff 124v-128v: Jordanus de Nemore, De plana spera" },{ "id" : "041-001615306", "parent" : "040-001615258", "text" : "Harley MS 13, ff 129r-133v: Euclid, Catoptrica (sometimes also attributed to Jordanus de Nemore as De speculis)" },{ "id" : "041-001615307", "parent" : "040-001615258", "text" : "Harley MS 13, ff 133v-140r: Jordanus de Nemore, De ratione ponderi (attributed to)" },{ "id" : "041-001615308", "parent" : "040-001615258", "text" : "Harley MS 13, ff 140r-140v: De sole" },{ "id" : "041-001615309", "parent" : "040-001615258", "text" : "Harley MS 13, ff 141r-164v: Pseudo-Ptolemy, Centiloquium, with the commentary of Haly ibn Ridwan" },{ "id" : "041-001615310", "parent" : "040-001615258", "text" : "Harley MS 13, ff 165r-173r: Al-Kindi, De radiis (or Theorica artium magicarum)" },{ "id" : "041-001615311", "parent" : "040-001615258", "text" : "Harley MS 13, ff 173r-173v: Messahala, De cogitationibus ab intentione" },{ "id" : "041-001615312", "parent" : "040-001615258", "text" : "Harley MS 13, ff 173v-175r: Messahala, Libellus interpretationum sive De inventione occultorum (Latin translation incorporating parts of Dorotheus and…" },{ "id" : "041-001615313", "parent" : "040-001615258", "text" : "Harley MS 13, ff 175v-194v: Theodosius, De spheris" },{ "id" : "041-001615314", "parent" : "040-001615258", "text" : "Harley MS 13, ff 195r-198r: Mileus (or Menelaus) of Alexandria, De figuris sphericis" },{ "id" : "041-001615316", "parent" : "040-001615258", "text" : "Harley MS 13, ff 199r-218v: Alcabitius, Liber introductorius, in the Latin translation by John of Seville" },{ "id" : "041-001615317", "parent" : "040-001615258", "text" : "Harley MS 13, ff 218v-228v: Messahala, Liber coniunctionis et receptionis in the Latin translation by John of Seville" },{ "id" : "041-001615318", "parent" : "040-001615258", "text" : "Harley MS 13, ff 229r-230r: John of Seville, Glossa super 60 propositionem Centiloquii Ptolemei" },{ "id" : "041-001615320", "parent" : "040-001615258", "text" : "Harley MS 13, ff 231r-241v: Messahala, De motibus (De orbe)" },{ "id" : "041-001615321", "parent" : "040-001615258", "text" : "Harley MS 13, f 242r: Alphabetical index" }]

Hierarchy Record Ids:

032-002045828
040-001615258

Is part of:

Harley MS 1-7661 : Harley Manuscripts

Harley MS 13 : Scientific miscellany

Contains:

Click here to View / search full list of parts of Harley MS 13

Hierarchy:

032-002045828[0012]/040-001615258

Container:

View / search within Archive / Collection: Harley MS 1-7661

Record Type (Level):

File

Extent:

1 volume

Digitised Content:

http://www.bl.uk/manuscripts/FullDisplay.aspx?ref=Harley_MS_13 (digital images currently unavailable)

Thumbnail:

Languages:

Latin

Scripts:

Latin

Start Date:

1285

End Date:

1599

Date Range:

c 1290-16th century

Era:

Access:

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User Conditions:

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Physical Characteristics:

Materials: Parchment codex.

Dimensions: 295 x 200 mm (text space: 195 x 130 mm).

Foliation: ff vi + 242 (2 unfoliated leaves after f. 199); medieval foliation beginning on f. 3r; catchwords and quire signatures.

Script: Gothic.

Binding: British Museum/British Library in-house binding.

Custodial History:

Origin: England.

Provenance:

Johannes de London, monk of St Augustine's Abbey, Canterbury (fl. c 1290-c.1330): inscribed 'Liber Johans de London' (f. 1v); perhaps made for him.

The Benedictine abbey of St Augustine, Canterbury: inscribed 'de Liber sancti Augustini Cante' (f. 1v); included in the catalogue of St Augustine's library, no. 1166 (see James 1963 and Barker-Benfield 2008).

John Twyne (b. c.1505, d. 1581), schoolmaster and antiquary: his name 'M^rTwyne' marking the entry for this manuscript in the St Augustine's library catalogue; it is unclear whether this inscription implies ownership of the manuscript (see Barker-Benfield 2008).

John Dee (b. 1527, d. 1609), mathematician, astrologer, and antiquary: table of contents in his hand (f. 2r).

Sir Simonds d'Ewes (b. 1602, d. 1650), 1st baronet, diarist, antiquary, and friend of Sir Robert Cotton (see Wright 1972).

Sir Simonds D’Ewes (d. 1722), 3rd baronet and grandson of the former: inherited and later sold the D’Ewes library to Robert Harley on 4 October 1705 for £450 (see Watson 1966).

The Harley Collection, formed by Robert Harley (b. 1661, d. 1724), 1st earl of Oxford and Mortimer, politician, and Edward Harley (b. 1689, d. 1741), 2nd earl of Oxford and Mortimer, book collector and patron of the arts. Edward Harley bequeathed the library to his widow, Henrietta, née Cavendish Holles (b. 1694, d. 1755) during her lifetime and thereafter to their daughter, Margaret Cavendish Bentinck (b. 1715, d.1785), duchess of Portland; the manuscripts were sold by the Countess and the Duchess in 1753 to the nation for £10,000 (a fraction of their contemporary value) under the Act of Parliament that also established the British Museum; the Harley manuscripts form one of the foundation collections of the British Library.

Publications:

A Catalogue of the Harleian Manuscripts in the British Museum, 4 vols (London: Eyre and Strahan, 1808-12), I, no. 13.

M. R. James, The Ancient Libraries of Canterbury and Dover (Cambridge: 1903), pp. lxxiv-lxxvii.

Andrew G. Watson, 'An Identification of some Manuscripts owned by Dr. John Dee and Sir Simonds D'Ewes', The Library, 5th series, 13 (1958), 194-98 (p. 196).

Medieval Libraries of Great Britain: A List of Surviving Books, ed. by N. R. Ker, 2nd edn, Royal Historical Society Guides and Handbooks, 3 (London: Royal Historical Society, 1964), p. 44.

A. G. Watson, The Library of Sir Simonds D'Ewes (London: British Museum, 1966), no. A280.

A. B. Emden, Donors of Books to St Augustine's Abbey, Canterbury (Oxford: 1968), pp. 11-12, 41.

C. E. Wright, Fontes Harleiani: A Study of the Sources of the Harleian Collection of Manuscripts in the British Museum (London: British Museum, 1972), pp. 95, 126, 131, 227.

Al-Kindi, 'De radiis', ed. by M. T. d'Alverny and F. Hudry, Archives d'histoire doctrinale et littéraire du Moyen Age (1974), 139-260.

A. G. Watson, 'A St Augustine's Abbey, Canterbury, Manuscript Reconstructed: Trinity College, Cambridge, MS R.14.30 and British Library MSS Egerton 823 and 840 A', Transactions of the Cambridge Bibliographical Society, 6 (1975), 211-17.

R. B. Thomson, 'Jordanus de Nemore: Opera', Medieval Studies, 38 (1976), 97-144.

Wilbur R. Knorr, 'Archimedes and the Pseudo-Euclidean Catoptrics: Early Stages in the Ancient Geometric Theory of Mirrors', Archives Internationales d'Histoire des Sciences, 35 (1985), 28-105.

St Augustine’s Abbey, Canterbury, ed. by B.C. Barker-Benfield (London: British Library 2008), BA. I.1166.

Material Type:

Archives and Manuscripts

Legal Status:

Not Public Record(s)

Related Material:

OCR-generated record (may contain errors) from A Catalogue of the Harleian Manuscripts in the British Museum, 4 vols (London, Eyre and Strahan, 1808-1812), I (1808):

Codex Membranaceus in fol. min. cujus pars longe maxima circa A.D. 1260 (uti colligo ex Tabula quadam in fol. 28.) videtur exaratus. In eo habentur plurimi Tractatus Astronomici (ex Arabico forte Latio donati) hoc, qui sequitur Ordine.

1. Theorica Planetarum. (f. 1r)

(An Gerardi Cremonenfis?)

2. Canones Arzachelis, sive Regule super Tabulas Toletanas. (f. 6v)

3. Canones Lucae de utraque Eclipsi, Solis et Lunae. (f. 23v)

4. De Inventione Annorum Arabum, Secundum Magrum Campanum. (f. 28r)

5. Invencio Annorum Arabum per annos Christi ad Ecclipsin : cum alijs plurimis, in quorum Fine leguntur haec verba, Expliciunt Tabulae Astronomie vel Toletane.

6. Thebit de Motu octave spere. (f. 118r)

7. Liber Thebith ben Chorath de his qui indigent expositione, antequam legatur Almagestum. (f. 120v)

8. Liber Thebit de Ymaginacione Spere et Circulorum ejus diversorum (f. 123r)

9. Liber Thebith de Quantitatibus Stellarum et Planetarum. (f. 124v)

10. Plahisperium Ptholemei. (f. 155v)

11. Euclides de speculis. (f. 130r)

12. Liber Johanms de Ponderibus. (f. 134v)

13. Liber Centum Verborum Ptholomei, id est, Centilogium. (f. 142r)

14. Alkindus de Radijs Stellicis. fol. 166. In fine autem ita scriptum lego, Explicit Theoria sive Theorica Artis Magice Alkindi.

15. Messehalath de Interpretacione Cogitacionum. (f. 174r)

16. Interpretacionum Liber, quem puto esse Messehalah. Inveni enim eum extractum de Libro suo de Interrogacionibus. (f. 174v)

17. Theodosius de speris. (f. 176v)

18. Tractatus Milei Romani de Triangulis Orbium Magnorum perveniencium in superficie Spere. (f. 196r)

19. Liber Introductorius Alkabizi, qui Abdil aziz dicitur, ad totam artem Astronomie. (f. 202r)

20. Liber Conjunctionis et Receptionis Messahalach Astroiogi] in Interrogacionibus. c. secretorum inditorum. (f. 221v)

21. Glossa Hispalensis super 60 Proposicionem Centilogij Ptholomei qui incipit fic “Albaharim,” &c. (f. 232r)

22. Liber in quo sunt Creatio Orbis et Motus ejus, et natura ejus, editione Messehala.