Hard-coded id of currently selected item: . JSON version of its record is available from Blacklight on e.g. ??

Metadata associated with selected item should appear here...

Harley MS 80

Record Id:

040-001919536

Hierarchy Root Ancestor Record Id:

040-001919536

MDARK:

ark:/81055/vdc_100000000195.0x000166

LARK:

SLARK:

Format:

ISAD(G)

Reference (shelfmark):

Harley MS 80

Title:

Collection of texts on astronomy, optics, astrology and stones from a Merton College manuscript

Scope & Content:

This composite volume is formed by five parts (1-5), of which items 2-4 are identifiable as independent booklets or libelli.

1. ff. 1r-57r: the first unit relates to mathematics and geometry and comprises texts by Roger Bacon, (De Scientia Perspectiva, ff. 1r-33v) and Richard of Wallingford, (Tractatus Albionis, ff. 34r-54r and Tractatus rectanguli, ff. 54v-57r);

2. ff. 58r-74r: the second unit relates to astronomy and contains two text by Zael, De interrogationibus or Liber introductorius ad astrologiam (ff. 58r-68r), and De Electionibus (ff. 68v-74r);

3. ff. 75r-84v: the third unit also relates to astronomy and to the making of talismans, and includes texts by Thebit ben Corat (De imaginibus, ff. 75r-76r), Claudius Ptolemaeus (attr. De imaginibus super facies signorum, ff. 76r-77v), and Hermes, Trismegistus (Liber imaginum lune, ff. 77v-81r) and De quindecim stellis, ff. 81-84v);

4. ff. 85r-98r: the fourth unit relates to astronomy and contains works on the Alphonsine Tables by Jean de Lignières (ff. 85r-93r), and Jacon ben Machir (ff. 94r-97r);

5. ff. 99r-106r: the fifth unit relates to alchemy and consists of treatises on precious stones, theology, birds and trees, and the making of talismans including Marbodus Redonensis Liber lapidum seu de Gemmis (ff. 99r-101v); notes and treatises on stones (103-104, 104v, 105-105v), a few notes relating to theology (f. 102v), and a treatise attributed to Zael (Sahl ibn Bishr al-Isra'ili) on Jewish charms (ff. 105v-106);

These texts were originally preceded by a number of music treatises, the first of which, Regulae Musicales by Magister Franconis, has been identified in Cotton Tiberius B. IX, item 3, destroyed by fire in 1731, and others are now ff. 204r-224v in the same manuscript, see Watson 1976.

Collection Area:

Western Manuscripts

Project / Collection:

Harley Collection
Harley Science Project

Hierarchy Tree:

[{ "id" : "040-001919536", "parent" : "#", "text" : "Harley MS 80: Collection of texts on astronomy, optics, astrology and stones from a Merton College manuscript" , "li_attr" : {"class": "orderable"} },{ "id" : "041-001919542", "parent" : "040-001919536", "text" : "Harley MS 80, ff 1r-57r: Texts on mathematics and geometry" },{ "id" : "042-001942372", "parent" : "041-001919542", "text" : "Harley MS 80, ff 1r-57r, ff 1r-33r: Roger Bacon, De Scientia Perspectiva" },{ "id" : "042-001942373", "parent" : "041-001919542", "text" : "Harley MS 80, ff 1r-57r, ff 34r-54r: Richard of Wallingford, Tractatus Albionis" },{ "id" : "042-001942374", "parent" : "041-001919542", "text" : "Harley MS 80, ff 1r-57r, ff 54v-57r: Richard of Wallingford, Tractatus rectanguli" },{ "id" : "041-001919543", "parent" : "040-001919536", "text" : "Harley MS 80, ff 58r-74v: Zael (Sahl ibn Bishr al-Isra'ili), Texts on astronomy" },{ "id" : "042-001942375", "parent" : "041-001919543", "text" : "Harley MS 80, ff 58r-74v, ff 58r-68r: Zael (Sahl ibn Bishr al-Isra'ili), De interrogationibus or Liber introductorius ad astrologiam" },{ "id" : "042-001942376", "parent" : "041-001919543", "text" : "Harley MS 80, ff 58r-74v, ff 68v-74r: Zael (Sahl ibn Bishr al-Isra'ili), De Electionibus" },{ "id" : "041-001919545", "parent" : "040-001919536", "text" : "Harley MS 80, ff 75r-84v: Texts on astronomy and the making of talismans" },{ "id" : "042-001942377", "parent" : "041-001919545", "text" : "Harley MS 80, ff 75r-84v, ff 75r-76r: Thebit ben Corat (Thabit bin Qurra), De imaginibus" },{ "id" : "042-001942378", "parent" : "041-001919545", "text" : "Harley MS 80, ff 75r-84v, ff 76r-77v: De imaginibus super facies signorum, attributed to Claudius Ptolemaeus (Ptolemy)" },{ "id" : "042-001942379", "parent" : "041-001919545", "text" : "Harley MS 80, ff 75r-84v, ff 77v-81r: Hermes, Trismegistus (or Belenus), Liber imaginum lune" },{ "id" : "042-001942380", "parent" : "041-001919545", "text" : "Harley MS 80, ff 75r-84v, ff 81-84v: Hermes, Trismegistus (or Belenus), De quindecim stellis" },{ "id" : "041-001919547", "parent" : "040-001919536", "text" : "Harley MS 80, ff 85r-98r: Texts on astronomy" },{ "id" : "042-001942381", "parent" : "041-001919547", "text" : "Harley MS 80, ff 85r-98r, ff 85r-93r: Jean de Lignières [Jean de Picard], Canones" },{ "id" : "042-001942382", "parent" : "041-001919547", "text" : "Harley MS 80, ff 85r-98r, ff 94r-97r: Jacob ben Machir ibn-Tibbon (Profatius Judaeus), Novus quadrans seu Practica novi Quadrantis" },{ "id" : "042-001942383", "parent" : "041-001919547", "text" : "Harley MS 80, ff 85r-98r, ff 98r-98v: Notes relating to astronomy and the quadrant" },{ "id" : "041-001919548", "parent" : "040-001919536", "text" : "Harley MS 80, ff 99r-106r: Texts on alchemy, theology, birds and trees, and the making of talismans" },{ "id" : "042-001942384", "parent" : "041-001919548", "text" : "Harley MS 80, ff 99r-106r, ff 99r-101v: Marbodus Redonensis, Liber lapidum seu de Gemmis." },{ "id" : "042-001942385", "parent" : "041-001919548", "text" : "Harley MS 80, ff 99r-106r, f 102v: Figurae divisionis" },{ "id" : "042-001942386", "parent" : "041-001919548", "text" : "Harley MS 80, ff 99r-106r, ff 103r-104r: Treatise on precious stones" },{ "id" : "042-001942387", "parent" : "041-001919548", "text" : "Harley MS 80, ff 99r-106r, f 104v: Figurae divisionis" },{ "id" : "042-001942388", "parent" : "041-001919548", "text" : "Harley MS 80, ff 99r-106r, ff 105r-105v: Treatise on precious stones" },{ "id" : "042-001942389", "parent" : "041-001919548", "text" : "Harley MS 80, ff 99r-106r, ff 105v-106r: Liber magnus sigillorum attributed to Zael (Sahl ibn Bishr al-Isra'ili)" }]

Hierarchy Record Ids:

032-002045828
040-001919536

Is part of:

Harley MS 1-7661 : Harley Manuscripts

Harley MS 80 : Collection of texts on astronomy, optics, astrology and stones from a Merton College manuscript

Contains:

Harley MS 80, ff 1r-57r : Texts on mathematics and geometry
Harley MS 80, ff 58r-74v : Zael (Sahl ibn Bishr al-Isra'ili), Texts on astronomy
Harley MS 80, ff 75r-84v : Texts on astronomy and the making of talismans
Harley MS 80, ff 85r-98r : Texts on astronomy
Harley MS 80, ff 99r-106r : Texts on alchemy, theology, birds and trees, and the making of talismans

Click here to View / search full list of parts of Harley MS 80

Hierarchy:

032-002045828[0079]/040-001919536

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_80 (digital images currently unavailable)

Thumbnail:

Languages:

Latin

Scripts:

Latin

Start Date:

1200

End Date:

1499

Date Range:

1200-1499

Era:

Access:

Please request the physical items you need using the online collection item request form.

Digitised items can be viewed online by clicking the thumbnail image or digitised content link.

Readers who have registered or renewed their pass since 21 March 2024 can request physical items prior to visiting the Library by completing
this request form.
Please enter the Reference (shelfmark) above on the request form.

If your Reader Pass was issued before this date, you will need to visit the Library in London or Yorkshire to renew it before you can request items online. All manuscripts and archives must be consulted at the Library in London.

This catalogue record may describe a collection of items which cannot all be requested together. Please use the hierarchy viewer to navigate to individual items. Some items may be in use or restricted for other reasons. If you would like to check the availability, contact our Reference Services team, quoting the Reference (shelfmark) above.

User Conditions:

Physical Characteristics:

Materials: Parchment and paper (ff. 85-98) codex. Paper watermark: anchor (not in Briquet).

Dimensions: 292 x 215 mm (text space: ff. 1r-57r: 200-213 x 128-135 mm; ff. 58r-74r: 227 x 156-167 mm; ff. 75r-84v: 227 x 147 mm; ff. 85r-98r: 242-247 x 165-172 mm; ff. 99r-106r:

Foliation: ff. vi + 106. Modern foliation in pencil ff. '1-106' (ff. 33v, 57v, 93v, 102 blank, ff. 45v-46 partly blank).

Collation: First unit (ff. 1r-57r): Gatherings: i-iii⁸, iv^10-1 (tenth leaf cancelled), v-vii⁸, with flesh sides out; gatherings iii-iv added later, with leaf signatures in lower right corner of the first four versos and horizontal catchwords in lower right corners of the last versos; gatherings v-vii with leaf signatures in the lower right corner of the first four rectos (see ff. 42-45: 'g1-g4'). Second unit (ff. 58r-74r): i⁸, ii^10-1 (first leaf cancelled?), with flesh sides out. Third unit (ff. 75r-84v): i¹⁰, with hair sides out. Fourth unit (ff. 85r-98r): possibly i^16-1; Fifth unit (ff. 99r-106r): i⁴, ii (four leaves too tight to ascertain composition of gathering), with flesh sides out.

Layout: First unit (ff. 1r-57r): Gatherings i, v-vii ruled (single bounding line) in lead point for single columns of 52-58 lines; gatherings iii-iv ruled (single bounding line) in ink for single columns of 40-43 lines. Text written across top line. Second unit (ff. 58r-74r): Ruled (single bounding line) in ink for single columns of 37-53 lines. Text written above bounding line. Third unit (ff. 75r-84v): pricked on rectos and ruled (single bounding line) on hair sides(?) in metal point for single columns of 49 lines. Text written below bounding line. Fourth unit (ff. 85r-98r): Unruled, single columns of 67 lines. Fifth unit (ff. 99r-106r): Ruled (single bounding line) on both sides in metal point for double columns of 64 lines. Text written below bounding line.

Script: First unit (ff. 1r-57r): Gothic cursive; written in dark brown ink by two hands: ff. 1r-8v, 34r-57r and ff. 9r-33r, 57r. Second unit (ff. 58r-74r): Gothic cursive (anglicana); written in brown ink by two different scribes (ff. 58r-60r, line 12, and ff. 60r (line 12)- 74r). Third unit (ff. 75r-84v): Gothic cursive (anglicana) written in brown ink by one? hand. Fourth unit (ff. 85r-98r): Gothic cursive, written in brown ink by one hand. Fifth unit (ff. 99r-106r): Gothic cursive, written in dark brown ink by one hand.

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

Custodial History:

Origin: England.

Provenance:

Added note possibly relating to the price of the booklet (ff. 99r-106v) and citing 'Robert Kygil', 15^th century (f. 105v).

William Dussing (1st half of 16th cent), astronomer, vicar of Fordingbridge, co. Southtampton, possibly owned by him, his name inscribed on f. 106v.

John Dee (b. 1527, d. 1609), mathematician, astrologer, and antiquary, acquired by him in 1556: listed with its full contents (including the music treatises) in Dee's catalogues, as MS. 2 in the 1556 notebook (Oxford, Corpus Christi College, MS. 191, f. 77v), as MS. 11 in the 1557 list (Add. 35213, f. 4, col. b), and as MS. Fr. 72 in the 1583 catalogues (Cambridge, Trinity College, MS. O.4.2., p. 153, and Harley MS 1879, f. 99v); see James 1921 and Roberts and Watson 1983; includes Dee's astrological mark of ownership (Jupiter symbol) (f. 1r, upper left corner) and marginal notes in his hand (ff. 54v ('A 1326'), 79v, 89r).

Added table of contents relating to astronomy, 17^th century? (f. 106r).

Sir Simonds d'Ewes (b.1602, d. 1650), 1st baronet, diarist, antiquary, and friend of Sir Robert Cotton: acquired by him around 1626 probably from Cotton at the same time as Cotton was giving other parts of Tiberius B IX to Thomas Allen (see Watson 1966; Wright 1972); his MS 58.

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 (1808), no. 80.

A. G. Little, 'Roger Bacon's Works, with References to the Manuscripts and Printed Editions', appendix to Roger Bacon Essays, ed. A. G. Little (Oxford, 1914), p. 383.

M. R. James, Lists of manuscripts formerly owned by Dr John Dee, with preface and identifications ((London: Oxford University Press for the Bibliographical Society, 1921), pp. 11, 14, 23.

J. D. Bond, 'Richard Wallingford', Isis, 4 (1922), 459-65 (p. 461).

G. Boffito - C. Melzi d'Eril, Il quadrante d'Israele di Jacob ben Machir ben Tibbon (Profacio) (Florence: Libreria internazionale, 1922), p. 14.

D. W. Singer, Catalogue of Latin and Vernacular Alchemical Manuscripts in Great Britain and Ireland Dating from before the XVI Century, 3 vols (Brussels: Lamertin, 1928-1931) p. 765.

J. Corbett, Catalogue des manuscrits alchimiques latins, 2 vols (Bruxelles, 1939), II, p. 83.

L. Thorndike, 'Traditional Medieval Tracts Concerning Engraved Astrological Images’, in Mélanges Auguste Pelzer (Louvain: Université de Louvain, 1947), pp. 217-73 (p. 236).

F. J. Carmody, Arabic Astronomical and Astrological Sciences in Latin Translation. A. Critical Bibliography, (Berkeley, 1956), pp. 56, 64, 124-25, 169

A. 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 (pp. 197-98).

Lynn Thorndike, 'Notes upon Some Medieval Astronomical, Astrological and Mathematical Manuscripts at Florence, Milan, Bologna and Venice', Isis, 50 (1959), 33-50 (p. 44).

F. J. Carmody, The Astronomical Works of Thabit B. Qurra (Berkeley, 1960), pp. 169, 187-94.

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. 126, 127, 143.

D. C. Lindberg, A Catalogue of Medieval and Renaissance Optical Manuscripts (Toronto: Pontifical Institute of Mediaeval Studies, 1975), p. 41, no. 67D.

A. G. Watson, 'A Merton College Manuscript Reconstructed: Harley 625; Digby 178, fols. 1-14, 88-115; Cotton Tiberius B. IX, fols. 1-4, 225-35', Bodleian Library Record, 9 (1976), 207-17 (p. 214).

J. D. North, Richard of Wallingford. An Edition of His Writings With Introductions, English Translation and Commentary, 2 vols (Oxford, 1976), I, pp. 245-401 (text and translation), II, pp. 127-286.

John Dee's Library Catalogue, ed. by Julian Roberts and A. G. Watson (London: Bibliographical Society, 1990), pp. 118, 148, 151.

A. G. Watson, The Library of Sir Simonds D'Ewes (London, 1966), [A279], [B58], p. 223 n. 53.

D. C. Lindberg, Roger Bacon and the Origins of 'Perspectiva' in the Middle Ages. A Critical Edition and English Translationof Bacon's Perspectiva, with introduction and notes (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1996), p. ciii.

V. Perrone Compagni, 'I testi magici di Ermete' in Hermetism from Late Antiquity to Humanism, ed by P. Lucentini, I. Parri, V. Perrone Compagni (Turnhout: Brepols, 2003), pp. 505-34 (p. 526).

P. Lucentini and V. Perrone Compagni, 'I manoscritti dei testi ermetici latini', in Hermetism from Late Antiquity to Humanism (Turnhout: Brepols, 2003), Appendix 1, pp. 727, 734.

Material Type:

Archives and Manuscripts

Legal Status:

Not Public Record(s)

Related Archive Descriptions:

Or 12802