Add MS 46139

MISCELLANEOUS ALCHEMICAL TRACTS, MEDICAL AND COOKERY RECIPES, etc., mainly in English. Partly (see below) in the hand of Alexander Gill (b. 1565, d. 1635), High Master of St Paul's School, cf. e.g. Sloane MS. 3722, viz.:-

(1) Recipes, mainly medical, ff. 1-23b, and mainly cookery, ff. 24-57. Followed, at ff. 57b-59, by 'Index duplex hic ad medicum spectat ille ad magicum', in Latin, and 'Index alter qui pro coquo est', in English, both signed A. G. [i.e. Al. Gil, cf. f. 104 below]. At f. 59b is a table of symbols in another hand. ff. 1-59b.

(2) Alchemical treatise, imperf. comprising two sets of questions and answers, 'essentiall' and 'accydentall' (cf. f. 65), on alchemical processes. Beg. 'In the name of god here ensuethe certayne [ques]tions demanded by ye reverend Father in god [ye] Archebyshop of Raynes of one m^r guillelmus de Cenes as hereafter ensuithe' (f. 61); ends 'And blessed be he yt person whatsoever yt he be, yt may cum unto ye knowledge of this pretious stone. Amen. finis'. The questions are an English translation of those attributed to Arnaldus de Villa Nova. Cf. D. Singer, Catalogue of Latin and Vernacular Alchemical Manuscripts, i, 1928, no. 235. The Latin text is printed in L. Zetzner, Theatrum Chemicum, iv, 1613, pp. 616-626, where they are described as' ... Quaestiones essentiales quam accidentales M. Ar. ad Bonifacium octavum'. For other references to 'Mr. Guyllyam de Cenes' and the Archbishop of 'Reynes' in connection with these questions cf. Sloane MSS. 3180, ff. 13, 14b; 3684, ff. 41, 46b. At the head, f. 60, is the inscription, 'Per l'amore de Cristo Jacomo D. J. fr[a]ncesq[ ... ]', in a 17th-cent. hand; followed, ff. 60-60b, by a prologue in rhyming couplets, imperf., beg. 'This excellent arte a princelie worke is calde by dew desserte for excellencie & worthynes yt is in every parte...' ff. 60-68b.

(3) Alchemical treatise. Beg. 'Our wyse men affirme yt allonly theris one stone...'; ends 'that the fyer have most rule in the forsayd substance of the Ellementes-according to his manner the cause wherof seeke in the testament. viii leaves'. An English translation of the 'Apertorium Abbreviatum' or 'Experimentatorium' of Ramón Lull. Cf. D. W. Singer, op. cit., i, no. 258. The Latin text is printed in G. Gratarolus, Verae Alchemiae artisque metallicae, citra aenigmata..., ii, 1561, pp. 104-112. ff. 69-85.

(4) 'The Magicke of Raymolde Lullye wrytten by me W. Byn.' Beg. 'Here beginneth the compende or abbreviaton of the Magicall Crafte reformed according to ye course of nature. . . '; ends 'and thow shalt fynd gold and Sylver that ye medycynes shalbe in them ether apperinge white of to ye Redd. finis'. The 'Ars Magica' of Ramón Lull, substantially as printed in the Latin by J. J. Manget, Bibliotheca Chemica Curiosa, i, 1702, pp. 875-878. Cf. D. W. Singer, Cat. of Alchemical MSS., i, 1928, no. 257. ff. 85-95b.

(5) 'The table of Smarackes of Hermes w^c hathe ye wysdome of ye thirde parte of ye worlde interpretate.' Beg. 'The secret wo[r]kes of Hermes wc was found betwene his handes in an old Sepulcre in wc ye earthe or ashes of his bodye was founde'; ends 'ye operacon of ye same'. The 'Tabula Smaragdina' attributed to Hermes Trismegistus, cf. Singer, op. cit., i, no. 25. f. 96.

(6) 'Hortulane his commentaries philosophicall called ye gardyne of ye Sea, or a declaracion uppon the tables of Smarake.' Preceded (f. 96b) by a Preface, beg. 'Laude honor & glorye be vnto ye lorde god almighti...'; ends 'when ye doctryne of the holy gost is at hande and is working wt vs, etc.', and followed (ff. 97-101) by the second commentary, in thirteen chapters. Beg. 'And the philosophors saye yt is trew. . . '; ends 'In w^ch stone be thre colors & fewer natures as ys sayd, yt yt commyth of one only thing yt is to say. in the only mercurye of philosophors.' The Preface and 2nd Commentary on the 'Tabula Smaragdina of Hortulanus' (Johannes de Garlandia) from the 'Clavis Sapientiae Majoris' or commentaries sent to Johannes Carimundus. Cf. Singer, op. cit., i, no. 32. ff. 96b-101.

(7) 'The co[n]fection of oure maysterye ys lyke to ye order of ye creation of man.'. Beg. 'Norton [?Thomas Norton of Bristol] saythe yt ye makinge of owre creation of owre stone and maysterye ys a symylitude in order to ye creation of man'; ends 'And with yt helpynge thearunto most perfectly Although with more labor and more expences and peradventure in lenger tyme'. ff. 101b-102b.

(8) 'Here beginnethe ye abreviacon made by ye philosophor Raymonde at ye instance of Doctr. Roger Bacon. In ye name of Christe amen.' Beg. 'Take stronge vinegre dystilled in great quantytie...'; ends, imperf., 'dyssolve yt wt newe dystilled vineger, and dyssolve yt as you dyd'. Roger Bacon edited by Raymundus Galfredus, 'De Leone Viridi'. Cf. art. 10 below, and Singer, op. cit., no. 193. ff. 103-103b.

(9) 'Clavis philosophiae Dorniana abbreviata ab Al. Gil. Junii 13. 1598.' i.e. a summary of part of Gerardus Dorn, Clavis Totius Philosophiae Chymisticae, Lyons, 1566. ff. 104-104b.

(10) Alchemical treatise headed merely 'Mr Bachan'. Beg. 'In the name of our Lord Jhesus Christ Amen. Take a great quantytye of ye strongest vinegre...'; ends 'better then that of the moyne in every degree'. Roger Bacon edited by Raymundus Galfredus, 'De Leone Viride'. Cf. art. 8 above, and Singer, op. cit., no. 193. ff. 105-107b.

(11) Unidentified alchemical treatise. Beg. 'And forawmyche as ye philosophors sayen yt theyre Alixer is not made of golde and sylver...'; ends 'loke ye dyssolve bodyes in their ligure wc is called in Laten (Jure) wc is thear water deogratias'. ff. 108- 112.

(12) Miscellaneous material, preceded (f. 112b) by an inscription signed A. G. [i.e. Al. Gill] and including:-(a) 'Arithmeticorum ad instantiam amplissimi viri Domini Roberti Ballei. 1597.' (ff.114-116b). A free translation in English of the Latin verses on f. 113 which are headed ' . . ad instantiam amplissimi viri D. Roberti Mansfelt equitis aurati. 1596.'. ff. 113-116b;-(b) Deleted heading 'Hercules Atlanticus sive de globis tractatulus ad usum amplissimi viri Domini Anthonii Palmer. 1598.'. f. 117;-(c) Miscellaneous medical recipes. ff. 117-120;-(d) 'Cabala notata junii 22 1598. A. G. [i.e. Al. Gill]'. Summary, Imperf. f. 123b. Paper; ff. 123. Quarto. xvith - xviith centt. C. M. Briquet, Les Filigranes, nos. 8080-8081 (xvith-xviith centt.), correspond closely to the watermark in the present MS.

includes:

• ff. 1-23b, 55-57, 117-120 Medicine and Surgery: Recipes: 15th cent.-1817.
• ff. 24-54b Recipes, Domestic: Cookery recipes: 16th-17th cent.
• ff.58, 59, 104, 112b, 123 Alexander Gill, the elder; High Master of St Paul's School: Signatures: 1598, n.d.
• ff. 60-112 Alchemy: Tracts, etc.: 16th-17th cent.
• ff. 60-68b Guyllam de Cenes: Alchemical treatise attrib. to: 16th cent.
• ff. 61-68 b Arnaldus de Villa Nova: 'Quaestiones essentiales quam accidentales'. Engl. transl. (16th cent.).
• ff. 69-85 Ramón Lull: 'Apertorium Abbreviatum': 16th cent.: Engl. transl.
• ff. 85-95b Ramón Lull: 'Ars Magica': 16th cent.: Engl. transl.
• ff. 85-95b W. Byn: Wrote: 16th cent.
• f. 96 Hermes, Trismegistus: 'Tabula Smaragdina' attrib. to: 16th cent.: Engl. transl.
• ff. 96b-101 Johannes de Garlandia: Commentary, etc., on his 'Tabula Smaragdina': 16th cent.
• ff. 101b-102b Thomas Norton [, of Bristol?]: Alchemical treatise by (?): 16th cent.
• ff 103-103b, 105-107b Roger Bacon: Alchemical treatise, 'De Leone Viridi', edited by Raymundus Galfredus: 16th cent: Engl.
• ff. 103-103b, 105-107b Roger Bacon: Alchemical treatise, 'De Leone Viridi', edited by Raymundus Galfredus: 16th cent.: Engl.
• ff. 103-103b, 105-107b Raymundus Galfredus: R. Bacon, 'De Leone Viridi', edited by: 16th cent.
• ff. 104-104b Gerard Dorn, German chemist: Abstract of his Clavis Totius Philosophiae Chymisticae: 1598.: Engl.: Imperf.