Sloane MS 1744

Sloane 1744

Paper, in 4to., ff. 212, XVII Century; written by Thomas Robson.

A volume containing several alchymical tracts and treatises, with several alchymical processes here and there interspersed; the following appear worthy of notice: —

1. 'Cornelius Alvetanus Azus Rodius off makinge the divine elixer or the philosopher's stone, to the moste excelent and moste industrious Empres Elizabeth of England France and Ireland Quene etc.' ff. 4-8.

Begin: —

'The ffirst oyle. In the name of the holy God take for the first oyle thes.'

2. 'Charitas mundi; an excelent treatis givinge light to the right understandinge and practice of this science of Alchymy, etc.' ff. 9-13.

Begin: —

'Open thyne eies and thow shalt see the clozeness of this worlde.'

3. Speculum veritatis, or a disputation between Mary the sister of Moyses, and Azos Kinge of the Grecians.' ff. 14-17.

Begin: —

'Azos a philospher and Kinge of the Grecians came unto Mary the sister of Moyses.'

4. Some alchymical processes 'taken forth of a little Latine booke 1662.' ff. 18-22.

5. The admonition of Sir Robert Greene. ff. 22b-29, 58.

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'I say unto thee in charitye that yf thou haddist seen the privitye that I have seene.'

6. The worke of mercurye.' ff. 29b-32.

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'My freend to explaine this matter to you is needful for it is full darke.'

7. The work of the Abbot of Ramsie upon Aqua viventis; 'taken forth of Thomas Came his booke.' ff. 33-36.

8. George Ripleys red and white worke - f. 36b-38, 54b-57.

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'Receve the waight of an Edward noble of pure fine gould, or else of an old Ryall.'

9. The worke of a Morre, being a collection of Alchymical processes. ff. 39-42.

10. 'The worke of a Jewe, a note taken forth of Sir Edward Vere his book.' ff. 43-48.

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'Deere brother yf you determine to follow the arte of alchimy and worke in it.'

11. 'To make [symbol] into watter by itselfe by George Riplie, being taken from his Marrow of Alchymy. ff. 49-50.

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'Grind [symbol] with oyle of tarter and distill the [symbol] from it.'

12. The worke on [symbol]. ff. 51-54.

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'Here I will unlocke the dores of grace with the Kyes of philosophy.'

13. 'George Riplie [his practise] of the first practisinge in the stone Rebis.' ff. 59-70.

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'In the first manner thus we proceed to practis, take the stone of Rebis.'

14. 'Of the seven principall degrees of Alchymie pertaininge to transmutation, or the philosopher's stone.' ff. 73b-74.

15. 'The philospher's heaven.' ff. 75-77.

16. An anonymous treatise upon the philosopher's stone. ff. 78-85.

Begin: —

'The vessel of our stone in whome all the magistery.'

17. A short treatise on red lead. ff. 86-90.

18. 'A perfect fuger (figure?) of the arte.' f. 91.

19. 'Of the errores of certeyn practisers in this arte.' f. 91b.

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'Some ther be that will have to dou with the secretts of Alkemye.'

20. 'The secret of secretts.' ff. 92b-95.

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'First you shall understand and know that all our secrets.'

21. 'The separation of elements.' ff. 95b-96.

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'When our red humour is distilled.'

22. 'For the Kepinge of the stone or elixer.' f. 99.

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'Note her of this stone whether it be white or red.'

23. 'The famos worke of Mr. Blundevill,' a poem in seven-line stanzas, upon the Philosophers stone. ff. 101-109.

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'When Phebus was entred the signe of the rame

Lying in my bed an old man to me came.'

24. The second chapter of George Ripley's work intitled 'Medulla philosophiae chemicae, treating of the vegetable stone.' ff. 110-112.

25. 'The most excelent and true book of the Reverend Dr. Alemant and Lord Barnard Earle of Travisan of the philosophers stone leaving the first second and the third and beginning with the fowerth' part, with some other extracts from the same work. ff. 113-114, 96b. Cf. Cod. Sloane 3721. f.2.

26. 'How the philosophers stone ought to be wrought.' ff. 124b-128.

It is inscribed thus 'Domino Regi Martino Aragoniae anno 1399.'

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'Moste wise King, it behoveth him who wil be entred into this secrett science.'

27. 'Howe the planets doe rule the mettalls and what mettalls the cause or signifie severally in every signe,' by Mr. Forman. ff. 128b-132.

28. 'Another white and redd worke of Riply.' ff. 132, 133.

29. Alchymical extracts apparently from Raymond Lully's works. ff. 133b-147, 149b-155.

30. 'Hic incipit Maria prophetise de Elixer.' Anglice. ff. 148-149.

31. Alchymical processes. ff. 155-160.

32. Extracts apparently from the work of Johannes Isaacus Hollandus intitled Opera mineralia et vegetabilia. ff. 160-168.

33. 'Saminez his worke' upon Alchymy. ff. 169-172.

Begin: —

'Take as much good bay salt as you will.'

34. 'The vegetable of George Ripley.' (Imperfect) ff. 172b-174.

35. Various alchymical extracts and processes. ff. 174b-192, 203-212.

36. 'A treatise of the most excelent Mr. Dunstan bishope of Canterbury a true philosopher concerning the philosophers stone.' ff. 192b-203.

Begin: —

In the name of God take Adrop the green lyon, of which so many have made mention in ther bookes.'

Thomas Robson: Alchemical collections: 17th cent.: Autogr.

includes:

• ff. 1-3 b, 18-212 Writers of Manuscripts: Robson (Thomas): 1602-1606.
• ff. 4-8 Cornelius Alvetanus, 'Rodius': On the Philosopher's Stone: 1565.
• ff. 22 b-29, 58 Sir Robert Greene: Admonition conc.: 17th cent.
• ff. 33-36 Ramsey Abbey; Huntingdonshire: Alchemical process by the Abbat: 17th cent.
• ff. 33-36 Thomas Camer: Extract from,relating to the Abbat of Ramsey's alchemical process: 17th cent.
• ff. 36 b-38, 49-50, 54 b-70, 110-112, 132-133, 172b-174 George Ripley, Canon of Bridlington: Treatises on alchemy, in prose and verse: 16th-17th centt.
• ff. 96 b, 113-124 Bernardus, Trevisanus, Conte della Marca di Treviso: Bks. III., IV.: 17th cent.
• ff. 101-109 William Blomefield, MB: Compendiary of alchemy, or the Camp of Philosophy, or Blossoms of alchemy: 1557.
• ff. 128 b-130 b Dr Simon Forman, Astrological Physician at Lambeth: Of the rule of the planets over the metals: 17th cent.
• ff. 133b-147, 149b-155 Ramón Lull, of Majorca: Alchemical extracts from: 15th-17th centt.: Engl., Lat. and Catalan.
• ff. 160-168 Joannes Isaacus, called Hollandus: Alchemical tract on lead: 16th cent.
• ff. 169-172 b Saminez: Alchemical processes: 17th cent.
• ff. 192 b-203 Saint Dunstan,; Archbishop of Canterbury: De lapide philosophorum: 17th cent.: Lat. and Engl.