ALCHEMICAL TEXTS

Sion L40.2/E7

ALCHEMICAL TEXTS

Late 16th century

Two volumes, originally separate, bound together at Sion College: 1. ff. 1-20. 'Medulla Phillosophie'. The Medulla Alchimiae (also known as the Medulla Philosophiae and as the Marrow of Alchemy), by George Ripley (died c.1490), Canon of Bridlington. In the English translation from the Latin made by David Whitehead in 1552. At f. 1r is the title: 'Medulla rypley georgi ryple cannon of Brydlyngton farmar & curat of syxfurth church'. Begins: 'I being about to entrete to yoore moost excelent lordeshipe of the secretes of alkamy..'. Ends (f. 17r): '... the holy goost in all his gyftes. Fynys george rypley'. Contains the dedicatory preface [probably addressed to George Neville (c.1432-1476), Archbishop of York], introduction, three chapters, and an epilogue containing biographical information in which Ripley catalogues his misfortunes and asks to be admitted to a religious house in the Archbishop's diocese. This manuscript is no. 16.27 in Jennifer M. Rampling, 'The Catalogue of the Ripley Corpus: alchemical writings attributed to George Ripley (d. ca. 1490)' in Ambix 57 (2010): 125-201. The English text was printed in William Salmon ed., 'Medicina practica' (London, 1692). At f. 2r is the name 'Thomas Harriot', presumably an ownership inscription, written in the secret script used by Thomas Harriot, also known as Thomas Hariot (c.1560-1621) and Nathaniel Torporley (1564-1632). On this script cf. Sion MS E6 and Ethel Seaton, 'Thomas Hariot's secret script', in 'Ambix', vol 5, nos 3 & 4, October 1956. 2. ff. 21-48. Works by Bernard of Treves and others. f. 21. Original cover, with title: 'The booke of Barnarde Earle of Tevers of alchimy' and early Sion College shelfmarks, including 'Y11.5'. ff. 21-41r. Bernard of Treves, Book of the Transmutation of Metals. Apparently an English translation of the 'De chimico miraculo' of Bernard of Treves (TK no. 1251b; eVK no. 3419.70). The identity of Bernard of Treves, also known as Bernardus Trevisanus and Bernard of Treviso, is obscure. ff. 22r-23r. Preface, beginning with a letter dated here 12 May 1453: 'To the noble doctor Thomas of Bononia ... Barnarde by the grace of god Earle of Tresne in germanye, gretinge in the lorde Christe. Lovinge frende if I had ainie nobler thinge...'. ff. 23r-41r. 'Here foloweth a booke of transmutation of metalles made by the noble lorde Barnarde Earle of Treviers and Nagge in Germanye ... ffinis. Deo gratiae'. f. 41v. Verses in English on the signs of the zodiac. f. 42. Blank. f. 43r. 'Here foloweth the declaration of certayne philosophicall wordes and sayinges. Nature reioyceth in her nature ... thowe shull see mervelous and wonderfull thinge in the name of god amen'. ff. 43v-44v. Blank. f. 45r. 'The epistell of gallus scenrewterus phisicion annswering the epistle dedicatorie aforegoinge. Youre singuler benevolence towardes me...' Incomplete (four lines only follow). eVK no. 8261.50. f, 45v. Blank. ff. 46r-47v. 'Here begynneth the epistell of mr. arnolde de nova villa. O most excellent prince ye shall presume that the wise men which were philosophers... the same fier till the same stone be all white and red at the laste'. An unidentified text attributed here to Arnaldus de Villa Nova (c.1235-1311). f. 48. Blank.

For manuscripts by, or owned by Nathaniel Torporley, see Sion L40.2/E6, E7, E10, L30, L40.

48 ff.

Open

Item 1 (ff. 1-20) Owned by Thomas Harriot (c.1560-1621). See Description field. Given to Sion College in 1632 by 'Na Tor chimicus', ie. Nathaniel Torporley (1564-1632); see Sion L40.2/E64 (Book of Benefactors), p.17. Recorded as 'Medulla philosophiae Anglice' in John Spencer's catalogue of the Sion manuscripts dated 1650, with shelfmark V7.7 (Sion L40.2/E92, f. 32r). Recorded amongst Sion books saved from the fire of London in 1666: 'Geo Ryplei medulla de lapide philosophico, V7.7', although listed amongst the manuscripts in Latin (Sion L40.2/E58/1, f. 31v). Item 2 (ff. 21-48). Given to Sion College in 1632 by 'Na Tor chimicus', ie. Nathaniel Torporley (1564-1632); see Sion L40.2/E64 (Book of Benefactors), p.17. Recorded in John Spencer's catalogue of the Sion manuscripts dated 1650, with shelfmark Y11.5 (Sion L40.2/E92, f. 5v). Recorded amongst Sion books saved from the fire of London in 1666: 'Bernard of Treves his booke of alchemy, Y11.5' (Sion L40.2/E58/1, f. 32r). Transferred from Sion College to Lambeth Palace Library, 1996.

Quarter leather binding with boards covered in marbled paper, 300 x 212 mm., early 19th cent (similar bindings on other alchemical Sion manuscripts E6 and L30). Paper leaves.