ALCHEMICAL TEXTS

Alchemical texts, mainly by George Ripley (died c.1490), alchemist and canon of Bridlington. Two volumes, originally separate, bound together at Sion College. 1. ff. 1-48. ff. 1r-41v. George Ripley, Compound of Alchemy. A copy, 16th cent., not later than 1562. The Compound of alchemy is a Middle English poem, dated 1470, composed of the 'Twelve gates' and prefatory verses. Title added at f. 1r 'Alchimia Georgii Riplay 1470' in the italic hand of ff. 43-48 which is dated 1562. Contains: Titulus operis, Prologue, Preface, Twelve Gates (order of stanzas 23 and 24 of Putrefaction reversed; Multiplication titled “Augmentation”), Recapitulation, Admonition, Wheel (a circular figure described in the Recapitulation, here left incomplete). No. 9.23 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. Ripley's Compound of alchemy was first published in London in 1591with the title 'Compound of alchymy'. It was later printed in Elias Ashmole, 'Theatrum chemicum Britannicum' (London, 1652). See Stanton J. Linden, ed., 'George Ripley's Compound of alchemy (1591)' (Aldershot: Ashgate, 2001). f. 42. Blank. ff. 43r-46v. George Ripley, Epistle to Edward IV. A Middle English poem. A copy, written in an italic hand, dated 6 November 1562. Colophon: 'Thankd be God: R. A. In aedibus meis Londini, VIo Novembris: Mo. Do. LXIIo.' No. 13.7 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. Printed in George Ripley, 'Compound of alchymy' (London, 1591) and again in Elias Ashmole, 'Theatrum chemicum Britannicum' (London, 1652). ff. 47r-48r. [Pearce the Black Monk. Verses upon the elixir]. Written in the italic hand of ff. 43-46. Title here: 'Principium , Medium, et finis, lapidi philosophici'. Begins: 'Take earthe of earthe, earthes brothere...'. Printed in Elias Ashmole, 'Theatrum chemicum Britannicum' (London, 1652). f. 48v. Blank. 2. ff. 49-98. Early Sion College shelfmark 'V5' at the head of f. 49r. The main texts (ff. 50v-91v) are written in a single hand of the second half of the 16th century. Additions were made on blank leaves (ff. 49r, 93v, 94v, 95v, 96v-98v) by another hand or hands c.1590-1, partly in the secret script used by Thomas Harriot, also known as Thomas Hariot (c.1560-1621) and Nathaniel Torporley (1564-1632). Torporley owned this volume (see Custodial History field). On the script, see Ethel Seaton, 'Thomas Hariot's secret script', in Ambix, vol 5, nos. 3 & 4, October 1956. f. 49r. Originally a blank cover. With verses in Latin added c.1590-1. ff. 49v-50r. Blank. f. 50v. 'The vision of Sir George Riplay Channon of Bridlington'. The Vision of George Ripley, a short allegorical poem, here in English. No. 32.10 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. Printed in George Ripley, 'Compound of alchymy (London, 1591) and again in Elias Ashmole, 'Theatrum chemicum Britannicum' (London, 1652). See Stanton J. Linden, ed., 'George Ripley's Compound of alchemy (1591)' (Aldershot: Ashgate, 2001). ff. 51r-87r. 'The xii Gates of Sir George Riplay'. George Ripley, Compound of Alchemy. Contains: Titulus operis, Prologue, Preface, Twelve Gates, Recapitulation, Admonition, Wheel. No. 9.24 in Jennifer M. Rampling, 'The Catalogue of the Ripley Corpus: alchemical writings attributed to George Ripley (d. ca. 1490)'. Ambix 57 (2010): 125-201. Ripley's Compound of alchemy was first published in London in 1591with the title 'Compound of alchymy'. It was later published in Elias Ashmole, 'Theatrum chemicum Britannicum (London, 1652). f. 87v. Blank. ff. 88r-91v. 'A discourse of Alchimie unto Kinge Edward the 4 supposed to be writen by Sir George Riplay channon of Bridlington'. George Ripley, Epistle to Edward IV. No. 13.8 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. Printed in George Ripley, 'Compound of alchymy (London, 1591) and again in Elias Ashmole, 'Theatrum chemicum Britannicum' (London, 1652). At f. 91v. is written, in the hand of c.1590-1: 'perused and agreeinge with the copy', probably referring to a comparison with the edition of 1591. ff. 92r-96r. Blank, except for notes on alchemy in Latin at ff. 93v and 94v. f. 95v. Sir Edward Kelley (1555-1597/8), alchemist. [Concerning the philosopher's stone]. In English verse. Printed in Elias Ashmole, 'Theatrum chemicum Britannicum' (London, 1652), pp. 332-3. Begins: 'The heavenly cope hath in him natures fower...'. The copy is dated 1591, with the month written in the secret script used by Thomas Harriot and Nathaniel Torporley. f. 96r. Blank. ff. 96v-97r. Alchemical recipes for pewter and spirit of wine in English, in the secret script used by Thomas Harriot and Nathaniel Torporley. With a drawing of distillation in progress. Inserted loose is a typescript decipherment, indicating that the first recipe is followed by the name 'doctor Turner, September 1590'. The decipherment is also printed in Ethel Seaton, 'Thomas Hariot's secret script', in Ambix, vol 5, nos. 3 & 4, October 1956, p.112. ff. 97v-98r. Two pen and ink drawings. The first is in the shape of an apple,containing Hebrew characters [transliterated as 'Adrian de Shilcote'] and the date 20 Sept. 1590. The second is a flask containg Hebrew characters [transliterated as 'Adrian de Shilcote']. f. 98v. Sentences in Latin, attributed to Avicenna..

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

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