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Database of alchemical manuscripts - Scottish Libraries

Updated Dec 14 1995.
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Edinburgh, Royal Coll. of Physicians MS. AB4/18
6 folios + 780 pages. Paper. 17th Century 'Tome I'
f1-4 [blank.]
f5-6v [Note from Lord Cromarty added in 1707]
'I haveing found by letters directed from one Dr Politius (a Polonian or Silesian) to my Grandfather Sir George Ardskine of Invertile brother to the Earl of Kellie, Grandchild to the Earle of Marr, a senator of the Colledge of Justice and Privy Counceller to King James the 6th, to King Charles the 1st, who was a great student in natural philosophy, evn to a considerable advancement in the Hermetick schoole, and had a correspondence in very remote parts with the sonnes of Hermes and of whos fruits of his expensive and secret correspondence with them I have depositat some volumns of manuscripts, mostly of his own handwritt. This was sent to him, by the Society at Hess, and directed under the conveyance of the said Dr Politius, who by his letters to Sir George declares that by direction of that Society his chief errand to Scotland was to conferr with him. And I judged it a monument, not unworthy to be consigned to the Honorable Colledg of Physicians at Edinburgh both for its conveyance and matter: evn tho perhaps much of it may be or is now in print, yet this being long, or it was, [it] is to print as an autographon, and hath words both much [more] than is printed, and many authors not mentioned in the print.
To the Royal Colledge of Phisitians, this vol and all of his volumns is [aff no] by humbly afforded on the Mynth of Janr an Chr 1707 by Geo Cromertie.'
'Ex Libris Bibliothica C.R.M. Edinburgh'
[list of contents 50 items.]
p1-33 'Turba Philosophorum' [in Latin.]
p34-71 'Congregatio sive Turba Philosophorum' [in Latin.]
p72-85 'In Turbam Philosophorum exercitiones' [in Latin.]
p86-95 'Septem Tractatus sine Capitula Hermetis Trismegisti, aurei' [in Latin.]
p96 'Tabula Smaragdi' [in Latin.]
p97-102 'Iohannis Garlandii Angli, vel ut alis volut Hortulani in Tabulam Smaragdinam Hermetis Trismegisti commentariolus' [in Latin.]
p103-126 'Liber de Compositione Alchimie quem aedidit, Morienus Romanus, Calid Regi Aegiptiorum, per Robertum Castrensem de Arabico in Latinu versus anno 1182' [in Latin.]
p127-128 [blank.]
p129-131 'Practica Maria Prophitessae in artem Alchemicam' [in Latin.]
p132-144 'Liber Secretorum Alchemiae Compositus Calid Cili� Jazichi, translatus ex Hebreo in Arabic�, et ex Arabico in Latinum, incerto interprete' [in Latin.]
p145-165 'Richard Anglici, Correctiorum Alchimiae sive correctio fatuorum ut alii volunt' [in Latin.]
p166-182 'Iohannes Sautrey Monarchus de Toorney de Alchimia' [in Latin.]
p183-186 'Epistola Johannis Dastin ad Papam Johanem transmissa' [in Latin.]
p187-206 'Medulla Alchemiae George Ripley Canonici de Bridlington in comitatu Eborem quam misit lauventio Bouthe Archiepiscopo Eboracensi anno 1476' [in Latin.]
p207-214 'Doctissimi viri Rogeri Baconis Angli de Alchemia libellus cui titulum fecit. Speculum Alchemiae' [in Latin.]
p215-223 'Efferrarius Monarchiis de Lapide Philosophorum secundum verum modum formado ad Papam quendam scribit' [in Latin.]
p224-238 'Thesaurus Philosophae' [in Latin.]
p239-257 'Dialogus inter Nature et filium Philosophiae' [in Latin.]
p258-265 'Dialogus inter magistrum et Disciplum compositus per Arnoldum de Nova Villa ut habet quoddam Vetustum exemplare scriptam Anno 1474' [in Latin.]
p266-267 'Dialogus inter Nicromanticum quendam, nomine Hilardum in Provincia Catilaniae et quendam spiritum de lapide philosophorum' [in Latin.]
p268 [blank.]
p269-295 'Aurora Consurgens sive Aurea hora. lib. Secu.: omisso priore quia plenus est blasphemiarum et mutilis' [in Latin.]
p296-322 'Liber de Arte Chimica - incertu Authoris' [in Latin.]
p323-348 'D Bernardi Trevirensis Comitis ad Thomam de Bononia Medicum Regis Caroli octavi responsio' [in Latin.]
p348-373 'Eiusdem D. Bernardi Comitis Marchiae Trevisanae liber de Secretissimo Philosophorum opere chimico, per naturam et artem elaborando' [in Latin.]
p374-392 'Clavis Totius Philosophiae Chemisticae, per quam obscura Philosophorum referentur per Gerardum Dorn' [in Latin.]
p393 [blank.]
p395-443 'Dionisii Zaccharii nobilis Viri Galli opusculum Philosophiae naturalis metallorum ex Gallico in Latinum conversu per Gerardum Dorne' [in Latin.]
p444-502 'Reprehensorium Antiquorum quod dicitur metamorphicum paractioma Johannis de Mohon ut habet quoddam vetustum exemplare' [in Latin.]
p503 [blank.]
p504-516 'A Treatise of Alchimie compiled by William Blumfield, commonly called Blomfelds Blossoms or rather campe of Philosophie Anno 1557' [in English.]
p517-518 'Sir Edward Kelley Knight on the Philosophers Stone written to his especial good frende G.S. Gent.' [verse in English.]
p519-520 [blank.]
p521-525 'Aenigma ex visione Aristei Philosophi et allegoris Sapientium' [in Latin.]
p526-527 'Opusculum Metaphorice describens Secreta Lapidis Philosophici' [in Latin.]
p528-530 'Merlini Allegoria profundissimum Philosophia lapidis perfecte continens' [in Latin.]
p531-535 'Brevis et elegans tractatus sive, visio cuiusdam Edouvardi de Alchimia' [in Latin.]
p536-539 'Visio Quaedam quae intitulatur Speculum Veritatis' [in Latin.]
p540-542 'Speculum Speculorum Arthefii Philosophi' [in Latin.]
p543-549 'Carmen perpulchram totum opus continens sub nomine Egidii de Vadis, quod Anglice tantum est dicere, Giles of the ferde at Offords' [in Latin.]
p550-552 [blank.]
p553-571 'Lapis Aquilae Iohanis de Porta Claudorum' [in Latin.]
p572-574 'Arnold de Villa Nova Epistola super Alchimiam ad Rege Neapolitanum' [in Latin.]
p575-589 'Iohannis Dastin' [in Latin.]
p590 [blank.]
p591-660 'The Ordinale of Thomas Norton customer of Bristowe by him compiled Anno 1477'
[Introductory Verses in Latin p591-592 [in English begins with the Proheme p592.]
p661-708 'The Compounde of Alchimy of George Ripley Channon of Bridlington in Yorkshire contayninge twelve gates written to King Edward the iiii' [in English.]
p709-715 'The Epistle of George Ripley to King Edward the Fourth' [in English.]
p715 'The Vision of Sir George Ripley' [in English.]
p716-726 'Tractatus de Serpente Aquarum' [in Latin.]
p727-733 'De Aqua Vitae Philosophorum Tractatus' [in Latin.]
p734-740 'Epistola Johannis Dastin as dominum Stapilton Cardinalem' [in Latin.]
p740-747 'Opus Combinationis Naturae naturaliter opantis' [in Latin.]
p748-758 'Tractitus de animalibus, vegetabilibus sive mineralibus' [in Latin.]
p759-770 'Modus Faciendi Elixir Mineralium,Vegetabilium et animalium' [in Latin.]
p771-776 Untitled tract beginning 'A Trinitate qui est totius doni initium et finis...' [in Latin.]
p779-780 [blank.]
Edinburgh, Royal Coll. of Physicians MS. AB4/19
17th Century. 'Tome II'
[This volume although in the library catalogue is missing presumed lost.]
Edinburgh, Royal Coll. of Physicians MS. AB4/20
84 folios. Paper. 17th Century. 'Tome III' 'Ex Libris Bibliothica C.R.M. Edinburgh'
f1 [blank.]
f2 'G MKenzie o est mort gd opto'
f3-67 'Traicte du grand oeuvre de la pierre de philosophes de frere Philippes Rouillach, Cordelier Piedmontes primier Philosophae de son temps' [in French.]
[no illustrations but underlining and marginal notes in pencil]
f68-84r [blank.]
f84v 'Phrenzie
qeto qeos osrotod
non est mortate gd oyto
Sol de gloria Sazn'
Edinburgh, Royal Coll. of Physicians MS. AB4/21
167 folios. Paper. 17th Century. 'Tome IV'
f1 [blank.]
1. f2-8v Epitome of Architecture [Tables in Italian.]
2. f11-13 'Pearcye' [verses in English.]
3. f14r 'Norton' [Notes in English - questions regarding Norton's Ordinal .]
4. f16-18v 'Roviliasco' [in French.]
5. f19-20r 'Awocalopsis Spiritus Secreti' [in Latin.]
6. f21-24v 'Ad 1 questione de Materia'
'Ad 4 questione de effectibus'
'Ad 5 questione de compositione'
'Ad 6 questionem de Igne'
'Ad 7 questionem de Proportione'
'Ad 2 questionem de [voibg](?) '
'Ad 3 questionem de Forme'
[extracts in Latin from Novum Lumen Chemicum .]
7. f25 'De Pondere' [extracts in Latin from Tractu, Epistle Treviso, Turba.]
8. f26 'De Elementis' [notes in Latin.]
9. f27 'De Natura' [notes in Latin.]
10. f29-30r 'De Argento Vive' [in Latin.]
11. f33-36r 'Novum Lumen Chemicum' [notes in Latin.]
12. f37r 'De calore et igne' [in Latin.]
13. f38-39r 'Thesaurus Philosophia' [notes and extracts in Latin.]
14. 40r [notes in English on Practical Alchemy.]
15. f41-42v 'De Aqua permemente et solutione' [in Latin.]
16. f43r 'Proprientates materia Lapidis' [in Latin.]
17. f44-45r 'Quomodo addificet ars et quid agent' [in Latin.]
18. f46r 'De multiplicatione' [in Latin.]
19. f47-52r 'Dastin' [Latin notes.]
20. f48-73r 'A Description of the most principall Minerall Earths by that famous man Lazarus Erkern, Chiefe Bergmeister and book keeper to his Imperiall Majesty in the Kingdom of Bohemia. - Imprinted at Franckfurt upon ye Mayne by John Ffeyerabent 1598' [Practical text in English on early chemistry.]
21. f85-109r 'Specula et Practica Baconis sup errores Phantin' [in Latin.]
22. f109v-110r 'Ex manuscripto quem incipit Desiderabile, desideriu, et imputiabile pretiu a cunctis Phis positu esse' [in Latin.]
23. f111r 'Aurea Cantilena universa divinae benitatis opera Riplaeas wheel'
24. f112r [Verse in Latin. At bottom.] 'I found these verses with the Golden Chaine in to ane old book of parchemin manuscript: befoire a treatise which begins 'Desirabile desiderium et imperabile pretium a cunctis phis positu, nec...'
25. f112v [text in Latin and Golden Chain diagram.]
26. f113-130r [text in Latin.]
f131 [Diagram of Ripley's Wheel.]
27. f132-146 [Scots English translation of the Fama Fraternitatis .]
28. f147-157 [Scots English translation of the Confessio Fraternitatis .]
[section of 10 smaller folios inserted into the bound volume here]
29. f158-163 [Alchemical recipes in Latin, with pen drawings of distillation apparatus and pulley wheels.]
30. f167r 'Leonardus Tornaiser [Thurneisser?] della distillatione latine
Pietro pena et Mathias Dolobella latine
Herbarium magnum de le campi latine'
[Coat of arms.]
[Unreadable names in Latin.]
Edinburgh, Royal Coll. of Physicians MS. AB4/22
177 folios. Paper. 17th Century. 'Tome V'
1. f3v [fold out folio of Lullian code wheel consisting of 15 concentric circles divided radially into 24 sectors each bearing a letter of the alphabet.]
2. f4-32r 'Here beginneth ye compende of Alckymy' [in English with marginal notes and some drawings.]
3. f32v [Diagram of the Ripley Wheel.]
4. f33-48r [Various practical Notes and receipts in English and Latin.]
5. f48v-66 [Rosarium of Arnold of Villanova, in Latin.]
6. f67-75 'Incipit opusculum Beati Thomae de Aquino in Alchima' [in Latin.]
7. f76-81r 'Tractato della Compositio della penetra di phisica' [in Latin.]
f81v [table.]
8. f82-87v 'Theorica et Practica de Sr Gio Pico della Mirandola' [in Latin.]
9. f87v-91 'Practica prosbatery in Camlia' [Various notes on practical alchemy in Latin.]
10. f94-115 [Questions and Answers on Alchimy.]
'Sir. I have commended to your worschipe a confirmation of those points of philosophie that I oftentymes have conferred of you touching the Elixir or Medicyne of the Philosophers Stone which according to my understanding and resolution I comprehended in this Dialogue following, approved and ratified both by infallible natural lessons and also by the auctoritie which if it will plais you at som last to peruse I doubt not both your judgement and opinion thairin alredye conceaved shalbe surely settled and established and your mynd the better moved and stirred up to preferre the practise whereby both your good [...] and we be your end and meanes may be maid partakers of the celestial benefite.'
[Text in English in the form of dialogue.]
11. f116-144 'Liber Decimus Nonus Revelationis Majestatis Divinae, vocatur Separavit ' [in Latin.]
12. f146-164 'Arbatel'
'The Magik of the auncient Philosopher, the chief studie of wisdome. In all things lett God be thy counsellor, and neither think speak not doe any thing, but lett the Lord alwayes be thy guyde and protectour Anno virginei partus saluverrimmi, 1602, Februarrii XII, G.A.' [i.e. George Aerskine] [in English.]
Edinburgh, Royal Coll. of Physicians MS. Z.9.2.
349 folios. Paper. 17th Century. 'Tome VI'
1. f3 [Diagram of title page from Speculum Sophicum Rhodostauroticum with text in Latin with only a small area drawn.][f4-23 numbered as pages 1-31]
f4-23 'Theophilus Schweighardt Speculum Sophicum Rhodostauroticum'
[with four pen drawings as in the printed book.]
[translation of Speculum Sophicum Rhodostauroticum from German into Latin.]
2. f26-35 '[Hebrew]Menassah ben Israel libri Quatuor De Imortalitate Animae, in quibus multe insignis et jucundae questiones ventilantur, uti videre est, e argumento operis, Amsterledami apud Authoris filium Samuel Ben Israel Abnabanel Ludico Anno 1651' [in Latin in reverse order running from folio 35 to 26 as if translated from Hebrew and following that order of pagination.]
3. f36-55 'Tabula Revelationis Maiestatis Divinae. In principio creabit Deus aquas et terra quae [occient me...] ulta atque inhabitata' [in Latin seems to be commentary on Book of Revelation.]
4. f58v-65v [practical alchemical treatise in English.]
5. f66r [notes and receipts in Latin 'suo rubeo incera modo praescripto donec fluat...'.]
6. f67-75 'Ex arcano Hermeticae Philosophae' [in Latin.]
7. f76-98 'Museum Hermeticum' [in Latin includes extracts from Musaeum Hermeticum entitled 'Demonstratio Naturae', 'Tract Aureus de Sap Philosop', 'Via Veritatis', 'Gloria Mundi'.]
8. f99-101 'De Generatione Metallorum qui est eximus Tract de Lap Philosophico' [in Latin.]
9. f103-111 'Paraphrasis in Augurellum' [in Latin.]
10. f112-120 [notes in Latin dated 1609, 'De Invitro Vitae','De Materia'.]
11. f123-137 'Visio Perpulera'
[short texts in Latin entitled 'Dastin Visio' ; 'haec est positio generalis'; 'Tractatus excellentissimus et verus'; 'Epistle A. de V. '; 'Responsio ad praecedentem Epistolem'; 'Sapiens Aurimus'; 'Speculum Alchimiae'.]
12. f139-104r 'Ex pupilla Geo Riplaei Ex praefatione' [in Latin.]
13. 140v-142 'Out of the book called the Marrow of Alchimie' [in English.]
[folios 143-168 are numbered as pages 1-26
14. f143-143r 'Lactantius de Phaenicen Commentar Sanctantius en commentariis Dialogus in Magistria propositiones 13 in Arte Alch secretum Hermetis' [in Latin.]
15. f154v-161r 'Dialogus inter Magistrum et Disciplum' [in Latin.]
16. f161v-163v 'Propositiones 13 in arte Alchimiae' [in Latin.]
17. f164-168 'Sequitur Secretu Hermetis' [in Latin.]
18. f171-176 'Laurentius de ventima' [in Latin.]
19. f177-184 'Traicte du vray sel' [in Latin.]
20. f185-190 'Apocalogis Spiritus Secreti Incerto autore' [in Latin.]
21. f191-202 'John Bristoll his Alchimie' [in English.]
22. f203-208r 'The Vicar of Walden his hunting of the Green Lion' [in English.]
23. f209-221v 'Vera Medicina Alexandri a Suchten' [in Latin.]
24. f223-226 'Enchiridion P.R. Arcanum' [notes in Latin.]
25. f227-230 'John Bristol' [in English.]
26. f231-253 [notes in Latin from Novum Lumen Chemicum .]
27. f254-261 'Ex Enchirid physicae restitute' [Notes in Latin.]
28. f261-268 [Notes in English out of Ripley's Twelve Gates entitled 'Unitie of the Matter - Nomine - Materia Lapis -Menstruum - Plumbum - Leo Viridis - Proportio - Colores Vasa - Ignis - Calcination - Dissolution - Separation - Coniunction - Putrefaction - Congelation' .]
29. f271 'Tho Charnock'
30. f272-278 'The Breviarie of Philosophie Thomas Charnock' [text in English'.]
31. f280r 'Canones et Regulae'
32. f281v-291 'Regulae seu canones aliquot philosophici de lapid Philosophico'
33. f292r 'L'Idee parfaicte de la Philosophie Hermetique'
f293-298 [text in French.]
34. f299-309 'Ex Libro Manuscripto qui intulatur Enarrato' [text in Latin.]
35. f311-314r 'Basil Valentinus de Microcosmo' [Notes in Latin.]
36. f315-321 'Roviliasco' [Notes in French.]
37. f322v-335 'Le Somaire Philosophique' [Poem in French.]
38. 'Verses in Englische Metter' [verses in English.]
39. 'Testamentum Arnoldi' [text in English.]
40. f336-342 'Tabula' [Notes in Latin.]
41. f343-344 [Various notes in English and Latin.]
42. f345 'Terra Terrarun Geo Riplaei'
43. f346-348 'Tractatus de terra terrarum Geo Ripley' [text in Latin.]
Edinburgh, Royal Coll. of Physicians Ms Z.9.3
104 folios. Paper. 17th Century. 'Turba Philosophorum'
Inside front cover 'Hunc Librum Regio Collegio Medicorum apud Edenburgum gratis donant. Thomas Houissine naturae curiosus primo Januarii 1706'
f1r 'Thomas Houissine. Sursum Corda. Naturae Curiosa'
f1v 'Dominus Johannes Napier -
Baro: Mirabilis -
Marchis-stone. Scotus
Vixit, nec non scripsit
1599'
f2-5 [blank.]
f6-104 [text of Turba Philosophorum in Latin.]
Edinburgh, Royal Coll. of Physicians MS. BE.D.
18ft long. 17th Century.George Ripley's Alchemical Scroll.
[This parchment scroll formerly belonging to Sir George Erskine, was presented to the Royal College of Physicians by The Earl of Cromarty in 1707. He wrote the following lines at in Latin the top of the scroll.] 'Edinburgi, decimo nono die Junii anno millesimo septingentesimo et septimo, hoc misticum symbole in avita bibliotheca Doni Georgii Areskine, Equitis Aurati, Supremi Senatus et Collegii Justiciae in Scotia Senator, inter primos justicia et eruditione clarus, philosophiae hermeticae et alummus et decor, Regumque sui aevi a Conciliis Secretis, almo et spectabili Collegio Medicorum Edinburgiensi Regali D.D.'
Edinburgh, University Library MS. Dc.1.30.
17th Century [c. 1629.]
Ruthven, Patrick. Commonplace book on alchemy.