[Miscellany] : [containing 42 scientific and other texts, most notably by Robert Grosseteste, Bishop of Lincoln].

Format
Manuscript, Book
Language
Latin
Published/​Created
[Engand], [between 1425 and 1475]
Description
172 leaves : parchment ; 180 x 128 (117-120 x 80) mm bound to 186 x 135 mm.

Details

Subject(s)
Former owner
Donor
Bookseller
Related name
Rare books genre
Getty AAT genre
Contains
Summary note
Collection of scientific and other texts.
Notes
  • Ms. composite codex.
  • Title from printed catalog.
  • Collation: Parchment ; fols. iii (iii is defective) + 172 + ii (i is defective) ; catchwords in banderoles on some quires ; modern pagination in pencil ; modern foliation in pencil consisting of circled numbers.
  • Layout: 30-33 long lines per page ; partially frame-ruled in light brown ink.
  • Description: Written in Anglicana under Secretary influence ; rubricated.
  • Decoration: Red ink used for initials (3- or 2-line initials at beginning of texts, 2-line initials for sections). Five figures and a working volvelle with two moving parts illustrate the Ramon Lull text, fols. 24r-27v. Diagram of a rithmomachia game board (fol. 47v), which is comprised of 128 black and white squares, arranged 16 down and 8 across, with 24 arabic numbers. Figures depicting the use of the quadrant to measure the height of castles (fols. 69-74); musical diagram of harmonic numbers (fol. 82v). Manicules (fol. 20r, 63r).
Binding note
  • Later binding. England, 15th century. Alum-tawed deerskin over cushioned oak boards (7 mm thick). Two alum-tawed straps with brass clasps and plates. In the mid-16th century, the arms of the earl of Northumberland were gold-embossed on the upper and lower covers.
  • England, 15th century. Alum-tawed deerskin, almost white in color, over cushioned oak boards (7 mm thick). In the mid-16th century, the arms of the earl of Northumberland were gold-embossed, slightly askew, at the center of the front and back covers.
Language note
Latin;
Script
Anglicana.
Contents
  • 1. fol. [i]v: C[ontinentia ei]us libri. Table of contents, does not accurately reflect current contents of the volume.
  • 2. fol. 1r-2v: Tractatus Lincolniensis de Generacione vocalium / [Robert Grosseteste]
  • 3. fol. 3r-8r: Tractatus de modis significandi. Anonymous work on speculative grammar.
  • 4. fol. 9r-10v: [De propositionibus modalibus / St. Thomas Aquinas]
  • 5. fol. 11r-16r: [Tractatus de divisione logice]. Unidentified text on logic, citing works of Plato, Aristotle, and other ancient philosophers.
  • 6. fol. 17r-18v: Tractatus Lincolniensis de cometis / [Robert Grosseteste]
  • 7. fol. 18v-20r: Tractulus eiusdem de generatione impressionum humidarum / [Robert Grosseteste]
  • 8. fol. 20r: Tract[at]us eiusdem quod homo sit minor mundus / [Robert Grosseteste]
  • 9. fol. 20v-21r: [Tractatus] Lincolniensis de v differenciis loci in celo / [Robert Grosseteste]
  • 10. fol. 21v-23v: [Tractatus] Francisci de signis nature / [Franciscus de Mayronis]
  • 11. fol. 24r-27v: Tractatus bonus de arte memorandi / [Ramon Lull]. Brief extracts and figures from Ars brevis, Lull’s treatise on the art of memory
  • 12. fol. 29r-46r: Arithmetrica Bredonis / [Simon Bredon]. Includes diagrams and numerical tables.
  • 13. fol. 46v: [Anonymous text related to the Arithmetica of Boethius]
  • 14. fol. 47r-54r: Tractatus de ludo philosophorum / Johannes Lauenham. Treatise on rithmomachia or ludus philosophorum, a medieval board game based on Pythagorean and Boethian number theory. Diagram of game board.
  • 15. fol. 55r-59v: Tractatus auctoris de ponderibus / [Nemorarius Jordanus]. Followed by the anonymous Liber de canonio. Diagrams.
  • 16. fol. 61r-63v: Tractatus Lincolniensis de Yride / [Robert Grosseteste]
  • 17. fol. 63v-66r: Tractatus lincolniensis de fractionibus radiorum / [Robert Grosseteste]
  • 18. fol. 66r-68v: Tractatus lincolniensis de luce / [Robert Grosseteste]
  • 19. fol. 69r-75v: Tractatus de practica geometrie. Anonymous three-part treatise. Illustrations showing quadrants being used to measure the height of castles.
  • 20. fol. 76r-79v: Tractatus fratris Alberti de forma resultante in speculo / [Albertus Magnus]
  • 21. fol. 80r-82r: [Tractatus de practica musice]. Contains staves of music.
  • 22. fol. 82v-83v: De quadratis figuris primis et sex speciebus notarum / [John Torksey]. Illustration.
  • 23. fol. 84r-84v: [De instrumentis musicae]. Anonymous treatise on bells.
  • 24. fol. 84v-85r: [Mensura fistularum]
  • 25. fol. 85r-86r: [Mensura fistularum ii-iv]
  • 26. fol. 87r-99v: Tractatus metricus musica speculative / Iohanne de Muris. Diagrams.
  • 27. fol. 99v-109v: Tractatus primus operis quadripartiti de sinu recto et verso / [Richard of Wallingford]. Extract with diagrams.
  • 28. fol. 110r-110v: [Unidentified]
  • 29. fol. 111r-120v: Tractatus de Spera secundum Lincolniensem. Diagrams.
  • 30. fol. 121r: [De cristallo combusterio]. Anonymous note or extract.
  • 31. fol. 121v: Notabile de augmento.
  • 32. fol. 122r: [Numerical table].
  • 33. fol. 122v-123v: Spera pyctagorica. On Pythagorean cosmology. Diagram and table.
  • 34. fol. 124r-127r: Tractatus de compositione chilindri / [Pseudo-Robert Grosseteste]. Tables.
  • 35. fol. 127v-130v: [Treatise on the horoscope of King Henry VI of England]
  • 36. fol. 131r-134v: Tractatus Lincolniensis de impressionibus aeris / [Robert Grosseteste]. Tables and diagram.
  • 37. fol. 135r-136v: Tractatus bonus de significationibus 12 signorum.
  • 38. fol. 137r-139v: [Ars inveniendi figuram conceptionisnati / John Holbrook]
  • 39. fol. 140r-140v: [De quantitate anni / John Holbrook]
  • 40. fol. 141r-145v: Tractatus de iudico urine secundum vires signorum et planetarum / [William of England]
  • 41. fol. 146r-167v: Tractatus contra theoricam planetarum / [Heinrich von Langenstein]. Diagrams.
  • 42. fol. 167v-168r: [Theorica planetarum / Pseudo-Gerard of Cremona]
  • 43. fol. 168v-172v: [Tractatus de conventibus Astrolabii / Pseudo-Robert Grosseteste]
Provenance
Early provenance is unknown. In the library of the Earls of Northumberland by mid-16th century. Various unidentified names are found in annotations dating from the 17th centuries: “To the right Reverend father in god Richard Lord Bishop of the”(fol. 1r); “Sr Charles [ ],” “Charles Edwards,” “Sr Thomas Manning”(?), and “LP” (back flyleaf and pastedown). Inherited by Charles Henry Wyndham, Baron Leconfiel. Sold from his collection at Sotheby's in 1928 to Bernard Quaritch, who in turn sold it to Robert Garrett on 10 August 1928. His gift to the Princeton University Library, 1942.
Source acquisition
Gift of Robert Garrett, 1942.
References
Medieval & Renaissance manuscripts in the Princeton University Library, volume 1, pages 203-211.
Place name(s)
England.
Other title(s)
  • De modis significandi.
  • Tractatus doctoris sancti de modalibus.
  • Tractatus de divisione logice.
  • Tractatus Bredoonis de arithmetrica.
  • Tractatus Lauenham de ludo philosophorum.
  • Tractatus Euclidis de ponderibus.
  • Tractatus eiusdem de fractionibus radiorum.
  • Tractatus eiusdem de luce.
  • Tractatus magistri Johannis de Muris musice.
  • Tractatus Lincolniensis de spera.
  • Tractatus de Chilindro.
  • Tractatus continet Theoricam.
  • Alkyndus de causis reddendis.
  • De propositionibus modalibus.
OCLC
1097219161
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