Beinecke MS 650
Austria or Bohemia, s. XV in
Pharmacological etc. miscellany

In the description the original foliation is adopted.

1. f. Ir-v	Various notes and texts.

	[F]ons est, ut dicit Iacobus, in Ethyopia ita frigidus in die, ut non tangatur, tam calidus in 
nocte, ut non bibatur ... Et hoc probatum fuit ex mandato domini Fridrici imperatoris nuncciis ad 
hoc specialiter directis.

List of marvellous sources, their caracteristics and their moral significance, extracted from 
Thomas of Cantimpre (Thomas Cantipratanus OP, c. 1201-c. 1270?), De natura rerum, H. Boese, 
ed. (Berlin, New York, 1973), Book XIII.

 	Item Ysidorus. Post Pascha usque ad Penthecosten licet tradicio ecclesiarum abstinencie 
rigorem prandiis relaxaverit, tamen, si quis monachorum clericorum ieiunare cupit, non sunt 
prohybendi ...

Extracts on fasting from Isidore of Seville (Isidorus Hispalensis) and Guillelmus Durandus.

	Item Ysidorus libro ethymologiarum 6ø capitulo XVIII, ubi agit de Ciclo Pascali, sic 
dicit : Pascha festivitatum omnium prima est ...

Notes on Easter from Isidore of Seville (Isidorus Hispalensis, Etymologiae, VI, 18, 3), 
Raymundus de Pennaforti and Pope Leo I.

	A si vocalis in vocibus extat Hebreis  ... Im triplicem casum dat eis vel eos vel eorum.

11 verses on Hebrew grammar.

2. ff. 1r-40v	Incipiunt interpretaciones Ieronimi Hebraicorum nominum super Bibliam, 
quibusdam aliis vocabulis et eorundem exposicionibus intermixtis, et primo quod post a sequitur a. 
Aaz: apprehendens vel apprehensio [this lemma deleted]. Aad: testificans vel testimonium ... 
Zuzim: consiliantes eos vel consiliatores eorum (in another hand: nomen viri). Expliciunt 
interpretaciones Byblie sancti Ieronimi doctoris per manus [name not added].
ff. 41r-61v blank

Ps.-Jerome  (Ps.-Hieronymus Stridonensis), Interpretationes nominum Hebraicorum. Lambert, 
BHM,  402. Numerous corrections and marginal additions; the latter refer to the folio numbers 
and letters of sections in art. 17, where the same names are dealt with.

3. ff. 62r-70r	Synonima Mundini. Albula. Argiofora. Argiofea gemma. Argyofea margarita ... 
Zucara roseta. Zuccus rosarum. Expliciunt synonima Mundini que sunt necessaria apotecariis et 
quibusdam aliis. Finito libro sit laus et gloria Christo. Amen dicamus, semper cum Deo 
maneamus.		ff. 70v-73v blank

Synonyma medicinae, here ascribed to Mondino de' Luzzi (Mundinus de Luzzi, d. 1326?). 
Thorndike and Kibre, 75. Written on 3-5 columns per page, the columns numbered in the upper 
margin by means of series of alphabets; the lemmata within each alphabetical section by means of 
red arabic numerals.

4. ff. 74r-80v	Alhasel, id est puncti rubri qui sunt ut pulicis morsus, et fiunt in omnibus membris 
et precipue in oculis, et cito recedunt : infirmitas oculorum ut pruritus in oculis [added :] s. die 
roethel. Algocodie, id est nodi qui sunt in collo et gula ...  Zinzibratum. Zinziber conditum. [f. 
80v:]  Oliatham ist clain weys weyrauch. Diabotes morbus est vesice, scilicet quando urina 
retinere non potest ... Oxiteotheum est emplastrum valens ossibus confractis.

Synonyma medicinae, Thorndike and Kibre, 73, 80, 95. Alphabetical list written in three columns 
a page, occasionally with German translations, followed by some additions in Latin and in 
German. The groups of lemmata are numbered by means of letters.

5. f. 81r	Anglorum regi scripsit scola tota Salerni.  Si vis incolomem, si te vis reddere 
sanum, Curas linque graves, irasci crede prophanum ... Ut non egrotes, inter duo fercula potes. 
Sepe minge parum, si vis bonus esse viarum.

Regimen sanitatis Salernitanum, shortened version. Walther, Initia, 1039; Thorndike and Kibre, 
95-96. The full text in S. de Renzi, Collectio Salernitana, v. 5 (Naples, 1859), pp. 1-104??

6. ff. 81r-83r	Incipiunt versus Egidii physici de consideracione urinarum. Panditur urine color 
hec artis (?) medicine ...  Sunt gemini pulsus formicans vermicularum  Certi precones mortis 
redolentque sepulcrum.

De urinis, here ascribed to Giles of Corbeil (Aegidius Corboliensis, d. 1224?), but according to 
Thorndike and Kibre 422 the latter's book has a different incipit. J.L. Choulant, ed. , Aegidii 
Corboliensis carmina medica (Leipzig, 1826), pp. .............. . This text is followed by other 
medical verses.

 7. ff. 83r-86r	Arbor: paum. Arbustum: paumecht vel scruchecht (?). Nemus: walt. Silva: idem ... 
Vimineus: czeynyn. Ortus: garte vel geburt. Ortileo: gertener. Ortulanus: idem. Olitor: idem. 
Ortulus: gertlein. Pixis: buchze. [f. 83v:] Apotheca: aptheke. Apotecarius: aptheker. Alabastrum: 
steynbuchze. Antidotum: buze erczney ... Zizania: ratin. Zizania: discordia. Zisileos: zilermontan. 
Zimplax id est trifolium.		f. 86v blank

Latin-German vocabulary of herbs in two alphabetical series, in 3 columns. Thorndike and Kibre, 
124. The first series is followed by a few additions. The columns are numbered in the upper 
margin by means of series of alphabets.

8. ff. 87r-94r	Achel, id est furnus. Anat, id est ferrum purgatum (unde fit argentum 
alchimicum).  Affreb, id est Saturnus. Alkay, id est stagnum .... Zanco, id est Mercurius. Zoar, id 
est anseat vel oleum basamarium. 		ff. 94v-99r blank 

Alchemical vocabulary, followed on f. 94r by an alchemical diagram, more terms and a recipe. 
Written in 3 columns a page, the columns numbered by alphabets as in art. 7.

9. f. 99v	Exurge, quare obdormis, Domine? ... Comovisti, Domine, terram et conturbasti.

Ps. 43 : 23-24, 25-26, 1 ; Ps. 59 : 4 ; with music notation on 4-line staves. Addition s. XVmed..

10. ff. 100r-109v	Assit principio sancta Maria meo. Alphita: farina ordei ide. Arsenicum id 
est auripigmentum ru. ... est flos vel semen agni casti. 

Synonyma herbarum. Alphabetical. Partly in Czech?  Thorndike and Kibre, 86.

11. ff. 109v-114r	Incipiunt alia vocabula necessaria in apotheca secundum ordinem 
alphabeti. Artemisia vel canaparia, id est matertera maior .... Zurunxel, id est herimo (?) doculi. 
Zcuttara, id est zuccarum.

Synonyma attributed to Petrus Hispanus (pope John XXI, d. 1277), Thorndike and Kibre, 148.

12. ff. 114r-118r	Incipiunt quedam vocabula necessaria in apothecis. Aloe est sucus herbe 
... Zcutta**raria alias luccoraria alias agnus castus vel flos eius id est salicum marinum. Laus tibi 
sit, Criste, quia finitus est liber iste. Amen dicamus, semper cum Deo maniamus [sic]. 	
	ff. 118v-122r blank

Cfr. art. 3. Based on Matthaeus Platearius (s. XIImed), De simplici medicina (Circa instans).

13. ff. 122v-143r	Incipiunt excerpta ex libro ethymologiarum Ysidori. Primus liber de 
disciplina et arte. Disciplina, ars, apothesaretes Grece, id est virtus quam scientiam vocaverunt. ... 
Elephantes barrire, onagros mugillare, cervos rugire, thauros mugire, equos hinnire, hircos mictire, 
hedos vebare (?).

Summary of Isidore of Seville (Isidorus Hispalensis), Etymologiae. Book XX is followed by two 
additional chapters: "De sonitu avium" and "De sonitu bestiarum". About the Voces animantium, 
see M. Manitius, Geschichte der lateinischen Literatur des Mittelalters, v. 1 (Munich, 1911), p. 
137.

14. f. 143r	Nota quod illa pars sequens pertinet ubi scribitur numerus 127 in libro octavo et ad 
capitulum quintum de heresibus, etc.  Noetiniani, ipsi et Patripassiani vocantur. Sabelliani, 
Arriani ... Octava Ellespontia. Nona Frigia. Decima Tyburtina, que et alio nomine Albunia. Tunc 
sequitur capitulum IX de magis. Hoc quere supra vertendo XVI folia versus manum sinistram.

Addition to art. 12, namely the section which had been skipped in the transition from f. 126 to f. 
127: Etym. VIII, 5, 41- 8, 6). At the bottom of f. 126v is the note "Verte XVI folia post".

15. f. 143r	Incipit registrum in excerpta prescripta libri ethymologiarum
Isidori episcopi.  
Agri 136 d. Animalia 132 c ...Vie 136 e. Vites 138 a.

Alphabetical index to art. 12, referring to the folios and their sections.

16. f. 143v	Nota libros Byblie cum capitulis suis. Genesis L, Exodus XL ... Iohannis prima V, 
Iohannis secunda I, Iohannis tercia I. Summa capitulorum 1178.
Et nota quod Aquila fuit primus interpres ex Hebreo in Grecum ... Postea sine hiis transtulit 
Ioronimus ultimo de Hebreo in Latinum, cuius edicio nunc ubique servatur a nobis.
Nota hic litteras Hebraicas secundum ordinem alfabeti ...: Alef, beth, gimel ... [the Hebrew letter 
signs follow].
Supra locum ubi crucifixus est Dominus hoc scriptum est Grece: O theos basileos ysmos ... (Hic 
Deus rex noster ...).
Hoc scriptum est Grece ubi crux fuit fixa in petra : Thyo rystis basys ... (Quam vides 
fundamentum ...).
Nota versus de X plagis. Prima rubens unda ... [Walther, Initia, 14595].
Item nota alios versus. Sunt dicte vestes polimite multicolores ... [3 verses on the fabric 
polymitum].
Pauset in Elisio delubri conditor huius, / Si chos ab exicio defendat kiria cuius. / Dat michi 
Scriptura quod spiritualia iura / Servem sub cura, quem turbat acucula dura ... [poem, 9 verses].
Sed quid ad Christum generacio Ioseph ex David est deducta, cum Christus non ex semine Iosef 
sit ortus ? Respondetur ...
[compiler's hand:] Nota hic quedam regna precipue Christianorum. Regnum Rome, scilicet 
imperium. Regnum Francie ...

Various short texts, the last one connected with art. 17.

17. ff. 144r-157r	Sex diebus rerum omnium creaturas Deus formavit. Prima die condidit 
celum et terram et firmamentum celi ...  Bonifacius papa IX prius vocatus Pirinus.

Chronicle of the World in the framework of the Six Ages. Opens with Isidore of Seville (Isidorus 
Hispalensis), Chronica, T. Mommsen, ed., MGH, AA, v. 11, 2 (1894), pp. 424 ff. The Sixth Age 
begins f. 147vb and initially alternates series of Emperors (Imperatores) with series of Popes 
(Pontifices). This section ends f. 152r with the accession of Charlemagne and with Pope 
Hormisdas (514-523). The subsequent Emperors and rulers of Italy are simply listed f. 152rb, but 
the compiler has noted: "Quere prologum in sequentes et precedentes imperatores in inferiori 
spacio presentis folii ipsum vertendo; item verte sex folia et invenies nomina imperatorum 
Francorum et Italorum et Theotunicorum qui prefuerunt Romano imperio"; this refers to the 
additions at the bottom of the pages and to art. 19. The final section is a history of the Popes 
from John I (523-526) to Boniface IX (1389-1404). As the latter is only mentioned, while his 
predecessor Urban VI (1370-1389) is treated at length, the text must have been compiled under 
his pontificate. There are ample additions in the lower margins of most pages.

18. f. 157v	 Glagolitic alphabet copied twice.

19. ff. 157v-158r	Infra ponuntur Franci qui prefuerunt in Romano imperio. Karolus Magnus 
... Imperatores Italie. Guido Spoletanus ... Imperium Theotunicorum. Post hoc Romanum 
imperium ad Theotunicos plene devenit. Nam Otto primus ...

Short history of the Empire from Charlemagne to Louis IV the Child (900-911), of the Kings of 
Italy from 892 to 951, of the Empire from Otto I (936/962-973) to the victory of Louis of 
Bavaria over Frederick the Fair (1322). Written by the compiler.

20. ff. 158v-161v	De sideribus et planetis. Post de septem regionibus. Deinde de passionibus 
aeris, de ventis, de nubibus et nebula et iride et elementis [= artt. 20 and 23].
Generaliter primo dicendum est de spera et motu eius ...
Spere motus duobus axibus volvitur ...
Generaliter primo dicendum est de septem planetis ...
[f. 159r:] Quedam notabilia generalia huic tamen collecta ...[on the planets].
[f. 160v:] De passionibus aeris et primo de tonitruo. Tonitruum secundum philosophos est quando 
venti suo spiramine ...
[f. 161r :] De casu stellarum. [S]telle aliquando cadere videntur in aere ...
Quid sit ventus. [G]eneraliter primo videndum est quid sit ventus ...
[f. 161v :] De nubibus. [N]ubes dicuntur quasi nimborum naves ...
De nebula. [N]ebula fit dum humidum [sic] exalaciones vaporabiliter trahuntur ...
De iride arcu celeste.[I]ris sive arcus celestis creatur secundum Aristotelem ex radio solis ... 

Astronomical and meteorological notes extracted from Thomas of Cantimpre, De natura rerum, 
Books 17 and 18. At the end, in the compiler's hand: "Quere alia verba de iride huc pertinentia 
vertendo octo folia versus dexteram et invenies ea", referring to art. 23.

21. ff. 162r-168r	De noticia ordinum stellarum fixarum celi seu ymagynum 48 que a 
philosophis veraciter dinoscuntur multo intellectu experimentorum in arte stellarum, que aliter 
constellacio nominatur, et que in nocte serena patenter apparent, licet non simul omnes nec una et 
eadem hora. Phylosophy quidam multis experimentis noverunt celum esse stellatum ordinabiliter 
... [f. 163r :] Aries habet stellas multas inter quas 20 sunt pervisibiles ...

De XXXVI imaginibus et XII signis attributed to Michael Scotus (d. 1235), Thorndike and Kibre, 
133; see also 1041.

22. ff. 168v-170r	De noticia figuracionis planetarum prout pinguntur [heading on f. 168r]. 
Luminaria firmamenti sunt multa, inter que VII planete noscuntur obtinere principatum ...

Astrological treatise, Thorndike and Kibre, 833.

23. ff. 170r-172v	Sermo generalis de quatuor elementis. [G]eneraliter primo dicendum est de 
IIII elementis ...
[f. 171r:] Sermo generalis de septem regionibus aeris. [S]eptem sunt regiones aeris ut dicunt 
phylosophi ...
[f. 172r:] [M]etalla sunt VII in numero ... in usus hominum accomodatissime data. De auro.  
[A]urum calide nature est, ut dicit Platearius ...

Extracts from Thomas of Cantimpre, De natura rerum, successively Books 19, 16 and 15. The 
text is the continuation of art. 20.

24. f. 172v	The Hebrew alphabet and some Biblical names written in Hebrew.


Paper, ff. I +170,  295 x 220 mm. Watermarks: crown (var. Briquet 4616??), circles (var. Briquet 
3194??), bull's head?? Parchment stays in the middle of the quires cut from a late medieval Latin 
grammatical poem. Original foliation "1"-"172"in red ink in the middle of the upper margin of all 
rectos and valid for that page and the facing verso. The text of both pages is often subdivided in 
6 sections, marked in the margins "a"-"c" on the verso and "d"-"f" on the recto; some texts have 
other systems of subdivision for easy reference. There is a s. XIX foliation written above or 
below the original one, which skips the missing leaves and runs from "1" to "170". A third, 
incomplete, modern foliation includes the front fly-leaf. 
I-III 12 (ff. 1-36), IV 12 (-6, -7 [= ff. 42-43]; ff. 37-48; no loss of text), V 12 (+ a singleton, f. 49; 
ff. 49-61), VI-VII 12 (62-85), VIII 12 (+ a bifolium, ff. 86 + 99; ff. 86-99), IX-XIII 12 (ff. 100-
159),  IV 14 (- 12 [unfoliated]; ff.  160-172, no loss of text). Short horizontal catchwords at right 
are sometimes seen. In the lower margin of f. 124r the quire-mark "primus sexternus" (= quire 
XI). In the upper margin of the same page the scribe wrote "Assit in principio sancta Maria" (see 
also art. 10).

Frame-ruling in brown ink, c. 240 x c. 170 mm. 1 column artt. 1, 10-16 and 20-24; 2 columns artt. 
2 and 17-19; 3 columns artt. 4-8; uneven number of columns art. 3. The number of lines varies 
greatly and the ruling is often transgressed.

Copied by various scribes, writing Gothica Cursiva Libraria or Currens in various sizes, often 
very small; ff. 127r-143r, 7 are in a markedly different, larger form of Gothica Cursiva Libraria 
(see art. 14). There are countless corrections, notes and additions, probably by one rapid hand 
(the "compiler"), who added also cross-references using the numbering systems he had 
introduced after the various parts were assembled. At many places the paper is deteriorated by 
the acidity of the ink.

The decoration is unevenly spread: heightening of majuscules and plain initials in red.  On ff. 
162-170 alternance of red and green initials, on f. 162r flourished initial in the same colours. Artt. 
21 and 22 are not illustrated, although the text mentions figurae.

Original limp parchment binding: a bifolium from a German manuscript in Gothica Cursiva, worn 
and stained, lined with a German document on parchment in Gothica Cursiva 
Antiquior/Recentior. Leather spine stiffener with ornamental stitching.

Although copied by several scribes, this seems to be a compilation organized, corrected and 
expanded by a single person specialized in pharmacology and medicine and interested in natural 
history, encyclopedical knowledge and history, living in Central Europe. At the bottom of f. 87r 
is written by a contemporary hand "Andreas Dei gratia".
From the Auersperg Library: see the handwritten ex-libris on f. Iv: "Wolfgangi Engelberti Sacri 
Romani Imperii Comitis ab Aursperg. Catalogo inscriptus anno 1655". The Auersperg shelf 
number "12" is written on the inside front cover. Collection of A.R.A. Hobson, London. 
Purchased on the Edwin J. Beinecke fund from Laurence Witten in 1984.

Albert Derolez

R 05.06.08