Paracelsus Bombastus ab Hohenheim (1493-1541)

ff.1-39 are of smaller format, and have a watermark which is possibly Briquet No. 1113 which is assigned to Salzburg 1559. The first 13 leaves, ff. 21-27, and the verso of fol. 37 written by two different hands, both of which are probably of the second half of the 16th century. The date 1686 appears on fol. 57 and is by a third hand, associated with most of the rest of the MS. Contents: (1) Medical and iatro-chemical receipts, possibly extracted from Paracelsian works, the list on fol. 13v headed 'Oleum Vitrioli domini doctoris theophrasti'. (ff. 2-13v). (2) Similar receipts with some chemical and alchemical processes, by 17th century hands. (ff. 13v-20). (3) Continuation of the same receipts as in No. 1 (ff. 21-25v). (4) [PARACELSUS ?]. Sermon on marriage (Extract). By the second of the 16th century hands. (ff. 25v-27v). (5) Medical chemical and alchemical receipts, etc.: by 17th century hands. (ff. 27v-37). (6) [PARACELSUS ?]. Vom sacrament (Extract on the Holy Eucharist). By the second 16th century hand. (ff. 37v). (7)[PARACELSUS?]. Alchemical, chemical and other receipts, processes, and 'secrets', transcribed from the printed 'Geheimnusz aller Geheimnüsse' 1686. (ff. 37v-end). A full description of this work is given under No. 419 in Sudhoff's Bibliographia Paracelsica Vol. I pp. 626, 627.

c.1575-1686

1 volume 63 ll. (last bl.). 4to. 18 1/2 x 14 cm, 19 1/2 x 15 1/2 cm. Modern boards. Ff. 40-end are frayed in the margins and damp-stained. A foliation in pencil has been added.

Purchased 1931.

An 18th century owner has stated on the first leaf 'Ein Theil dieses Manuscripts soll von Theophrasti Paracelsi eigener handschrift seyn. Relata refero'. This would refer to ff. 2-13v, 21-25v, and possibly to the two religious tracts. The script however does not seem of a sufficiently early type, though bearing a slight resemblance to the facsimiles of Paracelsian receipts in Vol. II of Sudhoff's work. The dating of the watermark is also conclusive evidence against the suggestion. It is to be noted that the entry No. 419 [No. 7 above] in Sudhoff is calssed among what he calls 'Neudrucke ohne Worth'.

Database description transcribed from S.A.J. Moorat, Catalogue of Western Manuscripts on Medicine and Science in the Wellcome Historical Medical Library (London: Wellcome Institute for the History of Medicine, 1962-1973).