A catalogue of Western manuscripts at the Bodleian Libraries and selected Oxford colleges

MS. Lat. misc. d. 88

Summary Catalogue no.: Not in SC (late accession)

Contents

Astronomical, astrological and mathematical tables

Chiefly from the Alphonsine set, in an adaptation perhaps attributable to Jacopo Dondi.

The series begins (fol.1v) with tables of mean motus and argument for a 28-year cycle taken up to 1456. It includes: (fol. 24v) tables of mean conjunction and opposition of the sun and moon for Padua with the years collected in multiples of 76. Pointing hands on fol. 24v, 29, indicate the cycle beginning with 1444; (fol. 41) table for the day of the week. ‘1470’ has been written by the scribe against line 14; (fol. 41v) lengths of the days throughout the year at the latitude of Padua; (fol.45) tables of equations of astrological houses for latitude 45° (the latitude of Padua); (fol. 50) tables of planetary and lunar latitudes. On fol.53v and 54 are lists of radioes ‘ad meridianum (civitatis) Neapolis’, those on fol. 54 ‘examinate per Marchionem de Frequento’ (i.e. of Frigento in Campania); (fol. 54) list of towns, districts and countries classified under the zodiacal signs governing them astrologically. Some entries also have symbols for planetary rulers; (fol.57) list of towns classified by climate. Fol.1, 58v–9, were originally blank.

The original series of tables following Dondi's Planetarium in MS. Canon.Misc.436, fol.25–42v, is identical with the series in this MS. as far as it goes, but stops at the equivalent of our fol.41.

Language(s): Latin
Astronomical and other tables

Including: (fol.59v) calendrical diagram marking the golden number and dominical letter for the year 1480; (fol. 60) ‘Tabule Johannis Archangeli ad inveniendum facillime vera loca omnium planetarum’. The tables list planetary motions for every day of the year. Years are collected in multiples of 20. Canons by Johannes de Sancto Archangelo are recorded by eTK 0164E; (fol. 84v) tables of ascensions and equations of the astrological houses, including tables for latitudes 31° (fol. 85) and 40° ‘pro Neapoli’ (fol. 85v); (fol. 90v) table of the system of astrological houses ‘secundum calculum Johannis de Monteregio’ (i.e. Regiomontanus); (fol. 92) tables of meridian altitude, etc., for Naples; (fol. 103v) table of ascensions of signs in latitude 41°; (fol. 104v) ‘Tabula sinuum quam composuit Johannes Blanchinus’, to a radius of 60,000, with illustrative diagram on fol. 106v; (fol. 107) tables of ascensions of signs, length of day, etc., for Naples. Fol. 90, 93v–4v, 104, 112v–4v were originally blank.

(fol.110v)
Canon
Incipit: ⟨I⟩n sequentibus duo foliis
Explicit: Videbis libros de nativitatibus editos et precipue Julium Maternum.

With tables for calculating the precise period of an infant's gestation according to the moon's position. The year 1488 is cited in an example.

Language(s): Latin

Physical Description

Secundo Folio: Continuatio
Form: codex
Support: Paper. Watermarks: flower, not in Briquet but cf. nos.6644–5, 6647–52; Greek cross in circle (last quire only), not in Briquet but nearest to no.5575.
Extent: i + 115 leaves (fol.i, 115, later flyleaves)
Dimensions (leaf): 275 × 210 mm.
Text space varies.

Collation

1(12), 2(12) (10 torn out), 3(12)–7(12), 8(16), 94 (+3 leaves added at end, fol.104–6), 10(10) (9–10 canc.)

Layout

items of text in 2 cols., 38–42 lines

Binding

18th-cent. Italian binding in half green morocco with pasteboard covered in marbled paper.

History

Origin: 15th century, last quarter ; Italian

Provenance and Acquisition

Fol.1 : ‘Signatus E’ (16th–17th cent.?) and ‘MS. saecul. XVI.D.Coelest.s Pores[…?] Bened. Mus.’ (18th cent.). Fol.2: ‘Cap’5 [?or S?]’ perhaps in the 18th cent. hand and armorial book stamp of ‘Comes Donatus Silva’; the arms are those of the Silva family of Milan. Crollalanza mentions a Donato Silva, fl.1670.

On fol.1, 10v, 23v, 33v–4, 38, 58v, 60v, 69v–70, 82v–3, 94v, are scribbles in Russian apparently written by a Cossack soldier from the steppe city of Orenburg, 1914–15.

Bought 1972.

Record Sources

Typescript description by Bodleian Library staff, revised by Peter Kidd, late 1990s.

Last Substantive Revision

2017-07-01: First online publication.