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

MS. Lat. misc. e. 2

Summary Catalogue no.: 8847

Ars medicinae (Articella) and other medical texts in Latin and German; 13th century, first half, with additions

Contents

1. (fols. 2r–8r)
Johannitius, Isagoge ad Artem paruum Galeni (tr. Constantinus Africanus )
Rubric: Incipit Iohannicius liber Isagogarum
Incipit: Mmedicina[sic] dividitur in duas partes in theoricam et practicam
Explicit: qualitatis. quantitatis. temporis. et ordinis. atque boni malive discrecio
Final rubric: Liber Iohannicii explicit
ed. G. Maurach, ‘Johannicius: Isagoge ad Techne Galieni’, Sudhoffs Archiv, 62 (1978), 148–74.
Language(s): Latin
2. (fols. 8v–‘11-12’v)
Anatomia ⟨Ricardi Salernitani (?)⟩
Rubric: \Anatomia/
Incipit: GGalienus[sic] in Tegni testatur quod quicumque interiorum membrorum cognitor esse desiderat eum in anathomiis diligentem esse oportet. Hac ergo ratione de anathomiis tractaturi, primo uideamus quid sit anathomiis, et unde dicatur et in quibus fiat, at quas habeat species.
Incipit: (fol. 9r) Nunc dicendum est de naturis et dispositionibus singulorum membrorum et primo de cerebro ratione dignitatis. Cerebrum ergo est membrum secundum quosdam calidum, secundum guosdam frigidum, secundum omnes humidum, in forma rotundum, in substancia molle et tenerum, in colore album, tribus distinctum cellulis scilicet fantastica, logistica, memoriali
Explicit: vel tantum masculos vel feminas generant
Final rubric: Explicit Anathomia

The text resembles in parts both the Anatomia attributed to a shadowy 'Nicolaus physicus' and the closely related text attributed to an equally shadowy 'Ricardus Salernitanus'. The former text seems to be an expansion of the latter, probably by a pupil; the latter text is not to be confused with Ricardus Anglicus’s Anatomia, despite the similarity of the author’s forename, title, and opening lines. The two texts are treated together by G. W. Corner, Anatomical texts of the earlier middle ages (Washington, 1927), pp. 30–34 (citing the present MS. at p. 31 by its SC no. as ‘Codex 8847’), with a translation into English of the Nicholaus text at pp. 67–86; and also by G. Sarton, Introduction to the history of science, ii: From Rabbi Ben Ezra to Roger Bacon, pt. i (Baltimore, 1931), pp. 436–37; the Latin text of 'Ricardus Salernitanus' is printed in I. Schwarz, Die medizinischen Handschriften der kgl. Universitäts-Bibliothek in Würzburg (1907), 79-92. Our text appears to be closer to 'Ricardus' but differs from both versions (at least as printed), as for example in the section on teeth which here begins (fol. 10v): ‘De dentibus autem multiplex est opinio. Quidam enim dicunt quod sint membra, quidam vero quod non. Illi qui dicunt quod sint membra habent a Iohanicio […] ’ (cf. Schwarz p. 87 and Corner p. 78).

Language(s): Latin
3. (fols. 13r–19r)
Theophilus, Liber urinarum
Rubric: \Incipit liber urinarum a voce Theophili/ [16th century?]
Incipit: De urinarum differencia negocium multi veterum medicorum aggressi sunt scribere …
Explicit: et species et differenciam convenienter exposuimus
Pr. in Articella seu Opus artis medicinae [Padua, c. 1476] (ISTC no. ia01142500; GW 2678), fols. A6v–10v.
Language(s): Latin
4. (fol. 19v)
Südwestfälische Rezepte / Nederbergse geneeskundige recepten

Added notes on medicinal remedies, late 13th century or first half 14th century:

Incipit: Past(er)nake is gut der wrove alse si des kindes genesen is
Incipit: Golda is gut to spile so me(n) wiscet
Incipit: Gama(n)drea is gut den warlosen me(n)schen
Incipit: Sigilata is gut deme dat blut weret an de lide
Pr. in Priebsch, Deutsche handschriften in England, i (1896), pp. 183, no. 180; Corpus van Middelnederlandse teksten (tot en met het jaar 1300), ed. M. Gysseling, II/1 (1980), no. 24, p. 343. On the dialect (Westphalian rather than Netherlandish) see Thomas Klein, 'Rheinische und westfälische Sprachgeschichte bis 1300', in Rheinisch-Westfälische Sprachgeschichte, ed. J. Macha et al., Niederdeutsche Studien 46 (Köln, etc., 2000), 45 n. 85.

Cf. the notes in German on fols. 53v–54r, probably by the same hand.

Language(s): Middle Low German (Westphalian dialect)

Later added notes:

Incipit: Motus quatuor humerorum in die natali(?) facilius sumitur(?) ab equinoxio
Explicit: quatuor etatibus, quatuor temporibus anni, quatuor quadris lune & quatuor quadris diei artificialis
Language(s): Latin
5. (fols. 20r–26v)
Hippocrates, Aphorismata (anon tr.; ending incomplete in Particula VII)
Rubric: \Affrismorum[sic] Ypocratis/
Rubric: \Aphorismi Hippocratis/ [16th century?]
Incipit: Vvita[sic] brevis ars vero longa tempus autem acutum experimentum vero fallax
Explicit: In dolore diuturno circa ventrem sanies malum ||
Identified by Kibre, Hippocrates Latinus (1985), 44 as the third anonymous translation (II.A.3). Cf. edition of the translation by Constantinus Africanus, pr. (with commentary of Galen) in Articella [Padua, c. 1476], as above, fols. a1r–h1r; here ending at fol. g4r.
Language(s): Latin
6. (fols. 27r–31v)
Hippocrates, Prognostica (tr. Constantinus Africanus or Gerard of Cremona)
Rubric: Pronostica Ypocratis
Incipit: Omnis qui medicine artis studio. seu gloriam. seu delectabilem amicorum consequi desiderat copiam
Explicit: numero dierum nostro quoque exposite ordine preceptorum
Final rubric: Pronostica ypocratis
Pr. (with commentary of Galen) in Articella [Padua, c. 1476], as above, fols. h1r–n7r. Hippocrates Latinus XLV.A.2, this ms. listed p. 202 (misdated)
Language(s): Latin
7. (fols. 32r–34v)
Philaretus, Liber pulsuum
Rubric: \Incipiunt P. Phylareti/
Incipit: Intencionem habemus in presenti conscripcione de pulsuum negocio compendiosam exponere tradicionem
Explicit: defectionem et mortem significat
Cf. P. Morpurgo, ‘Il commento al de pulsibus Philareti di Mauro Salernitano: Introduzione ed edizione critica dal ms. Parisinus Latinus 18499’, Dynamis: Acta Hispanica ad Medicinae Scientiarumque Historiam Illustrandam, 7–8 (1987–88), 307–46, from 317; using the present MS (siglum ‘L’); among the six MSS. used for comparison with the Paris MS., four others are also at the Bodleian: MS. Ashmole 399, fols. 62r–63r; MS. Ashmole 1285, fols. 181r–182v; MS. Auct. F. 5. 30, fols. 27v–29v; and MS. Laud Lat. 65, fols. 61r–64v.
Language(s): Latin
8. (fols. 35r–54r)
Galen, Tegni
Rubric: \Tengni G. phylosofi /
Rubric: ||phylosofi [cropped]
Incipit: Tres sunt omnes doctrine que ordine habentur Prima quidem ex finis nocione
Explicit: & qualia determinabo orationem in eis. Amen.
Final rubric: Explicit Tegni

The so-called 'translatio antiqua': see Galeno Latino.

Language(s): Latin
9. (fols. 53v–54r)

Added notes, late 13th century or 14th century, first half (cf. art. 4):

Incipit: Di wile scrive(n) nim biuenelle(n) Rute(n). yserenhart. stot dat to samene maket to drinke mit vine
Explicit: bestoppe si wol al umbe so cumet ire
Pr. by Priebsch, op. cit.; Gysseling, op. cit.
Language(s): Middle Low German (Westphalian dialect)
10. (fol. 54v–55r)

Added medicinal notes, on the colours of urine, etc.

Incipit: Indigestionem ut albus lacteus et glaucus karopos alii principium indigestionis

Fol. 55 is an inserted slip; the verso is blank.

Language(s): Latin
11. (fols. 56r–104v)
Isaac Iudaeus, Dietae uniuersales (tr. Constantinus Africanus ; end lost).
Rubric: ⟨Ysaac de dietis universalibus⟩
Rubric: \De dietis universalibus/
Incipit: Quod in primis coegit antiquos disputare
Explicit: ne autem contraria hiis fiant fugiatur
pr. Lyon 1515 (USTC 144466), 1. 11r–103r, 103r–156r, and later.

Here ending in the section beginning ‘Regimenta sanitatis et custodia’, bk. I, c. lxvii, lect. liiii.

Language(s): Latin

With sometimes extensive marginal and interlinear glosses by contemporary and later hands, and with added marginal diagrams (see Decoration).

Language(s): Latin

Physical Description

Form: codex
Support: parchment (HSOS/HFFH)
Extent: i (former pastedown) + 103 + i (former pastedown)
Dimensions (leaf): 215 × 140 mm.
Foliation: 1–10, ‘11–12’, 13-96, 97a–b, 98–105, in purple pencil, at the Bodleian, late 19th century

Collation

Composed of six codicological units:
  • 1(12-2) (first two leaves cancelled before fol. 2) (fols. 2-10, ‘11-12’; fol. 10 sewn on to a stub conjoint with the stub immediately preceding fol. 2)
  • 2(8-1) (last blank leaf cancelled; fols. 13–19)
  • 3(8-1) (last leaf missing with loss of text; fols. 20–26)
  • 4(8) (fols. 27–34)
  • 5(8), 6(12+1) (fols. 35–55; fol. 55 is a small inserted slip, blank on the verso; second and eleventh leaves of the quire seem to be singletons)
  • 7–8(8) (fols. 56-71), 9(10-1, third leaf wanting after fol. 73, without loss of text) (fols. 72-80), 10(8) (fols. 81-8), 11(10-1) (third leaf wanting after fol. 90 without loss of text) (fols. 89-97a), 12(eight) (structure uncertain; sewing before fol. 102) (fols. 97b-104). The quires of the final text (from fol. 56r) have an unusual system of quire signatures, partly cropped: the upper margin of the first recto and last verso has a number in minuscule Roman numerals and the first recto has the same number as well as the equivalent medieval Arabic numeral; this is most clearly visible at fol. 64r.

Layout

Ruled in plummet for 39–45 lines, with double horizontal bounding lines; written above top line; the main text with wide margins, presumably anticipating extensive marginalia. Ruled space c. 140-5 × 75 mm.

Hand(s)

Gothic. The scribe usually wrote the first word of each section in full despite leaving a space for an enlarged red initial, thus most texts begin with a repeated first letter: Mmedicina, Eelementa, Mmembrum, Ooperaciones, etc.

Decoration

Fine historiated diagrams in German style, added c. 1300. (Pächt and Alexander i. 133, pl. X):

  • (fol. 2v) Three diagrams, including one with the upper body of a woman and one with the head of a man
  • (fol. 3r) Two diagrams, including one with ‘microcosmos’ in the centre, surrounded by four groups each which are in turn surrounded by the four qualities (humidus, calidus, etc.), and directions (occidens, septentrio, etc.).
  • (fol. 21r) Two diagrams, one incorporating animal heads.

Non-representational diagrams on fols. 4v, 18r. The hand of the Latin captions of the diagrams is similar to the hand of the additions in German.

Initials in plain red.

Binding

Medieval (15th-century German?) binding. Sewn on three bands laced and pegged into horizontal channels in oak boards, covered with polished brown leather, each cover with holes from five circular bosses arranged in a quincunx pattern; vestiges of a single clasp; rebacked with the old spine leather laid on; the top of the spine with a paper label inscribed ‘6’ (cf. Provenance).

History

Origin: 13th century, first half ; Germany (?) ; additions, late 13th or first half 14th century ; Germany

Provenance and Acquisition

Headings are provided by at least three hands: the earliest 13th-century, in red, sometimes cropped; the next in a large bold 14th-century hand; another in 15th(?)-century Humanistic- influenced script. Marginalia, sometimes dense, by a variety of hands of the same centuries.

‘Sum Ioannis bartholomei et amicorum’, late 15th century or early 16th century (fol. 1v).

Inscribed ‘Const. 1:1.3’(?) (fol. 1v).

Edward Bernard (1638–1697), Savilian professor of Astronomy 1673–91 and main editor of the Catalogus librorum manuscriptorum Anglie, published in 1698, in which his own collection appears (vol. ii, pp. 226–28), but apparently not including the present MS.; his library was bequeathed to his wife, from whom the Bodleian purchased the manuscripts in 1698.

Former Bodleian shelfmarks: ‘(Cod. MS. Bernard 6.)’ (fol. 1r, cf. spine); ‘MSS. Bern. 23’ (fol. 1r), and with a valuation(?): ‘(23) 3s. 8d.’ (fol. 1v); cf. SC, i, p. 49.

Record Sources

Description (June 2021) by Peter Kidd, edited by Matthew Holford, with thanks to Nigel Palmer for linguistic and other advice. Previously described in the Summary Catalogue (1895).

Digital Images

Digital Bodleian (full digital facsimile)

Bibliography

Last Substantive Revision

2021-06-17: Description fully revised for Polonsky German digitization project.