Johannes, de Rupescissa, approximately 1300-approximately 1365. Liber de consideratione quintae essentiae omnium rerum 1400-1499 Abstract: This unattributed fifteenth-century manuscript copy of Johannes de Rupescissa's alchemical medical text De consideratione quintae essentiae rerum omnium comprises 52 leaves on parchment, likely the work of more than one scribe.
Descriptive Summary Identification: MSS 095, Item 014 Creator: Johannes, de Rupescissa, approximately 1300-approximately 1365. Title: Liber de consideratione quintae essentiae omnium rerum Inclusive Dates: 1400-1499 Extent: 1 v. ([52 leaves], last leaf blank) ; 17 cm. Language: Materials entirely in Latin. Citation: Shelving Summary: Location: Administrative Information MSS 095, Item 014, Johannes de Rupescissa, Liber de consideratione quintae essentiae omnium rerum, Special Collections, University of Delaware Library, Newark, Delaware. Item 014: Shelved in SPEC MSS 095 vault Special Collections, University of Delaware Library Newark, Delaware 19717-5267 Phone: 302-831-2229 Fax: 302-831-6003 URL: http://www.lib.udel.edu/ud/spec/ Source: Purchased with support from the Unidel Foundation, 1968. Processing: Processed and encoded by Maureen Cech, March 2015. Materials Available in Alternative Format: Access Restrictions: Terms Governing Use and Reproduction: Printed texts of De consideratione quintae essentiae rerum omnium are held in Special Collections: a 1561 edition (R128.6.J63x 1561) and a 1597 edition (R128.6.J63x 1597). The collection is open for research. Use of materials from this collection beyond the exceptions provided for in the Fair Use and Educational Use clauses of the U.S. Copyright Law may violate federal law. Permission to publish or reproduce is required from the copyright holder. Please contact Special Collections, University of Delaware Library, http://www.lib.udel.edu/cgi-bin/askspec.cgi University of Delaware Library MSS 095, Item 014 Page 2
Biographical Note Johannes de Rupescissa (approximately 1300-1365), also known as Jean de Roquetaillade, was a French Franciscan monk who authored visionary books and two works on alchemy. Sources: "Johannes, de Rupescissa, approximately 1300-approximately 1365." Library of Congress Authorities. http://lccn.loc.gov/n90674617 (accessed March 30, 2015). Page 3 University of Delaware Library MSS 095, Item 014
Scope and Content Note This unattributed fifteenth-century manuscript copy of Johannes de Rupecissa's alchemical medical text De consideratione quintae essentiae rerum omnium comprises 52 leaves on parchment, likely the work of more than one scribe. When compared with the printed Basileae edition (1561), this manuscript has a different (incomplete) preface and lacks the appended works by Arnauldus de Villanova ("De sanguine humano distillato") and Ramon Llull (multiple works). The printed editions held in Special Collections (1561 and 1597) also contain contributions from the editor, Guglielmo Gratarolo. The author of the preface of the manuscript copy is not identified. The script is a small gothic rotunda by one scribe; each page comprises about 27 lines. An illuminated initial "D" in 5 lines using gold ink and colors (green, red, blue), starts the main text. Other embellishments include later ink foliation, some marginalia, penwork initials, alternating red and blue versals, and paragraph marks. The volume is bound in a modern cloth binding. Leaves [59-51] contain a fragment of Michele Savonarola's "De aqua vitae." The item is accompanied by two dealers' descriptions: one in German, the other Italian. University of Delaware Library MSS 095, Item 014 Page 4
Selected Search Terms Personal Names Johannes, de Rupescissa, approximately 1300-approximately 1365. Topical Terms Medicine, Medieval. Manuscripts, Latin (Medieval and modern)--delaware--newark. Manuscripts, Latin (Medieval and modern)--specimens. Manuscripts, Latin (Medieval and modern) Form/Genre Terms Manuscripts (document genre) Illuminated manuscripts. Illuminations (visual works) Versals. Occupation Alchemists. Corporate Contributors Miscellaneous Scientific and Humanities Manuscripts Collection (University of Delaware Library) University of Delaware. Library. Manuscript. 095.014. Personal Contributors Savonarola, Michele, 1385?-1466?--De arte conficiendi aquam vitae. Selections. Related Materials in this Repository This item forms part of MSS 095 Scientific and Humanities Manuscript Collection. This item forms part of the Unidel History of Chemistry Collection. Page 5 University of Delaware Library MSS 095, Item 014
Detailed Description of the Collection Liber de consideratione quintae essentiae omnium rerum, 1400-1499 [Item 014] 1 volume University of Delaware Library MSS 095, Item 014 Page 6