Quercetanus, (Duchesne) Josephus (1546-1609) (& others)

Diverses expérìences copies [sic] des manuscrits de feu Monsieur de la Violette [i.e. Quercetanus]. With other alchemical, chemical and technical receipts in Italian and French, by several later hands. On 49v and 63 small pen-drawings of alchemical apparatus, etc. Ll. 1-7 Alchemical receipts in Italian: some headings in Arabic and Armenian script. 9-22 Similar receipts in Italian-a few in Latin: some with headings and paragraphs in Armenian script. 23-52 Diverses expériences [etc.]. 52v-End. Alchemical and other receipts in French, Italian and Latin: one on l. 63 entirely written in Armenian script. On the inside of the lower cover are receipts in Italian and German, and one in Armenian script. Below 'Monsieur Saruonet a lion appresso il Cardinale Despensiere'. On the first leaf is a line of Arabic, and a word in Armenian: below 'Ou madam [sic] M. Godin ou logis de Mad. Cockners tranchepied pres la late à Putre [?]'. The Armenian and Arabic characters seem to be used as a cypher for concealing alchemical secrets, names of substances, etc.

Middle 17th century

1 volume 65 ll. 8vo. 121/2 x 91/2 cm. Original limp vellum binding. A number of leaves have been cut out after leaf 8: 11. 32-35 slightly torn.

The papers are available subject to the usual conditions of access to Archives and Manuscripts material, after the completion of a Reader's Undertaking.

Purchased 1929.

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).