Pseudo-Aristoteles, (384-322 B.C.)

Secreta secretorum a Philippo Tripolitano traducta: Latine et Gallice. Written in a clear French semi-gothic hand, 22 lines to a page. Ornamental initial D on fol. 1 in red and the blue containing blazoned coat of arms, rubbed. Other capitals, and a few paragraph marks, in alternate red and blue: headings in red.

Fol. 1 (red) Prologus in libro aristotilis ad Alexan/drum regem de regimine principum/DOmino suo/excellen/tissimo in cultu reli/gionis cristiane stre/nuissimo, guidoni/de Valencia ciuitatis/tripolis glorioso pontifici philippus/suorum minimus clericorum... 2, line 16 (Text begins) ... O fili/gloriosissime imperator ... 40 (red) ... Obserua in omnibus per/seuerantiam et noli sequi fugien/tem.//(red) Explicit moralisacio compendiosa/super fibrum Arostotilis de regimine/principum.//Solomon. Audite ergo Reges et intelligite/principes.../.../...et equaliter/cura est illi de omnibus.

Fol. 41 (red) Cy commence le liure des meurs du/gouuernement des seigneurs Appelle/les secretz des secretz aristote. Et/premierement sensuit la table./... 43v (red) Cy fine la table et commence le/liure. Le premier chapitre deuise/comment le liure fut trouue en gre/ce et translate de grec en calde et/de calde enarabic et arabic en la/tin./

Fol. 41 IEhan filz patrice saige/de tous langaiges trou/ua en grece... 107 ... Et ne sauroies met/tre fin ne mesure a la paine qui/ten pourroit venir.///(red) Cy fine le liure appelle le secret/des secretz aristote quil enuoya au/roy alexandre. 'Jehan filz patrice' is Yahyä ibon Batrïq [ -815].

c.1425

1 volume 107 ll. 8vo. 16 x 12 1/2 cm. On vellum, 19th cent. stamped calf binding. Ornamental initial on fol. 1 rubbed.

Purchased 1936.

The Latin text of this work was first printed at Cologne in 1472, and the French translation 'Le gouvernement des princes' at Lyons in 1478. According to the entry in the Catalogue Firmin-Didot 1882, No. 39-a typescript copy of which is inserted-the arms inside the initial D on fol. 1, can be read as as 'trois fleurs de lis et un lambel de trois pendants', which would denote a member of the Royal House of France. Unfortunately, except for the lambel, the exact features of the arms are almost wholly rubbed away.

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).

This material has been digitised and can be freely accessed online through Wellcome Collection catalogue.

On the second fly-leaf at the beginning, signature of Georges Louis and a library-stamp above a circular stamp lettered R G L in purple.