Livre cachetté

Livre cachetté ou sééllé [sic for 'scellé'] qui est, le magistère d'Hermes Trismegiste fermé de 24 seaux [sic], dans lequel sont contenus les plus doctes énigmes serrures sophismes allégories et problesmes des philosophes égiptiens Chaldéés, Juifs, Perses, Grecs, Arrabes [sic], etc. Colligez en partie par Vincent le Grand moyne de Beauvais, et en partie recueillis par Frère Arnauld de Villeneufe son disciple, en faveur de la famille des Arnauld, doctement desliez et ouvertz par les clefz tant dudit Arnauld, que de Jean Clopinel de Meun, entièrement et sans doctrine dechiffré par Guillaume de Paris à son trèsdoux zephire. Very neatly written in 'caractères de civilité'. Illustrated with 6 pen-drawn diagrams. The MS. deals entirely with alchemy, and does not seem to be recorded. The attributions to Vincent of Beauvais, Arnold of Villanova, etc., are probably fictitious. It is to be noted, however, that the date '1376 ou 1326' appears on leaf 92, and that the list of Authors on the first two leaves contains no names later than the first half of the 14th cent. No trace of a work under this title has been found in any of the bibliographies.

Early 17th century

1 volume 126 ll. + 43 bl. ll. 8vo. 17 x 111/2 cm. Original vellum binding.

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 1935.

Guillaume de Paris is perhaps Guillaume d'Auvergne, Bishop of Paris [ - 1249].

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).