Nelson, R.

Collection of extracts and notes on alchemy: in Latin and English.

Written within red rules mainly by two different hands: on ff. 10, 37 and 53v are small drawings of alchemical apparatus, etc.

Ff. 1-14 Miscellaneous alchemical receipts, including some in Italian, tables, chemical signs, etc.

14v-22 Kent. Letter on alchemy in English 'to his frind and Sonne M. William Johnson Dr. of Physick in the Lowe countries ... July 14 1596'. This includes a copy of a letter from Edward Kelley [1555-1595].

22-24 Dunstan, St. Collectanea ex tractatu ... de lapide philosophorum.

24-26v Dunstan, St. Abbreviationes operis ubi continentur omnia elixiria.

26v-28 [Anon.]. Notes on Elixirs.

28v-30v Hollandus (J. I.). A breefe collection from the worke of Isaac the German concerning the operation upon $h.

30v-31v Montanor (G. de). XXX Notabilia: out of Guido Montanus [sic] the Grecian philosopher.

31v-38 Miscellaneous alchemical extracts in Latin.

Fol. 38 Hermes Trimegistus. Tabula Smaragdina, anglico carmine reddita. Begins 'Truth sayes that low conceal'd its center Lyes'. Ends (line 31) 'In vaine they stile me Hermes Trismegist'.

Ff. 38v-39 Two entries in Greek, on fire.

39v-41 Blank.

Fol. 42 Index to Part I.

Ff. 43-49 Miscellaneous alchemical processes, etc. in English.

Fol. 50 Ripley (G.). Cantilena. Begins 'En philosophantium hac in cantilena'. Ends at the 10th stanza 'Est et ego stupis [sic for 'stupeo'] antiquus Dierum etc'. A note at the side 'reliqua vide in alio MS'.

51 Lullius (R.). Tabula practicae.

Ff. 51v-52 Kitchen (J.). The best manner to make potable [gold]. Gathered out of the MSS. of J. Kitchen.

Fol. 52v Tatton. Opus philosophicum [plumbum]. Begins 'Here followeth as mutch as remayneth undefaced. / 'Aquam suam propriam ...' Six lines below, is the beginning of the poem ascribed by Ashmole to Pearce the Black Monk ['Theatrum'. p. 269], but by others to George Ripley. In our MS. it starts 'Take earth of earth earthes brother' and ends at line 52 'But the water of the wood maketh the marriage', which is line 86 in Ashmole's version. The remainder is in prose, with a marginal note 'Explicato carminis precedentis'. It ends on fol. 57 'hit shalbe as good [silver] as may be. / Deo gratias. / Tattons work is so defeaced that it is not possible to be made perfect'.

Ff. 57v-58 Kitchen (J.). How to reduce [gold] into Potable Liquor. Extracted out of the MSS. of James Kitchen.

59-61v Notes on Aurum potable. 61v-64 Miscellaneous alchemical notes in English and French.

64v-66 Har[e]well (Sir E.). Abstract of Sir Edward Harwell's worke.

Fol. 66v Index to Part II.

67 Blank.

On the outer cover are the signs used in Alchemy for metals, and below 'N°. D.' Followed by a monogram [R. Nelson?] 'N°.D' is repeated inside the lower cover.