Medieval Manuscripts

This late fifteenth-century manuscript, written on paper, contains a compilation of alchemical texts assembled and copied by Arnold of Brussels. For the most part, it was made in Naples between 1472 and 1490, as often noted at the end of works (for example, fols. 149r, 182v, 196v). A group of works in the middle of the volume appear to be in a different, possibly German, hand (fols. 79-101). As well as lists of philosophers, recipes, and key alchemical terms, it contains a number of texts and treatises of historical importance.

This is a fifteenth-century collection of medical texts, De Artetica and De Calculosa Passione, written by Antonio Guainerio. It was written in Italy, and a note on the inside cover in a modern hand dates the manuscript to 1490. The texts are known to be by Guainero, although this manuscript attributes them to Pope Nicholas V.

This is a fifteenth-century manuscript copy of Virgil's Aeneid on paper, written in Italy and dated 22 February 1462. There are many textual corrections, annotations and drawings in a later hand. Bears the inscription "Michael Bone."

Three maritime charts bound in contemporary parchment over paper board. The first chart shows the 26th to the 51st northern gradations, the coasts of England and Ireland south to Madeira and the Canary Islands, including the coasts of Spain and France. The second chart shows the whole of the Mediterranean, including the coasts of the eastern Mediterranean and Northern Africa. The third chart shows the Mediterranean from the Meridian of Gallipoli (Italy) to Dakar, Africa, including part of the Atlantic Ocean and the coasts of Spain and Portugal.

This manuscript is a fragment, consisting of five parchment leaves, possibly from the same manuscript. Four of the leaves are paired into bifolia (glued together at the center), the fifth leaf is a singleton. The lower sections of the folios are worn and curled, with some tearing; a tear on fol. 1 has been repaired with thread.

This manuscript is a Portolan chart, most likely created in the nineteenth century as a forgery of a sixteenth century chart. This is a single parchment leaf, focused on what is currently the northern half of South America and southern North America. A bit of west Africa is seen on the far right. Current North America is labeled as "Hispania Nova", with "Nova Franza" labeled up the east coast. Current South America is labeled "Peru" and Bresil". Port/city names are written along all coasts.

This damaged Book of Hours was likely produced in Northeastern France or Flanders in the late fourteenth century or early fifteenth century. The manuscript begins with a Calendar, which is lacking its first and last months. The book contains the Hours of the Virgin for Franciscan Use, followed by the Hours of the Cross and Hours of the Holy Spirit, the Penitential Psalms followed by a separate section containing the Litany, Prayers, and Collects (beginning lacking), and the Athanasian Creed followed directly by the Obsecro te. The book concludes with Suffrages (fols.

This Book of Hours was produced in France, likely in Paris, around 1420. It contains a calendar, in French, with Parisian saints (fols. 1r-12v), followed by the Gospel Lessons (fols. 13r-16v), and the Obsecro te and O intemerata (fols. 17r-23r). The core of the book is composed of the Hours of the Virgin of the Use of Rome (fols. 25r-77v); the Penitential Psalms, Litany and Prayers (fols. 79r-94r); the Hours of the Cross (fols. 94v-97r); the Hours of the Holy Spirit (fols. 97v-100r); and the Office of the Dead (fols. 100v-129v).

This Book of Hours for the Use of Rome was most likley produced in Tours in the decades around the year 1500. It contains a calendar with numerous Tours saints (fols. 1r-6v), followed by the Gospel Lessons, Obsecro te, and O intemerata (fols. 7r-17r). The central section is composed of the Hours of the Virgin for the Use of Rome (fols. 19r-86v), with the Hours of the Cross and Hours of the Holy Spirit intercalated (these begin on fols. 42r and 43v respectively).

This Book of Hours for the Use of Paris was produced in the first quarter of the fifteenth century. It begins with a calendar (fols. 1r-12v), which is followed by the Gospel Lessons, Obsecro te, and O intemerata (fols. 13r-24v); a bifolio with suffrages to the Holy Spirit, Trinity, Saint Nicholas, All Saints, and Saint Catherine, in a different hand (fols. 25r-26v); the Hours of the Virgin with multiple pages missing (fols. 27r-84v); Penitential Psalms, Litany, and Prayers (fols. 85r-99v); Hours of the Cross (fols. 100r-103v) and Hours of the Holy Spirit (fols.

This manuscript is a partial leaf from a twelfth-century liturgical manuscript, probably written in Italy. The text on this leaf is from Reginold von Eichstätt's Historia of Saint Nicholas, a series of antiphons and responsories designed to be sung in the canonical Office on the feast of Saint Nicholas. Shortly after the composition of the Historia in the second half of the tenth century, lections were added, which were included in the source manuscript of this fragment. The responses, versicles, and antiphons are marked with neumes for chanting.

This manuscript is a bifolium (non-consecutive leaves) from a twelfth-century copy in protogothic script of Augustine's De civitate Dei, probably copied in France. The text is from Book 22, on the first leaf from Chapter 24 and on the second leaf from Chapter 30. There are two marginal notes in an early hand on the leaf from Chapter 30 (fol. 2r). The bifolium was re-used in a binding.

The Latin text on this parchment roll written in England in the fifteenth century is based on the text on a roll presented by Carmelite friar Roger of St. Albans to Henry VI, tracing the genealogy of kings from Adam to Henry VI. On this roll the genealogical diagram has been extended to include the reign of Edward IV but does not record his wife, so it was made after his coronation in 1461 but before his marriage in 1465.

This manuscript is a fragment of a leaf from a twelfth-century devotional text, previously used in a binding. Written in protogothic script, probably in Italy, it is perhaps from a life of Saint Nicholas of Myra, as the text contains references to agios Nicolai and urbs Varensis (Bari).