Meung (Jean De) (1250-1305)

Le dit de maistre Jehan de meym [sic] en la fin du Rosier. Le livre que s'appelle la fontaine des amoureux... par maistre Jehan de la fontaine. Written in a neat French gothic script, 20-22 lines to a page. Some capitals in red, initials in yellow or red. Illustrated with 8 pen-drawings, coloured in yellow, of alchemical apparatus. Fol. 1 Alchemical receipts. (By a 15th century hand-not that of the text.) 2v Signature of 'Thirion', and the name in a monogram. 3 IN nomine altissimi creatoris et/gloriose marie semper virginis/Le dit de maistre Jehan de meym [sic] en la fin du Rosier./Pour ouure diceluy Art/tant aprengue/que tous metaulx en couleur teigne/... 12v Qui contient la fleur de cest art/Et tout corps de philosophie./Benoyst soit dieu le filz marie. 13 Icy apres sensuit le liure/qui sapelle la fontainne/des amoureus fais et compille/par maistre Jehan de la fontainne./CE fut en temps du moy de/may, quon doit fuir duel/et esmay,... 41v (End of verse section) Que gestoie au Jour daige/Lan Mil iiiiO.. et xiii./Acompli fust en moys de Januier/En la ville de mompellier/dudit Jehan de la fontainne/qui tenoit celle evvre hautainne/cy est en 2 versez compris/Que sy aprez sont escript/Fixum soluas facies volare/Solutum et volucrum voluas/Faciens te venire totum/Cy apres est la forme et/(Fol. 42) la maniere par figure du four/secret Cest assanor, 51v ... Et/garde Icelle pour ung/secret. 52 SEnsuit le chapitre frere/gavvin de frane [sic] de lordre/des freres precheurs de mielan [sic] enuoyez depar luy A lempereur/hanry [sic] de pises au soleil et A/la lune une liure de vitriol/et une de salpetre... 60v ... Et Icelle con/gelation porras getter sur 10/et se fera tres bonne lune.

Mid 15th Century

1 volume 60 ll. 8vo. 14 x 10 1/2 cm. 19th century half calf binding. Lower margins of the first two leaves damaged, a few leaves stained: slightly cropped in rebinding.

Purchased 1906.

In the upper margin of fol. 3 and in the lower margin of the last leaf verso, is the name 'Rogerius' written in a contemporary hand. In the lower margin of the same two leaves 'Jean Traualt', in an early 16th century script. Against that on fol. 60v is a date 'Anno m. d. iii'. The work beginning on fol. 52 by 'Gavvin de frane', appears to be the Epistle to the Emperor Henry [VII] by Gualterius or Galvanus della Flamma, which is mentioned by Thorndike in his History of Magic and Experimental Science, Vol. III, p. 132, note.

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).

Inside the upper cover armorial Ex-libris of Walter Sneyd [1809-1888].