A collection of astrological, brontomantic, onomantic and oneiromantic treatises; astronomic and computistic texts; herbal remedies, charms and magical amulets.
Description
This 12th-century scientific manuscript from Southern France
contains a large number of prognostic treatises that are based on
the principles of astrology, brontomancy (divination by thunder),
onomancy (divination by names), and oneiromancy (dream divination),
alongside computistical and astronomical texts, herbal remedies,
charms and instructions for magical amulets. The manuscript is
largely composed of treatises that are associated with the Liber
Alchandrei , a 10th-century astrological and onomantic work that
was heavily influenced by Arabic sources: these treatises are
referred to as the Proportiones Competentes in Astrorum Industria
(Agreeing Proportions in the Diligence of the Stars); In principio
Fecit Deus Caelum et Terram (In the beginning, God made heaven and
earth), and the Benedictum Nomen Domini (Blessed is the Name of the
Lord). The manuscript also contains an anonymous onomastic work,
addressed to a certain ‘practitioner’ (‘artifex’), that is
named after its diagram of the ‘Sphere of Life and Death’, the
Spera Donati (Sphere of Donatus) [see Juste, Les Alchandreana
primitifs (2007), pp. 325-31]. Contents: ff. 1r-1v: Revelatio
Esdrae (Revelation of Esdras), beginning: ‘Kal. Ianuarii si
fuerint in die dominico’. ff. 1v-2v: Proportiones , 50,
beginning: ‘Si autem quis est qui ignoret aut corpam [sic] aut
caristiam futuri anni’. ff. 2v-5r: An anonymous brontomantic
treatise [here ‘tonitruales [...] natale domini], beginning:
‘Signum Arietis intonaverit sicut Egiptii scribunt circa
imperium’. ff. 5r-7r: Notes on the Computus and Kalendar,
beginning: ‘Solsticia duo sunt in anno’. ff. 7r-7v: A zodiacal
prognosis for determining the duration of an imprisonment,
beginning: ‘Si quis fuerit in carcere positus et fuerit Iunus in
signo Arietis’. f. 7v: Proportiones , 26, beginning: ‘Si
societatis copulum omnium rerum’. ff. 7v-8r: A zodiacal lunary,
beginning: ‘Luna prima et II, signum Arietis, Abraam pro eo quod
olocaustum filium’.ff. 8v-12r: A lunary (Old-Testament version),
beginning: ‘Luna prima, capud de Ariete, factus est Adam, quiquid
facias bonum est’. ff. 12r-14v: Somniale Danielis (Daniel's
Dreambook), beginning: ‘Quod vidit et disposuit in Babilonia in
diebus Nabugodonor rex’. f. 14v: A method for calculating the
zodiacal sign at birth, beginning: ‘Computa nomen matris et
filii’. f. 15r: Proportiones , 24, beginning: ‘Si deffosse
pecunie in terra vis scire’. ff. 15r-15v: A Sphere of Life and
Death, here attributed to St Donatus (‘Hec est spera que fecit
sanctus Donatus’), beginning: ‘Quicumque egrotare inciperit’.
f. 15v: Benedictum , 14 [here ‘Numerus de quatuor stellis’],
inserted in the diagram on f. 15v. f. 16r: A full-page table
showing the moon’s passage through the zodiacal signs. f. 16v: An
alphanumerical table for the days of the week. f. 16v: An
alphanumerical table and tract (‘Ad planetas’) for determining
the planet associated with a childbirth. ff. 16v-17r: Benedictum ,
13: alphanumerical table (‘Conputus de duodecim fatos’) and
tract (‘Ad invenienda signa’) for determining the sign of the
zodiac. f. 17r: Benedictum , 1 [here ‘Conputus de VII
astribubus’], beginning: ‘Istas literas divide per novenarium
numerum’. f. 17r: A prognostic instruction (‘Conputus de duobus
fratribus’) for determining the outcome of a fight based on the
numerical values of the names of the two opponents, beginning:
‘Nomina debentur numerari: si litere sunt pares’. f. 17r: A
prognostic instruction (‘De muliere et de marito’) for
determining the outcome of a fight based on the numerical values of
the names of the two opponents, beginning: ‘Nomina debentur
numerari et postea iungi, et si litere sunt pares’. ff. 17v-24r:
Benedictum , 18 [ Tractatus de fatis in gallico ], beginning:
‘Alnatad, hoc est capud de Ariete, et sunt stelle III, sicut hic
aparet’. ff. 23v-24r: Spera Donati , beginning: ‘Si vis scire
de homines vel de feminas in qua potencia sanctorum sunt’. ff.
24v-25v: Tables related to the Spera Donati . f. 26r: Spera Donati
, beginning: ‘Tu artifex computa nomen hominis et nomen de caval
et nomen de cal colorii eius’. ff. 26r-27v: Tables related to the
Spera Donati . ff. 27v-28v: Proportiones, 17 [here ‘De
progenfficis’], beginning: ‘Si quis piam ad te venerit ad
adtenandi causa aut dicendi, vero scias quid manu gerat’. f. 28v:
Benedictum , 4, beginning: ‘Nunc vero expeditis huius artis
sentenciis aut alia per necessaria’. ff. 28v-29r: Horologium ,
beginning: ‘Ianuarius nox horas XVI de VIII’. ff. 29r-32r:
Benedictum , 5-9 [ here ‘Astra de septimana diebus’],
beginning: ‘Dies dominicus habet suum astrum’. ff. 32r-32v:
Proportiones , 46, beginning: ‘Hec autem mors ut prenoscatur
aperitis’. ff. 32v-33r: Benedictum , 10 [here ‘Pro latrone’],
beginning: ‘Qui te venerit expiare in hora Sole pro latrone’.
ff. 33r-33v: Proportiones , 51 [here ‘De furto sive de fugalapso
servo’], beginning: ‘Si autem aliquo investigante de furto aut
de fugalapso’. ff. 33v-34r: Spera Donati , beginning: ‘Tu
artifex si homo te interrogaverit de causa que furata est’. f.
34r: A ritual for identifying a thief, beginning: ‘Ad furtum
inveniendum. Scribe in tribus foliis lauri et voca ad manducandum
eum quem suspicaris’. f. 34r: An instruction for making an amulet
for protection against evil, beginning: ‘Brevis de malignis
passionibus Jotha. alfa’. f. 34r: Spera Donati , beginning: ‘Si
vis scire de fratribus et de sororibus qualis erit melior’. ff.
34r-35v: Benedictum , 12, [here ‘De horas quales sunt bonas vel
malas’], beginning: ‘Sol hora mala est a facie [sic] omnia
re’. ff. 35v-36r: Benedictum , 11 [here ‘De muliere’],
beginning: ‘Si te venerit expiare homo pro muliere si
fornicaverit an non’. ff. 36r-36v: Proportiones , 30-31,
beginning: ‘Ad hec si quis te interrogaverit sic unusque sto
[sic] mechata est’. f. 36v: Horologium [here ‘orologium’],
beginning: ‘In discensione Solis usque’ [see Patrologia Latina
, 90, cols 953D-954D]. ff. 36v-40r: Spera Donati [here ‘De
factura’], beginning: ‘Ex chatuor rebus factus est mundus, ex
celo, ex terra, ex aere et aqua’. f. 40r: A prognostic
instruction for determining the outcome of a fight based on the
numerical values of the names of the two opponents, beginning:
‘De duobus prelioribus nomina debentur numerari’. ff. 40r-40v:
Spera Donati [here ‘De duobus pugnatoribus’], beginning: ‘Si
vis scire de duobus pugnatoribus qui pugna volveris’. ff.
40v-42r: Benedictum , 2-4 [here ‘De septem stellis [...]’],
beginning: ‘Benedictum sit nomen domini qui posuit Solem in medio
rote’. ff. 42r-42v: A tract on the sun’s entry into zodiac
signs, beginning: ‘De introitu Solis quibus omni tempore in quo
signo’. ff. 42v-43v: Benedictum , 15-17, beginning: ‘Qui fuerit
natus in fato de Ariete quod est Aprilis ipse est vita sua’. ff.
43v-44r: Proportiones , 20-22 [here ‘De fugiente’], beginning:
‘His breviter et sufficienter prelibatis si quis desiderat
nosse’. f. 44r: Spera Donati , beginning: ‘Si vis scire de
qualicumque causa que habere volveris’. ff. 44r-52v: In principio
, beginning: ‘In ipsum celum quod videmus est Luna et currit
infra duos dies’. ff. 52v-53r: A conjuration or blessing,
beginning: ‘Ista coniuracio dicatur tribus vicibus .+. pater
noster totum’. ff. 52v-53r: Herbal remedies for physical
ailments. f. 53r: A protective amulet with Hebrew names for God
beginning: ‘In nomine patris et filii et spiritu sancti amen +
hoc sunt .x. nomina dei secundum ebreaos qui unusquisque homo vel
femina portare debet super se per salvamentum de se ipso’. ff.
53r-53v: A protective charm for childbirth that has to be recited
three times, invoking the name of the French saints St Celina (fl.
5th century) and St Remigius (d. 533) [also found in 14th-century
Southern French manuscript Princeton, University Library, Garrett
MS 80), beginning: ‘Ista coniuratio dicatur tribus vicibus: ecce
crucem domini totum Pater noster totum . Anna peperit Mariam .
celina peperit . remuum . elidabeth [sic] peperit ihoannem’];
accompanied by diagrams for three birthing amulets; the first is a
cross; the second a Chi-Rho monogram; the third a square with the
formula: ‘sator arepo tenet spera rotas’. f. 53v: A protective
charm against stillbirth (with the rubric: ‘Si infans mortuus non
potest parere’), with the formula ‘Saisa. Laisa. Relaisa’. f.
53v: A herbal recipe for a quick and prosperous childbirth,
involving Artemisia (known as the ‘Mother’ herb). ff. 53v-54r:
Epistola de Vulture (Letter of the Vulture), beginning: ‘Nescit
humanum genus quantam virtutem habeat vultilis in se’. f. 54v:
Herbal remedies for tumors and wounds, including the charm ‘bix
b[e]ronix bironixa [sic] bix’; f. 54v: A prayer invoking God, the
Virgin Mary, angels, apostles, patriarchs, confessors and virgins
against temptations of the devil, beginning: ‘In nomine domini
nostri ihesu Christi Rogamus patrem et filium et spiritum sanctum
trinum et unum’. f. 54v: A prayer invoking God for insight into
the cause of things, beginning: ‘deus abraam deus ysaac deus
iacob deus moysi deus aaron deus aelie [sic] deus enoch’. ff.
54v-56r: Sortes sanctorum (Divination of the Saints), beginning:
‘Per intercessionem omnium sanctorum tuarum et per quattuor
evangelistas’. f. 56r: A prayer-charm for a wounded animal,
beginning: ‘Nocte sicut audieret exieis numero stellis .VII.
dicatque deus qui salvasti latronem in cruce’; followed by an
instruction for three men to take three sticks and take a pledge to
protect the animal from harm; and recite a prayer to the Virgin
Mary and St Silvanus (‘sancte silvane’); possibly a reference
to the Roman deity who was commonly associated with animals. ff.
56r-56v: A charm against fever, including an apocryphal story about
Christ healing St Peter from fever; followed by a conjuration
invoking the names of the types of fevers personified as seven
sisters; and St Raphael, as ‘Medicine of God’ (the meaning of
the Archangel’s name in Hebrew).ff. 56v-57r: A prayer-charm for
pregnant women, beginning: ‘In mamillam dextram quasi modicum
humorem duricam mulier abens de pureo pregnans est’; followed by
a prayer to God, and an instruction to write names on an amulet,
placing it underneath a baptismal font for three days and
submerging it in baptismal water on the fourth day. f. 57r: A
prayer to Christ for the blessing of bread, beginning: ‘Domine
ihesu Christ fili dei vive qui v c panes in deserto benedixisti’.
ff. 57v-58r: Remedies for wounded animals: a prayer to God,
beginning: ‘Deus invisibiliter et inestimabiliter qui percunta
diffudus est pietatem tuam’; followed by instructions for making
amulets for wounded animals (‘pro mortalite [sic] pecori’)
involving inscribing protective texts in the crust of bread
(‘scribat in crusta panis’) that is given to pigs; a second
concerns an amulet that invokes the Virgin Mary; a third contains a
narrative about St Michael the Archangel. ff. 58r-58v: Herbal
remedies for various physical ailments. f. 58v: An instruction to
make an amulet to staunch blood, beginning ‘Hos caracteres scribe
et super pectus ligabis et occide porcum cum illo vel quolibet
animal et sanguis non fluet’. f. 58v: Instructions for making
amulets for women: to make a sterile woman conceive; to make a
woman conceive a boy; and to make a young girl marry quickly,
beginning: ‘ut mulier sterilis concipiat scribe h. o. [.]. s. d.
h. d. s. p. g. illius casto in plumo vel in stagnum’. f. 58v:
Remedies against epilepsy: an instruction to attend Mass each
Sunday of the year and a herbal remedy, beginning: ‘Si quis
caducos est infra unum annum omnes dies dominicos missa audiat’.
f. 58v: A herbal remedy against infirmities (‘Pocio ad omnes
infirmitates’). f. 59r: Herbal remedies for various physical
ailments.ff. 59r-59v: A herbal remedy for a coarse throat (‘ad
raucedinem vocis’), including an instruction for reciting prayers
while collecting one of its herbs. f. 59v: A charm to be used
against the power of a king or emperor, beginning: ‘Hec nomina
recole ante regem vel ante imperatorem ante vel retroacto per nomen
in axbidino . henonia . adonay, sabaot iactriel. sa. adonai. eloym.
hagai’. ff. 59v-60r: A recipe against epilepsy, including two
blessings for bread (‘benedictio panis’) and water (‘cum aqua
benedicta’). f. 60r: Remedies against toothache: a herbal remedy
against toothache, involving Artemisia; followed by a prayer-charm
addressed to ‘Lady Moon’ (‘domina luna’). ff. 60r-60v:
Herbal remedies for various physical ailments. f. 60v: Instructions
for making amulets, including two to make a woman obey, beginning:
‘ut mulier cito pareat scribat caractas [sic] in cera virgine:
epausaz esa enguez qui nonsapia . laletra alacarn . gorbon . r. z.
r. e. y. y. v.’; imperfect at the ending due to the loss of the
next folio(s). Decoration:Two full-page diagrams of the Sphere of
Life and Death in red ink (ff. 15v, 16r); 1 half-circular
astrological diagram (f. 41v); 3 amuletic diagrams in brown and red
ink (f. 53v); small diagrams of constellations in brown and red ink
(ff. 17v-24); tables in red ink (ff. 16r, 16v, 24r-25v, 26r-27v.
Medium and small initials in red; and small (one-line) initials
highlighted in red ink throughout the manuscript. Rubrics in red.
Underlining in red. Line-fillers in red. Manicules in brown ink
added to margins (ff. 34r, 52v).
