The James Catalogue of Western Manuscripts

Shelfmark O.5.26
Manuscript Title

Astrological Miscellany

Alternative Title

Astrologia Anglice.

James Number 1307
Century 14th
Physical Description

Double columns of 38 lines. Clearly written.

Provenance

Part of the Gale collection, given to T.C.C. by Roger Gale in 1738. Marked A. 22.

Donor Gale, Roger (1672-1744), Antiquary
Size (cm) 36 x 25.5
Folio 190 ff.
Material Parchment
Language Middle English
Collation

2 flyleaves, 18-48 (wants 4, 5) 58-88 (wants 4, 6, 7)-138 (wants 6) 148 158 (wants 8) 164 (wants 3) 178-198 206 (wants 5, 6) 218 2210 238 248 (wants 8) 258 (wants 6-8). These leaves were mostly lost since the leaves were numbered in cents. xvii, xviii.

Notes

No ff. 60, 62-3, 102 (stub only remaining), 106, 123 (stub only remaining not photographed)

IIIF Manifest URL https://mss-cat.trin.cam.ac.uk/Manuscript/O.5.26/manifest.json
Online Since 07/07/2017

Contents

1. f.1 Here bigynneþ þe book of Alkabucii interpreted by John of Spayn and it is cleped þe introductorie of þe domes of sterres
þpe lengþe of lif of þe lord axed.

2. A treatise of 'William English' of which the beginning is gone, probably before f.28.
It ends f.38b: whan a man may vnneþe go for olde.
Here endeþ þe firste tretys of Willyam Englisch.

3. f.38b Here bigynneþ anoþer tretys of þe same Willyam Englisch
Of þe cause of ignoraunce or raþer of enuye.
-and he was emoptoicus and ptisicus.
Expl. tract. Willelmi Anglici.

4. f.44 Here bigynneþ þe flower of Albumasar of þe domes of Astronomye
þis is þe booke which Albumasar gadered togidre.

5. The Elections of Zael.
Beginning gone, apparently before f.61.
Ends f.75: deposinge of þe kyng ’if god wole.
Here endeþ þe eleccions of Zael.

6. f.75b Here bigynneþ þe kalender of þe tretys folouinge of the domes of astronomy
(71 chapters.)
f.76 Here bigynneþ þe. booke of Domes
Of signes some beþ masculyne.
Good partial border and initial.
Ends: gif ’e lord were of þe orient signe · ’eue to hym feble.
Here endeþ domes of astronomye.

7. f.95 Here bigynneþ a tretys þaat was drawen out of a libelle þat was sent to a kyng of Sarsyns Almasor
Fortunes beþ large and trewe.
-and luna and mercurius in fixe signes.
Here endet þe sawes þat be outdrawen of þe libel þat was sent to þe kyng of Sarsynes Almasor.

8. f.98b Here bigynneþ
þe Centilogie of ptolomei þe science of sterres.
-to greve ye kyng.
Here endeþ þe Centiloge of ptholomei.

9. f.103b Note on 'Blodlese'

10. f.104 Of þe sterres þ t beþ seide. cometes

11. f.105 On 'lip ’ere' (leap year)

12. f.105 Here bigynneþ þe floures of Albumazar of eleccions
In þe name of god here bigynneþ eleccions.
In single lines.

13. f.115b A chapitre in tellinge of saturn etc. (his effects in the twelve signs)
þis boke Romaynes vnderstoden.

14. f.116b In þe name of god here bigynneþ þe boke of interpretacions which I trowe to be of Messehalla. I fonde hit drawen out of his boke of interrogacions
Knowe þ u þ t þe biholder.

15. f.117b Capitulum de occultacione anuli siue alterius rei secundum dorachium
Whan any man haþ hidde.

16. f.117b Particulere dome of chaunginge of te ayr etc.
Considre ye signe ascendent.

17. f.118 Of þe significacioun of þe moost coniunccioun is of Saturni and Jouis
Messahalla seide.

18. f.118b Here is schewyde þe tyme of þe forseide coniunccioun etc.
A speche of þe sawes of olde holy fadres.
The conjunction is prophesied for 1405.

19. f.119 Chapitre of þe sowynge of seedes
Virgile telleþ in Georgicis.

20. f.120 Chapitre of þe tyme of plantinge trees
Ferþermore Zael þe grete philosofre.
f.120b is blank.

21. No heading.
To makynge of þe lytel schippe of venyse.
Ends imperfectly.
On f.124 are two full page diagrams.

22. f.125 Here bigynneþ þe newe theorik of planetis þat schal euermore dure wt outen ende after þe almagest of ptholome
For in þe theorik of planetis.
f.159b þe secunde chapitre of age of þe world after diuerse opinions.
Leycester is much quoted.
f.169b Of knowlech of þe lord or of þe lordes of þe ’ere
f.171 Of þe perfite knowyng of domes
f.176b Arzachels tables
On f.181 a treatise ends: and went agayn to his olde pouert.
Here endeþ Exafranon.
but the beginning is not obvious unless it be at f.171.

23. f.181b Inc. liber de interrogacionibus ’ael
Whan þ u were axed of þe lif of a man.

24. f.184b Inc. Messahalla de signincacione planetarum in plagis terre
þ e firste chapitre is of resoun of þe cercle.
Ends imperfectly on f.185b.

25. Full page tables 186
Inc. Tabula completa Domorum.
Five leaves remain, handsomely written.

Bibliography

Carey, H. M., Medieval Latin Astrology and the Cycles of Life : William English and English Medicine in Cambridge, Trinity College MS O.5.26, Astro-Medicine : Astrology and Medicine, East and west, Micrologus' library 25 (Firenze, 2008)

Kusukawa, S., and I. Maclean, ed., Transmitting Knowledge : Words, Images and Instruments in Early Modern Europe , Oxford-Warburg Studies (Oxford, 2006)

Mooney, L. R., The Index of Middle English Prose Handlist 11: Manuscripts in the Library of Trinity College, Cambridge (Cambridge, 1995), pp. 116-21

Price, D. J., 'The Little Ship of Venice: a Middle English Instrument Tract', Journal of the History of Medicine and Allied Sciences 15 (1960), 399-407

Rand Schmidt, K. A., The Authorship of the Equatorie of the Planetis, Chaucer Studies; 19 (Cambridge, 1993)

Wragg, R.D., The guild book of the Barbers and Surgeons of York (British Library, Egerton MS 2572): study and edition (Woodbridge, 2021)

 

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