Of the great mysterie of antimonie

University of Pennsylvania digitized manuscript

296 leaves : paper ; 189 x 150 (161 x 114) mm bound to 195 x 155 mm; Binding: Calf over pasteboards, with pastedowns from a contemporary printed Bible (printer's waste). English, 18th century. Spine is split, and the codex is completely broken in half between f. 150 and 151 (i.e., between quires OO and PP of the first section). Quire PP is pulling loose. Leather of cover splitting at the upper hinge. Slight water damage to some of the leaves.; Collation: [v], A-Z², AA-RR², 2, A-Z², AA-II², [iv].; First work, incipit and explicit: (f. 6r) [preface] Courteous reader, I thought good, to let you understand ... (f. 150r) read it with judgement, before hee judgeth them. For hee that judgeth indiscreetly, will have the worst of it. Fare well. [There follows and alphabetical "register of the contents," f. 151r-160v.].; Foliation: Paper, 296; [1-296]; modern foliation in pencil, upper right recto.; Forms part of: Edgar F. Smith Memorial Collection.; From Zacour-Hirsch: "A letter from the Mass. Hist. Soc. indicates that this ms. may be in the handwriting of John Winthrop, Jr. (1606-1676)" This letter has not been located.; Ms. codex.; Origin: Written in England in the 17th century (Zacour-Hirsch).; Related Work: Figulus, Benedictus, active 1587-1607. Pandora magnalium naturalium aurea et benedicta, de benedicto lapidus philosophorum mysterio. English.; Script: Written in a semi-cursive script by a single hand.; Second work, incipit and explicit: (f. 165r) [preface] Most honorable gentlemen; In the course of my studyes ... (f. 292r) with Sol and lune, attayneth unto the mysterie. Finis.; Signatures: First two folios of each quire signed A1, A2 ... etc. The system begins anew with the second text, f. 165. No catchwords.; Title from title page (f. 6r).; Title of second work from f. 165r. This work was published in Strassbourg in 1608 with the Latin title, Pandora magnalium naturalium aurea et benedicta, de benedicto lapidus philosoph[orum] mysterio. An English translation of this work was published (London: J. Elliott, 1893) under the title, A golden and blessed casket of nature's marvels.; Watermark: Contains the letters ICO.