DEP/ANO/4 | Institutionum Chemicarum | A handwritten book on chemistry divided into three parts, pp1-17, pp18-88 and pp89-254 titled 'De Artis chemicae ortu', 'De Chemiae Theoria' and 'De Chemiae praxi'. The second part has sections on gold, silver, copper, mercury, iron, tin, lead, salt, sulphur etc with other sections on fire, air, water and earth. The third part lists 211 processes or experiments many to do with the creation of elixirs and using alchemical symbols. There is a reference to Johann Conrad Barchusen p14 the majority of whose works were published in the early 18th century. There is also a reference on p246 to 'an. [anno] 1720'. It has been assumed that the work was written some time in the 1720s or 1730s. The author is unknown. | c1730 |
DEP/ANO/22 | 'Judicium urinarum', author unknown | The text is relieved with red capitals and diagrams of alembics with different fluids, presumably urine. The 'Judicium' ends on page 134 and is followed by a list of planets and the days of the week; a table showing the dates of a month in terms of zodiac signs which also correlate to the twelve alchemical processes; and a list of names, possibly alchemical elements. On pages 141-144 is a work that starts 'This booke of Ipocras techith...' Page 145 is half missing but appears to contain superstitions relating to days of the week. Pages 146-161 contain prescriptions for various conditions, for example the hot and cold dropsy (p148). Pages 161-172 contain medical texts on blood letting (p161-162) and the affects of astronomy and astrology (p164-165) with a list of planets with their symbols (p169-170). In different hands and added later at the bottom of p171 is a process using mercury; pages 172-173 have a text titled 'Ignis' in verse form; and pages 173-174 have further verses titled 'A descrypcyon of the fort off iniquitye'. Possibly a translation of the work by Walter Aglion (fl 1220-1260) which exists in an online version of an old University of Cambridge manuscripts catalogue. The date is subject to verification as it was originally given as 14th century. | Late 15th century |
DEP/COJ/2/1/8 | [Untitled set of lecture notes] of John Dixon Comrie | Notes on leprosy, syphilis, (tuberculosis); plague; sweating sickness; history of hospitals and nursing; Illustration of [William] Harvey's experimental method; biographical notes including alchemists; Developments in Medicine and Surgery in eighteenth & 19th century; Galen on the spinal cord; outlines of lectures and what may be lists of slides or illustrations; and list of lectures 1926-27. | 1930s |
DEP/ERG | Collection of Sir George Erskine | | 17th century-1707 |
DEP/ERG/1 | Alchemical manuscripts of Sir George Erskine | There were originally six volumes. Volume 2 is missing and reference is made to this as early as 1876 (when Small presented Moncrieff's account of the Ripley Scroll). To avoid confusion the numbering in this section reflects this missing volume. It is not known when they were bound but at least one document post-dates Erskine's death. Each article in the volumes has been catalogued separately but very few are dated. The dates given in the entries therefore reflect the likely time period in which the copies were made. | Late 17th century |
DEP/ERG/1/1 | Alchemical manuscripts of George Erskine, volume 1 | The volume is uniformly written and laid out, with some careful amendments, and the pages are consecutively numbered. As such it can be assumed that the manuscripts were copied at the same time and not kept separately before being bound. The index indicates whether an item was copied from a printed or manuscript source and this has been noted in each entry.
According to McCallum, the 1767 library catalogue described this volume as containing 15 tracts although the contents pages list 50. Possibly the librarian listing the item only looked at the first contents page and not the subsequent pages. It should be noted that two manuscripts, number 13 (pp575-589) and number 14 (pp734-740) do not appear in the volume in the position they appear in the contents list. Other than these examples the contents list is reliable so the individual items within the volume have not been numbered. | Late 17th century |
DEP/ERG/1/1/1 | [Introduction by the Earl of Cromartie to alchemical manuscripts of George Erskine, volume 1] | He gives an account of the life and alchemical interests of his grandfather, Sir George Areskine [Erskine], some provenance of the manuscripts and his decision to donate the volumes to the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh.
He writes 'I haveing found by letters directed from one Dr Politius (a Polonian or Silesian) to my Grandfather Sir George Areskine of Invertile...who was a great student in natural philosophy, evn to a considerable advancement in the Hermetick schoole, and had a correspondence in very remote parts with the sonnes of Hermes and of whos fruits of his expensive and secret correspondence with them I have depositat some volumns of manuscripts, mostly of his own handwritt. This was sent to him, by the Society at Hess, and directed under the conveyance of the said Dr Politius, who by his letters to Sir George declares that by direction of that Society his chief errand to Scotland was to conferr with him. And I judged it a monument, not unworthy to be consigned to the Honorable Colledg of Physicians at Edinburgh both for its conveyance and matter: evn tho perhaps much of it may be or is now in print...' (abridged). | 19 Jun 1707 |
DEP/ERG/1/1/2 | [Contents list to alchemical manuscripts of George Erskine, volume 1] | The titles are followed by part of the first line of the text which is different from those on the tracts. At the end of some entries is written 'Impres' or 'Imp' indicating that they have been copied from a printed book. Others have 'ex manuscript' of 'ex ma scrip' which indicates that they have been copied from manuscripts. | Late 17th century |
DEP/ERG/1/1/3 | Alchemical manuscripts of George Erskine: Turba Philosophorum in secunda philosophia longe... | The Turba Philosophorum is the name of a collection of about 70 anonymous tracts, probably dating from the 12th century. It introduced many of the key themes of the alchemical tradition and was often quoted in later writings. There is another collection at HOU/1 which differs from this one. From a printed source. | Late 17th century |
DEP/ERG/1/1/4 | Alchemical manuscripts of George Erskine: Congregatio sive Turba Philosophorum secundum aliud... | From a printed source. | Late 17th century |
DEP/ERG/1/1/5 | Alchemical manuscripts of George Erskine: In Turbam Philosophorum exercitationes in quibus... | From a printed source. | late 17th century |
DEP/ERG/1/1/6 | Alchemical manuscripts of George Erskine: Septem Tractatus sine Capitula Hermetis Trismegisti... | Page heading is 'Hermetis Trismegisti [Hermes Trismegistus] Septem aurei Tractatus'. From a printed source. | late 17th century |
DEP/ERG/1/1/7 | Alchemical manuscripts of George Erskine: Verba Secretorum Hermetis quae scripta erant in tabula... | From a printed source. | late 17th century |
DEP/ERG/1/1/8 | Alchemical manuscripts of George Erskine: Iohannis Garlandii Angli Philosophi doctissimi vel ut... | Page heading is 'Garlandii Coment: in Tabulam Smaragdina Hermetis'. From a printed source. | Late 17th century |
DEP/ERG/1/1/9 | Alchemical manuscripts of George Erskine: Liber de Compositione Alchemiae quem aedidit Morienus... | Page heading is 'Morienus Romanus De transmutatione metal:' or 'De transmuta: metalloru'. From a printed source. | Late 17th century |
DEP/ERG/1/1/10 | Alchemical manuscripts of George Erskine: Practica Mariae Prophetissae in artem Alchimicam | Ends 'Explicit liber Maria Sororis Moysi' [Mary, the sister of Moses concludes the book]. From a printed source. | Late 17th century |
DEP/ERG/1/1/11 | Alchemical manuscripts of George Erskine: Liber Secretorum Alchemia compositus per Calid filiu... | Page heading is 'Secreta Alchimiae Calid filii Jazichi'. From a printed source. | Late 17th century |
DEP/ERG/1/1/12 | Alchemical manuscripts of George Erskine: Richardi Anglici correctorium Alchimia sive correctio... | Page heading is 'Secreta Alchimiae Calid filii Jazichi'. From a printed source. | Late 17th century |
DEP/ERG/1/1/13 | Alchemical manuscripts of George Erskine: Iohannes Sautre Monachus de Toorney de Alchimia | Page heading is 'Johannes Sautrey de Alchimia'. From a manuscript source. | Late 17th century |
DEP/ERG/1/1/14 | Alchemical manuscripts of George Erskine: Epistola Iohannis Dastine ad Papam Johanem 22 trasmissa | Page heading is 'Johannes Dastine ad Epum Romanu'. From a manuscript source. | Late 17th century |