Medieval Manuscripts in Cambridge Libraries

A catalogue of Western manuscripts and papyri at Cambridge University Library, the Fitzwilliam Museum and selected Cambridge colleges

Cambridge, Peterhouse, MS 139

Medical treatises

Contents

Introduction: The bulk of this manuscript comprises a copy of the Lilium medicinae of Bernard de Gordon, copied in the 14th century in southern France or northern Italy. It is accompanied by Walter Agilon's guide to dosages, De dosibus medicinarum, as well as an additional part of roughly contemporaneous but apparently separate manufacture, which contains the treatise on healing, Summa de modo medendi, of Gerard of Cremona/Gerard of Montpellier. The proliferation of new medical writings and translations during the 12th and 13th centuries presented students and scholars with a problem: how to manage, let alone comprehend, an increasingly mountainous body of knowledge, and apply that effectively in their work. The Lilium medicinae was one attempt at a solution. Written at the University of Montpellier in 1304, this systematic, head-to-toe guide to illness encompassed both medical and surgical knowledge, and drew in material from both Arabic and European sources. It was intended as a learned guide to practical medicine. First, Bernard described a disease, then followed the Hippocratic tradition in explaining its cause ('Causa'), its diagnosis ('Signa'), its course ('Prognosticatio'), its possible treatments ('Curatio') and how the body could be cleared of the illness ('Clarificatio'). This logical, rational structure is reflected in the presentation of the text in this manuscript, aiding its navigation and its use by its readers. Each book begins with a large decorated initial and a table of contents. These headings are repeated at the beginning of each numbered chapter, where they have been rubricated in a variety of ways: either by being written in or struck through in red ink. Within each chapter, further rubricated headings subdivide the text according to the Hippocratic schema outlined above. The usefulness of this arrangement to the medieval physician is illustrated by the addition of medical recipes to the margins by a succession of readers during the 14th and 15th centuries. Rather than haphazard or incidental insertions, these were placed in margins adjacent to passages in the main text that dealt with the same illnesses. Bernard's treatise thus provided a structure for readers to record and organise further medical knowledge that they had gained. In some instances, the sources of these recipes are cited: among them Arabic medical writers such as Avicenna and Razes, but also the herbal writer Macer (Odo of Meung), the surgeon Lanfranc of Milan, the Salernitan compilation of medical simples known as the 'Circa instans', and in several places someone called 'Gilbert'. This may be the writer known as Gilbertus Anglicus, who produced his own encyclopaedic compilation of medical treatments, the Compendium medicinae. This was one of the longest medical texts in Latin and perhaps the first such survey following the arrival of Greek and Arabic texts in Latin translations. Whereas Bernard organised his work from head to toe, however, Gilbertus opted to arrange his according to the body's systems: the brain, senses, breathing, digestion, fluids (blood and humours) and reproductive organs. Little is known about Gilbertus's life and it is not known where he studied or taught. That Montpellier is one possibility is suggested by Gilbertus's composition of a commentary on a uroscopy treatise by another scholar of that university, Gilles de Corbeil. Dr James Freeman|Medieval Manuscripts Specialist|Cambridge University Library

Physical Description

Form: codex
Support: Parchment (FHHF)
Extent: Codex: i + 2 + 108 | 8 + 3 + i leaves.
Foliation:

20th-century foliation

[a] + i-ii + 1-108 | 109-116 + 117-119 + [b]

Written in pencil in the upper right-hand corner of the recto of each leaf.

ff. 117-119 originally served as flyleaves.

Collation

  • Quires 1-28 (ff. 1-16)
  • Quire 34 (ff. 17-20)
  • Quire 4-58 (ff. 21-36)
  • Quire 64 (ff. 37-40)
  • Quires 7-88 (ff. 41-56)
  • Quire 94 (ff. 57-60)
  • Quire 108 (ff. 61-68)
  • Quire 114 (ff. 69-72)
  • Quire 12-158 (ff. 73-104)
  • Quire 164 (ff. 105-108) |
  • Quire 178 (ff. 109-116)

1-28 34 4-58 64 7-88 94 108 114 12-158 164 | 178

Additions

A cropped word beginning 'Parche[...]' added in the 15th century to endleaf ii recto.

A 17th-century table of contents in the lower margin of f. 1r both parts of the manuscript: ‘Lilium medicine / Gualterus de dosibus / Gerardus Cremonensis de modo medendi’.

Folio 117r: The motto 'Viribus et ingenio' added by a (?)15th-century hand.

Folio 117v: Verses, with the rubric: 'Condiciones boni medicine secundum Arnaldum de Villa noua'; beginning: 'Studens ingenio circumspectus medicando'; ending: 'Modestus sit benivolus summe hec operando'; and the final rubric: 'Isti uersus compos[u]it a magistri [sic] thoma Sutton' Added in the 15th century; Thomson (2016) suggests that 'Magister Thomas Sutton' was the namesake who became MA by 1464, MD from an unknown date, canon of Norton, Durham, from 1464 until his death in 1500.

Quire signatures ('a-r') in the bottom right-hand corner of the recto side of the first leaf of each quire, written in pencil by a hand of the 19th/20th century.

Binding

Earlier binding, presumably medieval, described in 1899 by M.R. James as 'pink skin over boards, two clasps gone: chain-mark at bottom of front cover'. Sewn on four bands, raised on the rounded spine. Remains of the stained skin may still be seen on the edges of the lifted pastedowns (f. i recto and f. 119v). The projecting, square-edged wooden boards have been reused in the present binding (see below).

Repaired by J.P. Gray and Son , probably during the first half of the 20th century. Brown half leather binding with grey paper sides over wooden boards.

Binding height: 345mm; width: 240mm; depth: 45mm.

History

Provenance and Acquisition

Owned by Thomas Deynman (fl. 1473, d. 1501) , Bachelor of Medicine from an unidentified contintental university, physician to Henry VII and Lady Margaret Beaufort, fellow of Peterhouse from 21 April 1473, and Master from 19 November 1500 until his death in early 1501: his ownership inscriptions on f. ii verso: ‘Constat Thome Deynman medico’; followed by a price paid for the manuscript: ‘Prec xvi s.’; an ownership inscription on f. 108v: ‘Liber thome deynman medici’; and another one on f. 116v: ‘Constat thome deynman medici’.

Probably bequeathed to Peterhouse by Thomas Deynman (fl. 1473, d. 1501) . The manuscript is perhaps one of the twenty of his 'better books' that one of the fellows was allowed to select. It was certainly at Peterhouse by 1589 since it is recorded as no. 37 in the shelf-list (now Peterhouse MS 400) of the Peterhouse library's contents compiled c. 1589-1592 and entitled 'Nomina librorum qui erant in Bibliotheca Collegii ante Doctorem Perne mortuum' (The names of the books that were in the library of the college before the death of Doctor Perne). Perne died in 1592. The book was recorded again, several years later, in the Ecloga Oxonio-Cantabrigiensis by Thomas James (1600), as no. 213. Peterhouse's ownership stamp on ff. 1r, 66r, and 116v.

Part 1 [Cambridge, Peterhouse, MS 139, ff. 1r-108v]

Contents

Language(s): Latin

1. 1r-105v
Lilium medicinae Bernard de Gordon
Language(s): Latin
Rubric: 1r Incipit lilium medicine Magistri B. de Gor.
Incipit: 1r Inter[o]gatus a quodam Socrates quomodo possit optime dicere
Explicit: 105v Intelligendum est hic quod nos ordinauimus per Dei gratiam iiii. opuscula diu est propter isud opus et si adderentur hic esset opus perfecit magisterii scilicet libellus de regimine acutorum morborum et libellus de crisi et de diebus creticis et libellus qui intitulatur tabula ingeniorum et sine ista factum est nihil et libellus de graduacione.
Final rubric: 105v Expletus est liber benedictus Deus in secula. Bene possum igitur dicere hoc opus exegi quod nec Iouis ira nec ignes nec ferrum nec edax abolere uetustas. Fuit scriptus liber iste anno incarnacionis Domini M CCC IIII die sancte agathe uirginis. Dextera scriptoris benedicta sit omnibus horis.

Marginal annotations with recipes in various Italian hands throughout.

eTK 0551J
eTK 0772B
Wickersheimer, pp. 75-76
2. 2r-105v
Medical recipes
Language(s): Latin

Written on various pages, usually in the bottom margin and less often in the fore-edge or top margins, by hands of the 14th and 15th centuries. They address the following:

  • f. 2r: for headache
  • f. 3r: for constipation
  • f. 16v: for morphea, for freckles
  • f. 17r: for serpigo (see below for full transcription and translation), for impetigo
  • f. 21v: for tiredness or pain
  • f. 22v: two for making hair grow
  • f. 26r: for headache (attributed to Avicenna)
  • f. 27v: for ailments of the head (uncertain)
  • f. 43v-44r: for improving/sharpening eyesight (f. 43v) and for an an unspecified purpose but presumably relating to the eyes (f. 44r)
  • f. 49v: for chapped/cracked lips and tongue and mouth ulcers, for swollen lips
  • f. 53r: for quinsy and swelling of the throat or neck or of any type (attributed to Lanfranc of Milan) (see below for full transcription and translation)
  • f. 55v: for cough and chest problems arising from cold
  • f. 61r: for unstated purposes but presumably relating to pleurisy (including one attributed to 'Gilbert')
  • f. 63r: for a heart ailment/cardiac fever
  • f. 66v: for indigestion and weakness in the stomach from cold
  • f. 71r: for dysentery
  • f. 71v: for a gentle laxative
  • f. 73r: for inflammation of the stomach, for anti-emetics (against vomiting) and for strengthening the stomach, and others (attributed to Razes)
  • f. 85v: for liver ailments (attributed to Razes)
  • f. 86r: for ?wind (attributed to Razes), for dropsy (attributed to Avicenna), for the stomach (attributed to 'Gilbert')
  • f. 86v: for dropsy (attributed to 'Gilbert') and another for dropsy and strengthening the stomach
  • f. 89r: for apostemes
  • f. 91v: for an unstated purpose but presumably relating to ulcers
  • f. 93v: three for strangury (urine retention) (inclding one attributed to the Circa instans)
  • f. 97r: two for hernia/rupture
  • f. 97v: two for glands/swelling ('glandis')
  • f. 101r: for preventing miscarriage, for strengthening the stomach (attributed to 'Gilbert'), and others for pregnant woman for uncertain purpose
  • f. 102v: for gout and pain when urinating (attributed to ?Macer)
  • f. 105v: for haemorrhoids, for a laxative, for a medicine called (?)'dyacacranim', for an mild electuary (for ?purging), for ?cleansing, for the kidneys

Full transcription for recipe for treating serpigo (f. 17r):| Unguentum ad serpiginem . Recipe radicis lapacii acuti, abterito duro quod est interius, frustatim incisa, ponatur in butiro per aliquos dies . tertio die decoquatur usque ad integram resolucionem radix, tunc exprimatur fortiter per panum, et in colatura liquefiat cera et fiat unguentum| Full translation:| Unguent for serpigo [a general term for a skin complaint]. Take the pointy roots of sorrel, scrape down to the hard part that is inside, cut [it] into pieces, it should be put in butter for a few days. On the third day, it should be cooked down until the whole root is melted, then it should be squeezed out strongly through a cloth, and into the filtered liquid wax should be liquified, and an unguent should be made.

Full transcription for recipe for treating quinsy (f. 53r):| Nota emplastrum alafranchi quod est contra squinancie et apostemati guteris et colli cuiuslibet specii. Recipe nydum yrundinis et fac illum in aqua. dul bullire. postea cum panno raro cola ut grosse palee abiciantur. terreum suaue quod remanet retineatur. In alia aqua bulliant radices lilii radices bismalue radices brionie folia maluarum et violetes et paritare que bullita pistentur optime a parte grossa unius cutelii super asserem cum aqua yrundinis . et incorperentur fermento bene acri et farine seminis lini donec fiant sicut pultes et addantur herbe pistate et oleum commune uel auxungia antiqua sine sale et bulliat tota et fiat emplastrum. Hoc emplastrum miraculose resoluit et maturat squinanciam siue sit intus siue sit extra, si extendatur supra pannum et ponatur ea supra gulam uel collum quod idem est in proposito. |Full translation:| Note: a plaster from Lanfranc [of Milan] which is against quinsy and swelling of the throat and of the neck and of any type whatsoever. Take the nest of a swallow and put it in fresh water and boil. Afterwards, strain with a thin cloth, in order that the coarse chaff may be discarded; the sweet earth that remains should be retained. In different water, boil the root of lilies, the roots of hollyhock, the roots of bryony, the leaves of mallows and violets and pellitory, from which boiled [mixture] the finest part should be cut away from the coarse part with a knife and crushed over a board with the swallow-water. And well-fermented yeast, wheat-flour [and] flax seeds should be incorporated, until they become like a poultice and then the ground herbs should be added and common oil or old animal fat without salt, and all of it should be boiled and a plaster should be made. This plaster miraculously resolves and matures quinsy, whether it be internal or external, if it is spread over a cloth and it is placed over the throat or neck, the same as has been stated.

3. 106r-108v
De dosibus medicinarum Walter Agilon
Language(s): Latin
Rubric: 106r Incipit liber de dosi secundum Galterum magistrum
Incipit: 106r Medicinarum quedam sunt simplices et quedam composite
Explicit: 108v et hec de dosi medicinarum dicta sufficiant
Final rubric: 108v Explicit liber de dosi medicinarum secundum Galterum. Deo gracias.
eTK 0860F
Wickersheimer, pp. 171-72

Physical Description

Secundo Folio: 2r in calore
Form: codex
Support: Parchment (FHHF)
Extent: Codex: 108 leaves. 335 × 235 mm.

Collation

  • Quires 1-28 (ff. 1-16)
  • Quire 34 (ff. 17-20)
  • Quire 4-58 (ff. 21-36)
  • Quire 64 (ff. 37-40)
  • Quires 7-88 (ff. 41-56)
  • Quire 94 (ff. 57-60)
  • Quire 108 (ff. 61-68)
  • Quire 114 (ff. 69-72)
  • Quire 12-158 (ff. 73-104)
  • Quire 164 (ff. 105-108)

Letters combined with Roman numerals or horizontal lines.

 Catchwords written in brown ink in the lower right-hand corner of the last versos of the quires.

Condition

There is a large cut in the middle of f. 116.

Layout

245 × 170 mm. Ruled in crayon, frame and line ruling. Double columns. 52-53 lines to the page, written below top line.

Hand(s)

ff. 1r-108v have been written by a single scribe in in Gothica Rotunda.

Decoration

Three- to seven-line puzzle initials in blue and red with penwork decoration inside the letter and pen-flourishing in both colours (ff. 1r [x2], 22r, 40r, 52v, 65v, 82v, 94v).

Two-line initials in blue or red with pen-work decoration in the opposite colour.

Line fillers in red ink.

Rubrics have either been written in red ink or written in brown ink and struck through with a red horizontal line.

Paraphs in blue or red ink.

History

Origin: 14th century. ; Southern France or Northern Italy.

Part 2 [Cambridge, Peterhouse, MS 139, ff. 109r-116v]

Contents

Language(s): Latin

1. 109r-116v
Summo de modo medendi Gerard of Cremona; Gerard of Montpellier
Language(s): Latin
Rubric: 109r Incipit summa magistri Geraldi Cremonensis de modo medendi et ordine quo corpus sit purgandum
Incipit: 109r [C]um omnis sciencia ex suo fine et utilitate sua
Explicit: 116v non sunt usi-||

Authorship uncertain. Text is defective at end.

eTK 0327
Wickersheimer, pp. 204-05

Physical Description

Secundo Folio: 110r a profundo
Form: codex
Support: Parchment (HFFH)
Extent: Codex: 8 leaves. 335 × 235 mm.

Collation

  • Quire 178 (ff. 109-116)

Condition

The leaves of this part are very cockled.

Layout

260 × 165 mm. Ruled in leadpoint, frame and lines. Double columns. 64-66 lines to the page written below top line.

Hand(s)

Copied by a single scribe in a Gothic Rotunda script.

Decoration

This part of the manuscript does not contains any significant form of decoration.

History

Origin: 14th century. ; Southern France or Northern Italy.

Additional Information

Record Sources

This catalogue entry draws on M.R. James, A descriptive catalogue of the manuscripts in the library of Peterhouse (1899); and R.M. Thomson, A Descriptive Catalogue of the Medieval Manuscripts in the Library of Peterhouse, Cambridge (2016), by kind permission of the author. Readers of this record are encouraged to consult Thomson's Catalogue for further information about this manuscript.

Availability

Researchers should note that Peterhouse's western European medieval manuscripts are housed at Cambridge University Library. Scholars who wish to consult Peterhouse manuscripts should contact the Special Collections Reading Room to arrange their visit; all University Library admissions procedures will apply. For information on eligibility and admissions procedures, see Joining the Library. For further enquiries, and to confirm the availability of the manuscript, please contact the Special Collections Reading Room.

Custodial History

The manuscript was displayed as part of the exhibition Curious Cures: Medicine in the Medieval World (Cambridge University Library, 29 March-6 December 2025) (ff. 16v-17r and 52v-53r).

Funding of Cataloguing

Wellcome

Digital Images

Cambridge Digital Library

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