Details

Subjects:

Astrology -- Early works to 1800.
Astrology.
Occultism -- Early works to 1800.
Occultism.

Form/Genre:

Codices.
Diagrams.
Drawings (visual works)
Manuscripts, English.
Manuscripts, European.

Summary:

Incomplete work on judicial astrology that includes a preface by Charles Rainsford. The first part contains several chapters that give a general introduction to the topic including types of astrology (p. 4) and the causes of false predictions (p. 20). The second section is devoted to discussion of the signs of the zodiac, but only includes Aries and then ends in the section discussing Taurus.

Notes:

Ms. codex.
Title from title page (p. i).
Pagination: Paper, 186 leaves; [iv], 1-71, [72-368]; contemporary pagination in ink, upper outer corners.
Layout: Written in 23 long lines.
Script: Written in a cursive script by a single hand.
Decoration: Several diagrams (p. 42, 71) and tables (p. 52, 53, 59) including a diagram with a pen and ink drawing of Aries (p. 61).
Binding: Contemporary parchment. Moderate oxidation of ink has obscured some text.
Origin: Written in Gibraltar in 1795 (p. i).

Local notes:

Purchased with support from the B. H. Breslauer Foundation.

Penn Provenance:

Formerly owned by Charles Rainsford (British army officer, fellow of the Royal Society, and alchemist); bequeathed by Rainsford to Hugh Percy, Second Duke of Northumberland.
Owned by the 2nd through 12th Dukes of Northumberland, ms. 601, Alnwick Castle, Northumberland, 1809-2014 (bookplate, inside upper cover; stamps throughout).
Sold at auction at Sotheby's (London), 15 July 2014, as part of Lot 411.

Cited as:

UPenn Ms. Codex 1689.

Contributor:

Rainsford, Charles, 1728-1809, former owner.
Northumberland, Hugh Percy, Duke of, 1742-1817, former owner.
Charles Rainsford Collection of Alchemical and Occult Manuscripts (University of Pennsylvania)

OCLC:

913835887

Web link:

Unique at Penn blog post