Details

Subjects:

Cabala -- Early works to 1800.
Cabala.
Cosmology -- Early works to 1800.
Cosmology.
Occultism -- Early works to 1800.
Occultism.

Form/Genre:

codices (bound manuscripts)
translations (documents)
Manuscripts, English -- 18th century.
Manuscripts, European

Language:

English, with occasional words in Hebrew, Greek, and Latin.

Summary:

Charles Rainsford's English translation of the first two books of Robert Fludd's Utriusque cosmi historia and other works. Includes an alphabetical index (p. iii). Several leaves have been pasted in and are now detached (p. 361-366).

Notes:

Ms. codex.
Title from title page (p. i).
Pagination: Paper, 240; [xxvi], 1-11, 13-260, 262-354, 356, 356-365, [i], 366, [i], 366-395, 395, 397-449, [iv]; contemporary pagination in ink, upper outer corners.
Layout: Written in 26 long lines.
Script: Written in a cursive script in the hand of Charles Rainsford.
Binding: Contemporary leather. Upper cover and first quire detached. Spine leather deteriorating. Moisture damage along upper portion of gutter.
Origin: Written in England in the second half of the 18th century.

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. 600, 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:

Robert Fludd, Theosophic and Cabalistic Tracts (Oversize Ms. Codex 1688). Kislak Center for Special Collections, Rare Books and Manuscripts, University of Pennsylvania Libraries.

Contributor:

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

OCLC:

913833388

Web link:

Unique at Penn blog post

Access Restriction:

Access to this item is subject to staff review.