14-07-2017, 05:12 PM
You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view. discusses some lists of Rudolf's books. It is noted that the lists are by no means a full representation of the books that Rudolf owned.
So the chance to find a match for the VMS in those lists is not high.
Anyway.
Rene mentions that:
We discussed this record elsewhere in this forum, and it does not look like a good match for the VMS. But what occurred to me is that the search for matches in the available lists of Rudolf's books might have taken the wrong direction from the very beginning (I don't know if it actually did, hence I'm opening this thread for discussion).
From what I perceive from Rene's description, the search was narrowed down to books "in unknown writing or language". But the VMS might have been perceived by Rudolf (or the seller who sold the book to him) - and hence put down into the catalogue - quite in another way.
First, it might have been perceived as a book in a known but exotic language. Recall how references to Coptiс were made in the later history of the VMS. That the seller neither anybody at the court could not read the book does not mean that the book is an unknown language. If I can't read Spanish that does not mean that Spanish is a language "unknown".
Second, it might have been catalogued as a book by someone (Roger Bacon or another author deemed likely by the seller or by Rudolf) without any reference to the language or writing whatsoever. That the writing is unreadable does not necessarily mean that this fact would have been specifically mentioned in the catalogue, especially if the author was deemed to be a famous person. The fact of unreadability might have been of lesser priority to the purchaser than the fact of the book having been created by a famous author, so it just could be omitted.
Unfortunately, I found no lists of Rudolpf's books on the Internet to check these considerations myself.
So the chance to find a match for the VMS in those lists is not high.
Anyway.
Rene mentions that:
Quote:The inventory does not mention any book in unknown writing or language. In general, the large collection of alchemical books known to have been owned by Rudolf are not found in this inventory. Some of these were taken to Sweden as war booty, and later given to I. Vossius, who brought them to Leiden, where they are still preserved. The only entry which might possibly refer to the Voynich MS is:
Quote: In folio: ein philosophisch alt geschriben buch mit figurn und ein copey uff pergamen geschriben vom Mathes Dörrer, ungebunden, welchs nit gantz beysamen und Herr Hayden auß bevelch I. Mt: etliche bletter davon genommen
We discussed this record elsewhere in this forum, and it does not look like a good match for the VMS. But what occurred to me is that the search for matches in the available lists of Rudolf's books might have taken the wrong direction from the very beginning (I don't know if it actually did, hence I'm opening this thread for discussion).
From what I perceive from Rene's description, the search was narrowed down to books "in unknown writing or language". But the VMS might have been perceived by Rudolf (or the seller who sold the book to him) - and hence put down into the catalogue - quite in another way.
First, it might have been perceived as a book in a known but exotic language. Recall how references to Coptiс were made in the later history of the VMS. That the seller neither anybody at the court could not read the book does not mean that the book is an unknown language. If I can't read Spanish that does not mean that Spanish is a language "unknown".
Second, it might have been catalogued as a book by someone (Roger Bacon or another author deemed likely by the seller or by Rudolf) without any reference to the language or writing whatsoever. That the writing is unreadable does not necessarily mean that this fact would have been specifically mentioned in the catalogue, especially if the author was deemed to be a famous person. The fact of unreadability might have been of lesser priority to the purchaser than the fact of the book having been created by a famous author, so it just could be omitted.
Unfortunately, I found no lists of Rudolpf's books on the Internet to check these considerations myself.