Alchemical Symbolism in the VMS

[nablator]

I will focus my research on a treatise entitled Liber super textum hermetis (pre.1325) signed by an alchemist called Hortulanus

Well "signed" may not be the most accurate word, with all the pseudepigrapha, the re-assembled and re-written texts... There is an almost century-wide gap between the supposed date of writing and the earliest known manuscripts, all 15th century. No symbols in the few manuscripts viewable online. One version (TK20) is attributed to Lull and does not mention quinta essentia, the other (TK456) may be more recent or not, it's hard to tell.

I wonder how many supposed pre-15th century texts were actually created (or very much modified/expanded) in the 15th century.

EDIT:

I didn't know about this 13th-14th century Swiss (St. Gallen) ms.: Kantonsbibliothek Vadiana Ms. 300. You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view. (not viewable online apparently)

23. Las primeras ediciones impresas identifican a este alquimista con el inglés Johannes de Garlandia (fl.1205-1255), aunque se ha demostrado que esta conclusión es falsa. Se desconoce si Ortolan fue su nombre real o un seudónimo (s.e. Jardinero). La versión más antigua de su Liber super textum hermetis, conservada en el códice 300 de la Bibliothek Vadiana, lo denomina “Ortulanus ab ortis Martini nuncupatus”, no obstante nadie ha encontrado sentido a esta expresión.

Google Translation:
(Note) 23: Early printed editions identify this alchemist with the Englishman Johannes de Garlandia (fl. 1205–1255), although this conclusion has been shown to be false. Whether Ortolan was his real name or a pseudonym (i.e., Gardener) is unknown. The oldest version of his Liber super textum hermetis, preserved in Codex 300 of the Bibliothek Vadiana, calls him “Ortulanus ab ortis Martini nuncupatus,” although no one has been able to explain the meaning of this expression.

The Johannes de Garlandia edition (1560) mentions "essentia quinta":
   
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