139 leaves, composite manuscript in two parts, as follow: 1) ff. 1-73, paper (four different watermarks, “P,” similar to Briquet 8795-97 and Picard XVII 118, Vienna, 1553, shield with a band and two stars, similar to Briquet 1008, Munich, Prague, and Vienna, after 1533; “P” similar to Piccard XVII 498, Augsburg and Passau, 1552; and “P,” similar to Piccard XVII 518), missing 3 ff. at the beginning but without loss of text, else complete, in 19 quires, mostly of quaternions (except i2 of 8, ix6 of 8), with catchwords, foliated, beginning f. 4, written in a cursive hand in brown ink on one column of c. 36 lines (justification 245 x 160 mm.), with additions on ff. 1v, 73r, etc., and 2) ff. 74-139, paper (three different watermarks, scales, unrecorded, anchor in a circle, similar to Piccard IV 48, Linz, 1491, and scale in a circle, close to Piccard VI 110, Innsbruck, 1495), complete, bound in sexternions (xx-xiv12, xxv3), with catchwords, written in black and brown ink on 26 long lines, then 20-22 lines (justification 220/230 x 155 mm.), floral calligraphic penwork in red and green ink (f. 100v), rubrics. CONTEMPORARY BINDING made up of a fifteenth-century folio from a Gradual with square notation on a four-line red stave and large initials, alternating in blue and red, and containing of musical sequence of Godescalc from Aix-la-Chapelle (v. 1015-1098) for the Feast of the Conversion of Saint Paul (verses 4-12, Chevalier, Rep. hymn. n° 4786 ;ed. PL 141, 1323-1325) “ // me prosequeris. Ego sum Ihesus, durum est tibi ut recalcitres stimulo. …-… perlinxit legis et ewangelii duos molares in hiis contri-//, the watermark of f. 140, evidently unrecorded. Dimensions 310 x 215. Includes a pair of important and previously unknown medical treatises by two Austrian physicians, who transcribe, amend, and expand the famous fifteenth-century treatise by Michael Puff von Schrick (c. 1450), the first printed work on distillation exploring the pharmaceutical uses of distilled herbs. Signed and dated, 1499 and 1553, by author-scribes Benedikt Planckh and Leonardt Kärgl, the hitherto unrecorded manuscript--a working copy that must have belonged to the physicians themselves--deserves further study in relation to the reception and evolution of Schrick’s work in the century following his death.
Text
ff. 1-72, Benedikt Planckh,
Ein schön Ertzeney Buech, [Michael Puff von Schrick,
Von den ausgebrannten Wasser], as follows:
f., Prologue,
Ein schön Ertzeney Buech geschriben worden durch den achbaren Jungling Benedicten Planckh zu Ebenfürt des ich aigen bin biss da sein ander kùmbt. Anno Domini 1553 ; “Gott gib Genadt “; “Raro datur doctis casta puella viris. Amor vincit omnia”;
ff. 2r-v, Recipe of Saint John, rubric,
Sandt Johanns der gab dise Lerr seinen Jüngern wider alle Uberflussigkhait des bluets zùlassen. Item ain erstem in gesundthaitt des leibs… “;
ff. 3-72v, Michael Puff von Schrick,
Von den ausgebrannten Wassern (with omissions, transpositions then additions), Table of Content, Hienach stendt verzaichnet die ausgeprenten wasser… als dan maister Michael Schrick, doctor in der Erzeney… ; incipit “Hie hebt sich an ein nützliche materi von manigerley ausegebrenten wassern … (f. 72v, last addition) “Sandt Johanss Öll zu machen… “;
f. 73r, two contemporary additions on paper glued to f. 73;
ff. 74v-139, Leonhart Kärgl [Medical Compilation], including Michael Puff von Schrick,
Von den ausgebrannten Wasser, as follows:
f. 74v, Prologue by Leonhart Kärgl, incipit, “In nomine Domini, amen. Inn dem Namen der heilige untailsamen Drivaltigkait unnd mit Hilf götlicher Weishait unnd Kunnst hab ich Leonhart Kärgl angefangen unnd [
mots barrés : … hübscher] unnd auch kunst zw samen gesamelt vil schöner, gerechter Stuckh der löblichen Erzney zur Wunden unnd manigerlay Geprechn der Menschn nach Inhalt unnd Aussweisung dies Puechs gemacht unnd gezogen aus dem rechten waren Fundement unnd Grunt der hawbt Püecher dem ewigen Got zw Lob unnd der plöden geprechlichen Menschait zenncs. Anno salutis nostre 1499.”
f. 75, Michael Puff von Schrick,
Von den ausgebrannten Wassern, Title, Hie nach stend verzeichnet dy aussgeprannten wasser in welicher mass man di zu den glidernn nütznn unn prauchnn schol als dan maister Michael Schrick doctor in der Ertzenei die beschribnn hat unn ist gar guet und nützlich zw wissen”;
f. 75r-v, Table of Content and Colophon,
Johannes Bamler zu Augspurg;
ff. 76r-87v, incipit, “Hyenach volget ein nutzliche materi von manigerlay aussgeprantten wassern wie man die nützen und prauchen sol zu gesunthait der menschen und das puechlein hat maister Michel Schrick doctor der ertznei durch liebe und gepet willen erwern personen auss den puechern zusamen colligiert und beschrieben.
Zu dem ersten von dem Rosen wasser …; explicit, … Wer auch orwurm oder ander in den oren hat, die sterben von dem wein etc.”;
ff. 87v-89v, 90r, Continuation (in the same hand), rubric,
Andivia das krawt, incipit, “Ist guet zu der leber ….” explicit, “in dem morser am erstem”; (f. 90r), rubric,
Lass dy platernn woll… (recipes);
ff. 89v, 90v-121v, Additions (second hand), rubric,
Für die asma oder keichn ; incipit, “Nym wermuet unnd epich krawt…”; (90v) rubric,
Ain wasser zw den augn; incipit, “Nym ain lot weissn vitriel unnd stöss dann klain zu pulfer…”;
ff. 122-130r: Additions (same second hand, at different times), incipit, “Ain guet recept zu fauln stainkc und fur den krebs, auch zu andern alten schaden... “;
ff. 131r-139: Additions (third hand), incipit, “Von erst wie man nasalia sol so aine die nasen verstopht ist, nymb die hernach peschirben stuck aus der apoteckhn oder gib das recept hin ein lass machen… “ (additions at different times).
This medical manuscript is composed of two distinct parts, the first by Benedikt Planckh, dated 1553 at Ebenfurt, and the second by Leonhardt Kärgl, dated 1499, probably in Austria. Entirely homogeneous, the two works were bound together already in the sixteenth century. Otherwise apparently unknown in the medical literature, Plankh and Kärgl were physicians who transcribed, amended, and expanded the fundamental treatise on distilled water (
Von den ausgebrannten Wassern) by the famous Austrian physician Michael Puff von Schrick, known as Michael Schrick. One of the first printed treatises on the distillation of water, Schrick’s work gives the pharmaceutical uses of many distilled herbs. He was one of the earliest to write on the importance of drinking distilled liquor to avoid health problems caused by contaminated water. To Schrick’s work, Planckh and Kärgl added numerous cures and recipes citing among their sources other professors and physicians, such as Peter of Ulm, Karg van Innsbruck, Appolonius of Maniz, etc.
Born in Schrick in Lower Austria, Michael Puff von Schrick (1400-73), studied medicine at the University of Vienna, where he became Master of Arts in 1423 and was recognized as a member of the faculty of medicine in 1430 and doctor in 1433. His career was brilliant: between 1435 and 1470, he was elected Dean at least 11 times, and he was the personal physician of the Archduke Albrecht II. He died in 1473 in Vienna (see esp. Walter and Keil, VL, p. 908 ff.).
Copies of Schrick’s work are embedded in the paired works by the two physicians (on ff. 2-8 and 75-87v). On ff. 2-8 appears an abbreviated version of Schrick’s treatise that does not correspond directly with any of the printed versions. On ff. 75-87v is found an exact copy of the complete treatise by Michael Schrick published in Augsburg by Johann Bämler and dated 27 October 1477 (Goff S-325). The manuscript includes a copy of the printed Table of Content as well as the colophon of the printer on f. 75. Only three examples of this treatise are identified in public collections, although this work is known in 17 editions before 1500, of which six were published by Bämler. A modern edition of Schrick’s work was undertaken by Welker,1988, although this is not readily available. At least 30 manuscripts are extant, mostly in German institutions: 4 in Heidelberg, 13 in Munich, 3 in Augsburg, etc. There are no listings in DeRicci, and the only manuscript in North America appears to be at Yale University (Beinecke Library, MS 885). Most surviving copies exist in medical miscellanies, along with other texts, as occurs here.
Both authors credit Schrick on ff. 3 and 75 respectively. The Index begins as in the printed copy with the words
Hienach stend vertzeichnet dy ausgeprannten wasser… als dan maister Michael Schrick, doctor in der Ertzenei die beschriben hat und ist gar guet und nützlich zw wissen (“Below is a list of the distilled waters … as Master Michael Schrick, doctor of medicine, describes them and it is good and useful to know”) (f. 3). On f. 85 appears
Das hab ich Michel Schrick oft pewäret unn ist armer Leut Ertznnei (“This, I Michael Schrick have often noticed, and it is the medicine of the poor folk”).
Planckh and Kärgl add many additional cures, not found in Schrick’s original work. In some cases they credit their sources. Thus, in Planckh’s text, we read on f. 32v,
Dise remedia hat geschriben der hochgehert doctor der ertzeney Appolony von Mainz wider geprechen der pestilennz (“This cure was written by the very honorable doctor of medicine Apollonius of Mainz against attacks of the plague”). And in Kärgl’s text on f. 93v,
Ein guet praven Pflaster von Maister Karg von Insprugk (“a good and effective plaster by the Master Karg d’Innsbruck”); and on f. 103r, …
das pest pflaster, das maister Peter von Ulm gemacht unnd die geprawcht hat und ist guet zw allen wundn (“the best plaster that was made and used by Master Peter of Ulm and is good for all sorts of wounds”). After the distilled liquors and essences, the Kargl is interested, from the medical point of view, particularly in ointments and creams (
Salben), in plasters (
Pflaster) and in powders (
Pulfer), which bear various names (f. 110v,
apostolorum; f. 112r,
ungentum Agripa; f. 113,
des künig von Engelant salben).
The subjects treated pay witness to technical and social developments (how to cure the wounds inflicted by fire arms, for example) but they also cover old diseases (f. 108v,
für sand Antonius kranckhait, or f. 113,
für sand Anthonigen plag [St. Anthony’s fire]) . Some of the additions consist of invocations rather than recipes per se. On f. 95r-v, for example,
Wie man Pfeil ziehen soll (“how to withdraw an arrow … in invoking the Trinity, by reference to a Roman soldier who pierced the flank of Christ on the Cross). The remedy for wounds from firearms (ff. 97v-98v) is an invocation, as the method for aiding a woman in childbirth (f. 98v,
Wenn ain fraw mit gepern mag. So lass dir ain priester der des tags mess hab glesn schreiben… + infans + exi + Christus + te + vocat + ad lucem… [When a women is not birthing her child, write to a priest who read mass that day … [cross] Child [cross] exit [cross] Christ [cross] I call [cross] you [cross] to the light]). The third hand (ff. 131-139) gives varied recipes, apparently with no discernable preference of subject, to complete the compilation (e.g., f. 136v, fur das Gicht [for gout]; f. 137, zu dem schlaff [for sleep]).
Literature
Walther, Helmut and Gudolf Keil, “Michael Puff von Schrick,” Die deutsche Literatur des Mittelalters. Verfasserlexikon, vol. 7, cols. 905-10. (VL)
Welker, Lorenz. Das “latromatematische Corpus”: Untersuchungen zu einem alemannischen astrologisch-medizinischen Kompendium des Spatmittelalters mit Textausgabe und einem Anhang: Michael Puffs von Schrick Traktat “Von den ausgebrannten Wässern” in der handscriftlichen Fassung des Codex Zurich, Zentralbiblithek, C 102b, Dissertation, University of Zurich, 1988.
Online resources
List of manuscripts of Schrick’s treatise in the database, Manuscripta Mediaevalia
http://www.manuscripta-mediaevalia.de/db/apsisa.dll/init?sid={2bb3888f-1a9f-4d73-a3fc-f49396d6e5f5}&cnt=518&:i=1
MedHist: Guide to History of Medicine Resources on the Internet
http://medhist.ac.uk/
Textmanuscripts - Les Enluminures
