Re: VMs: Fw: VM Bulletin

["Rafal T. Prinke" <rafalp@xxxxxxxxxx>]

Hi Rene,

> The signature from Melnik givies his name in
> Czech (I think....), where on the VMs it says:
> "of Jabobus de Tepenec" which is Latin. Indeed it
> is cursive. It may also date from a quite different
> time.

Yes - so I wouldn't question his ownership (at least not yet).
Which means it is so much more important to find more
info about Sinapius - especially from primary sources
(such as Manfred has supplied) or contemporary writers.

> Note that there are several rather clear copies
> of the signature on f1r in the Beinecke!
> The original MS page does not really show it
> anymore.
> Note also, that a relatively clear copy appears
> in the 1921 article by Voynich, but my photocopy
> of (a photocopy of) that one is already almost
> illegible. I ordered a photocopy of the best
> one I saw in Beinecke, but when it arrived by post,
> it turned out that due to the illumination during
> the copying it also became illegible.

Sounds like an ongoing conspiracy! :-) Perhaps it could
be photographed with a digital camera in full colour
(I know it is b/w in the article but colour picture
always is more precise)? Does anyone has easy access
to a library which has the original of that artcile?

> There are still publication about him (in Czech)
> that have not been checked by VMs enthousiasts,
> although I will check again with Jan.

A quick search of on-line catalogs shows a religious
text by Sinapius published in 1609 and again in 1677:

Wyzn nij prawě Wijry Křestianské wsseobecnj 
  o Nadegi   o Lásce   o Sprawedlnosti Křestianské   o 
  Cýrkwj Swaté   k tomu o Swátostech   a o giných 
  Cýrkwe Swaté Ržádijch   a Kostelnijch Ceremonyjch. 
  Od Jakuba Horického (!) z Tepence   Geho Milosti 
  Cýsaře Ržimského   Vherského a Cžeského Krále   ec 
  Dwořenijna   a H. K. S. G. N. H. P. [=Hejtmana 
  Kláštera Sv. Giří na Hradě Pražském.] W řád a w 
  gednu summu z pobožných Autorů vwedená   a na swětlo 
  wydaná. Wytistěná w Starém Městě Pražském   v 
  Kasspara Kargezya   (poslednjho dne Měsýce Prasynce) 
  Léta Paně M. DC. IX [=1609]. 

Wyznánij prawé Wjry Krestianské wsseobecnj, 
  o Naděgi, o Lasce, o Sprawedlnosti Krestianske, o 
  Cyrkwj Swaté, k tomu o Swatostech, a o giných Cýrkwe 
  Swate Ržádých, a Kostelnijch Ceremonyjch. Od Jakuba 
  Horčického z Tepence, Geho Milosti Cýsare Ržímského, 
  Vherského a Cžeského Krále, etc. Dwořenijna a H. K. 
  S. G. N. H. P. W řád a w gednu Summu z pobožnijch 
  Authorů uwedena a na Swětlo wídana. Wytisstěna w 
  Trnawe skrze Matthiassa Rietmillera. Leta Pane M. 
  DCLXXVII [=1677]. 

Also a 19th c. monograph on Melnik which has something on Sinapius:

Královské věnné město Mělník a okres Mělnický : S
  55 obrazy v textu a mapou okresu / Ludvík Böhm.
  -- Mělník : Nákladem spisovatelovým, 1892. --
  932 s. 

> I would consider Rudolph's ownership 'legendary
> but credible'. It is unproven but makes complete
> sense. On the other hand, it should (?) have been
> mentioned in the Catalogue of the Wunderkammer.
> Marci mentions the source for his
> information.... to me it is indeed credible.
> We don't know if he was aware of Jacobus'
> ownership.

But note that Marci does not state it as fact. He just
says he heard so from Dr Raphael. So he sort of distances
himself from confirming it with his own authority.

But if we accept the hypothetical Rudolf's ownership,
it may well have been Sinapius who presented it to him
and got the 600 ducats - not vice versa, as is usually
accepted by voynichologists.

Manfred's comment that such items would have been rebound
and adorned with the emperor's coats-of-arms adds weight
to the "anti-Rudolf" opinions.

> Another source that might be worth checking is
> Balbin. True, his history books are well known
> and well read, but I remember that Lubos
> Antonin told us in Prague that these are only
> printed summaries of his work. The original MSS
> are not generally accessible.

The manuscript of his _Bohemia docta_ used to be available
on-line (I can't find it now) but the resolution was so low
that it was totally illegible. But it can be ordered in
higher resolution from the Narodni knihovna in Prague.

> Yes, and there are a few more mentioned in Evans.
> To me, any of these gentlemen is an equally
> (if not more) likely seller of the VMs to
> Rudolf (or Jacobus) as Dee or Kelly.

Definitely more - and much more, I would say. There is
no slightest trace of evidence that Dee/Kelley may have
been involved. All that has been produced so far is
just "Rorschach wishful thinking" :-)

Best regards,

Rafal
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