Hello all,It has been my habit, over the last four years, in the odd hour here and there, to scour the internet for a possible VMS precedent.Jean: Oh yes this is a very good avenue of approach; so many MSs are "sleeping" in Western libraries; I am convinced that Bodleian i.a. is a mine of Voynichers; however the most intriging similarities I perceived yet were connected to herbals. The latter were far nearer from the spirit of VMS.A few years back this led to the 'discovery' of an Italian manuscript (I forget its name), which showed some vague similarities to the VMS and caused a little excited chatter. Most of the leads have been disappointing, a few intriguing, but on the whole the exercise has been fruitless.Jean: Perhaps it could be interesting to compare this one with your new discovery; could you remind us of the references?Until today (20th November 2004)...On a routine check of the Bodleian, Oxford, I came across MS 66 (Commonplace book of Humphrey Newton, 1466-1536, of Pownall, Cheshire, in Latin and English). My blood literally ran cold when I examined the scans.You can view pages of this remarkable MS at-Jean: I see, please consider this part of your page ( probably you did it but for the list):A full catalogue description of this manuscript is currently being prepared. As an interim measure we have provided skeletal 'checklist' information, which includes a bibliography that will direct users to sources of further details.
Here is the skeleton in the wardrobe:
http://www.bodley.ox.ac.uk/dept/scwmss/wmss/medieval/chklst/chklatmi.htm#lat-misc-c-66
Which is to be read:
Shelfmark:
Author:
Title:
Commonplace book of Humphrey Newton (1466-1536), of Pownall, Cheshire
Language:
Latin, English
Origin:
Date:
15th cent., 16th cent.
Provenance:
Bought at Sotheby's 27 Oct. 1947 lot 259
Typescript description available?:
Yes
Select Bibliography:
Bodleian Library Record, 2, no. 28, Feb. 1948, 260
R. H. Robbins, PMLA, 65, 1950, 249-81
Notable Accessions: Guide to an Exhibition Held in 1958, Oxford, Bodleian Library, 1958, no. 26 (mistakenly cited as MS. Lat. misc. 66)