In his 1665 letter to Athanasius Kircher accompanying what we now call the Voynich Manuscript, Johannes Marcus Marci wrote [Philip Neal’s translation]:-
Doctor Raphael, the Czech language tutor of King Ferdinand III as they both then were, once told me that the said book belonged to Emperor Rudolph and that he presented 600 ducats to the messenger who brought him the book. He, Raphael, thought that the author was Roger Bacon the Englishman. I suspend my judgement on the matter.
You be the judge of what we should think about it. […]
All very well: but surely this begs a huge question, one that everyone has seemed content to duck for the last century. Let’s not forget that Raphael Sobiehrd-Mnishovsky de Sebuzin & de Horstein was a lawyer, writer, poet, cryptographer, and even a favourite at the Imperial Court: basically, a smart, super-literate, well-connected cookie. So why on earth did he think this odd manuscript had anything whatsoever to do with Roger Bacon, of all people?
Of course, now that we have a 15th century radiocarbon date for the manuscript, Voynich researchers are a little inclined to be sniffy about Bacon, thinking this mostly a sign of Wilfrid Voynich’s personal folly – or, more specifically, WMV’s antiquarian obsession with finding any link that could be proven between his “Roger Bacon Manuscript” and Roger Bacon himself. Perhaps it was WMV’s burning desire that ultimately claimed poor William Romaine Newbold’s life, drained by his pareidoiliac compulsion to reveal its craquelure shorthand, with his friend Lynn Thorndike then unwillingly laying Newbold’s hopeful nonsense to rest.
But all the same, Roger Bacon is mentioned right there in Marci’s letter: and this is one of the very first things we have that describes the Voynich, as well as the manuscript’s earliest provenance link with Rudolf II’s Imperial Court. So why Bacon? What possible candidate explanations have been put forward?
Actually, surprisingly few of any great credibility, it has to be said. Some people have argued (without great enthusiasm) that the manuscript might possibly be a 15th century copy of a lost work by Roger Bacon. However, its tricky cryptography seems light years beyond Bacon’s era, while the near-complete absence of religious imagery (combined with the nakedness of its ‘nymphs’) also seem sharply at odds with Bacon’s monastic severity, let’s say.
In “The Curse of the Voynich” (2006), I speculated [p.219] that Roger Bacon might have been part of a cover story deliberately planted by the original author. Certainly there is reasonable evidence that the Voynich’s cipher alphabet was consciously constructed to look somewhat archaic to mid-fifteenth century eyes: say, 100 to 150 years older than its physical age. Bacon’s familiarity with Arabic sources and even possibly his (alleged) link with alchemy might then have commended him to the real author as a fake author… back then history was a little more forgiving, let’s say, over such issues as authenticity.
However, a key problem with this hypothesis is that many of the previous objections (the lack of religious imagery, the nymphs) apply just as strongly. Moreover, I’m now fairly sure that Bacon only had alchemical works (falsely) ascribed to him many decades later (around 1590-1600), which further weakens the argument. Hence six years on, I’m not so convinced any more… oh well!
And yet Dr Raphael thought it was Bacon ‘wot dun it’. How can that be? What reasonable explanation might there have been for this otherwise inexplicable lapse of judgement? Well, here’s my 2012 attempt to form an Intellectual History account of all this…
Could it be that the link with Roger Bacon wasn’t in the content of the manuscript but in something to do with Bacon’s Franciscan order? Simply put, might the Voynich Manuscript have been owned by Franciscans? Might it have lived in a Franciscan library? Even more specifically, might it have lived in a Franciscan Library not too far from Lake Constance?
I suspect that the deliberately plain brown habit and white belt of a Franciscan or Capuchin monk would have been an unusual sight at the Imperial Court, where the white and black habits of the Benedictine, Cistercian and Augustinian orders were very much more usual. Please correct me if I’m wrong, but Wikipedia’s list of Imperial Abbeys seems not to contain a single Franciscan friary, monastery or convent.
So, might the messenger bearing the Voynich Manuscript have therefore been a Franciscan monk? If it was, then I think Dr Raphael could indeed have reasonably inferred that the author of the Voynich Manuscript might well have been Roger Bacon: for if it was an enciphered manuscript of the right age from a Franciscan library with an unknown early provenance, Roger Bacon’s authorship could well have been a perfectly reasonable inference, and in fact no less wobbly than most of what has generally been passed off as 20th / 21st century Voynich theorizing.
Hence I’m pretty smitten by this Franciscan Voynich Theory: if true, it would explain Dr Raphael’s testimony in a parsimonious and reasonable way, even if it doesn’t actually help us read the manuscript itself. It may also be the case that the back page (f116v) was a little more readable circa 1610: the presence of what looks like “six pax nax vax ahia maria” interspersed with crosses then might have had far more religious import back then than it does to us moderns.
A reasonable next step might well be to start looking for Franciscan libraries in the Lake Constance area circa 1600-1610: I asked the well-respected Franciscan historian Bert Roest where to look next, and he very kindly directed me to the extensive online list of Works/info on medieval and early modern Franciscan libraries he helps maintain. I should mention quickly that it’s, errrm, a bit big.
Does anyone want to kindly volunteer to trawl through it to compile a preliminary list of candidate Franciscan libraries? For example, Bad Kreuznach, Thuringia, Gottingen, and Frankfurt are all in there, but I suspect that these might all be a little bit too far North, while Fribourg was also perhaps a little too far West. I’m not sure if there are many left! Perhaps this would best be done as some kind of Google Maps overlay?
However, I should caution that real history often turns out to be an unexpected anagram of all the things we suspect: that is, all the right ingredients, but arranged in an order that subtly confounds your expectations and carefully laid plans. Here, the historical ingredients are:
* a Franciscan Library
* Lake Constance (i.e. the Bodensee)
* Rudolf II’s Imperial Court
* a Chinese Whispers-like process whereby the original provenance was forgotten over many decades.
Given all that, I did notice one rather intriguing alternative possibility: Lindau, an Imperial Free City on its own island in the Bodensee. This was formed from the core of a Franciscan Library that was given over to the city in 1528 as part of the Protestant Reformation: it’s now part of the Reichsstädtische Bibliothek Lindau. Once again, do I have any volunteers for looking through the library’s early catalogue?
Really, the question comes down to this: might a representative of the Imperial Free City have taken a strange herbal-like book to Prague circa 1605-1610 from the former Franciscan library in Lindau as a splendidly odd gift for Emperor Rudolf II? Personally, I think it’s entirely possible and – best of all – something that might well be checkable against the historical record. Testable history: it’s something I can’t get enough of! 🙂
Nick, I’ll give some of your “regulars” a chance to give you some feedback. In the meantime, if you post some links that would be accessible to me, I can do some digging for you.
Took a look at the link. Couldn’t find a Wiki-translation toggle. Don’t think I’ll be of much use. Sorry I couldn’t volunteer. Ordinarily, huge files and libraries don’t intimidate me. I’ve traced my husband’s family back to Palatinate Europe. Also earliest Dutch developments of New York (state and City), and New Jersey.
I think I’d be inclined to look first at whether records of the Franciscans in England mention any assigned from places near Lake Constance. You know; Friar John of Basle sort of thing. ‘Nation’ was a description of vernacular language, but in fact medieval history is often better described by reticular patterns (religious orders, royal marriages, communities linked despite diaspora etc.) than by nationality in the modern sense. No passports, or id cards 🙂
Sorry, I don’t think I was clear; in those days in monastic circles the old rule that ‘to the cow, her calf’ was applied. A scribe might copy a book but couldn’t keep it – it had to stay with the ‘mother’ copy, unless given away or intended as a gift. A monk could be assigned from anywhere to anywhere.. but if Minishovsky thought ‘Bacon’ he was not only thinking franciscan but ‘Franciscan in England’.. which suggests that’s a likely place from which the Voynich ms had come.
If the hand is one from Lake Constance, then *one* elegant solution would be that a monk educated there had been assigned to England, and there inscribed this copy.
Alright, I gave some others an hour or so to pick up the thread. So, I did note that Kircher ID’s one of the monasteries (Alban Lake map/rosette) as being Capucin.
Wouldn’t it be neat if “someone” had access to the Vatican archives/library to see what they have available to the public in re various religious houses in the areas of the Alban and other lakes. (?)
While double-checking my memory re my above-most post, I just now refreshed my memory that Kircher also ID’s Franciscan, Carthusian, and an “Eremitorium”. Also, another “Monaster Franciscanorum” (below an unnamed “Palazzo”).
At the other end of the Alban Lake, Kircher also ID’s “Hospitium quo Clo(illegible) desitus est: (?)
Again, stop me in mid-stride if you already know all this.
Did I already post that Kircher also identifies two structures at bottom of map as Castellum Gandol and “Palatium H…..arinor:
My eyes are crossing; time to take a break.
Ah – ha. Vertumnus eh?
not just Rudolf, but the one in Madrid
http://www.google.com/imgres?q=Vertumnus+roman+god&hl=en&biw=975&bih=621&tbm=isch&tbnid=5Q33VuYcxyoybM:&imgrefurl=http://www.timelessmyths.com/classical/roman.html&docid=tU-5oOuW-QEfeM&imgurl=http://www.timelessmyths.com/classical/gallery/vertumno.jpg&w=399&h=294&ei=79WPT5qmLcSjiAfu-oiFBA&zoom=1&iact=hc&vpx=231&vpy=180&dur=5069&hovh=193&hovw=262&tx=67&ty=154&sig=102139027403243406949&page=1&tbnh=123&tbnw=168&start=0&ndsp=17&ved=1t:429,r:7,s:0,i:84
in relation to same. In case you fall over this article
http://www.qro.unisi.it/frontend/sites/default/files/Vertumnus.pdf
as usual, European ignorance of the pre-math (folk) astronomy means he misses the point. The figure is the one who turns the heavens – the characters given are all ones traditionally associated with the constellation of Bootes, the ‘herdsman’, the rustic, the holder of the blade/adze (circumpolar stars); and so forth. Fisherman image survived among others: hence ident with first pope, and later pope Sylvester.
What is interesting – and new to me – is possible ident. too with the flourishing one as green man (vert…)
And – what we see in the middle of the lake (in Kircher’s time) are two men in a boat, seigning.
And ….. one of the paintings/portraits of Rudoph II was entirely of vegetables (and fruit?) If I recall correctly, that portrait ended up in the Hrad Karlstejn collection.
Nick, not sure when I’ll get time to hunt up the hardcopy – not on JSTOR yet – but could be interesting:
Homer Atomized: Francis Bacon and the Matter of Tradition
Gerard Passannante
ELH , Vol. 76, No. 4 (Winter, 2009), pp. 1015-1047
How much “background” info do you have on Johannes Marcus Marci? Roman? Velletri? Volscian? (As in Coriolanus?)
And who knows anything more about Dr. Raphael?
Nick and other interested parties: Have any of you bothered to visit the Hrad Karlstejn museum to see the remnants of Rudolph II’s estate? Probably, if you showed credentials they would investigate their collections for manuscripts. I say “probably” because they may have inherited only relics. Who knows what they might find on your behalf.
Nick, in addition to my earlier post to your seminar quire notes, I spent another hour or so visiting a link that I just could not fit into any category but here:
Follies of Science at the Court of Rudolph II
If you do preface with the usual http, you may be able to find references to many familiar names, including Roger Bacon. Fascinating! Good thing I can read at the speed of light, and scribble ref notes at the same time. I do have to work at transcribing my own notes, though.
If the link comes up successfully, it should indicate the source as being a publication by the University of California. I was not able to determine the campus.
The reference to Bacon appears in the section of the ms that discusses Rudolph’s doctors, where Dr Michael Maier concludes his report: “Friar/Liar Bacon tells more tall-tales…..re Libavius elixir….
Oh well, seems we have only a “dark hole” into which our posts are disappearing – unread. No big deal.
%^
Hi,
Subject: Voynich Book Print Publication
Respected
Sir, Madam.
Myself Sushil Pawar i m a BFA Artist passed from Sir. J.J Institute of Applied Arts Bombay University. I work as an Animator in Animation Industry.
As we all know Voynich is one of the biggest mysteries of publishing, the enigmatic Voynich Manuscript located at Yale University is more than Thousands of years old Coded Manu Script. This Manuscript was purchased and sold to many royal Families and King’s from generations, as if it’s being considers as a royal prestigious to have it and its Enigmatic writings has still become a challenge to every Code Explorers to break its code language. Its Coded Language is, unsolved; some believe it as a Spiritual to Mankind or relate to Human Evolution, a Creator theory or Astrological theories or beyond. Many code explorers and researchers tried to Crack it out but, none has yet succeeded properly. As though its, event’s are enigmatic and so addictive to researchers and book lovers whenever approached or learned about it.
I have cleaned the Actual Manuscript and Maintained its quality for Study Purpose and Hi Res Publication for book collection. This rare book can be well marketed in European and Asian continents or distributed amongst Libraries and Universities, throughout the world. And it will surely make good profits from business point of view if concerned. Researchers and Book lovers will definitely go for it, due to its improved quality format. If any Publisher willing to publish “Voynich Manuscript” in Good Quality Format in Hi resolution I have the whole entire Work with me. Please consider to look at attached Sample’s and url presentations those are of Medium Resolution. But the Actual work is in HD resolution Sharp Defining Quality no blurry or dull looks. This entire project Total numbers of pages are 229 single sides. Both Sides Become around 114 to 115. Ready for Printable Quality.
I have attached PPT Presentation sample below. Please have a look.
http://www.olx.in/the-voynich-manuscript-iid-480049428
My purpose is to sell this entire project with a particular fee over it once for all. If interested, can mail or call me, I will hand over this entire project if the deal happens.
My cell no 9833115014 or mail me at [email protected] or [email protected]
Thanks for your time.
Regards,
Sushil Pawar
Sushil: are you aware that at least two near-facsimile editions of the Voynich Manuscript have already been published? (One French, one Slovakian, and I suspect there has been a Russian version too).
Perhaps more importantly, can you help explain to me why someone would want a cleaned-up version of the Voynich Manuscript’s mysterious text and images? Please forgive me, but while I applaud your endeavour and hard work, I’m struggling to see the actual point of what you’ve done. 🙁
Hi Nick
I’ve always thought that Voynich should be given more credence. He dealt in manuscripts of the 12th-15thC, and had to know the difference between them.
Some material I’ve written up recently appears to show pretty clearly that our manuscript copies an exemplar of that same 12th-13th century, while happily also confirming a couple of earlier observation of mine do do with the Vms exemplar’s having been inscribed with a reed pen..
Reed pens were commonly used with bronze inkwells, and throughout the Islamic empire, not just by Muslims writing in Arabic.
So Voynich’s positing Bacon’s lifetime at least appears not to be too far wrong. And as you’d know, Franciscans ewre the diplomatic corps of their time.
Pity I’ve other projects on just now – just when this one is starting to really come home.
Horst Weinstock, ‘Roger Bacon’s Polyglot Alphabets’, Florilegium, No.11 (1992) pp.160-178.
This seems to be the best place to put a question about precedents.
I had not seen anyone before me suggest that the VMS might be connected to a franciscan who had travelled east – I referred particularly to Montecorvino, though also to others first online, I think, in about 2010.
Today, I see that on Rene Zandbergen’s site one of the (unattributed) theories includes that it might have been the handbook of a missionary.
I shouldn’t like to claim credit for this idea if not entitled to it. No way to ask Rene’s thinking when he included that as a “Voynich theory” – so does anyone know whether a researcher before me had suggested such thing?
–
This is not just a quibble about precedence; I should also like to read the work of any earlier researcher who came to that view, to see the evidence adduced.
Diane: you really ought to download all the old list archives as text files and learn the delights of grep (or Windows Grep), because there have been quite a few speculative references to missionary work there, e.g. this one from Dennis on 31st October 1997 in response to a post by (yes) Rene Zandbergen:
That’s marvellous. Thanks, Nick.
errr… what is a “grep” I wonder – ntw. I’ll google it.
PS I think I may have met Bob Richmond, some years ago – if he’s the bridge player. 🙂
Found the files. They download in a format my laptop doesn’t read, so it will have to wait for now. But thanks for the heads up.
Odoric of Pordenone (c. 1275/85 Friuli (!) –1331) was a Franciscan friar (“Czech” origins) and one of the chief travellers to Asia during the later Middle Ages, who travelled in 1314 or 1318–1330 to the “eastern parts of the world” (orientalium partium) and on the turn journey he may have visited Tabríz (!) China, Tibet .
Abrakadabra – I’m afraid you’re experiencing the ‘Voynich groundhog day’ phenomenon… as indeed I may have been when I introduced to Voynich studies (as I thought) the name of Odoric among various other Francican missionary-diplomats in posts which I wrote beween 2010-1s. No-one cared to know about anything east of Latin Europe back then. And of course as I pointed out there were Franciscans as far as China before 1300 and Armenians in ‘Malaysia’ (Indonesia) and in southern Europe by that time. Just as there were Russians and Italians in England, Italians in southern France and in the Balearics, and the whole world in Marseilles, Montpellier and later in Avignon.
We don’t have to posit a European as going to ‘fetch’ information, either. It may have been brought and bestowed by some non-Latin (for all we know).
It would be so much more useful to converse about these things, but ‘comments’ will have to do.