Ripley Scrolls: Alchemical Patronage in Early Modern England

Abstract

The British Library Series (Add MS 5025 fol. 1-4) is a group of four alchemical scrolls that depict the process of creating a Philosopher’s Stone, a mythical gem fabled to transform base metals to gold. The British Library Series is part of a larger group of twenty-one similar scrolls collectively called The Ripley Scrolls. All of the Ripley Scrolls are richly ornamented but possess no definitive clues as to who their patrons may have been or why they were created. The Ripley Scrolls are dated to the sixteenth century, raising questions about their scroll format, which was not a common mode of written communication at this time due to the prevalence of the manuscript and printed book. In the past twenty years, the Ripley Scrolls as a group has provoked scholarly interest due to their enigmatic features and the substantial number of manuscripts in the group. However, the British Library Series has been only briefly mentioned within larger studies of the history of science that primarily consider the scientific and alchemical ideas contained therein. This study takes a different approach, singling out The British Library Series and examining these scrolls through the lenses of art and social history. The British Library Series, as this study will argue, contains overlooked evidence for English courtly patronage, specifically a Tudor Rose found on Add MS 5025 folio 3 of the British Library Series. This connection to the English court gives context for the often-questioned format of the Ripley Scrolls and shows the movement of alchemy from a secretive practice into a more public sphere during the sixteenth-century. By placing emphasis on format, patronage, and the artistic heritage of the objects, this study expands on the current understanding of the British Library Series’ origin and appearance.