Manuscripts
Utrecht University Library houses about 750 medieval manuscripts, all digitised so they can be consulted online. Five manuscripts from the collection are so unique that they have earned their place in the Treasury of Special Collections.
The collection of more than a thousand post-medieval manuscripts include about fifty works written by the Utrecht historian Aernout van Buchell (1565-1641). There are also about sixty archive collections, including the archives of the historian Pieter Geyl, the theologians Hermann Kohlbrugge, Johannes Gunning and Arnold van Ruler, the literary critic Pierre Ritter and the pharmacist David de Wied.
Also the Utrecht Organ Archives belong to the collection of manuscripts of Special Collections. Finally the library houses a large collection of written lecture notes from the 16th century onwards, often related to Veterinary Medicine.
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Highlighted manuscripts
'Adversaria' by Aernout van Buchell Includes a unique drawing of an Elizabethan theatre
'Brieven aan Aernout van Buchell' by Wouter van Gouthoeven Post scriptum: Van Gouthoeven's letters to Aernout van Buchell, 1613-1622
'Catalogue of the manuscripts of Aernout van Buchell' by Cornelis Booth From the collection of the first librarian of Utrecht University Library!
'Cyrurgie' by Guy de Chauliac A medieval instruction on surgical procedures
'Dagboek van mijn verblijf in Duitsland' by Jan Ackersdijck Enthusiastic traveller Jan Ackersdijck meet Hegel in Berlin
'De divinis moribus' & 'De beatitudine' A manuscript that served as an example for an early print
'De Urinis' by Isaac Israeli ben Solomon All you need to know about pee
'Diarium' by Aernout van Buchell A 16th-century personal journal
'Epitheta' by Anthoni Smyters Written notes in a dictionary
'Inscriptiones Urbis Romae Latinae' A book full of Roman inscriptions
'Instructie of onderwijsinghe der Hindoustanse en Persiaanse taalen' by Ketelaar The earliest Hindustani grammar
Journael van ’t gepasseerde op mijne reijse in Engelant by Abraham Booth The adventures of Abraham Booth in 17th-century England
'Liber Canonis Medicinae' by Avicenna A handbook for physicians as war booty
'Lilium medicinae' by Bernard de Gordon An impressive medical reference work
'Observationes & Ecclesiastica' by Aernout van Buchell A compassionate elder notes down scenes from his daily practice
'Overzicht der gebouwen van de Rijks Universiteit te Utrecht in 1936' The buildings of a 300-year-old university described in a remarkable manuscript
'Passionarius' by Gariopontus A medieval collection of medical texts, arranged logically for the first time
'Profectus religiosorum' An etiquette manual for the religious
'Rosarium Jesu et Mariae' by Jacobus van Gruitrode Daily spiritual exercises in the rose garden
'Sacramentary' (fragment) Two half leaves, used as flyleaves in a manuscript, reveal quite a story
'Sermo de membris genitalibus' by Niccolò Falcucci A child's drawing in a medical treatise?
Super libro IX Almansoris, and other medical texts A splendid hodgepodge of medical texts and astronomical tables- 'Synonyma medicinae, abbreviata per Mundinum' by Simon Ianuensis Containing an inventive aid for looking up medicines
Anonymous Utrecht jotter Naughty fantasies of a Utrecht libertine
Antiphonary fragments The musical notation of medieval hymns
Book of hours and book of prayers ca 1430 The wealthy laity like to order expensive Books of Hours
Camphuysen manuscript 36 piano pieces by an anonymous composer
Codex Boreelianus Who is responsible for molesting this manuscript?
Codex Lerma Messy scrawls in a Spanish music manuscript
Collectarius Chapter of St. Mary Lessons, prayers and hymns for the canons of the Chapter of St. Mary's
Collection of Coptic manuscripts Bible texts on papyrus
Egmond Brevier A remarkable cut-out page from the Egmond Brevier
Martinellum Everything you always wanted to know about Saint Martin
Martyrologium cisterciense (fragments) The (mis)fortunes of martyrs
Medical convolute by Hippocrates etc. By the looks of it, this medical reference work was consulted frequently
Medical convulute Galenus etc. Medical writings based on authorities from ancient times
Medical prescriptions A useful pocket book for physicians visiting patients
Medical recipes and texts Nursing of the sick in the Middle Ages
Medical-Astrological Convolute An eclectic mix of scientific texts
Middle Dutch Book of Hours What are all these animals doing in this manuscript?
St. Mary's church bible This recent acquisition is finally home again
The description of England by Abraham Booth A travel journal by Abraham Booth
The Weesp missal The wanderings of a stolen manuscript
