T H E R I P L E Y S C R O W L E
George Ripley (?1415-1490) did not let his Augustinian monk role in Yorkshire prevent him from furthering his education in alchemy by travelling in Europe. After spending time in France and Germany, Ripley settled in Rome for about twenty years with Papal support.
At the time of his return to England in 1477, it is alleged that Ripley was already in possession of the secret of transmutation. Some believed that the sizeable donations given by Ripley to help the Knights of Malta* in their war against the Turks came from his having produced gold out of base metals. This can only have enhanced his reputation and emerging fame. Ripley was one of the first to publish works by the renowned 13th century alchemist, Raymond Lull (Lully). Of his own writings, in two hundred or more manuscripts:"Ripley adopted an allegorical approach to alchemy, and his most important writings are his 'Compound of Alchemy' in verse which describes the alchemical process as undergoing twelve stages or 'Gates', and his emblematic 'Ripley Scrowle' ".The remarkable Ripley Scroll is, in simple terms, an alchemical manuscript that shows in pictorial cryptograms the production of the philosopher's stone (the elusive ingredient that produces incorruptible gold out of lesser metals; and/or the elixir of life). There are in fact twenty-one extant Ripley Scrolls, held in major institutions in the UK (most) and the States. Most of these - including the Yale version above - share similar graphical and layout features and are regarded as a single type. Four scrolls are so dissimilar to these that they are grouped together as a second type. They were all copied from (an) earlier, original work(s) which might date to the end of the 15th century. Although of varying size, most of the scrolls are about twenty feet long and a foot and a half or so wide. Ripley's name is associated with the scrolls because his allegorical poetry is included in many of the later versions. (There is a suggestion that the horse's hoof on the staff held by the figure at the bottom of the page constitutes his 'signature'). The twenty one scrolls were produced after Ripley's death; in the 16th and early 17th centuries. The version above dates to about 1570. Some others are uncoloured or crudely drawn, so the Yale scroll is definitely one of the best quality manuscripts in existence. I'm reluctant to delve very far into the complex symbolism presented in the scroll both because those who are most interested will find better resources than anything I might adduce by way of summary and because it is an esoteric language unto itself and is generally resistant to simplistic reduction. Interpretation requires contemplating all the visual components and the way they interact with each other in combination with the textual elements. It may well be easy, for instance, to identify the figure at the top as an alchemist (perhaps Hermes Trismegistus) and a bunch of alchemical symbols in roundels chained to a sacred book and a variation on the iconic Adam & Eve fall from grace scene and the bird of Hermes gnawing its own wing to make itself tame, or any number of other visual emblems that have possible referential meaning outside of the scroll, but it's the role they play in the cryptic totality of the work in which they are found that overrides any drive-by partial deductions. It's not so much "the feathers signify the spirit", as it's: feathers are often associated with depicting the spiritual and here they are of two colours and seemingly link the vertical scenes and their significance may well be modulated by other visual tropes and the text. Like that. Sir George Ripley was a famous 15th century English alchemist, second only to Roger Bacon.[citation needed]Ripley studied for twenty years in Italy where he became a great favourite of Pope Innocent VIII. He returned to England in 1477 and wrote his famous work The Compound of Alchymy; or, the Twelve Gates leading to the Discovery of the Philosopher's Stone, dedicated to King Edward IV and highly appreciated by him. His twenty-five volume work upon alchemy, of which the Liber Duodecim Portarum was the most important, brought him considerable fame.Being particularly rich, he gave the general public some cause to believe in his ability to change base metal into gold. For example, Thomas Fuller in his Worthies of England, describes a reputable English gentleman who reported having seen a record in the island of Malta which stated that Ripley gave the enormous sum of one hundred thousand pounds sterling annually to the Knights of that island and of Rhodes to support their war against the Turks.Ripley was at some time 'Canon of Bridlington'. He spent his elder years as an anchorite near Boston (Yorkshire). A commentary upon Ripley's works was written in a series of treatises by the English alchemist Eirenaeus Philalethes. Ripley's Vision, written in the Twelve Gates, became the subject of a very famous exposition by Eirenaeus published in 1677 in London. The English form of the Vision gives a fair sample of the allusive style. When busie at my Book I was upon a certain Night, This Vision here exprest appear'd unto my dimmed sight: A Toad full Ruddy I saw, did drink the juice of Grapes so fast, Till over-charged with the broth, his Bowels all to-brast: And after that, from poyson'd Bulk he cast his Venom fell, For Grief and Pain whereof his Members all began to swell; With drops of Poysoned sweat approaching thus his secret Den, His Cave with blasts of fumous Air he all bewhited then: And from the which in space a Golden Humour did ensue, Whose falling drops from high did stain the soil with ruddy hue... |