A T-O Trinity Diagram
The three continents known to the medieval West in the middle ages were often represents by T-O diagrams. This arrangement derives from the description of the world in Isidore of Seville’s “De Rerum natuara”, so it is also called an Isidoran map.
BAV ms Chigi M.V.117 is a XV Century Italian manuscript containing several unrelated texts, including a History of Rome and a Bestiary. Near the end of the volume (f122v-123r) two charms were copied.
The first of the two is illustrated by a diagram that makes use of the T-O arrangement to represent the holy trinity. The cross at the top of the diagram could allude to the cross-bearing orb (globus cruciger), a symbol of temporal and spiritual power that is often see in medieval works of art.
The quality of the online scans of the book is low, but the script is clear enough to allow reading the text. Overall, the page appears to be based on a series of three-fold entities: the Trinity, the three Magi and possibly the three continents, suggested by the T-O diagram.
Transcription:
[Diagram] Pater est veritas. Filius est vita. Spiritus Sanctus est remedium.
In nomine patris et filii et spiritu sancti amen /
Messias, Soter, Emanuel, Sabbaoth, Sapiens, Salvator, /
Vita, Veritas, ego sum agnus, misericors, vitulus,
creator, thalamus, Spiritus Sanctus, trinitas, unitas, Ga- /
spar, [deleted: mir] fert mirram, thus Malchion Baldasar /
aurum. Haec tria qui secum portaverit nomina regum sol- /
vitur a morbo Christi pietatis [pietate] caduco. In nomine patris /
et filii et spiritu sancti. Amen.
Translation:
[Diagram] The Father is Truth. The Son is Life. The Holy Spirit is the remedy.
In the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, amen. /
Messiah, Soter, Emmanuel, Sabaoth, Wise, Saviour, /
Life, Truth. I am the merciful lamb and calf, /
creator, marriage [?], Holy Spirit, trinity, unity. /
Gaspar brings myrrh, Malchion frankincense, Baldasar /
gold. Whoever brings with himself the names of these three kings /
will be freed from epilepsy, by the mercy of Christ. In the name of the Father /
and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Amen.
An almost identical form of the last part of the incantation can be seen at the end of BNF Lat.1403, a book of hours created at the end of the XIV Century for Isabeau of Bavaria, queen of France. In this luxury manuscript, the crosses that so often appear in medieval charms are written in gold like capital letters.
Transcription: Iaspar fert mirram + Thus melchion + Balthazar aurum. Hec tria qui secum portabit nomina regum Solvitur a morbo Christo mediente [mediante] caduco. A quo nos protegat ille qui sine fine vivit et regnas [sic]. Amen
Translation: Iaspar brings myrrh + Melchion frankincense +Balthazar gold. Whoever brings with himself the names of these three kings will be freed from epilepsy, with the help of Christ. Let him who lives and rules forever protect us for this [illness]. Amen
The history of this incantation is discussed by Katelyn Mesler in The Three Magi and Other Christian Motifs in Medieval Hebrew Medical Incantations.
