Alchemical and astrological symbols used by John Ward in V.a.287 and V.a.291

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V.a.287 and V.a.291 are diaries kept by John Ward, vicar of Stratford-upon-Avon from 1662 to 1681 and a medical physician. V.a.287 was used at several times: Oxford in September 1658 (fol. 1r-9v) and Stratford from February to October 1665 (fol. 10r-67v), spring and summer of 1666 (fol. 68r-ca. 100), and from 1668 to 1671 (ca. fol. 100-150v). V.a.291 was kept at Oxford and London from January 1660/61 to 14 February 1661/62. A note on back inside cover states that the book was finished at his "chambers in the Bell in Aldersgate street." For more information on Ward, see John Ward's Latin and A Semi-Diplomatic Transcription of Selections from the John Ward Diaries.

This list was compiled by Dr. Robert Tallaksen, a reader and transcriber at the Folger Shakespeare Library.

Alchemical and astrological symbols

The following symbols appear on leaf one recto and verso of V.a.287 and leaf 164 recto and verso of V.a.291. Those symbols that appear only in V.a.291 are so indicated in the "Notes" column.

Name Image Symbol Hex code point HTML English equivalent Notes
Acetum Image Symbol U+1F70A 🜊 vinegar
Acetum distillatum Image Symbol U+1F70B 🜋 distilled vinegar
Aer Image Symbol U+1F701 🜁 air
Alembicus Image Symbol U+1F76A 🝪 alembic
Alumen Image Symbol none none alum JW's symbol differs from the Schröder's symbol for alumen, a square with two short vertical lines:

🝅

Amphora/ Amphoræ Image Symbol U+2652 Aquarius (astrological)
Amalgama Image Symbol U+1F75B 🝛 amalgam, usu. mixture of gold or silver w/mercury
Ana Image Symbol none none of each very common
Antimonium Image Symbol Hex HTML English equivalent Notes
Aqua Image Symbol Hex HTML English equivalent Notes
Aqua fortis Image Symbol Hex HTML English equivalent Notes
Aqua regia (or stygia) Image Symbol Hex HTML English equivalent Notes
Arcitenens Image Symbol Hex HTML English equivalent Notes
Arena Image Symbol Hex HTML English equivalent Notes
Argentum Image Symbol Hex HTML English equivalent Notes
Argentum vivum Image Symbol Hex HTML English equivalent Notes
Aries Image Symbol Hex HTML English equivalent Notes
Arsenicum Image Symbol Hex HTML English equivalent Notes
Auripigmentum Image Symbol Hex HTML English equivalent Notes
Aurum Image Symbol Hex HTML English equivalent Notes
Balneum Image Symbol Hex HTML English equivalent Notes
Balneum Mariæ Image Symbol Hex HTML English equivalent Notes
Balneum vaporis Image Symbol Hex HTML English equivalent Notes
Calx Image Symbol Hex HTML English equivalent Notes
Calx viva Image Symbol Hex HTML English equivalent Notes
Cancer Image Symbol Hex HTML English equivalent Notes
Caper Image Symbol Hex HTML English equivalent Notes
Caput mortuum Image Symbol Hex HTML English equivalent Notes
Chalybs Image Symbol Hex HTML English equivalent Notes
Cinabaris Image Symbol Hex HTML English equivalent Notes
Cineres Image Symbol Hex HTML English equivalent Notes
Cornu Cervi Image Symbol Hex HTML English equivalent Notes
Crucibulum Image Symbol Hex HTML English equivalent Notes
Cuprum Image Symbol Hex HTML English equivalent Notes
Distillare Image Symbol Hex HTML English equivalent Notes
Dies Image Symbol Hex HTML English equivalent Notes
Drachma Image Symbol Hex HTML English equivalent Notes
fferrum Image Symbol Hex HTML English equivalent Notes
Gemini Image Symbol Hex HTML English equivalent Notes
Hora Image Symbol Hex HTML English equivalent Notes
Ignis Image Symbol Hex HTML English equivalent Notes
Iupiter Image Symbol Hex HTML English equivalent Notes
Leo Image Symbol Hex HTML English equivalent Notes
Libra Image Symbol Hex HTML English equivalent Notes
libra Image Symbol Hex HTML English equivalent Notes
Luna Image Symbol Hex HTML English equivalent Notes
Mars Image Symbol Hex HTML English equivalent Notes
Mercurius sublimatus Image Symbol Hex HTML English equivalent Notes
Mercurius præcipitatus Image Symbol Hex HTML English equivalent Notes
Mensis Image Symbol Hex HTML English equivalent Notes
Nitrum Image Symbol Hex HTML English equivalent Notes
Oleum Image Symbol Hex HTML English equivalent Notes
Oppositio Image Symbol Hex HTML English equivalent Notes
Pisces Image Symbol Hex HTML English equivalent Notes
Plumbum Image Symbol Hex HTML English equivalent Notes
Pulvis Image Symbol Hex HTML English equivalent Notes
Præcipitare Image Symbol Hex HTML English equivalent Notes
Quadratus Image Symbol Hex HTML English equivalent Notes
Quintessentia or Quinta Essentia Image Symbol Hex HTML English equivalent Notes
Retorta Image Symbol Hex HTML English equivalent Notes
Sal ammoniac(um) Image Symbol Hex HTML English equivalent Notes
Sal commune Image Symbol Hex HTML English equivalent Notes
Sal gemmæ Image Symbol Hex HTML English equivalent Notes
Sal nitrum Image Symbol Hex HTML English equivalent Notes
Saturnus Image Symbol Hex HTML English equivalent Notes
Scorpius Image Symbol Hex HTML English equivalent Notes
Sol Image Symbol Hex HTML English equivalent Notes
Spiritus Image Symbol Hex HTML English equivalent Notes
Spiritus vini Image Symbol Hex HTML English equivalent Notes
Stannum Image Symbol Hex HTML English equivalent Notes
Stratum super stratum Image Symbol Hex HTML English equivalent Notes
Sublimatum or sublimare Image Symbol Hex HTML English equivalent Notes
Sulphur Image Symbol Hex HTML English equivalent Notes
Talcum Image Symbol Hex HTML English equivalent Notes
Tartar(um) Image Symbol Hex HTML English equivalent Notes
Taurus Image Symbol Hex HTML English equivalent Notes
Terra Image Symbol Hex HTML English equivalent Notes
Trigonus Image Symbol Hex HTML English equivalent Notes
Venus Image Symbol Hex HTML English equivalent Notes
Vinum Image Symbol Hex HTML English equivalent Notes
Virgo Image Symbol Hex HTML English equivalent Notes
Viridi æris Image Symbol Hex HTML English equivalent Notes
Vitriolum Image Symbol Hex HTML English equivalent Notes
Vrina Image Symbol Hex HTML English equivalent Notes