ARNALDUS DE VILLA NOVA

arnaldus de villa nova, also called arnaldus de villanueva, arnaldus villanovanus or arnaud de villeneuve (c. 1235-1313), alchemist, astrologer and physician, appears to have been of spanish origin, and to have studied chemistry, medicine, physics, and also arabian philosophy. after having lived at the court of aragon, he went to paris, where he gained a considerable reputation; but he incurred the enmity of the ecclesiastics and was forced to flee, finally finding an asylum in sicily. about 1313 he was summoned to avignon by pope clement v., who was ill, but he died on the voyage. many alchemical writings, including _thesaurus thesaurorum_ or _rosarius philosophorum, novum lumen, flos florum_, and _speculum alchimiae_, are ascribed to him, but they are of very doubtful authenticity. collected editions of them were published at lyons in 1504 and 1532 (with a biography by symphorianus campegius), at basel in 1585, at frankfort in 1603, and at lyons in 1686. he is also the reputed author of various medical works, including _breviarium practicae_. see j.b. haureau in the _histoire litteraire de la france_ (1881), vol. 28; e. lalande, _arnaud de villeneuve, sa vie et ses oeuvres_ (paris, 1896). a list of writings is given by j. ferguson in his _bibliotheca chemica_ (1906). see also u. chevalier, _repertoire des sources hist., &c., bio-bibliographie_ (paris, 1903).