VMS - Voynich Manuscript Binding Issues

The left pages are taken from Rene Zandbergen's old-fashioned but effective representation of the way in which the quires are folded (with indication of the type of illustration, Currier language and hand). The Right pages are a possible re-foliation based on Currier language and quire signature positions. The assumption is that a quire consisted of 8 bi-folios or 16 pages and the quire number should therefore be located in the bottom right of the 16th page - which should be on a 'verso' side.

I make the further assumption that the quire numbers were written before the book was bound, but were ignored when binding took place and the page numbers were added after binding.

If the bundle was dropped, it could be that most of the vellum pages didn't fall out of order, but a few certainly did. It wouldn't be easy to put them back in order if one couldn't read, inserting one of the ones from the misplaced pile if the bifolio's in a quire didn't add up to eight.

[QUIRE 1] Begin Herbal A (Ah)

      /-------------- 001     Ah 
      ! /------------ 002     Ah
      ! ! /---------- 003     Ah
      ! ! ! /-------- 004     Ah
      A A A A
      ! ! ! \-------- 005     Ah
      ! ! \---------- 006     Ah
      ! \------------ 007     Ah
      \-------------- 008     Ah

[QUIRE 1] Begin Herbal A {no change to order}
(The first three quires have no change)

      /-------------- 001     Ah 
      ! /------------ 002     Ah 
      ! ! /---------- 003     Ah
      ! ! ! /-------- 004     Ah
      A A A A
      ! ! ! \-------- 005     Ah
      ! ! \---------- 006     Ah
      ! \------------ 007     Ah
      \-------------- 008     Ah

Folios 1 through 4 verso have a crease caused by the cut of folio 5. Since the remaining folios weren't affected by the cut, I assume the VMS sat with quire 1 on top and face up for a few hundred years; The top right edge of the first four folios weren't supported by the middle folio's cut.

[QUIRE 2] 
      /-------------- 009     Ah
      ! /------------ 010     Ah
      ! ! /---------- 011     Ah
      ! ! ! /--....  (012)  Ah
      A A A A
      ! ! ! \-------- 013     Ah
      ! ! \---------- 014     Ah
      ! \------------ 015     Ah
      \-------------- 016     Ah

[QUIRE 2]{no change to order}
      /-------------- 009     Ah
      ! /------------ 010     Ah
      ! ! /---------- 011     Ah
      ! ! ! /--....  (012) Ah
      A A A A
      ! ! ! \-------- 013     Ah
      ! ! \---------- 014     Ah
      ! \------------ 015     Ah
      \-------------- 016     Ah


[QUIRE 3]
      /-------------- 017     Ah
      ! /------------ 018     Ah
      ! ! /---------- 019     Ah
      ! ! ! /-------- 020     Ah
      A A A A
      ! ! ! \-------- 021     Ah
      ! ! \---------- 022     Ah
      ! \------------ 023     Ah
      \-------------- 024     Ah

[QUIRE 3]{no change to order}
      /-------------- 017     Ah
      ! /------------ 018     Ah
      ! ! /---------- 019     Ah
      ! ! ! /-------- 020     Ah
      A A A A
      ! ! ! \-------- 021     Ah
      ! ! \---------- 022     Ah
      ! \------------ 023     Ah
      \-------------- 024     Ah

[QUIRE 4]
      /-------------- 025     Ah
      ! /------------ 026     Bh
      ! ! /---------- 027     Ah
      ! ! ! /-------- 028     Ah
      A B A A
      ! ! ! \-------- 029     Ah
      ! ! \---------- 030     Ah
      ! \------------ 031     Bh
      \-------------- 032     Ah

Since the Quire number is on f32v - Language A is assumed to be the language for the entire quire.
After removing the vellum sheet contain pages 26r, 26v, 31r, 31v which were in B Language, I've replaced them with A language Herbals...

[QUIRE 4]
      /-------------- 025     Ah
      ! /------------ 035   Ah	
      ! ! /---------- 027     Ah
      ! ! ! /-------- 028     Ah
      A A A A
      ! ! ! \-------- 029     Ah
      ! ! \---------- 030     Ah
      ! \------------ 038   Ah
      \-------------- 032     Ah

Removed 35/38 from Quire 5

Begin Herbal B (Bh)

		
[QUIRE 5]
      /-------------- 033     Bh
      ! /------------ 034     Bh
      ! ! /---------- 035     Ah
      ! ! ! /-------- 036     Ah
      B B A A
      ! ! ! \-------- 037     Ah
      ! ! \---------- 038     Ah
      ! \------------ 039     Bh
      \-------------- 040     Bh

Since the Quire number is on f40v - Language B is assumed to be the language for the entire quire.
After removing the vellum sheets (bifolios) containing pages 35r/v and 38r/v, 36r/v and 37r/v which were in A Language, I've replaced them with B language Herbals...

[QUIRE 5]
      /-------------- 033     Bh
      ! /------------ 034     Bh
      ! ! /---------- 026   Bh  
      ! ! ! /-------- 050   Bh  
      B B B B
      ! ! ! \-------- 055   Bh
      ! ! \---------- 031   Bh
      ! \------------ 039     Bh
      \-------------- 040     Bh

(Removed 26/31 from Quire 4)
(Removed 50/55 from Quire 7)


[QUIRE 6]
      /-------------- 041     Bh
      ! /------------ 042     Ah
      ! ! /---------- 043     Bh
      ! ! ! /-------- 044     Ah
      B A B A
      ! ! ! \-------- 045     Ah
      ! ! \---------- 046     Bh
      ! \------------ 047     Ah
      \-------------- 048     Bh

Since the Quire number is on f48v - Language B is assumed to be the language for the entire quire.
After removing the vellum sheets containing pages 42r/v & 47r/v, 44r/v & 45r/v (to quire 17) which were in A Language, I've replaced them with B language Herbals...
[QUIRE 6]

			
		
      /-------------- 041     Bh
      ! 
      !  /---------- 046     Bh
      !  ! /-------- 094   Bh
      B  B B
      !  ! \-------- 095.1.2  Bh
      !  \---------- 045     Bh
      ! 
      \-------------- 048     Bh

(Removed 94/95.1.2 from quire 17)



[QUIRE 7]
      /-------------- 049     A1
      ! /------------ 050     B2
      ! ! /---------- 051     A1
      ! ! ! /-------- 052     A1
      A B A A
      ! ! ! \-------- 053     A1
      ! ! \---------- 054     A1
      ! \------------ 055     B2
      \-------------- 056     A1

Since the Quire number is on f56v - Language A is assumed to be the language for the entire quire.
After removing the vellum sheet containing pages 50r/v & 55r/v which were in B Language, I've replaced them with A language Herbals...


[QUIRE 7]
      /-------------- 049     A1
      ! /------------ 036   A1  
      ! ! /---------- 051     A1
      ! ! ! /-------- 052     A1
      A A A A
      ! ! ! \-------- 053     A1
      ! ! \---------- 054     A1
      ! \------------ 037   A1
      \-------------- 056     A1

(Removed 36/37 from Quire 5)

[QUIRE 8]
    /---------------- 057     B2
    ! /-------------- 058     A
    ! ! /------......(059)
    ! ! ! /----......(060)
    ! ! ! ! /--......(061)
    B A ! ! !
    ! ! ! ! \--......(062)
    ! ! ! \----......(063)
    ! ! \------......(064)
    ! \-------------- 065
    \---------------- 066     B

The fact that the numbering skips from 58 to 65 indicates that the author of the numbering schema had at one time included a number of pages in between to make a full quire count of 20 pages minimum as the numeral author didn't count fold-out pages separately. Quire 8 may be a herbal B - but is hard to tell due to 57v & 66r carrying some unique sequences - while 57r and 66v appear to be Herbal B.

[QUIRE 8]
    /---------------- 057     B
   ! /--------------- 107     B
   ! ! /------------- 108     B
   ! ! /--......(109)
   ! ! \--......(110)
   ! ! \------------- 111     B
   ! \--------------- 112     B
    \---------------- 066     B

57 /Index? odd quire mark? 66 Index? / Quire mark. (removed 107/112, 108,111 from quire 20) (possibly mising 109/110)


[QUIRE 9]
            /-------- 067 +--     
            !
            \-------- 068 +--+--

The Quire number shouldn't be at the beginning - this folio appears to be reversed and should actually end with folio 67r being the last verso page. Without further information - this quire appears to have only 10 'pages' instead of the 16 as seen in most of the quires so far... //Rather than fully reversed - I've moved the start folio by sliding it over one page...

[QUIRE 9]
 /--------- 67.2  
!/-------- 0 ??     
!!
!\-------- 0 ??  
 \--------- 067.1+68.1+68.2+68.3

RECTO: 67.r2 Start of 'astro/cosmo' section, 67v2, 68r1,r2,r3 foldout VERSO: 68v3,v2,v1, 67.r1 Quire Signature (last verso folio page of quire)


[QUIRE 10]
            /-------- 069
            !
            \-------- 070 +--


[QUIRE 11]
            /-------- 071
            !
            \-------- 072 +--+--

						
[QUIRE 12]
            /-------- 073
            !
            \--......(074)


						
[QUIRE 13]
    /---------------- 075     B2  
    ! /-------------- 076     B2
    ! ! /------------ 077     B2
    ! ! ! /---------- 078     B2
    ! ! ! ! /-------- 079     B2
    B B B B B
    ! ! ! ! \-------- 080     B2
    ! ! ! \---------- 081     B2
    ! ! \------------ 082     B2
    ! \-------------- 083     B2
    \---------------- 084     B2

Removed center folios to reveal connection between 78r/81v as obvious center to folio.

[QUIRE 13]
    /---------------- 075     B2  
    ! /-------------- 076     B2
    ! ! /------------ 077     B2
    ! ! ! /---------- 078     B2 
    ! ! ! ! 
    B B B B 
    ! ! ! ! 
    ! ! ! \---------- 081     B2 
    ! ! \------------ 082     B2
    ! \-------------- 083     B2
    \---------------- 084     B2

(81r Lines up perfectly with 78v)


[QUIRE 14]
           //======== 085     Bb
           !B                     
           \\======== 086 +== Bb

Moved 79 and 80 from quire 13 to front of quire- all Language bio-B.

					 [QUIRE 14]
           //======== 085Bb + 79B2 + 80B2 
           !B                    
           \\======== 086 +== Bb

<--- 9-rings multiple-fold

[QUIRE 15]

       /---------- 087     Ah  (herbal)
       ! /-------- 088     Ap  (pharma)
       A A
       ! \-------- 089 +-- Ap   (pharma)
       \---------- 090 +-- Ah   (herbal)

Move Pharma content to quire 19, take in 58/65 from quire 8. [QUIRE 15]

 /----------- 087     Ah  (herbal)
! /---------- 058   Ah
A A
! \---------- 065   Ah 
 \----------- 090 +-- Ah   (herbal)

[QUIRE 16]

 /--......(091)
!
 \--......(092)

[QUIRE 17]

  /---------- 093     Ah  (all herbal)
  ! /-------- 094     Bh
  A B
  ! \-------- 095 +-- Bh
  \---------- 096     Ah

[QUIRE 17]

 /----------- 093     Ah  (all herbal)
! /---------- 042   Ah   (From quire 6)
! ! !-------- 045		Ah
A A A--------Missing one more bifolio...
! ! !-------- 047   Ah
! \---------- 044   Ah  
 \----------- 096     Ah

					
[QUIRE 18]
            /--......(097)
            !
            \--......(098)



[QUIRE 19]
          /---------- 099     A4? (all pharma)
          ! /-------- 100     A4?
          A A 
          ! \-------- 101 +-- A4?
          \---------- 102 +-- A

[QUIRE 19]
          /---------- 099     Ap (all pharma)
          ! /-------- 100     Ap
          A A ---88r/v , 89r1r2/v2v1 Ap
          ! \-------- 101 +-- Ap
          \---------- 102 +-- Ap

Borrow 88, 89 pharma pages - perhaps too many... 102; Quire number seems odd to me.


[QUIRE 20]
/-------------------- 103     BX  
! /------------------ 104     BX
! ! /---------------- 105     BY
! ! ! /-------------- 106     BX
! ! ! ! /------------ 107     B
! ! ! ! ! /---------- 108     B
! ! ! ! ! ! /--......(109)
B B B B B B !
! ! ! ! ! ! \--......(110)
! ! ! ! ! \---------- 111     B
! ! ! ! \------------ 112     B
! ! ! \-------------- 113     B
! ! \---------------- 114     B
! \------------------ 115     B
\-------------------- 116     B

<--- end of 'stars/recipes' Quire number is definitely odd. First it's on the first page instead of last verso; 2nd it's on the left edge of the page instead of right edge where all the rest are. Only 19 shares similarities with this quire number - so I think 19 and 20 were not the original quire markings.

Donated 107-112 to quire 8...

[QUIRE 20]
/-------------------- 103     BX  
! /------------------ 104     BX
! ! /---------------- 105     BY
! ! ! /-------------- 106
B B B B
! ! ! \-------------- 113     B
! ! \---------------- 114     B
! \------------------ 115     B
\-------------------- 116     B

103 Numeral 20 - left side of page - odd placement for quire nr. 116 No quire mark needed for last quire...