The Voynich Manuscript a Practical Source between Medieval European Communes
Knowledge Proud Prosperousness
Recent findings through translation, specifically 85r, lead me to understand this as an educational guide written in ogham type script between communities to exchange seeds, medicine, knowledge and practices. The particular script is possibly referenced here as “little ebb ogham (meaning script)”, see etymology of ebb below.
ogham, m. (gs. -aim). 1. Ogham (script, inscription). 2. (f. in phrase) ~ chraobh, ogham lettering named from trees. (dat. -aim used in phrase) D’aon oghaim, on purpose.
“Ebb: Old English ebba “falling of the tide, low tide,” perhaps from Proto-Germanic *af-(source also of Old Frisian ebba, Old Saxon ebbiunga, Middle Dutch ebbe, Dutch eb, German Ebbe), from PIE root *apo- “off, away.” Figurative sense of “decline, decay, gradual diminution” is from late 14c. Ebb-tide is from 1776.
Old English ebbian “flow back, subside,” from the root of ebb (n.). Figurative use in late Old English. Related: Ebbed; ebbing.”
from 85r:
Everything at/here for knowledge another little time Pleiades (sounds like the diminutive for community)
lays foundation layer proud little ebb ogham drain lovely thing of guidance
noble being element(water) lukewarm light covering kokkos, (greek, seed)
Bundle planting root marked with letters twist closed loop mystery identify it
Spread out element(water) solid a little accross making drenched form into a roll
reed flower firmly fixed supporting pellitory of the wall wildness thorn-bush/enough
knowledge proud prosperousness
Below there is more information from wikipedia. The communes mentioned were from the late 14th century into the 15th (fitting Voynich timeline). Charles IV outlawed communes from “conjurationes, confederationes, and conspirationes” meaning these rural communal leagues and towns were dissolved and their power, most likely political and financial was greatly reduced. This restriction, while continued need for resource exchange, could be why many communes are all listed on the cartography map following on 85v and it could point to why this script (little ebb ogham) was practically and discreetly used.
“In the Holy Roman Empire, the emperors always had to face struggles with other powerful players: the land princes on the one hand, but also the cities and communes on the other hand. The emperors thus invariably fought political (not always military) battles to strengthen their position and that of the imperial monarchy. In the Golden Bull of 1356, emperor Charles IV outlawed any conjurationes, confederationes, and conspirationes, meaning in particular the leagues of towns but also the rural communal leagues that had sprung up. Most leagues of towns were subsequently dissolved, sometimes forcibly, and where refounded, their political influence was much reduced. Nevertheless, some of these communes (as Frankfurt, Nuremberg, Hamburg) were able to survive in Germany for centuries and became almost independent city-state vassals to the Holy Roman Emperors (see Free imperial city).”
The mention of Pleiades is also significant and the reference could in part, provide evidence for cultural overlaps noted in the cosmological section: