Jakub Hořčický (1575–25 September 1622), later granted the title z Tepence ("of Tepenec"), was a Bohemia

Bohemia

Bohemia is a historical region in central Europe, occupying the western two-thirds of the traditional Czech Lands. It is located in the contemporary Czech Republic with its capital in Prague...

n pharmacist and personal doctor of Emperor Rudolf II

Rudolf II, Holy Roman Emperor

Rudolf II was Holy Roman Emperor , King of Hungary and Croatia , King of Bohemia and Archduke of Austria...

. The latinized name is a translation of his family name, which means "mustard

Mustard (condiment)

Mustard is a condiment made from the seeds of a mustard plant...

" in Czech

Czech language

Czech is a West Slavic language with about 12 million native speakers; it is the majority language in the Czech Republic and spoken by Czechs worldwide. The language was known as Bohemian in English until the late 19th century...

 ("sinapis" in Latin).

Biography

According to his college records, Jakub was born in Bořenovice

Bořenovice

Bořenovice is a village and municipality in Kroměříž District in the Zlín Region of the Czech Republic.The municipality covers an area of , and has a population of 179 ....

 in Moravia

Moravia

Moravia is a historical region in Central Europe in the east of the Czech Republic, and one of the former Czech lands, together with Bohemia and Silesia. It takes its name from the Morava River which rises in the northwest of the region...

 in a lower-class family. He initially worked as kitchen helper at the Jesuit school at Krumlov

Krumlov

Krumlov may refer to:* Český Krumlov , a town in South Bohemia, Czech Republic** Zámek Český Krumlov ** Flag of Český Krumlov** Duchy of Krumlov, a titular duchy of the Bohemia** Český Krumlov District...

, but was eventually admitted to the Krumlov Seminary of poor students in 1590. There he worked in the college's pharmacy

Pharmacy

Pharmacy is the health profession that links the health sciences with the chemical sciences and it is charged with ensuring the safe and effective use of pharmaceutical drugs...

 under the overseeing of Martin Schaffner

Martin Schaffner

Martin Schaffner was a German painter and medallist.Schaffner was born and worked primarily in Ulm. His birth year is calculated based on a self-portrait medal he created in 1522 in which he describes himself as 44 years old. He specialized in religious-themed works, often altar pieces. He died in...

 (1564–1608).

Jakub eventually graduated from the Krumlov Gymnasium, and became a pharmacist himself. By 1598 he started studying Aristotelian philosophy at the Clementinum

Clementinum

The Clementinum is a historic complex of buildings in Prague. Until recently the complex hosted the National, University and Technical libraries, the City Library also being located nearby on Mariánské Náměstí. The Technical library and the Municipal library have moved to the Prague National...

 college in Prague (which was later merged with Charles University), but continued working in chemistry and pharmacy. He grew herbs and set up a laboratory at Smichov

Smíchov

Smíchov is a district of Prague, the capital of the Czech Republic, and is part of Prague 5. It is located on the west bank of the Vltava river....

, the Clementinum's botanical garden

Botanical garden

A botanical garden The terms botanic and botanical, and garden or gardens are used more-or-less interchangeably, although the word botanic is generally reserved for the earlier, more traditional gardens. is a well-tended area displaying a wide range of plants labelled with their botanical names...

. There he distilled a very popular Aqua Sinapis ("water of mustard", perhaps a reference to his own name) whose sale made him a wealthy man. He lent emperor Rudolph II enormous sums of money and received from him an estate in Melnik

Melnik

-Places:Bulgaria* Melnik, Bulgaria, a town in Bulgaria* Shiroka Melnishka Losa, a Bulgarian wine grape also known as MelnikCzech Republic* Mělník, a townUnited States* Melnik, Wisconsin, an unincorporated community...

.

In 1600 he became the administrator of the Jesuit college in Jindřichův Hradec

Jindrichuv Hradec

Jindřichův Hradec is a town in the South Bohemian Region of the Czech Republic. It has approximately 22,700 inhabitants.- History :The first written mention of the town is in 1220. Before that, it was probably a Slavic settlement. At the end of the 12th century more people arrived...

, and in 1606 he became capitaneus and administrator of the properties of the St. George's Convent

St. George's Convent, Prague

The Convent of Saint George was a Benedictine convent located in the Prague Castle in the Czech Republic. Founded in 973, the convent was next to the seat of ecclesiastical and state power in Bohemia and occasionally the entire Holy Roman Empire, and played an important historical role...

 in the Prague Castle

Prague Castle

Prague Castle is a castle in Prague where the Kings of Bohemia, Holy Roman Emperors and presidents of Czechoslovakia and the Czech Republic have had their offices. The Czech Crown Jewels are kept here...

. In 1607 he was named imperial chemist by Rudolf II. In retribution for curing the emperor of a grave disease, he was enobled with the title "de Tepenec", presumably after the historic Tepenec Castle (destroyed in 1391) near Olomouc

Olomouc

Olomouc is a city in Moravia, in the east of the Czech Republic. The city is located on the Morava river and is the ecclesiastical metropolis and historical capital city of Moravia. Nowadays, it is an administrative centre of the Olomouc Region and sixth largest city in the Czech Republic...

.

In the religious disputes of the early 17th century, Jakub strongly defended the Catholic side. He became the leader of the township of Melnik but was jailed in 1620, when the protestants took charge of the town. He was subsequently exchanged by another prisoner (Jessenius) and exiled, but later returned to Melnik and lived there the rest of his life.

He died in 1622, from a horse-fall that he had suffered a year before. Two days before his death he was moved to the Clementinum at the care of the Jesuits, and left them the sum of 50,000 gold coins and his Melnik estate. He is buried in the Church of the Savior in the Clementinum.

Writings

In 1609 he published a pro-Catholic pamphlet which saw several reprintings. According to a 1777 source, he had written several manuscripts on chemistry and botany.

Connection to the Voynich manuscript

Book dealer Wilfrid Voynich claimed that Jakub's name and title was barely readable at the bottom of the first page of the Voynich Manuscript

Voynich manuscript

The Voynich manuscript, described as "the world's most mysterious manuscript", is a work which dates to the early 15th century, possibly from northern Italy. It is named after the book dealer Wilfrid Voynich, who purchased it in 1912....

, and therefore it is believed that the book was once in his possession. Unfortunately, attempts by Voynich to bring out more hidden writing on that page by chemical treatment only succeeded in erasing Jakub's name, which is now preserved only in photocopies.