Herbals: 17th cent.

Herbal containing descriptions, virtues, etc. of 212 plants, followed by another dealing with 216 plants: both covering almost the same items, with a single index. Following these a collection of 237 medical and other receipts and 'secrets': including medical astrology and alchemical processes. In Italian by the same hand throughout. On fol. 43v of the first herbal, pen-drawings of 'Herba lunaria' and 'Herba Solis'. In the Receipt-book, ff. 38v, 39 contain the symbols of plants and their astrological 'Dominators'. On fol. 41 two pen-drawings of alchemical 'Vasi'; ff. 43v, 44 tables of the hours of each day of the week with their ruling planets. Receipts Nos. 236 [336], 237 [337] are inserted after the Index of Receipts. Receipt No. 230 [330] is incomplete. These receipts are wrongly numbered. A few of the receipts have been struck through. Of the last 5 unfoliated leaves, the first three contain notes on metals and their ruling planets, tables of sunrise and some medical receipts. The last two consist of a description of Ancona. After the Index to the Herbals are 3 ll. of alchemical receipts by 18th cent. hands.

Middle 17th century

1 volume 8 ll. + 43 ff. + 31 ff. + 10 ll. + 82 ff. + 5 ll. 4to. 21 x 14 cm. Modern paper covers. At least one leaf wanting after fol. 82 of the receipts.

The papers are available subject to the usual conditions of access to Archives and Manuscripts material, after the completion of a Reader's Undertaking.

Purchased 1930.

Database description transcribed from S.A.J. Moorat, Catalogue of Western Manuscripts on Medicine and Science in the Wellcome Historical Medical Library (London: Wellcome Institute for the History of Medicine, 1962-1973).