German Recipe Book, 16th century

A book of medical recipes and horse cures, with other practical advice on horsemanship, firearms etc., by an anonymous author, possibly from Bavaria. f. 3r. Erstens an wellichen Tagen der Monaten mann mit lassen [sic] soll, dann vill übels dem Menschen von [sic] khomen möcht, so etliche Planeta auf dieselb zeit regieren sind alß Maister vor gestirn geachtet hand, Fesst ain Mensch auff dieselbigen stund, So mueß er sterben. f. 84r. Liber Secundus. Daß ist Daß Ander Buech der Artzney, Namlich der Pferdten. f. 195r Liber Tertius. Daß ist Daß dritte Buech von Mancherlay Künstenn unnd Abentheür. ff. 269r.-271v. blank. ff. 272r. 'Register. über daß Erste Buech Namlichen von der Artzney der Menschen. f. 279r. Register. Deß Anderen Buechs, Namlichen von der Artzney der Pferdten. f. 293r. Register. Deß dritten unnd Letsten Buechs von Mancherley Künsten Unnd Abentheür. The whole work is interspersed with prayers to the Virgin and Saints. There are some annotations in a non-Germanic hand, giving transcriptions of various medical ingredients (eg. ff. 38r., 44v.).

Late 16th century

304 ff. (original pagination 1-532) 1 vol., 310 × 200 mm. Original vellum covered boards, with tie holes and repair to spine. Various library shelf marks: on front board xviii.a 1 in an (?)18th cent. hand; at base of spine 64k; inside front cover, in pencil, H32.

Purchased from Norman Comben, 1993.

The tentative ascription of Bavarian origin to the work is based on the watermarks, of which there are three different examples present. Two would seem to be identified with manufacturers at Augsburg and Kempten respectively. Cf. C.M. Briquet, Les Filigranes, vol.i, pp. 31, 157.

Described in typescript supplements, by Christopher Hilton and Richard Aspin, to the Library's published finding aids.