HERB - Ahoy! :D :D :D Outlander off the port bow!

[MdmMalice1@aol.com]

In a message dated 4/26/99 9:30:47 PM Eastern Daylight Time, 
WlNDSlNGER at aol.com writes:

<< Are there any good, encyclopedia-type sources you would recommend?   
Period 
 sources?  >>


I'm new to this list as well, and while it's not a period encyclopedia-type 
of book, I have gone through 2 copies of  "The Herb Book" by John Lust 
(Bantam Books).   With simple "How-to" sections on making things from 
decoctions to oils, and those ever-so-handy reference lists in the back, it's 
my choice for the book I grab when the ship is sinking and I can only take 
ONE book to that desert island.

As for period...well...Theophrastus' Historia Plantarum is 4th century BC 
(pubiished in the 15th century.  3 cheers for the printing press!).  
Dioscorides'  De Materia Medica,  from the 1st century A.D., was published 
about the same time.  But neither are easy reading (Latin, you know)...or 
something that I'd get my suggestions for a flu fighter from.  I think the 
first herbal to be published in english was the Grete Herball of 1526.  Of 
course there's always The Herball or General Historie of Plantes (1597) by 
John Gerard ( frequently called "Gerard's Herbal") and The English Physician 
Enlarged  by Nicholas Culpeper (often just called "Culpeper's").  Dover has 
pretty inexpensive copies of both and they can usually be found in any good 
sized bookstore.

Both Gerard and Culpeper's plant information is generously laced with 
astrology, superstition and other colorful additions of the time.  And both 
are heavy on English/Northern European views.

Once upon a time I spent lots of money and lots of time getting most of  the 
"Agnus Castus" herbal photocopied from the U of F library with plans to 
re-type it without all the funny words and letters.  Several pages of things 
like:

"Alium.  is an herbe pat men clepe garlek.  or cherlys | tryacle.  pis herbe 
is comoun to euerey man.  and per-fore  | it nedy3t no3t to be descrye pe 
schap.  is pis it wyle vnbynde alle grete stoppynggis || and wycked wyndys in 
mannys body.  Also it helpy3t | a man to make water.  nut neuere pe lattere 
3et it greweith | a man in hys 3erde for pe grete | drawyng pat he so 
strongly drawy3t.  Also it helyth | and dystroyeth all venym withinne a 
mannys body.  Also | it helyth colde sorys as pei it vere tryacle.  Also 
gar|let do3th awaey morfue or bledderes in qwat place | pat it be in mannys 
body 3if it be frotyd well per-wy3t. | pis herbe is hot and drye."

... Were too much for me.  I gave up.   Oh..that was the entry on Garlic, in 
case you didn't recognize it.


Anyway..hope the bit I gave is a good starting point!  Good luck and happy 
whenever birthday!

Melistra
Trimaris


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