HERB - Re: Culpepper and beginning period books

[M Wolfe]

I think I'm confused, but I assure you I am not offended.  Of the books I
mentioned:  Banckes was published in period.  Markham's The English
Housewife was published in period.  Turner's works were published in
period.  Gerard's The Herbal, and Thomas Johnson's edited edition of
Gerard's Herbal were both published in period. Some of Culpeper's works was
published were published in period, and his English Physician was published
in 1652 which should be close enough for anybody.  By any standard of
measure they HAVE to be "historically accurate".  they were written by
people who lived then, therefor they cannot but be accepted as such.

This is not to say that they have the same merit as herbals by modern
standards or by period ones.  Banckes herbal is in essence the last popular
herbal in the Medieval tradition.  Turners work is in essence the first
Renaissance herbal in English  (The Grete Herbal comes close but is in
essence a translation rather than an original work.) (Yeah, that picks nits
but they are hopefully the sort of nits worthy of discussion rather than
authenticity nazi stuff.)

To some extent Culpeper work is a good representative of a work to close
with.  With his emphasis on Astrology takes us somewhat out of the
Renaissance and into that wierd post Renaissance world in which the
questions raised by the enlightenment left a world unsure what was left to
believe.

At 06:24 PM 8/28/99 , you wrote:
>OK no offence.. So please don't take it that way.
>But I have  been reading and thinking.. If it is a good herb book and fairly
>close to being historically correct... does it really matter.
>I  was told that SCA was about living in the modern midages, being as close
>to historically corrected as we can... but most of all building close
>friendships and having a good time in an era that we all love.
>I see and heard more *discussions* about how Historiacal  correct this and
>that is that I have had my fill.
>I am sorry if I have offeneded anyone...
>Brightest blessings
>Tarna


Rauthulfr Meistari inn Orthstori  (OL, MC, P-eX, Et Cetera)  An Tir A&S
Champion
or, non- SCA: Michael Wolfe M. A. I. S. AB-
*Practice Random Acts of Chocolate.....

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