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Agnus castus with additional medical recipes : [manuscript]

1 of 17
Description
ff. 1-40v. [Agnus castus]. Incipit: Agnus castus is an herbe that men clepyn Tutsayn other parkeleuys and this herbe hath leuys sumdele red yleke to the levys of Arage. Explicit: Also if a man haue grete itchyng in his Bodi take the Ius//. English. G. Brodin, ed., Agnus Castus: a Middle English Herbal Reconstructed from Various Manuscripts. Essays and Studies on English Language and Literature 6 (Copenhagen and Cambridge, Mass., 1950) 119-201; HM 58 not recorded; the text shares characteristics with Brodin's groups I and II, but many readings resemble the variants listed for London, Brit. Lib., Roy. 18.A.VI, the representative of group II. One leaf missing after f. 8 with loss of most of the entry for "Betonia"; between the entries for "Costus" and "Dragancia," ff. 15v-16, fourteen herbs not copied (contemporary note, f. 16, lists seven missed herbs); on f. 18v, ten lines cancelled and f. 19, a singleton, inserted by the scribe to allow for otherwise missed entries; other herbs occasionally missed; breaks defectively in the entry for "Rosa marinus," although the text may have been completed on the 4 leaves now missing after f. 40. See also A. Zettersten, "A Manuscript of 'Agnus Castus' in the Huntington Library," Notes and Queries 216 (1971) 130-31. ff.8v, 11v, 19v, 23v, 31v, 33, 34, 38v, 39, 41-42v. [Medical recipes]. English. Twenty-nine medical recipes added by several contemporary and later hands in the blank spaces left by the scribe of Agnus Castus in order to begin a new letter of the alphabet at the top of a page; ff. 41-42 were blank leaves completing the quire at the end of Agnus Castus; the recipe on f. 41 begins defectively. On f. 19v, a charm in verse against worms in children; on f. 41v, a charm "For to wynne at dyce." A recipe on f. 31v ends "probatum est per Iohannem Denys," referring to the surgeon John Denyse, whose name appears in records 1475-96/97; see C. H. Talbot and E. A. Hammond, Medical Practitioners in Medieval England (London 1965) 140-41. In a seventeenth century hand in the lower margin of f. 41v: "Master Whettons electuarie for the stone. It is to be sold at Master Spichforkes an apothicarie in chepeside nere the greate cundit there...it is also to be had att the golden morter next shopp to Master Spichforke in chepeside...". f. 43-93v. Forto make a water that is ycleped maidons melke that shal don awai sausefleme and the rede Goute in the visage [i.e. Medical recipes and charms]. Incipit: Take lytarge of Golde and stamp itt ynto poudre. Explicit: And then stille itt yn a lymbak with eesy fyre. Rubric: Forto make a water that is ycleped maidons melke that shal don awai sausefleme and the rede Goute in the visage. English. Approximately 253 recipes, including 2 for the ointment Gracia dei, "that the Ladi Beauchamp used the Erlis wiff of Warweke" (f. 52v) and another "that þe gode Erle of herforde used þat was yhold a noble and Gracyus Surgierer" (f. 53); the non-medical recipes are: f. 69, an incantation against thieves; f. 75v, an incantation to staunch blood; ff. 81v-82, indices to determine if a sick person will live or die; f. 82r-v, means of determining if a pregnant woman is carrying a boy or a girl; f. 84, an incantation for a speedy delivery in childbirth; f. 84r-v, an incantation to deliver a stillborn child; ff. 87v-88v, a passage on the virtues of "betayne." In the margins next to the 4 incantations, in the hand of the scribe, "Prohibitum est exercicium ab Ecclesia catholica." Nine recipes added in contemporary and later hands on ff. 76, 86, 88v, 93v. On ff. 43-62 only, initials added in the margin representing the main word of the rubric, as if in preparation for an alphabetical subject index, e.g. f. 43: "m" for "maidons melk," "p" for "polus rubius," "o" for "oynement"; f. 43v: "c" for "cancrum," "w" for "webbe." On ff. 94-95v (misbound), part of a table of contents for these recipes but possibly copied from a different book.
Type
Manuscripts(Opens in new tab)
Date
[between 1485 and 1499]
Call number
mssHM 58
Provenance
Among the pentrials: s. XVI: f. 24, "...noverint universi per presentes nos Iohannes ashington in Comitatu Devon. yeoman teneri et firmeter obligari Iohan__cancelled___ de __cancelled___ ne in Comitatu predicto"; f. 28v, possibly in the same hand, "Iohannes de G.R.A."; s. XVII: f. 68v, "John Penrose"; on the leather turn-ins of the front cover, "George Pyne" and "Frances Pyne"; f. 41v, the note on "Master Whettons electuarie" by an owner presumably living in London to judge from the reference to Cheapside and to the Great Conduit. Sold by Rodd, ca. 1842, possibly n. 295 in one of his catalogues (that number, Rodd's name and the Phillipps shelfmark in pencil on the inside of the front cover) to Sir Thomas Phillipps; Phillipps MS 11077.
Restrictions
RESTRICTED. Available with curatorial approval. Requires extended retrieval and delivery time.
Dimensions
145 x 200 mm
Associated people
Phillipps, Thomas, (1792-1872,)
Associated organization
Henry E. Huntington Library, Art Museum, and Botanical Gardens.
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  • Medical recipes and leaves from a Missal : [manuscript]

    Medical recipes and leaves from a Missal : [manuscript]

    Manuscripts

    Part 1. f. 1. [Two medical recipes, possibly the last of a series begun on a previous quire, now missing]: For ye Emerawdis ... , For alle maner hote gowtte ... Part 1. ff. 1-2v. [Latin-English herbal glossary of approximately 130 entries]: Incipit: Here begynnyn ye namys of herbis in latyn & also in englis., Artamessia, Matertera, Mater herbarum [bracketed to:] Moderworte. Part 1. ff. 2v-18v, 29-34v. [Approximately 220 recipes in no readily discernible order, giving recipes for the same illness or affliction in various places; included are several nonmedical recipes: pigments (f. 3v), an incantation against the"fallynge euylle" (ff. 8v-9), red or green sealing wax (f. 12), a charm against being deceived in the market place (f. 13), rat poison (f. 14), ink and glue for parchment (f. 15), indices to determine if a sick person will die (f. 32)]: Incipit: Forto make water of lyne, Recipe Notmuges glowes galingale ye seed of ye cardmoyn ... Explicit: & if you felle it sore ley yerto rotes stampid welle of smalache & do yus tille you be hole. Part 1. ff. 19-28v. [A quire from another manuscript, also dating from the middle of the 15th century, beginning and ending defectively, and lacking its center bifolium, now containing approximately 168 recipes, arranged somewhat more systematically, here proceeding roughly from the head downwards and treating each subject in one place; the latter part of this text lists beneficial herbs and harmful behaviours for different parts of the body; non-medical recipes in this section: indices to determine if a sick person will die (f. 27), rat poison, egg-white ink legible only by candle light, method of preparing eggs so hard that they will not break when thrown against a wall, herbs to make chickens seem dead, means of making a man seem headless, how to make white crows (f. 27v)]: Incipit: //tak sowpernewode & hony eysel & powne yt togeder ... Explicit: For alle manere brosynge, nyme persely rote & al & sowrebred//. Part 1. ff. 34v-35: Rubric: Of thundrynge in diuerse tymis of ye ȝere. Incipit: If it thundire in ye monthe Ianeuere it betoknyth gret wyndis & habundance of fruet & gret batelle ... Explicit: If it thundere in ye monthe of decembre it toknith finalle pace & good reste & pese amonge cristen men. Part 1. f. 35: Rubric: Howe diuerse ȝeres oftyn fallyn throw chonging of dais. Incipit: If sunday falle on ye kalendes of Ianereuer [sic] yat signifieth hot somer ... Explicit: If kalendes of Ianeuere falle on saterday copiouse wyndis drie somere dere qwhet diuerse seknesse. Part 1. f. 35: Rubric: Good dais to be lat blode. Incipit: Hosoeuer blede on ye rith hande ye xvii day of marche ... Explicit: also hoso bled on sent lamberte day he xalle not haue ye fallynge euyll god scheld vs yerfro. Part 1. f. 35r-v: Incipit: In ye ȝere arn xxxii perlouse dais, In qwich if a man falle seke he xalle not liue ... In ye monthe of Ianeuere ius, ii, iiii, v, xv, x, xviii day ... Explicit: In ye monthe of Decembre vi, vii, xv day. Part 1. ff. 35v-36: Rubric: How ye xalle be gouernd euery month in ye ȝere. Incipit: In ye monthe of Ianeuere qwhit wyn is good to drynke & blodletynge forebere for ye vii perlouse dais, in ye monthe of feuerere potages of hokkes to etyn is goode ... Explicit: and hoso gouerne his yat monthe welle it xalle be gret hele to hym all ye next ȝere folwyng on warentise. Explicit goode gouernanse quod symon. Nunc scripsi totum pro christo da michi potum. Iste liber constat Roberto Taylour de Boxforde. Omnibus omnia non mea sompnia dicere possum. Quod symon Wysbech scolaris cantabrig. inceptor canonum et legens sive studens in iure canonico. Symon Wysbech studens in iure canonico. Hec predicta scripsit benedicatur deus. [f. 36v blank]. Part 2. Flyleaves. [Leaves from a Latin Missal]:"Ite missa est" on the front flyleaf and blessing for meals on the back flyleaf.

    mssHM 1336

  • Medical treatises : [manuscript]

    Medical treatises : [manuscript]

    Manuscripts

    ff. 1-15v: [Approximately 150 medical recipes, including 2 on f. 3 for determining if a sick man will live or die]: Incipit: [Broþir] in crist þat þyng þat ȝe desyreþ of me y wol don hyt wyþ goddes grace her beþ medycynes þat beþ ydrawen out of goode leches bokes. For þe hed ache mak lye of verueyne oþer of beteyne ... Explicit: & ȝef þe arm be broke let hym bere a bal of herbes in hys hond for crokynge of hys fyngeres deo gracias Amen. f. 15v. [Pharmacuetical weights]: Incipit: Forto rede & vnderstonde þe wrytynge þat comeþ heraftur & such oþer wrytynge as leaches wryteþ in makynge of hur medycynes wheþer it be in englysch oþer in latyn þow schalt vnderstonde þat a pound is þus ywryte li. i & half a pound ... Explicit: & þus þey beþ ywryten in latyn bokes. ff. 16-237: [Treatise on sicknesses, arranged from the head down (headache to hemorrhoids) defining for each the humors, diagnostic symptoms and remedies]: Rubric: Hed Ache. Incipit: A mon þat wol helpe men in hure seknesses hym byhofeþ to knowe þe enchesones & þe kyndes of þe seknesses þat is to sugge wheþer þey ben hote oþer colde oþer druye oþer moyst And þys is yknowe by mony dyuerse tokenes as by þe vryn & by þe pous ... And furst we wolleþ bygynne at þe seknesses of þe hed & furst of þe hed ache þat may come to a mon þroȝ hete oþer colde oþer druyenesse. Explicit: Anoynte hem wyþ þe oyle of eyren oþer of roses oþer wyþ þe mys of þe lylye rote oþer wyþ fresch botter oþer wyþ lard ymedled wyþ botter oþer wyþ oyle of whete oþer wyþ þe whyt of an ey. f. 237v: [Notes on the preparation of violet, saffron and iron rust for medicinal use]: Incipit: In al þys bok þer as þou seest vyolet idon in electewaryes. Explicit: it restoreþ colere & consumeþ malencolye & it sleþ þe cancre & þe festre & it druyeþ qwyture & abateþ a monnes fatuesse. Deo gracias. Amen. ff. 238-242: [Table of contents to ff. 16-237, listing par tof the body affected and appropriate medicines with reference to folio numbers]. ff. 16v, 18v, 50v, 96, 141v, 203, 208v, 209, 241v, 242v, 243, 244: [Medical recipes in Latin and in English added by several different hands, 15th-16th century].

    mssHM 19079

  • Book of Hours, use of Sarum, in Latin with English additions : [manuscript]

    Book of Hours, use of Sarum, in Latin with English additions : [manuscript]

    Manuscripts

    ff. 1-103v. Book of Hours, use of Sarum. Latin; English. On ff. 1-6v, calendar; ff. 7-35v, Hours of the Virgin, Sarum use with suffrages after lauds; f. 36r-v, added tale in English on the efficacy of saying Ps. 129; ff. 37-43, Penitential psalms; ff. 43-45, Gradual psalms mainly by cue; ff. 45-49v, Litany; ff. 50-68, Office of the Dead, Sarum use; ff. 68-78v, Commendation of Souls; ff. 87v-93v, Fifteen Oes; ff. 93v-103v, prayers; f. 103v and f. v, added maxims in English, attributed to Solomon.

    mssHM 64538

  • Devotions : [manuscript]

    Devotions : [manuscript]

    Manuscripts

    ff. 1-245v: [Devotions]: f. 1r-v, [misbound]: Suffrages of Augustine and Catherine of Siena; ff. 2-15v: Penitential psalms beginning defectively and litany beginning defectively; ff. 16-19: Prayers; f. 19v, blank; ff. 20-49: Office of the Dead, Dominican use; f. 49v, blank; ff. 50-58: Prayers; ff. 58v-59, blank; ff. 60-67: Prayers; ff. 67v-68v, blank; ff. 69-71, [added by a contemporary hand]: Devotional poem, Ave mitis Imperatrix/ Ave vite Restauratrix; ff. 71v-76, [added in a later hand]: Prayers; ff. 76v-78v, blank; ff. 79-87v: Seven prayers attributed to Thomas Aquinas; f. 88r-v, blank; ff. 89-97v: Long hours of Mary Magdalene; ff. 97v-106v: Prayers in hierarchical order (Angels, Apostles, Martyrs, Confessors, Virgins, All Saints); ff. 107-117: Long hours of Eternal Wisdom; ff. 117-122: Prayers; ff. 122v-123v, blank; ff. 124-125: Suffrages, including one of Odilia; f. 125v, blank; ff. 126-136v: Long hours"de beato Dominico confessore patre nostro," followed by prayers to Dominic and Catherine of Siena; ff. 136v-144: Prayers and gospel readings for various canonical hours; ff. 145-150: Short hours of Catherine of Alexandria, followed by prayers to Catherine of Alexandria and to Vincent Ferrer; ff. 150-153: Prayers; f. 153v, blank; ff. 154-166v: Long hours against sin, followed by prayers to Louis confessor (of Toulouse?), Apollonia, the Holy Spirit; ff. 166v-172v: Prayers for the dead, preceded by indulgences of Pius II and John IV; litany for the dead; f. 173r-v, blank; ff. 174-185: Fifteen Oes of St. Bridget; ff. 185v-191v: Metrical hours of the Passion; ff. 192-194v: Suffrages of Peter martyr, Ursula and Jerome; f. 195r-v, blank; ff. 196-207: Prayers to say before communion; f. 207v, blank; ff. 208-216: Prayers to say after communion; ff. 216v-217v, blank; ff. 218-226v: Devotional poem, Ave salve gaude vale o maria non vernale, sed hiis rosis spiritale; f. 227r-v, blank; ff. 228-238v: Devotions on the life of Mary and of Jesus for the rosary, followed by prayers to the Virgin; ff. 239-241: Devotions for the canonical hours on the sorrows of the Virgin; f. 241v, blank; ff. 242-243v: Prayers to Thomas Aquinas and to Barbara; ff. 243v-244v, [added in a contemporary hand]: prayer to Jesus; f. 245r-v, blank.

    mssHM 49124

  • Herbal and medical tracts : [manuscript]

    Herbal and medical tracts : [manuscript]

    Manuscripts

    ff. 1-17v: [Herbal]: Incipit: Abrotanum istius herbe due sunt species scilicet Domesticus et agrestis et alio nomine dicitur sichuum Armenicum sed quando simpliciter potius pro domestica intellectus que alio nomine vocatur camphorata que et anglice dicitur Southernwodde et gallice Averoique. Calidus est in secundo gradu et siccus in primo ... Explicit: zedoar anglice cetwalle, zirumbet idem, zufe id est ysopus, zinzar id est viride or[...?], zarnet id est [blank], zeg id est attramentum. Explicit. ff. 17v-26: [Herbal]: Incipit: Agnus castus, Andra, Salix marinus, Sigillum salamonis, Diptana silvestris folia habens ut atriplex, Rubeum florem ... Explicit: Zodoarum zedewale, zinziber zinziber [sic] anglice Gyngeuer. Explicit. ff. 26v-34: [Herbal]: Incipit: Agarigus fungus arboris est scilicet abietis. Acacia succus prunellarum immaturarum. Attramentum quedam terra gallica et sunt 2e species et secundum quosdam vitriolum dicitur. Antimonium ... Explicit: Pionia maior et minor debent colligi in yeme. Pigamum anglice wilde Rewe. [ff. 31v-34 blank]. ff. 34v-36: [On qualities]: Rubric [added in a different hand]: De qualitatibus similibus remittentibus. Internal rubrics: De qualitatibus contrariis; De qualitatibus obtundentibus; De qualitatibus augentibus. Incipit: Calidum in quarto, Calidum in tertio. Explicit: ut que est dupla per comparacionem ad primum gradum erit quadrupla per comparacionem ad temperamentum et ita de aliis. [f. 36v blank] ff. 37-39: [Four complexions]: Incipit: Largus amans hillaris ridens ruberque coloris/ Cantans carnosus satis audax atque benignus/. Nota quod sanguineus est humidus et calidus. Multum enim appetit quia calidus et multum potest quia humidus. Iste concordat veri et tunc peius se habet propter nimiam humiditatem cum caliditate. Melius enim habet se in autumpno. ff. 39-41: [On phlebotomy]: Rubric: De Fleobothomia. Incipit: Nota quod Fleobothomia tot effectus habet. Mentem sincerat, memoriam probet, vesicam purgat. ff. 41-42: [Monthly health regimen]: Incipit: Qualiter homo debet se servare per singulos menses, In mense Ianuarii vinum album ieiunus bibe, nullum sanguinem penitus minue, a pocionibus que ventrem laxant abstine. f. 42r-v. [Seasons of the year]: Rubric: De quattuor temporibus Anni. Incipit: Estuat Urbanus. Autumpnat Bartholomeus ... Estas incipit a festo sancti urbani et durat usque ad festum sancti Bartholomei. f. 43r-v: [Names of illnesses]: Rubric: De vocabulo morborum. Incipit: Nota quod frenesis impedimentum mentis quia inde leditur mens quia greci mentem frenas vocant vel quia dentibus infredunt. ff. 43v-44v: [Recommendations on urine samples]: Rubric: Nota consideraciones in colleccione urinarum. Incipit: Sciendum est quod in collectione urinarum septem a phisicis considerantur scilicet tempus collegendi, quanto sit colligenda. ff. 44v-45: [Colors of urine]: Rubric: De colore urinarum. Incipit: Calor intendit urinam quia per eum fit resolucio terrestrium et aquosarum parcium in aereas et igneas colores. ff. 45-46v: [Four complexions]: Rubric: De quattuor complexionibus hominis. Incipit: Quia homo est compositus ex appositis elementis et ex quattuor contrariis humoribus. ff. 46v-47: [Notes on medicine]: Rubric: Incipiunt quedam consideraciones ad medicinam pertinentes. Incipit: Nota quod in primis attendendum est utrum corpus indigeat purgari an non, habundante ergo humore pregandus est nisi impediatur ab hiis, scilicet Etate, Virtute, Complexione. ff. 47v-55: [Methods for purging]: Rubric: Nota de diversitate purgacionum. Incipit: Sciendum est quod purgacio Alia fit per vomitum, Alia per urinam, alia per emoroidas, Alia per menstrua, Alia per pessaria, Alia per sudorem. ff. 55-67: [On medicines]: Rubric: Consideraciones circa medicinas. Incipit: In medendis corporibus et maxime purgandis sepe molestamur in contramedendis non quia medicina que datur sit incongrua sed quia ab imperitis medicis est oblata. Est ergo opus hoc medendi inventum ... Tribus modis medemur scilicet Dissoluendo, Constringendo, Restaurando. ff. 67-76v: [Liber Viaticus]: Rubric: Incipit Liber viaticus. Incipit: Perfecte dicuntur temperatina [sic?] que illius qualitatis habent excessum in quibus sunt caliditatis, Frigiditatis, Siccitatis, Humiditatis non invenitur dominium ut aurum. ff. 76v-80v: [On laxatives]: Rubric: Hic incipit tractatus medicinarum et laxativorum simplicium. Incipit: Primo de comprimentibus, Incipiendum est a medicinis que purgant comprimendo. Tamarindi sunt fructus cuiusdam arboris qui conquassatur. ff. 80v-87: Incipit: Primo de comprimentibus, Incipiendum est a medicinis que purgant comprimendo. Tamarindi sunt fructus cuiusdam arboris qui conquassatur. ff. 87-90: [Herbal]: Rubric: De apio. Incipit: Apium idem est quod merg sive Smallage. Apium est calidum et siccum. Iram mitigat. ff. 90-92v. [Items detrimental to parts of the body]: Rubric: Sequitur de nocivis corpori humano in diversis partibus eius. Incipit: Ista valent cerebro, Cerebro valent fedid[...?] in quam oppressione ut in epilencia Serenus aer, Sonus delectabilis, Omne aromaticum. ff. 92v-97: [Diet recommendations]: Rubric: Hec est dieta bona pro colericis. Incipit: In primis valet eis aer humidus panis frumentatus et digestibilis, potus sit vinum etate quidem medium. f. 97-102: [Problems with ears]: Rubric: Nota diversitates passionum in aure. Incipit: Diverse sunt passiones in aure scilicet dolor cum apostemate, dolor sine apostemate, Vulnus, vermes, casus lapilli, Surditas. ff. 102-103: [Herbs good for the stomach]: Rubric: Ista valent Stomacho. Incipit: Marrubium scilicet Horehofe, Plantago Plantayne, Ruta Rewe. f. 103: [Note on vinegar]: Rubric: Nota de aceto. Incipit: Acetum frigidum est in primo gradu et siccum in secundo gradu, habet digerendi et dividendi virtutem Penetrativam ex subtilitate substancie. f. 103v: [Four tables of Aqua, Aer, Ignis, Terra with the colors and grades, added by a different hand] f. 104-104v: [f. 104, blank; f. 104v, added in a cursive hand:"A booke of fesyke begynnyng with namys of herbys xx s"; below, another price blacked out"viii s. vi d."].

    mssHM 26053

  • Portiforium, use of Sarum : [manuscript]

    Portiforium, use of Sarum : [manuscript]

    Manuscripts

    Part 1. ff. 1-45v. [Portiforium, Sarum use]. Latin. ff. 1-7v: Day offices and mass of Thomas of Canterbury; ff. 8-19: Day offices and mass of All Saints; f. 19: Variant blessings for the seventh lesson at matins, depending upon the gospels; ff. 19v-20v: Memoriae of the Cross, the Virgin Mary, and All Saints.; ff. 21-45v: Variants for the office of the Virgin Mary on different days and during different liturgical seasons. Part 2. ff. 46-62v, f. iv verso. [Prayers]. Latin. ff. 46-52v: The Fifteen Oes of St Bridget; ff. 52v-53: Prayer, written for a female supplicant: "Deus qui Susannam a falso crimine liberasti. . ."; ff. 53-54v: Prayer to the Name of Jesus; ff. . 54v-55v: Prayers to be said at mass beginning: "Ave verum corpus natum. . . "; ff. 55v-56v: Four prayers to the Trinity; ff. 56v-58v: Three prayers to the Virgin Mary, the first written for a male supplicant; ff. 58v, 60r-v: Prayer to Christ; f. 60v: The opening words of a prayer "Te deprecor sancta maria mater; f. 59r-v: The prayer Obsecro te, to be said by a supplicant named William, beginning imperfectly; f. 59v, A prayer to the Virgin; f. 61: A version of the Arma Christi; ff. 61-62: The Verses of St. Bernard; f. 62: A suffrage of the Archangel Gabriel; f. 62r-v: A prayer for strength against the devil; f. iv verso: An excerpt from a Passio of Thomas of Canterbury.

    mssHM 55665