Leech Books, I

SUMMARY: Collection of medical receipts, notes on astrological medicine, colours of urines, etc.

In English by several hands. Fol. 18 is wanting, and a leaf after fol. 1, as well as some leaves at the end. Several margins have been repaired. At the beginning are two fragments of vellum end-papers, one from a 15th cent. Psalter with musical notation and text in red and black.

The first 30 ff. are by one hand, with initials in alternate red and green. Ff. 31-36 are by a smaller hand. Ff. 37-42 are by a third hand, with headings and paragraph marks in red. The last section, Ff. 43-end, is by yet another hand with capitals and paragraph marks in red. The last two sections are perhaps somewhat earlier than the rest.

On fol. 32 is a circular pen-drawn diagram illustrating the colours of urines: on the verso is a drawing of a Talisman against plague in red and black, and on fol. 33v a circular figure showing times for blood-letting according to the Zodiacal signs.

Fol. 1 Galion the good leche here saith and techeth off mette and / drynke to use yn tyme and yn tyme off blood lettyng to haue truly yn any tyme off the yere. / In the monethe off Januar ... 1v [November] ... for they be all / humours preste and quycke. 2 Uryne pale with whitt smale thyng therin ... 3, line 3 And thou schalt knowe urynes wery man is hole / wos uryne yn the mornyng is whyghtte and afore mete / redde and after mete wightte. 3, lines 6-29 Miscellaneous receipts and remedies, including two charms to stop bleeding. (Fol. 19v, 29v).

Ff. 30-32 Colours of urines. Zodiacal signs for the month. With diagram. Fol. 32v Figure of a Talisman 'Contra pestilentiam', with inscription 'Quidam monaco Abbate de courbe [Corby?] in comitate lincolniense Angelus Apparuit et imprimebat manu eius ex precepto ihesu proprio hoc signum'. 33v Astrological blood-letting figure with text.

Ff. 34-36 Medical receipts, with rules for diet, blood-letting, etc. Fol. 36v Dies lunae bona et mala: for blood-letting. 37 This book was sent fro thee kyng of franse to dame Isabell / queyne of yngland and made be all the all the [sic] lechis and phi / sissions of mownpelers ... 41v and drynk yt of yn the mornyng and euenyng mylk warme. Ff. 42-46 Miscellaneous receipts by two different hands.

On the recto of the first vellum end-paper fragment is written 'John Tho[mas ?] in genten [? Ghent] by a 15th cent. hand. On the recto of the second 'Mr Thomas dib borne 1501 the firste of maye'. By the same hand is an inscription on the first un-numbered leaf 'This Booke Teacheth a diatory for the xii monthes a treatis of urines / medicynes from heade to the foote, and makinge of plasters and oyntments / with a treatise of medycyne sente By the masters of Salerno [sic] to lady Phylypa [sic] quene of Ingland wyfe to edward the third M.CCC.XX'. This presumably must refer to a part of the original MS. which is now missing.

NOTE: Sold at Sotheby's 30/4/1903, Lot 760. Purchased 1905. 11993

PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION 1 volume 2 ll. + 46 ff. 4to. 21 x 15 cm. Quarter calf binding, with label 'Bretherton ligavit 1849'.

Reference MS.404

Archives & Manuscripts
Keywords: Talisman; Recipes; Traditional medicine; Charms; Talismans