Bibliography of Herbals

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Reviews

A must for anyone interested in the history of herbalism, particularly medieval and renaissance herbalism. Covers primarily books and manuscripts written or published in English, but gives background on foriegn herbals later published in translation. Written in a flowing, entertaining style. In addition to a first-hand description of the works (from the Leech Book of Bald onward), Rohde includes tantalizing scraps of information, recipes, and verse from the herbals themselves, as well as background about the authors. (There is a chapter on the New World herbals, with extensive coverage of medicinal uses of tobacco.) Bibliographies give publication/volume histories with bibliographic descriptions of the works. (The bibliographies alone are worth the price of the book.) Illustrated with engravings from printed herbals. Heavily footnoted. (reviewed by: Jadwiga Zajaczkowa, mka Jennifer Heise)

Green Enchantment (also published as The Golden Age of Herbs and Herbalists) by Rosetta Clarkson. This one is currently out of print but it's well worth the out-of-print search to get it. Originally published in the 1940's, it was part of the revival of herbalism in the early part of the century, and it reflects the enthusiasm of the new gardener as well as the dedicated researcher. Includes material from examinations of period herbals and texts that no-one seems to be able to consult today. Begins with a section on the monastery garden, followed by materials on different herbs (not all of them period), flowers in the garden, and the history of gardening. The illustrations are good, and most of the material referenced is footnoted or clearly identified as to source. Excellent background material. (reviewed by: Jadwiga Zajaczkowa, mka Jennifer Heise)

Magic Gardens: A Modern Chronicle of Herbs and Savory Seeds by Rosetta Clarkson. In addition to covering to a wonderful extent Magic Gardens speaks of the medicinal, food, and scent uses of herbs, with a definite emphasis on history - especially early printed books. The sections on Pomanders and on Sachets have the best documentation I have found on such things, though more original recipes are included in Rohde's Scented Garden. Again, the information is clearly referenced. Some chapters are divided by herb or vegetable; others are groupings by type of material. Again, the illustrations are very useful and apposite, and the period references are included. (reviewed by: Jadwiga Zajaczkowa, mka Jennifer Heise)

Garden of Pleasant Flowers, John Parkinson. Dover Publications, 1991. ISBN: 048626758X $19.95 from Borders.com

This is actually a facsimile of the 1629 book, Paradisi in Sole, Paradisus Terrestris, or a Garden of All Sorts of Pleasant Flowers, which appeared pseudo-anonymously (Paradisi in Sole, after all, means Park-in-Sun). It's among the first printed gardening works, even if it is slightly post period, and it's a great book. What you get for your 20 bucks is a big, thick paperback with very clear reproductions of the engravings (trust me, it is a facsimile, nobody in their right mind, even Dover would go to the trouble of typesetting this-- that's the major disadvantage of the book, having to puzzle out the typesetting and spelling). This may also be one of the first 'modern' gardening books. Parkinson divides his work into the flower garden and the kitchen garden, and begins each section with a discourse on general gardening. Then, he sets forth the plants. Every plant he mentions (and he mentions a lot, giving multiple varieties of each one) has an illustrating engraving, in a very clear style, that makes it easy to identify, with a key at the bottom of the engraving page. Each plant entry gives the place (where to plant it), the time (when it grows), the names, and the 'virtues'-- not only what it is good for, but how to prepare and use it. (Parkinson seems to have a fetish for cooking vegetables in broth, for some reason, though.) Some of the plants are definitely post period: Rohde in The Scented Garden tells us that the English mania for bulbs, especially tulips, is 17th century. Some of the variety of vegetables - including New World ones, like the yam (called the common potato, for some reason) and the potato, are probably relatively recent imports; some of the orchard varieties he lists may well be seventeenth century also. However, this is still a great resource for information about gardening in the Renaissance, and as far as I'm concerned is also the 'Sears Wishbook' of period gardening.... One imagines eager young housewives of the 1600s scanning through it on rainy days, making their garden plans and seed lists, and we might well do the same. (reviewed by: Jadwiga Zajaczkowa, mka Jennifer Heise)

From our Guild Members:

Healing Threads: Traditional Medicines of the Highlands and Islands
Mary Beith, Polygon, Edinburgh, 1997
0748661999

The Woman's Book of Healing Herbs
Sari Harrar, Rodale Press, 1999
0875965105

Traditional Scottish Dyes (and How to Make Them)
Jean Fraser, Cannongate Books LTD, Edinburgh, 1983
0862415756

Soothing Soaps for Healthy Skin
Sandy Maine, Interweave Press, CO, 1997
1883010365

The Joseph Wood Krutch Herbal
J.W. Krutch, Balance House, NY 1965
0879231653

Rodale's Illustrated Encyclopedia of Herbs
Claire Kowalchik & William Hilton, editors, Rodale Press, PE 1987
0878576991

Herbs for the Home: A Definitive Sourcebook to Growing and Using Herbs
Jekka McVicar, Viking Studio Books, NY 1995
0670863521

The New Age Herbalist
Richard Mabey, editor, MacMillan Publishing, NY 1988
0025771809

Herbal Healing for Women: Simple Home Remedies for Women of all Ages
Rosemary Gladstar, Fireside Books, NY 1993
0671767674

Bibliography of the Herbal Guild of An Tir

A Book of Fruits and Flowers: First Published in 1653 and here reproduced in facsimile with an introduction by C. Anne Wilson, Prospect Books, London, 1984

Aelian: On Animals with an English Translation, Loeb Classical Library, Harvard University Press, 1971, (Trans. A. F. Schofield)

Apicius: Cookery and Dining in Imperial Rome, Edited and Translated by Joseph Dommers Vehling, Dover Publications, New York, 1977

Apicius: The Roman Cookery of Apicius: A treasury of Gourmet Recipes & Herbal Cookery, Translated and Adapted for the Modern Kitchen By John Edwards, Hartley & Marks, Inc., Publishers, Washigton, 1984

Aristotle: Historia Animalium with an English Translation. 3 Vols. Loeb Classical Library, Harvard University Press. MCMLXXIX (Trans. A. L. Peck)

Athenaeus: The Deipnosophists. 7 Vols. Loeb Classical Library, Harvard University Press. 1969 (Trans. Charles Burton Gulick)

Banckes’: An Herbal [1525], Edited & Transcribed into Modern English With an Introduction by Sanford V. Larkey, M.D., & Thomas Pyles, Scholars’ Facsimiles & Reprints, New York, 1941

Cato and Varro: De Re Rustica. with an English Translation. Loeb Classical Library, Harvard University Press, MCMLXXIX, (Trans. William D. Hooper)

Celsus: De Medicina with an English Translation, Loeb Classical Library, Harvard University Press, 1971, (Trans. W. G. Spencer)

Cockayne, Oswald, Leechdoms, Wortcunning, and Starcraft of Early England, 3 Volumes, Longman, Green, Longman, Roberts, and Green, London, 1864
*Vol. 1 Herbarium of Apuleius Pp 1-249
**Herbarium of Apuleius continued from Dioscorides Pp. 249- 325
**Medicina de quadrupedibus of Sextus Placitus, 942 G79 v.35 pt.1
*Vol. II Leech Book of Bald, 942 G79 v.35 pt.2
*Vol. III Liber medicinalis de virtutibus herbarum, Recipes, from British museum Harleian. 585, 942 G79 v.35 pt.3
**"Of schools of medicine" British museum Harleian. ms 6258., 942 G79 v.35 pt.3

Coumella: De Re Rustica (On Agriculture), With a Recension of the Text and an English Translation, Loeb Classical Library, Harvard University Press, 1977 (Trans. A. B. Ash)

Culpeper, Nicholas: Culpeper’s Complete Herbal, and English Physician. Harvey Sales, 1981, (Reproduced from 1826 edition.)

Digby, Sir Kenelm. The Closet of Sir Kenelm Digby, Knight, Opened: Newly Edited with Introduction, Notes and Glossary by Anne MacDonell, Plilip Lee Warner, London, 1910

Dioscorides. The Greek Herbal of Dioscorides. Gunther, Robert (Translator), Oxford, at the Univeraity Press, 1934.

Dioscorides. The Greek Herbal of Dioscorides. Gunther, Robert (Translator), Hafner Publishing Co. NY., 1959

Dodoens Rembert: Histoire des plantes / de Rembert Dodoens; traduction francaise du Petit recueil auquel est contenue la description d'aucunes gommes et liqueurs, etc., par Charles de L'Escluse (l557) ; facsimile avec introduction, commentaires et la condordance avec la terminologie scientifique moderne, par J.-E. Opsomer., Centre national d'histoire des sciences, Bruxelles, 1978

Galen: On the Natural Faculties with an English Translation, Loeb Classical Library, Harvard University Press, 1979, (Trans. Arthur John Brock)

Gerard, John: The Herbal, or General History of Plants. The Complete 1633 Edition as Revised and Enlarged by Thomas Johnson, Dover Publications Inc., New York, 1975

Hill, Thomas: The Gardener's Labyrinth by Thomas Hill, edited by Richard Mabey, Oxford University Press, 1987.

Hippocrates: Hippocrates, With an English Translation, Six Volumes, Loeb Classical Library, Harvard University Press, (G. P. Goold, editor)

Homer: The Odyssey: With an English Translation. Loeb Classical Library, Harvard University Press, MCMLXVI, (Trans: A. T. Murray.)

Markham, Gervase: The English housewife. Michael R. Best, editor The English Housewife, McGill-Queen’s University Press, Kingston and Montreal, 1986.

Monardes, Nicholas: Joyfull newes out of the newe founde worlde... with an introduction by Stephen Gaselee. London, Constable and co., ltd.; New York, A. A. Knopf, 1925

Nostradamus, Michel de: The Elixers of Nostradamus, Nostradamus’ Original Recipes for Elixirs, Scented Water, Beauty Porions and Sweetmeats, Edited By Knut Boeser, Bloomsbury Publishing Plc, london, 1995

Parkinson, John: A Garden of Pleasant Flowers, Facsimile reproduction of the 1629 edition, Dover Publications Inc., New York, 1976

Plat, Sir Hugh: Delights for Ladies (1609). Crosby Lockwood & Son Ltd., London. 1948

Pliny, The Elder: Natural History: With an English Translation. Loeb Classical Library, Harvard University Press, 10 volumes
*Vol. IV, Translated by H. Rackham, MCMLXXXVI
*Vols., VI & VII.Trans: W. H. S. Jones. MCMMLXX

Schlosser, Julius, and Hermann, Julius: Beschreibendes Verzeichnis Der Illuminierten Handschriften in Österreich, , Verlag Von Karl W. Hiersemann, 1931
*Band VI Die Handschriften und Inkunabeln Der Italienischen Renaissance: 2. Oberitalien: Venetien
**Taf. XVII. Giovanni Cadamosto, Trattato „Circa Le Nature De Lherbe, De Cibi Et De Veneni, De Pietre Et De Parole”. Nr. 30. Cod. 5264, f. 58 “Mercurela und Mandragora.

Schram, Albert: Der Bilderschmuck Der Frühdrucke, Verlag Von Karl W. Hiersemann, Leipzig.
*Band VI Die Drucke von Konrad Dinckmut in Ulm, 1923
**Tafel 56-89. Herbarius, Ulm. (1487)
*Band XV Die Drucker in Mainz, 1932
**Tafel 27-122. Hortus Sanitatis. Jakob Meydenbach. Mainz. (1491)
*Band XVI Die Drucker in Speyer, 1933
**Tafel 3-34. De Crescentiis, Commodorum Ruralium Libri. Peter Drach. Spayer. (1493)
**Tafel 87-103. Herbarius. Johann und Conrad Hist, Speyer. (1501)
*Band XX Die Strassburger Drucker, II Teil, 1937
**Tafel 52-57. Brunschweig: Churgie. Brevarium Monasteriense. Johann Grüniger. Strassburg. (1497)
**Tafel 61-66. Horatis. Johann Grüniger. Strassburg. (1498)
**Tafel 83-109. Braunschweig. Distillierkunst. Johann Grüniger. Strassburg. (1500)
**Tafel 110-112. Braunschweig. Pestbuch. Johann Grüniger. Strassburg. (1500)
**Tafel 191-197. Hortus Sanitatis. Johann Prüss. Strassburg o. J. (1500)
*Band XXII Die Drucker in Basel, II. Teil, 1940
**Tafel 87-119. Johannes De Cuba: Hortus Sanitatus, Deutsch, Michael Furter. Basil o. J. (1500)

Theophrastus: De Causis Plantarum: With an English Translation, Loeb Classical Library, Harvard University Press, 1976, (Trans. Einarson, Benedict and Link, George)
*Enquiry into Plants and other minor works on odours and weather signs with an English Translation. Loeb Classical Library, Harvard University Press. 1990, (Trans. Arthur Hort)

Turner, William: A New Herbal by William Turner, 2 Parts, Edited by George T. L. Chapman and Marilyn N. Twiddle, Cambridge University Press, London, 1989
*Libellus de re herbaria, 1538, [and] The names of herbes, 1548: Facsimiles, with introductory matter by James Britten, B. Daydon Jackson & W.T. Stearn., London, Ray Society, 1965.

Virgil: Georgics With an English Translation, Loeb Classical Library, Harvard University Press, 1978, (Trans. H. Rushton Fairclough)

Secondary Resources

Anderson, Frank J., An Illustrated History of the Herballs, Columbia University Press, New York, 1977 (580.9 Ar1h1)

Arber, Agnes Robertson, Herbals, Their Origin and Evolution; A Chapter in the History of Botany, 1470-1670, The University Press, Cambridge 1938.

Biedermann, Hans: Medicina Magica, The Classics of Medicine Library, Division of Gryphon Editions, Inc., Bermingham, Alabama, 1986

Blunt, Wilfrid and Raphael, Sandra. The Illustrated Herbal, Frances Lincoln, [in association with Weidenfeld & Nicolson, London, 1979. (QK99.A1 B55)

Giacosa, Ilaria Gozzini, A Taste of Ancient Rome, (Translated by Anna Herklotz) The University of Chicago Press, Chicago, 1992

Hammond, N. G. L., and Scullard, H. H.: The Oxford Classical Dictionary. Clarendon Press Oxford, 1970

Heilmann, Karl Eugen: Kraüterbücher in Bild und Gesichte, Verlag Konrad Kölbl, München-Allach, 1966

Lawrence, George H.M., History of botany: Herbals, their history and significance, Los Angeles, Clark Memorial Library, 1965.

Renfrow, Cindy: A Sip Through Time, Cindy Renfrow, 1994

Rohde, Eleanour Sinclair: The Old English Herbals, Dover Publications, Inc., New York, 1971

Sanecki, Kay N.: History of the English Herb Garden, Ward Lock, London, 1992

Thompson, C. J. S.: The mystic mandrake, Rider, London, 1934

Additional Resources & Modern Herbals

Beyerl, Paul: The Master Book of Herbalism. Phoenix Pub. Co., Custer WA, 1984

Ceres: Herbal Teas for Health and Healing. Healing Arts Press, Rochester VT, 1988

The Complete Anachronist: #16, The Complete Herbal, The Society for Creative Anachronism Inc., 1984
*#27, Herbs II, an Herbal Primer. The Society for Creative Anachronism Inc., 1989
*#81 Period Metrology: A study of Measurement, Part 1. The Society for Creative Anachronism Inc., 1995
*#82 Period Metrology: A study of Measurement, Part 2. The Society for Creative Anachronism Inc., 1995

Cunningham, Scott: Magical Herbalism. Llewellyn Pub., St. Paul MN, 1982
*Earth Power. Llewellyn Pub., St. Paul MN, 1983
*Cunningham’s Encyclopedia of Magical Herbs. Llewellyn Pub, St. Paul MN, 1985
*The Magic of Incense, Oils and brews. Llewellyn Pub, St. Paul MN, 1986

Davis, Patrica: Aromatherapy: An A-Z. Saffron Walden Pub. Essex England 1988

Duff, Gail. Natural Fragrances: Outdoor Scents for Indoor Uses, Storey Communications, Inc., Pownal, Vermont, 1989.
*A Book of Pot_pourri: New and Old Ideas for Fragrant Flowers and Herbs, Beaufort Books Pub., New York, 1985

Foley, Daniel J. (ed.): Herbs for Use and for Delight, an Anthology from the Herbarist. The Herb Society of America, NY, 1974

Gilbertie, Sal: Kitchen Herbs. Bantam Books, 1988

Grieve, Mrs. M: A Modern Herbal in two volumes. Dover Publications Inc., New York, New York, 1981, (Reprint of 1931 Edition.)

Guralnik, David B. (Editor in Chief), Webster’s new World Dictionary of the American Language, Simon and Schuster, 1980

Hammond, N. G. L., and Scullard, H. H.: The Oxford Classical Dictionary. Clarendon Press Oxford, 1970

Holmes, Peter: The Energetics of Western Herbs. 2 Vols., Artemis Press, Boulder, 1989

Hooper, Madge: Herbs and Medicinal Plants. Arco Pub. Inc., NY, 1986

Kvideland, Reimund and Sehmsdorf, Henning K.(editors): Scandinavian Folk Belief and Legend, Univ. of Minnesota Press, Minneapolis, 1988

Lavabre, Marcel: Aromatherapy Workbook. Healing Arts Press, Rochester VT. 1990

Lee, William H., & Lee, Lynn: Herbal Love Potions: An Aphrodisiac Array of Libido-Lifting Potent Plants, Keats Publishing, Inc., New Canaan, Conn. 1991

Liddell, Henry George, & Scott, Roger: A Greek-English Lexicon, Oxford, Clarendon Press, 1968

Lust, John: The Herb Book. Bantam Books, 1974

Mabey, Richard (ed.): The New Age Herbalist. Collier Books, NY, 1988

McMcormick, J. H., (Editor-in-Chief), The Century Book of Health, The King-Richardson Company, Springfield, Mass, 1907

Menzies, Rob: The Herbal Dinner: A Renaissance of Cooking, Celestial Arts, Millbrae, California, 1977,

Oxford English Dictionary, The, 2nd edition.

Reader’s Digest: Complete Book of the Garden: Reader’s Digest Association, Pleasantville NY, 1966
*Magic and Medicine of Plants: Reader’s Digest Association, Pleasantville NY, 1986

Tisserand, Robert B.: The Art of Aromatherapy. Healing Arts Press, Rochester VT, 1977

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