Herbal Guild Bibliography
The tools of re-creation.

What is a primary source?

There can be no more valuable tools for those of us who study history than our sources. This page will always be under construction because we will always be adding and refining our lists.
This page contains a general bibliography of works which have been helpful in my study of the Herbal arts. Some of them are scholarly, some are well, let us be charitable and call them popular.

Among the most madening things I've encountered in works about herbalism are references which only point to the original text, with no indications as to whether it has been reprinted. One of the particular values of our bibliography is that all the works here are available in one form or another. Some may have to be tracked down on the shelves of a University library, or in the dark corner of some used book store, but they are all available.


Some of them are primary, some are secondary, and some are sources of a more third hand level of information. All of them reflect on the subject of Botany, Botanical History, or on the languages used in these studies. Some of the works here might be taken a bit less than seriously in the light of pure scholarship; however that does not mean that they can't be interesting to read!


This list is hardly the last word in bibliographies! If there is a work you feel needs to be here, let me know!

 A primary source is something which was created or used in period. For our purposes this would be an artifact, manuscript, document, illustration, or publication which was created or used during the Medieval or Renaissance periods.

What constitutes a period primary source? The texts of Aristotle or Dioscorides are period primary sources because these texts were copied and used during the period between (roughly) 600 to 1650 CE. (The dates are subject to debate in the SCA, and others can spill ink or blood over them as they wish!)

Primary sources do not have to be the original texts, nor do they have to be in the original language. A translation of the writings of St. Hildegard is as much a period source as are her works in their original Latin. The difference, of course, is that we can trust the Latin to be her words, and not an interpretation. The drawback, however, is that most of us cannot read Medieval Latin with any real skill these days.

Certainly the best primary sources for studies of things botanical are good facsimile editions with critical notes. The Dover Books edition of John Gerard's The Herbal is a mainstay for the Herbal Guild.

Our other valuable sources are "secondary sources". Unlike primary sources, these have been produced after the end of the Renaissance, and are often compilations or discussions about primary sources. An excellent example of a secondary source would be Frank Anderson's An Illustrated history of the Herbals.

Some of the texts listed below are included not because they are academic resources, but because they contain modern vestiges of period herb lore. In our publications, we focus upon herb lore from period sources. However it can be interesting to see how much of this still continues in modern arcana!
Bibliography: Always Under Construction
If you have favorate books that you would like to see on this list, please e-mail me!

The works are listed in alpha order by author. In those instances where an author is not known they are listed by their title.


Primary Sources:


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, Plesantville NY, 1966
*Magic and Medicine of Plants: Reader’s Digest Association, Plesantville NY, 1986


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

Maude Grieve's Modern Herbal
An Excellent Secondary Source!

The history of Tobaco, with links to primary sources
A Collection Ranging From The Renaissance To Contemporary

Aristotle On Animals with an English Translation
Not Quite Herbal, but a useful reference for eqthe early Sciences.

Welcome to the Herbal Guild of An Tir
  

Bezor, or Bezaar: First Aid for Poisoning
Nicholas Monardes' text about a Renaissance cure for poisoning.

Yale Medical Library: Nicholas Culpeper, English Physitian
Electronic Version: Culpeper's The English physitian: or an astrologo-physical discourse of the vulgar herbs of this nation.
 
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