A Chronological Collection of Pre-1900s Manuscripts and Books
A list of historic ailments here
11th century
Tacuinum Sanitatis by Ibn Butlan - a later version on Gallica website and another from 1460 on the New York Public Library
14th century
1390 - The Forme of Cury - published with notes, index and glossary in 1780
15th century
First half of the 15th century manuscript - Medical recipes (Cambridge, Emmanuel College, MS 69)1412 - 1416 - Tres Riches Heures - Duc du Berry
1430s - Canterbury Tales - Geoffrey Chaucer and John Lydgate
1431 - Herbal with Old English glosses, Bodleian Library
c.1440 - Astronomical calendar with Zodiac Man, Bodleian Library
c.1450-1512 - The vertuose boke of dystillacyon - Hyeronimus Brunschwig (EarlyEnglish Books and Wellcome Collection)
1450 - 1525 - Collection of medical tracts and recipes (Cambridge, University Library, MS Ee.1.15)
1461 - Tradescant's Orchard, Bodleian Library
1467 - Anonymous, ‘A noble book off cookry ffor a prynce houssolde or eny other estately houssolde’ - one of the best-preserved early English cookery books in existence. This is a 1882 edition.
🌿1490?-1549 - A compendyous regyment or a dyetary of healthe made in Mountpyllyer by Andrew Boorde, Welsh traveller, physician and writer. Other books by Andrew Boorde here
1491 - Ortus Sanitatis (Wellcome Collection)
1494 - Fasiculo de Medicina by Johannes de Ketham
c.1515 De Costa hours - Illuminated by Simon Bening
1494 - Astrolabium planum in tabulis ascendens by Johannes Angelus
Late 15th century - Astrological and medical texts (Cambridge, Fitzwilliam Museum, Charles Fairfax Murray MS 17)
16th century
1504 - The Tudor Pattern Book, Bodleian Library
c.1515 De Costa hours - Illuminated by Simon Bening
1525 - Banckes' Herbal or A Boke of the Properties of Herbs also called an Herball (first published anonymously in 1525 by Richard Banckes)
1561 - A most excellent and perfecte homish apothecarye (Library of Congress)
1560-1609 - Royal and practical chymistry in three treatises - by Oswald Croll
1565 - The secretes of the reverende Maister Alexis of Piemont - by Girolamo Ruscelli (Early English Books) and on Archive.org
1568 - The enimie of idlenesse teaching the maner and stile how to endite, compose and write all sorts of epistles and letters - William Fulwood
🌿1526 - The Grete Herball whiche geueth parfyt knowlege and vnderstandyng of all maner of herbes - printed by Peter Treveris
1527 - Hippocrates' Octoginta Volumina translated in Latin by Marco Fabi Calvi
1528 - The moste pleasuante of the interpretacion of dreames - by Thomas Hill
1528 - The gardeners labyrinth - by Thomas Hill. Also on archive.org.
1545 - The Byrth of Mankynde - by Rosslin Eucharius
c.1540 - Book of Hours
1528 - The moste pleasuante of the interpretacion of dreames - by Thomas Hill
1528 - The gardeners labyrinth - by Thomas Hill. Also on archive.org.
1545 - The Byrth of Mankynde - by Rosslin Eucharius
c.1540 - Book of Hours
1543 - De corporis humani fabrica libri septem - by Andreas Vesalius
1551 - A new herball - by William Turner (on the Library of Congress and Early English Books)
1551 - A new herball - by William Turner (on the Library of Congress and Early English Books)
1561 - A most excellent and perfecte homish apothecarye (Library of Congress)
1560-1609 - Royal and practical chymistry in three treatises - by Oswald Croll
1565 - The secretes of the reverende Maister Alexis of Piemont - by Girolamo Ruscelli (Early English Books) and on Archive.org
1568 - The enimie of idlenesse teaching the maner and stile how to endite, compose and write all sorts of epistles and letters - William Fulwood
1573 - The treasurie of commodius conceits - by John Partridge (Early English Books)
1573 - Five hundreth points of good husbandry - Thomas Tusser. And a later 1580 edition. Another on Archive.org
1573 - Five hundreth points of good husbandry - Thomas Tusser. And a later 1580 edition. Another on Archive.org
1573 - 1663 - English Medical Book - a notebook containing medical recipes (Welcome Library)
1575 - A proper Booke of Cookery - on Medieval Cookery
1576 - The Government of Health- by William Bullein (Early English Books)
1575 - A proper Booke of Cookery - on Medieval Cookery
1576 - The Government of Health- by William Bullein (Early English Books)
1579 - Bullein's Bulwarke by William Bullein (archive.org)
1581- Urbium praecipiuarum totius mundi by Georg Braun
1584 - The discouverie of witchcraft - on the Library of Congress
1586 - The Olde Mans Dietarie - by Thomas Newton (Early English Books)
1581 - 1651 - A choice manual of rare and select secrets - by Lady Elizabeth Grey, Countess of Kent (Early English Books), digitised on Wellcome Collection and on archive.org)
1584 - The discouverie of witchcraft - on the Library of Congress
1586 - The Olde Mans Dietarie - by Thomas Newton (Early English Books)
1581 - 1651 - A choice manual of rare and select secrets - by Lady Elizabeth Grey, Countess of Kent (Early English Books), digitised on Wellcome Collection and on archive.org)
🌿 1587 - The Good Huswifes Jewell - by Thomas Dawson. Digitised book PDF
🌿 1588 - The widowes treasure - by John Partridge. Digitised book PDF
1588 - The accomplisht cook - Robert May
1588 - The accomplisht cook - Robert May
1591 - The treasurie of commodius conceits - by John Partridge (Early English Books)
1595 - The Castel of Helthe - by Thomas Elyot (on Early English Books). Also as scanned manuscript here.
1595 - A Good Huswifes Handmaide for the Kitchin - by Thomas Dawson (on Foods of England)
Gresham College - Elizabeth's Ghost: The Afterlife of the Queen in the Stuart Era
Gresham College - Medical and Surgical Therapeutics: Scientific Advances in the Tudor Era
Gresham College - The Natural Environment of Tudor London
1595 - The Castel of Helthe - by Thomas Elyot (on Early English Books). Also as scanned manuscript here.
1595 - A Good Huswifes Handmaide for the Kitchin - by Thomas Dawson (on Foods of England)
1597 - The Great Herball by John Gerard is published. See further down links to the 1633 and 1636 editions
1599 - The English secretary, or Methode of writing of epistles and letters - Angel Day
1568 - 1637? - The English House-vvife - by Gervase Markham (EarlyEnglish Books)
1596 - Ioyfull news out of the New Found world - by E.Allde (archive.org)
1599 - The English secretary, or Methode of writing of epistles and letters - Angel Day
1568 - 1637? - The English House-vvife - by Gervase Markham (EarlyEnglish Books)
1596 - Ioyfull news out of the New Found world - by E.Allde (archive.org)
1599 - Dyets Dry Dinner - by Henry Buttes ( Early English Books)
1606 - Mrs' Corlyon's digitised manuscript on Wellcome Collection
1608 - Trevelyon Miscelleny
1620 - 1706 - The Diary of John Evelyn, published in c.1901
1621 - The anatomy of melancholy - Robert Burton
1621 - The optick glasse of humors by Thomas Walkington (National Library of Medicine)
1629 - Paradisi in Sole Paradisus terrestris by John Parkinson
1665 - A Journal of the Plague Year on Gutenberg.org and on YouTube - Daniel Defoe
1668 - A guide to ladies, gentlewomen and maids - Hannah Woolley
Curious Cures in Cambridge Libraries - a new two-year project to digitise, catalogue and conserve over 180 medieval manuscripts
The Casebooks Project, University of Cambridge - studying the medical records of the astrologers Simon Forman and Richard Napier, c.1600
1633 - The Herball by John Gerard on the Library of Congress
1636 - The Herball by John Gerard on archive.org. Also on Exclassics.com
1636 - The Herball by John Gerard on archive.org. Also on Exclassics.com
1640 - Theatrum botanicum by John Parkinson. And a later copy from 1784 - Theatrum botanicum
1652 - The English Physitian: or an astrologo-physical discourse of the vulgar herbs of this nation by Nicholas Culpeper
1653 - The English physitian enlarged: the three hundred, sixty and nine medicines made of English herbs - Nicholas Culpeper
1616 - 1654 - The Complete Herbal - Nicholas Culpeper (Gutenberg.org and Wellcome Collection). Culpeper's Complete Herbal - Online Alphabetical Index
1659 - The womans almanack: or, prognostication for ever: shewing the nature of the planets, with the events that shall befall women and children born under them - Sarah Jinner
1660- Cosmeticks or the beautifying art of Physick - J J Wecker.
1659 - The womans almanack: or, prognostication for ever: shewing the nature of the planets, with the events that shall befall women and children born under them - Sarah Jinner
1660- Cosmeticks or the beautifying art of Physick - J J Wecker.
1665 - A Journal of the Plague Year on Gutenberg.org and on YouTube - Daniel Defoe
1668 - A guide to ladies, gentlewomen and maids - Hannah Woolley
1668 - Choice and experimented receipts in physick and chirurgery - Sir Kenelm Digby
1670 - The queen-like closet - Hannah Woolley. Also on the Library of Congress
1670 - The gentlewomans companion - Hannah Woolley
1675 - The acomplish'd lady's delight - Hannah Woolley
1670 - The queen-like closet - Hannah Woolley. Also on the Library of Congress
1670 - The gentlewomans companion - Hannah Woolley
1675 - The acomplish'd lady's delight - Hannah Woolley
1675 - Receipt Book of Margaret Baker, a digitised manuscript on Folger Shakespeare Library
1625 - 1680 - Lady Ann Fanshawe's recipe book
1680 - The kitchen physician - T.K. , Doctor in Physick (and on Pro Quest)
1680 - The kitchen physician - T.K. , Doctor in Physick (and on Pro Quest)
1682 - The True Preserver and Restorer of Health - G. Hartman on Wellcome Collection
1687 - The Cries of London - Marcellus Laroon
1687 - The Accomplished Ladies Rich Closet of Rarities - J.S.
1688 - Systema horti-culturae - John Worlidge. And other books
1688 - Systema horti-culturae - John Worlidge. And other books
1688 - The Lady's New Years Gift or Advice to a Daughter - George Savile, Maquis of Halifax
1690 - The treasury of drugs unlock'd - Berlu (John Jacob)
1693 - The compleat gard'ner - Jean de la Quintinie
1693 - The compleat gard'ner - Jean de la Quintinie
1696 - The Accomplished Ladies Rich Closet of Rarities - J.S. Another on Early English Books Online 1687
18th century
c. 1700- 1775 - Cookery Book of Anne Goodenough, digitised manuscript on Folger Shakespeare Library
1704 - A treatise of foods by Louise Lemery
1707 - The compleat herbal of physical plants by John Pechey
1735 - The whole duty of a woman - Written by a Lady
1737 - A compleat history of druggs - Pierre Pomet
1737 - A compleat history of druggs - Pierre Pomet
1737 - A curious herbal by Elizabeth Bracknell; and on Archive.org
1748 - The house-keeper's pocket-book - Sarah Harrison of Devonshire
1753 - The Lady's Companion by Sir Hans Sloane on Archive.org
1779 - The Toilet of Flora by Pierre Joseph Buc'hoz
1790 - Medical Botany by William Woodville
1794 - Domestic economy or A complete system of English housekeeping by Maximilian Hazlemore
Paleography course - the study of old handwriting, on National Archives
Archaeology of Reading - 36 digitized versions of early printed books with tens of thousands of handwritten notes left by John Dee and Gabriel Harvey
Future Learn - The Tudors (free course)
Future Learn - A History of Royal Fashion (free course)
English Handwriting 1500 - 1700 - online course
University of Oxford - Investigating the Elizabethans - online course
1794 - Domestic economy or A complete system of English housekeeping by Maximilian Hazlemore
ONLINE COURSES AND TALKS :
Paleography course - the study of old handwriting, on National ArchivesArchaeology of Reading - 36 digitized versions of early printed books with tens of thousands of handwritten notes left by John Dee and Gabriel Harvey
Future Learn - The Tudors (free course)
Future Learn - A History of Royal Fashion (free course)
English Handwriting 1500 - 1700 - online course
University of Oxford - Investigating the Elizabethans - online course
Curious Cures in Cambridge Libraries - a new two-year project to digitise, catalogue and conserve over 180 medieval manuscripts
Gresham College - Elizabeth's Ghost: The Afterlife of the Queen in the Stuart Era
Gresham College - Medical and Surgical Therapeutics: Scientific Advances in the Tudor Era
Gresham College - The Natural Environment of Tudor London
BLOGS, ARTICLES & TOOLS :
Currency converter - National Archives
Useful measurements - The Tudor Tailor
Medieval and Renaissance Material Culture - a vast collection of links and resources
New Year's gifts for Queen Elizabeth
The Mary Rose Museum - artefacts gallery
Mendelschen and Landauer 12 Brothers House Foundations - illustrations of manufacturing processes and handicrafts in Nuremberg, Germany
The Cleveland Museum of Art - textile collection
Dr Alun Whitey - historian of medicine and of the body
History Extra - medicine and health
Circle of the Year - the Tudor Stillroom
Aulis.org - converting between old and new date styles
Living with the Tudors - video about Kentwell Hall recreation events
Signed, sealed and undelivered - dedicated to a fascinating collection of undelivered 17th century letters
Letterlocking - on the technology of folding and securing letters before the invention of the envelope in the 19th century
History of medicine timeline
Letter writing in Renaissance Engand - Folger Shakespeare Library
Free coat of arms maker
Useful measurements - The Tudor Tailor
Medieval and Renaissance Material Culture - a vast collection of links and resources
New Year's gifts for Queen Elizabeth
The Mary Rose Museum - artefacts gallery
Mendelschen and Landauer 12 Brothers House Foundations - illustrations of manufacturing processes and handicrafts in Nuremberg, Germany
The Cleveland Museum of Art - textile collection
Dr Alun Whitey - historian of medicine and of the body
History Extra - medicine and health
Circle of the Year - the Tudor Stillroom
Aulis.org - converting between old and new date styles
Living with the Tudors - video about Kentwell Hall recreation events
Signed, sealed and undelivered - dedicated to a fascinating collection of undelivered 17th century letters
Letterlocking - on the technology of folding and securing letters before the invention of the envelope in the 19th century
History of medicine timeline
Letter writing in Renaissance Engand - Folger Shakespeare Library
Free coat of arms maker