Receipt-Book, 17th-18th century

Collection of medical, domestic, technical, gardening, and other receipts: by several hands. Contents: These include 'Jno Bates his Receipts'-probably from John Bates' 'The mysteries of Nature and Art', 1654 (fol. 18): 'Dr. Oswaldus Gabelhouer the Duke of Wirtenberghe's Physition per Dr. Bactus Physition to the Cytie of Dort.' This would be Carolus Battus the translator of Gäbelkhover's 'Booke of Physicke', printed at Dort in 1599. 'Old Dr Jonathan Wood's Receipts. Cost 6s beside Entertainment September 10. 1707' (fol. 9). 'Out of the "Nature of things" by Paracelsus' (fol. 13). There are several extracts and receipts from 'The English Physician' and other works by Nicholas Culpeper [1615-1654]. Other dates found are 1714 inside the upper cover, 1722 on the verso of fourth leaf. There is a transcript of a 'Prophecy lately printed in Jamaica' in which 'the present year 1721' is mentioned. Inserted is a holograph note signed J[ohn] H[odgkin], dated 10/7/[19]16, referring to the Document used as a cover for this MS.: 'The Deed of which this cover is formed is a Grant to Robert Drograve and Katharine his wife, of the custody and maintenance, according to her rank, of Johanna who was the wife of James Twitchet Esquire, lately Lord Audeley, together with all her goods of every description for their natural lives. Dated 27th day of October, 11th year of Henry VIII [1520]. Johanna had become a lunatic, and was 'non-compos mentis' and unable to look after her own affairs. Given at Westminster by Brief of Privy Seal. Tunstall. James Twichet, as he is called, was according to Sir Harris Nicolas' Peerage the VIIth Baron Audley, succeeded 1491. Summoned to Parliament from 12 Aug. 7 Henry VII [1492] to 16 Jan. 12 Henry VII [1497]. Attained and beheaded 1497 when his honours became forfeited. His son John Touchet was restored in blood and honours in 1512: he died about 1559'. Inside the upper covers are notes in pencil by Hodgkin relating to dates found in the MS.

c. 1685-c. 1720

1 volume 4 ll. + 18 ff. + 14 ll. + 38 bl. ll. + 4 ll. folio. 301/2 × 201/2 cm. Original vellum cover, made from an English Document dated 1520 [Vide infra]. Some leaves have been cut out from the middle and end of the volume. Ff. 5-7 are written in red ink, and parts of the MS. are written on the rectos only.

Purchased 1931.

Database description transcribed from S.A.J. Moorat, Catalogue of Western Manuscripts on Medicine and Science in the Wellcome Historical Medical Library (London: Wellcome Institute for the History of Medicine, 1962-1973).

From the John Hodgkin Collection of Cookery-books.