Bernard de Gordon, Practica medicinalis (Lilium medicinae)

Practica medicinalis (Lilium medicinae).

Large illuminated initial I on first leaf (rubbed), in gold and colours with marginal decorations; initial F also illuminated in the second column; large decorated initials in colours on ff. 29v, 55v, 73v, 92, 116, 131. Other initials in red and blue, blue and red, red and purple, blue and purple, with marginal decorations; paragraph marks in alternate red and blue, headings in red.

f. 1r (red) Incipit pratica magistri bernaldi/de gordonio que lilium nuncupatur./[I]Nterrogatus a quodam Socrateo ['ymo demostenes' in upper margin]/quomodo posset... line 36 ...Incohatus/est liber iste cum auxilio dei magni in preclaro/studio montispesulani. post annos. 20. lec/ture nostre. anno domini.m. cc.30 in mense iulli. col. 2, line 17 [F]Ebris est calor naturalis mutatus/in igneum calorem ... f. 144r, col. 1, line 18 ..melius est primo in brachioemperature quam in facie apponere. //Explicit lilium medicine Editum A mag/istro Bernardo degordonio. In studio/montispesulani. deo Gratias. Amen./Et mihi scriptori det deus ['deus' repeated and struck through] Gaugium/omnibus horis. [Anonymous], De diaeta f. 144r col. 1, line 24 [Q]Voniam que ex proprietate conferunt eficatius [sic]/operantur quam que ex qualitate sola... f. 145v ...aleuiet cenam/quantum poterit et interdum abstin/eat a cena. Explicit. F. 145v: Various notes.

There are copious marginal notes throughout the MS., probably by Italian physicians of the second half of the 15th century. These give additional receipts and remedies, and draw attention to special remarks of the author, in some cases contradicting his views. On fol. 93v one of the unknown commentators strongly recommends the virtues of lettuce (lactuca). Patients are named on fol. 67v 'quod factum est per me in uxore Gerardi Burlano machi': fol. 85v 'Haec passus est Petrus Martinus de Monticulo': fol. 103 'Nota autem [?] Andream Bellaturthii': fol. 109 'Sic vidi in Galvagnono Pelieta et uxore Johannis Costae': fol. IIIv 'Cumhoc vidi quemdam qui dictus est Barbavara et erat Januensis districti': fol. 135 'Inuxore Nicolai Pezaroli': fol. 135v 'Hec vidi in uxore Jacobi Mocioni de Belesio.

Produced in Montpellier.

1330

1 volume

Purchased 1930.

The 'Lilium' was first printed at Venice in 1480.

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).

This material has been digitised and can be freely accessed online through Wellcome Collection catalogue.