Manuscript concludes with a table of contents, "A poem in fashion after my late lord's decease" that begins, "As I walkd by my self, Thus I saide to my self....;" and a letter to the young Earl Fitzwilliam signed, "John Catlin, Living in Stepney, Northamptonshire.", Manuscript presentation copy of a work addressed to the young Earl Fitzwilliam, offering "my opinion on Gods workes, with some proper rules... [for] health, long life, ritches, virtue, wisdom, viygor and victory." The text opens with a generalized cosmology, including discussion of the nature of light and of the Zodiac, and mentioning the meteor fireball of March 1719. Most of the text offers detailed information on the four humours; on "the rules of Health", "Physicke and ointment;" the "Limmits of Pleasure;" and rules "To govern Servants.", Prefatory material: Five varying and highly decorated dedication pages to Lord Fitzwilliam, including a dedicatory poem "Not that I think my Lord will want to learn....;" several English and Latin maxims, and a dedicatory letter addressed to "My Lord.", and With: foldout diagram on parchment of signs of the Zodiac (numbered as p. 22).
Description:
Binding: contemporary full panelled calf., For information on the source of acquisition, consult the appropriate curator., and Paginated as rectos only. Most versos blank, not digitized, excepting p. 21-22..
Subject (Name):
Fitzwilliam, William Fitzwilliam,--Earl,--1719-1756
Subject (Topic):
Astrology and health, Authors and patrons--Great Britain, Conduct of life, Cosmology, English poetry--18th century, Health, Moral education, Youth--Conduct of life, and Youth--Health and hygiene
Manuscript, in two unidentified hands, written on paper (leaves 1-92) and parchment (leaves 93-102). Contains medical recipes and lists of herbs in Middle English (incipit: Here begynne goode medecynes; ff. 5-71), French provers in verse (incipit: Ce sont les proverbes des philosophes), Macer's De virtutibus herbarum (ff. 76-92), Honorius Augustodunensis' Imago mundi (f. 93-100).
Alternative Title:
Medical recipes [in English] ; Imago mundi de Asia, Africa et Europa: Asia a regiam [in Latin] and Imago mundi de Asia
Description:
In Middle English, Middle French, and Latin., Title assigned by cataloger., Script: gothic cursiva., Decoration: some two-line initials in red ink. Rubrication., Layout: single column of 48-56 lines., Binding: contemporary wooden boards portion of back cover missing., and Watermark is a variant of Briquet 5353 (Bologna 1432) and Briquet 5351 (Sienna 1410).
Subject (Topic):
Cosmology, Medicine, Manuscripts, and Medicine, Medieval