Henry Daniel, Liber uricrisiarum, in English

Henry Daniel, Liber uricrisiarum, in English

Contents

1. ff.1v-4v Miscellaneous receipts and notes, in English and Latin.

2. ff. 5r-143v Henry Daniel, Liber uricrisiarum, in English, introduction wanting

f. 5r Uryn is als mykyll for to say in ynglysch as ['on in e' superscribed] Reynys is french Reynes latyn lendys in ynglysch ... f. 143v ... gyfys e noble jew nerhand word for worde in e last buk of uryns. laus tibi unigenite quia liber explicit iste. Tu qui eterene manes hunc conservare digneris.

For a full description of this manuscript, and transcription of the text, see Joanne Jasin, 'A Critical Edition of the Middle English Liber uricrisiarum in Wellcome MS 225', (Unpublished PhD thesis, Tulane University, 1983).

On the verso of the first leaf are two receipts: 'To make char [?] de Conys' [a kind of rabbit stew?], 'To make gene gynger'. The second leaf contains three four-line stanzas on Julius Caesar, beginning 'I Julius cesar your high emperour', ending 'and emang ame I dyed and are lyes my bonys'. Below are receipts 'Ffor e colyk' and 'Ffor blody eyne'. In the margin 'yme Jhon Clarke'. From the verso of this leaf to the fourth leaf are various medical receipts by similar contemporary hands all in English, except the last of them which is in Latin, and describes the uses and virtues of juniper. On fol. 69r is a receipt in English by a late 15th cent. hand, 'Medicina pro podigra', signed 'John Massy'. On the verso of the last leaf under the 'Explicit' is a charm in English to stop bleeding, and under this a short list of medical terms, and of medicinal weights and measures.

Early 15th century

1 volume 143 ll. 4to. 21 1/2 x 14 1/2 cm. Original oak boards, back wanting: clasp wanting. Five leaves are missing from the penultimate gathering, between ff. 122/3 and 133/4. The first 4 leaves are damaged, and the last 5 slightly defective: some margins frayed. Written in a neat semi-cursive hand, 34 lines to a page. Some capitals and headings in red. On fol. 16v is a circular pen-drawn figure of the Seasons, Winds, Humours, etc.

Purchase at Sotheby's (Hodgkin Sale) 19/5/1914, Lot 1538.

Very little seems to be known of Henry Daniel; the entry in the D.N.B. states only that he was a Dominican, and that he flourished c. 1379, which is the date given in a copy of this MS. in the Ashmolean Collection (No. 1404, 2. in Black's Catalogue).

Please consult the digitised version as this item needs to be accessed in our conservation studio. Email library@wellcomecollection.org to request an appointment.

Catalogue description modified in 2014. For original description, see 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).

MS.225, f.24 Henry Daniel: Liber uricrisiarum, a black and white photograph is held by Wellcome Images at L32998. Master microfilm held by Wellcome Images.

From the John Eliot Hodgkin Library.