‘Herbals she peruseth’: reading medicine in early modern England

Abstract

In 1615, Gervase Markham, having penned a number of successful advice manuals on husbandry and gentlemanly pursuits, turned his talents to instructing the women of England on how to go about their duties. The English hus-wife offers guidance on the 'the inward and outward vertues which ought to be in a complete woman'. Significantly, in this manual for the 'complete woman', Markham begins not only with instructions for 'inward vertues of the minde', but also with 'general Knowledges both in Physicke and Surgery, with plain approved medicines for health of the house-hold, also the extraction of excellent Oyles for these purposes'.1 Physic was considered by Markham to be 'one of the most principal vertues which doth belong to our English Houswife'. Accordingly, it was necessary for her to have 'a physicall kind of knowledge', to know . . . how to administer many wholsome receits or medicines for the good of their healths, as wel to prevent the first occasion of sicknesse, as to take away the effects and evill of the same when it hath made seasure on the body. 2To aid women on this quest, Markham offers a long section of medicinal recipes purportedly taken from a private manuscript compiled by a lady known for her skills in these areas. Markham's call for early modern English women to equip themselves with considerable skills in physic makes continual appearances in other works of this kind throughout the seventeenth century. His contemporary, Richard Brathwaite, also touches upon women's roles as healthcare providers in his tract The English Gentlewoman. Brathwaite writes:The research for this paper was funded by the Wellcome Trust (grant nos. 65338 and 094110). My thanks go to Sharon Strocchia, the editors of Renaissance Studies and the peer reviewers for their suggestions. Earlier versions of this paper were presented at the 'Histories of Medicine in the Household' conference at the University of Warwick and the Department II (Daston) Colloquium at the MPIWG and I am indebted to the audiences at both meetings for their insightful criticisms. Finally, I am grateful to Mary Fissell and Lauren Kassell for their help and comments.

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