A new herball

A New Herball, by William Turner, the Northumbrian-born, Cambridge-educated Dean of Wells, was originally published in three parts in the sixteenth century. The herbal was a landmark in the history of both botany and herbalism: for the first time, English physicians were able to read in their own language an authoritative study of the plants vital to their profession. Turner's work broke new ground in its accuracy of observation and in its scientific thoroughness; he was, moreover, responsible for the first identification of some 300 native species. It is not surprising that he later earned the title, 'Father of English Botany'. Turner's painstaking identification of herbs and their virtues is fascinating, not only for the wealth of botanical and medical information, but also for the fastidious accuracy of his description. His vivid style is not that of the dry pedant, but that of a vigorous and energetic scholar who was as much at home in the pastures as in the study or the pulpit. This volume contains a facsimile of Parts II and III of the herbal, originally published in 1562 and 1568, respectively. To enable easier reading of the text, the editors have provided a modern transcript, together with keyed-in notes, a glossary of unfamiliar or obsolete words, and a comprehensive section of indexes. A short assessment of Turner has also been included to give an indication of his status as a scholar by examining his methodologies, his style and his commitment. Today, with the ever-increasing interest in the healing power of herbs, it is fitting that one of the greatest physicians of Tudor England should be celebrated by making his pioneering work available once more.