Details - De materia medica Novae Hispaniae Philippi Secundi Hispaniarum ac Indiarum regis invictissimi iussu

De materia medica Novae Hispaniae Philippi Secundi Hispaniarum ac Indiarum regis invictissimi iussu

Title

De materia medica Novae Hispaniae Philippi Secundi Hispaniarum ac Indiarum regis invictissimi iussu

By

Hernández, Francisco, 1517-1587

Philip II, King of Spain, 1527-1598
Recchi, Nardo Antonio.
Spain. Sovereign (1556-1598 : Philip II)

Type

Book

Material

Archival material

Publication info

El Escorial, Madrid?, s.n, between 1577 and 1587

Notes

Ms. codex.

Title from recto of leaf [1], which is followed by a table of contents.

This manuscript seems to have been transcribed from Hernández's work by Nardo Antonio Recchi, who was the royal protomedicus of the kingdom of Naples, who signed the dedication to Philip II on leaf [3] verso.

Francisco Hernández, who was appointed by Philip II of Spain, as the royal protomedicus of New Spain, spent the years 1570-1577 collecting specimens, relics and viewing and describing minerals, flora, fauna and sites of ethnological interest. This work can be dated to between 1577, after Hernández had returned to Madrid and not after 1587 when the author died.

Place of publication can be assumed to be the Escorial in Madrid because Hernández's reports on his travels were bound and presented to King Philip II by the author. The author's report in his hand was accompanied by illustrations. The author's presentation copy and accompanying illustrations remained in the Escorial until it was destroyed by fire in 1671.

Dedication to Philip II / by Nardo Antonio Recchi: leaves [2 recto-3 verso]

"Prologomena operis": leaves [4 recto-21 verso]

"Dubia eorum, qui asserunt inartificiosum, et inutile esse tractare de plantis propronuntur; et breviter causa[e] deceptionis in plantis efficientes narrantur": leaves [22 recto-32 verso]

"Libri primi sectio prima De aromatibus": leaves [35 recto-91 verso]

"Liber secundus De materia medica Nova[e] Hispania[e]": leaves [92 recto-129 verso]

"Liber tertius De materia medica Nova[e] Hispania[e]": leaves [130 recto-171 recto]

"Liber quartus De materia medica Nova[e] Hispania[e]": leaves [171 recto-189 verso]

"De tabacis haitinorum quos mexicani vocant pocyelt": leaves [190 recto-191 recto]

"Nomina plantar[um] quor[um] obiter fit mentio in mixtione alior[um] medicamentor[um] in hoc opere contentor[um]": leaves [192 recto-236 verso]

"Index nominum medicamentorum hoc in opere contentor[um]": leaves [238 recto-241 recto]

Many of the medicial plants are given names in the Nahuatl language, and possibly other indigenous languages.

John Carter Brown Library copy has a detailed provenance history, articles and correspondence related to the acquisition and history of the author and his work housed in the JCB bibliographical file.