276 HOW 



xii. William How, 1619-1656. 



(See p. 251.) 



How's botanical reputation rests upon his Phytologia Britannica 

 natales exhibens indigenariim Stirpium sponte emergentiiim^ the 

 book in which for the first time all the known plants of Britain were 

 garnered together with their localities. He was a Master of Arts 

 of five years' standing of St. John's College, Oxford, and his list 

 comprising 1,230 plants is a memorable achievement for the time. 

 Apparently owing to his private means being insufficient to permit 

 of much travelling, he had to rely upon information sent by other 

 botanists, with the result, as Ray pointed out, that many exotics and 

 garden-escapes got included in his lists. ' The rare plants were 

 almost wholly communicated by his friends, Mr. Stonehouse, 

 Dr. Bowles, Mr. Heaton, Mr. Loggins, Mr. Goodyer and others, and 

 he drew some from a MS. of Dr. Johnson.' 



Goodyer may have become personally acquainted with How at 

 Oxford, and in any case they were in close correspondence both 

 before and after 1650 when How was living in London, either in 

 St. Lawrence Lane or in Milk Street. 



The newly discovered writings of How appear to belong to the 

 periods immediately preceding and following the publication of the 

 Phytologia Britminica. Though not extensive, they throw valuable 

 light on his relations with contemporary botanists ; and if his notes 

 be somewhat slipshod, we must remember that they were not 

 intended for our perusal, and that he had but recently done duty 

 as Captain of a troop of horse in the King's army. 



Fir.st in time and in importance are his list of plants and notes 

 written at the end of what I believe to have been Johnson's own copy 

 of his Descriptio Itineris . . . in agrum Cantianiim, A.D. 1632, with 

 MS. index. This may have come into How's possession after the 

 death of Johnson in 1644. He supplemented it with a further list 

 of indigenous plants from the Herbals of Gerard and Parkinson and 

 from other sources ; and then no doubt he developed the idea of 

 including all British plants in one comprehensive, alphabetical list. 

 A few rough notes on the last pages almost certainly refer to his 

 programme of work, but as they are mostly crossed out with ink 

 lines, it is impossible to give a complete transcript of them. The 

 meaning of such remarks as ' Review both ye Hcrballs againe and 

 take all ', is clear, and the references to persons may be of historical 

 importance. The names mentioned I believe to be those of 

 T. Johnson, Parkinson, the Rev. Walter Stonehouse then exiled from 

 his Darfield living, Bobart of Oxford, Leonard Buckner and Edward 



