One of the books I read just before Christmas was “Nature’s Alchemist” subtitled “John Parkinson, Herbalist to Charles I”. It was written by a descendant, Anna Parkinson and was fascinating.

I think the use of the word “alchemist” is misleading, as he was very scientific in his observation of plants. He also took an interest in beautiful decorative flowers, which made him more a botanist than a herbalist.

He did work in an apothecary’s shop all his life however. He was born in Lancashire. He lived near a large monastery, but that ended up as one of the ruins that Henry VIII knocked about a bit. The result of the dissolution of the monasteries, which really had a monopoly of medical knowledge, was that there was a need for doctors and apothecaries.

John went to London at age 16 and became apprenticed to a member of The Worshipful Company of Grocers. Apothecaries were just a small part the Grocers and it was John Parkinson who engineered the separation from the very rich and powerful Grocers.

They were very turbulent times through which John Parkinson lived and I learnt much more of the history of those times. I read the biography of Nicholas Culpeper, who was born when John Parkinson was an old man. I was impressed by Culpeper translating the London Dispensatory from Latin into English, but from this new biography of JP, I now realise that the London Dispensatory was thrown together by the doctors and was suppose to be the only book of prescriptions that the apothecaries could legally use. The apothecaries didn’t use it anyway.

Anthony Lyman-Dixon was anti-Culpeper and thought he talked nonsense. I do think Culpeper did a lot of good but he smoked himself to death and was into astrology, but John Parkinson is the greater man.

This book is a good read. The ending is quite sad.

Do read it. Audrey

Sounds an interesting read--but was a bit puzzled by the remark about astrology.Although it is a subject that seems to polarize people.I wonder what people`s thoughts are on lunar planting--i`m a strong believer in it.

I expect quite a few people will have read The Herbalist-Nicholas Culpeper and the fight for medical freedom by Benjamin Wooley.I `d be interested to know what everyone thinks about it.I found it very interesting and informative.

Although they are fictional books,I learnt a lot from "Earthly Joys" and "Virgin Earth" by Philippa Gregory.It charts the lives and times of the John Tradescants--father and son.She is one of my favourite authors and her research and attention to detail is amazing.

Linda

One of my Christmas presents from one of my healers was a book on Lunar planting. It's not something I really know anything about and I'm looking forward to reading it (when I've finished Juliette de Bairacli Levy and 3 new books on Anglo Saxon cookery!)

I do find awareness of lunar cycles helpful, especially with thoughts surrounding waxing for increasing and waning for descreasing. I know many people choose their surgery dates during waning cycles. Some full moons affect me dreadfully, even though I love the sight of the full moon riding across the sky. It was interesting when I was putting my book of poetry together just how many lunar poems I'd written over the years!!

Culpepper was a herbalist of his time, as are we all. Galen, Paracelcus and the Ecletics will all have brought their belief systems into their healing processes. I really like the Native American practice of chanting while they wait for their herbal brews to steep. In a community with no timepieces, chanting is a very effective way of measuring strength of a brew as well as inducing calm and confidence in the patient.

Sarah

Hello Linda and Sarah,

Sarah says that Culpeper was a herbalist of his time, which of course is true. John Parkinson and Nicholas Culpeper overlap, however and John Parkinson was 49 when Culpeper was born, though he only died four years before Culpeper.

Perhaps the proof of the pudding, so to speak, is in the length of life John lived and poor old Nicholas lost all his many children.

Lunar cycles may have an effect on planting and is a valid subject for research, but I don’t think astrology has any place in twenty-first century herbalism. It will only lead to accusations of quackery and put herbal medicine in disrepute.

The Tradescants-probably father initially brought back plants, which John Parkinson grew and observed in his Long Acre garden. Thanks, Linda, I will definitely get the books you recommend on the Tradescants, as that will fill in a gap. It was an exciting time for herbal knowledge.

On the subject of superstition, John Parkinson, Sir Theodore de Mayerne and Dr William Harvey, were summoned by Charles I to Windsor to inspect a unicorn horn. In 1600 this horn had been valued at £10,000, but by 1649 its value had slumped to £600.

Happy reading. Audrey