The Garden of Health: containing the sundry rare and hidden vertues and properties of all kindes of simples and plants. Together with the manner how they are to bee used and applied in medicine for the health of mans body, against divers diseases de Langham, William - 1633

London: Thomas Harper, 1633. Thick square octavo, pp (6), 702, (66), printed in black letter. The title page is mounted and heavily restored from a much earlier time; it is age-toned and there is much staining of the surface, possibly from the glue used to repair ? The first few pages are fragile at the leading edge and lacking a few small pieces; the remaining pages are age-toned and occasionally slightly marked or stained, certainly used but overall quite sound with no tears or loss. Later calf with simple gilt decorated line, with some cracking and wear, fairly recently re-backed with a new calf spine, blind-stamped. Front and rear hinges cracked, but no weakness. The front endpaper has a tiny neat inscription dated 1917, and also the heraldic bookplate of Lady Violet Beaumont. [Second edition of this charming guide to herbal remedies with the plants "set down in order of the Alphabet, so that thou mayest without any difficulties finde them by the titles of the pages" ("To the Reader"). A description of each plant's curative properties and methods of use is given. For instance, a parsnip "hang'd about the necke helpeth the swelling of the throte, and no venemous thing shall hurt him that carrieth about him" (p.464), the juice of the beet "put into the nose cleanseth the head" (p. 66), and cinnamon "comforteth the stomacke and principall partes of the body" (p.141). The main text is preceded by "A Table of all the Simples" with page references to each plant.] . Second edition. Full Leather. Good.