The Herball or Generall Historie of Plantes. Gathered by John Gerarde of London, Master in Chirurgerie. Very much Enlarged and Amended by Thomas Johnson, Citizen and Apothecarye of London - John Gerarde, Thomas Johnson 1633 - Printed by: Adam Islip, London - Second Edition, Enlarged and Amended A superb and rare complete folio of Gerarde’s monumental work on the history of plants, the most circulated and influential botanical work of the 17th century. This is the first edition to be enlarged by Thomas Johnson.

Describing over 2,800 of plants, and profusely illustrated with engraved title page by John Payne and a new set of 2,766 woodblock illustrations by Plantin, which were commissioned for this new edition. Thomas Johnson added several hundred new plants to this enlarged and amended edition which he significantly revised and edited, correcting many errors in the original text by Gerarde of whom he notes that ‘
Our author here (as in many other places) knit knots somewhat intricate to loose.’ [1114]. Passages which Johnson substantially emended were marked with a dagger, and completely new ones with a double cross. Contributions by his friends John Parkinson, George Bowles, John Goodyear, and others are acknowledged by name. Many of the additions are based on Johnson’s own journeys. Another excellent addition by Johnson to Gerarde is a survey of the history of botany, the first such in English.

See page 1617 for two tups of ginger, which Johnson calls ‘True China’ and ‘Bastard China’ with details of how the Portuguese brought it back to Europe.
  ‘The cacoa is a fruit well knowne in divers parts of America, for they in some places use it in stead of money, and to make a drinke, of which, though bitter, they highly esteeme … the fruit is like an Almond taken out of his husk, and it is covered with a thin blacke skin, wherein is contained a kernall obliquely divided into two or three parts, brownish, and distinguished with ash coloured veines, of an astringent and ungratefull taste.’

John Gerarde (c1545-1612) was a botanist and herbalist. He cultivated his own herbal garden in London’s Holborn, where he also introduced several exotic plant species from North America. Aside from a number of additional entries based on plants from his own garden, Gerarde’s
Herball, first published in 1597, was largely an English translation of Rembert Dodoen’s Herbal of 1554, itself a popular botanical compendium of its time. Despite the work’s magnitude and comprehensiveness, it came under some criticism for its occasionally inaccurate descriptions of plants. There was also some controversy surrounding the books origins, in particular how much of it was Gerarde’s own translation, and how much was that of his predecessor’s, a Dr Priest, who was originally appointed to complete the work by the Queen’s printer, John Norton.

Thomas Johnson (c1600-44), born in Selby, Yorkshire. Successful apothecary, soldier, botanist, merchant, scholarly editor, who, in addition to this his most famous ‘Herball’, was almost certainly the same Thomas Johnson whose translation of the massive works of the French surgeon Ambroise Paré first appeared in 1634; which had a profound influence on British surgery until at least the end of the seventeenth century. The editorial method, prose style, and botanical emendations strongly suggest the author. Although Johnson contributed nothing to the principles or ideas of scientific botany, he stands high among the pioneers of the study of the British flora. His botanical work was respected by John Ray, inspired Sir Joseph Banks to an interest in plants, and continues to give pleasure to many botanists. In addition, Johnson undertook several botanical expeditions to various parts of England and Wales, wrote the first account of an ascent of Snowdon, and was the first person to sell bananas in England. He is commemorated in the name given by Robert Brown to the liliaceous genus Johnsonia

Provenance: Contemporary signature of Maria Simson to page 745.

References: Arber,
Herbals: Their Origins and Evolution 1953. Ogilvie, The Science of Describing 2006. Royal Collection Trust, web. Pavord, The naming of names and the search for order in the world of plants 2005. Henrey 155. Hunt 223. Nissen, Die Botanische Buchillustration 698. STC 11751. Coombe, Complete Dictionary of Scientific Biography. David Kewis, Thomas Johnson (1600 – 1644) – The father of British Field Botany.

Folio (binding size 35.5x25cm), pp. [2] [1 (Illustrated Title Page)] [1] [1 (Title Page in Latin)] [2 (dedication page in English)] [7] [19 To The Reader] [7 Catalogue of Additions] [1] 1-30, 29-30, 29-112, 115-122, 125-354, 343, 356-369, 400-401, 372-794, 797, 796-1356, 1355, 1358-1456, 1459, 1458-1630 [1 (plate of Turmericke, Club-Rush, Heath Mat-weed & The floures of Camel Hay)] [1] [13 (Index Latinus)] [6 (Nominum et Opinionum Harmonia & Consensus)] [9 (Table of English Names)] [13 (Table of Virtues)] [1 (Errata)] [2 (Supplement or Appendix)] [2 (Table of British Names)][2]. Erratically numbered as usual but no sheets actually missing. Pages 740-860 and one or two others with light contemporary hand-colouring to illustrations.
  Restored and rebound by Sangorski & Sutcliffe of London in 1952, in quarter bron morocco over matching cloth, spine lettered and decorated in gilt, all edges trimmed.   Condition: Near fine, generally clean throughout, some restoration to page edges (hand-written list of these included), Pages 740-860 and one or two others with light contemporary hand-colouring to illustrations, in fine later binding.   Ref: 111409   Price: HK$ 40,000