Contrary to modern beliefs, the medieval world was not one of superstition and ignorance. True, they lacked what we know as science, but on the other hand, they were in possession of a coherent philosophy of life, handed down to them from the Greeks and Romans, which had been further hammered out in a thousand ways over the course of centuries. When luck was with them (the period was, above all, poor), medieval peoples were surprisingly successful in dealing with the problems of everyday life. With minds open, we come to the medieval world as if it was a strange alien planet. Because their philosophy was different, their observations were different, and, therefore, their solutions were different. Some were good. Some were not. The best of them are worthy of our attention, for they can teach us much. The author, Joseph Blagrave (1610-1682), was a country doctor who lived in Reading, England, in part as he lacked the license that would let him practice openly in London. Fundamentally, he was an astrological herbalist. To this, he brought an eclectic mix of observation, experimentation, folk knowledge, and his own unique genius. Free of modern conceptions, he was able to view and treat the diseases of his day in ways that were revolutionary.

Richard Saunders (1613 - 1692) was an astrologer/physician in 17th century England. This book, first published in 1677, was the result of thirty years practice. It is also one of the earliest astro-medical treatises in the English language. Using the terminology of his day, Saunders speaks of humors and winds, of conditions hot, cold or dry, of the cholerick and fiery, etc. This is a comprehensive and demanding text on medical astrology. Included are rules for decumbiture charts, illnesses produced by the traditional planets in the various signs of the zodiac, when to administer medicines based on planetary hours, and much more. This is also a first hand account of life, death and medicine in the 16th and 17th centuries, with many surprising details. Of the Black Plague of 1593 (with transiting Saturn in sign of Cancer), Saunders writes, "And you shall understand that this Plague was not infectious, because it came of a cold cause; and there was nothing that bred it so soon as the eating of fresh Herrings and Cucumbers and fruit, and such things as breed slimy Flegm and Water; and most commonly where it took a house, it went round amongst children and servants, that were all of one kind of feeding; and those two years was great plenty of fresh Herrings, and much fruit; and there dyed in the year 1593 eighteen hundred a week, and most of the Doctors of Physick did fly from London, and Dr. Foreman staid by it, and thanks God he saved many." (pg. 154). Includes numerous herbal remedies and medieval medical techniques. Introductions by his contemporaries William Lilly, John Gadbury, Henry Coley and others. One of the great astrology books.

A riveting look at how the early modern world revolutionized sleep and its relation to body, mind, soul, and society Drawing on diverse archival sources and material artifacts, Handley reveals that the way we sleep is as dependent on culture as it is on biological and environmental factors. After 1660 the accepted notion that sleepers lay at the mercy of natural forces and supernatural agents was challenged by new medical thinking about sleep’s relationship to the nervous system. This breakthrough coincided with radical changes shaping everything from sleeping hours to bedchambers. Handley’s illuminating work documents a major evolution in our conscious understanding of the unconscious.