2020 Essays

Ms. Fr. 640 and The Jewell House of Art and Nature (1594)

Faulkner, Amanda

This essay compares BnF Ms. Fr. 640 with The Jewell House of Art and Nature (1594) by Hugh Plat. It considers similarities and differences between these two works and analyzes areas of overlap. I argue that Plat, for all his emphasis on experiential knowledge, probably had less personal experience of casting, molding, and weapons than the author-practitioner. I explore the local contexts and knowledge networks in which the texts were produced, and how the author-practitioner and Plat dealt with the issue of secrets in their works. This comparison of the two texts highlights the importance of experience and exchange in early modern knowledge networks.