William Coles (1626–1662), botanist, also known as William Cole, was born in 1626 at Adderbury, Oxfordshire, being the son of John Cole. He is known for the doctrine of signatures of medicinal herbs or 'simples', whereby the plant has some attribute which shows the botanist what its use may be.

Biography

He entered

New College, Oxford New College is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in the United Kingdom. Founded in 1379 by William of Wykeham in conjunction with Winchester College as its feeder school, New College is one of the oldest colleges at th ...

, in 1642, and was soon after made a postmaster of

Merton College, Oxford Merton College (in full: The House or College of Scholars of Merton in the University of Oxford) is one of the Colleges of Oxford University, constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England. Its foundation can be traced back to the ...

by his mother's brother, John French, senior fellow and registrar of the university. He graduated B.A. on 18 February 1650, having become a public notary, and having already devoted much attention to

botany Botany, also called , plant biology or phytology, is the science of plant life and a branch of biology. A botanist, plant scientist or phytologist is a scientist who specialises in this field. The term "botany" comes from the Ancient Greek w ...

. He afterwards resided at Putney, 'where he became the most famous simpler or herbalist of his time' (Athenæ Oxon.) He became B.D. and fellow of New College and in 1660 was made secretary to Brian Duppa, bishop of Winchester, in whose service he died in 1662.

Works

His works are: 1. ''The Art of Simpling, or an Introduction to the Knowledge and Gathering of Plants'', London, 1656, pp. 123, 12mo, with which was bound the next book, 2. ''Perspicillum Microcosmologicum, or a Prospective for the Discovery of the Lesser World. Wherein Man is in a Compendium, theologically, philosophically, and anatomically described, and compared with the Universe.'' 3. ''Adam in Eden, or Nature's Paradise. The History of Plants, Herbs, Flowers, with their several, . . names, whether Greek, Latin, or English, and . . . vertues'', London, 1657, pp. 629, folio. His name, given by Wood, Rose, and others as Cole, appears as Coles on the title-pages of both his works.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Coles, William 1626 births 1662 deaths 17th-century English botanists Alumni of New College, Oxford Herbalists