A little searching on EEBO suggests that “pilulae” (and variations such as “pilula” or “pilullae”) enjoyed a heyday of marketing authority for about 20 years in 17th-century England, right around the time people seemed particularly worried about the scurvy epidemic.
Although the earliest reference to pilulae in the title appeared in Patrick Anderson’s Grana angelica hoc est Pilularum hujus nominis in signis utilitas Quibus etiam accesserunt alia quaedam paucula de durioris alvi incommodis propter materiae cognationem, ac vice supplementi in fine adjuncta, published in Edinburgh in 1635, the term did not catch on right away. The next pamphlet to refer to pilulae was published in 1664: Lionel Lockyer’s An advertisement, concerning those most excellent pills called pillulae radijs solis extractae. Being an universal medicine, especially in all chronical and difficult distempers, as by the ensuing discourse will most clearly appear. Over the next twenty years another 15 pamphlets by at least 8 different authors were published, each advertising some wonder pill that cured all manner of disease.
The lists of places to purchase these pills offer a fascinating glimpse into the market for medicines in later 17th-century London. Booksellers seem to be the most common places to purchase these medicines. Coffeehouses seem to have sold medicines too. A few unexpected places apparently sold medicines: shoe makers, haberdashers, a cutler, and even a razor maker. These lists of places to purchase these pills could be used to map where things were sold. In some cases these pills were sold at a remarkable number of shops in London and beyond.
Finally most of these pamphlets also include prices, which ranged from about 2 shillings to about 6 shillings per box. A late pamphlet, J. T.’s Pilula Imperialis gel Sospitalis (London, 1700), advertised a cure for various venereal diseases for prices ranging from 2 shillings to 10 shillings “as occasion requireth.”
The pamphlets seem to conform to a standard set of conventions. Typically, they include a discussion of the sources of the diseases, a list of likely symptoms, a suggested course of treatment to accompany the pills, and some testimony or report of the pills efficacy. They are all clearly marketing tools.
It would be interesting to compile the diseases listed in these pamphlets to get an idea about what the public seemed to fear most in late 17th-century England. It would also be interesting to map where the pills were sold as well as begin to make a map of where different trades and shops did business. Perhaps there are other pamphlets that similarly indicate where certain items were sold that could be used to broaden the map of commerce in 17th-century London.
For those interested, here are the “pilulae” pamphlets. The titles link to the EEBO file (which, regrettably, requires a subscription to view):
- Mrs. Harfords at the Bible in Heart in Little Britain
- Mr. Brugis, printer, next door to Red Lyon Inn, in Newstreet near Fetter Lane
- Rich. Lownds, bookseller, at White Lion in St. Paul’s Churchyard
- Mr. Russel’s in Mugwel Street near Cripple Gate
- Mr. Randal’s at the Three Pigeons, beyond St. Clements Church, in the Strand
- more than 20 shops beyond London
Cost: 4 shillings per box.
- Mrs. Harfords at the Bible in Heart in Little Britain
- Mr. Russel’s in Mugwel Street near Cripple Gate
- Mr. Randal’s at the Three Pigeons, beyond St. Clements Church, in the Strand
- Thomas Virgoes, cutler, upper end of New Fish Street
- Mr. Brugis, printer, next door to Red Lyon Inn, in Newstreet near Fetter Lane
- more than 20 shops beyond London
Cost: 4 shillings per box.
Lionel Lockyer, An advertisement, concerning those most excellent pills called pilulae radiis solis extractae. being an universal medicine, especially in all chronical and difficult distempers as by the ensuing discourse will most clearly appear. / Truly and only prepared by Lionel Lockyer, licensed physitian (London, 1667). 21 pages.
Sold by Tho. Fydge, apothecary, at Bishopgate Street at the sign of the Sugarloaf.
- booksellers at the Gridiron near Turn-stile in Holborn
- at the Three Bibles on London Bridge
- at the Starr in Little Britian
- at the Fethers in Westminster Hall
- at the Angel and Horne in Gresham College
- at the George in Fleetstreet near St. Dunstan’s Church.
Cost: 5 shillings
- Mr. Richard Lownes at the Sign of White Lyon in Duck Lane
- Robert Horn, bookseller, at Entrance to Gresham College on Bishopgate Street
- Peter Parker, bookseller, in Cornhill at corner of Popeshead Alley
- John Place, bookseller, at Furnivals Inn Gate; Thomas Basset at St. George near Cliffords Inn
- John Amery, bookseller, at Blackboy over against St. Clement’s Church
- William Cademan, bookseller, at Popeshead in the New Exchange
- Thomas Archer, bookseller, under St. Dunstan’s Church in Fleet Street
- Abisha Brocas in Exeter
- Ralph Shelmendine in Manchester.
Cost: 5 shillings for 48 pills.
- Mr. Elmy at the Blew Ball in Haydon Yard in the Minories
- Mr. Benjamin Harris at the Stationer’s Arms in the Piazza under the Royal Exchange in Cornhill.
Cost: 3 shillings for 24 pills.
- William Rayman at Bred Street near Cheapside, between Angel and Bell.
Cost:
- Pilulae vegetantes 4 shillings
- Balsauum Vitae 1 shilling
- Arcanum vigetabilum 4 shillings for a glass
- Unguentum Refrigerans 1 shilling.
- M. Bromfield at Blue Balls in Plowyard in Fetter Lane
- Henry Brome, bookseller, at Gun near West end of St. Paul’s Church
- Francis Ashborne at Bodies and Sleeves in Cheapside near Friday Street
- Daniel Bennet, cutler, in Exchange Alley in Cornhill
- Robert Boulter, bookseller, at Turk’s Head against Royal Exchange in Cornhill
- John Painter, coffee man, at Johns Coffee House above Royal Exchange in Cornhill
- Mr. Alkin, confectioner, at Lion and Ball against Cree Church in Leadenhal Street
- Mr. Tuthil, bookseller, at Chiurgeons Sign near Armitage Bridge
- Mr. Butther, distiller, Plow and Still against George Inn in Soutwark
- Mr. Stevens, confectioner, Sugarloaf against Whitecross Stree joining Cripplegate Church
- Tho. Chew, distiller, at the Greenman near Smithfield bars
- George Lion, grocer, at Tobacco Roll at Little Queen Street End in High Holborn
- John Baynes, tin man, at the Birdcage at Cock Lane End against High Holborn Conduit
- Mrs. Firby, stationer, under Grays Inne Gate in Holborn
- John Starkey, bookseller, at the Mitre in Fleetstreet near Temple Bar
- Mr. Preston, bookseller, at Posthouse in Russel Street, Covent Garden
- Mrs. Duke, coffee seller, against Starr Inn in the Strand near Charing Cross
- more than 40 shops beyond London
Cost: 6 shillings for 80 pills.
- Tho. Fyge at the Sugarloaf in Bishops Gate
- John Watts in S. Thomas Southwark
Cost: 4 shillings for 100 pills
- M. Bromfield at the Blue Balls in Plowyard in Fetter Lane
- more than 50 shops beyond London
Cost: 6 shillings for 80 pills
- M. Bromfield at the Blue Balls in Plowyard in Fetter Lane
- more than 50 shops beyond London
Cost: 3 shillings for 40 pills
- Henry Brome, bookseller, at the Gun near West end of St. Paul’s Church
- Robert Boulter, bookseller, Turk’s Head against Royal Exchange in Cornhill
- John Painter, coffee man, John’s Coffeehouse above Royal Exchange in Cornhill
- Mrs. Alkin, confectioner, Lion and Ball against Cree Church in Leaden Hall Street
- Mr. Tuthill, bookseller, Chiurgions Sign near Armitage Bridge
- Tho. Chew, distiller, Green man near Smithfield Bars
- Daniel Bennet, cutler, Popeshead Alley in Cornhill
- Mr. Milward, at Westminster Hall Gate
- Mrs. Lion, grocer, at Tobacco Roll at Little Queen Street in High Holborn
- John Bayns, Tin man, Birdcage at Cock Lane against Holborn Conduit
- John Starkey, bookseller, Mitre in Fleet Street near Temple Bar
- Robert Bentley, bookseller, Posthouse in Russel Street, Covent Garden
- Mrs. Duke, coffee seller, against the Star Inne in the Strand near Charing Cross
- Mrs. Pierson, distiller, at the Golden Still against the Mitre Tavern in Kings Street Westminster
- Mr. Flaxmore at the Maidenhead near Cherry Garden Stairs on Redrif Wall
- Mr. Crosdeal, chandler, Kingshead near Battle Bridge in Tooly Street
- James Allen, haberdasher of hats, at the Hat and Harrow against the Bull Inn within Bishops Gate
- Thomas Stent, cheesemonger, against Hog Lane in Bishops Gate Street
- Mr. King, razor maker, at the Flying Horse against St. Clements Church in the Strand
- Thomas Pilkinton, hosier, against Criple Gate Church
- Gabriel Kunhold, stationer, Kings Head against the Muse near Charing Cross
- Edmund Trimmer at the Bear Key near the Custome House
- Richard Northcot, bookseller, New Fish Street Hill near London Bridge and at his shop in St. Peter’s Alley in Cornhill
- Humphry Cooper, distiller, Queen Hive stairs
- Edward Chandler, shoemaker, Old Bedlam Gate into Moor Fields
- Ralph Smith, bookseller, at the Bible under the Royal Exchange in Cornhill
- William Marshall, bookseller at the Bible in New Gate Street, at end of Ivy Lane
- Mr. Man’s, coffee man, in Exchange Alley in Cornhill and at his coffeehouse in Abchurch Lane
- “my house” at the Blew Balls in Plowyard in Fetter Lane
Cost: 3 shillings for 40 pills
Anon., Pilulae Antiscorbuticae. Pills against that epidemic disease the scurvy, with all its symptoms (London, 1680). 2 pages.
Sold by
- Mr. Hallifax, ironmonger, next door to Cross Inn, Oxford
- Mr. Troughton’s, bookseller, near Broad Gate, Conventry
- Whitehall Coffeehouse in Buckingham Court near Whitehall
- Mrs. Mores’s, salter, next door to White Hart Inn, Southwark
- James Neale’s near Redriff Stairs
- Hen. Barbers in Ship Alley in Well Close
- “my house” at Carv’d Posts in Stonecutter Street, between Shoe Lane and Fleet Ditch
Cost:
- Antiscorbuticae 1 shilling 6 pence for 18 pills
- Solamen miseris 1 shilling 6 pence for a pot
- Febrifuga 5 shillings
- Exukiano 3 shillings for purging powder, glass of elixir and pot of balsam
- “several places in London”
- “my house” at the Arch in Great Winchester Street
Cost: 2 shillings 6 pence
- “my house” at the Blue Balls in Plowyard in Fetter Lane
- more than 50 shops beyond London
Cost: 3 shillings for 40 pills
- J. T. at the Globe and Two Balls in Upper Moor Fields
- J. T. at the Golden Ball in Wine Office Court, Fleet Street
Cost: 2 shillings 6 pence or 5 shillings or 10 shillings “as occasion requireth.”
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