Indeed, the medieval illustrated herbals generally speaking dealt with simples, i.e. medicine based on one ingredient only. Not all of them were strictly dealing with medicine, because a few of them have no descriptions or recipes, and several were only meant as 'objects of artistic value', dedicated to highly placed individuals and intended to be included in princely libraries. They were never intended to be consulted by physicians or pharmacists.
It is certainly correct that the herbs shown in the Voynich MS do not (clearly) match any sequence known from other herbal MSs, but the herbal or botanical part of it (one can name it what one wants) is clearly modelled after medieval herbal MSs. Both Toresella and Touwaide, though they have quite a different opinion about the MS, clearly confirm this.
Touwaide also stated (in private communication) that, while the herbs / plants shown are not clearly according to any herbal tradition, the few that are recognisable do fit in the mediterranean world.
The exact purpose of the Voynich MS has to remain a guess as long as we can't read the text.
The option that it is just meant to 'look like' a book of science, even when clearly made in the 15th C, should not be discarded.
It is certainly correct that the herbs shown in the Voynich MS do not (clearly) match any sequence known from other herbal MSs, but the herbal or botanical part of it (one can name it what one wants) is clearly modelled after medieval herbal MSs. Both Toresella and Touwaide, though they have quite a different opinion about the MS, clearly confirm this.
Touwaide also stated (in private communication) that, while the herbs / plants shown are not clearly according to any herbal tradition, the few that are recognisable do fit in the mediterranean world.
The exact purpose of the Voynich MS has to remain a guess as long as we can't read the text.
The option that it is just meant to 'look like' a book of science, even when clearly made in the 15th C, should not be discarded.