Vade mecum

The phrase means 'come/go with me' in Latin and refers to a portable book (often suspended from a belt), frequently consisting of leaves folded in a concertina or fold-out format.

The phrase means 'goes with me' in Latin and refers to a portable book (often suspended from a belt), frequently consisting of leaves folded in a concertina or fold-out format. Such books could be consulted easily by physicians, for example, and often contain calendars, almanacs, and medical information. See also astronomical / astrological texts, computus texts, girdle book, and medical texts.

    Michelle Brown, Understanding Illuminated Manuscripts (Malibu, CA: J. Paul Getty Museum in association with the British Library, c1994).