(Page 3 of 15)

16. To make Wormwood Water.

Take four ounces of Aniseeds, four ounces of Licoras scraped, bruise them well with two ounces of Nutmegs, add to them one good handful of Wormwood, one root of Angelica, steep them in three Gallons of Sack Lees and strong Ale together twelve hours; then distill them in an Alembeck, and keep it for your use.

17. A very rare Cordial Water.

Take one Gallon of white Wine, two ounces of Mithridate, two ounces of Cinnamon, one handful of Balm, a large handful of Cow'slips, two handfuls of Rosemary Flowers, half an ounce of Mace, half an ounce of Cloves, half an ounce of Nutmegs, all bruised, steep these together four days in an earthen Pot, and covered very close, distil them in an ordinary Still well pasted, and do it with a very slow fire; save the first water by it self, and the small by it self, to give to Children; when you have occasion to use it, take a spoonful thereof, sweetened with Loaf-Sugar; this Water is good to drive out any Infection from the heart, and to comfort the Spirits.

18. Another most excellent Cordial.

Take Celandine, Sage, Costmary, Rue, Wormwood, Mugwort, Scordium, Pimpernel, Scabious, Egrimony, Betony, Balm, Carduus, Centory, Peniroyal, Elecampane roots, Tormentil with the roots, Horehound, Rosa Solis, Marigold Flowers, Angelica, Dragon, Marjoram, Thyme, Camomile, of each two good handfuls; Licoras, Zedoary, of each one ounce; slice the Roots, shred the Herbs, and steep them in four quarts of white Wine, and let it stand close covered 2 days, then distil it in an ordinary Still pasted up; when you use it, sweeten it with fine Sugar, and warm it.

19. To make Rosa Solis.

Take half gallon of Aqua Composita, and put it into a Glass, then a good handful of Rosa Solis clean picked, but not washed, put it to the Aqua Composita, then take a pound of Dates stoned and beaten small, half of Long Pepper, as much of Grains, and of round Pepper, bruise them small, take also a pound of Loaf-Sugar well beaten, a quarter of a pound of Powder of Pearl, and six leaves of Book Gold; put all to the rest, and stir them well together in the Glass, then cover it very close, and let it stand in the Sun fourteen days, ever taking it in at night; then strain it, and put it into a close Bottle; you must not put in the Pearl, Gold or Sugar till it hath been sunned and strained, neither must you touch the Leaves of the Rosa Solis with your hands when you pick it; keep it very close.

20. The Heart Water.

Take five handfuls of Rosemary Flowers, two drams of red Coral, two drams of Powder of Pearl, two drams of white Amber, two drams of Cinnamon, two pound of the best Prunes stoned, six Pints of Damask Rose water, two Pints of Sack; put all these into a pan never used, stop it up with Paste, let them stand upon a soft fire a little while, then distil it in an ordinary Still pasted up.

21. The Plague Water.

Take Rosemary, Red Balm, Burrage, Angelica, Carduus, Celandine, Dragon, Featherfew, Wormwood, Penyroyal, Elecampane roots, Mugwort, Bural, Tormentil, Egrimony, Sage, Sorrel, of each of these one handful, weighed weight for weight; put all these in an earthen Pot, with four quarts of white Wine, cover them close, and let them stand eight or nine days in a cool Cellar, then distil it in a Glass Still.

22. The Treacle Water.

Take one pound of old Venice Treacle, of the Roots of Elecampane, Gentian, Cyprus, Tormentil, of each one ounce, of Carduus and Angelica, half an ounce, of Burrage, Bugloss, and of Rosemary Flowers one ounce of each; infuse these in three Pints of white Wine, one Pint of Spring Water, two Pints of Red Rose water; then distil them in an ordinary Still pasted up.

This is excellent for Swounding Fits or Convulsions, and expelled any venomous Disease; it also cured any sort of Agues.

23. The Snail water excellent for Consumptions.

Take a Peck of Snails with the Shells on their Backs, have in a readiness a good fire of Charcoal well kindled, make a hole in the midst of the fire, and cast your Snails into the fire, renew your fire till the Snails are well roasted, then rub them with a clean Cloth, till you have rubbed off all the green which will come off.

Then bruise them in a Mortar, shells and all, then take Clary, Celandine, Burrage, Scabious, Bugloss, five leaved Grass, and if you find your self hot, put in some Wood-Sorrel, of every one of these one handful, with five tops of Angelica.

These Herbs being all bruised in a Mortar, put them in a sweet earthen Pot with five quarts of white Wine, and two quarts of Ale, steep them all night; then put them into an Alembeck, let the herbs be in the bottom of the Pot, and the Snails upon the Herbs, and upon the Snails put a Pint of Earth-worms slit and clean washed in white Wine, and put upon them four ounces of Anniseeds or Fennel-seeds well bruised, and five great handfuls of Rosemary Flowers well picked, two or three Races of Turmerick thin sliced, Harts-horn and Ivory, of each four ounces, well steeped in a quart of white Wine till it be like a Jelly, then draw it forth with care.

24. To make a rare sweet Water.

Take sweet Marjoram, Lavender, Rosemary, Muscovy, Maudlin, Balm, Thyme, Walnut Leaves, Damask Roses, Pinks, of all a like quantity, enough to fill your Still, then take of the best Orrice Powder, Damask Rose Powder, and Storax, of each two ounces; strew one handful or two of your Powders upon the Herbs, then distil them with a soft fire; tie a little Musk in a piece of Lawn, and hang it in the Glass wherein it drops, and when it is all drawn out, take your sweet Cakes and mix them with the Powders which are left, and lay among your Clothes, or with sweet oils, and burn them for perfume.

Tags: Recipes and Cooking