(Page 4 of 15)

25. A very good Surfet water.

Take what quantity of Brandy you please, steep a good quantity of the Flowers of Red Poppies therein, which grow amongst the Wheat, having the black bottoms cut off, when they have been steeped long enough, strain them out, and put in new, and so do till the Brandy be very red with them, and let it stand in the Sun all the while they infuse, then put in Nutmegs, Cloves, Ginger and Cinnamon, with some fine Sugar, so much as you think fit, and keep it close stopped; this is very good for Surfets, Wind in the Stomach, or any Illness whatever.

26. An excellent Water for the Stomach, or against Infection.

Take Carduus, Mint and Wormwood, of each a like quantity, shred them small and put them into new Milk, distil them in an ordinary Still with a temperate fire; when you take any of it, sweeten it with Sugar, or with any Syrup, what pleases you best; it is a very good water, though the Ingredients are but mean.

27. The Melancholy Water.

Take of the Flowers of Gilliflowers, four handfuls, Rosemary flowers three handfuls, Damask Rose leaves, Burrage and Bugloss flowers of each one handful, of Balm leaves six handfuls, of Marigold flowers one handful, of Pinks six handfuls, of Cinnamon grosly beaten, half an ounce, two Nutmegs beaten, Anniseeds beaten one ounce, three Saffron; put them all into half gallon of Sack, and let them stand two days, stirring them sometimes well together; then distil them in an ordinary Still, and let it drop into a Glass wherein there is two grains of Musk, and eight ounces of white Sugar Candy, and some Leaf-Gold; take of this Water three times a week fasting, two spoonfuls at a time, and after if you find need; distil with soft fire; this is good for Women in Child-bed if they are faint.

28. To make the Elder water, or spirit of Sambucus.

Take some Rye Leaven, and break it small into some warm Water, let it be a sowre one, for that is best; about two Ounces or more: then take a Bushel of Elder Berries beaten small, and put them into an earthen Pot and mix them very well with the Leaven, and let it stand one day near the Fire; then put in a little Yeast, and stir it well together to make it rise, so let it stand ten days covered, and sometimes stir it; then distil it in an Alembeck; keep the first Water by it self, and so the second, and the third will be good Vinegar, if afterward you color it with some of the Berries.

Distil it with a slow fire, and do not fill the Still too full.

This Water is excellent for the Stomach.

29. To make the Balm water Green.

Take any Wine or Lees of Wine, or good Strong Beer or Ale with the Grounds, and stir them all together very well, lest the Wine Lees be too thick, and burn the bottom of the Pot; put them into an Alembeck with good store of Balm unwashed, therein still these till you leave no other tast but fair water, and draw also some of that, draw two Alembecks full more as you draw the first, until you have so much as will fill your Alembeck, then put this distilled water into your Alembeck again, and some more Balm, if you draw a Wine Gallon, put to it half a pound of Coriander seeds bruised, two Ounces of Cloves, one quarter of an Ounce of Nutmegs, and one quarter of an Ounce of Mace bruised all of them, then set a Receiver of a Gallon under it, and fill it with fresh and green Balm unwashed, and your Water will be as green as Grass; put still more and more of the Herbs fresh, and let it stand a week to make it the more green.

Take this Green Water, and put to it one quart of the best Damask Rosewater, and before you mix your Balm-water and Rose-water together, you must dissolve two pounds of fine Sugar in the first distilled water, then take Ambergreece and Musk, of each eight Grains, being ground fine, and put it into the Glass in a piece of Lawn; put also a little Orange or Lemon Pill to it, and keep it cool and from the Air.

30. To make the very best Surfet-water.

Take one Gallon of the best French Spirits, and a Pint of Damask-Rose-water, half a Pint of Poppy water, one pound of white Sugar Candy bruised, then take one pound and half of Raisins in the Sun stoned, half a pound of Dates stoned and sliced, then take one Ounce of Mace, one Ounce of Cloves, one Ounce of Cinnamon, one Ounce of Aniseeds rubbed clean from the dust, then take a quarter of an Ounce of Licoras clean scraped and sliced, and all the Spices beaten, let all these steep in the Spirits four days; then take a quarter of a peck of Red Poppy Leaves fresh gathered, and the black part cut off, and put them in, and when it hath stood four or five days, strain it, and put it into your Glass, then put in your Sugar-Candy finely beaten, twelve Ambergreece, six Musk, keep it close, and shake it now and then, and when you use it, you may put some kind of Syrup to it, what you please.

31. To make the true Palsy-water, as it was given by that once very famous Physician Doctor Matthias.

Take Lavender Flowers stripped from the stalks, and fill a Gallon-Glass with them, and pour on them good Spirit of Sack, or perfect Aqua vitæ distilled from all Flegm, let the quantity be five quarts, then circulate them for six weeks, very close with a Bladder, that nothing may breath out; let them stand in a warm place, then distil them in an Alembeck with his Cooler, then put into the said water, of Sage, Rosemary, and Wood-Betony Flowers; of each half a handful, of Lilly of the Valley, and Burrage, Bugloss, and Cow'slip Flowers, one handful of each; steep these in Spirit of Wine, Malmsie, or Aqua vitæ, every one in their Season, till all may be had; then put also to them of Balm, Motherwort, Spike-flowers, Bay leaves, the leaves of Orange trees, with the Flowers, if they may be had, of each one ounce, put them into the aforesaid distilled Wine all together, and distil it as before, having first been steeped six weeks; when you have distilled it, put into it Citron Pill, dried Piony seeds hull'd, of each five Drams, of Cinnamon half an Ounce, of Nutmegs, Cardamum seeds, Cubebs, and yellow Saunders, of each half an ounce, of lignum Aloes one dram; make all these into Powder, and put them into the distilled Wine above said, and put to them of Cubebs anew, a good half pound of Dates, the stones taken out, and cut them in small pieces, put all these in, and close your Vessel well with a double Bladder; let them digest six weeks, then strain it hard with a Press, and filtrate the Liquor, then put into it of prepared Pearl, Smaragdus, Musk and Saffron, of each half a Scruple; and of Ambergreece one Scruple, red Roses dried well, Red and Yellow Saunders, of each one ounce, hang these in a Sarsenet Bag in the water, being well sewed that nothing go out.

Tags: Recipes and Cooking