1. Whether the gallon of Lavender flowers must be filled by heap, or by strike. 2. Next, whether the flowers must be pressed down in the measure or not. 3. How much must be drawn off in the first distillation. 4. Where they should get Orange leaves and flowers fresh gathered. 5. What they mean by convenient digestion. 6. Where you shall find Borrage, Bugloss, and Cowslips, flowering together, that so you may have them all fresh according to their prescript, the one flowering in the latter end of April, and beginning of May, the other in the end of June, and beginning of July. 7. If they can make a shift to make it, how, or which way the virtues of it will countervail the one half of the charge and cost, to leave the pains and trouble out.
Spiritus Castorii.
Or Spirit of Castoreum.
The College.] Take of fresh Castoreum four ounces, Lavender flower an ounce, the tops of Sage and Rosemary, of each half an ounce, Cinnamon six drams, Mace, Cloves, of each two drachms, spirits of Wine rectified, six pounds, digest them in a phial filled only to the third part, close stopped with cork and bladder in warm ashes for two days, then distilled in Balneo Mariæ, and the distilled water kept close stopped.
Culpeper.] By reason of its heat it is no ways fit to be taken alone, but mixed with other convenient medicines appropriated to the diseases you would give it for, it resists poison, and helps such as are bitten by venomous beasts: it causes speedy delivery to women in travail, and casteth out the Placenta: it helps the fits of the mother, lethargies and convulsions, being mixed with white wine, and dropped into the ears, it helps deafness; if stopping be the cause of it, the dose to be given inwardly is between one dram, and half a dram, according to the strength and age of the patient.
Aqua Petasitidis composita.
Or, compound water of Butter-bur.
The College.] Take of the fresh roots of Butter-bur bruised, one pound and a half, the roots of Angelica and Masterwort, of each half a pound, steep them in ten pints of strong Ale, then distil them till the change of the taste gives a testimony that the strength is drawn out.
Culpeper.] This water is very effectual being mixed with other convenient cordials, for such as have pestilential fevers: also a spoonful taken in the morning, may prove a good preservative in pestilential times: it helps the fits of the mother, and such as are short winded, and being taken inwardly, dries up the moisture of such sores as are hard to be cured.
Aqua Raphani Composita.
Or Compound water of Radishes.
The College.] Take of the leaves of both sorts of Scurvy-grass, of each six pound, having bruised them, press the juice out of them, with which mix of the juice of brooklime, and Water-cresses, of each one pound and a half, of the best white wine, eight pounds, twelve whole Lemons, pills and all, fresh Briony roots four pound, the roots of wild Radishes two pound, Captain Winter’s Cinnamon half a pound, Nutmegs four ounces, steep them altogether, and then distil them.
Culpeper.] I fancy it not, and so I leave it; I suppose they intended it for purgation of women in child-bed.