Aqua Peoniæ Composita.
Or Compound water of Peony.
The College.] Take of the flowers of Lilies of the Valley, one pound: infuse them in four gallons of Spanish wine so long till the following flowers may be had fresh.
Take of the fore-named flowers half a pound, Peony flowers four ounces: steep them together fourteen days, then distil them in Balneo Mariæ till they be dry: in the distilled liquor infuse again male Peony roots gathered in due time, two ounces and a half, white Dittany, long Birthwort, of each half an ounce, the leaves of Misselto of the Oak, and Rue, of each two handfuls, Peony seeds husked, ten drams, Rue seeds three drams and a half, Castoreum two scruples, Cubebs, Mace, of each two drachms, Cinnamon an ounce and a half, Squills prepared, three drachms, Rosemary flowers six pugils, Arabian Stæchas, Lavender, of each four pugils, the flowers of Betony, Clove-gilliflowers, and Cowslips, of each eight pugils, then adding four pound of the juice of black Cherries, distil it in a glass till it be dry.
Aqua Bezoartica.
Or Bezoar Water.
College.] Take of the leaves of Celandine, roots and all, three handfuls and a half, Rue two handfuls, Scordium four handfuls, Dittany of Crete, Carduus, of each one handful and a half, Zedoary and Angelica roots, of each three drams, Citrons and Lemon pills, of each six drams, Clove-gilliflowers one ounce and a half, Red Rose, Centaury the less, of each two drams, Cinnamon, Cloves, of each three drams, Venice Treacle three ounces, Mithridates one ounce and a half, Camphire two scruples, Troches of Vipers two ounces, Mace two drams, Wood of Aloes half an ounce, Yellow Sanders one dram and a half, Carduus seeds one ounce, Citron seeds six drams, let them be cut and infused in spirits of Wine, and Malaga Wine, of each three pound and a half, Vinegar of Clove-gilliflowers, Juice of Lemons, of each one pound, and distilled in a glass still in Balneo Mariæ, after it is half distilled off, the residue may be strained through a linen cloath, and be reduced to the thickness of Honey, and called the Bezoartic extract.
Culpeper.] Extracts have the same virtues with the waters they are made from, only the different form is to please the palates of such whose fancy loathes any one particular form.
This Bezoar water strengthens the heart, arteries, and vital spirits: It provokes sweat, and is exceeding good in pestilential fevers, in health it withstands melancholy and consumptions, and makes a merry, blithe, chearful creature. Of the extract you may take ten grains at a time, or somewhat more, if your body be not feverish, half a spoonful of water is sufficient at a time, and that mixed with other cordials or medicines appropriated to the disease that troubles you.
Aqua et Spiritus Lambricorum, magistralis.
Or Water and Spirit of Earthworms.
College.] Take of Earthworms well cleansed, three pound, Snails, with shells on their backs cleansed, two gallons, beat them in a mortar, and put them into a convenient vessel, adding stinging Nettles, roots and all, six handfuls, wild Angelica, four handfuls, brank Ursine, seven handfuls, Agrimony, Bettony, of each three handfuls, Rue one handful, common Wormwood two handfuls, Rosemary flowers six ounces, Dock roots ten ounces, the roots of Sorrel five ounces, Turmerick, the inner bark of Barberries, of each four ounces, Fenugreek seeds two ounces, Cloves three ounces, Hart’s-horn, Ivory in gross powder, of each four ounces, Saffron three drams, small spirits of Wine four gallons and a half, after twenty-four hours infusion, distil them in an alembick. Let the four first pounds be reserved for spirit, the rest for water.