A Book of Simples

by Unknown

305. A Cordial Water of any Cherries.

Take one pound of cherries pluckt off their stalks then take 2 quarts of claret wine and half an ounce of nutmegs and an ounce & half of cinnamon and beat them to powder then take half a handfull of balme tops 10 tops of rosemary spriggs then mix all these together and let them steep 24 hours then put them in a hot still and let your water distill with a soft fire into your glass and before you stop it up put thereto 2 ounces and a half of white Sugar candie finely beaten & hang therein a grain of musk So stop it very close and keep it for your use it being good for any oppression at the stomache & to comfort ye heart.

306. S^r Roger Pallmers Teeth Powder.

Take a quantity of Sandoues and half as much allome and burn your allome then take a quarter so much bole-ameniacke and you must scrape your bole-ameniacke beat your sandoues and allome into fine powder then mix them all well together So keep it dry (or it will run to water) and rub your teeth with it weting your finger to make the powder stick and wash it off either with clarret white wine or water every morning w^ch will long preserve y^e teeth. Probatum.

307. Dr. Feners Strengthening Broth to Thicken any Sharpe Humour.

Take a pullet put it to boyle in 7 pints of fair water first breaking & quartering and washing it before you boyle it and when it boyles scumme it very clean of shavings of ivory and hartshorn of each one ounce which ye night before you use you must first infuse it in hot water add to them an ounce of french barley of cumffry roots thinly sliced the quantity of four fingers of china roots thinly sliced one ounce of dates finely sliced 2 ounces of gume dragon a dram of dry red roses a small handfull, of burnet a handfull let all this boyle gently the vessel cover’d till half be consumed then take it from the fire and put thereto 2 ounces of old conserve of roses dissolved first in half a pint of clarret wine and one ounce of marmelade of quinces 2 ounces of peniedice of sugar one nutmeg thinly sliced so much cinnamon and of the wood of red saunders thinly sliced or grossly beaten as your little finger then set it on the hot embers to infuse 6 or 7 hours the vessel close stop’d as I have direct’d and when it has infused as aforesaid increase the fire y^t it may boyle and so soon as you perceive it boyle take it off the fire & about half an hour after strain hard away the broth and drink of this half a pint warm in the morning & at 4 a clock in y^e evening. Probatum.

308. A Wash for the face after y^e Small Pox.

Take a gallon of small white wine and 8 pints of rosemary flowers 3 pints of shell snails 3 lemons sliced thin, of balme & flax seed of each a handfull 4 sheets of Venice paper and a dog of 9 days old take the snails out of the shells and wash them in 12 waters then drain them in a linnen cloth kill also the dog and flay it and fling away the head dry the 4 quarters in a linnen cloth then put all this into a glass still together and draw it with a pretty quick fire y^e 1^st pint will be the principal the 2^d and 3^d very good put to each pint 2 ounces of white Sugar candie finely beaten & so keep it for your use bathing it 3 times a day with a fine cloth or tuft of white raw silk.

309. To make Runnet Cream.

Take a quantity of the best cream and boyle it and when it hath boyled very well take it off and season it with Sugar and amber-grease mix’d with a little rosewater but you must not put them in when your cream is to hot but stir it till it be but warme and then put in a little runnet as much as you think fiting then stir it till it be cold then serve it up.