A Book of Simples

by Unknown

375. To make Vinegar of Unripe Grapes.

Take them and pound them and press them through a hair bag as yo do Sider then put into every 4 gallons as much allome as a wallnut then boyle it well and scumme as the scumme riseth as clear as possible coole it and when through cold tun it up and keep it till it is steal and fit for use very close stopt and it will be very good.

376. A Re^ct of Harts Horne Jelly.

Take shaved harts horne half a pound to five pints of water the which boyle very leasurely till half be wasted then put in a little red rose water and then give it a walme or 2 more then strain it you may add juice of Lemons & fine Sugar and eat it cold or dissolve it and drink it warm w^ch you please.

377. The Countess of Kents Lozenges for a Cold.

Take 12 ounces of liquorish scraped and bruised a little then take half a pint of coltfoot water red rose water hysop water of each half a pint 2 quarts of fair water so put them altogether with your liquorish & let it steep 24 hours then set it on the fire and let it boyle very softly till it be as thick as cream then strain out the juice clean from the liquorish and set it on the fire again puting in 2 grains of ambergreese as much allkermes as a large bean let it not boyle but stand till it be well incorporated then put it out into 2 or 3 pans and set it in the sun till it thicken to worke like wax yⁿ make it into little cakes it will keep it’s vertue many years but if in drying in the sun a drop of water or rain chance to fall on any of it, it will never come to good. Aproved by the Lady Elizabeth Cope to add half a pint of whorehound water.

378. To make Cherry Wine.

Take of the best sort of cherries full ripe Stone them then breake them to mash and let them stand all night in something that will not change the colour of the cherrie liquor next day strain them out in a jelly bagg & press out all the juice let it run upon Sugar and to every gallon put a pound of Sugar then tun it up stop it up close and let it stand a month or 6 weeks then draw it out into bottles & in every bottle put a little loaf Sugar & stop it up close.

379. The Portugal Cake.

Take a pound of loafe Sugar beat and search it very fine through a sive w^th a pound of very well dryed and fine flour that the Sugar and flour may be well mingled together then take a pound of butter and wash it well in rose water and then worke it with your hand till it be very soft then strew your flour and Sugar in by degrees till it be half in then put in 6 yolkes of eggs and but 4 whites then by degrees worke in the other half of flour and Sugar and when the oven is hot or ready put in 2 spoonfulls of rosewater and a pound of currants or 3 quarters of carraway comfits which you like best and have your plats ready buttered and fill them but half full & sift on some double refined Sugar on them let the oven be pretty hot and set up the Lid these will keep and Spend well.