A Book of Simples

With these herbs
were cultivated Gillyflower, Pansy, Pinks, Bergamot, Southernwood, Bay,
Roses, Jasmine, Lavender and divers sweet-scented plants for the making
of simples, perfumes, and “sweete waters.”_

_The housewife, before entering on her duties, must have served an
apprenticeship; doubtless it formed the serious business of her life.
How many women nowadays follow the example of their ancestors? The
easy access of the doctor, the facilities of communication, the quack
remedies obtained from the neighbouring chymist, have superseded the
old-fashioned simples._

_The old herb garden is a wilderness, and even the names of its
occupants have almost passed away. Perchance this little book may help
us to picture it at its prime, with all its old-world atmosphere, and
haunting memories of much that is still precious. It may also bring
back the sweet mingled scent of the herb garden, the “murmuring of
innumerable bees,” the shimmering of the sun on sheltered pleasaunce
and well-trimmed hedge of yew, creating an image delightful to recall._

_Although many herbals and culinary manuscripts and books date back
to a much earlier period, as may be seen in the bibliography, yet
they are now scarce and difficult to obtain. This particular example
is interesting because of the magic of its herb-lore and the added
charm of the making of conserves and perfumes and the preserving of
viands. Moreover, it has that personal touch wanting in so many books
of a similar nature. One may note the words at the end of some of the
simples, “Probatum,” or “Probatum est.” What a world of meaning and
satisfaction they imply!_

_I am indebted to Miss I. L. Gould and Miss B. M. Gould for the long
labour and perseverance they have bestowed in decyphering the faded
script, and to Mr. J. Manning Watts for his researches into the
virtues and properties formerly attributed to these herbs, and for his
investigation into the proper spelling of their names, which appear in
the manuscript according to the light of nature._

_It will be observed that the items in the Index are not always in
strict alphabetical order. This will not, however, seriously interfere
with reference to any recipe, and it has therefore been thought better
to retain them as originally compiled._

  _H. W. LEWER._

  _11th August, 1908._




A BOOK OF SIMPLES


1. _The Wood-street Cake._

Take a quarter of a peck of y^e finest flower, mingle into it a little
salt & some beaten Cloves Mace & Nutmegs, a pound and halfe of Currance
wash’d and dry’d, & a pound of Raisins of y^e Sun ston’d and shred,
then straine in about a pinte of Ale yeast, and put in y^e yolkes of
10 eggs beaten with Rose water, put in a pint of Cream with 3 quarters
of a pound of Butter melted in it. mingle all these well together, and
knead it, cover it with a clothe and let it stand about an hour before
y^e fire to rise, then mould it up and beat it out thinn in y^e edges
and thick in y^e middle, then prick it or cut it w^{th} a knife, and
set it in y^e oven, when it is almost bak’d take it out and ice it on
y^e top w^{th} Rose water & sugar and sett it in y^e oven againe ’till
’tis enough, putt some musk or Ambergreese dissolv’d in y^e Rose water.


2. _Pectorals for a Colde or Consumption._

Take one pound of brown Sugar Candy, one Ounce of Juice of Lycorisse,
dissolve y^e lycorisse in 3 spoonfulls of Hysop water, put to these a
drachm of Orrice a drachm of Enul-campane, halfe a drachm of Gum dragon
being all made into fine powder, muske a graine then take a drachm of
oyle of Anniseeds, worke it well together with your hand and make it up
into pectorals of what bigness you please, lay them on a dish to dry
before y^e fire or in an oven after drawn bread, and keep them dry.


3. _The Plague Water._

Take Rue, Agrimony, Celandine, Sage, Wormewood, Balme, Feaverfue,
Mugwort, Tormentil, Marygold flowers, Cowslip flowers, Pansie flowers
leaves and all, Carduus, Angelicoe, Dragons, Pimpernel, Rosemary,
Scordium, Purple wort, Burnet, Enul campane roots, of each of these
halfe a pound shred small, then take Anniseeds, Carraway, Coriander,
Cardamome, of each of these two ounces bruis’d, bruise alsoe your Enul
campane roots, then steep all these in an earthen pott in two quarts
of white wine and a gallon of y^e best Canary, mixing them well in
y^e liquor, so let it stand till y^e next day, then distill it in an
ordinary still close stop’d, still it as soon as you can keeping it
close stop’d whilst it steeps and whilst you still it, stirring it when
you put it into y^e still, soe keep it for your use.

Y^e Lady Downs adds wood Sorril a good quantity roots of Indian Sneake
weed 2 pound burdock roots 1 lb.


4. _A very excellent Receipt against Convulsions which cur’d one had 9
Fitts a Day._

Take Race oynions and black pepper of each a little quantity stamp’d
pretty small and lay it to y^e soals of y^e feet keep