A Book of Simples

it on 7 houres,
whilst y^e party is in y^e fitt force them not to take any thing
inwardly but anoynt y^e wrists on y^e inside, y^e palmes of y^e hands,
y^e Temples and y^e nostrills (if it be a childe) with Methridate (if
not) with oyle or spirit of Amber, between y^e fitts let it drinke
black cherrey water sweetned with syrrop of Cloves & syrrop of Pyonies
for a weeks time after y^e fitts first and last let them ware a
necklace of single pyonie roots alwayes about theire neck, avoid giving
syrrop of Violets if you fear fitts, but syrrop of Roses and Succory is
good to be given together when costive this may be given to children
of any age.


5. _To make Ebulum Drinke._

Put one peck of Elder berries to the quantity of halfe a hogshead of
Ale 2 penny worth of Ginger sliced 2 nutmegs and a penny worth of
Cloves & mace bruise all your Spices boyle all together with the berrys
till they breake, then strain them through a Straining Sive and when
tis coole as your usuall wort put barm to it as to beer, there must
some hops be boyl’d in it. And when fitt to bottle, bottle it with a
lumpe of loave Sugar it will drink much y^e more Lively. it is good for
y^e Spleen or Dropsy.


6. _To make Vinegar._

Take Sower grapes pound them and press them through a hair bag as you
do Sider. & to every 4 Gallons put as much Allom as a walnut then boyle
it well and Scumme it as the Scumme riseth as clean as possible then
Coole it and when through coole put it into a vessel and when Stale use
of it and it will be very good vinegar.


7. _To make Goosbery or Currant Wine._

Take 2 Gallons of Spring water Set it over the fire boyle it a little
then put 4 pound of powder Sugar let it boyle and Scume it well take
it off and Strain it and when it is as coole as wort put 2 spoonfulls
of barm to it let it worke a little then to every gallon of water put
5 quarts of Goosberys or currants first hand pick’t and bruised put
it in a little barrell & stir it once a day & keep it close Stopt let
it stand 3 or 4 days and when you once begin to See it Sink Strain it
through a jelly bag and put it in the Cask being waished out with the
Same liquor Stop it up very close & when you think it may be fine draw
it off into bottles.


8. _To make Methegline._

Take 12 quarts of honey to 12 gallons and a pottle of water and a
fagott of these following herbs Sweet bryer Sweet marjerrom, rosemary
and muskecouise of each a small handfull and boyle them in the water
and honey all the time it boyles and that must be a full hour, keep
scumming of it clean, then take a bag of these following Spices
nutmegs, Cloves mace and cinament, a quarter of an ounce of each but
most of nutmegs tie them up in a bag with a bullet in it that may cause
it to Sink into the middle of your liquor as it boyles, and let it
boyle above a quarter of an hour, then take it off and take out the
herbs and Spices and Set Some a cooling, and when as coole as wort put
in about half a pint of Ale barm, and when coole enough and that it
hath got a good head tun it up as you do Ale, or other liquors, and
when it hath done workeing hang in again the Same bag of Spices you
took out into your barrell Stope it up till it be clear and then bottle
it up.


9. _A Plaister for ye Spleen to be made in May._

Take mellilot and cammomile of each 3 handfulls, passley and plantin
of each one handfull, and stamp them together, a pound of Sweet mutton
Sewet, 12 ounces of virgins wax, 3 pound of rozin, a pint of white
wine, Shred the wax and Sewet and beat the rozin put all together in
an earthen pot and let it stand over the fire till it be all melt’d
together, and then take it off and cover it close let it stand 1 day
in cellar then Sett it over the fire and let it boyle halfe an hour,
then take it off and strain it into 2 dishes puting some water into the
bottom of the dishes, and when tis cold you must fold it up close in
oyl’d paper it will keep four or five years. you must use this when
you feel the pain on the left Side, and cut a piece of Sheepskin the
breadth of your hand or more and about a quarter of a yard long and
make it hollow in ye middle of the uper Side as the Spleen lyes and
prick it full of holes on the fleshy side of y^e leather, Spread it
thin and Lay it to your left Side where you feel your pain and when it
will stick no longer you may make a fresh one if need require this use
allways when you feel your pain & you Shall never be troubled with the
Spleen & it will prevent many other diseases that may come by reason of
y^e Spleen.


10. _To make Aquamirabilis the Lady Atkinses way._

Take Cardimum, cubibs, mellilot flowers, gallingall nutmegs; ginger
mace and Cloves of each a dram all these must be bruised and infused
one night in 3 pints of white wine one pint of aquavite one pint of
the juice of salendine the next day distil them in a close Still
twill run a pottle keep the first quart by it Selfe you must put to
the whole three quarters of a pound of white Sugar candy beaten very
finely.