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Ebook has 1287 lines and 75636 words, and 26 pages

Transcriber's Notes:

Punctuation is highly variable and sometimes non-existent by modern standards, in particular full stops are often followed by lower case and commas by upper case. Spelling is also highly variable. Both remain unchanged apart from the following self-evident errors.

In Simple: 50 'liquor' was 'liqour' 77 'warm' them was 'warn' them 131 the 'rest' of the Sugar was the 're' of the Sugar 190 take out your 'oynions' was 'onyons' 327 'alabaster' was 'alablaster' 498 sickness or 'surffit' was sickness or 'fursit'

A BOOK OF SIMPLES

A BOOK OF SIMPLES

SECOND IMPRESSION

LONDON SAMPSON LOW, MARSTON AND CO. LTD. 100, SOUTHWARK STREET, S.E.

CHISWICK PRESS: CHARLES WHITTINGHAM AND CO. TOOKS COURT, CHANCERY LANE, LONDON.

Herbs, too, she knew, and well of each could speak, That in her garden sip'd the silvery dew; Where no vain flower disclos'd a gaudy streak; But herbs for use, and physic, not a few, Of grey renown within those borders grew; The tufted basil, pun-provoking thyme, Fresh balm, and mary-gold of cheerful hue; The lowly gill, that never dares to climb;

And lavender, whose spikes of azure bloom Shall be ere-while in arid bundles bound To lurk amidst the labours of her loom, And crown her kerchiefs clean, with mickle rare perfume.

A BOOK OF SIMPLES

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^ 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^ 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.

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.

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.

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 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 with Methridate 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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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. Divide it between 2 glasses and let the mirabilis drop into the Sugar candy and it will dissolve when you put all these things into your close Still put in a little bag of Saffron put to y^e infusion a handfull of y^e tops of rosemary flowers w^ will give it a delicate taste.

Take 2 gallons of Spring water set it over the fire and let it boyle well, take a pound of reasons of the Sun Slit them open but not Stone them and take a pound of white Sugar and when the water is boyl'd put the Sugar & reasons to it, either in a Steene or Caske put y^e juice of 3 lemons and the rine of one thin pared Stiring it once a day keeping it close Stopped let it Stand 3 nights and 2 days. let it run through a jelly bag. bottle it up and in 8 or 9 days 'twill be fit to drink.

Take half a peck of flower, 2 ounces of carraway and anyseeds then take a pint of yest the yolkes of 3 eggs a little Salt one nutmeg half a pound of Sugar beat the Sugar and nutmegs bruise the Seeds take a quart of milk Scaulding hot but not to boyle then put into your milk half a pound of butter, & break another half pound of butter into the flower if you please put in 6 or 7 spoonfulls of Sack and as much rosewater w^ your other things then put in your milk by degrees mix it together well but knead it not at all then pull it in little bitts 2 or 3 times then mix it up again and mak them up in wigs lying will make them heavy. half an hour will bake them.

Take an ounce of comming Seed and Steep it in white wine all night as much wine as will cover it and then you must dry it in an oven after the bread is drawn and dry with it an ounce of Juniper berrys & a handfull or rue then you must beat all these together to a fine powder and when you use it take as much of the powder as will lay on a Sixpence in a Spoonfull of honey well mixed together or in a Spoonfull of Sugar and take it dry.

Take the rump of beef and Stuff him with parsley and broad time & about half a nutmeg with a little beef Sewet then put him in your pan with as much water as will cover him & so lett him stew with whole pepper, Cloves and mace of each a little quantity till he is tender then you must take him out & stick him w^ cloves then stew him again with 3 pints of the first liquor and 2 quarts of claret, then you must Scrape in 2 nutmegs 4 anchovise the bottoms of 4 hartichokes a little shellot half a lemon a few pickled oysters, half a score of turnips cut in half quarters & fry them in Sweet butter till they be tender then put in some Sasages: for herbs lettice and spinnage and green beets of each half a handfull boyle them in a Skillet of water so drop them out & put them in the stewing; if your Soope be not thick enough then thicken it w^ crums of brown bread.

Take one pound of Almonds blancht in cold water beat them in Rose water take a pound of double refined Sugar beaten and Searcht, 8 spoonsfull of fine flower 8 new laid eggs both whites and yolkes Some Corriander Seed prepared, butter your plats and Shake some double refined Sugar on them.

Take 2 pound of fine Sugar beaten and searched then to a pound and a half of it put a pound of the finest wheat flower, take 8 eggs and beat them with 2 spoonfulls of Rose water, mingle your flower and eggs together, then take an ounce of anyseeds being a quarter of an hour in white wine and as you beat your biskit put in your Seeds and when the biskit begins to look white put In your plats & Shake Some double refined Sugar on them.

Take a rump of beef and bone it Season it with pepper and salt put it into a pan and then put to it a little quantity of claret & ale enough to cover it about 8 anchovies 2 handfulls of capers 6 hole oynions, 3 or 4 branches of Sage, time and winter Savory, 3 or 4 heads of Shollot a little quantity of Iamakoe pepper whole, lay the bones on the top of the beef and cover it close with paste and lett it Stand in the oven six hours the oven being very hot.

Take half a pound of the best virgins wax and half a pint of oyle of roses and half a pint of oyle of olive melt them altogether let them coole in a pan till it be half cold then take half a pound of the finest white lead you can get, pound it as fine as possibly you can put this into the oyle and put it over a fire of coles and let it boyle half an hour then take 2 ounces of mastick 2 ounces of frankincense 2 ounces of mirrh 2 ounces of Gum oblibanum beat them into fine powder then put it in and let it boyle half an hour more, then take a quarter of an ounce of camphir and put it in and Stir it till it be black then take it from the fire and dipe your cloth or make it up in roles for your use.

Take the peels of 8 lemons or oranges and pare of the white very clean from them then put them into a quart of brandy, then take one pound of double refined Sugar or other loafe Sugar and put it into a quart of water and let it stand 24 hours then mix the water and brandy together and strain them through a double flanin bag so bottle it up for use. Some steep y^e peel 3 days before and after y^e water is added sweeten it with white Sugar Candy & hang a grain of musk & ambergreese in the glass.

Take 3 gallons of fair water put to it the best of powder Sugar or Loaf Sugar 6 pound boyle it together half an hour or better, and as the Scumme riseth take it off then pour it forth and set it a cooleing and when 'tis almost cold take a spoonfull or better of good barm beat it well together with 12 spoonfulls of Sirrup of cittorn or lemons then put it some of the liquor being almost cold let it stand a while to rise put in a Gallon of cowslip flowers bruised in a marble morter into the other liquor the while then put it altogether brewing it up and down with a dish then let it stand in an earthen pot close covered with a cloth, to worke 2 or 3 days then strain it forth and put it into a runlet that will just hold it and when it worketh not over Stop it close and 3 or 4 weeks after bottle it putting into each bottle a knob of Loaf Sugar it must not be dranke in a month twill keep good a year.

Take an orange cut off the top press out the juice as near as you can then put into it half a spoonfull of oyle of bays of the juice of rue and wormwood of each half a spoonfull powder of 4 or 5 lupins dry'd with as much treacle as will fill an ordinary thimble then stop the hole with the piece you cut off tye it up close and fast that nothing get out or in, then Seeth it well and when it is cold anoynt the navell, nostrells, pulses and temples of the party therewith troubled with the Stuff it paseth all other medecins for y^e worms what ever.

Take a quarter of a pint of horehound water a quarter of a pint of coltsfoot water a pound of reasons of the Sun Stoned pound the reasons very well then mingle these together then set them on the fire boyle them like marmolet then take it off and put it into 2 ounces of honey and one spoonfull mustard then set it on the fire & let it simer a while then put it into a pot and take as much as y^e quantity of a walnut first in ye morning & last at night.

Take the pulp of any fruit to 4 ounces of pulp take 6 ounces of double refined Sugar beaten and searched heat your pulp scalding hot and Sugar scalding hot into 2 several dishes when they are scalding hot pour your Sugar into your pulp and mix them and have ready whites of eggs beat into a froth and to such a proportion of pulp and sugar put in 2 spoonfulls of the froth a little musk and amber if you please then beat these in a silver or earthen bason with a Spoon for an hour or two the longer the better dry them in paper coffins of a pretty thickness; dry them either in a stove or coole oven.

Take a pottle of ale and boyle in it 2 handfulls of red Sage and Scumme off the froth and when it hath boyled one hour take it off the fire and Strain it hard out that the strength of the Sage may remain in it and while it is hot put into it half a pint of dragon water and as much treacle Seane as will make it sweet to your tast, and drink of it warm first in the morning and last at night a good draught or at any other time you feel a fit coming.

Take the greenest small aples about St James tide and set on a Skillet of water on ye fire till it be ready to boyle then take it off and put it into your aples covering them close till they will peel and against they are peeled have a skillet of hot water ready to put them in so cover them close and let them Stand on a few embers till they be very green then take them out and take to the weight of the aples the weight and quarter of sugar then take of the water they were green'd in as much as you think will boyle them and make Sirrup for them & 3 quarters of the Sugar and boyle it up and scumme it then put in the apples and let them boyle till they be half done then set them by till the next day then take them out again & boyle the sirrup with the rest of the Sugar then put them in again and boyle it softly till they be done keep them covered in y^e sirrup & waters.

Take the juice of Tansie and drink it with beer it hath done much good but hurtfull if with child.

After you have boyled the calves head take out all the bones from it when it is cold you must cut the meat in thin slices and put in a stew pan with some strong broth and white wine and oyster liquor and a few of all manner of sweet herbs 4 or 5 shellots and let it stew on a charcoale fire and when it is almost enough put 2 or 3 anchovies minced and yolks of 3 or 4 eggs well beaten with a little white wine and a piece of butter and shake it well together on a quick and put it in a dish on sippets and lay over it 5 or 6 sheeps tongues boyled peel'd and slit in halfs and as many veal sweetbreads & a few thin slices of bacon & a few bay leaves in yolks of eggs fry y^e brown in butter and lay them on your hashe & bacon & lay leavs on the brim of ye Dish and Garnish it with slices of Lemon and Send it up.

Take a leg of veal or Lamb and mince it small with the same quantity of beef sewit and after sweet herbs then put to it a little grat'd bread and the yolks of 2 or 3 eggs then season it with pepper and Salt cloves mace and nutmegs, and make them in balls you may fry boyle or butter them.

Take half a pound of reasons of the Sun Stoned and 1 ounce of liquorish and 1 ounce of Elicompane made into fine powder beat your reasons then pour in them till they come to a conserve adding thereto 2 or 3 spoonfulls of Red rose water if a thick ruehm lessen your quantity of Elicompane & take of this morning noon & night. Probatum.

Break the bones of the chicken and cut them in quarters and season them with cloves mace and nutmegs and salt with a little pepper and a few sweet herbs and put it in a stew pan with some broth or gravie a little white wine and strong ale a little oyster liquor and a few oysters cut in pieces and let it stew on a quicke fire and when it is almost enough put in 2 or 3 shallots minced small and 2 or 3 anchovise minced the yolks of 2 or 3 eggs well beaten with a little white wine and a piece of butter and Shake it well together and put it in a dish on sippets.

TAKE a quartor of a pound of blew currans an ounce of Anyseeds and a penny worth of liquorish makeing it and your seeds first into powder then beat your currans to a kind of a conserve strewing in your powder as you beat them then take of the best maiden honey you can gett putting thereof as much as will moisten all this seting it on the fire let it simer a while but not to long lest it be clammy so take from the fire and keep it for your use. take it as oft as you please upon the poynt of a knife the quantity of a nutmeg.

Take a pint of virgins honey set it on the fire and put a good spoonfull of liquorish anyseeds elecampane all this being first beaten in fine powders, let it simer a little then take it from the fire and put it up in a pot for your use. eat of it as oft' as you please especially going to bed makeing up 3 pills as big as a small nut rowling them up in powder of liquorish or Sugar candie.

Take 4 quarts of Spring water 2 ounces of green liquorish sliced 2 ounces of powder of brimstone 1 ounce of coliander seed bruised and soak'd in vinegar a little then pour out the vinegar from it boyle all the other things together until it be half boyled away then put in the coliander seed when it is off y^e fire. Soe let it stand close covered and drink of it 7 or 8 spoonfulls in a morning fasting fast an hour after it and drink it till you have taken it all.

Take an ounce of conserve of red roses the quantity of an nutmeg of dyascordieum and one spoonfull of the Sirrup of poppies 3 drops and but 3 drops of y^e spirit of vitterill then mix all these very well together and take of this in the morning fasting and fast 2 hours after it and last at night the quantity of a nutmeg at a time. Probatum.

Take 2 quarts of Isope water, take of liverwort maidenhair Hissop Speedwell Strawberry leaves violet leaves of each a handfull, 3 leaves of harts-tongue better than half a pound of raisons of the Sun 6 figs boyle all this till it come to a quart then strain it and boyle it again with 2 penny worth of saffron 2 ounces of brown Sugar Candie a piece of Gold a stone of Amber boyle it every 2 or 3 days or 'twill be soure and so keep it a fortnight give 3 spoonfulls at a time morning and evening & when the child will take it you must give it twice or thrice ere the child will be well if you give it in the fall or winter you must give it once in the spring after.

Take spermint and rue a like quantity to make a bundle you can hold in the hollow of your hand and boyle it in new milk and a spoonfull of wormseed after your herbs have boyled a while put in your seeds and y^n boyle it a walme or 2 then give the child as much as it will drink first in the morning fasting an hour after it if costive Sweeten it with honey give this full & changes of y^e moon.

Take tormentil scabious Bittony pimpernel of each one handfull and Shread them and steep them in a pottle of sack till the vertue be out of the herbs then strain it out from y^e herbs haveing a pound of the best Bole Armeniack in very fine powder finely searched then put your powder into a deep earthen bason and wet your powder with your strain'd liquor every day till it be throughly moistned as thick as a pulp or conserve till often weting hath dranke up all your liquor Seting it in the Sun every day oft stiring it and when all your wine is dryed up make it up into cakes add 12 penny worth of saffron to it before you wet it finely powdered dry your cakes in the Sun & then keep them for your use. Scrape and give to a man as much as will lye on a shilling to a woman less to a child less. In cardus or dragon or Small cordial water it will cause sweting tis good against heats and colds sickness thence or pains in the limbs or heart or Stomake or for a woman lying in child bed takeing cold and causeing stoppages, 'twill drive out small pox or meazels or any heaviness at the heart.

Take a pint of white wine and a pint of sack to these following herbs scabious cardus bittony egremony of each a little handfull and tormentil roots you may add any cordial flowers rosemary or what you please Shread your herbs and Steep them till the vertue of the herbs be soaked into the wine then take half a pound of Bole-Armeniack in fine powder and 2 ounces and a half and a dram of the black tips of crabs claws in powder and an ounce of hearts horn in fine powder and mingle all your powders and put them into a deep earthen Bason as the former and moisten them every day with your liquor seting it in the Sun and when you put in the last wine liquor often Stiring it every day at last add to it half of metriedate half an ounce of Diascordium half an ounce of Venice treacle and a dram of saffron finely powdered and mingle it all very well together then make it up into little balls throughly drying them Keeping them so for your use. give of this as the former to a man as much as will lay on a shilling to a woman as much as will lay on a Sixpence to a child as much as will lay on a groat, 'tis good for any weakness, heaviness at heart, or to cause sleep weomen in child bed or as the former.

Take one pound of the best venice turpentine and 3 pints of Sallet oyle of the best bees wax half a pound one ounce of red sanders in very fine powder half a pint of red rose water and one pint of malligoe sack first beat your turpentine in the red rose water till it be white next beat your Sack and Sallet oyle well together then cut your wax in small pieces then take a clean brass pan or kittle let your kittle be twice as big as to hold the quantity of your ingredients then Set it on a clear charcole fire then first put in your wax and let it melt then take it off and let it coole a little then put in your rose water and turpentine then your sack and Sallet oyle, as fast as you can, then let these boyle softly together a while always stiring it then take it off the fire and let it stand till it be cold then scrape off the filth from the bottom of the cake, then clean your pan and melt it again and let it simmer a while over the fire again, then take it from the fire and put in your Sanders by degrees keeping it still stiring untill your Sanders be all in then pour it into a well Glazed strong earthen pot and keep it stiring till it be quite cold then cover it up very close with ledd, that no air may get into it, and bury it in a garden deep in the ground and so let it stand a year round bean blowen time is the best to make it in.

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