Part 3
A drachm of Hungary-Water diluted with Spring-Water, may be taken once or twice a week in the morning fasting. It is also used by way of embrocation to bathe the face and limbs, or any part affected with pains, or debility. This remedy recruits the strength, dispells gloominess and strengthens the sight. It must always be used cold, whether taken inwardly as a medicine, or applied externally.
52. _Another Receipt to make Hungary-Water._
Fill a glass or stone cucurbit half full of fresh gathered Rosemary-tops picked in their prime; pour on them as much Spirit of Wine as will thoroughly soak them. Put the vessel in a water-bath, and having closely luted on the head and receiver, leave it to digest on a gentle fire for three days; at the expiration of which period unlute the vessel, and pour back into the cucurbit whatever liquor you find in the receiver. Then lute your cucurbit again, and encrease the fire so as to cause the Spirit to rise fast over the helm. When about two thirds of the liquor are drawn off, remove the fire, and let the vessel stand to cool; you will find in the receiver an excellent Hungary-Water, which is to be kept in a glass bottle closely stopped. Hungary-water must be drawn off with a brisk fire, or the Spirit of Wine will come over the helm, very little impregnated with the essence of Rosemary.
53. _Directions for making Lavender-Water._
Fill a glass or earthen body two thirds full of Lavender Flowers and then fill up the vessel with Brandy or Melasses Spirits. Let the Flowers stand in infusion eight days, or less if straitened for time; then distil off the Spirit, in a water-bath with a brisk fire, at first in large drops or even a small stream, that the Essential Oil of the Flowers may rise with the Spirit. But as this cannot be done without the phlegm coming over the helm at the same time, the Spirit must be rectified. The first distillation being finished, unlute the still, throw away what remains in the body, and, fill it with fresh Flowers of Lavender, in the proportion of two pounds of Lavender Flowers to one pint of Spirit; pour the Spirit already distilled according to the foregoing directions, on the Lavender Flowers, and distil a second time in a vapour-bath.
54. _Another Method._
Take fresh or dried Lavender Flowers, sprinkle them with White Wine, Brandy, Melasses Spirit, or Rose-water; let them stand in infusion for some days, and then distil off the Spirit. The distilled water will be more odoriferous, if the Flowers are dried in the sun in a glass bottle close stopped, and White Wine afterwards poured upon them.
If you would have speedily, without the trouble of distillation, a water impregnated with the flavour of Lavender, put two or three drops of Oil of Spike, and a lump of Sugar, into a pint of clear Water, or Spirit of Wine, and shake them well together in a glass phial, with a narrow neck. This Water, though not distilled, is very fragrant.
55. _To make Rose-Water._
To make an excellent Rose-water, let the Flowers be gathered two or three hours after sun-rising in very fine weather; beat them in a marble mortar into a paste, and leave them in the mortar soaking in their juice, for five or six hours; then put the mass into a coarse canvas bag, and press out the Juice; to every quart of which add a pound of fresh Damask Roses, and let them stand in infusion for twenty-four hours. Then put the whole into a glass alembic, lute on a head and receiver, and place it on a sand heat. Distil at first with a gentle fire, which is to be encreased gradually till the drops follow each other as quick as possible; draw off the water as long as it continues to run clear, then put out the fire, and let the alembic stand till cold. The distilled water at first will have very little fragrancy, but after being exposed to the heat of the sun about eight days, in a bottle lightly stopped with a bit of paper, it acquires an admirable scent.
56. _Or,_
Infuse in ten or twenty pints of Juice of Damask Roses, expressed in the manner above described, a proportionable quantity of Damask Rose Leaves gathered with the usual precautions. After standing in infusion twenty-four hours, pour the whole into a short-necked alembic, distil in a sand heat, and draw off as much as possible, taking care not to leave the residuum quite dry, for fear the distilled water should have an empyreumatic or still-burnt flavour. After emptying the alembic, pour the distilled water a second time into it, and add a good quantity of fresh picked Damask Roses. Lute it well, placing it again in a sand heat, and repeat the distillation. But content yourself this time with a little more than half the water you put back into the alembic. To impress on Rose-water the utmost degree of fragrancy of which it is susceptible, it is necessary to expose it to the genial warmth of the sun.
Rose-water is an excellent lotion for the eyes, if used every morning, and makes a part in all collyriums prescribed for inflammations of these parts; it is also proper in many other complaints.
57. _To make Orange-Flower Water._
Having gathered (two hours before sun-rise, in fine weather) a quantity of Orange-Flowers, pluck them leaf by leaf, and throw away the stalks and stems: fill a tin cucurbit two thirds full of these picked Flowers; lute on a low bolt-head, not above two inches higher than the cucurbit; place it in balneo Mariæ, or a water-bath, and distill with a strong fire. You run no risk from pressing forward the distillation with violence, the water-bath effectually preventing the Flowers from being burnt. In this method you pay no regard to the quantity, but the quality of the water drawn off. If nine pounds of Orange Flowers were put into the still, be satisfied with three or four quarts of fragrant water; however, you may continue your distillation, and save even the last droppings of the still, which have some small fragrancy. During the operation, be careful to change the water in the refrigeratory vessel as often as it becomes hot. Its being kept cool prevents the distilled water from having an empyreumatic or burnt smell, and keeps the quintessence of the Flowers more intimately united with its phlegm.
58. _Another Method._
Take four pounds of unpicked Orange Flowers, bruise them in a marble mortar, and pour on them nine quarts of clear Water. Distil in a cold still, and draw off five or six quarts, which will be exquisitely fragrant. If you are desirous of having it still higher flavoured, draw off at first full seven quarts, unlute the still and throw away the residuum; empty back the water already distilled, and add to it two pounds of fresh Orange Flowers bruised. Again luting the still, repeat the distillation, and draw of five or six quarts. Then stop, being careful not to draw off too much water, lest the Flowers should become dry and burn too.
The use of Orange-Flower Water is very extensive. It is high in esteem for its aromatic perfume; and is used with success for hysteric complaints.
Waters from all kinds of Flowers are made in the same manner as Orange-Flower and Rose-water; but waters from dried odoriferous plants, such as Thyme, Hyssop, Marjoram and Wormwood, are made as follows.
Fill two thirds of a large stone jar with the tops of the plant you propose to distil; boil, in a sufficient quantity of water, some twigs or tops of the same plant; and when one half of the water has evaporated, pour the remainder into a jar over the flowers, and let them stand to infuse three or four days; then distil them in a common or cold still. Care, however, must be taken not to distil to dryness, lest you risque the bottom of the vessel; to prevent which accident, the best way is never to draw off more than two thirds of the liquor put into the still. If you be desirous that the distilled water should acquire a higher flavour, after the first distillation unlute the still, throw out what remains at the bottom, and fill it half full of fresh tops of the plant, pouring on them the water already distilled; repeat the distillation, and this second time the water drawn off will be highly odoriferous. If the plant contains a large portion of Essential Oil, it will not fail to float on the top of the liquor contained in the receiver, and may be separated by the usual method.
59. _Magisterial Balm-Water._
Take half a pound of Cinnamon, six ounces of Cardamon-seeds, and the same quantity of green Aniseeds; Cloves, four ounces; Coriander-seeds, eight ounces: beat these spices in a marble mortar, and putting them afterwards into a stone jar, add the Yellow Rind of eight Lemons, a pound of Juniper-berries bruised, twelve handfuls of Balm gathered in its prime, six handfuls of Rosemary-tops, as much Sage, Hyssop, and Angelica, Sweet Marjoram and Thyme, of each six handfuls; Wormwood a handful; cut the herbs very small, putting them into the jar with the spices, and pour on four gallons of Brandy or Melasses Spirits. When they have stood in infusion eight days, empty the ingredients and liquor into an alembic of a common height, and distil in a water-bath. At first draw off ten quarts, which are to be thrown again into the alembic, continue the same degree of fire for some time, then gradually lessen it till the aromatic spirit comes off in quick drops. Continue your distillation in this manner till you perceived the phlegm rise, which is easily known by the weakness of the Spirit, and when the process is ended, expose the aromatic spirit which has been drawn off to the rays of the sun, in a glass bottle, stopped only with a loose paper cork, to give the fiery particles an opportunity of evaporating. What remains in the body of the still is not to be considered as wholly useless. After evaporating it to dryness, burn the residuum of the plants and aromatics; and when the whole mass is reduced to ashes, throw them into a vessel of boiling water, in which let them remain two or three minutes on the fire. Then remove the vessel, and let the water stand till cold, when it is to be filtered through blotting paper: The water, which appears limpid, is to be set on the fire again, and wholly evaporated. At the bottom of the vessel, which ought to be a new-glazed earthen pot, will remain a pure white fixed salt, which may be dissolved in the Magisterial Balm-water.
This water is highly esteemed, and has even acquired a reputation equal to that of Hungary-water, (the receipt for preparing which has been already given) and in particular cases is preferable.
60. _Compound Balm-Water, commonly called Eau de Carmes._
Take of the fresh Leaves of Balm, a quarter of a pound; Yellow Rind of Lemons, two ounces; Nutmegs and Coriander-seeds, of each one ounce; Cloves, Cinnamon, and Angelica Root, of each half an ounce: having pounded the spices and seeds; and bruised the leaves and roots, put them with a quart of Brandy into a glass cucurbit, of which stop the mouth, and set it in a warm place, where let it remain two or three days. Then add a pint of simple Balm-water, and shake the whole well together; after which distil in a vapour bath till the ingredients are left almost dry; and preserve the water thus obtained, in bottles well stopped.
This water has been long famous at Paris and London, and carried thence to most parts of Europe. It has the reputation of being a cordial of very extraordinary virtues, and not only of availing in all lowness of spirits, but even in apoplexies. It is also much esteemed in cases of the gout in the stomach; whence the Carmelite Friars, who originally were in possession of the secret, have reaped great benefit from the sale of this water.
61. _Sweet Honey-Water._
Take of good French Brandy, a gallon; of the best Virgin Honey and Coriander-seeds, each a pound; Cloves, an ounce and half; Nutmegs, an ounce; Gum Benjamin and Storax, of each an ounce; Vanilloes No. 4; the Yellow Rind of three large Lemons: bruise the Spices and Benjamin, cut the Vanilloes into small pieces, put all into a cucurbit, and pour the Brandy on them. After they have digested forty-eight hours, distil off the Spirit in a retort with a gentle heat.
To a gallon of this water, add of Damask Rose-water and Orange Flower-water, of each a pint and a half; Musk and Ambergrise, of each five grains; first grind the Musk and Ambergrise with some of the water, and afterwards put all into a large matrass, shake them well together, and let them circulate three days and nights in a gentle heat. Then, letting the water cool, filtre and keep it for use, in a bottle well stopped.
It is an antiparalytic, smooths the skin, and gives one of the most agreeable scents imaginable. Forty or sixty drops put into a pint of clear water, are sufficient to wash the hands and face.
62. _Sweet-scented Water._
Take Orange Flower-water and Rose-water, of each an equal quantity; put them into a large wide-mouthed glass, and strew upon the surface gently as much Jasmine Flowers as will cover it; then tie the mouth of the glass so carefully that the Flowers be not shook down to the bottom. Repeat the process, letting each quantity of the Flowers remain five or six days, until the water is strongly scented with them. Then dissolve Ambergrise and Musk, of each a scruple, in a few ounces of the water, which filtre and put to the rest.
This water may also be made by putting the whole into a retort with a sufficient quantity of Jasmine Flowers, and drawing it off in a vapour bath into a receiver well luted.
This is an excellent perfume, and taken inwardly, is of service in some nervous cases and languors.
63. _German sweet-scented Water._
Begin with infusing for eight days in two quarts of Vinegar, two handfuls of Lavender Flowers, as many Provence Roses picked from the stalks, Wild Roses, and Elder Flowers. While they stand in infusion prepare a simple odoriferous water as follows: Put into a glass body the Yellow Rind of three Lemons, sweet Marjoram, Lilies of the Valley and Lavender Flowers, of each two handfuls; pour on them a pint of double distilled Rose-water, and a quart of Spring-water. Lute on a bolt-head, place the alembic in a sand heat, fix on a receiver, and leave matters in this state two days, then light a fire under it and distil quick. When you have drawn off a quart, stop your distillation, and keep this simple odoriferous water for the following use.
Take wild Thyme, sweet Marjoram, sweet Basil, and Thyme, of each a handful; Florentine Orrice and Cinnamon, of each half an ounce; Cloves, Mace, purified Storax, and Benjamin, of each three drachms; Labdanum, two drachms; Aspalathum, half an ounce; Socotrine Aloes, half a drachm; put all these ingredients, thoroughly bruised, into a stone jar, and add to them the Vinegar infusion, the distilled odoriferous water, and a quart of Frontiniac, Mountain, or Cowslip Wine. Stir them well together, and leave the whole to digest for fifteen days, at the expiration of which time, empty the infusion into a glass body, large enough to contain a sixth part more liquor; lute on the head, place it in a sand heat, and begin your distillation with a very gentle fire, increasing it gradually. It sometimes happens that the phlegm of the Vinegar comes over the helm first; when that is the case, set it aside as useless. As soon as the Spirit begins to rise, which you will directly perceive by its aromatic flavour, fix a receiver on the beak of the alembic, and distil off about three pints. Keep this by itself as the most spirituous part of your preparation; and continue to draw off the remainder as long as it runs clear.
The German sweet-scented Water is penetrating and incisive, admirably revives the vital spirits, removes headaches, comforts the heart, is excellent against unwholesome air, and of course a preservative from contagion.
64. _Imperial Water._
Take five quarts of Brandy, in which dissolve an ounce of Frankincense, Mastic, Benjamin, and Gum Arabic; add half an ounce of Cloves and Nutmegs; an ounce and a half of Pine-nut Kernels, and sweet Almonds; with three grains of Musk. Bruise these ingredients in a marble mortar, distil in a vapour bath, and keep the water that is drawn off in a glass bottle, close stopped.
This water takes away wrinkles, and renders the skin extremely delicate; it also whitens the Teeth, and abates the tooth-ache, sweetens the breath, and strengthens the gums. Foreign ladies prize it highly.
65. _Odoriferous Water._
Take sweet Basil, Mint, sweet Marjoram, Florentine Orrice-root, Hyssop, Balm, Savory, Lavender, and Rosemary, of each a handful; Cloves, Cinnamon, and Nutmegs, of each half an ounce; three or four Lemons, cut in thick slices; infuse them three days in a good quantity of Rose-water; distil in a water bath with a gentle fire, and add to the distilled water a scruple of Musk.
66. _Or,_
Take sweet Marjoram, Thyme, Lavender, Rosemary, Pennyroyal-buds, red Roses, Violet-flowers, Clove-july-flowers, Savory, and Orange-peels, of each equal parts; infuse in White Wine till they entirely sink to the bottom of the Wine; then distil in an alembic, two or three times. Keep the Water in bottles well corked; and preserve the residuum as a perfume.
67. _The Ladies Water._
Take two handfuls and a half of Red Roses; Rosemary Flowers, Lavender, and Spikenard, of each a handful; Thyme, Chamomile Flowers, Sage of Virtue, Pennyroyal, and Marjoram, of each a handful; infuse in White Wine twenty-four hours; then put the whole into an alembic; sprinkle it with good White Wine, and throw on it a powder, composed of an ounce and a half of choice Cloves, Gum Benjamin, and Storax, strained, each two drachms. The distilled Water is to be kept in a bottle well stopped.
68. _A beautifying Wash._
Take equal parts of White Tansey, and Rhubarb Water, and to every half pint add two drachms of Sal Ammoniac.
This fluid is applied with a feather or hair pencil, three or four times a day, to pimples or tetters, on any part of the body.
69. _A Cosmetic Water._
Wash the face with the tears that issue from the Vine, during the months of May and June.
70. _An Excellent Cosmetic._
Pimpernel Water is so sovereign a beautifier of the complexion, that it ought always to have a place on a Lady's toilet.
71. _Venice Water, highly esteemed._
In the month of May, take two quarts of Cow's Milk, which pour into a bottle with eight Lemons and four Oranges, sliced; add an ounce of Sugar Candy, and half an ounce of Borax; distil in a water bath or sand heat.
This water is counterfeited at Bagdat in Persia, in the following manner. Take twelve Lemons peeled and sliced, twelve new-laid Eggs, six Sheeps Trotters, four ounces of Sugar Candy, a large slice of Melon, and another of Pompion, with two drachms of Borax; distil in a large glass alembic with a leaden head.
72. _A Balsamic Water._
Take a pound of Venice Turpentine; Oil of Bays, Galbanum, Gum Arabic, Ivy Gum, Frankincense, Myrrh, Hepatic Aloes, Aloes-wood, Galangals, Cloves, Comfrey, Cinnamon, Nutmegs, Zedoary, Ginger, and White Dittany, each three ounces; Borax, four ounces; Musk, a drachm; Ambergrise, a scruple; after bruising such of the ingredients as are capable of being powdered, infuse the whole in six quarts of Brandy; and distil it. The Balsamic Water drawn off will be good to strengthen the limbs, and cause that beauty and vigour which so much delights the eye.
73. _Angelic Water, of a most agreeable Scent._
Put into a large alembic the following ingredients, Benjamin, four ounces; Storax, two ounces; Yellow Sanders, an ounce; Cloves, two drachms; two or three bits of Florentine Orrice, half the Peel of a Lemon, two Nutmegs, half an ounce of Cinnamon, two quarts of Rose-water, a pint of Orange Flower-water, and a pint of Magisterial Balm-water. Put the whole into an alembic well luted; distil in a water bath; and what you draw off will prove an exquisite Angelic Water.
74. _Nosegay or Toilet Water._
Take Honey-water, an ounce; Eau sans Pareille, two ounces; Jasmine-water, not quite five drachms; Clove-water, and Violet-water, of each half an ounce; Cyprus-water, sweet Calamus-water, and Lavender-water, of each two drachms; Spirit of Neroli or Oranges ten drops; mix all these Waters together, and keep the mixture in a vial close corked.
This water has a delightful scent; but its use is only for the toilet.
75. _Spirit of Guaiacum._
Spirit of Guaiacum is prepared by infusing two ounces of Guaiacum Shavings in a quart of Brandy, ten or twelve days, shaking the vessel now and then. The Tincture is then filtred through paper, and used to gargle the mouth in the same manner as the Vulnerary-water.
76. _The Divine Cordial._
To make this, take, in the beginning of the month of March, two ounces of the Roots of the true Acorus, Betony, Florentine Orrice-roots, Cyprus, Gentian, and sweet Scabious; an ounce of Cinnamon, and as much Yellow Sanders; two drachms of Mace; an ounce of Juniper-berries; and six drachms of Coriander-seeds; beat these ingredients, in a mortar, to a coarse powder, and add thereto the outer Peel of six fine China Oranges; put them all into a large vessel, with a gallon and a half of Spirit of Wine; shake them well, and then cork the vessel tight till the season for Flowers. When these are in full vigour, add half a handful of the following: viz. Violets, Hyacinths, Jonquils, Wall Flowers, Red, Damask, White, and Musk Roses, Clove-july-flowers, Orange Flowers, Jasmine, Tuberoses, Rosemary, Sage, Thyme, Lavender, sweet Marjoram, Broom, Elder, St. John's-wort, Marigold, Chamomile, Lilies of the Valley, Narcissuses, Honeysuckle, Borage, and Bugloss.
Three seasons are required to procure all these Flowers in perfection; Spring, Summer, and Autumn. Every time you gather any of these Flowers, add them immediately to the infusion, mixing them thoroughly with the other ingredients; and three days after you have put in the last Flowers, put the whole into a glass cucurbit, lute on the head carefully, place it in a water bath over a slow fire, keep the receiver cool, and draw off five quarts of Spirit, which will prove of a rare quality. As a medicine, it is far more efficacious than Balm-water; and for its fine scent, one of the best perfumes.
77. _Compound Cyprus Water._
Take a gallon of Spirit of Jasmine, infuse in it half an ounce of Florentine Orrice grossly powdered, a quarter of an ounce of bruised Angelica-seeds, three scraped Nutmegs, three ounces of White Musk-roses bruised, a drachm of Spirit of Orange, and fifteen drops of Essence of Ambergrise. If it is not the season for Roses, when you make this Water, put instead of them a pint of Rose-water scented with Musk, and if that cannot be procured, use common Rose-water; draw off the Spirit in a water bath, and in a stream like a thread; taking care to place the receiver in cold water, that the Spirit may cool as fast as possible and thereby the better preserve its perfume.
78. _Imperial Water._