Angelica water the greater composition

College : Take of Angelica two pounds, Annis seed half a pound, Coriander and Caraway seeds, of each four ounces, Zedoary bruised, three ounces: steep them twenty four hours in six gallons of small wine, then draw out the spirit, and sweeten it with sugar.

Culpeper : It comforts the heart, cherishes the vital spirits, resists the pestilence, and all corrupt airs, which indeed are the natural causes of epidemical diseases, the sick may take a spoonful of it in any convenient cordial, and such as are in health, and have bodies either cold by nature, or cooled by age, may take as much either in the morning fasting, or a little before meat.

Spiritus Lavendula compositus Matthiæ
Or compound spirit of Lavender. Matthias

College : Take of Lavender flowers one gallon, to which pour three gallons of the best spirits of wine, let them stand together in the sun six days, then distil them with an Alembick with this refrigeratory.

Take of the flowers of Sage, Rosemary, and Bettony, of each one handful; the flowers of Borrage, Bugloss, Lilies of the Valley, Cowslips, of each two handfuls: let the flowers be newly and seasonably gathered, being infused in one gallon of the best spirits of wine, and mingled with the foregoing spirit of Lavender flowers, adding the leaves of Bawm, Feather-few, and Orange tree, fresh gathered; the flowers of Stœchas and Orange tree, May berries, of each one ounce. After convenient digestion distil it again, after which add Citron pills the outward bark, Peony seed husked, of each six drams, cinnamon, Mace, Nutmegs, Cardamoms, Cubebs, yellow Sanders, of each half an ounce, Wood of Aloes one dram, the best Jujubes, the stones being taken out, half a pound, digest them six weeks, then strain it and filter it, and add to it prepared Pearls two drams, Emeralds prepared a scruple, Ambergrease, Musk, Saffron, of each half a scruple, red Roses dryed, red Sanders, of each half an ounce, yellow Sanders, Citron Pills, dryed, of each one dram. Let the species being tyed up in a rag, be hung into the aforementioned spirit.

Culpeper : I could wish the Apothecaries would desire to be certified by the College.

1. Whether the gallon of Lavender flowers must be filled by heap, or by strike. 2. Next, whether the flowers must be pressed down in the measure or not. 3. How much must be drawn off in the first distillation. 4. Where they should get Orange leaves and flowers fresh gathered. 5. What they mean by convenient digestion. 6. Where you shall find Borrage, Bugloss, and Cowslips, flowering together, that so you may have them all fresh according to their prescript, the one flowering in the latter end of April, and beginning of May, the other in the end of June, and beginning of July. 7. If they can make a shift to make it, how, or which way the virtues of it will countervail the one half of the charge and cost, to leave the pains and trouble out.

Spiritus Castorii
Or Spirit of Castoreum

College : Take of fresh Castoreum four ounces, Lavender flower an ounce, the tops of Sage and Rosemary, of each half an ounce, Cinnamon six drams, Mace, Cloves, of each two drachms, spirits of Wine rectified, six pounds, digest them in a phial filled only to the third part, close stopped with cork and bladder in warm ashes for two days, then distilled in Balneo Mariæ, and the distilled water kept close stopped.

Culpeper : By reason of its heat it is no ways fit to be taken alone, but mixed with other convenient medicines appropriated to the diseases you would give it for, it resists poison, and helps such as are bitten by venomous beasts: it causes speedy delivery to women in travail, and casteth out the Placenta: it helps the fits of the mother, lethargies and convulsions, being mixed with white wine, and dropped into the ears, it helps deafness; if stopping be the cause of it, the dose to be given inwardly is between one dram, and half a dram, according to the strength and age of the patient.


  By PanEris using Melati.

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