Maison rustique, or The countrey farme· Compyled in the French tongue by Charles Steuens, and Iohn Liebault, Doctors of Physicke. And translated into English by Richard Surflet, practitioner in physicke. Now newly reuiewed, corrected, and augmented, with diuers large additions, out of the works of Serres his Agriculture, Vinet his Maison champestre, French. Albyterio in Spanish, Grilli in Italian; and other authors. And the husbandrie of France, Italie, and Spaine, reconciled and made to agree with ours here in England: by Geruase Markham. The whole contents are in the page following

CHAP. LV.

A reuiew or suruay of Oyles made by distillation.

BVt the third manner of making of Oyles hath beene said to be by distil∣lation or resolution, of which vve vvill speake, a••ter vve haue spoken of the distilling of vvaters: but besides that, there is an other manner of drawing of oyle (though in certaine things it be done by expression) vvhich commeth verie neere vnto this third kind of making oyles by distillation: and it is practised in egges, vvheat, m••stardseed, haye, barlie, ••arrar, brimstone, and others.

Oyle of Egges: Take the yolkes of egges roasted hard in water, or which is better, vnder the hot ashes, about thirtie, rubbe and chafe them a long time betwixt your hands, after frie them in a leaden pan, or in an earthen one vvell leaded at a soft fire, 〈◊〉〈◊〉 them 〈◊〉〈◊〉 turne them oft with a ladle of vvood, vntill such time as they begin to be of a sad red, after presse them vvith the backe of the said ladle: or, which is bet∣••er, put them betwixt two presses, to force out their oyle, as is done with oyle of Al∣monds: you shall haue great store of oyle to run out; vvhich is verie good to take a∣way the spots of the skin, to heale ringwormes, to cause haire to grow againe, to cure ••istulaes, and maligne vlcers, assuage paines, take away the roughnesse of the skin, to cure the chaps of the lips, hands, feet, and fundament: to take away the scarres left after burnings, and principally for the vlcers of the membranes of the braine. Some in the making of this Oyle doe not boyle the egges hard, but frie them raw, and after by pre••••ing them together in a bagge betwixt two presses, or vnder a presser, they presse out the Oyle.

Oyle of Wheat: Presse Wheat together betwixt two plates of Yron reasonably glowing and fire red, or verie hot, or betwixt a Marble-stone, and a thicke hot pla••e of Yron: receiue the Oyle into something vvhich distilleth from it: or else take away from Wheat his pill or rinde, and distill it after the manner of the Phi∣losophers Oyle: this Oyle applied hote, taketh away the spots of the skinne, hea∣leth ringwormes, fistulaes, and chops in the skinne, and the scall or skurfe in little children: the oyles of barlie, mustard-seed, and other oylie seeds are thus prepared and made.

Oyle of Haye: Set on fire a quantitie of Haye, after quench it againe by and by, then lay it vpon coales, and vvhiles it is smothering and smoaking, spread it vpon a plate of yron, and there will gather vpon it an oyle liquor, vvhich is called oyle of Haye: and this is singular good for ringwormes, and. Anthonies fire, scabbes, and r••ughnesse of the skinne.

Oyle of Tartar: Take Tartar, that is to say, the dried lees of Wine which slick∣eth vnto the seames or hollow places that are within the Wine vessell, not that which is in the bottome, because it is verie dreggish and filthie, neither yet that which is aloft on the vpper part of the vessell, for that is too frothie and scummie, but that vvhich cleaueth round about vnto the staues of the vessell wherein there hath

beene verie good white vvine, rather than red: make it into fine powder, and make it fast in a linnen cloth, infuse it in verie good vvhite Vinegar: or not infusing it, cal∣cine it, and put it in a Hypocras bagge, or in an oxes or swines bladder: afterward, roast it vnder hot embers, vntill it become vvhite: you shall know if it be sufficient∣ly burned, by the growing of it cleare, and a little burning of your tongue, if you touch it therewith. Notwithstanding you may blanch or whiten it, if (as some hold it for a great secret) you boyle it a long time in vvater, scumming it often: powder it yet once againe, or (which is better) calcine it: then put it in the bottome of an hypo∣cras bagge, that is to say, of a bagge vvhich hath a sharpe and narrow bottome, and this you shall hang vp on high at some staffe in a caue or other cold place for the space of eight dayes, vntill it be resolued into Oyle: and if the Oyle doe not drop of it selfe, then graspe it hard, and presse it out, putting vnderneath some glasse viol••, to receiue the liquor that shall distill, vvhich is not indeed properly on Oyle, but a verie sharpe vvater, or a reddish kind of humour. This humour is good for all sorts of itchings, Ring-wormes, Scurfes, Scalles, and other such diseases of the skinne: It maketh the face vvhite, cleane, and seeming young: it taketh away vvrinkles and spots, comming of a melancholicke humour: It maketh the haire of a straw colour: hindereth the falling of the haire, and causeth it being falne to grow againe: it whi∣teneth copper and siluer: and taketh away the spots of linnens, if they be rubd with this oyle hot.

Oyle of Brimstone: hang in some high place vvith a vvire, or doues-tayle of yron, a glasse vessell in fashion like a Bell or Bason, couered aboue with Potters earth of a cubice vvidenesse, vnderneath vvhich neere the length of a cubite you shall place another vessell of glasse, being broad and verie large, able to hold much, such like as is the dish or bason vsually serued vvith Ewers: in the middest whereof there shall be a little vessell of earth in f••rme of a little pot, vvhich shall contayne the Brimstone, vvhich must be of that vvhich is called quicke and Virgins Brim∣stone, and not artificiall Brimstone: vvhen you intend to make your. Oyle of Bri••∣stone to d••still, you shall take a shee••e of yron of foure fingers thicknesse, and fire red: this you shall cast into the small pot vvith Brimstone, to make the said Brim∣stone burne and flame: the smoake comming forth of the Gode•• vvill ascend vp to the vessell hanging aboue, vvherein after a short time it vvill be turned into Oyle, vvhich Oyle will thence distill into the ves••ell below. Gather this Oyle, and re∣serue it in a vessell well stopt, for to vse for the curing of Gangrenes, Fistula••s, v••∣cers of the mouth, and Ring-wormes, if you doe but touch them vvith this Oyle vp∣on the end of a feather. It is singular good against rebellious vlcers comming of the pockes▪ some giue it to drinke with balme water in the morning vnto such as are but scarce cured and recouered of the pockes, to the end it may driue out the dis••ase. The oyle of Brimstone may be made otherwise: boyle Brimstone in Aqua-vitae, vn∣till there begin an oylie substance to swim aloft: gather this liquor with a woollen or linnen cloth, or with a little espoone: you must sometime renew your Aqua-〈◊〉〈◊〉, vn∣till you haue gathered oyle ynough: if presently after bathing your selfe you annoin•• with this oyle your bodie infected with Quick-siluer••, you shall expell and draw forth the said Quick-siluer.

But concerning all these Oyles, see more in our Booke of secret remedies and me∣dicines.

Notes

• Oyle of egges▪
• The ••yle 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Wheat.
• Ringw••rme••, Fistulaes. Chops in the skinne.
• Oyle of Haye.
• Ringwo••mes. S. Anthonies fire.
• Oyle of Tart••••.
• Oyle of Brim∣stone.
• 〈…〉〈…〉