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. LXXXV.

Of the manner of extracting Oyles out of Myrrhe, S••••∣rax Calamite, Gum arabicke, and su••h other like.

MOst certaine it is, that the liquor which is extracted and drawne from Myrrhe, Storax calamite, and Gum arabicke, is not an oyle, but a grosse, slymie, and glewie matter: vvhich is perceiued and knowne, because they take not fire, yea and if you meet vvith any of them at any time that vvill burne, then know that it commeth by the mingling of some other oyle there∣with, and Aqua-vitae.

Take therefore verie new egges, and make them verie hard in hote vvater, after∣ward cleaue them in the middest, and take out the yolkes: and in their place put∣ting as much Gummes, and that before they be cold, joyne the two parts of euerie one of them together againe, and making a hole through the peeces of the smaller end, hang them in a caue, to the end that the moisture of the place may cause the Gumme (whether it be Myrtle or Storax calamite) therein inclosed to resolue the more easilie: set vnder euerie egge a vi••le, and there will drop downe into it a ma••∣ter much like vnto honie, or thinner. This done, gather that which is distilled into a viole, and set the same verie vvell stopped, d••epe in the horse-dung, to the end that by his heat (being good to alter and putrifie the slymie qualitie of this matter) it may be corrected, and made more moist and like vnto oyle.

Fiorouanto, an Italian Empericke, in the seuen and fiftieth Chapter of his second Booke, and the thirteenth Chapter of the fourth Booke of his Vexations, prepa∣reth the oyle of Myrrhe six this manner: Take of elected and true Myrrhe 〈◊〉〈◊〉 ounces, of Aqua-vitae without any flegme twelue ounces, mingle them together in a retort of glasse, vvhich you shall set vnder horse-dung verie hote the space of 〈◊〉〈◊〉 dayes, afterward distill them in Maries-bath till all the water be risen and wholly gone: then you shall see in the bottome of the retort, oyle, vvhich you shall straine through a linnen cloth, and keepe it to preserue the face a long time, and continue it in his young and youthfull brightnesse and freshnesse. This oyle is a veriebalme to conglutinate and heale wounds speedily, as also to cure all other inwarddisease in taking two drammes thereof inward: it is good also for the deafenesse of the eares. Looke for the larger handling of the distillation of oyles, in our Booke of secret me∣dicines.