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CHAP. LXXVII.
At what time Oyles would be distilled: and how the matter and things whereof they are made must be prepared.
THe matter of euerie Oyle is to be distilled at such time, as when it is best disposed: that is to say, seedes and aromaticall things, when they are fresh and new gathered; for the fresher and newer that they a••e, so much the more excellent Oyle will they yeeld, especially the thing•• that are of a sweet smell and aromaticall. And as for hearbes, they must be gathered when they are come to their full force, that is to say, when they are in flower: for and if they be deferred longer, the Oyle that commeth of them, for the most part, will be more full of scumme and ranke, as also there will not so much be gathered of them. Being gathered at such time, they must be dried in the shadow for the space of a moneth or two, to the end, that some portion of their moistnesse and feeding humo•• may be diminished and taken away, and that the oylie and radicall humor may be extracted more pure and sincere: and thirdly, that the hearbes themselues may be the more easily crushed and bruised. But on the contrarie side, if the hearbes be 〈◊〉〈◊〉 and fresh gathered when they are distilled, they will yeeld sufficient store of Oyle, in as much as their naturall moisture will abound: but the Oyle will not be of such ••ffi∣cacie, nor yet so odoriferous, as when the merrie and good meane betwixt both is kept.
But as concerning the preparing 〈◊〉〈◊〉 such matter as you meane to make your Oyles of,* 1.1 there is not anie need to vse infusion, or putrifaction, as is done in the distilling of waters, as we haue said before. For if one should bestow an infusion vpon them, ei∣ther in water, wine, or Aqua-vitae, it would but breed a confusion and mix••ure of the naturall sauor and smell of the Oyle with that of the liquor: and againe, i•• would make them more moist than need would require, in respect of the pure and since••e extracting of the Oyle. Againe, if you should take the way to putrifie them in Horse-dung, earth, hot ashes, or boyling water, the better to distill and draw out your Oyle afterward, and following the way that we will speake of by and by, yet there∣by you shall giue occasion of infecting your Oyle with some ill vice. For the matter being putrified, it is not possible, but that the Oyles should haue a smatch of it, seeing it is one part of the matter. That it so falleth out with Oyles that are so distilled of matter aforehand so putrified, although it doe not by and by corrupt, appe••••eth suf∣ficiently: for in some space of time it is without all doubt corrupted, and that in a great deale shorter time, without comparison, than other Oyles which are drawn•• without putrifaction of their matter going before: by which it may appe••••e, what my aduice and counsaile would be to euerie man; namely, that the matter 〈◊〉〈◊〉 you would extract your Oyle be not infused or putrified, but onely crushed, b••••ised, brayed▪ and brought into small pieces, so as that afterward they may be si••ted through some wide sieue: which course shall doe as well, yea, rather better, than your infusing or putrifying of them without stamping, braying, and bruising of them; besides that, the businesse is sooner dispatched: yea, and if you would infuse and putrific the ••••••∣ter, you should not thereby gaine three drops of Oyle more, than you should 〈◊〉〈◊〉 by onely beating and stamping of them.