CHAP. XIII. Another manner how to draw the essence and spirits of herbes, flowers, seedes, and spices; as also of Rubarbe, Agaricke, Turbith, Hermodactiles, and other Purgers.
YOu may extract the essences and spirits of the things mentioned in the ti∣tle of this chapter, as thus. Take Sugar, Rubarbe, Cinnamon, or any other materiall you please; cut it small, or else beate it, then put it into a glasse with a long necke, and poure thereupon as much aqua vitae as shall be suf∣ficient to cover the materials or ingredients, & to overtop them some fingers bredth, then stop up the glasse very close that no ayre enter thereinto; Thus suffer it to infuse for 8 dayes in balneo with a very gentle heate; for thus the aqua vitae will extract the facultyes of the ingredients, which you shall know that it hath done, when as you shall see it perfectly tinctured with the colour of the ingredients. The eight dayes ended, you shall put this same aqua vitae into another vessell filled with the like quan∣tity of the same materialls prepared after the same manner, that it may also take forth the tincture thereof, and doe thus three or foure times, untill the aqua vitae be deepely tinctured with the colour of the infused Ingredients.
But if the materialls from whence you desire to extract this spirit or essence, bee of great price, as Lignum Alo••s, Rubarbe, &c. You must not thinke it sufficient to infuse it once onely, but you must goe over it twise, or thrise, untill all the efficacie be extracted out thereof; you may know that it is all wholy insipide.
These things thus done, as is fitting, put all the liquor tinctured and furnished with the colour and strength of the ingredients, into an Alembecke, fitted and closely luted to its head, and so put into Balneum Mariae, that so you may extract or draw off the aqua vitae, to keepe for the like purpose, and so you shall have the spirit, and es∣sence remaining in the bottome.
Now if you desire to bring this extract to the height of honey, set it in an earthen pot well leaded, upon hot ashes, so that the thinne part thereof may be evaporated, for thus at length, you shall have a most noble and effectuall essence of that thing