The treasurie of commodious conceits, and hidden secretes Commonlie called The good huswiues closet of prouision, for the health of her houshold. Meete and necessarie for the profitable vse of all estates. Gathered out of sundry experiments, lately practised by men of great knowledge: and now newly corrected, and inlarged, with diuers necessary phisicke helpes, not impertinent to euery good huswife to vse in her house amongst her own famelie.

¶ How to make a speciall soueraigne water, which is of three collours, and it is called the Mother of all waters: which is verie excellent to cure the Canker, the Pockes, or Leaprosie, or any other kinde of super∣fluous humours, or any sore, olde or new, and it is thus made. Chap. 94.

TAke Turpentine foure pounde, of Fran∣kensence, Masticke, of either two ounces, Alloes, Epaticke, Date stones, Labda∣num, Castorum, roots of Detany, rootes of C••ula Campana, of each two ounces, distill them in a Limbecke of glasse, with a soft fire. The first water is cleare: the second water is

yellow, & swimmeth aboue the other: the thirde water is reddish, like Saffron, and when it be∣ginneth to be red and thicke as honey, then be∣ginneth the third water.

The first water burneth like a candle, the second water curdeth like milke, and if you put one drop of the third water into a cup of drink, it goeth to the bottom, & there will it lie an how∣er, & then mount vp to the top, as true Bawme doth, and with this water, if you wash your face twice a day, and chieftly your Nosethrils, it cu∣reth the Rewme discending from the braine, & clarifieth the sight. And if you wette a linnen cloth in this water, and lay it to any sore leg or arme that hath dead flesh, it will cleanse it, and driue away the ach within six howers space & it consumeth al Apostumes, Ulcers, Fistules, Pustules, Emeraldes, and healeth all greene woundes. And if ye dip a linnen cloath therein, and make it six folde, and lay it to the noddle of your necke, it healeth the Palsey: and so like∣wise it cureth the Gowt, or any sinew that is drawne together therewith, hath it three or four times together warme.

The water that is of the collour of blood, is of such vertue, that if a leporous man or woman vse thereof fifteene daies together, halfe a spoon∣full euery day, he shall be healed.

The first water is of such vertue, that if it bee put in a fresh wounde, it healeth it in xxiiii.

howers, if he be not mortall. And it healeth all kinds of Cankers, Crepces, Noli me tangere, within fifteene daies, if you wash them with the said water euery third day, & if you make rags of cloath, and dip it in the same water, and lay it vpon a plague sore, and drop one drop therein, it mortifieth the malignitie therof, and that short∣ly And if you drop one drop in the eie that hath a pearle, or is half blind, it will recouer it in eight daies without any paines: and if you drinke a spoonfull of it with white wine, it will recouer the strangurie or dissure within six howers, and breaketh the stone within two howers, whether it be in the raines or in the bladder. The wa∣ter that hath the collour of blood is most preci∣ous, it comforteth the weak members, and pre∣serueth the bodie from all diseases, and purifieth rotten blood, and healeth all diseases of the Milte, and keepeth away the Gowte, and cau∣seth good digestion, it purgeth colde and rotten blood, and putteth away ill humours, and hea∣leth all agues. This water mast be vsed from the moneth of Nouember, to the moneth of A∣prill, and you must take but halfe a spooneful at once, nor oftener than ounce a weeke.

The manner to make this water, ye must haue a glasse a cubit high, and fill it with Aqua∣vite made with wine, and stop it well, then put it in hors-dong, so that it bee not moist, nor too wet, least the glasse breake, and you must leaue

the necke of the glasse without in the ayre, that glasse through the heate of the dung will boile sore, so that the water will ascend to the necke of the same, and discend againe to the bottome through the aire, and so let it stand thirty daies, then ta••e out the glasse, and put these thinges following in the water, and stoppe the mouth that it breathe not out, and so leaue it in eight daies. Last of all, put the glasse in Balneo Ma∣rie, with sand, setting on a head with a receiuer well stopped, and make a soft fire, and gather the first water that drops cleare, but when yee see the second water turne into redde collour, change the Receiuer, for then commeth the seconde Water, and that will keepe well in a glasse well stopped: The spices that goe to this water bee these, with the hearbes: Cardonum, Cloues, nutmegs, Ginger, Galingale, Zedoaire, long Pepper, Spikenarde, Lawrell berries, Smallage seedes, Mugwoort seedes, Fenell seedes, Annis seeds, flowers of Basill, Elder flowers, red Roses and white, lignum Aloes. Cubibes, Cardomum, Calamus Aromaticus, Maces, Germander, Frankensence, Turmētil, Juniper, Egremonie, Sentorie, Fumitorie. Pimpernel, Dandelion, Eufrage, Endife, seeds of Sorrell, yellow Saunders, Fetherfoy, A∣loes, Epaticke, of each two ounces, Rubarbe two drams, drie Figges, Reasins, Dates with∣out stones, sweet Almondes, of each two ounces,

Aqua-uite to the quantity of them all, and foure times as much Suger as they be all, that is, for one pounds of Engredience, foure pounde of Suger, two pound of honey. This water is called the mother of all waters.