The royal pharmacopœea, galenical and chymical according to the practice of the most eminent and learned physitians of France : and publish'd with their several approbations / by Moses Charras, th Kings chief operator in his royal garden of plants ; faithfully Englished ; illustrated with several copper plates.

CHAP. XIII. Of Gellies.

WE give that now-a-days the Name of Gelly, which the Latins call'd Gelatina. Gelly is usually made of Juices extracted by pressing, or by decoction of several Fruits. They are also made by the long boyling of different Animals, or of their parts. These Juices must be clarify'd by Despumation or otherwise, and be sweeten'd with Sugar, to make them pleasing to the Palate. They must be also boyl'd to the consi∣stency that a Gelly ought to have, which is not to be too fluid when it is cold, and not to stick to the Trencher or Plate when you drop a few drops to try the consistency. Gelly is so nam'd, because it is transparent like Ice, and because it congeals in the cold, and melts in the heat. However it differs from Ice, because it never becomes hard like that, but remains always soft, unless it freeze in extremity of weather.

Gellies are so common among the Ladies, that I shall only give you the Examples of two or three made by Decoction.

Gelatina Cydoniorum.

Gelly of Quinces.

℞. Cydoniorum ad maturitatem acceden∣tium, lb viij. in frusta incide cum Cortice & Seminibus, & in aquae communis lb xx deco∣que ad dimidiae circiter partis consumptionem: decoctum cola & Cydonia exprime. Colaturam Ovi albumine cum Sacchari lb vj. clarifica; & clarum liquorem ad Mivae consistentiam co∣que, Pixidibúsque ligneis vel Vasis vitreis, aut fictilibus vitreatis reconde.

℞. Whole Quinces not fully ripe, and cut them into five or six slices, and weigh out eight pound, and boyl them in twenty pints of Water, to the consumption of half. Strain the Decoction, and squeeze the Sediment well; and when it is almost cold, clarifie it with the white of an Egg, with six pound of fine Sugar, after the ordinary manner. Then boyl the clear liquor over a gentle-fire, to the consistency of a Gelly. Then take the Skillet from the fire, and when the Gelly is half-cold, Aromatize it with four drops of Distill'd-oyl of Cloves, and two drops of Oyl of Cinamon, incor∣porated first with fine powder'd-Sugar. The whole being well mix'd, and the Gelly well scumm'd, pour it out into Glasses, or Glaz'd-pots, or else into Woodd'n-Boxes or Moulds, moisten'd before-hand. The Latins call the Gelly of Quinces Mivam Cy∣doniorum.

This Aromatization is to be preferr'd before that of the Ancients, who direct you to put Cinamon, Cloves, Cardamoms, Saffron, Trochisques of Gallia Moscata, Gin∣ger, Mastich, lignum Aloes, and Musk in powder ty'd up in a knot, and to steep them in the Gelly while it boyles; not considering that besides the harsh and unpleasing taste which the grosser part of all this Mixture of Drugs would give the Gelly, their Aro∣matick and volatile part would dissipate, and leave nothing behind but the ill-qualities of the Terrestrial. You may also, besides the Oyls of Cloves and Cinamon pre∣scrib'd for Aromatization, add some drops of the Essence of Musk and Ambergrise, for those that love sweet Scents. There are some that take out the Seeds from the Quinces when they make the Decoction for the Gelly. Others on the contrary make use of the Seeds, Cores and Rind, reserving the pulp of the Quinces to condite, or to make Mar∣malate.

You may also make a Gelly of Rennettings or other good Apples, cutting them into quarters, boyling them in Water almost to a mash, and straining the Decoction through hair-sieve without pressing the Apples. For this Decoction thus strain'd through the Sieve reverst, and re-passt through a Bag, mix'd with the weight in Apples of very fine Sugar, and boyl'd over a gentle fire to a due consistency, makes a Gelly as pleasant as sightly, to which you may add at the end of the Decoction some drops of the Juice of Citrons well∣clarify'd

to give them a sharp taste. You may also cut the rind of candy'd Pome-Ci∣tron into small pieces, and lay at the bottom of the Glasses or Boxes where you put your Gellies, which being pour'd hot upon these pieces, will become by that Mixture much more acceptable then without it.

Gelatina Cornu Cervini.

Gelly of Harts-Horn.

℞. Rasurae Cornu Cervini lb ss, Aque com∣munis lb vj. Coque lento igne, in va••▪ fictili vitreato, ad duarum partium consumptionem. Cola & exprime, Colaturam clarifica Ovi al∣bumine cum Sacchari optimi ℥ vj. Vini albi ℥ iiij. Succi Citri ℥ j. Et coque igne lento ad Gelatina melior is consistentiam.

℞. Half a pound of the havings of Harts∣horn, and boyl it over a gentle fire in six pints of Fountain-water in a glaz'd-earth'n Pipkin to the consumption of two thirds of the Water. Strain out the Decoction, squeezing the Harts-horn well; then clarifie the straining with the white of an Egg, ad∣ding six ounces of fine Sugar, four ounces of white Wine, and one ounce of Juice of Citrons. After which boyl the clarify'd Li∣quor over a gentle fire, to the consistency of a Gelly, rather too soft then too strong, which you must empty hot into Glasses or Pots, and there let it cool.

You may Aromatize this Gelly with some half a drop of the Essence of Citron, Cloves or Cinamon, incorporated with fine powder'd Sugar.

This Gelly of Harts-horn is never prepar'd but upon occasion. For it cannot be kept above four or five dayes in Winter, and two in Summer; and then you must keep it in a Cellar. Some nice Persons may disapprove the boyling of the Wine and the Gelly, believing that the Spiritous part dissipates in boyling. But in regard the Gelly cannot be clarify'd without the Wine, there is no care to be tak'n for the dissipation of the Spirit, so much the rather because that the Gelly being most frequently prepar'd for those that are in Fevers, we may be glad of the dissipation of those Spirits.

Gelly of Harts-horn may be call'd a Medicinal-nourishment: For it breeds good nou∣rishment, and strength'ns the Heart and Stomach. It is us'd in all sorts of Fevers, especially the putrid, and in all Epidemic-diseases; and is highly approv'd in all weaknesses, and want of retention in the Stomach and Bowels.

In the same manner may be prepar'd Gelly of Vipers, and of the parts of other sorts of Animals.