Select observations on English bodies of eminent persons in desperate diseases first written in Latin by Mr. John Hall ... ; after Englished by James Cook ... ; to which is now added, an hundred like counsels and advices, for several honourable persons, by the sam

ARS COSMETICA: Collections from Persons of great Quality, being choice Receipts for the Beautifying of the Face and Body; by Dr. Stubbs.

These following were the Receipts of a Maid of the Dutchess of Orleans, and after a Gentlewoman to an honourable Lady in this Nation: She was eminent for Cosme∣tics; and these were particularly com∣mended to my Esteem by the said Lady.

To make Spanish White.

TAke a glased Earthen Pot of four or five pints, anoint the Pot with fresh Lard of a Male Pork, then fill it with good White-wine-vinegar, and put in a good quantity of new-laid Egg-shells; then cover the Pot with a leaden Cover, and bury it in the Ground

for three or four weeks: then take of the White that sticks to the Cover of the Pot, and keep it for your use.

A Pomade for the Face.

Take six dozen of Sheeps Feet, break the Bones, and take out the Marrow; then boil the Feet well, and scum off the Oil that rises, and save it in a new Pot, with the foresaid Marrow, to which put the four great cold Seeds peel'd and beaten well, and mixed with the Marrow. Then take the Rind of one Citron, two penny-worth of Borax, three Cloves of white Lilly roots well beaten, a little white Rose-water, or Plantain-water; boil all to∣gether for the space of two hours, then strain it into a Dish of Spring-water, and wash it with di∣vers Waters till it be white. Use this at night.

To make Gloves to whiten the Hands.

Take new Gloves, to every pair an ounce of Virgins-Wax, and as much Sperma Ceti, Camphire and Borax, each the quantity of a Bean; Oil of Gourd seeds, or any other of the greater cold Seeds, ℥j. Pomatum, as much as a Nut; melt all toge∣ther. Then turn the Gloves, and dip or spread it on the inside, and let it cool; then rub it in before a gentle Fire. Then grease them very well with ʒii ℈i of any Oil of the cold Seeds to each pair, then turn them again, and lay them in a course damp Cloth, not touching each other for twenty four hours. To make them the cooler, hang them upon a Line in May, to air for eight nights.

To make the same an easier way.

Take of the Oil of the four cold Seeds drawn by expression without Fire ℥i. Pomatum as much as a Nut, White wax ʒij. Sperma Ceti ʒi. Cam∣phire, the quantity of a Nut; Borax poudered ʒss. Melt the Wax, then put all the rest in, and last of all the Oil; when all is melted, (when it is warm, and never boils or is near it,) dip the Gloves in, and rub it well in all over; open them, and let them cool. That you may rub it in the better, you must draw the Gloves, being turned, upon your hands, when they are cool. Wear them night and day under others, to make the Hands smooth and white.

For the Lips, a Pomatum.

Take Oil of sweet Almonds ℥iiij. red Wax ℥ss. melt them together over a Chafing-dish. Steep ʒii of Alkanet roots in a Glass of Rose-water twen∣ty four hours, when it is red, put in the said Po∣matum into the Water; stir it together until it look red, then let out all the Water, and keep it for use.

Pomatum for the Hair, to make it grow.

Take of Bears grease lbi. Virgins wax ℥iiij. white Lilly roots, five or six cloves, white Honey, and of the Essence of Honey, each ℥i. boil them all for half an hour in a new earthen Pot, either in the Water of Walnut-leaves, or of Honey distilled,

two or three pints, boil them well, strain it, and wash it till it be white.

To make Butter of Oranges or Jessemins.

Take Barrowes grease pick'd and wash'd ℥iiij. to which add of the Essence or Oil of Jessemin or of Orange flowers ℥i or ij. as you please to have it scented higher or lower; add Virgins Wax ℥ii. put them into a Silver Cup or Pot close co∣vered, and set it in a Skillet of Water, yet so that none come into it. Make it boil apace, so as to melt the Stuff, then pour it hot into a Silver Ba∣son, and beat it so long till it is become very white, without adding any Water.

A Paste for the Hands.

Take of bitter Almonds blanched, and beaten to Paste with Rose water; sprinkle them with the Yolk of an Egg, which hath been beaten with Sack, add thereto Bean-flower to make a Paste.

A good Water for the Complexion.

Take of Sea-Purslain the smallest, put it into a Glass Vial, with a like quantity of the Juice of Limons; let them sleep fourteen days, and then set it in the Sun nine days; then wash with it evening and morning. Fumitory Water distilled in Balneo, is good for the Complexion.

Another Water for the Complexion.

Boil of French Barly M j. in Water lbij. strain it, let it settle, take of the clear lbiss. and make therewith Almond-Milk with bitter Almonds blanched and beaten lbss. adding to it two Glasses of White-wine; or if the Face be red, add so much Vinegar instead of the Wine.

Against Sun-burning or Morphew.

Anoint them with Oil of Walnuts thrice in the three first evenings in March. If the Party hath a shining Complexion, and fatty, mix with the Oil so much White-wine, and beat them well toge∣ther before you use them at night.

To make the Verjuyce of Montpelier, which is highly esteemed in France for the Complexion.

Take of the best Verjuice two quarts, put to it Litharge of Gold, washed before in Plantain-water, and dried, lbi. beat it to pouder, and put it and the Verjuice together; di••til it in Balneo for use. It is also very good for a red Face.

To make Teeth white.

Take of Aqua fortis, fair Water, Honey, each ℥ii. boil all these together, and scum them well, and rub the Teeth with this, and they will be as white as Snow. Lucatella of Venice.

To preserve the Hair.

A Right Honourable Countess yet living, never used any Pouder in her Hair, but only in March and September, which being well rubbed in, was carefully combed out at the same time; and every week she had the roots of her Hair carefully rubbed with Jessemin Butter, and rubbed out with a Cloth, to take off any Dandriff or Scurf of the Head, which might rot it at the roots.

To dye the Hair black.

Take pouder of black Lead, and put it into fair Water a while, and it will colour it black; then wash the Hair you would colour with a Spunge wet therein, and cleanse the Head every morning, and repeat the Wash, for it will colour, and come off upon any Head-cloth. This was used by an honourable Countess, and a Lady; nor was it possible to discern the colour, tho both their Hairs were as red as Foxes. Their Eye-lids were coloured with the steam of a Candle, gathered in a Pewte••, and put on with a small Spunge.

FINIS.