The workes of that famous chirurgion Ambrose Parey translated out of Latin and compared with the French. by Tho: Johnson. Whereunto are added three tractates our of Adrianus Spigelius of the veines, arteries, & nerves, with large figures. Also a table of the bookes and chapters.

CHAP. VII. Of the Art of distilling of Waters.

BEfore I describe the manner how to distill waters,* 1.1 I think it not amiss briefly to reckon up how many sorts of distilled waters there be, and what the faculties of them are. There∣fore of distilled waters some are medicinal as the waters of Roses, Plantain, Sorrel, Sage, and the like: others are alimentary, as those waters that we call restauratives; other some are composed of both, such as are these restaurative waters which are also mixed with medicinal things; others are purging, as the distilled water of green and fresh Rubarb; othersome serve for smoo∣thing the skin, and others for smell; of which sort are those that are distilled of aromatick things.

To distill Rose-water, it will be good to mace••ate the Roses before you distill them for the space of two or three daies, in some formerly distilled Rose-water, or their pressed-out juice,* 1.2 lu∣ting the vessel close; them put then into an Alembick closely luted to his head and his Receiver, and so put into a Balneum Mariae, as we have formerly described.

The distilled Alimentary liquors are nothing else than those that we vulgarly call Restauratives;* 1.3 this is the manner and art of preparing them. Take of Veal, Mutton, Kid, Capon, Pullet, ••ock, Par••ridg, Phesant, as much as shall seem fit for your purpose: cut it small, and lest it should re∣quires heat, or empyreuma from the fire, mix therewith a handful of French Barly, and of red Rose-leaves d••ie and fresh, but first steeped in the juice of pomgranats, or citrons and Rosewater with a little Cinnamon.

But if you desire that this restaurative should not

[illustration]

The delineation of a Balneum Mariae, which may also serve to distill with ashes.

• A. Shews the Fornace with the hole to take forth the ashes.
• B. Shews another Fornace as it were set in the other: now it is of Brass, and runs through the midst of the kettle made also of brass, that so the contained water or ashes may be the more easily heated.
• C. The kettle wherein the water, ashes or sand are con∣tained.
• D. The Alembick set in the water, ashes, or sand, with the mouths of the receivers.
• E. The bottom of the second brass Fornace, whose top is marked with B. which contains the fire.

only be alimentary, but also medicinal, you shall add thereto such things as shall resist the disease, such as are Cordial powders, as of El. Diamargarit. frigid. De gemmis, Aromaticum Rosat. Conserve of Bugloss, borrage, roots, herbs, seeds and other things of that kinde. But if it be in a pestiferous season, Treacle, Mithridate and other Antidotes shall be added; each of these shall be laid in ranks or orders one over another, which is vulgarly ter∣med stratum super stratum, in a glass Alembick, and distilled in balneo Mariae with the heat of Ashes, or else of warm sand, as the figure shews.

There may be made other restauratives in shorter time with less labor and cost.* 1.4 To this pur∣pose the flesh mu••t be beaten and cut thin, and so thrust through with a double thred, so that the pieces thereof may touch each other; then put them in to a glass, and let the thred hang out; so stop up the glass close with a linnen cloth, Cotton or Tow, and lute it up with paste made of meal and the whi••es of eggs; then set it up to the neck in a kettle of water, but so that it touch not the bottom, but let it be kept upright by the formerly described means; then make a gentle fire there-under, un il the contained flesh by long boiling shall be dissolved into juice, and that will commonly be in some four hours space. This being done, let the fire be taken from under the ket∣tle, but take not forth the glass befor the water be cold, lest the fire being hot should be broken by the sudden ••ppulse of the cold air. Wherefore when as it is cold, let it be opened, and the thred with the pieces of flesh be drawn forth, so that only the juice may be left remaining; then strain it through a bag, and aromatize it with Sugar and Cinnamom, adding a little juice of Citron, Verjuice or Vineger, as it shall best like the Patients palate.

After this manner you may quickly, easily, and without great cost have and prepare all sorts of restauratives as well medicated as simple. But the force and faculty of purging medicines is ex∣tracted after a clean contrary manner then the oyls and waters which are drawn of Aromatitk things as Sage, Rosemary, Time, Anniseeds, Fennel, Cloves, Cinnamon, Nutmegs, and the like. For the strength of ••hese, as that which is subtil and aiery, flies upwards in distillation; but the strength of pu••ging things, a•• Tu••b••th, Agarick, Rub••rb, and the like, subsides in the bottom. For the purgative ••••c••l y of these purgers inseparably ache es to the b dies and substances.

Now for sweet waters and such as serve to smooth the skin of the face, they may be distilled in Balneo Mariae like as Rose water.

Notes

• * 1.1

  The varieties of distilled wa∣ters.
• * 1.2

  Rose water.
• * 1.3

  Restauratives.
• * 1.4

  Anosher way of making re∣staurative Li∣quors.