Nine books of physick and chirurgery written by that great and learned physitian, Dr Sennertus. The first five being his Institutions of the whole body of physick: the other four of fevers and agues: with their differences, signs, and cures.

CHAP. X. Of Conserves, Preserves, and medicinal Juices.

THe name of Conserve is given principally to Flowers, * 1.1 and sometimes to Herbs, and certain soft and tender Roots, which being made up with Sugar are kept many years: they are prepared in this manner, the Flowers or Herbs newly picked or cleansed, and (if they abound with too much humidity) first a little dried in the shade, [unspec 1] let them be mingled and brayed in a stone-morter, with a woodden Pestle, with twice or thrice the quantity of Sugar, and after∣wards

the mixture is to be put up in a Glass or glased vessel. If the Plants are moister, 'tis profitable to heat the Con∣serves when they are made, by a gentle Fire.

2. Others take a Glass, and cover the bottom of it with Sugar, then they put in the Flowers to be condited, the depth of three Fingers breadth, and then they put in Sugar again, and in this manner heap upon a heap, and the Glass close shut they expose it to the Sun some certain weeks.

3. Sometimes the Roots are boiled untill they can be pounded, or without boiling, are washed and cleansed, and are beaten very small, to them so pounded, or to the De∣coction strained through a Hair-sieve, the Sugar is added as it use to be for Syrups.

The name of Condite although it may be taken for a compound medicine also, * 1.2 as well as for a simple Plant mixt onely with Honey or Sugar, so that Conserves also may be comprehended under the notion of Condites, yet in particu∣lar the name of Condite here, is given onely to medicines which are not pounded, but whole for the most part, Pre∣served with Sugar or Honey, both that they may be kept longer, and rendred more gratefull to the taste.

Fruits in the first place are preserved, * 1.3 Roots, Barks, Stalks, and some Flowers, as of Citrons or Lemmons, and Oranges: this is the Preparation, the softer Fruits, as Cherries, Black-berries, Barberies, Apritocks, Peaches, Pears, Moshcattellina, and the like, which are soft, being put into Sugar or Honey, that is hot, they are boiled, untill the humidity of the Fruits 〈◊〉〈◊〉 consumed and the Sugar or Honey receive their former consistence; or if there be danger lest being boiled they should decay and lose their colour, the Su∣gar onely being hot, they are poured out, and when the Su∣gar hath drawn their aqueous humidity, the Sugar alone is again to be boiled, till that aqueous moisture is consumed, and afterwards to be poured out again to the Fruits, to be preserved: but those which are more solid should first be bruised in Water, or boiled, untill the bitterness and un∣gratefull taste be drawn out, and they become softer; yet you must observe that whilest we do strive to please the Pa∣la••e, we must not lose the strength of the Preserve by too much maccration or boiling; afterwards we dissolve and clarifie the Sugar, either in fair water, or in the water where the Medicine is macerated, unless it hath an ill taste, we pour out the clarified Sugar upon the Fruits or Roots, and

then we seethe them again, untill the aqueous humidity which remains be consumed.

Lastly, being so prepared, they are kept in a Glass or carthen Vessel covered with a round woodden Cover, and clean stones being put upon the Lid, the Lid is deprest so as that it covers the Liquour.

Next to these are thickned juices, * 1.4 and such as are fit for medicinal uses, which the Arabicks call Rob: They are pre∣pared for the most part of the juices of Fruits, sometimes of Flowers also, that they may be usefull in the Winter, when we want fresh Herbs and Fruits; and in this manner they are prepared, the juice being drawn out is boiled over a gentle Fire to the consumption of half, or the third part, then whilest as it is yet hot, the thickest is strained: that which is strained is permitted to be clarified by settling in the bottome, or it is clarified with the white of an Egg; that which is clear is boiled again, untill it acquire its due consistence. But because the juices of themselves will not easily keep, unless they are boiled to a thicker consistence and all the watriness be taken away, for the most part less than half so much of Sugar or Honey, or a little quantity of one of them is added.

Those purest, clearest, finest juices, * 1.5 like icicles in frosty weather, as they call them, being poured out use to be kept, which commonly are called Gelatinae, or frozen juices, and they are prepared principally of juices that are made with∣out expression, the purer and more delicate juice of Quinces, Apples, Pears, Goosberries, (or Currans.)

That composition called Diacydonium, * 1.6 which use to be prepared for the most part in the form of a solid Paste, unless you would rather refer it to the Electuaries.

And Purgers may be mingled with those Juices, and of them pleasant Medicines are made for infants and more de∣licate Persons.

Notes

• * 1.1

  The man∣ner of ma∣king Con∣serves.
• * 1.2

  Things condited.
• * 1.3

  Manner of Prese ving
• * 1.4

  Thickned juiees.
• * 1.5

  Gelatinae.
• * 1.6

  Diacydoni∣um.