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YOu shall vnderstande that Ho∣ney is licoure rather diuine then humane, because it falleth from heauen vpon the hearbes, and is suche a swéete thing, that the like can not bee founde vppon the yearth. And this Raimonde Lullie calleth the flower of flo∣wers, because Bees gather it vpon the flo∣wers in the fielde. And truely it is a moste straunge thyng if wee would consider well
the qualitie of honey and waxe: and there∣fore the wise Baruch Arabico in the Aca∣demie of Auicene did wright this sentence, Mel dētro, & olio di fuori, satisfiyng vs by this, that honey and oyle were the first two licours in the worlde. And truely it is so if we consider well, as it niaie well be proued by holie Scripture.
The order to make this Quintessence is thus. Take twoo pounde of perfect pure Honey, and put it into a greate glasse, that fower partes of fiue maie remaine emptie: Lute it well with a head and receiuer, and giue it fire vntill there appeare certaine white fumes, whiche you shall turne into water with weatyng of clothes in cold wa∣ter, and laiyng them on the receiuer, and head: and thei will turne into water of a red colour like blood. When it is all distilled, keepe the glasse close shut, and let it stande till it bee cleare, and in the colour of a Ru∣bine. Then distill it in Balneo Mariae at leaste sixe or seauen tymes, and so it will lose his red colour, and remaine in the color of golde hauyng a greate smell, and so plea∣saunt that the like can not bee founde in the
worlde.
This Quintessence dissolueth golde, and maketh it potable, and like wise any sorce of Iewel that is putte therein. It is of suche vertue that if any bee a diyng, and drinke two or three drammes thereof, presently he will recouer, as the Quintessence of Wine will doe. If you washe any wounde there∣with, or other sore, it will heale quickly. It is also good against the Cough, Cattarre, and paines of the Milte, and many other di∣seases whiche I will not speake of: for but fewe, and thei were hardly, wyll beleeue the greate vertue and operation thereof.
I gaue this sixe and fortie daies vnto one that had the Palsie, and he was holpen. It helpeth also the fallyng sicknesse, and preserueth the bodie from putrefaction, so that by these you maie perceiue that it is a celestiall medicine. If therefore any ver∣tuouse man would take a little paine, in the experience hereof, he shall doe wonder∣full thinges, as many tymes I haue doen, so that the people deemed that I wrought by Inchauntment, when as in deede I did it by vertue of this licour, ministryng the
same so priuiely that thei could not see it, which fell out to my greate honour, and be∣nefite of the sicke, as you shall reade in my Thesauro della vita humana: And there∣fore I would wish them that professe Phi∣sicke, and Chirurgerie to vse suche experi∣ence, whereby commeth honor and gaine to the Phisition, and profite to the patient.