HELICIDJ3. — SNAIL. 215 



currants, and of hart's tongue, liverwort, and speedwell, 

 of each a large handful ; then take a peck of snails, lay 

 them all night in hyssop, the next morning rub and 

 bruise them, and distill all in a gallon of new milk ; 

 sweeten it with sugar-candy, and drink of this water 

 two or three times a day, a quarter of a pint at a time; 

 it has done good/''* 



An admirable and most famous snail water. — Take a 

 peck of garden snails, wash them well in small beer, 

 and put them in a hot oven till they have done making 

 a noise, then take them out, and wipe them well from 

 the green froth that is upon them, and bruise them, 

 shells and all, in a stone mortar; then take a quart of 

 earthworms, scour them with salt, and slit them, and 

 wash them well with w r ater till clean, and in a stone mor- 

 tar beat them to pieces ; then lay in the bottom of your 

 distilled pot, angelica two handfuls, and two handfuls 

 of celandine upon them, to which add two quarts of 

 rosemary flowers, bearsfoot, agrimony, red dock roots, 

 bark of barberries, betony, wood sorrel, of each two 

 handfuls, rue, one handful ; then lay the snails and 

 worms on the top of the herbs and flowers ; then pour 

 on three gallons of the strongest ale, and let it stand 

 all night. In the morning put in three ounces of 

 cloves beaten, six pennyworth of beaten saffron, and 

 on the top of them six ounces of shaved hart's- 

 hoin ; then set on the limbeck, and close it with paste, 

 and so receive the water by pints, which will be nine 

 in all ; the first is the strongest, whereof take in the 

 morning two spoonfuls in four spoonfuls of small beer, 

 and the like in the afternoon; you must keep a good 

 diet, and use moderate exercise to warm the blood. 



* ' The Complete Cook,' by James Jeuks. 



