216 EDIBLE BRITISH MOLLUSOA. 



This water is good against all obstructions whatso- 

 ever. It cureth a consumption and dropsie. It may- 

 be distilled with milk for weak people and children, 

 with hart's-tongue and elecampane.* 



" An excellent Snail-water. — Take of comfrey and 

 succory-roots, of each four ounces, liquorice, three 

 ounces, the leaves of hart's-tongue, plantain, ground- 

 ivy, red-nettle, yarrow, brooklime, watercresses, dande- 

 lion, and agrimony, of each two large handfuls ; gather 

 these herbs in dry weather, and do not wash them, but 

 wipe them clean with a cloth. Then take five hundred 

 snails, cleansed from their shells, but not scoured, and 

 of wmites of eggs beaten up to a water, a pint, four 

 nutmegs grossly beaten, the yellow rind of one lemon 

 and one orange. Bruise all the roots and herbs and 

 put them together, with the other ingredients, in a 

 gallon of new milk, and a pint of Canary ; let them 

 stand close covered, forty-eight hours, and then distill 

 them in a common still, with a gentle fire. This quan- 

 tity will fill a still twice. It will keep good a year, and 

 is best when made spring or fall ; but it is best when 

 new. You must not cork up the bottles for three months, 

 but cover them with paper. It is immediately fit for 

 use ; take a quarter of a pint of this water, and put to 

 it as much milk warm from the cow, and drink it in the 

 morning, and at four o'clock in the afternoon, and fast 

 two hours after. To take powder of crab's eyes with 

 it, as much as will lie on a sixpence, mightily assists to 

 sweeten the blood. When you drink this water, be 

 very regular in your diet, and eat nothing salt nor 

 sour."t 



" Mock Asses Milk. — One pound of snails layed in 



* ' The Complete Cook/ f ' A Queen's Delight/ &c., 1658. 



