138 A GARDEN OF HERBS 



cloaths as much as a lion scorns to meddle with a mouse 

 or an 'eagle with a fly." Sir John Hill was very scornful 

 of those who used any variety of wormwood except the 

 Roman : " No such herb is brought to market : they sell 

 sea wormwood, a nauseous bitter in its place, and the true 

 medicine, though possessed of all its virtues has thus lost 

 much credit. All the time there is no plant more hardy 

 than true Roman wormwood, none more easily propagated 

 in the open ground ; but the physician overlooks the abuse 

 and long neglect has made the other a universal substitute." 

 He ascribes the capacity of the Germans for eating so much 

 to the fact that between every mouthful they drank a decoc- 

 tion of Roman wormwood " in that way they eat for hours 

 together." 



To MAKE SUGAR OF WORMWOOD, MINT, ANISEED, OR ANY 

 OTHER OF THAT KINDE. Take double refined Sugar, and 

 doe but wet it in fair water, or Rose-water, and boyl it to 

 a Candy, when it is almost boyled take it off, and stir it till 

 it be cold; then drop in three or four drops of the oyls of 

 whatsoever you will make and stir it well ; then drop it on 

 a board being before sifted with Sugar. The Queen's Closet 

 Opened, by W. M., Cook to Queen Henrietta Maria, 1655. 



To MAKE WORMWOOD WATER. Bruise half a Pound of 

 Liquorish, and half a Pound of Anniseeds well, and put 

 them into two Gallons of port Wine ; put in also two or three 

 Handfuls of Roman Wormwood ; let them infuse for twelve 

 Hours, then distil them in an Alembick ; or you may infuse 

 the Ingredients in Brandy and distil them. Ibid. 



To MAKE WORMWOOD WINE. Take two Pounds of dry'd 

 Wormwood, two gallons of Rhenish Wine, let the Wormwood 

 lye in it to digest for three or four Months, shaking the Vessel 

 often ; when it is settled, decant the clear Tincture for use. 

 Ibid. 



WORMWOOD BRANDY. Put an ounce of these flowers 

 with a pint of Brandy and let it stand six weeks. There 



