ADDITIONAL RECEIPTS 199 



ripe, keep them without any art untill Newyeare's tide, then 

 break the shells carefully, so as you deface not the kernels ; 

 (and therefore you must take choise of such nuts as have this 

 shell) whatsoever you find to come away easily, remove it : 

 steepe these kernels in conduit water, forty-eight houres, 

 then will they swell and grow very plumpe and faire, and you 

 may pill them easily, and present to any friend you have for 

 a Newyeare's gift; but being pilled, they must be eaten 

 within two or three houres, or else they lose their whitenesse 

 and beautie, but unpilled they will last two or three dales 

 faire and fresh. This of a kinde gentlewoman, whose skill 

 I doe highly commend, and whose case I doe greatly pittie ; 

 such are the hard fortunes of the best wits and natures in our 

 daies. Sir Hugh Platt, Delights for Ladies, 1594. 



To MAKE WATER IMPERIAL! FOR ALL SORE PLACES. Take 

 two handfulls of red sage leaves, a handfull of celandine, a 

 gallon of pure water and put the hearbes in it and let them 

 boil long and then straine the hearbes through a strainer and 

 take the liquid and set it over the fire again. Take a pinte 

 of English honey a good handfull of Rock Allum and a good 

 handfull of Thyme and let them boyl all together three or 

 four times, then let the skimme be taken off and when it is 

 cold put it in an Earthen pot or bottle so as it may be kept 

 close. The Good Housewife's Jewell, 1585. 



To MAKE A WHITE-POT. Boil a Quart of Cream with large 

 Mace, let it stand till it is almost cold ; then beat the Yolks of 

 eight Eggs, and put them into the Cream with Salt and Sugar 

 to your Taste. Lay thin Slices of White Bread in the Bottom 

 of the Dish, and lay on them sliced Dates, Raisins of the Sun, 

 or what Sweet-meats you please, with bits of Marrow, or of 

 fresh Butter; then lay another Layer of Bread, Fruit, etc., 

 till the Dish is full, grating Nutmeg between every Layer; 

 then put in your Cream, and lay Slices of Bread and Bits of 

 Butter on the top of all, and bake it. From The Receipt Book 

 of John Middleton, 1734. 



