§£ The Scented Qarden (jj£ 



broths, wherein otherwise they should use some of the 

 same kinds of spice. 



But if you take three or foure drops only of the oyle 

 of Cloves, Mace or Nutmegs (for Cinamon oyle is too 

 costly to spend this way) and mingle the same with a pinte 

 of faire water, making agitation of them a pretty while 

 together in a glasse having a narrow mouth, till they have 

 in some measure incorporated themselves together, you 

 shall find a very pleasing and delightful water to wash 

 with and so you may alwaies furnish yourself of sweete 

 water of severall kinds, before such time as your guests 

 shal be ready to sit downe. I speake not of the oyle of 

 Spike (which will extend very far this way) both because 

 every Gentlewoman doth not like so strong a scent and 

 for that the same is elsewhere already commended by 

 another Author. Yet I must needs acknowledge it to be 

 the cheaper way, for that I assure myself there may be 

 five or six gallons of sweet water made with one ounce of 

 the oyle, which you may buy ordinarily for a groat at the 



Sir Hugh Platt. Delights for Ladies (1594). 



An excellent sweet water for a casting bottle. 



Take three drammes of oyle of Spyke, one dram of 

 oyle of Thyme, one dram of oyle of Lemmons ; one dram 

 of oyle of Cloves, then take one graine of Civet, and three 

 graines of the aforesaid composition well wrought 

 together. Temper them well in a silver spoon with your 

 finger ; then put the same into a silver bowl, washing it 

 out by little and little into the bowle with a little Rose- 

 water at once, till all the oyle be washed out of the spoon 

 into the bowl ; and then do the like by washing the same 

 206 



