202 THE COMPLETE HERBAL 



commonly be had, as Parsley, Fennel, \ 3. The manner of clarifying it is this : 

 Plantain, &c. but gather them only for pre-i Put it into a pipkin or skillet, or some such 

 sent need I thing, and set it over the fire ; and when the 



\ scum arises, take it off; let it stand over the 

 CHAPTERV 5 fl re t jjj no more scum arise ', when you have 



Of Barks. 5 your juice clarified, cast away the scum as 



5 a thing of no use. 



1. BARKS, which physicians use in medi- \ 4. When you have thus clarified it, you 

 cine, are of these sorts : Of fruits, of roots, j have two ways to preserve it all the year, 

 of boughs. (1.) When it is cold, put it into a glass, 



2. The barks of fruits are to be taken | an d put so much oil on it as will cover it 

 when the fruit is full ripe, as Oranges, j to the thickness of two fingers ; the oil will 

 Lemons, &c. but because 1 have nothing to | sw im at the top, and so keep the air from 

 do with exotics here, I pass them without j coming to purtify it : When you intend to 

 any more words. | use it, pour it into a porringer, and if any 



3. The barks of trees are best gathered j o il come out with it, you may easily scum 

 in the Spring, if of oaks, or such great \ it off with a spoon, and put the juice you 

 trees ; because then they come easier off, > use not into the glass again, it will quickly 

 and so you may dry them if you please ; j s i n k under the oil. This is the first way. 

 but indeed the best way is to gather all j (2.) The second way is a little more dif- 

 barks only for present use. : ficult, and the juice of fruits is usually pre- 



4. As for the barks of roots, 'tis thus to 

 be gotten. Take the roots of such herbs as 

 have a pith in them, as parsley, fennel, &c 



served this way. When you have clarified 

 it, boil it over the fire, till (being cold) it 

 be of the thickness of honey ; This is most 



slit them in the middle, and when you have ; commonly used for diseases of the mouth, 

 taken out the pith (which you may easily | an d is called Roba and Saba. And thus 

 do) that which remains is called (tho' im- j muc h for the first section, the second follows, 

 properly) the bark, and indeed is only to be j 

 Ssed. SECTION II. 



1 The way of making and keeping all necessary 

 CHAPTER vi. Compounds. 



Of Juices. 



CHAPTER V. 



1. JUICES are to be pressed out or herbs * 



when they are young and tender, out of i Of distilled Waters. 



some stalks and tender lops of herbs and $ 



plants, and also out of some flowers. HITHERTO we have spoken of medicines 



2. Having gathered the herb, would you \ which consist in their own nature, which 

 preserve the juice of it, when it is very dry j authors vulgarly call Simples, though some- 

 (for otherwise the juice will not be worth I times improperly; for in truth, nothing is 

 a button) bruise it very well in a stone mor- j simple but pure elements ; all things else 

 tar with a wooden pestle, then having put \ are compounded of them. We come now 

 it into a canvas bag, the herb I mean, not | to treat of the artificial medicines, in the 

 the mortar, for that will give but little juice,! form of wnich (because we must begin 

 press it hard in a press, then take the juice } somewhere) we shall place distilled waters : 

 and clarify it. ? ; in which consider, 



