206 THE COMPLETE HERBAL 



them as you please, and as you find occa- 1 2. Conserves of herbs and flowers, are 

 sion, by the last chapter. j thus made : if you make your conserves of 



1. That you may make electuaries when { herbs, as of scurvy-grass, wormwood, rue, 

 you need them, it is requisite that you keep * and the like, take only the leaves and ten- 

 always herbs, roots, flowers, seeds, &c. \ der tops (for you may beat your heart out 

 ready dried in your house, that so you may j before you can beat the stalks small) and 

 be in a readiness to beat them into powder j having beaten them, weigh them, and to 

 when you need them. 1 every pound of them add three pounds of 



2. It is better to keep them whole than {sugar, you cannot beat them too much, 

 beaten ; for being beaten, they are more 3. Conserves of fruits, as of barberries, 



subject to lose their strength ; because the 

 air soon penetrates them. 



sloes and the like, is thus made : First, 

 Scald the fruit, then rub the pulp through 



3. If they be not dry enough to beat into | a thick hair sieve made for the purpose, 

 powder when you need them, dry them by \ called a pulping sieve ; you may do it for 

 a gentle fire till they are so. \ a need with the back of a spoon : then take 



4. Having beaten them, sift them through 5 this pulp thus drawn, and add to it its 

 a fine tiffany scarce, that no great pieces j weight of sugar, and no more ; put it into 

 may be found in you electuary. a pewter vessel, and over a charcoal fire ; 



5. To one ounce of your powder add; stir it up and down till the sugar be melted, 

 three ounces of clarified honey ; this quan- j and your conserve is made. 



tity I hold to be sufficient. If you would j 4. Thus you have the way of making 

 make more or less electuary, vary your pro- 5 conserves ; the way of keeping them is in 

 portion accordingly. j earthen pots. 



6. Mix them well together in a mortar, j 5. The dose is usually the quantity of a 

 and take this for a truth, you cannot mix \ nutmeg at a time morning and evening, 

 them too much. | or (unless they are purging) when you 



7. The way to clarify honey, is to set it \ please. 



r* li*11.1_!^>^v 



over the fire in a convenient vessel, till the 



6. Of conserves, some keep many years, 



scum rise, and when the scum is taken off, j as conserves of roses : other but a year, as 

 it is clarified. \ conserves of Borage, Bugloss, Cowslips and 



8. The usual dose of cordial electuaries, i the like. 



is from half a dram to two drams ; of purg-j 7. Have a care of the working of some 

 ing electuaries, from half an ounce to an j conserves presently after they are made ; 

 ounce. \ look to them once a day, and stir them 



9. The manner of keeping them is in a\ about conserves of Borage, Bugloss, 



pot 



10. The time of taking them, is either in 



Wormwood, have got an excellent faculty 

 at that sport. 



a morning fasting, and fasting an hour after j 8. You may know when your conserves 

 them ; or at night going to bed, three or four ; are almost spoiled by this ; you shall find 

 hours after supper. 1 a hard crust at top with little holes in it, 



CHAPTER vii. i as though worms had been eating there. 



Of Conserves. CHAPTER viii 



a 



1. The way of making conserves is two- j QJ- Preserves. 



fold, one of herbs and flowers, and the other 5 

 of fruits. OF Preserves are sundry sorts, and the 



