202 THE COMPLETE HERBAL 



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

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

 sent need j thing, and set it over the fire ; and when th< 



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



j fire till no more scum arise ; when you have 



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



la 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. (!.) When it is cold, put it into a glass, 



The barks of fruits are to be taken } anf } pu t so much oil on it as will cover it 

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

 Lemons, &c. but because I have nothing to \ sw i m at tne top, and so keep the air from 

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

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



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

 m the Spring, if of oaks, or such great i t off with a spoon, and put the juice you 

 trees ; because then they come easier off, j 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 ( 2 .) The second way is a little more dit- 

 barks only for present use. fi cu l t> an d the juice of fruits is usually pre- 



4. As for the barks of roots, 'tis thus to j ser ved this way. When you have clarified 

 be gotten. Take the roots of such herbs as } i t , boil it over the fire, till (being cold) it 

 have a pith in them, as parsley, fennel, &c. 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 j an rf j s ca n e d Roba and Saba. And thus 

 do) that which remains is called (tho' im- j mucn f or the first section, the second follows. 

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



used. SECTION II. 



CHAPTERVI I ^ e wa y f making and keeping all necessary 



Compounds. 

 Of Juices. 



CHAPTER V. 



1. J UICES are to be pressed out of herbs ? 



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



some stalks and tender lops of herbs and i 



plants, and also out of some flowers. 5 HITHERTO we have spoken of medicine! 



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

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



nil not be worth i times improperly; for in truth, nothing is 



(for otherwise the juice will 



a button) bruise it very well in a stone mor- 



simple but pure elements; all things else 



lar with a wooden pestle, then having put;: are compounded of them. We come now 

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

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

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

 and clarify it. ^in which consider, 



