176 THE OLD ENGLISH HERBALS 



" MY EVER DEAREST LOVE, 



" I received a letter and horse from Long on Thursday 

 (Jan. 31) and will use meine [endeavour] to send Procter's 

 horse to Denton. I did nott so much rejoys att thy safe passage 

 as at that Bleised and al suficiente gide whoss thou art, and 

 whom I know thou truely sarves yt hath for a small time parted 

 us, and I fearmly hope will give us a joy full meeting. Dear 

 heart, take eassy jernays and preferr thy owne heilth before all 

 other worldly respects whatsoever. ... I pray y u beg a blessing 

 for us all, for I must needs comitt y u to his gracious protection 

 yt will never fail us nor forsake us. Thine ever, 



" MARY FAIRFAX. 



" Ashton, February 2, 1632." 



I quote only three recipes from this attractive MS. : "A 

 Bath for Melancholy," " Balles for the face " and " For them 

 theyr speech faileth." 



" To make a bath for Melancholy. Take Mallowes, pellitory 

 of the wall, of each three handfulls ; Camomell flowers, Mellilot 

 flowers, of each one handfull ; hollyhocks, two handfulls ; Isop 

 one greate handfull, senerick seede one ounce, and boil them in 

 nine gallons of Water untill they come to three, then put in a 

 quart of new milke and go into it bloud warme or somthing 

 warmer." 



" Balles for the face. Take greate AUecant reasons [raisins] 

 a quarter of a pounde, stone them but wash them not and beate 

 them in a morter very fine, take as many almonds, not Jordans, 

 but of ye comon sort and blanch them and drye them in a cloth 

 very well and beate them in a stone morter also very fine, when 

 you have done thus to them bothe, mingle them bothe together 

 and beate them againe, and putt to it half a quarter of a pounde 

 of browne leavened bread, wheaten bread, and beate them 

 altogeather and mingle them well togeather and then take it 

 and make it in little balles and then wash yor face at night with 



