Royal College of Physicians: The Lady Sedley, her Receipt book, 1686 (MS534)

56

For Heats in the face cix.

Dock rootes one handfull Burdock rootes one handfull, Scabies one handfull, Femittery one handfull, Dandalyons, & Sorrill one handfull of each, Boyle them for halfe an houre in the Quantity of Eight or Nyne Quarts of Claryfy'd Whey, then Straine it and drink it at your Leisure; but you must be sure not to drink any other Sort of drink while you are taking this, and in 12 days time you will be perfectly well

For the Teeth: cx.

Ivie Berryes two Spoonfulls, Sage halfe a handfull boyl'd together in a quart of water, when 'tis boyld dissolve a peice of Allome the biggness of a small Nutmegg, and Swetten it with Honey

57

A Receipt for Piels that Never Faileth cxi.

Take four ounces of white Lead the like quantity of white francinsence, and sift them through a Tiffany, and mix them with good honey till they be as thick as to spread for a plaister, then spread it on a linen cloath, and apply it to the place as warm as you can endure it. You may singe you cloath it is the best way.

Mrs. Bayley's Cordiall Ale. cxij.

Take 4 handfulls of Firr, 3 ounces of Sarsapilla one ounce of China slic'd, an ounce of Hartshorne, as much Ivory; boyle these in 5 or 6 gallons of midling wort, as it comes from the Malt till a gallon be consumed; then work it with Ale barme; then Tunn it up when it has done working, put in these things, (either in a Bagg or loose,) of Scorzinero roots 3 ounces; Swert Charvill & Eringo of each 2 ounces; Hartstongue dry'd 2 handfulls, Maidenhayr Agrimony, Liverworth, of each a handfull; Winterbark halfe an ounce, the Rhinds of two Oranges,

58

halfe a pound of Raysins of the Sun Ston'd, Brooklime, Water Cresses, 2 handfulls of each, if you hang these in a Bagg: put a Gad of Steele in it. The firr must be broke in peices, & the roots Slitt when you put them in to boyle; after 4 or 5 days drink it for your constant drink.

To make Pomatum cxiij

Take a Mutton kell, and put it hott as it com's out of the Sheep into a paile of water for two howers, then piele of the outward Skin, and put the Suit into water againe for ten dayes Shifting it Morning and Evening into fresh water then then put it into Milk for 3 dayes Shifting twice a day, then rubb it dry take it out and rubb it in a Napkin dry and put it into an earthen pipkin with two or three white Lily rootes, and one March-Mallow roote Scraped, & cut into Small pieces, and a Shilling worth of the 4 Cold Seeds husk'd with a Small bit of white Suggar Candy; stirr all these together. then put the Pipkin that noe ayre comes in; and Sett it into a kettle of water, which must boyle Softly for 4 or 5 howers: then take it out and Straine it into an Earthen Basin; and put into it whilst it is hott one ounce of Sparma-Cæti, beating it continually for two howers together with a hott hand; then drop it on paper in little lumps and keep it as long as you will; Soe you doe not put it too close together. &c

59

Docter Jacob of Canterbury medicene for the Stone cxjv

15 granes of goats blood in powder dranke euery morning in asses milke, or other milke

115 Doctor Jacob's receipt for giddiness in the head

The single male piony root in powder=peacocks dung in powder and nutmegg half an ounce of each take evry night and morning asmuch as will lye upon a six pence in four Spoon fulls of black Cherry-water.

116 Dr king's receipt for the griping of the gutts

Take a penny loaf, and slitt it, and toast it, and spread it over with venice treakle; and dip it in sack boyled with cloves, cinnamon, and nutmegg; tye it up in a cloath, and lay it hot to the navel.

60

To Take away haire 117

Take twelf horse leeches wash them well & dry them in a cloath, then put them in a paper, pricke the paper full of holes and dry them by the fire leisurely till they will powder beate them & lift them very fine then mix them with white starch as much as the leaches mix them with brandy like a saulf and anoint the place then with the blood of a mole anoint the place three times.

To makes haire grow 118

Marsh flagg flowers take a good handfull and Street dokes the tops as much beat them in a morter; as much juice as you have take as much Spirit of rosmary and spirit of hony mix them together to anoynt the place.

61

Dr. Syndenhams presciption for the P. for the head 119

Take conserve of roman wormwood and orange peel candid ^of each 1 oz. angelico and nutmeggs & venice treakle of each 3 drachms with a sufficient quantity of Sirup of candid citrons to make it into an electuary of which take the quantity or bigness of a nutmegg evry morning and night drinking 6 spoonfulls of the following infusion.

Take the roots of horse radish Elecampane Angelico of each half an ounce garden Scurvy grass, white horehound, the topps of Roman wormwood century and broom of each 1 handful chamomill flowers 1 pugill Iuniper berries 6 drachms the Rhinds of 2 organes cutt in little pieces. These are to be infused cold in five pints of sack so long as is convenient and Straind when you use it

62

Mr. Cassys bitter drink for the head 120

Take of the tops of Century, flowers of camomill of each a pugill, gentian root a scruple Sena and cardus of each a drachm Infuse them in a pint of spring water to the evaporation of half of it then strain it and drink it for severall days together as you shall find convenient.

121 An infusion in Sherry

Take rosemary tops camomill flower Century of each a small pugill, cardus and citron seeds of each drachm bruised of gentian root thin sliced 2 scruples infuse them 2 days in a quart of the best Sherry Then strain them and drink 3 spoonfulls in the morning and as much at 4 in the afternoon fasting an hour after it.

Pills for the head, and for the stomack. 121

Take half a dram of Pale rufey, and three grains of pouder of Castor and mixe it vp it is one dose, jt is to be made in to four pills. Take all att night when one goeth to bed.

123 To Pickle Wallnuts

Take green wallnuts, pick them from the Stalks & put them into cold water sett them on a gentle fire till the outward skin begins to peal off. then wipe it of with a coarse cloath and then put them into a tub or pot, put Salt & water to them, change them once a day till till the bitterness & discoulering of the water be gone. then take a good quantity of mustard seeds & beat it with vinegar till it becomes coarse mustard. then take some cloves of garlick & shallots ginger & a little beaten cloves & mace mingle it with the mustard. then make a slit in each nut & put in as much as you can. then take vinegar & boyle it before you take it off the fire put in some whole pepper ginger cloves, mase, & some of the aforesaid mustard & garlick. put the nuts into the licquor boyling hot , then cover them very close in an earthen pot & keep them for your use

64

124

For Madness in Men or Beasts

Take of Agrimony roots Primerose roots, Dragon roots, single-Pyony roots of each one handfull, the black of Crabbs-claws prepard i ounce. Venice Treacle i ounce ; the leaves of Box bruisd one handfull, starr of the earth 2 handfulls. Beat all these, and bruise um togeather then boyle um in about a Gallon of Milk till half be boyld away then putt it into bottles unstraind and give of it 3 or 4 larg spoonfulls at a time 3 mornings together, before new and full moone. Observe that before you beginn to give it, to take away a little blood. Some of these herbs being difficult to be had in winter may be gatherd in due season, and being dryed and powderd may be given mixed with the Crabbs claws and Treacle and sallet oyle and it will do the same

65

125

To make Marchepaines

Take to i pound of Almonds i pound of double refind sugar beaten and sersed first beate your Almonds with as much rose water as will keep them from oyling ; putting in not above half a spoonfull att a time: when they are beaten verry fine, then mixe um with your sugar: so make um into Cakes uppon little square papers then bake um on the[...]with a swift fire; and when they are hard enough to turne, then bake um on the other side uppon fresh papers ; and when they are bakd on both sides, then Ice um with a soft ice, and as you ice um : bake first one side, then tother and so turne um off uppon a pye-plate, and lett um be often turnd 'till they are drye. your Almonds should be twelve houres in ^cold water before they are blanched.