the english house-vvife containing the inward and outward vertues which ought to be in a compleate woman. as her skill in physicke, surgery, cookery, extraction of oyles, banqueting-stuffe, ordering of great feasts, preseruing of all sorts of wines, conceited secrets, distillations, perfumes, ordering of wooll, hempe, flax, making cloth, and dying, the knowledge of dayries, office of malting, of oates, their excellent vses in a family, of brewing, baking, and all other things belonging to an houshold. a worke generally approued, and now the fourth time much augmented, purged and made most profitable and necessary for all men, and the generall good of this kingdome. by g.m. country contentments, or the english huswife markham, gervase, ?- . approx. kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from -bit group-iv tiff page images. text creation partnership, ann arbor, mi ; oxford (uk) : - (eebo-tcp phase ). a stc estc s this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons . universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase , no. a ) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set ) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, - ; : ) the english house-vvife containing the inward and outward vertues which ought to be in a compleate woman. as her skill in physicke, surgery, cookery, extraction of oyles, banqueting-stuffe, ordering of great feasts, preseruing of all sorts of wines, conceited secrets, distillations, perfumes, ordering of wooll, hempe, flax, making cloth, and dying, the knowledge of dayries, office of malting, of oates, their excellent vses in a family, of brewing, baking, and all other things belonging to an houshold. a worke generally approued, and now the fourth time much augmented, purged and made most profitable and necessary for all men, and the generall good of this kingdome. by g.m. country contentments, or the english huswife markham, gervase, ?- . [ ], p. : ill. (woodcuts) printed by nicholas okes for iohn harison, and are to be sold at his shop at the signe of the golden vnicorne in pater-noster-row, london : . dedication signed: geruase markham. originally published in as "country contentments, or the english huswife", which was an enlargement of book of "countrey contentments, in two bookes". reproduction of the original in the university of glasgow. library. created by converting tcp files to tei p using tcp tei.xsl, tei @ oxford. re-processed by university of nebraska-lincoln and northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. gap elements of known extent have been transformed into placeholder characters or elements to simplify the filling in of gaps by user contributors. eebo-tcp is a partnership between the universities of michigan and oxford and the publisher proquest to create accurately transcribed and encoded texts based on the image sets published by proquest via their early english books online (eebo) database (http://eebo.chadwyck.com). the general aim of eebo-tcp is to encode one copy (usually the first edition) of every monographic english-language title published between and available in eebo. eebo-tcp aimed to produce large quantities of textual data within the usual project restraints of time and funding, and therefore chose to create diplomatic transcriptions (as opposed to critical editions) with light-touch, mainly structural encoding based on the text encoding initiative (http://www.tei-c.org). the eebo-tcp project was divided into two phases. the , texts created during phase of the project have been released into the public domain as of january . anyone can now take and use these texts for their own purposes, but we respectfully request that due credit and attribution is given to their original source. users should be aware of the process of creating the tcp texts, and therefore of any assumptions that can be made about the data. text selection was based on the new cambridge bibliography of english literature (ncbel). if an author (or for an anonymous work, the title) appears in ncbel, then their works are eligible for inclusion. selection was intended to range over a wide variety of subject areas, to reflect the true nature of the print record of the period. in general, first editions of a works in english were prioritized, although there are a number of works in other languages, notably latin and welsh, included and sometimes a second or later edition of a work was chosen if there was a compelling reason to do so. image sets were sent to external keying companies for transcription and basic encoding. quality assurance was then carried out by editorial teams in oxford and michigan. % (or pages, whichever is the greater) of each text was proofread for accuracy and those which did not meet qa standards were returned to the keyers to be redone. after proofreading, the encoding was enhanced and/or corrected and characters marked as illegible were corrected where possible up to a limit of instances per text. any remaining illegibles were encoded as <gap>s. understanding these processes should make clear that, while the overall quality of tcp data is very good, some errors will remain and some readable characters will be marked as illegible. users should bear in mind that in all likelihood such instances will never have been looked at by a tcp editor. the texts were encoded and linked to page images in accordance with level of the tei in libraries guidelines. copies of the texts have been issued variously as sgml (tcp schema; ascii text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable xml (tcp schema; characters represented either as utf- unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless xml (tei p , characters represented either as utf- unicode or tei g elements). keying and markup guidelines are available at the text creation partnership web site . eng home economics -- england -- early works to . - tcp assigned for keying and markup - spi global keyed and coded from proquest page images - emma (leeson) huber sampled and proofread - spi global rekeyed and resubmitted - emma (leeson) huber sampled and proofread - emma (leeson) huber text and markup reviewed and edited - pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion the english hovse-vvife . containing the inward and outward vertues which ought to be in a compleate woman . as her skill in physicke , surgery , cookery , extraction of oyles , banqueting stuffe , ordering of great feasts , preseruing of all sorts of wines , conceited secrets , distillations , perfumes , ordering of wooll , hempe , flax , making cloth , and dying , the knowledge of dayries , office of malting , of oates , their excellent vses in a family , of brewing , baking , and all other things belonging to an houshold . a worke generally approued , and now the fourth time much augmented , purged and made most profitable and necessary for all men , and the generall good of this kingdome . by g. m. london . printed by nicholas okes for iohn harison , and are to be sold at his shop at the signe of the golden vnicorne in pater-noster-row . . to the right honovrable and most excellent ladie , frances . countesse dowager of exceter . howsoeuer ( right honourable and most vertuous ladie ) this booke may come to your noble goodnesse clothed in an old name or garment , yet doubtlesse ( excellent madam ) it is full of many new vertues which will euer admire & serue you ; and though it can adde nothing to your owne rare and vnaparalleld knowledge , yet may it to those noble good ones ( which will endeauour any small sparke of your imitation ) bring such a light , as may make them shine with a great deale of charity . i doe not assume to my selfe ( though i am not altogether ignorant in abilitie to iudge of these things ) the full inuention and scope of this whole worke : for it is true ( great ladie ) that much of it was a manuscript which many yeeres agon belonged to an honourable countesse , one of the greatest glories of our kingdome , and were the opinions of the greatest physitions which then liued ; which being now approued by one not inferiour to any of that profession i was the rather imboldned to send it to your blessed , hand , knowing you to be a mistresse so full of honorable piety and goodnes , that although this imperfit offer may come vnto you weake and disable , yet your noble vertue will support it , and make it so strong in the world , that i doubt not but it shall doe seruice to all those which will serue you , whilest my selfe and my poore prayers shall to my last gaspe labour to attend you . the true admirer of your noble vertues , gervase markham . the table . chap. . the inward vertues of the house-wife . pag. her garments . pag. her dyet and generall vertues . pag. feauers and their kindes . pag. . . ● . to make one swea●e . pag. . a preseruatiue against the plague . pag ▪ a cordiall against infection . pag. to draw a plague-botch to any place . pag. for the head-ache . pag. . . for the frenzie . pag. for the lethargie . pag. to prouoke sleepe pag. . for the swimming of the head . pag. for the palsey . pag. for all colds and coughes . pag. . for the falling-sicknes . p. to helpe hearing . p. . xor the rhume . pag. . . for stinking breath . pag. . for the tooth-ake . pag. . ● for all sore eyes . p. ●● . for a canker . p . . ● for swell●ng in the mouth . pag. for the q●●●sey or sq●●nacie . pag . for drunkennesse . pag. to quicken wit. pag ▪ for the kings-euill . pag. to staunch bloud . pag. . . . to draw out bones . pag. for the falling of the mou●d of the head . pag. to make teeth white , &c. pag. for any venome in the eare . pag for stinking nostrills . p to make haire growe . p . for a saucie face . pag. for hoarsnes in the throate pag. for the tyssicke . pag. for griefe in the stomacke . pag. for spitting blood . pag. for vomiting . pag. for the illica . passio . p. . ☞ aditions to the diseases of the stomacke . pag. for paine in the brest . p. for the mother . pag. obstructions in the liuer . pag. . for the plurisie . pag ▪ for a stitch . pag. . for any consumption . p. ☞ for the iaundise . pag. , ed●tions to the diseases of the liuer . pag. for a ring-worme . pag. for the dropsie . pag. for the spleene . pag. . for pa●ne in the side . pag. for fatnesse & short breath . ☞ pag. aditions to the diseases of the spleena . pag. eor the diseases of the heart . pag. for the wind ●hollicke . pag. . ●● . for a laske . . . for the bloody-slixe . pap . . . for costiuenesse . pag. . ☞ for wormes . pag. aditions to the diseases in the belly . pag. hardnesse of the belly . p. for the stopping of the wombe . pag. for the rupture . pag. . for the stone . pag. . to helpe vrine . pag. . for the strangullion . pag. aditions to the diseases of the reines . ☜ pag. for the gonorda . pag. for weakenes in the back . for the hemoroids . pag. for the falling of the fundament . pag. aditions to the diseases of the priuie parts . ☜ pag. for the greene sicknes . p. to increase womans milke . pag. . to dry vp milke . pag. for ease in child-bearing . for the dead child . pag. for aptnes to conceiue . p. aditions to womans infirmities . ☜ pag. for the flowers . pag. for the matrixe . pag. for sore breasts . pag. . for woemen in child-bed . pag. . for the mopphew . p. for the goute . pag. for the ctattica . pag. for the stinging of venomous beasts . pag. . for swelld leggs . pag. for old and new sores . pag. . . . . . for scabs and itch . pag. . for the leprosie . pag. for pimples . pag. prime parts burnt . pag. for any burning . p. . . for scalding . pag. to eate away dead flesh . pag. . for sinewes cut or shrunke· . to breake an impostume . pag. . for a ring-worme . pag. to take away scarres of the small-poxe . pag. for the french-poxe . pag. . ☞ additions to greene wounds . pag. . . for pricking with a thorne . pag. ☞ additions for atch and swelllings . pag. . for paine in ioynts . pag. ☞ additions to griefe in the bones . pag. . a bath to cleare the skin . the oyle of swallowes . pag. oyle of camomile . pag. oyle of lauendar . pag. to make smooth hands . p. to make dr. stevens water . pag. to make rosasolis . pag. ☞ aditions to oyles . pag. to make oyle of roses or violets . pag oyle of nutmegs . pag. oyle of spike . pag. oyle of masticke . pag. chap. . the outward and actiue knowledge of the houswife . pag. knowledge of hearbs . pag. skill in gardens . pag. skill in cookerie . pag. of sallets simple & c●mpoun● pag. . . . . of fraises of all kinds . pag· . . . . of quelquichoses . pag. ☞ additions to cookery . p. puddings of all kinds . pag. . . . boyld meates of all kinds . pag. . . . . . . the ooleopothrigo . p. ☞ additions to boyld-meats . pag. . . roast-meates of all kindes . pag. . . . . . . . obseruations in roast-meats . pag. spitting of meats . pag. temperature of fire . p. complexion of meats . p. basting of meats . pag. to know when meats are enough . pag. ordering of meats to be roasted . pag. sauces of all kinds . p. . . ☞ additions to sauces . p. . of carbonados . p. . ☞ additions to carbonados . pag. dressing of fish . p. . . of the pasterie and bakt-meats . p. . . . . mixture of pastes . pag. of puffe-paste . p. ☞ additions to the pastery . p. . . . . . . . to recouer venison taynted . pag. to preserue quinces to bake . pag. of tarts . pag. . . . , . of white-pott . pag. of banqueting stuffe of all kinds . p. . . . . . . . . of diuers waters . p. . to make any conserue . p. to make waffers . pag. ☞ additions to banqueting-stuffe . p. . . . to make ipocras . pag. to candy any thing . p. ordering of banquets . p. ordering of great feasts . pag. chap. . of distillations & their vertues , from p. . to the vertues of seuerall waters . . . of perfuming . pag. . . . to make pomanders . p. to make vinegar . pag. . . to make v●●●huyce . p. ☞ additions to conceited secrets . pag. to perfume gloues . pag. chap. . the ordering , preseruing , and helping of all sorts of wines . p. . . . &c. to . of gaging . p. . . . to chuse wines . pag. . chap. . of wooll , hempe , flaxe , cloth and dying of all colours from pag. chap. . of dairies , butter , cheese , &c. from pag. . to chap. . the office of the maltster , the secrets and knowledge thereof , from p. to chap. . the excellency of oates , the vertues and vses thereof . from pag. . to chap. . the office of the brew-house and the bake-house , and their vses , from p. . to the end . to make perry and cider . pag. the approoued booke , called the english hous-wife . contayning all the vertuous knowledges and actions both of minde and body , which ought to be in any compleate houswife , of what degree or calling soeuer . booke . chap. . of the inward vertues of the minde , which ought to be in euery house-wife . and first of her general knowledges both in phisicke and surgery , with plaine appr●oued medicines for health of the house-hold , also the extraction of excellent oyles fit for those purposes . hauing already in a summary briefnesse passed through those outward parts of husbandrye which belong vnto the perfect husbandman , who is the father and maister of the family , and whose office and imployments are euer for the most part abrod , or remoued from the house , as in the field or yard : it is now meete that we descend in as orderly a method as we can , to the office of our english hous-wife , who is the mother and mistris of the family , and hath her most generall imployments within the house ; where from the genrall example of her vertues , and the most approued skill of her knowledges , those of her family may both learne to serue god and sustaine man in that godly and profitable sort which is required of euery true christian . first then to speake of the inward vertues of her mind ; she ought , aboue all things , to be of an vpright and sincere religion , and in the same both zealous and constant ; giuing by her example , an incitement and spu●re vnto al her family to persue the same steppes , and to vtter forth by the instruction of her life , those vertuous fruits of good liuing , which shall be pleasing both to god and his creatures ; i doe not meane that herein she should vtter forth that violence of spirit which many of our ( vainely accounted pure ) women doe , drawing a contempt vpon the ordinary ministery , & thinking nothing lawfull but the fantazies of their owne inuentions , vsurping to themselues a power of preaching & interpreting the holy word , to which only they ought to be but hearers and beleeuers , or at the most but modest perswaders , this is not the office either of good hous-wife or good woman . but let our english hus-wife be a godly , constant , and religious woman , learning from the worthy preacher and her husband , those good examples which she shall with all carefull diligence see exercised amongst her seruants . in which practise of hers , what particular rules are to be obserued , i leaue her to learne of them who are professed diuines and haue purposely written of this argument ; onely thus much will i say , which each ones experience will teach him to be true , that the more carefull the master and mistris are to bring vp their seruants in the dayly exercises of religion toward god , the more faithfull they shall find them in all their businesses towards men , and procure gods fauour t●e more plentifully on all the household : and therefore a small time morning and euening bestowed in prayers , and other exercises of religion , will proue no lost time at the weekes end . next vnto this sanctity and holinesse of life , it is meet that our english hous-wife be a woman of great modesty and temperance as well inwardly as outwardly ; inwardly , as in her behauiour and cariage towards her husband , wherein she shall shunne all violence of rage , passion and humour , coueting lesse to direct then to be directed , appearing euer vnto him pleasant , amiable , & delightfull and though occasion , mishaps , or the misgouernement of his will may induce her to contrary thoughts , yet vertuously to suppresse them , and with a mild sufferance rather to call him home from his error , then with the strength of anger to abate the least sparke of his euill , calling in her mind that euill and vncomely language is deformed though vttered euen to seruants , but most monstrous and vgly when it appeares before the presence of a husband : outwardly , as in her apparrell and diet , both which she shall proportion according to the competency of her husba●ds estate and cal●ing , making her circle rather strait then large , for it is a rule if we extend to the vttermost , we take away increase , if we goe a hayre breadth beyond , we enter into consumption : but if we preserue any part , we build strong forts against the aduersaries of fortune , prouided that such preseruation be honest and conscionab●e : for as lau●sh prodigality is brutish , so miserable couetuousnes●e is hellish . let therefore the hus●wifes garments be comly and strong , made aswel to preserue the health , as adorne the person , altogether without toyish garnishes , or the glosse of light colours , and as far from the vanity of new and fantastick fashions , as neere to the comly imitations of modest matrons : let her dyet be wholsome and cleanly , prepared at due houres , and cookt with care and diligence , let it be rather to satisfie nature then our affections , and ap●er to kil hunger then reu●ue new appetites , let it proceede more from the prouision of her owne yard , then the furniture of the markets ; and let it be rather esteemed for the familiar acquaintance she hath with it , then for the strangenesse and rarity it bringeth from other countries . to conclude , our english hus-wife must be of chast thought , stout courage , patient , vntyred , watchful , diligent , witty , pleasant , constant in friendship , full of good neighbour-hood , wise in discourse , but not frequent therein , sharpe and quicke of speech , but not bitter or talkatiue , secret in her affaires , comfortable in her counsels , and generally skilful in the worthy knowledges which doe belong to her vocation , of all , or most whereof i now in the ensuing discourse , intend to speake more largely . to begin then with one of the most principal vertues which doth belong to our english hous-wife ; you shal vnderstand , that sith the preseruation and care of the family touching their health and soundnesse of body consisteth most in the diligence : it is meet that she haue a physicall kind of knowledge , how to administer many wholesome receits or medicines for the good of their healths , as wel to preuent the first occasion of sicknesse , as to take away the effects and euill of the same , when it hath made seasure on the body . indeed we must confesse that the depth and secrets of this most excellent art of physicke , is farre beyond the capacity of the most skilfull woman , as lodging onely in the brest of learned professors , yet that our house-wife may from them receiue some ordinary rules and medicines which may auaile for the benefit of her family , is ( in our common experience ) no derogation at all to that worthy art. neither doe i intend here to lead her minde with al the symptomes , accidents , and effects which go before or after euery sicknesse , as though i would haue her to assume the name of a practitioner , but only relate vnto her some approoued medicines , and old doctrines which haue beene gathered together , by two excellent and famous phisitions , and in a manuscript giuen to a great worthy countesse of this land , ( for farre bee it from me , to attribute this goodnesse vnto mine owne knowledge ) and deliuered by common and ordinary experience , for the curing of those ordinary sickenesses which daily perturbe the health of men and women . of feuers in generall . first then to speake of feuers or agues● , the hus-wife shall know those kinds thereof , which are most famillar and ordinary , as the quotidian or daily ague , the tertian or euery other day ague , the quartan or euery third dayes ague , the pestilent , which keepeth no other in his fits , but is more dangerous and mortall : and lastly the accidental feuer which proceedeth from the receite of some wound or other , painefull perturbation of the spirits . there bee sundry other feuers which comming from consumptions , and other long continued sicknesses , doe altogether surpasse our hus-wiues capacity . of ●he quotidian . first then for the quotidian feuer , ( whose fits alwaies last aboue twelue houres ) you shall take a new laid egge , and opening the crowne you shall put out the white , then fill vp the shell with very good aquauitae , and stirre it and the yolke very well together , and then as soone as you feele your cold fit begin to come vpon you , sup vp the egge , and either labour till you sweare , or else laying great store of cloathes vpon you , put your selfe in a sweat in your bed , and thus do whilst your fits continue , and for your drinke let it be onely posset ale . of the single tertian ▪ for a single tertian feuer , or each other dayes ague ; take a quart of posset ale , the curde being well drained from the same , and put thereinto a good handfu●l of dandilion , and then setting it vpon the fire , boyle it till a fourth part be consumed , then as soone as your cold fit beginneth , drinke a good draught thereof , and then either labour till you sweat , or else force your se●fe to swea● in your bed , but labour is much the better , prouided that you take not cold after it , and thus do whilst your fits continue , and in all your sicknesse let your drinke bee posset ale thus boyled with the sa●e hearbe . of the accidentall feuer . for the accidentall feuer which commeth by meanes of some dangerous wound receiued , although for the most part it is an ill signe if it be strong and continuing , yet many times it abateth , and the party recouereth when the wound is well tended and comforted with such soueraigne balmes and hot oyles as are most fit to be applied to the member so grieued or iniured : therefore in this feuer you must respect the wound from whence the accident doth proceed , and as it recouereth , so you shall see the feuer wast and diminish . of the feuer hetticke . for the hettique feuer , which is also a very dangerous sicknesse , you shall take the oyle of violets , and mixe it with a good quantity of the powder of white poppy seed finely searst , and therewith annoint the small and raines of the parties backe , euening and morning , and it will not onely giue ease to the feuer , hut also purge and cleanse away the dry scalings which is ingendred either by this or any other feuer whatsoeuer . for the quartan or for any feuer . for any feuer whatsoeuer , whose fit beginneth with a cold . take a spoonefull and a halfe of dragon water , a spoonefull of rosewater , a spoonefull of running water , a spoonefull of aquavite , and a spoonefull of vinegar , halfe a spoonefull of methridate or lesse , and beate all these well together , and let the party drinke it before his fit beginne . of thirst in feuers . it is to be vnderstood that all feuers of what kind soeuer they be , and these infectious diseases , as the pestilence , plague , and such like , are thought the inflammation of the bloud , infinitely much subiect to drought ; so that , should the party drinke so much as he desired , neither could his body containe it , nor could the great abundance of drinke do other then weaken his stomacke , and bring his body to a certaine destruction . wherefore , when any man is so ouerpressed with desire of drinke , you shall giue him at conuenient times either posset ale made with cold herbes ; as sorrell , purslen , violet leaues , lettice , spinage , and such like , o● else a iulip made as hereafter in the pestilent feuer , of some almond-milke : and betwixt those times , because the vse of these drinkes wi●l grow wearisome and loathsome to the patient , you shall suffer him to gargil in his mouth good wholesome beare or ale , which the patient best liketh , and hauing gargled it in his mouth , to spit it out againe , and then to take more , and thus to do as oft as and then to take more , and thus to doe as oft as he pleaseth , till his mouth be cooled : prouided that by no meanes he suffer any of the drinke to goe downe , and this will much better asswage the heat of his thirst then if he did drinke ; and when appetite desireth drinke to goe downe , then let him take either his iulip , or his almond milke . for any ague sore . to make a pultis to cure any ague-sore , take elder leaues and seeth them in milke , till they be soft then take them vp and straine them ; and then boyle it againe till it be thicke , and so vse it to the sore as occasion shall serue . for the quartaine feuer . for the quartaine eeuer or third day ague , which is which is of all feuers the longest lasting , & many times dangerous consumptions , blacke iaundies and such like mortall sicknesses follow it : you shall take methridate and spread it vpon a lymon slice , cut of a reasonable thicknes , and so as the lymon be couered with the methridate ; then bind it to the pulse of the sicke mans wrist of his arme about an houre before his fit doth beginne , and then let him goe to his bed made warme , and with hot cloathes laid vpon him , let him try if he can force himselfe to sweat which if he doe , then halfe an houre after he hath sweate he shall take hot posset ale brewed with a little methridate , and drinke a good draught thereof , and rest till his fit be passed ouer : but if he bee h●●d to sweate , then with the sayd posset ale also you shall mixe a few bruised anny-seeds , and that will bring sweate vppon him : and thus you shall doe euery fit till they beginne to cease , or that sweate come naturally of it owne accorde , which is a true and manifest signe that the sicknesse decreaseth . of the pestilent feuer . for the pestilent feuer , which is a continuall sicknesse full of infection , and mortality , you shall cause the party first to bee let blood , if his strength will beare it : then you shall giue him coole iulyps made of endife or succorie water , the sirrop of violets , conserue of barberries , and the iuyce of lymons , well mixed and simboliz'd together . also you shall giue him to drink almond milke made with the decoction of coole hearbes , as violet leaues , strawberry leaues , french mallowes , pu●sline , and such like ; and if the parties mouth shall through the heate of his stomacke , or liuer inflame o● grow sore , you shall wash it with the sirrop of mulber●ies ; and that will not onely heale it , but also strengthen his stomacke . ( if as it is most common in this sicknesse ) the party shall grow costiue , you shall giue him a suppositary made of hony , boyld to the height of hardnesse , which you shall know by cooling a drop thereof , and so if you find it hard , you shall then know that the hony is boyled sufficiently ; then put salt to it , and so put it in water , and worke it into a roule in the manner of a suppositary , & administer it , and it most assuredly bringeth no hurt , but ease to the party , of what age or strength soeuer he be : during his sicknesse , you shall keepe him from all manner of strong drinkes , or hot spices , and then there is no doubt of his recouery . a preser●atiue against the plague . to preserue your body from the infection of the plague , you shal take a quart of old ale , & after it hath risen vpon the fire and hath been scummed , you shall put therinto of aristolochia longa , of angelica & of cellandine of each halfe an handfull , & boile them wel therin ; then strain the drink through a cleane cloath , & dissolue therein a dramme of the best methridate , as much iuory finely powdred and searst , and sixe spoonful of dragon water , then put it vp in a closse glasse ; and euery morni●g fasting take fiue spoonful thereof , and after bite and chaw in your mouth the dried root of angelica , or smel on a nose-gay made of the tasseld end of a shippe rope , and they wil surely preserue you from infection . f●r infection of the plagu● . but if you be infected with the plague , and feele the assured signes thereof , as paine in the head , drought , burning , weaknesse of stomacke and such like : then you shal take a dram of the best methridate , and dissolue it in three or foure spooneful of dragon water , and immediately drink it off , and then with hot cloathes or bricks made extreame hot , and layd to the soales of your feet , after you haue beene wrapt in woollen cloathes , compel your selfe to sweat , which if you do , keep yourselfe moderately therein till the sore begin to rise ; then to the same apply a liue pidgeon cut in two parts , or else a plaister made of the yolke of an egge , hony , hearbe of grace chopt exceeding small , and wheate flower , which in very sho●t space will not onely ripen , but also breake the same without any other incision ; then after it hath runne a day or two , you shall apply a plaister of melilot vnto it vntil it be who●e . for the pestile● . take fetherfew , mal●selon , scabious , and mugwort , of each a like , bruise them and mixe them with old ale , and let the sicke drinke thereof sixe spooneful , and it wil expel the corruption . another . take yar●ow , tansie , fetherfew , of each a handful , and bruise them wel together , then let the sicke party make water into the hearbs , then straine them , and giue it the sicke to drinke . a preseruation ●g first the ●e●ce . take of sage , rue , brie● leaues , or elderleaues , of each an handful , stampe them and straine them with a quart of white wine , and put thereto a little ginger , and a good spooneful of the best treackle , and drinke thereof morning and euening . how to draw a plague botch to any place you will. take smalledge , mallowes , wormewood , and rue , stamp them wel together , and fry them in oyle oliue , til they be thicke , plaisterwise apply it to the place where you would haue it rise , and let it lye vntil it breake , then to heale it vp , take the iuyce of smallage , wheateflower , & milke , and boile them to a pultis , and apply i● morning and euening til it be whole . a cordiall for any infection at the heart . ☜ take of burrage , langdebeefe , and callamint , of each a good handful of hartstongue , red m●nt , violets , and marigolds , of each halfe a handful , boyle them in white wine , or faire running water , then adde a penny woorth of the best saffron , and as much sugar , and boyle them ouer againe wel , then straine it into an earthen pot , and drinke thereof morning and euening , to the quantity of seauen spoonfuls . against too viol●nt sweating . take linseed , and lettice , and bruise it wel , then apply it to the stomacke , and remooue it once in foure houres . for the head-ache . ☜ for the head-ach , you shal take of rosewater , of the iuyce of cammomil , of womans milke , of strong wine venegar , of each two spooneful , mixe them together wel vpon a chafing-dish of coales : then take of a peece of a dry rose cake and steepe it therein , and as soone as it hath d●anke vp the lyquor and is throughly hot , take a couple of sound nutmegs grated to powder , and strew them vppon the rose cake ; then breaking it into two parts , binde it on each side vppon the temples of the head , so let the party lye downe to rest , and the paine wil in a short space be taken from him . for th frenzy . for frenzie or inflamation of the calles of the braine , you shal cause the iuyce of beets to be with a serrindge squirted vp into the patients nostrils , which will purge and cleanse his head exceedingly ; and then giue him to drinke posset ale , in which violet leaues and lettice hath been boyled , and it will sodainely bring him to a very temperate mildnesse , and make the passion of frenzie forsake him . f●● the lethargy . for the lethargie or extreame drowsines , you shall-by all violent meanes either by noyse or other disturbances , force perforce keepe the party from sleeping ; and whensoeuer he calleth for drink , you shal giue him white wine and isop water of each a little quantity mixt together , and not suffer him to sleepe aboue foure houres in foure & twenty , till he come to his former wakefulnes , which as soone as he haue recouered , you shall then forthwith purge his head with the iuyce of beets squirted vp into his nostrils as is before shewed . to prouoke sleepe . but if any of the family be troubled with too much watchfulnesse , so that they cannot by any meanes take rest , then to prouoke the party to sleepe , you shall take of saffron a dramme dryed , and beaten to pouder , and as much lettice seed also dryed , and beaten to pouder , and twice as much white poppy seed beaten also to pouder , and mixe these with womans milke till it be a thick salue , and then binde it to the temples of the head , and it will soone cause the party to sleepe ; and let it lye on not aboue foure houres . for the swimming of the head . for the swimming or dizzing in the head , you shall take of agnus cas●us , of broome wort , and of camomile dryed , of each two drammes mixt with the iuyce of iu●e , oyle of roses , and white wine , of each like quantity , ti●l it come to a thicke salue , and then binde it to the temples of the head , and it will in short space take away the griefe . for the palsie . for the apoplexie or palsie , the strong sent or smell of a foxe is exceeding soueraigne , or to drinke euery morning halfe a pint of the decoction of lauendar , and to rub the head euery morning and euening exceeding hard with a very cleane course cloath , whereby the humours may be dissolued and disperst into the outward parts of the body : by all meanes for this infirmity keepe your feet safe from cold or wet , and also the nape of your necke , for from those parts it first getteth the strength of euill and vnauoidable paynes . for a new cough . for a cough or cold but lately taken , you shall take a spoonfull of sugar finely beaten and searst , and drop into it of the best aquauitae , vntill all the sugar be wet to through , and can receiue no more moysture : then being ready to lye downe to rest , take and swallow the spoonefull of sugar downe ; and so couer you warme in your bed , and it will soone breake and dissolue the cold . for an old cough . but if the cough be more old & inueterate , & more inwardly fixt to the lungs , take of the pouder of bettonie , of the pouder of carraway seeds , of the pouder of sheruit dryed , of the pouder of hounds tongue , and of pepper , finely beaten , of each two drams , and mingling them well with clarified hony make an electuary therof and drink it morning & euening for nine daies together : then take of sugar candy coursly beaten , an ounce of licoras finely peared & trimmed , and cut into very little small slices , as much of anniseeds and coriander seeds halfe an ounce ; mixe all these together and keepe them in a paper in your pocket and euer in the day time when the cough offendeth you , take as much of this dredge , as you can hold betweene your thumbe and fingers & eate it , and it will giue ease to your griefe : and in the night when the cough taketh you , take of the iuice of licoras as two good barly cornes , and let it melt in your mouth and it wil giue you ease . for the falling sicknesse . although the falling sicknes be seldome or neuer to be cured , yet if the party which is troubled with the same , wil but morning and euening , during the wane of the moone , or when she is in the signe virgo , eate the berries of the hearbe asterion , or beare the hearbs about him next to his bare skin , it is likely he shall finde much ease and fal very seldome , though this medicine be somewhat doubtful . for the falling euill . for the falling euill take if it be a man , a female mole , if a woman a male mole ▪ and take them in march , or else april , when they go to the bucke : then dry it in an ouen , and make powder of it whole as you take it out of the earth : then giue the sick person of the powder to drink euening & morning for nine or ten daies together . of an oyle to helpe hearing . to take away deafnes , take a gray eele with a white belly and put her into a sweet earthen pot quick , & stop the pot very close with an earthen couer , or some such hard substance : then digge a deep hole in a horse dunghill , and set it therein , and couer it with the dung , and so let it remaine a fortnight , and then take it out and cleare out the oile which will come of it , and drop it into the imperfect eare , or both , if both be imperfect . for the rhum . to stay the flux of the rhume , take sage and dry it before the fire , and rub it to powder : then take bay salt and dry it and beare it to powder , and take a nutmeg and grate it , and mixe them all together , and put them in a long linnen bag , then heate it vpon a tile stone , and lay it to the nape of the necke . for a stinking breath . for a stinking breath , take oake buds when they are new budded ou● , and distil them , then let the party grieued nine mornings , and nine euenings , drinke of it , then forbeare a while , and after take it againe . a vomit for an ill breath . to make a vomit for a strong stinking breath , you must take of antimonium the waight of three barley cornes , and beate it very small , and mixe it with conserue of roses , and giue the patient to eate in the morning , then let him take nine dayes together the iuyce of mints and sage , then giue him a gentle purgation , and let him vse the iu●ce of mint and sage longer . this medicine must be giuen in the spring of the yeare , but if the infirmity come for want of digestion in the stomacke , then take mints , maiora●● ●nd worme-wood , and chop them small and boile the 〈◊〉 malmsie till it be thicke , and make a p●●ister of it , and it to the stomacke . for the tooth-ache . for the tooth ach , take a handful of dasie rootes , and wa●● them very cleane , and drie them with a cloath , and then stamp them : and when you haue stamped them a good while , take the quantity of halfe a nutshel full of bay-salt , and strew it amongst the roots , and then when they are very wel beaten , straine them through a cleane cloath : then grate some cattham aromaticus , & mixe it good and s●ffie with the iuyce of the roots , and when you haue done so , put it into a quil and snuffe it vp into your nose , and you shall find ease . another . another for the tooth-ake , take smal sage , rue , smallage , fetherfew , wormewood , and mints , of each of them halfe a handful , then stampe them wel all together putting thereto foure drams of vinegar , and one dram of bay salt , with a penny-worth of good aquavitae : stir them well together , then put it betweene two linnen clouts of the bignesse of your cheeke , temples , and iawe , and quilt it in manner of a course imbrodery : then set it vpon a chafing-dish of coales , and as hot as you may abide it , lay it ouer that side where the paine is , and lay you downe vpon that side , and as it cooles warme it againe , or else haue another ready warme to lay on . a dri●●e for a ●●●●le in the eye . to make a drinke to destroy any pearle or filme in the eye : take a good handfull of marigold plants , & a handfull of fennell , as much of may-weed beate them together , then straine them with a pint of beere , then put it into a pot & stop it close that the strength may not goe out ; then let the offended party drinke thereof when he is in bed , & lie of that side on which the pearle is , & likewise drinke of it in the morning next his heart when he is risen . f●r p●●●e in 〈…〉 . for payne in the eies , take milke when it comes new from the cowe , and hauing syled it into a cleane vessell , couer it with a pewter dish , and the next morning take off the dish and you shall see a dew vpon the same , and with that dew wash the pained eies , & it will ease them . 〈…〉 for dimme eyes : take wormewood , beaten with the gall of a bull , and then strane it and annoynt the eyes therewith , and it will cleare them exceedingly . fo● sore eyes . for sore eyes , or blood shotten eyes : take the white of an egge beaten to oyle , as much rosewater , & as much of the iuyce of house-leeke , mixe them well together , then dippe flat pleageants therein , and lay them vppon the sore eyes , and as they drye , so renew them againe , and wet them , and thus doe till the eyes be well . for waterie eyes . for watery eyes , take the iuice of affodill ▪ mirrhe , and saffron , of each a little , and mixe it with twice so much white wine , then boyle it ouer the fire , then straine it and wash the eyes therewith , and it is a present helpe . for a 〈◊〉 . for a canker or any sore mouth : take choruile and beate it to a salue with old ale and allum water , and annoynt the sore therewith , and it will cure it . a swelled mouth . for any swelling in the mouth : take the iuice of wormwood , cammomill , and shirwitt , and mixe them with hony , and bath the swelling therewith , & it will cure it . for the quinsie . for the quinsie , or quinacy , giue the party to drinke the hearbe mouseare steept in ale or beere , and looke where you see a swine rub himselfe , and there vpon the same place rubbe a sleight stone , and then with it sleight all the swelling , and it will cure it . against drunkennes . if you would not be drunke , take the pouder of betany and coleworts mixt together ; and eate it euery morning fasting as much as will lie vpon a sixpence , and it will preserue a man from drunkennesse . to quicken the wit. to quicken a mans wits , spirit and memory ; let him take langdebeefe , which is gathered in iune or iuly , and beating it in a cleane morter ; let him drinke the iuyce thereof with warme water , and he shall finde the benefit . for the kings euill . if a man be troubled with the kings euill , let him take the red docke and seeth it in wine till it be very tender , then straine it , and so drinke a good draught thereof , and he shall finde great ease from the same : especially if he doe continue the vse thereof . addition to the particular sicknesses and first of the head and the parts thereof & the lungs . take frankinsence , doues-dung , and wheate-flower , of each an ounce , and mixe them well with the white of an egge , then plasterwise apply it where the paine is . the oyle of lyllyes if the head be annointed therewith , is good for any payne therein . another . take rowe , and steepe it in vinegar a day and a night , the rowe being first well bruised , then with the same annoynt the head twice or thrice a day . for the head ●ke and to slay bleeding at the nose . take the white of an egge and beate it to oyle , then put to it rosewater , and the pouder alablaster , then take flaxe and dippe it therein , and lay it to the temples , and ren●we it two or three times a day . to draw out bones broken in the head . take agrymon●e and bruise it , and plasterwise apply it to the wound , and let the party drinke the iuyce of bettanie , and it will expell the bones and heale the wound . for the falling of the mould of the head . take the leaues of agrymonie , and boile them in hony , till it be thicke like a plaister , and then apply it to the wound of the head warme . for the squynancy . take a table napkin or any linnen cloath , and wet it in cold water , and when you goe to bed apply it to the swelling and lie vpright , thus doe three or of foure times in a night till the swelling waste . for the tooth-ake . take two or three dock roots , & as many daysy roots , and boyle them in water till they be soft , then take them out of the water , and boyle them well ouer againe in oyl● oliue , then straine them through a cleane cloath , and anoynt the pained tooth therewith , and keepe your mou●h close , and it will not onely take away the payne , but also ease any megrem or griefe in the head . to make teeth white . take a sawcer of strong vinegar , and two spoonefulls of the pouder of roch allom , a spooneful of white salt , and a spoonefull of hony , seeth all these till it be as thinne as water , then put it into a close viol and keepe it , and when occasion serues wash your teeth therewith , with a rough cloath , and rub them soundly , but not to bleed . to draw teeth wi●●t yro● . take some of the greene of the elder tree , or the apples of oake trees , and with either of these rub the teeth and gummes and it will loosen them so as you may take them out . for teeth th●t are yellow . take sage and salt , of each a like , and stampe them well together , then bake it till it be hard , and make a fine pouder thereof , then therewith rub the teeth euening and morning and it will take away all yellownesse . for teeth that are loose . first let them bloud , then take harts horne or iuorie and red pympernell , and bruise them well together , then put it into a linnen cloath and lay it to the teeth , & it will fasten them . for any venom in the eare . take the iuyce of louage and drop it into the eare , and it will cure any venome , and kill any worme , earewigge or other vermine . for a stinking breath which commeth from the stomacke . take two ounces of comine and beate in a morter to fine pouder , then boile it in wine from a pottell to a quart , then drinke therof morning and euening as hot as you can suffer it , or otherwise take an ounce of wild time , and being cleane washed cut it small and then pouder it , then put to it halfe an ounce of peper in fine pouder , and as much comyne , mixe them all well together , and boile them in a pottell of white wine , till halfe be consumed , and after meate ( but not before ) vse to drinke thereof hot , also once in the afternoone and at your going to bed , and it will purge the breath . for stinking 〈…〉 . take red nettles and burne them to a pouder , then adde as much of the pouder of pepper , and mixe them well together , and snuffe thereof vp into the nose , and thus do diuers times a day . for a canker in the nose . take old ale , and hauing boyld it on the fire , & clens'd it , adde thereto a pretty quantity of lyfe hony and as much allom , then with a setrindge or such like wash the sores therewith very warme . a red water for any canker . take a gallond of running water , and boile it to a pottell , then put to it a handfull of red sage , a handfull of cellandine , a handful of honysuckles , a handful of woodbine leaues & flowers , then take a penniworth of graynes made into fine pouder , and boile all very well together , then put to it a quart of the best life hony of a yeare old , and a pound of roch allom , let al boyle together till it come to a pottell , then straine it and put it into a close vessell , and therewith dresse and annoint the sores as occasion serues , it will heale any canker or vlcer , and cleanse any wound ; it is best to be made at midsomer . to cleare the eyes . take the flowers and rootes of primrose cleane washt in running water , then boile them in faire running water the space of an houre , then put thereto a pretty quantity of white copperas , and then straine all through a linnen cloath and so let it stand a while , and there will an oyle appeare vpon the water , with that oyle annoynt the lids and the browes of your eies , and the temples of your head , and with the water wash your eyes , and it is most soueraigne . another for the sight . take f●fteene seeds of gyneper , and as many gromell seeds , fine branches of fenell , beate them all together , then boyle them in a pint of old ale till three parts be wasted ; then straine it into a glasse , and drop thereof three drops into each eye at night , and wash your eyes euery morning for the space of fifteene daies with your owne water , and it will cleare any decayed sight whatsoeuer . for sore eyes . take red snayles , and seeth them in faire water , and then gather the oyle that ariseth thereof , and therewith annoint your eyes morning and euening . for sicke eyes . take a gallond or two of the dregges of strong ale & put thereto a handfull or two of comyne , and as much salt , and then distill it in a lymbecke , and the water is most pretious to wash eyes with . f●r 〈◊〉 eyes . take cellandine , rue , chervile , plantaine , and anyse , of each alike , and as much fenell , as of all the rest , stamp them all well together , then let it stand two daies and two nights , then straine it very well and annoynt your eyes morning and euening therewith . for the pin and webb in the eye . take an egge , and rost extreame hard , then take the white being very hot and lapp in it as much white copperas as a pease and then violently straine it through a fine cloath , then put a good drop thereof into the eye , and it is most soueraigne . a poud●r for the pin and webb in the eye . take two drams of prepard tussia , of sandragon one dram , of sugar a dram , bray them all very well together till they be exceeding small , then take of the pouder & blow a little thereof into the eye , and it is soueraigne . a pretious water for the eyes . take of red rose leaues , of smalladge , of maiden haire , eusaace , endiue , succory , red fenell , hill-wort , and cellandine , of each halfe a quarter of a pound , wash them cleane and lay them in steepe in white wine a whole day , then still them in an ordinary still , & the first water will be like gold , the second like siluer , and the third like balme , any of these is most pretious for sore eyes , and hath recouered sight lost for the space of ten yeares , hauing been vsed but foure dayes . to make haire to grow take the leaues of willow , and boile them well in oyle and therwith annoint the place where you would haue any haire to grow , whether vpon head or beard . another . take treakle water and hony , boyle them together , and wet a cloath therein , and lay it where you would haue haire to grow , and it will come speedily . for a pimpled or red saucy face . take nine or ten egges and rost them very hard , then put away the yolkes , & bray the whites very small with three or foure ounces of white copporas till it be come to perfect oyntment , then with it annoint the face moring and euening for the space of a weeke and more . for the rhume take the rynde of issop , and boile it or burne it and let the fume or smoke goe into the mouth and it it will stay any rhume falling from the head . for hoarsenes in the throate . take a pint of running water , and three spoonefulls of hony and boile them together and skime off the filth , then put thereto on ounce of small raysons , and straine it well through a cloath , and so drinke it morning and euening . for a dangerous cough . take aquauitae and salt , and mixe it with strong old ale and then heate it on the fire , and therewith wash the soules of the feete when you goe to bed . for the dry cough . take of cleane wheate and of cleane barly of each a like quantity , and put them into a gallond and a halfe of faire water , and boyle them till they burst , then straine it into a cleane vessell , and adde thereto a quarterne of fine lycoras pouder , and two penyworth of gumme-arabecke , then boyle it ouer againe and straine it , and keepe it in a sweete vessell , and drinke thereof morning and euening . for the tisicke . take the best wort and let it stand till it be yellow , then boyle it and after let it coole , then put to it a little quantity of barme and saffron , and so drinke of it euery morning and euening while it lasteth , otherwise take hore-hound , violet leaues , and isop , of each a good handfull , seeth them in water , and put thereto a little saffron , lycoras , and sugar-candy , after they haue boiled a good while , then straine it into an earthen vessell , and let the sicke drinke thereof sixe spoonefull at a time morning and euening ; or lastly , take the lunges of a fox , and lay it in rose-water , or boyle it in rose-water , then take it out and dry it in some hot place without the sunne , then then beate it to pouder with sugar-candy , and eate of this pouder morning and euening . for griefes in the stomacke . to ease paine in the stomacke , take endiue , mints , of each a like quantity , and steepe them in white wine a dayes space , then straining it and adding thereunto a little cinamon and pepper , giue it to the sicke person to drinke , and if you adde thereto a little of the pouder of horse-mint and calamint , it will comfort the stomacke exceedingly , and occasion swift and good digestion . for spitting of blood . for spitting of blood , whether it proceede of inward bruises , ouerstraining or such like , you shall take some pitch , and a little sperma caeti , and mixe it with old ale and drinke it , and it will stay the the flux of blood : but if by meanes of the bruise any outward griefe remayne , then you shall take the hearbe brockellhempe , and frying it with sheepes tallow lay it hot to the grieued place , and it will take away the anguish . for vomiting : to stay the fluxe of vomiting take worme-wood , and sowre bread toasted of each like quantity , & beat them well in a morter , then ad to them as much of the iuyce of mints , and the iuyce of plantaine as well bring it to a thick salue : then fry them all together in a fryingpan , & when it is hot lay it plaister wise to the mouth of the stomacke , then let the party drinke a little white wine and cheruile water mixt together , and then steepe sower toasted bread in very strong vinegar , wrapt it in a fine cloath and let the sicke party smell thereto , and it will stay the excesse of vomiting , and both comfort and strengthen the stomacke . to force one to vomite . if you would compell one to vomit , take halfe a spoonefull of stonecrop , and mixe it with three spoonefull of white wine and giue it to the party to drinke , and it will make him vomit presently , but do this seldome and to strong bodyes , for otherwise it is dangerous . for the iliaca passio . for the iliaca passio , take of polipody an ounce , and stampe it , then boyle it with prunes & violets in sennell-water or anni-seeds-water , take thereof a good quantity , then strayne it and let the partie euery morning and euening drinke a good draught thereof . additions , to the diseases of the stomack . for the stomacke . if the stomacke be troubled with winde or other paine , take commine and beate it to pouder , and mixe with it red wine , and drinke it at night when you goe to bed , diuers nights together . for the illica passio . take brokelime roots and leaues & wash them cleane and dry them in the sunne , so dry that you may make pouder thereof , then take of the pouder a good quantity , and the like of treakle , and put them in a cup with a pretty quantity of strong o●d ale and stirre them well together , and drinke thereof first and last morning and euening for the space of three or foure dayes , and if need doe require , vse the same in the brothes you doe eate , for it is very soueraigne . for paine in the breast . take hartshorne or iuory beaten to fine pouder , and as much cynamon in pouder , mixe them with vinegar , and drinke thereof to the quantity of seauen or eight spoonefuls . for the mother . take the water of mouseare , and drinke thereof the quantity of an ounce and a halfe or two ounces , twice or thrice a day , or otherwise take a little nutmeg , a little cinamond , a little cloues , a little mace , and a very little ginger , and the flowers of lauender , beate all vnto a fine powder , and when the passion of the mother commeth , take a chaffingdish of good hot coales , and bend the patient forward , and cast of the pouder into the chaffingdish , so as she may receiue the smoake both in at her nose and mouth , and it is a present cure . obstructions of the liuer . against obstructions in the liuer , take aniseeds , ameos , burnet , camomile , and the greater centuary , and boyle them in white wine with a little hony , and drinke it euery morning and it wil cure the obstructions , and cleanse the liuer from all imperfection . against the heat of the liuer . agaynst the heate and inflammation of the liuer , take endiue dryed to pouder , and the meale of lupin seedes , and mixe it with hony and the iuyce of worme-wood , make a cake thereof and eate it , and it wil asswage the great heate and inflammation of the liuer , and take away the pimples and rednesse of the face which proceedeth from the same . for the plurisy . to preuent a plurisie a good while before it come , there is no better way then to vse much the exercise of ringing , or to stretch your armes vpward ▪ so as they may beare the weight of your body , and so to swing your body vp and downe a good space : but hauing caught a plurisie and feeling the gripes , stitches , and pangs thereof , you shal presently cause the party to be let blood , & then take the hearb althea or hollyhocke , and boyle it with vinegar and linseede til it be thicke plaister-wise , and then spread it vpon a peece of allom leather , and lay it to the side that is grieued , and it wil helpe it . a playster for a stitch . to help a stitch in the side or else where , take doues dung , red rose leaues and put them into a bag , and quilt it : then throughly heat it vpon a chaffingdish of coales with vinegar in a platter : then lay it vnto the pained place as hot as may be suffered , and when it cooleth heat it againe . heate in the liuer . for any extraordinary heate or inflammation in the liuer , take barbaries and boyle them in clarified whay , and drinke them , and they wil cure it . for the consumption . if you wil make a cordial for a consumption or any other weaknes : take a quart of running water , a peece of mutton and a peece of veale , and put them with the water into a pot , then take of sorrel , violet leaues , spinage , endiue , succory , sage , hissop , of each a good quantity ; then take prunes and raisins , and put them all to the broth , and seeth them from a quart to a pint , then straine the yolke of an egge and a little saffron thereinto , putting in sugar , whole mace and a little white wine , so seeth them a while together , and let the party drinke it as warme as may be . to staunch b●o●d . to staunch blood , take the hearb shepheards-purse , ( if it may be gotten ) distilled at the apothecaries , and drinke an ounce thereof at a time morning and euening , and it wil stay any fluxe of blood natural or vnnatural , but if you cannot get the distilled water , then boyle a handful of the hearb with cinamon , and a little sugar , in claret wine , and boyle it from a quart to a pint , and drinke it as oft as you please : also if you but rubbe the hearbe betweene your hands , you shal see it wil soone make the blood returne . for the yellow i●undis●● . for the yellow iaundisse , take two peny worth of the best english saffron , drye it , and grind it to an exceeding fine pouder , then mixe it with the pap of a rosted apple , and giue it the diseased party to swallow down , in the manner of a pill , and doe thus diuers mornings together , and without doubt , it is the most present cure that can be for the same , as hath been often times prooued . for the yellow 〈◊〉 . for the yellow iaundisse take pimpernell and chickeweed , stampe them and straine them into posset ale , and let the party drink thereof morning and euening . for a desperate ye●low iaun●isse for the yellow iaundisse which is desperate and almost past cure : take sheepes dung new made , and put it into a cup of beare or ale , and close the cup fast , and let it stand so al night , and in the morning take a draught of the clearest of the drinke , and giue it vnto the sicke party . for the blacke iaundisse . for the blacke iaundisse take the hearbe called penyryall , and eyther boyle it in white wine , or drinke the iuyce thereof simply by it selfe to the quantity of three or foure spooneful at a time , and it wil cure the blacke iaundisse . additions , to the di●eases of the liuer for wasting of the liuer . take of hyssop , parsley , and harts-tongue , of each a like quantity , and seeth them in wort til they be soft , then let it stand til it be cold , and then drinke thereof first and last , morning and euening . a restoratiue for the liuer . take fenel roots , and parsley roots , of each a like , wash them cleane , and pil off the vpper barke , and cast away the pith within , then mince them smal , then put them to three pints of water , and set them ouer the fire , then take figges and shred them smal , lyeoras and breake it smal , and put them to the hearbs , and let al boile very wel , then take sorrel and stamp it and put it to the rest , and let it boile til some part be wasted , then take a good quantity of honey and put to it and boile a while , then take it from the fire and clarifie it through a strayner into a glasse vessel , and stop it very close , then giue the sick to drinke thereof morning and euening . to heale a ring worme cōming of the heate from the liuer . take the stalke of saint mary garcicke , and burne it , or lay it vpon a hot tyle stone vntil it be very drye , and then beate it into pouder , and rub the sore therewith til it be whole . to staunch blood . take wooll in the walkmil that commeth from the cloath and flyeth about like doune , and beate it into pouder , then take thereof and mixe it with the white of an egge and wheate flower , and stampe them together , then lay it on a linnen cloath or lint and apply it to the bleeding place , and it wil stanch it . for g●eat danger in bleeding if a man bleed and haue no present helpe , if the wound be on the foot , bind him about the ankle , if in the legges bind him about the knee , if it be on the hand , bind him about the wrist ; if it be on the arme bind him about the brawne of the arme , with a good list , and the blood wil presently staunch . for a stitch . take good store of cynamon grated , and put it into posset ale very hot and drink it , and it is a present cure . a bath for the dropsie . take a gallond of running water , and put to it as much salt as wil make the water salt as the sea water , then boyle it a good while , and bath the legs therein as hot as may be suffered . for the dropsy . for the dropsie , take agnus castus , fennel , affodill , darke wal-wort , lupins and wormwood , of each a handful , and boyle them in a gallon of white wine , vntil a fourth part be consumed : ☞ then strayne it , and drinke it morning and euening halfe a pinte thereof , and it wil cure the dropsie ; but you must be careful that you take not daffodil for affodil . paine in the spleene . for paine in the spleene , take agnus castus , agrimony , aniseeds , centuary the great , and wormwood , of each a handful , & boile them in a gallon of white wine , then straine it and let the patient drinke diuers mornings together halfe a pint thereof ; and at his vsual meales let him neyther drinke ale , beere , nor wine , but such as hath had the hearbe tamoriske steeped in the same , or for want of the hearbe , let him drink out of a cup made of tamoriske wood , and he shal surely find remedy . for paine in the side . for any pain in the side , take mugwort and red sage , & dry them betweene two tile stones , and then put it in a bag , and lay it to your side as hot as can be indured . for fatnes and short breath to helpe him that is exceeding fat , pursie , and short breathed : take hony clarified , and bread vnleauened & make toasts of it , and dippe the toasts into the clarified hony , and eate this diuers times with your meate . additions , to the diseases of the spleene . take a lump of yron or steele , and heat it red hot , and quench it in wine , then giue the wine to the sicke party to drinke . for the spleen , for the stopping of the spleene . take fenel seeds and the roots , boile them in water , and after it is cleansed put to it hony and giue it the party to drinke , then seeth the hearbe in oyle and wine together , and playster wise apply it to the side . for the hardne● of the spleene . make a playster of worme-wood boyled in oyle , or make an oyntment of the iuyce of worme wood , of vinegar , armoniacke , waxe , and oyle , mixt and melted together , and annoynt the side therewith , eyther in the sunne , or before the fire . diseases of the heart . take the pouder of galingal , and mixe it with the iuyce of burrage , and let the offended party drinke it with sweet wine . for the passion of the heart . 〈◊〉 heart sickenesse . take rosemary and sage , of each an handful , and seeth them in white wine or strong ale , and then let the patient drinke it lukewarme . for fatnes a● about the hart . take the iuice of fenell mixt with hony , and seeth them together til it be hard , and then eate it euening and morning , and it wil consume away the fatnesse . for the wind collicke . for the wind collicke , which is a disease both general and cruel , there be a world of remedies , yet none more approued then this which i wil repeate : you shal take a nutmeg sound and large , and diuide it equally into foure quarters : the first morning as soone as you rise eate a quarter thereof ; the second morning eate two quarters , and the third eate three quarters , and the fourth morning eate a whole nutmegge , and so hauing made your stomacke and tast familiar therewith , eate euery morning whilst the collicke offendeth you a whole nutmeg dry without any composition , and fast euer an houre at least after it , and you shal find a most vnspeakable profit which wil arise from the same . the wind collicke for the winde collick , take a good handful of cleane wheat meale as it commeth from the mil , and two egs , and a little wine-vinegar , and a little aquauitae , and mingle them altogether cold , and make a cake of it , and bake it on a gridyron with a soft fire , and turne it often and tend it with basting of aquavitae with a feather ; then lay it somewhat higher then the paine is , rather then lower . for the laske . for the laske or extreame scouring of the belly , take the seeds of the wood-rose , or bryer-rose , beate it to pouded , and mixe a dramme thereof with an ounce of the conserue of sloes and eate it , and it will in a short space bind and make the belly hard . for the bloody fluxe . for the bloody-fluxe , take a quart of red-wine , and boile therein a handful of shepheards purse til the hearb be very soft : then straine it , and adde thereto a quarter of an ounce of cynamon , and as much of dryed tanners barke taken from the ouze , and both beaten to fine pouder , then giue the party halfe a pint thereof to drinke morning and euening , it being made very warm , and it will cure him . to stay a laske . to stay a sore laske , take plantaine water and cynamon finely beaten , and the flowers of pomgranats , and boile them wel together , then take sugar , and the yolke of an egge , and make a candle of it , and giue it the grieued party . for the fluxe . for the flixe take a stags pizzel dryed and grated and giue it in any drinke , either in beere , ale , or wine , and it is most soueraigne for any flixe whatsoeuer : so is the iawe bones of a pike , the teeth and all dried and beaten to pouder , and so giuen the party diseased in any drinke whatsoeuer . for the worst fluxe . to cure the worst bloody flix that may be , take a quart of red-wine , and a spooneful of commin-seede , boile them together vntil halfe be consumed , then take knot-grasse and shepheards purse , and plantaine , and stampe them seueral , and then straine them and take of the iuyce of each of them a good spoonful , and put them to the wine , and so seeth them againe a little : then drinke it luke-warme , halfe ouer-night , and halfe the next morning : and if i● fal out to be in winter , so that you cannot get the hearbs , then take the water of them hearbs distil'd , of each spoonfuls , and vse it as before . for costiuents . for extreame costiuenesse , or binding in the body , so as a man cannot auoid his excrements , take anniseedes , fennicreet , ●●nseeds , and the powder of pyonie : of each halfe an ounce , and boile them in a quart of white wine , and drinke a good draught thereof , and it wil make a man goe to the stoole orderly , and at great ease . for wormes . for wormes in the belly , either of child or man , take aloes cikatrine , as much as halfe a hazel nut , and wrap it in the pap of a roasted apple , and so let the offended party swallow it in manner of a pil fasting in the morning , or else mixe it with three or foure spoonful of muskadine , and so let the party drinke it , and it is a present cure : but if the child be either so young , or the man so weake with sicknesse , that you dare not administer any thing inwardly , then you shal dissolue your alces in the oyle of sauine , making it salue-like thick , then plaister-wise spread it vpon sheepes leather , and lay it vpon the nauil and mouth of the stomacke of the grieued party , and it wil giue him ease ; so wil also vnset leekes chopt smal and fryde with sweet butter , and then in a linnen bag apply it hot to the nauil of the grieued party . additions , 〈◊〉 the diseases 〈…〉 take a quart of red w●ne , and put to it three yolkes of egges , and a peny worth of long pepper and graines , and boyle it wel and drinke it as hot as can be suffered , or otherwise take an ounce of the inner barke of an oake , and a peny-woorth of long pepper , and boile them in ● pint and better of new milke , and drinke it hot first and last , morning and euening . 〈…〉 take an egge and make a little hole in the top , and put out the white , the fi●●t vp againe with aquavitae , stirring the egge and aquavitae til it be hard , then let the party eate the egge and it wil cure him , or otherwise take a pint of red wine and nine yolkes of egges , and twenty pepper cornes smal beaten , let them seeth vntil they be thicke , then take it off and giue the diseased party to eate nine spoonful morning and euening . 〈◊〉 ●asie 〈◊〉 . take of rue and beets a like quantity , bruise them & take the iuyce , mixe it with clarified hony , and boyle it in red wine , and drinke it warme first and last morning and euening . 〈◊〉 two 〈…〉 . take mercury , sinkefoile , and mallowes , and when you make pottage or broth with other hearbes , let these hearbs before named , haue most strength in the pottage , and eating thereon it wil giue you two stooles and no more . 〈…〉 take two spooneful of the iuyce of iuye leaues , and drinke it three times a day , and it wil dissolue the hardnesse . against 〈…〉 . take the barkes of the rootes of the elder tree , and stampe it , and mixe it with old ale , and drinke thereof a good harty draught . 〈◊〉 the winde 〈◊〉 . take the crummes of white bread , and steepe it in milke , with allom , and adde sugar vnto it and eate it , ● it wil open the belly . for the 〈…〉 . take the kirnels of three peach stones , and bruise them , seauen cornes of case pepper , and of sliced ginger a greater quantity then of the pepper , pound all together grosly and put it into a spoonfull of ( sacke which is the best ) or else white wine or strong ale , and drinke it off in a great spoone , then fast two houres after and walke vp and downe if you can , if otherwise , keepe your selfe warme , and beware of melancholy . it may be an enemy at all times . for the rupture . take of dasies , comfrey , polpodi , of the oake and auens of each halfe a handful , two roots of osmund ▪ boile them in strong ale and hony ▪ and drinke thereof morning , noone , and night , and it will heale any reasonable rupture . or otherwise take of smallage , comfrey , setwell , polypody that growes on the ground like fearne , daisies , and mores , of each a like , stampe them very smal● , & boyle them well in barme , vntill it be thick like a pultis , and so keepe it in a close vessell , & when you haue occasion to vse it , make it as hot as the party can suffer it , and lay it to the place grieued , then with a trusse , trusse him vp close , & let him be carefull for straining of himselfe , and in a few dayes it will knit , during which cure giue him to drinke a draught of red wine , and put therein a good quantity of the flower of fetches finely boulted stirring it well together , and then fast an houre after . for the stone . for the violent paine of the stone , make a posset of milke and sacke , then take off the curd , and put a handfull of camom●ll flowers into the drinke , then put it into a pewter pot and let it stand vpon hot imbers , so that it may dissolue : and then drinke it as occasion shall serue : other for this griefe take the stone of an oxe gall , and dry it in an ouen , then beate it to pouder , and take of it the quantity of a hasill-nut with a draught of good old ale or white wine . the collicke and stone . for the collicke and stone , take hawthorne berries , the berries of sweete briars , and ashen keyes , and dry them euery one seuerally vntil you make them into pouder , then put a little quantity of euery one of them together , then if you thinke good put to it the pouder of licoras and ann●seeds , to the intent that the party may the better take it , then put in a quantity of this pouder in a draught of white wine , and drinke it fasting . otherwise you may take smallage-seede , parsey , l●uage , saxifrage , and broome seede , of each one of them a little quantity , beate them into a pouder , and when you feele a sit of ei●her of the diseases , eate of this pouder a spoonfull at a time either in pottage , or else in the broth of a chicken , and so fast two or three houres after . a pouder for the collicke and stone . to make a pouder for the collicke and stone , take fenell , parsley-seede an●seed , and carraway seede , of each the waight of sixe pence , of gromel seede sax-frage seede , the roots of filapendula , and licoras , of each the waight of twelue-pence , of gallingall ▪ spikenard , and cinamon , of each the waight of eight pence , of seena the waight of . shillings , good waight , bea●e them a●l to pouder and searce it , which will waigh in all . shillings & pence : this pouder is to be giuen in white wine and sugar in the morning fasting , & so to continue fasting two houres after ; and to take of it at one time the waight of tenne p●nce or twelue pence . another . other physitians for the stone take a quart of renish or white wine , and two limons , and pare the vpper rinde thinne , and slice them into the wine , and as much white so●pe as the waight of a groate , and boyle them to a pint , and put thereto sugar according to your discretion ; and so drinke it keeping your selfe warme in your bed , and lying vpon your backe . for the stone in the reynes . for the stone in the r●ynes , take ameos , camomill , maiden-haire , sparrow-tongue , and filapendula , of each a like quantity , dry it in an ouen , and then beate it to pouder , and euery morning drinke halfe a spoonefull thereof with a good draught of white wine , and it will helpe . for the stone in the bladder . for the stone in the bladder , take a radish-roote and slit it crosse twice , then put it into a pint of white wine , and stoppe the vessell exceeding close : then let it stand all one night , and the next morning drinke it off fasting , and thus doe diuers mornings together , & it will helpe . a pouder fo● the stone in the bladder . for the stone in the bladder take the kernells of slo●s and dry them on a tile-stone , then beate them to pouder , then take the rootes of alexanders , parsly , pellitory , and hol●hocke , of euery of their roots a like quantity , and seeth them all in white wine , or else in the broath of a young chicken : then straine them into a cleane vessell , and when you drinke of it , put into it halfe a spoonefull of the pouder of slow kernels . also if you take the oyle of scorpion , it is very good to annoint the members , & and the tender part of the belly against the bladder . a bath for the stone . to make a bath for the stone , take mallowes , holihocke , and lilly roots , and linseed , pellitory of the wall , and seeth them in the broth of a sheepes head , and bath the reynes of the backe therewith oftentimes , for it will open the straightnes of the water conduits , that the stone may haue issue , and asswage the paine , and bring out the grauell with the vrine : but yet in more effect , when a plaister is made and laid vnto the reines and belly immediately after the bathing . a water for the stone . to make a water for the stone , take a gallond of new milke of a red cow , and put therein a handfull or pellitory of the wall , and a handfull of wild time , and a handfull of saxifrage & a handfull of parsly , & two or three radish roots sliced and a quantity of philipendula roots , let them lie in the milke a night , and in the morning put the milke with the hearbs into a still , and distill them with a moderate fire of char cole or such like : then when you are to vse the water , take a draught of renish wine or white wine , and put into it fiue spoonefull of the distilled water , and a little sugar and nutmeg sliced , and then drinke of it , the next day meddle not with it , but the third day doe as you did the first day , and so euery other day for a weekes space . difficulty of vrine . for the difficulty of vrin , or hardnesse to make water , take smallage , dill , any-seeds and burnet , of each a like quantity , and dry them and beate them to fine pouder , and drinke halfe a spooefull thereof with a good draught of white wine . for hot vrine . if the vrine be hot and burning , the party shall vse euery morning to drinke a good draught of new milke and sugar mixt together , and by all meanes to abstaine from beere that is old , hard , and tart , & from all meates and sawces which are sowre and sharpe . for the strangullion . for the strangullion , take saxifrage , polipody , of the oake , the roots of beanes , and a quantity of raysins , of euery one three handfull or more , and then two gallonds of good wine , or else wine lees , and put it into a slerpentary and make thereof a good quantity , & giue the sicke to drinke morning and euening a spoonefull at once . for pissing in bed . for them that cannot hold their water in the night time , take kidds hoofe and dry it and beate it into pouder , and giue it to the patient to drinke , either in bee●● or ale foure or fiue times . for the rupture . for the rupture or bursnesse in men , take comphry and f●rn●osmund , and beate them together with yellow waxe and deares suet vntil it come vnto a salue , and then apply it vnto the broken place , and it wil knit it : also it shal good for the party to take comphry roots , and rost them in hot imbers as you rost wardens , and let the party eate them , for they are very soueraine for the rupture , especially beeing eaten in a morning fasting , and by al meanes let him weare a strong trusse til he be whole . additions , to the diseases of the reines & bladder . take goates clawes and burne them in a new earthen pot to pouder , then put of the pouder into broth or pottage and eate it therein , or otherwise take rue , parsley , and gromel , and stampe them together and mixe it with wine and drinke it . for he that can not hold his water . take agnus castus and castoreum and seeth them together in wine and drinke thereof , also seeth them in vinegar and hot lap it about the priuy parts , and it wil helpe . for the gonorea or s●e●ding of seed . take malmsey and butter , and warme it and wash the reines of the backe , whereupon you find paine , then take oyle of mace and annoynt the backe therewith . for weakenesse in the backe . first wash the reines of the backe with warme white wine , then annoynt al the backe with the ointment called perstuaneto . for heat in the r●ines . for comforting and strengthning of the backe . take a leg of beefe , a handful of fenel roots , a handful of parsley roots , two roots of comphry , one pound of raisins of the sunne , a pound of damaske prunes , and a quarter of a pound of dates , put al these together , and boile them very soft with sixe leaues of n●p , sixe leaues of clary , twelue leaues of bittany of the wood , and a little harts tongue , when they are sod very soft , take them into the same broth againe with a quart of sacke , and a penny-worth of large mace , and of this drinke at your pleasure . for the hemeroides . for the hemeroides , which is a troublesome and a sore griefe , take of d●ll , dogge-fennell , and pellitory of spaine , of each halfe a handfull , and bea●e it in a morter with sheepes suet and blacke sope till it come to a salue , and then lay it plasterwise to the sore , and it will giue the griefe ease . for the piles or hemeroids . for the piles or hemerods , take halfe a pinte of ale , and a good quantity or pepper , and as much allome as a walnut : boyle all this together till it be as thicke as birdlime or thicker , this done take the iuyce of white violets , and the iuyce of housleeke , and when it is almost cold , put in the iuice and straine them all together , and with this oyntment annoynt the sore place twice a day . otherwise for this griefe take lead and grate it small , and lay it vpon the sores : or else take muskles dried and beate to pouder , and lay it on the sores . for the falling of the fundament ▪ if a mans fundament fall downe through some cold taken or other cause , let it be forthwith put vp againe : then take the pounder of towne cresses dried , and strew it gently vpon the fundament , and annoynt the reines of the backe with hony , and then about it strew the pouder of cummin and calasine mixt together , and ease will come thereby . for the hemeroids . take a great handfull of orpyns , and bruise them betweene your hands till they be like a salue , and then lay them vpon a cloth & bind them fast to the fundament . for the greene sicknesse . to helpe the greene sicknesse , take a pottle of white wine and a handfull of rosemary , a handfull of wormewood , an ounce of cardus benedictus seed , a dramme of cl●●es : all these must be put into the white wine in a iugge , and couered very close , and let it steepe a day and a night before the party drinke of it , then let her drinke of it euery morning and two houres before supper : and to take it for a fortnight , and let her stirre as much as she can , the more the better , and as earely as she can : otherwise for this sicknesse take isop , fennell , and peny-royall , of these three one good handfull , take two ounces of currants , seeth these in a pint of faire water to the halfe , then straine the hearbs from the liquor , and put thereto two ounces of fine sugar , & two spoonefulls of white wine vinegar , let the party drinke euery morning foure spoonefulls thereof and walke vppon it . to increase a womans milke . to increase a womans milke , you shall boyle in strong posset-ale good store of colworts , and cause her to drink euery meale of the same , also if she vse to eate boyled colworts with her meate , it will wonderfully increase her milke also . to dry vp milke . to dry vp womans milke , take red sage , and hauing stampt it and strayned the iuyce from the same , adde thereunto as much wine vinegar , and stirre them well together , then warming it on a flat dish ouer a few coales steepe therein a sheete of browne paper , then making a hole in the midst thereof for the nipple of the breast to goe through , couer all the breast ouer with the paper , and remoue it as occasion shall serue , but be very carefull it be laid very hot to . some are of opinion , that for a woman to milke to her breasts vpon the earth will cause her milke to dry , but i referre it to triall . a pultus for sore breasts in women . to helpe womens sore breasts , when they are swelled or else inflamed : take violet leaues and cut them small , and seeth them in milke or running water with wheate bran , or wheate bread crummes : then lay it to the sore as hot as the party can indure it . for ease in child bearing . if a woman haue a strong and hard labour : take foure spoonefull of another womans milke , and giue it the woman to drinke in her labour , and she shal be deliuered presently . child dead in the wo●be . if a woman by mischance haue her child dead within her , she shal take vitander , felwort , and penyroyall , and stampe them , and take of each a spoonful of the iuyce , and mixe it with old wine and giue it her to drinke , and she shal soone be deliuered without danger . apur●sle to concei●e . to make a woman to conceiue , let her either drinke mugwort steeped in wine , or else the pouder thereof mix●● with wine , as shall best please her tast . additions , to 〈…〉 . take the pouder of corrall finely ground and eate it in a ●ear● egge and it will st●y the flux . to 〈◊〉 women ●●owers . against the flowers . against womens t●●mes make a pessary of the iuyce of mugwort , o● the water that it is ●●dden in and apply it ▪ but if it be for the flux● of the f●owers , take the iuyce of plantaine and drinke i●●ed wine . for the matrix . take a fomentation made of the water wherein the leaues and flowers of tu●son is sodden to drinke vp the superfl●t●es of the matrixe , it cleanseth the entrance , but this hearbe would be gathered in haruest ; if a woman haue paine in the matrixe , set on the fire water that amomum hath bin sodden in , and of the decoction make a pessary and it wil giue ease . a general●ing for a 〈◊〉 in 〈◊〉 . take two or three egges , and they must be neyther r●st nor ●aw but betweene both , and then take butter that salt 〈◊〉 came in , and put it into the egges and sup them off , and eate a peece of browne bread to them and drinke a draught of smal ale. to d●l●uer the de●d 〈◊〉 . take the root of ar●sto●ochia rotunda and boyle it in wine and oi●e ; make a fomentation thereof and it helps . to increase milke . take the buds and tender crops of briony , and boile them in broth or pottage , and let the woman eat thereof , it is soueraine . for a woman that is n●● brought in bed , and ●oundeth much . take mugwort , motherwort , and mints , the quaintity of a handful in al , seeth them together in a pint of malmsey , and giue her to drinke thereof two or three spooneful at a time , and it wil appeaseth her swounding . to prouoke sleepe . take he●bane stamped and mixt with vinegar and apply it plaister wise ouer al the forehead , and it wil cause sleepe . for s●re brests . take sage , smallage , mallowes , and plantaine , of each an handful beat them al wel in a morter , then put vnto them oatemeale and milke , and spread it on a fine linnen cloath an inch thicke , and lay it to the brest or brests , or otherwise take white bread leauen and straine it with creame , and put thereto two or three yolkes of egges , salt , oyle , or oyle of roses , and put it vpon a soft fire til it be warme , and so apply it to the brest for morphew of both kinds . for morphew , whether it be white or blacke , take of the lethargy of gold a dram , of vnwrought brimstone two drams , beate them into fine pouder , then take of the oyle of roses , and swines grease , of each a like quantity , and grind them al together with halfe a dram of camphire and a little venegar , and annoynt the same therewith morning and euening . to breed haire . to breed haire , take southern-wood and burne it to ashes , and mixe it wel with common oyle , then annoynt the bald place therewith morning and euening , and it wi● breed haire exceedingly . for the gout . for the gout , take aristolochia rotunda , althea bettony , and the rootes of wild neepe , and the rootes of the wild docke cut in peeces after the vpper rind is taken away , of each a like quantity , boyle then al in running water til they be soft and thicke : then stampe them in a morter as smal as may , and put thereto a little quantity of chimney soot , and a pint or be●ter of new milke of a cow which is all of one entire colour , and as much of the vrine of a man that is fasting , and hauing stirred them all wel together , boyle them once againe on the fire , then as hot as the party can suffer it , apply it to the grieued place , and it wil giue him ease . for the ciatica for the cyatica , take of mustard seed a good handfull , and as much in weight of hony , and as much in weight of figges , and crummes of white bread halfe so much , then with strong vinegar beate it in a morter till it come vnto a salue , then apply it vnto the grieued place , and it will giue the grieued party ease , so wil also a plaister of oxicrotium , if it be continually warme vpon the same . for any payne o● swelling , or the stinging of venemous beasts . to helpe all manner of swellings or aches , in what part of the body soeuer it be , or the stinging of any venemous beast , as adder , snake , or such like : take horehound , smallage ▪ porrets , small mallowes , and wild tansey , of each a like quantity , and bruise them or cut them small : then seeth them altogether in a pan with milke , oatemeale , and as much sheepes suet , or deares suet as an hens egge , and let it boyle till it be a thicke playster , then lay it vpon a blew woollen cloath , and lay it to the griefe as hot as one can suffer it . for swellings in the leg or feete . for any swelling in the legges or feete , take a good handful of water cresses and shread them small ▪ and put them in an earthen pot , and put thereto thicke wine lees , and wheat bran , and sheeps suet , of each of them alike quantity , and let them boile together vntill they be thicke , then take a linnen cloth bind it about the sore and swelling as hot as the party grieued can indure it , & let it remayne on a whole night , and a day without any remouing , and when you take it away lay to it a fresh plais●er , hot , as before , and it wil take away both the paine and the swelling . other surgions for this griefe take hony and beere and heat them together , and therewith bath the swelling both morning and euening . a water to wash a sore with . to wash any sore or vlcer , take running water and bolcarmoniacke and camphire , and boyle them together and dip in a cloath , and lay it to the sore as hot as may be indured , also plantaine water is good to kill the heate of any sore : or if you take woodbine leaues and bruise them smal , it wil heale a sore ; or if you wash a sore with veriuyce , that hath beene burnt or scalded , it is a present remedy . a pultis for a sore . there be diuers others which for this griefe , take the greene of goose dung and boyle it in fresh butter , then strayne it very cleane and vse it . also sallet oyle and snow water beaten together , will cure any scald or burning . for any olde sore . to cure any old sore how grieuous soeuer it be , take of new milke three quarts , a good handful of plantain and let it boile til a pint be consumed : then adde three ounces of allom made in powder , and one ounce and a halfe of white sugar candy powdered . also then let it boile a little til it haue hard curd , then straine it , with this warme wash the vlcer , and all the member about it : then dry it , and lay vpon the vlcer , vnguentum basilicon spread on lint , and your diminium plaister ouer it , for this strengthneth and killeth the itch : but if you find this is not sharpe enough , then take of milke a quart , allom in pouder two ounces , vinegar a spoonful , when the milke doth seeth , put in the allom and vinegar : then take off the curd , and vse the rest as was before said , and it wil cure it . for any scabs or itch . for scabs or itch take vnguentum populion , and therewith annoint the party and it wil helpe , but if it be more strong and ranke , take an ounce of nerue oyle , and three penyworth of quicksiluer , and beate and worke them together , vntil you see that assuredly the quicksiluer is kild , then let the party annoynte therewith the palmes of his hands , the boughs at his elbowes , his arme pits and hams , and it wil cure al his body . for the leprosie . to cure the leprosie , take the iuyce of colworts , and mixe it with allom and strong ale , and annoint the leaper therewith morning and euening , and it wil cleanse him wonderfully , especially if he be purged first , and haue some part of his corrupt blood taken away . to take away pimples . to take away either pimples from the face , or any other part of the body , take virgin wax , and sperma caeti , of each a like quantity , and boyle them together , and dip in a fine linnen cloth , and as it cooles dippe it wel of both sides , then lay it vppon another faire cloath vpon a table , and then fold vp a cloath in your hands , and al to slight it with the cloath , then take as much as wil couer the grieued place . priuy parts burnt . if any man haue his priuy parts burnt , take the ashes of a fine linnen cloath in good quantity , and put it into the former oyle of egges , and annoynt the sore member therewith , and it wil cure it . for any burning . for any burning , take sixe new layd egges and roast them very hard , and take out the yolkes thereof , & put them into an earthen pot , and set it ouer the fire on hote imbe●s , and then whilst the egges looke blacke , stirre them with a slice til they come to an oyle , which oyle take and clarifie and put into a glasse by it selfe , & therewith annoynt any burning , and it wil cure it . for any scalding . for any scalding with hot water , oile or otherwise ; take good creame , & set it on the fire , and put into it the greene which growes on a stone wal , take also yarrow , the gr●ene of elder barke and fire grasse , and chop them small , then put them into the creame , and stirre it well till it come to a oyle salue , then straine it and annoynt the sore with it . a pultis to dry a sore . to drye vp any sore , take smallage , groundsill , wild mallowes and violet leaues : chop them small and boyle them in milke with bruised oatemeale and sheepes suet , and so apply it to the sore . to eate away dead flesh . to eate away dead flesh , take stubble-wort , and fold it vp in a red docke leafe , or red wortleafe , and so rost it in the hot imbers and lay it hot to any sore , and it will fret away all the dead flesh , or otherwise , if you strew vpon the sore a little precipitate it will eate away the dead flesh . a water to heale wounds . to make a water to heale all manner of wounds , you shall take iuph-wort flowers , leaues and roots , and in march or aprill when the flowers are at the best , distill it , then with that water bath the wound , and lay a linnen cloth well therewith in the wound , and it will heale it . to heale any wound . to heale any wound or cut in any flesh or part of the body : first if it be fit to be stitcht stich it vp , and then take vnguentum aurum , and lay it vpon a pleagant of lint as bigge as the wound , and then ouer it lay a diminium plaister made of sallet oyle and red lead , and so dresse it at least once in foure and twenty houres , but if it be a hollow wound , as some thrust in the body or other members , then you shall take balsamum cephal●cum , and warming it on a chafing dish and coales , ●●p the tent therein and so put it into the wound , then lay your plaister of d●m●mum ouer it , and do thus at least once a day till it be whole . for sinewes ▪ cut or shrunke . if a mans sinewes be cut or shrunke , he shall goe to to the roote of the wild neepe which is like woodbine ▪ and make a hole in the midst of the roote , then couer it wel againe that no ayre goe out not in , nor raine , nor other moysture : thus let it abide a day and a night , then go and open it , and you shall finde therein a certayne lyquor : then take out the lyquor and put it into a cleare glasse , and doe thus euery day whilst you finde any moysture in the hole ; and this must onely bee done in the moneths of april and may : then annoynte the sore th●rewith against the fire , then wet a linnen cloath in the same lyquor , and lap it about the sore , and the ver●ue wil soone be perceiued . to breake any 〈◊〉 . to breake any impostume , and to ripe it only , take the greene mel●●●t plaister , and lay it thereunto , and it is sufficient . additions , ☞ to generall 〈◊〉 of surge●y , 〈…〉 . for bu●ning , or 〈◊〉 , with 〈…〉 . take plantaine water , or sallet oyle and running water bearen together , and therewith annoynte the sore with a feather , till the fire be taken out , then take the white of egges , and beate them to oyle , which done , take a hare skinne and clip the haire into the oyle , and make it as thicke as you may spread it vpon a fine linnen cloath , and so lay it vpon the sore , and remooue it not , vntill it be whole , and if any rise vp of it selfe , clip it away with your sheares , and if it bee not perfectly whole , then take a little of the oyntment and lay it vnto the same place againe : otherwise take halfe a bushell of glouers shreads of all sorts , and so much of running water as shal be thought conuenient to seeth them , and put thereto a good quarter of a pound of barrowes grease , and then take halfe a bushell of the doune of cats tailes , and boyle them altogether , continually stir●ing them , vntill they be sodden that they may be strayned into an earthen pot or glasse , and with it annoynt the sore . or else take of caprefollij , mouseare , ground-iuy , and hens dung of the reddest or of the yellowest , and frie them with may-butter altogether vntil it be brown , thkn straine it through a cleane cloath , and annoynt the sore therewith . for burnings o● scaldings on the ●●ce . take the middle rind of the elme tree , and lay it two or three houres in faire running water till it waxe ●opye like glew , and then annoynt the sore therewith : or otherwise , take sheepes tallow and sheepes dung , and mixe them together till they come to a salue , and then apply it to the sore . an oyntment for burning . take plantaine leaues , daisie leaues , the greene bark● of elders , and greene germaunders , stampe them altogether with fresh butter or with oyle , then straine it through a linnen cloath , and with a feather annointe the sore till it be whole . take of oyle oliue a pint , turpentine a pound , vnwrought wax halfe a pound , r●sen a quarter of a pound , sheeps suet two pound , then take of orpents , smallage , ragwort , plantaine , and sickle-wort , of each a good handful , chop all the hearbs very smal , and boile them in a pan altogether vpon a soaking fire , and stirre them exceeding much till they be wel incorporate together , then take it from the fire and straine al through a strong canuasse cloth into cleane pots or glasses , and vse it as your occasion shal serue , eyther to annoint , taint , or plaister . vlcers & sores . a salue for any old sore otherwise take poplar buds , and elder buds , stampe and straine them , then put thereto a little venice-turpentine , waxe , and rosin , and so boile them together , and therewith dresse the sore , or else ●ake two handful of plantaine leaues , bray them smal , and straine out the iuyce , then put to it as much womans milke , a spoonefull of hony , a yolke of an egge , and as much wheate flower as you thinke will bring it to a salue , then make a plaister thereof and lay it vnto the sore , renewing it once in foure and twenty houres . to take away dead flesh . take an ounce of vnguentum apostolorum , and an ounce of vnguentum aegiptiacum , and put them together in a pott being first well wrought together in a bladder , and if the flesh be weake , put to it a little fine white sugar , and therewith dresse the sore , or otherwise take onely precypitate in fine pouder , and strew it on the sore . a water for a 〈◊〉 . take a gallon of smithes sleacke water , two handfulls of sage , a pint of hony , a quart of ale , two ounces of allom , and a little white copporas , seeth them all together till halfe be consumed , then straine it , and put it into a cleane vessell , and therewith wash the sore . or otherwise take cleane running water and put therein roch allom and madder , and let them boyle till the allom and the madder be consumed , then take the clearest of the water and therewith wash the sore . or else take sage , fenell , aad sinquefoyle , of each a good handfull , boyle them in a gallond of running wat●r til they be tender , then straine the liquor from the hearbs , and put to it a quarter of a pound of roch allom , and let it seeth againe a little till the allom be melted , then take it from the fire and vse it , thus , dip lint in it warme and lay it to the sore , and if it be hollow apply more lint , then make a little bolster of linnen cloth , and wett it well in the water , then wring out the water , and so bind on the bolster close . a blacke plaiste● to heale old s●res and kil inflamation . take a pint of sallet oyle and put int● it sixe ounces of red lead , and a little ceruse or white lead , then set it ouer a gentle fire , and let it boyle a long season stirring it wel til it be stiffe , which you shal trye in this order ; let it drop from your sticke or slice vppon the bottome of a saucer , and so stand vntil it be cold , and then if it be wel boyled , it wil bee stiffe and very blacke , then take it off , and let it stand a little , and after straine it through a cloath into a bason , but first annoynt the bason with sallet oyle , and also your fingers , and so make it vp into roules plaisterwise , and spread it and apply it as occasion shal serue . an oyntment to 〈…〉 . take mallowes and beetes , and seeth them in water , then drye away the water from them , and beate the hearbs wel with old boares grease , and so apply it vnto the appostume hot . for the stinging o● any ●●der or venemous thing . take a handful of rue and stampe it with rusty bacon til it come to a perfect salue , and therewith dresse the sore til it be whole . for any venoming . if the party be outwardly venomed , take sage and bruise it wel and apply it vnto the sore , renewing it at least twice a day , but if it be inwardly , then let the party drinke the iuyce of sage eyther in wine or ale morning and euening . for a ringworme . take selladine early in the morning , and bruise it wel , and then apply it to the sore , and renewing it twice or thrice a day . for the itch . take of campheire one dramme , of quicksiluer foure penny-worth killed wel with vinegar , then mixe it with two penny-worth of oyle de bay , and therwith annoynt the body . or otherwise take red onions and seeth them in running water a good while , then bruise the onions smal , and with the water they were sodden in , straine them in , then wash the infected place with the same . for the dryed s●abbe . take a great quantity of the hearbe bennet , and as much of red nettles , pound them well and straine them , and with the iuyce wash the patient naked before the fire , and so let it drinke in and wash him againe , and doe so diuers dayes till he be whole . to kill the itch 〈…〉 . take a penyworth of white copperas , and as much greene copperas , a quarter of an ounce of white mercury , a ha●fe peny-worth of allom and burne it , and set all ouer the fire with a pint of faire water , and a quarter of a pint of wine vinegar , boyle all these together till they come to halfe a pint , & then annoint the ●ore therewith . to take away the 〈◊〉 of the ●mal poxe . take barrowes grease a pretty quantity , and take an apple & pare it and take the chore cleane out , then chop your apple and your barrowes grease together , and set it ouer the fire that it may melt but not boyle , then take it from the fire , and put thereto a pretty quantity of rose water and stirre all together till it be cold , and keepe it in a cleane vessell , and then annoynt the face therewith . for the french or spanish pox . take quicksiluer and kill it with fasting spittle , then take verdigrease , arabecke , turpentine , oyle oliue , and populion , and mixe them together to one entire oyntment , and anoynt the sores therewith , & keepe the party exceeding warme . or otherwise , take of allom burned , of rossin , frankensence , populion , oyle of roses , oyle de bay , oyle olyue , greene copperas , verdigrease , white lead , mercury subl●mate of each a pretty quantity but of allome most , then beate to pouder the symples that are hard , and melt your oyles , and cast in your pouders and stirre al wel together , then strayne them through a cloth , and apply it warme to the sores ; or else take of c●pons grease that hath toucht no water , the iuice of rue and the fine pouder of pepper , and mixe them together to an oyntment , and apply it round about the sores , but let it not come into the sores , and it will dry them vp . to put out the french or spanish poxe . take of treakle halfe pennyworth , of long pepper as much , and of graynes as much , a little ginger , and a little quantity of licoras , warme them with strong ale , and let the party drinke it off , and lie downe in his bed and take a good sweate : and then when the sores arise , vse some of the oyntment before rehearsed . to make the scabs of the french pox to fall away . take the iuyce of red fennell , and the iuyce of sen greene and stone hony , and mixe them very well together till it be thicke , and with it annoynt the party , but before you doe annoynt him you shall make this water . take sage & seeth it in very faire water from a gallond to a pottle , and put therein a quantity of hony and some allom , and let them boyle a little together ; when you haue strained the hearbs from the water , then put in your hony and your allom , and therewith wash the poxe first , and let it dry in well , and then lay on the aforesayd oyntment . a deffensitiue for a greene wound . take the oyle of the white of an egge , wheate-flower , a little hony and venice turpentine , take and stirre all these together , and so vse it about the wound but not within , & if the wound do bleed , then adde to this salue a little quantity of bolearmonyak . a salue for a greene wound . take apoponax and galbanum , of each an ounce , ammonianum , and be●lynd of each two ounces , of lethargy of gold one pound and a halfe , new waxe halfe a pound , lapis calamniar●s one ounce , turpentine foure ounces , myrrh two ounces , oyle de bay one ounce , thusse one ounce , aristolochia-roots two ounces , oyle of roses two ounces , sa●et oyle two pound , all the hard symples must bee beaten to fine powder and sea●s●ed , take also three pints of right wine vinegar , and put your foure gummes into the vinegar a whole day before , till the gummes be dissolued , then set it ouer the fire and let it boile very softly vntil your vinegar bee as good as boiled away , then take an earthen pot with a wide mouth , and put your oyle in and your waxe , but your waxe must be scraped before you put it in , then by a little at o●ce put in your lethargy and stir it exceedingly , then put in all your gummes and all the rest , but let your turpentine be last , and so let it boile till you see it grow to be thicke , then poure it into a bason of water ▪ and worke it with oyle of roses for sticking vnto your hands , and make it vp in ●oules plaisterwise , and here is to be noted , t●at your oyle of roses must not be boyled with the rest , but after it is taken from the fire a little before the turpentine . a water to heal an greene wound , cut , or ●ore . take three good handfull of sage , and as much of honi-suckle leaues and the flowers cleane picked , then take one pound of roch allome , and a quarter of a pound of right english honey clarified , halfe a penny-woorth of graines , and two gallonds of running water , then put all the sayd things into the water , and let them seeth til halfe be consumed , then take it from the fire til it be almost cold , and strayne it through a cleane cloath , and put it vp in a glasse , and then eyther on taint or pleagant vse it as you haue occasion . t● staunch b●●●d , & draw 〈◊〉 together take a quart of rie flower and temper it with running water , and make dough thereof , then according to the bignesse of the wound lay it in with the deffensitiue plaister , before rehearsed , ouer it , and euery dressing make it lesse and lesse till the wound be closed . a 〈◊〉 oyle for sh●inking of sinewes . take a quart of neates foot oyle , a quart of oxegals , a quart of aquauitae , and a quart of rose water , a handfull of rosemary strypt , and boyle all these together till halfe be consumed , then presse and strayne it , and vse it according as you find occasion . for a wound in the gu●s . take hony , pitch and butter , and seeth them together , and annoynt the hurt against the fire , and tent the sore with the same . for pricking with a thorn● . take grounsell and stampe it , and seeth it with sweet milke till it be thicke , then temper it with blacke sope and lay it to the sore . to gather flesh in wounds . take rosin a quarter of a pound , of waxe three ounces , of oyle of roses one ounce and a halfe , seeth all them together in a pint of white wine till it come to skimming , then take it from the fire and put thereto two ounces of venice turpentine , & apply it two the wound or sore . additions , for ach or swellings . for the cyatyca . take mustard made with strong vinegar , the crums of browne bread , with a quantity of hony and sixe figgs minxt , temper all together well and lay it vpon a cloth plaisterwise , put a thinne cloath betweene the plaister and the flesh and lay it to the place grieued as oft as need requires . a yellow 〈◊〉 cloth for a● paine or s●●lling . take a pound of fine rozin , of oyle de bay two ounces , of populion as much , of frankensence halfe a pound , of oyle of spyke two ounces , of oyle camomile two ounces , of oyle of roses two ounces , of waxe halfe a pound , of turpentine a quarter of a pound , melt them and stirre them well together and then dip linnen clothes therein , and apply the seare cloath as you shall haue occasion , & note the more oyle you vse , the more supler the feare cloath ●s , and the lesse oyle the stiffer it will be . for bruises swelled . take a little blacke sope , salt and hony , and beate them well together , and spread it on a browne paper and apply it to the bruise . for swelled leg● . take mallowes and seeth them in the dregges of good ale or milke , and make a plaister thereof , and apply it to the place swelled . for any ache . take in the moneth of may , henbane , and bruise it wel and put it into an earthen po● and put thereto a pint of sallet oyle and set it in the sunne til it be all one substance , then annoynt the ache therewith . ☞ a playster for any paine in the ioynts . take halfe a pound of vnwrought wax , as much rosin , one ounce of galbanum , a quarter of a pound of lethargy of gold , three quarters of white leade , beaten to pouder and ●earst , then take a pint of neates foot oile , and set it on the fire in a smal vessel which may containe the rest , and when it is all moulten , then put in the pouders and stirre it fast with a flice , and trye it vppon the bottome of a saucer , when it beginneth to be somewhat hard , then take it from the fire , and annoynt a faire boord with neates foote oyle , and as you may handle it for heate , worke it vp in roules , and it wil keepe fiue or sixe yeares , being wrapped vp close in papers , and when you wil vse it , spread of it thin vpon new lockram or leather somewhat bigger then the griefe , and so if the griefe remooue follow it , renewing it morning and euening , and let it be somewhat warme when it is layd on , and beware of taking cold , and drinking hot wines . additions , to 〈◊〉 in the bones . for bones out o● ioynt , or sinnewes sprung or strained . take foure or fiue yolkes of egges , hard sodden or rosted , and take the branches of great morrel , and the berries in summer , and in winter the rootes , and bray all wel together in a morter with sheeps milke , and then f●ye it vntil it bee very thicke , and so make a plaister thereof , and lay it about the sore , and it wil take away both paine and swelling . a bath for broken ioynts . take a gallond of standing lye , put to it of plantain and knot-grasse , of each two handful , of worme-wood , and comfrey , of each a handful , and boile all these together in the lye a good while , and when it is luke warme bath the broken member therewith , and take the buds of elder gathered in march , and stripped downeward and a little boyle them in water , then eate them in oyle and very little wine vinegar , a good quantity at a time in the morning euer before meat , or an houre before the patient go to dinner , and it much auailes to the knitting of bones . ☜ a general bath for clearing the skin , and comforting the body . take rosemary , fetherfew , orgaine , pellitory of the wall , fennell , mallowes , violet leaues , and nettles , boyle all these together , and when it is wel sodden put to it two or three gallonds of milke , then let the party stand or sit in it an houre or two , the bath reaching vp to the stomacke , and when they come out they must go to bed and sweat , beware taking of cold . a soueraine help for broken bone● . make a plaister of wheat flower and the whits of egges and spread it on a double linnen cloth , and lay the plaister on an euen board , and lay the broken limbe thereon , and set it euen according to nature , and lap the plaister about it and splint it , and giue him to drinke knitwort the iuyce thereof twice and no more , for the third time it wil vnknit , but giue him to drinke nine dayes each day twice the iuyce of comfrey , daisies and osmund in stale ale and it shal knit it , and let the fore-said playster lye to , ten dayes at the least , and when you take it away do thus , take hore-hound , red fennel , hounds tong , wal-wort , and pelitory , and seeth them , then vnroule the member and take away the splints and then bath the linnen and the plaister about the member in this bath , vntil it haue soa●t so long that it come gently away of it ●e●fe , then take the afore sayd plaister and lay thereto fiue or sixe daies very hot , and let each plaister lye a day and a night and alwayes splint it wel , and after cherish it with the oyntments before rehearsed , for broken bones , and keep the party from vnwholsome meats and drinks til he be who●e , and if the hurt be on his arme let him beare a bal of greene hearbs in his hand to preuent the shrinking of the hand and sinewes . for any feuer . take sage , ragwort , yarrow , vnset le●kes of each a like quantity , stamp them with bay salt and app●y them to the wrests of the hands . to expel heate in a feuer . blanch almonds in the cold water , and make milke of them ( but it must not seeth ) then put to it sugar , and in the extremity of heat , see that you drinke thereof . the royall medicine for feuers . take three spooneful of ale and a little saffron , and bruise and straine it thereto , then adde a quarter of a spoonful of fine treacle and mixt altogether , and drinke it when the fit comes . another . take two roots of crow-foot that growes in a marsh ground , which haue no little rootes about them , to the number of twenty or more , and a little of the earth that is about them , and do not wash them , and adde a little quantity of salt , and mixe all wel together , and lay it on linnen cloathes , and bind it about your thumbs betwixt the first and the neather ioynt , and let it lie nine daies vnremooued , and it wil expel the feuer . an approoued medicine for the greatest laske or flixe . ☞ take a right pomwater the greatest you can get , or else two little ones , roast them very tender to pap , then take away the skinne and the core and vse only the pap , and the like quantity of chalke finely scraped , mix them both together vppon a trencher before the fire , and worke them wel to a plaister , then spread it vppon a linnen cloth warmed very hot as may be suffered , and so bind it vnto the nauill for twenty foure houres , vse this medicine twice or thrice or more , vntil the laske bee stayed . of oyle of swallowes . to make the oyle of swallowes , take lauendar cotton , sp●ke , knot grasse , r●bwort , balme , valerian , rosemary tops , woodbine tops , vine strings , french mallows , the tops of alecost , strawberry strings , tu●san , plantain , walnut tree leaues , the tops of young baies , isop , violet leaues , sage of vertue , fine roman wormwood , of each of them a handful , cammomile and red roses , of each two handful , twenty quicke swallowes , and beate them altogether in a great morter , and put to them a quart of neats foot oile , or may butter , and grind them all well together with two ounces of cloues wel beaten , then put them altogether in an earthen pot , and stop it very close that no ayre come into it , and set it nine dayes in a seller or cold place , then open your pot and put into it halfe a pound of white or yellow waxe cut very smal , & a pint of oyle or butter , then set your pot close stopped into a pan of water , and let it boile sixe or eight houres , and then straine it : this oyle is exceeding soueraine for any broken bones , bones out of ioynt , or any paine or griefe eyther in the bones or sinewes . to make oyle of camomile . to make oyle of camomile , take a quart of sallet oyle and put it into a glasse , then take a handful of camomile and bruise it , and put it into the oyle , and let them stand in the same twelue daies , onely you must shift it euery three dayes , that is to straine it from the old camomile , and put in as much of new , and that oile is very soueraine for any griefe proceeding from cold causes . to make oyle of lauender . to make oyle of lauender , take a pint of sallet oyle and put it into a glasse , then put to it a handfull of lauender , and let it stand in the same twelue dayes , and vse it in all respects as you did your oyle of cammomile . to make smooth hands . to make an oyle which shall make the skinne of the hands very smooth , take almonds and beate them to oyle , then take whole cloues and put them both together into a glasse , & set it in the sunne fiue or sixe dayes , then strayne it , and with the same annoynt your hands euery night when you goe to bed , otherwise as you haue conuenient leasure . to make dr. steuens water . to make that soueraigne water which was first inuented by doctor steuens , in the same forme as he deliuered the receite to the arch-bishop of canturbury , a little before the death of the sayd doctor . take a gallond of good gascoyne wine , then take ginger , galingale , cinamon , nutmegs , graines , cloues , bruised , fennell-seeds carraway-seeds , origanum ; of euery of them a like quantity , that is to say a dramme : then take sage , wild marioram , p●ny-royall , mints , red roses , time , pellitory , rosemary , wild time , commomill , lauender , of each of them a handfull , then bray the spices smal , & bruise the hearbs & put all into the wine , and let it stand so twelue houres , only stirre it diuers times , then distill it by a lymbecke , and keepe the first water by it selfe for that is the best , then keepe the second water for that is good , & for the last neglect it not , for it is very wholesome though the worst of the three . now for the vertue of this water it is this , it comforteth the spirits & vitall parts , & helpeth all inward diseases that commeth of co●d , it is good against the shaking of the palsie , & cureth the contraction of sinews , & helpeth the conception of women that be barraine , it killeth the wormes in the body , it cureth the cold cough , it helpeth the tooth-ach , it comforteth the stomack , and cureth the old dropsy , it helpeth the stone in the bladder and in the reines , it helpeth a stinking breath : and whosoeuer vseth this water moderately & not too often , preserueth him in good liking , and will make him seeme young in old age . with this water docter steuens preserued his owne life vntill such extreame age , that he could neither goe nor ride , & he continued his life being bed rid fiue yeeres , when other physitions did iudge he could not liue one yeere , when he did confesse a little before his death ; saying : that if he were sicke at any time , he neuer vsed any thing but this water only ; and also the archbishop of canterbury vsed it , and found such goodnes in it that he liued till he was not able to drinke of a cup , but sucked his drinke through a hollow pipe of siluer . this water will bee much the better if it be set in the sunne . a restoratiue of rosasolis . to make a cordial rosasolis , take rosasolis , & in any wise touch not the leaues thereof in the gathering , nor wash it ; take thereof foure good handfuls , then take two good pints of aquauitae , and put them both in a glasse or pewter pot of three or foure pints , and then stop the same hard and iust , and so let it stand three dayes and three nights , and the third day straine it through a clean cloth into another glasse or pewter pot , and put thereto halfe a pound of sugar beaten small , foure ounces of fine licoras beaten into powder , halfe a pound of sound dates the stones being taken out , and cut them & make them cleane , and then mince them small , and mixe all these together and stop the glasse or pot close & iust , and after distill it through a lymbecke , then drink of it at night to bedward halfe a spoonefull with ale or beere , but ale is the better , as much in the morning fasting for there is not the weakest body in the world that wanteth nature or strength , or that is in a consumption , but it will restore him againe , and cause him to be strong & lusty , and to haue maruailous hungry stomacke , prouided alwaies that this rosasolis be gathered ( as you possibly you can ) at the full of the moone when the sun shineth before noone , and let the roots of them be cut away . additions , to the oyles . to make oyle of ro●es or viol●ts . take the flowers of roses or violets and breake them small and put them into sallet oyle , and let them stand in the same tenne or twelue daies , and then presse it . or otherwise take a quart of oyle olyue , and put thereto sixe spoonefuls of cleane water , and stirre it well with a slice , till it waxe as white as milke , then take two pound of red rose leaues and cut the white of the ends of the leaues away , and put the roses into the oyle , and then put it into a double glasse and set it in the sunne all the summer time , and it is soueraine for any scalding or burning with water or oyle . or els take red roses new plucked a pound or two , and c●t the white ends of the leaues away , then take may butter and melt it ouer the fire with two pound of oyle olyue , and when it is clarified put in your roses and put it all in a vessell of glasse or of earth , and stop it well aout that no ayre enter in nor out , and set it in another vessell with water and let it boyle halfe a day or more , and then take it forth and straine or presse it through a cloth , and put it into glasse bottells , this is , good for all manner of vnkind heates . to make oyle of nutmegges . take two or three pound of nutmegs and cut them small and bruise them well , then put them into a pan and beate them and stirre them about , which done , put them into a canuasse o● strong linnen bagge , and close them in a presse and presse them , and get out al the lyquor of them which wil be like manna , then scrape it from the canuas bagge as much as you can with a knife , then put it into some vessel of glasse and stoppe it wel , but set it not in the sun for it wil waxe cleane of it selfe within ten or fifteene dayes , and it is woorth thrice so much as the nutmegges themselues , and the oyle hath very great vertue in comforting the stomack and inward parts , and asswaging the paine of the mother & cyatica . to make perfect oyle of spike . take the flowers of spike , and wash them only in oile oliue , and then stamp them wel , then put them in a canuasse bagge , and presse them in a presse as hard as you can , and take that which commeth out carefully , and put it into a strong vessel of glasse , and set it not in the sun , for it wil cleare of it selfe , and waxe faire and bright , and wil haue a very sharpe odor of the spike ; and thus you may make oyle of other hearbs of like nature , as lauender , camomile and such like . to make oyle of masticke . take an ounce of mastick , and an ounce of olibanum pounded as smal as is possible , and boyle them in oyle oliue ( a quart ) to a third part , then presse it and put it into a glasse , and after ten or twelue dayes it wil be perfect : it is exceeding good for any cold griefe . thus hauing in a summary manner passed ouer al the most physical and chyrurgical notes which burtheneth the mind of our english house-wife , being as much as is needful for the preseruation of the health of her family : and hauing in this chapter shewed al the inward vertues wherewith she should be adorned . i wil now returne vnto her more outward and actiue knowledges , wherein albeit the mind be as much occupied as before : yet is the body a great deale more in vse : neyther can the worke be wel affected by rule or direction . the english houswifes skill in cookery . chap. . of the outward and actiue knowledge of the housewife ; and of her skill in cookery ; as sallets of all sorts , with flesh , fish , sauces , pastry , banquetting-stuffe and ordering of great feasts . to speake then of the outward and actiue knowledges which belong vnto our english hous-wife , i hold the first and most principal to be a perfect skill and knowledge in cookery , together with al the secrets belonging to the same , because it is a duty rarely belonging to a woman ; and she that is vtterly ignorant therein , may not by the lawes of strict iustice challenge the freedome of marriage , because indeede she can then but performe halfe her vow ; for shee may loue and obey , but she cannot cherish , serue , and keepe him with that true duty which is euer expected . she must know all hearbes . to proceede then to this knowledg of cookery , you shal vnderstand , that the first steppe thereunto is , to haue knowledge of all sorts of hearbes belonging vnto the kitchin , whether they be for the pot , for sallets , for sauces , for seruings , or for any other seasoning , or adorning : which skill of knowledge of the hearbes , shee must get by her owne true labour and experience , and not by my relation , would be much too tedious , & for the vse of them , he shall see it in the composition of dishes & meates here after following she shal also know the time of the yeere , moneth and moone , in which all hearbs are to be sowne ; and when they are in their best flourishing , that gathering all hearbs in their height of goodnesse , shee may haue the prime vse of the same . and because i will inable , and not burden her memory , i will here giue her a short epitomie of all that knowledge . her skill in the garden . first then , let our english hous-wife know , that she may at al times of the moneth and moone , generally sow asparagus , colworts , spinage , lettice , parsnips , radish , and chiues . in february , in the new of the moone , she may sow spyke , garlicke , borage , buglose , cheruyle , coriander , gourds , cresses , mario●am , falma christi , flower gentle , white poppy , purslan , radish , rocket , rosemary , sorrell , double marigolds and time. the moone full shee may sow annisseeds musked , violets , bleets , skirrits , white succory , fennell , and parsly . the moone old , sow holy thystell , cole cabadge , white cole , greene cole , cucumbers , harts-horne , diers graine , cabadge , lettice , mellons , onions , parsnips , larkes heele , burnat and leekes . in march the moone new , sow garicke , borrage , buglosse , cheruile , coriander , gourds , marioram , white poppy , purslan , radish , sorrel , double marigolds , time , violets . at the full moone ; aniseeds , bleets , skirrets , succory , fennell , apples of loue , and marueilous apples . at the wane ; artichocks , bassil , blessed thistle , cole cabadg , white cole , greene cole , citrons , cucumbers , harts-horne , samphire , spinage , gilliflowers , isop , cabadge , lettice , mellons , mugrets , onions , flower gentil , burnet , leeks , and sauory . in may , the moone old , sow blessed thistle . in iune , the moone new , sow gourds and radishes . the moone old , sow cucumbers , mellons , parsnips . in iuly , the moone at ful , sow white succory ; and the moone old , sow cabadge , lettice . lastly , in august , the moone at the ful , sow white succory . tran●planting of hearbes . also she must know , that hearbs growing of seeds , may be transplanted at al times , except cheruile , arage , spinage , and pseley , which are not good being once transplanted , obseruing euer to transplant in moyste and rainy weather . choise of seeds also she must know , that the choice of seeds are twofold , of which some grow best , being n●w , as cucumbers and leekes , and some being old as coriander , parsley , sauory , beets , origan , cresses , spinage and poppy , you must keep cold lettice , artichokes , basil , holy thistle , cabadge , cole , dyers graine , and mellons , fifteene dayes after they put foorth of the earth . prosperity of 〈◊〉 . also seedes prosper better being sowne in temperate weather , then in hot , cold , or dry dayes . in the moneth of april , the moone being new , sow marioram flowers-gentle , time , violets : in the ful of the moone , apples of loue , and maruailous apples : and in the wane , artichokes , holy thistle , cabadge , cole , citrons , harts-horne , samphire , gilliflowers , and parsnips . gathering of 〈◊〉 seeds must be gathered in faire weather , at the wane of the moone , and kept some in boxes of wood , some in bagges of leather , and some in vessels of earth , and after to be wel cleansed and dryed in the sunne or shadow : othersome , as onions , chib●ls , and leekes , must be kept in then huskes . lastly , she must know , that it is best to plant in the last quarter of the moone ; to gather grafts in the last but one , and to graft two dayes after the change , and thus much for her knowledge briefly of hearbs , and how he shall haue them continually for her vse in the kitchin. of cookery and the p●rts thereof . it resteth now that i proceede vnto cookerie it selfe , which is the dressing and ordering of meate , in good and wholesome manner , to which , when our hous●wife shall addresse her selfe , she shall well vnderstand , that these qualities must euer accompany it : first , shee must bee cleanly both in body and garments , shee must haue a quicke eye , a curious nose , a perfect taste , and ready eate ( shee must not be butter-fingred , sweete-toothed , not faint-hearted ; ) for , the first will let euery thing fall , the second will consume what it should increase , and the last will loose time with too much nicenesse . now for the substance of the art it selfe , i will diuide it into fiue parts , the first , sallats and fricases ; the second , boyled meates and broaths ; the third , roast meates , and carbonados , the fourth , bak't meates and pies ; and the fith , b●nqueting and made dishes , with other conceites and secrets . of sallats . simple sallats . first then to speake of sallats , there be some simple , and some compounded ; some onely to furnish out the table , and some both for vse and adornation : your simple sallats are chibols pilled , washe cleane , and halfe of the greene tops cut cleane away , so serued on a fruit dish , o● chines , sealions , radish-roots , boyled carrets , ski●●ets , and tu●neps , with such like serued vp simply : also , all young lettice , cabage-letuce , po●sian , and diuers other hearbs which may be serued simply without any thing , but a little vinegar , sallet-oyle , and sugar : onions boyled , and stript from their rind , and serued vp with vinegar , oyle & pepper is a good simple sallat , so is samphire , beane cods , sparagus , and cucumbers , serued in likewise with oyle , vinegar and pepper , with a world of others , too tedious to nominate . of compound sall●ts . your compound sallats , are first the young buds and knots of all manner of wholesome hearbs at their first springing ; as red-sage , mints , lettice , violets , marigolds , spinage , and many other mixed together , and then serued vp to the table with vinegar , sallet oyle and sugar . ☞ an the● compound sallet . to compound an excellent sallat , and which indeed is vsuall at great feasts , and vppon princes tables : take a good quantity of blancht almonds , and with your shredding knife cut them grossely ; then take as many raisins of the sunne cleane washt , and the stones pickt out , as many figsthred like the almonds , as many capers , twice so many olyues , and as many currants as of all the rest cleane washt : a good handfull of the small tender leaues of red sage and spinage : mixe all these well together with good store of sugar , and lay them in the bottome of a great dish ; then put vnto them vinegar and oyle , and scrape more sugar ouer all : then take orenges and lemons , and paring away the outward pi●les , cut them into thinne slices , then with those slices couer the sallet all ouer ; which done , take the fine thinne leafe of the red coleflower , and with them couer the orenges and lemons all ouer ; then ouer chose red leaues lay another course of old o●●ues , and the slices of wel pickled cucumbers , together with the very inward heart of your cabbage le●t●ee cut into sl●ces ; then ado●ne the sides of the dish , and the top of the sallet with mo slices of lemons and orenges , and so serue it vp . an excellent boiled sallet . to make an excellent compound boild sallat : take of spinage well washt , two or three handfulls , and put it into faire water , and boile it till it be exceeding soft , & tender as pap ; then put it into a cullander and draine the water from it , which done , with the backside of your chopping-knife chop it , and bruise it as small as may be : then put into a pipkin with a good lumpe of sweete butter , and boile it ouer againe ; then take a good handfull of currants cleane washt , and put to it , & stirre them well together ; then put to as much vinegar as will make it reasonable tart , and then with sugar season it according to the taste of the master of the house , and so serue it vppon sippets . of preseruing of sallets . your preserued sallats are of two kinds , either pickled , as are cucumbers , samphire , purslan , broome , and such like , or preserued with vinegar ; as violets , primrose , cowslops , gillyflowers of all kindes , broome-flowers , and for the most part any wholesome flower whatsoeuer . now for the picking of sallats , they are only boiled , and then drained from the water , spread vpon a table , and good store of salt throwne ouer them , then when they are thorow cold , make a pickle with water , salt , and a little vinegar , and with the same pot them vp in close earthen pots , and serue them forth as occasion shall serue . ☜ now for preseruing sallats , you shall take any of the flowers before-sayd after they haue beene pickt cleane from their stalkes , and the white ends ( of them which haue any ) cleane cut ●way , and washt and dryed , and taking a g●asse-pot like a gally-pot , or for want thereof a gally-pot it selfe ; and first strew a little sugar in the bottome , then lay a layer of the flowers , then couer that layer ouer with sugar , then lay another layer of the flowers , and another of sugar ; and thus do one aboue another till the pot be filled , euer and anon pressing them hard downe with your hand : this done , you shall take of the best and ●arpest vinegar you can get ( & if the vinegar ●e distilled vinegar , the flowers will keepe their colours the better ) and with it fill vp your pot till the vinegar swim aloft , and no more can be receiued ; then stop vp the pot close , & set them in a dry temperate place , and vse them at pleasure , for they will last all the yeere . ●he making of ●●ange sallats now for the compounding of sallats of these pickled and preserued thinges , though they may be serued vp simply of themselues , and are both good and daintie ; yet for better curiosity , and the finer adorning of the table , you shall thus vse them : first , if you would set forth any red flower that you know or haue seene , you shall take your pots of preserued gilliflowers , and suting the colours answerable to the flower you shall proportion it forth , and lay the shape of the flower in a fruit-dish ; then with your pursl●n leaues make the greene cossin of the flower , and with the purslan stalkes , make the stalke of the flower , and the diuisions of the leaues and branches ; then with the thinne slices of cucumbers make their leaues in true proportions , ●agged or otherwise : and thus you may set forth some full blowne , some halfe blowne , and some in the bud , which will be pretty and curious and if you will set forth yellow flowers , take the pots of primroses and cowslops , if blew flowers , then the pots of violets , or baglosse flowers , and these sallats are both for shew and vse ; for they are more excellent for taste then for to looke on . sallats for shew onely . now for sallets for shew only , and the adorning and setting out of a table with numbers of dishes , they be those which are made of carret rootes of sundrye colours well boiled , and cut out into many shapes and proportions , as some into knots , some in the manner of scutchions and armes , some like birds , nnd some like wild beasts , according to the art and cunning of the workman ; and these for the most part are seasoned with vinegar , oyle , and a little pepper . a world of other sallets there are , which time and experience may bring to our hous w●fes eye , but the composition of them , and the seruing of them differeth nothing from these already rehearsed . of fricase , and quelque ch●ses . now to proceed to your fricases , or quelque choses , which are dishes of many compositions , and ingredients ; as flesh , fish , egges , hearbs , and many other thinges , all being prepared and made ready in a frying pan , they are likewise of two sorts , simple and compound . of simple fricases . your simple fricases are egges and collops fried , whether the collops be of bacon , ling , beefe , or young porke , the frying whereof is so ordinary , that it needeth not any relation , or the frying of any flesh or fish simple of it selfe with butter or sweete oyle . best collops and egges . to haue the best collops and egges , you shall take the whitest and youngest bacon , and cutting away the sward , cut the collops into thin slices , lay them in a dish , and put hot water vnto them , and so let them stand an houre or two , for that will take away the extreame saltnesse ▪ then draine away the water cleane , and put them into a drie pewter dish , and lay them one by one , and set them before the heate of the fire , so as they may toaste and turne them so , as they may toast sufficiently thorow and thorow : which done , take your egges and breake them into a dish , and put a spooneful of vinegar vnto them : then set on a cleane skillet with faire water on the fire , and as soone as the water boyleth put in the egges , and let them take a boile or two , then with a spoone trie if they bee hard enough , and then take them vp , and trim them , and dry them ; and then dishing vp the collops , lay the egges vpon them , and so serue them vp : and in this sort you may potch egges when you please , for it is the best and most wholsome . of the compound ●ricases . now the compound fricases are those which consist of many things , as tans●●s , fritters , pancakes , and any quelque chose whatsoeuer , beeing things of great request and estimation in france , spaine , and italy , and the most curious nations . to make the best tansey . ☞ first then for making the best tansey , you shal take a certain number of egges , according to the bignesse of your frying-pan , and breake them into a dish , abating euer the white of euery third egge ; then with a spoone you shal cleanse away the little white chickin-knots which sticke vnto the yolkes ; then with a little creame beate them exceedingly together ; then take of greene wheat blades , vio●et leaues , straw-berry leaues , sp●nage , and succory , of each a like quantity , and a few walnut tree buds ; choppe and beate all these very wel , and then straine out the iuice , and mixing it with a little more cream● , put it to the egges , and stirre all wel together , then put in a few crummes of bread , fine grated bread , cynamon , nutmegge , and salt , then put some sweete butter into the frying-panne , and so soone as it is dissolued or melted , put in the tansey , and frie it browne without burning , and with a dish turne it in the panne as occasion shal serue ; then serue it vp , hauing strewed good store of suger vppon it , for to put in suger before wil make it heauy : some vse to put of the hearbe tansey into it , but the walnut tree buds do giue the better taste or rellish ; and therefore when you please for to vse the one , doe not vse the other . the best fritters . to make the best fritters , take a pint of creame and warme it : then take eight egges , onely abate foure of the whites , and beate them wel in a dish , and so mixe them with the creame , then put in a little cloues , mace nutmegge and saftron , and stirre them wel together : then put in two spoonful of the best ale-ba●me , and a little salt , and stirre it againe : then make it thicke according vnto your pleasure with wheate flower : which done , set it within the aire of the fire , that it may rise and swel , which when it doth , you shall beate it in once or twice , then put into it a penny pot of sacke : al this being done , you shal take a pound or two of very sweet seame , and put it into a panne , and set it ouer the fire , and when it is moulten and beginnes to bubble , you shal take the fritter-batter , and setting it by you , put thick slices of wel-pared apples into the batter ; and then taking the apples and batter out together with a spoone , put it into the boiling seame , and boile your fritters crispe and browne : and when you finde the strength of your seame consume or decay , you shall renew it with more seame , and of all sorts of seame , that which is made of the beefe-su●t is the best and strongest : when your fritters are made , strow good store of suger and cinamon vpon them , being faire disht , and so serue them vp . the best pancakes . to make the best pancake , take two or three egges , and breake them into a dish , and beate them well : then adde vnto them a pretty quantity of fair running water , and beate all well together : then put in cloues mace , cinamon , and nutmeg , and season it with salt : which done , make it thicke as you thinke good with fine wheate-flower : then file the cakes as thinne as may be with sweete butter , or sweete seame , and make them browne , and so serue them vp with sugar strowed vpon them . there be some which mixe pancakes with new milke or creame , but that makes them tough , cloying , and not crispe , pleasant and sauory as running water . veale toasts . to make the best veale tosts ; take the kidney fat , & all of a loyne of veale tosted , and shred as small as is possible ; then take a couple of egges and beate them very well ; which done , take spinage , succory , violet-leaues , and marigold-leaues , and beate them , and straine out the iuyce , and mixe it with the egges : then put it to your veale , and stirre it exceedingly well in a dish ; then put to good store of currance cleane washt and pickt , cloues , mace , sinamon , nutmegge , sugar and salt , and mixe them all perfectly well together : then take a manchet and cut it into tosts , and tost them well before the fire ; then with a spoone lay vpon the tost in a good thicknesse the veale , prepared as beforesayd : which done , put into your frying pan good store of sweete butter , and when it is well melted and very hot , put your tostes into the same with the bread side vpward , and the flesh side downeward : and assoone as you see they are fryed browne , lay vpon the vpper-side of the tostes which are bare more of the flesh meate , and then turne them , and frie that side browne also : then take them out of the pan and dish them vp , and strow sugar vpon them , and so serue them forth . there be some cookes which will do this but vpon one side of the tostes , but to do it on both is much better ; if you adde creame it is not amisse . to make the best panperdy . to make the best panperdy , take a dozen egges , & breake them , and beate them very well , then put vnto them cloues , mace , cinamon , nutmeg , and good store of sugar , with as much salt as shall season it : then take a manchet , and cut it into thicke slices like tostes ; which done , take your frying pan , and put into it good store of sweete butter , and being melted lay in your slices of bread , then powre vpon them one halfe of your egges ▪ then when that is fryed , with a dish turne your slices of bread vpward , and then powre on them the other halfe of your egges , & so turne them till both sides be browne , then dish i● vp , and serue it with sugar strowed vpon it . to make any quelquechose . to make a quelquechose , which is a mixture of many things together ; take the egges and breake them , & do away the one halfe of the whites , and after they are beaten put them to a good quantity of sweete creame , currants , cinamon , cloues , mace , salt , & a little ginger , spinage , endiue , and marigold flowers grossely chopt , and beate them all very well together ; then take piggs petitoes slic't , and grossely chopt , and mixe them with the egges , and with your hand stirre them exceeding well together ; then put sweete butter in your frying pan , and being melted , put in all the rest , and fry it browne without burning , euer and anon turning it till it be fryed enough ; then dish it vp vpon a flat plate , and so serue it forth . onely herein is to be obserued , that your pettitoes must be very well boyled before you put them into the frycase . additions , to the house-wifes cookery . and in this manner as you make this quelquechoise , so you may make any other , whether it be of flesh , smal birds , sweet roots , oysters , muskles , cockles , giblets , lemons , orenges , or any fruit , pulse , or other sallet hearb whatsoeuer , of which to speake seuerally were a labour infinite , because they vary with mens opinions only the composition and worke is no other then this before prescribed ; and who can do these , need no further instruction for the rest . and thus much for sallets and fricases . to make fritters . to make fritters another way , take flower , milke , barme , grated bread , smal raisins , cinamon , suger , cloues , mace , pepper , saffron , and salt ; stirre all these together very wel with a strong spoone , or smal ladle ; then let it stand more then a quarter of an houre that it may rise , then beate it in againe , and thus let it rise & be beate in , twice or thrice at least ▪ then take it and bake them in sweete and strong seame , as hath beene before shewed , and when they are serued vp to the table , see you strow vpon them good store of suger , cynamon , and ginger . to make the best white puddings . ☞ take a pint of the best , thickest and sweetest creame , and boile it , then whilest it is hot , put thereunto a good quantity of faire great oate-meale grotes very sweete , and cleane pickt , and formerly steept in milke twelue houres at least , and let it soake in this creame another night ; then put thereto at least eight yolkes of egges , a little pepper , cloues mace , saffron , currants , dates , suger , salt , and great store of swines suet , or for want thereof , great store of beefe suet , and then fill it vp in the farmes according vnto the order of good house-wifery , and then boile them on a soft and gentle fire , and as they swel , pricke them with a great pin , or smal awle , to keepe them that they burst not ; and when you serue them to the table ( which must be not vntil they be a day old , ) first , boile them a little , then take them out and toast them browne before the fire , & so serue them , trimming the edge of the dish eyther with salt or suger . puddings of a hogs liuer . take the liuer of a fat hogge , and parboile it , then shred it smal , and after beate it in a morter very fine ; then mixe it with the thickest and sweetest creame , and strayne it very wel through an ordinary strainer , then put thereto six yolkes of egges , and two whites , and the grated crummes of neere-hand a penny white loafe , with good store of currants , dates , cloues , mace , sugar , saffron , salt , and the best swine suet , or beefe suet , but beefe suet is the more wholsome , and lesse loosning ; then after it hath stood a while ▪ fil it into the farmes , & boile them , as before shewed : and when you serue them vnto the table , first , boile them a little , then lay them on a gridyron ouer the coales , and broi●e them gently , but scorch them not , nor in any wise breake their skinnes , which is to be preuented by oft turning and tossing them on the gridyron , and keeping a slow fire . to make bread pu●ding● ▪ take the yolkes and whites of a dozen or fourteene egges , and hauing beate them very wel , put vnto them the fine pouder of cloues , mace , nutmegges , sugar , cynamon , saffron and salt ; then take the quantity of two loaues of white grated bread , dates ( very smal shred ) and great store of currants , with good plenty eyther of sheepes , hogges , or beefe suet beaten and cut smal : then when all is mixt and stirred wel together , & hath stood a while to settle , then fil it into the farmes as hath been before shewed , and in like manner boyle them , cooke them , and serue them to the table . rice puddings take halfe a pound of rice , and steepe it in new milke a whole night , and in the morning draine it , and let the milke drop away : then take a quart of the best , sweetest and thickest creame , and put the rice into it , and boyle it a little ; then set it to coole an houre or two , and after put in the yolke , of halfe a dozen egges , a little pepper , cloues , mace , currants , dates , sugar and salt ; and hauing mixt them well together , put in great store of beefe suet well beaten , and small shred , and so put it into the farmes , and boyle them as before shewed , and serue them after a day old . a●●●her of li●e● . take the best hogges liuer you can get , and boyle it extreamely till it bee as hard as a stone ; then lay it to coole , and being cold , vpon a bread-grater grate it all to powder ; then sift it through a fine meale fine , and put to it the crummes of ( at least ) two penny loaues of white bread , and boyle all in the thickest and sweetest creame you haue till it be very thick ; then let it coole , and put it to the yolkes of halfe a dozen egges , a little pepper , cloues , mace , currants , dates small shred , cinamon , ginger , a little nutmeg , good store of sugar , a little saffron , salt , and of beefe and swines suet great plenty , then fill it into the farmes , & boyle them as before shewed . puddings of a c●●●es mugget . take a calues mugget , cleane and sweete drest , and boyle it wel● ; then shred it as small as is possible , then take of strawberry leaues , of endiue , spinage , succory , and sa●nell of each a pretty quantity , and chop them as small as is possible , and then mixe them with the mugget ; then take the yolkes of halfe a dozen egges , and three whites , and beate them into 〈◊〉 also ; and if you find it is too stiffe , then make it thin●er with a little creame warmed on the fire , then put ●n a little pepper , cloues , mace , cynamon , ginger , sugar , currants , dates and salt , and worke all together , with casting in little peyres of sweet butter one after another , till it haue receiued good store of butter , then put it vp into the calues bagge , sheepes bagge , or hogs bagge , and then boyle it well , and so serue it vp . a blood pudding . take the blood of an hogge whilest it is warme , and steepe it in a quarte , or more , of great oate mealegro●es , and at the ende of three dayes with your hands take the groats out of the bloud , and draine them cleane ; then put to those grotes more then a quart of the best creame warmd on the fire : then take mother of time , parsley , spinnage , succory , e●diue , sorrell and strawberry leaues , of each a few chopt exceeding small , and mixe them with the grotes ; and also a little fennell seede finely beaten : then adde a little pepper , cloues and mace , salt and great store of suet finely shred , and well beaten : then therewith fill your farmes , and boyle them , as hath beene before described . linkes . take the largest of your chines of porke , and that which is called a liste , and first with your knife cut the leane thereof into thinne slices , and then shred small those slices , and then spread it ouer the bottome of a dish or wodden platter : then take the fatte of the chine and the liste , and cut it in the very selfe same manner , and spread it vpon the leane , and then cut more leane , and spread it vppon the fatte , and thus doe one leane vpon another , till ●ll the porke be shred , obseruing to beginne and ende with the leane : then with your sharpe knife sco●tch it through and through diuers wayes , and mixe it all well together : then take good store of sage , and shred it exceeding small , and mixe it with the flesh , then giue it a good season of pepper and salt ; then take the farmes made as long as is possible , and not cut in pieces as for puddings , and first blow them well to make the meate slip , and then fill them : which done , with threads deuide them into seuerall linkes as you please , then hang them vp in the corner of some chimney cleane kept , where they may take ayre of the fire , and let them drie there at least foure dayes before any bee eaten ; and when they are serued vp , let them bee either fried or broyled on the gridyron , or else roasted about a capon . of boyl● meates ordinary . it resteth now that we speake of boild meates and broths , which for asmuch as our hous-wife is intended to be generall , one that can as well feed the poore as the rich , we will first begin with those ordinary wholesom boyld meates , which are of vse in euery good mans house : therefore to make the best ordinary pottage , you shall take a racke of mutton cut into pieces ▪ or a leg of mutton cut into pieces ; for this meate and these ioynts are the best , although any other ioynt , or any fresh beefe will likewise make good pottage : and hauing washt your meate well , put it into a cleane pot with ●a●re water , & set it on the fire ; then take violet leaues , succory , strawberry leaues , spinage , langdebeefe , ma●●gola flowers , scallions , and a little parsly , and chop them very small together , then take halfe so much oat-meale well beaten as there is hearbs , and mixe it with the hearbs , and chop all very well together : then when the pot is ready to boyle , s●um it very well , and then put in your hearbs , and so let it boyle with a quicke fire , stirring the meate oft in the pot , till the meate be boyld enough , and that the hearbs and water are mixt together without any separation , which will be after the consumption of more then a third part : then season them with salt , and serue them vp with the meate either with sippets or without . pottage without sight of hearbs . some desire to haue their pottage geene , yet no hearbs to be seen in this case : you must take your herbs and oat-meale , and after it is chopt , put it into a stone morter , or bowle , and with a wooden pestell beate it exceedingly ; then with some of the warme liquor in the pot strayne it as hard as may be , and so put it in and boyle it . pottage without hearbs . others desire to haue pottage without any hearbs at all , and then you must only take oat-meale beaten , and good store of onions , and put them in , and boyle them together ; and thus doing you must take a greater quantity of oat-meale then before . pottage withwhole hearbs . if you will make pottage of the best and daintiest kind , you shall take mutton , veale or kidde , & hauing broke the bones , but not cut the flesh in pieces , and wash it , put it into a pot with faire water , after it is ready to boyle , and is throughly skumd , you shall put in a good handfull or two of small ota meale : and then take whole lettice of the best and most inward leaues , whole spinage , endiue , succory , and whole leaues of col●flower , or the inward putes of white cabage , with two or three slic't onions ▪ and put all into the pot and boyle them well together til the meate bee enough , and the hearbes so soft as may bee , and stirre them oft well toget●er ; and then season it with salt and as much veriuyce as will onely turne the tast of the pottage ; and so serue them vp , couering the meate with the whole hearbes , and adorning the dish with sippets . t● make ordinary stewd br●●h . to make ordinary stewd broth , you shall take a necke of veale , or a leg , or mary-bones of bee●e , or a pullet , o● mutton , and after the meate is washt , put it into a pot with faire water , and being ready to boyl● skumme it well : then you shall take a couple of m●●che●s , an● paring away the crust , cut it into thicke slices , and l●● them in a dish , and couer ●hem with hot broth out of the pot : when they are sleept , put them and some of the b●●th into a strainer , and straine it , and then put it into the pot ▪ then take halfe a pound of prunes , halfe a p●u●d of raisins , and a quarter of a pound of currants cleane pickt and washt , with a little whole mace , and two or three bruised cloues , and put them into the pot , and stirre all well together , and so let them boy●e till the meate be enough , then if you will alter the colour of the broth , put in a little turnesole , or red saunders , and so serue it vpon sippits , and the fruite vppermost . 〈…〉 boyld 〈◊〉 . ☞ to make an excellent boyled meate : take foure peeces of a ●acke of mutton , and wash them cleane , and put them into a pot well scowred with faire water : then take a good quantity of wire and veriuyce and put into it : then slice a handfull of onions and put them i● also , and so let them boyle a good while , then take ● peece of sweete butter with ginger and salt and put it 〈◊〉 also , and then make the broth thicke with grated bread , and so serue it vp with sippets . to boyle a mal●a●d . to boyle a mallard curio●sly , take the mallard when it is faire dressed , washed and trust , and put it on a sp●t and rest it till you can get the grauy out of it : then take it from the spit and boyle it , then take the best of the broth into a pip●in , and the grauy which you saued , with a peece of sweete butter and currants , vinegar , sugar , pepper and grated bread : thus boyle all these together , and when the mallard is boyled sufficiently , lay , it on a dish with sippets , and the broth vpon it , and so serue it foorth . to make an excellent olepotrige . to make an excellent olepotrige , which is the onely principall dish of boild meate which is esteemed in all spalne , you shall take a very large vessell , pot or kettell , and filling it with water , you shall set it on the fire , and first put in good thicke gobbets of well fed beefe , and being ready to boyle , skumme your pot ; when the beefe is halfe boyled , you shall put in potato-rootes , turneps , and skirrets : also like gobbers of the best mutton , and the best porke ; after they haue boyled a while , you shall put in the like gobbets of venison , red , and fallow , if you haue them ; then the like gobbets , of veale , kidde , and lambe ; a little space after these , the foreparts of a fat pigge , and a crambd puller ; then put in spinage , endiue , succory , marigold leaues and flowers , lettice , violet leaues , strawberry leaues , buglosse and scallions , all whole and vnchopt ; then when they haue boyled a while , put in a partridge and a chicken chopt in peeces , with quailes , railes , blackbirds , larkes , sparrowes and other small birds , all being well and tenderly boiled , season vp the broth with good store of sugar , cloues , mace , cinamon , ginger and nutmegge mixt together in a good quantity of veriuyce and salt , and so stir●e vp the pot well from the bottome , then dish it v● vpon great chargers , or long spanish dishes made in the fashion of our english wooden trayes , with good store of sippets in the bottome ; then couer the meate all ouer with p●unes , raisins , currants , and blaunch't almonds , boyled in a thing by themselues ; then couer the fruit and the whole boiled hearbs and the herbs with slices of orenges and lemmons , and lay the rootes round about the sides of the dish , and strew good store of sugar ouer all , and so serue it foorth to mak● the be●● white b●oth . to make the best white broth , whether it be with veale , capon , chickins , or any other fowle or fish : first boile the flesh or fish by it selfe , then take the value of a quart of strong mutton broth , or fat kidde broth , and put it into a pipkin by it selfe , and put into it a bunch of time , morierome , spinage and endiue bound together ; then when it seeths put in a pretty quantity of beefe marrow , and the marrow of mutton , with some whole mace and a few bruised cloues ; then put in a pint of white-wine with a few whole slices of ginger ; after these haue boyled a whi●e together , take blaunch't almonds , and hauing beaten them together in a mo●ter with some of the broth , straine them and put it in also ; then in another pipkin boi●e currants , p●unes , raisins , and whole cinamon in veriuice and sugar , with a few sliced dates ; and boile them till the veriuice bee most part consumed ▪ or at least come to a syrrup ; then draine the fruit from the sirrup , and if you see it be ●igh coloured ; make it white with sweete creame warmed , and so mixe it with your wine broth ; then take out the capon or the other flesh or fish , and dish it vp drie in a dish ; then powre the broth vpon it , and lay the fruite on the top of the meate , and adorne the side or the dish with very dainty sippets ; first orenges , lemmons , and sugar , and so serue it foorth to the table . to boile any wilde fowle . to boile any wild fowle , as mallard , teale , widgeon , or such like : first boile the fowle by it selfe , then take a quart of strong mutton-broth , and put it into a pipkin , and boile it ; then put into it good store of sliced onions , a bunch of sweete pot-hearbs , and a lump of sweete butter ; after it hath boiled well , season it with veriuice , salt and sugar , and a little whole pepper , which done , take vp your fowle and b●e●ke it vp according to the fashion of caruing , and stick a few cloues about it ; then put it into the broth with onions , and there let it take a boyle or two , and so serue it and the broth foorth vpon sippets , some vse to thicken it with toasts of bread steept and strained , but that is as please the cooke . to boile a l●gg of mutton . to boile a legge of mutten , or any other ioynt of meate whatsoeuer ; first after you haue washt it cleane , parboi●e it a little , then spit it and giue it halfe a dozen turnes before the fire , then draw it when it beginnes to drop , and presse it betweene two dishes , and saue the grauy ; then slash it with your knife , and giue it halfe a dozen turnes more , and then presse it againe , and thus doe as often as you can force any moisture to come from it , then mixing mutton-broth , white-wine , and veriuice together , boyle the mutton therein till it bee tender , and that most part of the liquor is cleane consumed ; then hauing all that while kept the grauy you tooke from the mutton , stewing gently vppon a chaffing dish and coales , you shall adde vnto it good store of salt ; sugar , cinamon and ginger , with some lemmon slices , and a little of an oringe pill , with a few fine white-bread crums : then taking vp the mutton , put the remainder of the broth in , and put in , likewise the grauie , and then serue it vp with sippets , laying the lemmon slices vppermost , and trimming the dish about with sugar . an excellent way to boyle chickens . if you will boile chickens , young turkies , pea-hens , or any house fowle daintily , you shall after you haue trimmed them , drawne them , trust them , and washt them , fill their bellies as full of parsly as they can hold ; then boyle them with salt and water onely till they bee enough : then take a dish and put into it veriuice , and butter , and salt , and when the butter is melted , take the parsly out of the chickens bellies , and mince it very small , and put it to the veriuice and butter , and stirre it well together ; then lay in the chickens , and trimme the dish with sippets , and so serue it foorth . a broth for any fresh fish . if you will make broth for any fresh fish whatsoeuer , whether it be pike , breame , carpe , eele , barbell or such like : you shall boile water , veriuice and salt together with a handfull of sliced onions , then you shal thicken it with two or three spoonefull of ale-barme ; then put in a good quantity of whole barberies , both branches and other , as also pretty store of currants : then when it is boild enough , dish vp your fish , and powre your broth vnto it , laying the fruite and onions vppermost . some to this broth , will put prunes , and dates slic't , but it is according to the fancy of the cooke , or the will of the house-holder . thus i haue from these few presidents shewed you the true art and making of all sorts of boild-meates , and broths ; and though men may coine strange names , and faine strange art , yet be assured she that can doe these , may make any other whatsoeuer ; altering the taste by the alteration of the compounds as shee shall see occasion : and when a broth is too sweete , to sharpen it with veriuyce , when too tart , to sweeten it with sugar : when flat and wallowish , to quicken it with orenges and lemmons ; and when too bitter , to make it pleasant with hearbes and spices . additions , to boyle meates . a mallard s●●ar● , or a ha●e , or olde cony . ☜ take a mallard when it is cleane dressed , washed and trust , and parboyle it in water till it be sk●●nd and purified : then take it vp , and put it into a pipkin with the nocke downeward , and the tayle vpward , standing as it were vpright : then fill the pipkin halfe full with that water , in which the mallard was parboyld , and fill vp the other halfe with white wine : then pill and slice thin a good quantite of onyons , and put them in with whole fine hearbes , according to the time of the yeare , as lettice , strawberry-leaues , violet-leaues , vine-leaues , spinage , endiue , succory , and such like , which haue no bitter or hard taste , and a pretty quantity of currants and dates sliced : then couer it close , and set it on a gentle fire , and let it stew , and smoare till the hearbs and onyons be soft , and the mallard inough : then take out the mallard , and carue it as it were to goe to the table ; then to the broth put a good lumpe of butter , sugar , cinamon , and if it be in summer , so many goose-berries as will giue it a sharpe taste , but in the winter as much wine vinegar , then heate it on the fire , and stirre all well together : then lay the mallard in a dish with sippets , and powre all this broth vpon it , then trim the edge of the dish with sugar , and so serue it vp . and in this manner you may also smoate the hinder parts of a hare , or a whole olde cony , being trust vp close together . to stew a pike . after your pike is drest and opened in the backe , and layd flat , as if it were to fry , then lay it in a large dish for the purpose , able to receiue it ; then put as much white wine to it as will couer it all ouer ; then set it on a chaffin-dish and coales to boyle very gently , and if any skum arise , take it away ; then put to it currants , sugar , cynamon , barbery-berries , and as many prunes as will serue to garnish the dish ; then couer it close with another dish , and let it stew till the fruit be soft , and the pike enough ; then put to it a good lumpe of sweet butter ; then with a fine skummer take vp the fish and lay it in a cleane dish with sippets , then take a couple of yolks of egges , the filme taken away , and beate them well together with a spoonefull or two of creame , and assoone as the pike is taken out , put it into the broth , and stirre it exceedingly to keepe it from curding ; then powre the broth vpon the pike , and trim the sides of the dish with sugar , prunes , and barberies , slices of orenges or lemmons , and so serue it vp . and thus may you also stew rochets , gurnets , or almost any sea-fish , or fresh-fish . to stew a lambeshe●d & purtenance . take a lambs-head and purtenance cleane washt & pickt and put it into a pipkin with faire water , and let it boile and skumme it cleane ; then put in currants and a few sliced dates , and a bunch of the best fercing hearbs tyed vp together , and so let it boyle well till the meate be enough : then take vp the lambes head and purtenance , and put it into a cleane dish with sippets ; then put in a good lumpe of butter , and beate the yolkes of two egges with a little creame , and put it to the broth with sugar , cynamon , and a spoonefull or two of verdiuyce , and whole mace , and as many prunes as will garnish the dish , which should be put in when it is but halfe boyld , and so powre it vpon the lambes-head and purtenance , and adorne the sides of the dish with sugar , prunes , barberries , orenges , and lemons , and in no case forget not to season well with salt , and so serue it vp . a brest of mutton stewd . take a very good breast of mutton chopt into sundry large pieces , and when it is cleane washt , put it into a pipkin with faire water , and set it on the fire to boyle ; then skum it very well , then put in of the finest parsneps cut into large pieces as long as ones hand , and cleane washt and scrapt ; then good store of the best onions , & all manner of sweet pleasant pot-hearbs and lettice , all grossely chopt , and good store of peper & salt , and then couer it , and let it stew till the mutton be enough ; then ta kt vp the mutton , and lay it in a cleane dish with sippets , and to the broath put a little wine-vinegar , and so powre it on the mutton with the parsneps whole , and adorne the sides of the dish with sugar , and so serue it vp : and as you doe with the brest , so you may doe with any other ioynt of mutton . to stew a neates foote ▪ take a neates foot that is very well boyld ( for the tenderer it is , the better it is ) & cleaue it in two , and with a cleane cloth dry it well from the sous-drinke ; then lay it in a deepe earthen platter , and couer it with verdiuyce ; then set it on a chaffing-dish and coales , and put to it a few currants , and as many prunes as will garnish the dish ; then couer it , and let it boile well , many times stirring it vp with your knife , for feare it sticke to the bottome of the dish ; then when it is sufficiently stewed , which will appeare by the tendernesse of the meate and softnesse of the fruite ; then put in a good lumpe of butter , great store of sugar and sinamon , and let it boile a little after : then put it altogether into a cleane dish with sippets , and adorne the sides of the dish with sugar and prunes , and so serue it vp . of roast-meates . to proceede then to roast meates , it is to be vnderstood , that in the generall knowledge thereof are to be obserued these few rules . first , the cleanely keeping & scowring of the spits and cobirons ; next , the neate picking and washing of meate before it be spitted , then the spitting and broaching of meate which must bee done so strongly and firmely , that the meate may by no meanes either shrinke from the spit , or else turne about the spit : and yet euer to obserue , that the spit doe not goe through any principall part of the meate , but such as is of least account and estimation : and if it be birds or fowle which you spit , then to let the spit goe through the hollow of the body of the fowle and so fasten it with prickes or skewers vnder the wings about the thighes of the fowle , and at the feete or rumpe , according to your manner of trussing and dressing them . temperature of fire . then to know the temperatures of fires for euery meate , and which must haue a slow fire , yet a good one , taking leasure in roasting , as chines of beefe , swannes , turkies , peacocks , bustards , and generally any great large fowle , or any other ioynts of mutton , veale , porke , kidde , lambe , or such like : whether it be venison red , or fallow , which indeed would lie long at the fire and soake well in the roasting , and which would haue a quick and sharpe fire without scorching ; as pigs , pullets , pheasants , partridge , quaile , and all sorts of middle sized or lesser fowle , and all small birds , or compound roast-meates , as oliues , of veale , haslets ; a pound of butter roasted ; or puddings simple of themselues , and many other such like , which indeed would be suddenly and quickely dispatcht , because it is intended in cookery , that one of these dishes must be made ready whilst the other is in eating . then to knowe the complexions of meates , as which must bee pale and white roastd ( yet thoroughly roasted ) as mutton , veale , lambe , kid , capon , pullet , pheasant , partridge , qua●le , and all sorts of middle and small land , or water fowle , and all small birds , and which must be browne roasted , as beefe , venison , porke , swanne , geese , pigges , crane , bustards , and any large fowle , or other thing whose flesh is blacke . the best bas●ings of meats . then to know the best bastings for meate , which is sweete butter , sweete oyle , barreld butter , or fine rendred vp seame with cinamon , cloues , and mace. there be some that will bast onely with water , and salt , and nothing else ; yet it is but opinion , and that must be the worlds master alwaies . the best dredging· then the best dredging , which is either fine white-bread crums , well grated , or els a little very fine white meale , and the crummes very well mixt together . to know when meate is enough . lastly to know when meate is roasted enough ; for as too much rawnes is vnholsome , so too much drinesse is not nourishing . therefore to know when it is in the perfect height , and is neither too moist nor too dry , you shall obserue these signes first in your large ioynts of meate , when the stemme or smoake of the meate ascendeth , either vpright or els goeth from the fire , when it beginneth a little to shrinke from the spit , or when the grauy which droppeth from it is cleare without bloodinesse then is the meate enough . if it be a pigge when the eyes are fallen out , and the body leaueth piping : for the first is when it is halfe rosted , and would be singed to make the coat rise and crackle , and the latter when it is fully enough and would bee drawne : or if it bee any kinde of fowle you tost , when the thighes are tender , or the hinder parts of the pinions at the setting on of the wings , are without blood : then bee sure that your meate is fully enough roasted ; yet for a better and more certaine assurednesse , you may thrust your knife into the thickest parts of the meate , and draw it out againe , and if it bring out white grauy without any blooddinesse , then assuredly it is enough , and may bee drawne with all speed conuenient , after it hath beene well basted with butter not formerly melted , then dredged as aforesaid , then basted ouer the dredging , and so suffered to take two or three turnes , to make crispe the dredging : then dish it in a faire dish with salt sprinckled ouer it , and so serue it forth . thus you see the generall forme of roasting all kind of meate : therefore now i will returne to some particular dishes , together with their seuerall sawces . roasting mutton with oysters . if you will roast mutton with oysters , take a shoulder alone , or a legge , and after it is washt , barboyle it a little : then take the greatest oysters , and hauing opened them into a dish , draine the grauy cleane from them twice or thrice , then parboyle them a little : then take spinage , endiue , succory , strawberry leaues , violet leaues , and a little parsley , with some scallions : chop these very small together : then take your oysters very dry , drain'd , and mixe them with an halfe part of these hearbes : then take your meate , and with these oysters and hearbes farce or stop it , leauing no place empty , then spit it and roast it , and whilst it is in roast●ng , take good store of veriuice and butter , and a little salt , and set it in a dish on a chaffing-dish and coales : and when it beginnes to boyle , put in the remainder of your hearbes without oysters , and a good quantity of currants , with cinamon , and the yelke of a couple of egges : and after they are well boyled and stirred together , season it vp according to taste with sugar : then put in a few lemmon slices , the meate being inough , draw it , and lay it vpon this sawce remoued into a cleane dish , the edge thereof being trimmed about with sugar , and so serue it forth . to roast a legg of mutton otherwise . to roast a legge of mutton after an out-landish fashion , you shall take it after it is washt , and cut off all the flesh from the bone , leauing onely the outmost skinne entirely whole and fast to the bone ; then take thicke creame and the yelkes of egges , and beate them exceedingly well together ; then put to cinamon , mace , and a little nutmegge , with salt , then take bread-crummes finely grated and searst with good store of currants , and as you mixe them with the creame , put in sugar , and so make it into a good stiffnes : now if you would haue it looke greene , put in the iuyce of sweete hearbs , as spinage , violet leaues , endiue , &c. if you would haue it yellow , then put in a little safforn strayned , and with this fill vp the skin of your legge of mutton in the same shape and forme that it was before , and sticke the out side of the skin thicke with cloues , and so roast it thorowly and baste it very well , then after it is dredg'd serue it vp as a legge of mutton with this pudding , for indeede it is no other : you may stop any other ioynt of meate , as breast or loine , or the belly of any fowle boiled or roast , or rabbet , or any meate else which hath skinne or emptinesse . if into this pudding also you beate the inward pith of an oxes backe , it is both good in taste , and excellent soueraigne for any disease , ach or fluxe in the raynes whatsoeuer . to roast a gigget of mut●●n . to roast a gigget of mutton , which is the legge splatted , and halfe part of the loine together ; you shall after it is washt , stop it with cloues , so spit it , and lay it to the fire , and tend it well with basting : then you shall take vinegar , butter and currants , and set them on the fire in a dish o● pipkin ; then when it boyles , you shall put in sweete hearbes finely chopt , with the yelke of a couple of egges , and so let them boyle together : then the meate being halfe roasted , you shall pare off some part of the leanest and brownest , then shred it very small and put it into the pipkin also : then season it vp with sugar , cynamon , ginger , and salt , and so put it into a cleane dish : then drawe the gigget of mutton and lay it on the sauce , and throw salt on the top , and so serue it vp . ●o ●ost oliues of veale . you shall take a legge of veale , and cut the flesh from the bones , and cut it out into thin long slices ; then take sweete hearbes , and the white parts of scallions , and chop them well together with the yelkes of egges , then fowle it vp within the slices of veale , and so spit them , and roast them : then boyle veriuice , butter , sugar , cynamon , currants and sweete hearbes together , and being seasoned with a little salt , serue the oliues vp vpon that sauce with salt , cast ouer them . to rost a pig . to roast a pigge curiously , you shall not scald it , but draw it with the haire on , then hauing washt it , spit it and lay it to the fire so as it may not scorch , then being a quarter roasted , and the skinne blistered from the flesh , with your hand pull away the haire and skin , and leaue all the fat and flesh perfectly b●r● : then with your knife scotch all the flesh downe to the bones , then baste it exceedingly with sweete butter and creame , being no more but warme : then dredge it with fine bread-crummes , currants , sugar and salt mixt together , and thus apply dredging , vpon basting , and basting vpon dredging , till you haue couered all the flesh a full inch deepe : then the meate being fully roasted , draw it , and serue it vp whole . to roast a pound of ●utter w●ll ☜ to roast a pound of butter curiously and well , you shall take a pound of sweete butter and beate it stiffe with sugar , and the yolkes of egges , then clap it round-wise about a spit , and lay it before a soft fire , and presently dredge it with the dredging before appointed for the pigge : then as it warmeth or melteth , so apply it with dredging till the butter be ouercomed and no more will melt to fall from it , then roast it browne , and so draw it , and serue it out , the dish being as neatly trim'd with sugar as may be . to roast a pudding on a spit . to roast a pudding vpon a spit , you shall mixe the pudding before spoken of in the legge of mutton , neither omitting hearbes , nor saffron , and put to a little sweete butter and mixe it very stiffe : then fold it about the spit , and haue ready in another dish some of the same mixture well seasoned , but a great deale thinner , and no butter at all in it , and when the pudding doth beginne to roast , and that the butter appeares , then with a spoone couer it all ouer with the thinner mixture , and so let it roast : then if you see no more butter appeare , then baste it as you did the pigge , and lay more of the mixture on , and so continue till all be spent : and then roast it browne , and so serue it vp . t● roast a chine of 〈…〉 if you will roast a chine of beefe , a loyne of mutton , a capon , and a larke , all at one instant , and at one fire , and haue all ready together and none burnt : you shall first take you● chine of beefe and parboyle it more then halfe through : then first take your capon , beeing large and fat , and spit it next the hand of the turner , with the legges from the fire , then spit the chine of beefe , then the larke , and lastly the loyne of mutton , and place the larke so as it may be couered ouer with the beefe , and the fat part of the loyne of mutton , without any part disclosed : then baste your capon , and your loyne of mutton with cold water and salt , the chine of beefe with boyling larde : then when you see the beefe is almost enough , which you shall hasten by schotching and opening of it : then with a cleane cloth you shall wipe the mutton and capon all ouer , and then baste it with sweete butter till all be enough roasted : then with your knife lay the larke open which by this time will be stewed betweene the beefe and mutton , and basting it also with dredge all together , draw them and serue them vp . to roast venison . if you will roast any venison , after you haue washt it , and cleansed all the blood from it , you shall sticke it with cloues all ouer on the out side ; and if it be leane , you shall larde it either with mutton-larde , or porke-larde , but mutton is the best : then spit it and roast it by a soaking fire , then take vinegar , bread-crummes , and some of the grauy , which comes from the venison , and boyle them well in a dish : then season it with sugar , cinamon , ginger and salt , and serue the venison foorth vpon the sauce when it is roasted enough . how 〈◊〉 ro●st fresh s●urgeon if you will roast a peece of fresh sturgeon , which is a dainty dish , you shall stop it with cloues , then spit it , and let it roast at great leasure , plying it continually with basting , which will take away the hardnesse : then when it is enough , you shall draw it , and serue it vpon venison sauce with salt onely throwne vppon it . ordering of meates to be roasted . the roasting of all sorts of meates , differeth nothing but in the fires , speede and leasure as is aforesayd , except these compound dishes , of which i haue giuen you suffici●nt presidents , and by them you may performe any worke whatsoeuer : but for the ordering , preparing and ●●ussing your meates for the spit or table , in that there is much d●fference : for in all ioynts of meate except a shoulder of mutton , you shall crush and breake the bones well , from pigges and rabbets you shall cut off the feete before you spit them , and the heads when you serue them to the table , and the pigge you shall chine , and diuide into two parts : capons , pheasants , chickens and turkies you shall roast with the pinions foulded vp , and the legges extended ; hennes , stock-doues and house-doues , you shall roast with the pinions foulded vp , and the legges cut off by the knees , and thrust into the bodies : quailes , partridges , and all sorts of small birds shall haue their pinions cut away , and the legges extended : all sorts of water-fowle shall haue their pinions cut away , and their legges turned backward : wood-cockes , snipes and stints shall be roasted with their heads and neckes on , and their legges th●ust into their bodies , and shouelers and bitterns shall haue no neckes but their heads onely . to roast a cowes vdder . take a cowes vdder , and first boyle it well : then sticke it thicke all ouer with c●oues : then when it is cold , spit it , and lay it to the fire , and apply i● very well with basting of sweete butter , and when it is sufficiently roasted , and browne , then dredge it , and draw it from the fire , take vinegar and butter , and put it on a chaffing-dish and coales , and boyle it with white-bread crummes , till it be thick , then put to it good store of sugar and cynamon , and putting it in a cleane dish ▪ lay the cowes vdder therein , and trimme the sides of the dish with sugar , and so serue it vp . to ●ast a 〈◊〉 of veale . take an excellent good legge of veale , and cut the thicke part thereof a handfull and more from the knuckle : then take the thicke part ( which is the fillet ) and fierce it in euery part all ouer with strawberry-leaues , violet-leaues , sor●ell , spinage , endiue and succorie grossely chopt together , and good store of onyons : then lay it to the fire and roast it very sufficiently and browne , casting good store of salt vpon it , and basting it well with sweete butter : then take of the former hearbes much finer chopt then they were for fiercing , and put them into a pipkin with vinegar , and cleane washt currants , and boyle them well together : then when the hearbes are sufficiently boyld and soft , take the yelkes of some very hard boyld egges , and shred them very small , and put them into the pipkin also with sugar and cynamon , and some of the grauie which drops from the veale , and boyle it ouer againe , and then put it into a cleane dish , and the fillet beeing dredgd and drawne , lay vpon it , and trimme the side of the dish with sugar , and so serue it vp . of 〈◊〉 , and 〈…〉 . to make an excellent sauce for a rost capon , you shall take onyons , and hauing sliced and pilled them , boyle them in faire water with pepper , salt , and a few bread-crummes : then put vnto it a spoonfull or two of claret wine , the iuyce of an orenge , and three or foure slices of a lemmon pill ; all these shred together , and so powre it vpon the capon being broake vp . sauce for a hen 〈…〉 . ☞ to make sauce for an old hen or pullet , take a good quantity of beere and salt , and mixe them well together with a few fine bread-crummes , and boyle them on a chaffing dish and coales , then take the yelkes of three or foure hard egges , and being shred small , put it to the beere , and boyle it also : then the hen being almost enough , take three or foure spoonefull of the grauy which comes from her and put it in also , and boyle all together to an indifferent thicknesse : which done , suffer it to boyle no more , but onely keepe it warme on the fire , and put into it the iuyce of two or three orenges , and the slices of lemmon pils shred small , and the slices of orenges also hauing the vpper rine taken away : then the henne beeing broken vp , take the brawnes thereof , and shredding them small , put it into the sauce also , and stirring all well together , put it hot into a cleane warme dish , and lay the henne ( broke vp ) in the same . s●uce for chickins . the sauce for chickins is diuers , according to mens tastes : for some will onely haue butter , veriuice , and a little parsley rolled in their bellies mixt together ; others will haue butter , veriuice and sugar boild together with toasts of bread : and others will haue thick sippets with the iuyce of sorrell and sugar mixt together . sauce for a pheasant or partridge . the best sauce for a phesant , is wrter and onions ●list ▪ pepper and a little salt mixt together , and but stewed vpon the coales , and then powred vpon the phesant or partridge being broken vp , and some will put thereto the iuyce or slices of of an orenge or lemmon , or both : but it is according to taste , and indeed more proper for a pheasant then a p●tridge . sauce for a quaile ▪ raile , or big bird . sauce for a quaile , raile or any fat big bird , is claret wine and salt mixt together with the grauy of the bird , and a few fine bread-crummes well boild together , and either a sage-leafe , or bay-leafe crusht among it according to mens tasts . sauce for ●geons . the best sauce for pigeons , stockdoue , or such like , is vinegar and butter melted together , and parsley rosted in the●r bellies , or vine-leaues rosted and mixed well together . a generall sauce for wild fowle . the most generall sauce for ordinary wild-fowle rosted , as duckes , mallard , widgen , teale , snipe , sheldrake , plouers , puets , guls , and such like , is onely mustard and vinegar , or mustard and veriuice mixt together , or else an onion , water and pepper , and some ( especiall in the court ) vse only butter melted , and not with any thing else . sauce for greene g●●se . the best sauce for greene geese is the iuyce of sorrell and sugar mixt together with a few scalded feberries , and serued vpon sippets , or else the belly of the greene goose fild with feberries , and so rosted , and then the same mixt with veriuyce , butter , sugar and cynamon , and so serued vpon sippets . sauce for a stub●le goose . the sauce for a stuble goose is diuerse , according to mens minds for some will take the pap of rosted apples , and mixing it with vinegar , boyle them together on the fire with some of the grauy of the goose , and a few barberies and bread crummes , and when it is boyld to a good thicknesse , season it with sugar and a little cinamon , and so serue it vp : some will adde a little mustard and onions vnto it , and some will not rost the apples , but pa●● them and slice them , and that is the neerer way , but not the better . others will fill the bel●y of the goose full of onions shred , and oate-mea●e groats , and being rosted enough , mixe it with the grauy of the goose , and sweete hearbs well boild together , a●d seasoned with a little veriuyce . a gallatine , or sauce for a swan , bitter , to make a gallantine , or sauce for a swan , bitter , shoueler , h●orne , crane , or any large foule , take the blood of the same fowle , and being stird well , boile it on the fire , then when it comes to be thecke , put vnto it vinegar a good quantity , with a few fine bread-crummes , and so boile it ouer againe : then being come to good thicknes , season it with sugar & cinamon , so as it may taste pretty and sharpe vpon the cinamon , and then serue it vp in saucers as you do mustard : for this is called a chauder or gallantine , & is a sauce almost for any foule whatsoeuer . sauce for a pig . to make sauce for a pigge , some take sage and roast it in the belly of the pigge , then boiling ver●uice , butter and currants together , take & chop the sage small , and mixing the braines of the pig with it , put all together , and so serue it vp . sauce for veale . to make a sauce for a ioynt of veale , take all kind of sweete pot hearbs , and chopping them very small with the yelkes of two or three egges , boyle them in vinegar and butter , with a few bread crummes , and good store of currants ; then season it with sugar and sinamon , and a cloue or two crusht , and so powre it vppon the veale , with the slices of orenges and lemons about the dish . additions , vnto sauc●s sops for chickens . take orenges and slice them thin , and put vnto them white wine and rose water , the pouder of mace , ginger and sugar , and set the same vpon a chaffing dish and coales , & when it is halfe boiled , put to it a good lump of butter , and then lay good store of sippets of fine white bread therein , and so serue your chickens vpon them , and trimme the sides of the dish with sugar . sauce for a turkie . take faire water and set it ouer the fire , then slice good store of onions and put into it , and also pepper and salt , and good store of the grauy that comes from the turkie , and boyle them very well together : then put to it a few fine crummes of grated bread to thicken it ; a very little sugar and some vinegar , and so serue it vp with the turkey : or otherwise , take grated white bread and boile it in white wine till it be thicke as a gallantine , and in the boyling put in good store of sugar and cinamon , and then with a little turnesole make it of a high murrey colour , and so serue it in saucers with the turkey in the manner of a gallantine . the best gall●ntine . take the blood of a swan , or any other great fowle , and put it into a dish ; then take stewed prunes and put them into a strainer , and straine them into the bloud ; then set it on a chaffing-dish and coales , and let boyle , euer stirring it till it come to be thicke , and season it very well with sugar and cynamon , and so serue it in saucers with the fowle , but this sauce must be serued cold . sauce for a ma●la●d . take good store of onions , pill them , and slice them , and put them into vinegar , and boyle them very well till they be tender : then put into it a good lumpe of sweete butter , and season it well with sugar and cinamon , and so serue it vp with the fowle . of carbonados . charbonados , or carbonados , which is meate broiled vpon the coales ( and the inuention thereof first brought out of france , as appeares by the name ) are of diuers kinds according to mens pleasures : for there is no meate either boiled or roasted whatsoeuer , but may afterwards be broiled , if the maister thereof be disposed ; yet the generall dishes for the most part which are vsed to be carbonadoed , are a breast of mutton halfe boyled , a shoulder of mutton halfe roasted , the leggs , winges , and carkases of capon , t●ey , goose , or any other fowle whatsoeuer , especially land-fowle . what is to be carbonadoed . and lastly , the vttermost thicke skinne which couereth the ribbes of beefe , and is called ( beeing broyled ) the inns of court-goose , and is indeed a dish vsed most for wantonnesse , sometimes to please appetite : to which may also be added the broyling of pigs heads , or the braines of any fowle whatsoeuer after it is roasted and drest . the manner of carbonadoi● now for the manner of carbonadoing , it is in this sort ; you shall first take the meate you must carbonadoe , and scorch it both aboue and below , then sprinkle good store of salt vpon it , and baste it all ouer with sweete butter melted , which done , take your broiling-iron , i doe not meane a grid-iron ( thouhg it be much vsed for this purpose ) because the smoake of the coales , occasioned by the dropping of the meate , will ascend about it , and make it stinke ; but a plate . iron made with hookes and pricks , on which you may hang the meate , and set it close before the fire , and so the plate heating the meate behind , as the fire doth before , it will both the sooner , and with more neatenesse bee readie : then hauing turned it , and basted it till it bee very browne , dredge it , and serue it vp with vinegar and butter . of the toasting of mutton . touching the toasting of mutton , venison , or any other ioynt of meate , which is the most excellentest of all carbonadoes , you shall take the fattest and largest that can possibly be got ( for leane meate is losse of labour , and little meate not worth your time , ) and hauing scorcht it , ane cast salt vpon it , you shall set it on a strong forke , with a dripping pan vnderneath it , before the face of a quicke fire , yet so farre off , that it may by no meanes scorch , but toast at leasure , then with that which falles from it , and with no other basting , see that you baste it continually , turning it euer and anon many times , and so oft , that it may soake and browne at great leasure , and as oft as you baste it , so oft sprinkle salt vpon it , and as you see it toast scotch it deeper and deeper , especially in the thickest and most fleshly parts where the blood most resteth : and when you see that no more blood droppeth from it , but the grauy is cleere and white ; then shall you serue it vp either with venison sauce , or with vinegar , pepper and sugar , cynamon , and the iuyce of an orenge mixt together and warmed with some of the grauy . additions , ☞ vnto carbonados . a rash●r of mutton or lambe . take mutton or lambe that hath bene either rosted , or but pa●boyld , and with your knife scotch it many wayes ; then lay it in a deepe dish , and put to it a pint of white wine , and a little whole mace , a little slic't nutmeg , and some sugar , with a lumpe of sweete butter , and stew it so till it it be very tender : then take it foorth , and browne it on the grid-yron , and then laying sippets in the former broth serue it vp . how to carbonado tongues . take any tongue , whether of beefe , mutton , calues , red deere or fallow , and being well boyld , pill them , cleaue them , and scotch them many wayes ; then take three or foure egges broken , some sugar , cynamon and nutmeg , and hauing beaten it well together , put to it a lemon cut in thin slices , and another cleane pild , and cut into little foure-square bits , and then take the tongue and lay it in : and then hauing melted good store of butter in a frying-pan , pu● the tongue and the rest therein , and so fry it browne , and then dish it , and scrape sugar vpon it , and serue it vp . additions ☞ for dressing of 〈◊〉 . how to sauce any fresh-fish . take any fresh-fish whatsoeuer ( a pike , breame , carpe , barbe●l , cheain , and such like , and draw it , but scale it not ; then take out the liuer and the refuse , and hauing opened it , wash it ; then take a pottle of faire water , a pretty quantity of white wine , good store of salt , and some vinegar , with a little bunch of sweete hearbs , and set it on the fire , and as soone as it begins to boile , put in your fish , and hauing boild a little , take it vp into a faire vessell , then put into the liquor some grosse pepper and ginger , & when it is boild well together with more salt , set it by to coole , and then put your fish into it , and when you serue it vp , lay fenell thereupon . how to b●yle small fish . to boyle small fish , as roches , da●es , gudgeon or flounders , boyle white-wine and water together with a bunch of choise hearbs , a●d a little whole mace ; when all is boyled well together , put in your fish , and skinn it well : then put in the soale of a manchet , a good quantity of sweet butter , and season it with pepper and veriuice , and so serue it in vpon sippets , and adorne the sides of the dish with sugar . to boyle a guinet or rochet . first , draw your fish , and either split it open in the backe , or ioynt it in the backe , and trusse it round , then wash it cleane , and boyle it in water and salt , with a bunch of sweete hearbs : then take it vp into a large dish , and powre vnto it veriuice , nutmeg , butter and pepper , and letting it stew a little , thicken it with the yelkes of egges : then hot remoue it into another dish , and garnish it with slices of orenges and lemons , barberies , prunes and sugar , and so serue it vp . how to bake a carpe . after you haue drawne , washt and scalded a faire large carpe , season it with pepper , salt and nutmeg , and then put it into a coffin with good store of sweete butter , and then cast on raysins of the sunne , the iuyce of lemons , and some slices of orenge pils ; and then sprinkling on a little vinegar , close vp and bake it . how to bake a tench . first , let your tench blood in the tayle , then scoure it , wash it , and scald it , then hauing dried it , take the fine crummes of bread , sweete creame , the yelkes of egges , currants cleane washt , a few sweete hearbes 〈◊〉 small , season it with nutmegs and pepper , and make ●t into a stiff● paste , and put it into the belly of the t●●ch : then season the fi●h on the outside with pepper , salt and nutmeg , and so put it into a deepe coffin with sweete butter , and so close vp the pye and bake it : then when it is enough , draw it , and open it , and put into it a good pe●ce of preserued orenge minst : then take vinegar , nutmeg , butter , sugar , and the yelke of a new-layd egge , and boyle it on a chaffing-dish and coales , alwayes stirring it to keepe it from curding ; then powre it into the pye , shake it well , and so serue it vp . how to st●w a trout . take a large trout , faire trimd , and wash it , and put it into a deepe pewter dish , then take halfe a pint of sweete wine , with a lumpe of butter , and a little whole m●ce , pa●sley , sauory and time , mince them all small , and put them into the trouts belly , and so let it stew a quarter of an houre : then minse the yelke of an hard egge , strow it on the trout , and laying the hearbs about it ; and scraping on sugar , serue it vp . how to bake eeles . after you haue drawne your eeles , chop them into small peeces of three or foure inches , and season them with pepper , salt and ginger , and so put them into a coffin with a good lumpe of butter , great raysins ; onions small chopt , and so close it , bake it , and serue it vp . of the pastery and baked mea●es next to these already rehearsed , our engl●sh house-w●fe must be skilfull in pastery , and know how and in what manner to bake all sorts of meate , and what past is fit for euery meate , and how to handle and compound such pasts : as for example , red deere venison , wilde boare , gammons of bacon , swans , elkes , porpus , and such like standing dishes , which must be kept long , wold be bak't in a moyst , thicke , rough , course , & long lasting crust , and therefore of al other your rye paste it best for that purpose : your turkie , capon , pheasant , part●idg● , veale , peacocks , lambe , and al● sorts of water-fow●e which are to come to the table more then once ( yet not m●ny dayes , would be bak't in a good white crust , somewhat thick , therefore your wheate is fit for them : your chickens , calues-feet , oliues , potatoes , quinces , fallow deere and such like , which are most commonly eaten hot , would be in the finest , shortest and thinnest crust ; therefore your fine wheat flower which is a little baked in the ouen before it be kneaded is the best for that purpose . of the mixture of pasts . to speake then of the mixture and kneading of pasts , you shall vnderstand that your rye paste would be kneaded onely with hot water and a little butter , or sweete seame and rye flower very finely sifted , and it would be made tough & stiffe , that it may stand well in the rising , for the coffin therof must euer be very deep ; your course wheat crust would be kneaded with hot water , o● mutton broth , and good store of butter , and the paste made stiffe and tough , because that ●ffin must be deepe also ; you● fine wheat crust must be kneaded with as much butter as water ▪ and the past made reasonable ●y the and gentle , into which you must put three or foure egges or more , according to the quantity you blend together , for they will giue it a suffici●nt s●●ffening . of puff● past . now for the making of puff● past of the best kind , you shall take the finest wheat flowre after it hath bin a little back't in a pot in the ou●n ▪ and blend it we●l with egges whites and yelkes a●l together , and af●er the paste is well kneaded , roul● out a p●rt thereof as thinne as you please , and then spread cold sweete butter ouer the same , then vpon the same butter role another leafe of the paste as before ; and spread it with butter also ; and thus role leafe vpon leafe with butter betweene till it be as thicke as you thinke good : and with it either couer any bak●t meate , or make pastie for venison , florentine , tart or what dish else you please and so bake it : there be some that to this paste vse sugar , but it is certaine it will hinder the rising thereof ; and therefore when your puft paste is bak't , you shall dissolue sugar into rose-water , and drop it into the paste as much as it will by any meanes receiue , and then set it a little while in the ouen after and it will be sweete enough . 〈◊〉 baking red deere , o●●allow , or any thing to keepe 〈◊〉 . when you bake red deere , you shall first parboile it and take out the bones , then you shall if it be leane larde it , if fat saue the charge , then put it into a presse to squese out the blood ; then for a night lay it in a meare sauce made of vinegar , small drinke and salt , and then taking it forth , season it well with pepper finely beaten , and salt well mixt together , and see that you lay good store thereof , both vpon and in euery open and hollow place of the venison ; but by no meanes cut any slashes to put in the pepper , for it will of it selfe sinke fast enough into the flesh , and be more pleasant in the eating : then hauing raised the coffin , lay in the bottome a thicke course of butter , then lay the flesh thereon and couer it all ouer with butter , and so bake it as much as if you did bake great browne bread ; then when you draw it , melt more butter with three or foure spoonefull of vinegar , and twice so much claret wine , and at a vent hole on the toppe of the lidde powre in the same till it can receiue no more , and so let it stand and coole ; and in this sort you may bake fallow-deere , or swanne , or whatsoeuer else you please to keepe cold , the meare sauce onely being left out which is onely proper to red deere : and if to your meare sauce you adde a little turnesole , and therein steepe beefe , or ramme-mutton : you may also in the same manner take the first for red deere venison , and the latter for fallow , and a very good iudgement shall not be able to say otherwise , then that it is of it selfe perfect venison , both in taste , colour , and the manner of cuttting . ☜ to bake a ●ustard or dowset . to bake an excellent custard or dowset : you shall take good store of egges , and putting away one quarter of the whites , beate them exceeding well in a bason , and then mixe with them the sweetest and thickest creame you can get , for if it be any thing thinne , the custard will be wheyish : then season it with salt , sugar , cinamon , cloues , mace , and a little nutmegge : which done raise your coffins of good tough wheate paste , being the second sort before spoke of , and if you please raise it in pretty workes , or angular formes , which you may doe by fixing the vpper part of the crust to the nether with the yelks of egges : then when the coffins are ready , strow the bottomes a good thicknesse ouer with currants and sugar , then set them into the ouen , and fill them vp with the confection before blended , and so drawing them , adorne all the toppes with carraway cumfets , and the slices of dates pickt right vp , and so serue them vp to the table . to preuent the wheyishnes of the custard , dissolue into the first confection a little issingglasse and all will be firme . to bake an oliue-pye . to make an execelle●t oliue-pie : take sweete hearbs as violet leaues , strawberry leaues , spinage , succory , endine , time and sorrell , and chop them as small as may be , and if there be a scallion or two amongst them it will giue the better taste , then take the yelks of hard egges with currants , cinamon , cloues and mace , and and chop them amongst the hearbs also ; then hauing cut out long oliues of a legge of veale , roule vp more then three parts of the hearbs so mixed within the oliues , together with a good deale of sweet butter ; then hauing raised your crust of the finest and best paste , strow in the bottome the remainder of the hearbs , with a few great raisins hauing the stones pickt out : then put in the oliues and couer them with great raisins and a few prunes : then ouer all lay good store of butter and so bake them : then being sufficiently bak't , take claret wine , sugar , cinamon , and two or three spoonefull of wine vinegar and boile them together , and then drawing the pie , at a vent in the top of the lid put in the same , and then set it into the ouen againe a little space , and so serue it forth . to make a ma●row b●ne pye . to bake the best marrow-bone-pye , after you haue mixt the crusts of the best sort of pastes , and raised the coffin in such manner as you please : you shall first in the bottome thereof lay a course of marrow of beefe mixt with currants : then vpon it a lay of the soales of artichokes , after they haue beene boiled , and are diuided from the thistle : then couer them ouer with marrow , currants , and great raisins , the stones pickt out : then lay a course of potatoes cut in thicke slices , after they haue beene boiled soft , and are cleane pild : then couer them with marrow , currants , great raisins , sugar and cinamon : then lay a layer of candied eringo-rootes mixt very thicke with the slices of dates : then couer it with marrow , currants , great raisins , sugar , cinamon and dates , with a few damaske-prunes , and so bake it : and after it is bakt powre into it as long as it will receiue it white-wine , rose-water , sugar , cinamon , and vinegar , mixt together , and candie all the couer with rose-water and sugar onely ; and so set it into the ouen a little , and after serue it forth . to bake a chicken-pie . to bake a chicken-pie , after you haue trust your chickens , broken their legges and breast-bones , and raised your crust of the best paste , you shall lay them in the coffin close together with their bodies full of butter : then lay vpon them , and vnderneath them currants , great raisins , prunes , cinamon , sugar , whole mace and salt : then couer all with great store of butter , and so bake it ; after powre into it the same liquor you did in your marrow-bone pie with yelkes of two or three egs beaten amongst it ; and so serue it forth . ☜ additions to the pastery ▪ venison of hares . to make good red-deere venison of hares , take a hare or two , or three , as you can or please , and picke all the flesh from the bones ; then put it into a morter either of wood or stone , and with a wooden pestle let a strong person beate it exceedingly , and euer as it is beating , let one sprinkle in vinegar and some salt ; then when it is sufficiently beaten , take it out of the morter , and put it into boiling water and parboile it : when it is parboild , take it and lay it on a table in a round lumpe , and lay a board ouer it , & with weights presse it as hard as may be : then the water being prest out of it , season it well with pepper and salt : then lard it with the fat of bacon so thicke as may be : then bake it as you bake other red-deere , which is formerly declared . to bake a hare pye . take a hare and pick off all the flesh from the bones , and only reserue the head , then parboile it well : which done , take it out and let it coole , assoone as it is cold , take at least a pound and halfe of raisins of the sunne , and take out the stones : then mixe them with a good quantity of mutton suet , and with a sharpe shredding knife shred it as small as you would doe for a chewet : then put to it currants and whole raisins , cloues and mace , cinamon and salt : then hauing raised the coffin long wise to the proportion of a hare , first lay in the head , and then the aforesaid meate , and lay the meate in the true portion of a hare , with necke , shoulders , and legges , and then couer the coffin and bake it as other bak't meates of that nature . a gammon of bacon-pie . take a gammon of bacon and onely wash it cleane , and then boile it on a soft gentle fire , til● it be boiled as tender as is possible , euer and anon fleeting it cleane , that by all meanes it may boile white : then take off the swerd , and s●ar●e it very well with all manner of sweete and pleasant serssing hearbs : then strow store of pepper ouer it , and pricke it thicke with cloues : then lay it into a coffin made of the same proportion , and lay good store of butter round about it , and vpon it , and strow pepper vpon the butter , that as it melts , the pepper may fal● vppon the bacon : then couer it , and make the proportion of a pigges head in paste vpon it , and then bake it as you bake red deere , or things of the like nature , onely the paste would be of wheate-meale . a herring-pie . ☞ take white pickled herrings of one nights watering and boyle them a little : then pill off the skinne and take onely the backs of them , and picke the fish cleane from the bones , then take good store of raisins of the sunne , and stone them , and put them to the fish : then take a warden or two , and pare it , and slice it in small slices from the chore , and put it likewise to the fish : then with a very sharpe shredding knife shred all as small and fine as may be : then put ●o it good store of currants , sugar ▪ cinamon , slic't dates , and so put it into the coffin with good store of very sweet butter , and so couer it , and leaue onely a round vent-hole on the top of the lid , and so bake it like pies of that nature : when it is sufficiently bak't , draw it out , and take claret-wine and a little veriuice , sugar , cinamon , and sweet butter , and boile them together ; then put it in at the vent-hole , and shake the pie a little , and put it againe into the ouen for a little space , and so serue it vp , the lid being candied ouer with sugar , and the sides of the dish trimmed with sugar . a ling pi● . take a iole of the best ling that is not much watred , and is well sodden and cold , but whilest it is hot take off the skin , and pare it cleane vnderneath , and pick out the bones cleane from the fish : then cut it into grosse bits and let it lie : then take the yelks of a dozen egges boild exceeding hard , and put them to the fish , and shred all together as small as is possible : then take all manner of the best and finest pot-herbs , and chop them wonderfull small , and mixe them also with the fish ; then season it with pepper , cloues , and mace , and so lay it into a coffin with great store of sweete butter , so as it may swimme therein , and then couer it , and leaue a vent hole open in the top when it is bak't , draw it , and take vertuice , sugar , cinamon and butter , and boile them together , and first with a feather annoynt all the lid ouer with that liquor , and then scrape good store of sugar vpon it ; then powre the rest of the liquor in at the vent hole , & then set it into the ouen againe for a very little space , and then serue it vp as pies of the s●me natu●e , and both these pies of fish before rehearsed , are especa●l lenten di●hes . ☞ a no●●ol●e ●ool● . take a pint of the sweetest and thickest creame that can be gotten , and set it on the fire in a very cleane scowred skillet , and put into it sugar , cinamon and a nutmegge cut into foure quarters , and so boile it well : then take the yelkes of foure egs , and take off the filmes , and beate them well with a little sweete creame : then take the foure quarters of the nutmegge out of the creame , then put in the egges , and stirre it exceedingly , till it be thicke : then take a fine manchet , and cut it into thin shiues , as much as will couer a dish-bottome , and holding it in your hand , powre halfe the creame into the dish : then lay your bread ouer it , then couer the bread with the rest of the creame , and so let it stand till it be cold : then strow it ouer with carraway comfets , and pricke vp some cinamon comfets , and some slic't dates ; or for want thereof , scrape all ouer it some sugar , and trim the sides of the dish with sugar , and so serue it vp . a trifle . take a pint of the best and thickest creame , and set it on the fire in a cleane skillet , and put into it sugar , cinamon , and a nutmegge cut into foure quarters , and so boile it well : then put it into the dish you intend to serue it in , and let it stand to coole till it be no more then luke-warme : then put in a spoonefull of the best earning , and stirre it well about , and so let it stand till it be cold , and then strow sugar vpon it , and so serue it vp , and this you may serue either in dish , glasse , or other plate . a calues f●-pye . take calues feete well boild , and picke all the meate from the bones : then being cold 〈◊〉 red it as small as you can , then season it with cloues and mace , and put in good store of currants , raisins , and prunes : then put i● into the coffin with good store of sweete butter , then breake in whole stickes of cinamon , and a nutmegge slic't into foure quarters , and season it before with salt : then close vp the coffin , and onely leaue a vent-hole . when it is bak't , draw it , and at the vent-hole put in the same liquor you did in the ling-pie , and trim the lid after the same manner , and so serue it vp . oysterpye . take of the greatest oysters drawne from the shells , and parboile them in veriuice : then put them into a cuslander , and let all the moysture run from them , till they be as dry as is possible : then raise vp the coffin of the pie , and lay them in : then put to them good store of currants and fine powdred sugar , with whole m●c● , whole cloues , whole cinamon , and nutmeg sl●c't , dates cut , and good store of sweete butter : then couer it , and onely leaue a vent-hole : when it is bak't , then draw it , and take white wine , and white-wine vinegar , sugar , cinamon , and sweete but●er , and melt it together ; then first trim the lid therewith , and candie it with sugar ; then powre the rest in at the vent hole , and shake it well , and so set it into the ouen againe for a little space , and so serue it vp , the dish edges trimd with sugar . now some vse to put to this pie o●i●ns sliced and shred , but that is referred to discretion , and to the pleasure of the taste . to recouer venis●n ha● is tainted . ☜ take strong ale , and put to it of wine-vinegar as much as will make it sharpe : then set it on the fire , and boile it well , and skum it , and make of it a strong brine with bay-salt , or other salt : then take it off , and let it stand till it be cold , then put your venison into it , and let it lie in it full twelue houres : then take it out from that mea● 〈◊〉 , and presse it well ; then parboyle it , and season it with pepper and salt , and bake it , as hath beene before shewed in this chapter . a che●et py● take the brawnes and the wings of capons and chickens after they haue beene rosted , and pull away the skin , then shred them with ●e mutten suet very small , then season it with cloues , mace , cinamon , sugar and salt ▪ then put to ra●sins of the sunne & currants , and slic't dates , and orenge pills , and being well mixt together , put it into small coffins made for the purpose , and strow on the top of them good store of carraway-comfets : then couer them , and bake them with a gentle heate , and these chewets you may also make of rosted veale , seasoned as before shewed , and of all parts the loyne is the best . a minc't pie . take a legge of mutton , and cut the best of the flesh from the bone , and parboyle it well : then put to it three pound of the best mutton suet , and shred it very small : then spread it abroad , and season it with pepper and salt , cloues and mace : then put in good store of currants , great raisins and prunes cleane washt and pickt , a few dates slic't , and some orenge pills sl●c't : then being all well mixt together , put it into a coffin , or into diuers coffins , and so bake them : and when they are serued vp open the liddes , and strow store of sugar on the top of the meate , and vpon the lid . and in this sort you may also bake beefe or veale ; onely the beefe would not bee parboyld , and the veale will aske a double quantity of suet . a pippen p●e . take of the fairest and best pippins , and pare there , and make a hole in the top of them ; then pricke in each hole a cloue or two , then put them into the coffin , then breake in whole stickes of cinamon , and slices of orenge pills and dates , and on the top of euery pippin a little peece of sweete butter : then fill the coffin , and couer the pippins ouer with sugar ; then close vp the pie , and bake it , as you bake pies of the like nature , and when it is bak't , annoint the lidde ouer with store of sweete butter , and then strow sugar vpon it a good thicknesse , and set it into the ouen againe for a little space , as whilest the meate is in dishing vp , and then serue it . a warden-pie , or quince-pie . ☜ take of the fairest and best wardens , and pare them , and take out the hard chores on the top , and cut the sharpe ends at the bottome flat ; then boyle them in white-wine and sugar , vntill the sirrup grow thicke : then take the wardens , from the sirrup into a cleane dish , and let them coole ; then set them into the coffin , and prick cloues in the tops , with whole sticks of cinamon , and great store of sugar , as for pippins , then couer it , and onely reserue a vent-hole , so set it in the ouen and bake it : when it is bak't , draw it forth , and take the first sirrup in which the wardens were boyld , and taste it , and if it be not sweet enough , then put in more sugar and some rose water , and boyle it againe a little , then powre it in at the vent-hole , & shake the pie well ; then take sweet butter and rose water melted , and with it annoint the pie-lid all ouer , and then strow vpon it store of sugar , and so set it into the ouen againe a little space , and then serue it vp . and in this manner you may also bake quinces . to preserue quinces to bake all the yeare . take the best and sweetest worte , and put to it good store of sugar ; then pate and chore the quinces cleane ▪ and put them therein , and boyle them till they grow tender : then take out the quinces and let them coole , & let the pickle in which they were boild , stand to coole also ; then straine it through a raunge or siue , then put the quinces into a sweete earthen pot , then powre the p●ck●e or sirrup vnto them , so as all the quinces may be quite couered all ouer ; then stop vp the pot close , and let it in a dry place , and once in sixe or seuen weeks looke vnto it ; and if you see it shrinke , or doe begin to hoare or mould ▪ then powre out the pickle or sirrup , and renewing it , boyle it ouer againe , and as before put it to the qu●nc●s being cold and thus you may preserue them for the vse of baking , or otherwise all the yeere . a pippen tart. take p●ppins of the fairest , and p●re them , and then diuide them ●ust in the h●lfes , and take out the chores cleane : then hauing ●old out the coffin flat , and raisd vp a small verdge of an inch , or more high , lay in the pippins with the hollow side downeward , as close one to another as may be : then lay here and there a cloue , and here and there a whole sticke of sinamon , and a little bit of butter : then couer all cleane ouer with sugar , and so couer the coffin , and bake it according to the manner of tarts ; and when it is bak●t , then draw it out , and hauing boyled butter and rose water together , anoynt all the lid ouer therewith , and then scrape or strow on it good store of sugar , and so set it in the ouen againe , and after serue it vp . a codlin tart. take greene apples from the tree , and codle them in sca●ding water wi●hout breaking ; then pill the thinne skin from them , and so diuide them in halfes , and cut out the chores , and so lay them into the coffin , and doe in euery thing as you did in the pippin-tart ; and before you couer it when the sugar is cast in , see you sprinkle vpon a good store of rose-water , then close it , and doe as before shewed . ☞ a codling pie· take codlins as before said , and pill them and diuide them in halfes , and chore them , and lay a leare thereof in the bottome of the pie : then scatter here and there a cloue , and here and there a peece of whole sinamon ; then couer them all ouer with sugar , then lay another leare of codlins , and doe as beforesaid , and so another , till the coffin be all filled ; then couer all with sugar , and here and there a cloue and a cinamon-sticke , and if you will a slic't orange pill and a date ; then couer it , and bake it as the pies of that nature : when it is bak't , draw it out of the ouen , and take of the thickest and best creame with good store of sugar , and giue it one boile or two on the fire : then open the pie , and put the creame therein , and mash the codlins all about ; then couer it , and hauing trimd the lidde ( as was before shewed in the like pies and tarts ) set it into the ouen againe for halfe an houre , and so serue it forth . a cherry tart. take the fairest cherries you can get , and pick them cleane from leaues and stalkes : then spread out your coffin as for your pippin-tart , and couer the bottome with sugar : then couer the sugar all ouer with cherries , then couer those cherries with sugar , some sticks of cinamon , and here and there a cloue : then lay in more cherries , and so more sugar , cinamon and cloues , till the coffin be filled vp : then couer it , and bake it in all points as the codling and pipping tart , and so serue it : and in the same manner you may make tarts of gooseberries , strawberries , rasberries , bi●berries , or any other berrie whatsoeuer . a rice tart. take rice that is cleane picked , and boyle it in sweet creame , till it be very soft : then let it stand and coole , and put into it good store of cinamon and sugar , and the yelkes of a couple of egges and some currants , stir and beate all well together ▪ then hauing made the coffin in the manner before said for other tarts , put the rice therein , and spread it all ouer the coffin : then breake many little bits of sweet butter vpon it all ouer , and scrape some sugar ouer it also , then couer the tart , and bake it , and trim it in all points , as hath bene before shewed , and so serue it vp . a florentine . take the kidneys of veale after it hath bene well rosted , and is cold : then shred it as fine as is possible ; then take a●l sorts of sweete pot hearbs , or fearsing hearbs , which haue no bitter or strong taste , and chop them as small as may be , and putting the veale into a large dish , put the hearbs vnto it , and good store of cleane washt currants , sugar , cinamon , the yelkes of foure egges , a little sweete creame warmd , and the fine grated crummes of a halfe penny loafe and salt , and mixe all exceeding well together : then take a deepe pewter dish , and in it lay your paste very thin rowld out , which paste you must mingle thus : take of the finest wheat-flower a quart , and a quarter so much sugar , and a little cinamon ; then breake into it a couple of egges , then take sweet creame and butter melted on the fire , and with it kne●d the paste , and as was before sayd , hauing spread butter all about the dishes sides : then put in the veale , n● breake peeces of sweete butter vpon it , and scrape sugar ouer it ; then rowle out another paste reasonable ●hicke , and with it couer the dish all ouer , closing the two pasts with the beaten whites of egges very fast together : then with your knife cut the lid into diuerse pretty workes according to your fancy : then let it in the ouen and bake it with pies and tarts of like nature : when it is back't , draw it , and trim the lid with sugar , as hath bene shewed in tarts , and so serue it vp in your second courses . a pruen tart . take of the fairest damaske pruens you can get , and put them in a cleane pipkin with faire water , sugar , vnbruised cinamon , and a braunch or two of rosemary , and if you haue bread to bake , stew them in the ouen with your bread : if otherwise , stew them on the fire : when they are stewed , then bruise them all to mash in their sirrop , and strayne them into a cleane dish ; then boyle it ouer againe with sugar , cinamon , and rose water , till it be as thicke as marmalad : then set it to coole , then make a reasonable tuffe paste with fine flower , water , and a little butter , and rowle it out very thinne : then hauing patternes of paper cut into diuerse proportions , as beastes , birdes , armes , knots , flowers , and such like : lay the patternes on the paste , and so cut them accordingly : then with your fingers pinch vpp the edges of the paste , and set the worke in good proportion : then pricke it well all ouer for rising , and set it on a cleane sheete of large paper , and so set it into the ouen , and bake it hard ; then drawe it , and set it by to coole : and thus you may doe by a whole ouen full at one time , as your occasion of expence is : then against the time of seruice comes , take off the confection of pruens before rehearsed , and with your knife , or a spoone fill the coffin according to the thicknesse of the verge ; then strow it ouer all with caraway comfets , and pricke long comfets vpright in it , and so taking the paper from the bottome , serue it on a plate in a dish or charger , according to the bignesse of the tart , and at the second course , and this tart carrieth the colour blacke . ap●le-tart . take apples and pare them , and slice them thin from the chore into a pipkin with white wine , good store of sugar , cinamon , a few saunders and rosewater , and boyle it till it be thicke ; then coole it , and straine it , and beate it very well together with a spoone : then put it into the coffin as you did the pruen tart , and adorne it also in the same manner , and this tart you may fill thicker or thinner , as you please to raise the edge of the coffin , and it carrieth the colour red . a spinage tart . take good store of spinage , and boyle it in a pipkin with white-wine till it be very soft as pap : then take it and straine it well into a pewter dish , not leauing any part vnstrained : then put to it rosewater , great store of sugar and cynamon , and boyle it till it be as thicke as marmalad , then let it coole , and after fi●l your coffin , and adorne it , and serue it in all points as you did your pruen-tart , and this carrieth the colour greene . a yellow tart . take the yelkes of egs , and breake away the filmes , and beate th●m well with a little creame : then take of the sweetest a●d thickest creame that can be got , and set it on the fire in a cleane skillet , and put into it sugar , cinamon and rose water , and then boyle it well : when it is boy●d , and still boyling , stirre it well , and as you stirre it put in th● egs , and so boyle it ti●l it curdle ; then take i● f●om the fire and put it into a strainer , and first let the thin whay runne away into a by dish , then straine the rest very well , and beate it well with a spoo●e , and so put it into the tart coffin , and adorne it as you did your pruen tart , and so serue it : this carrieth the colour yellow a white tart . take the whites of egs and beate them with rose-water , and a little sweet creame : then set on the fire good thicke sweete c●eame , and put into it sugar , cynamon , rose-water , and boyle it well , and as it boyles stirre it exceedingly , and in the stirring put in the whites of egs ; then bo●le i● till it cur●le , and after doe in al● things as you did to the yellow tart ; and this carrieth the colour white , and it is a very pure white , and therefore would be adorned with red carraway comfets , and as this to with blaunched almonds like white tarts and full as pure . now you may ( if you please ) put all these seuerall colours , and seuerall stuffes into one tart , as thus : if the tart be in the proportion of a beast , the body may be of one colour , the eyes of another , the teeth of an other , and the tallents of another : and so of birds , the body of one colour , the eyes another , the legges of an other , and euery feather in the wings of a seuerall colour according to fancy : and so likewise in armes , the field of one colour , the charge of another , according to the forme of the coat-armour ; as for the mantles , trailes and deuices about armes , they may be set out with seuerall colours of preserues , conserues , marmalads , and goodinyakes , as you shall find occasion or inuention , and so likewise of knots , one trayle of one colour , and another of another , and so of as many as you please . an hearb● tart . take sorrell , spinage , parsley , and boyle them in water till they be very soft as pap , then take them vp , and presse the water cleane from them , then take good store of yelkes of egges boild very hard , and chopping them with the hearbes exceeding small , then put in good store of currants , sugar and cynamon , and stirre all well together ; then put them into a deepe tart coffin with good store of sweete butter ▪ and couer it ; and bake it like a pippin tart , and adorne the lid after the baking in that manner also , and so serue it vp . to bake a pudding pye . take a quart of the best creame , and set it on the fire , and slice a loa●e of the lightest white bread into thinne slices , and pu● into it , and let it stand on the fire till the milke begin to rise ; then take it off , & put it into a bason , and let it stand till it be cold : then put in the yelkes of foure egges , and two whites , good store of currants , sugar , cinamon , cloues , mace , and plenty of sheepes suet finely shred , and a good season of salt ; then trim your pot very well round about with butter , and so put it your pudding , and bake it sufficiently , then when you serue it , strow sugar vpon it . a white pot . take the best and sweetest creame , and boile it with good store of sugar , and cinamon , and a little rose-water , then take it from the fire and put into it cleane pickt ryce , but not so much as to make it thicke , & let it steepe therein till it be cold ; then put in the yelks of sixe egs , & two whites , currants , sugar , sinamon , and rose-water , and salt , then put it into a pan , or pot , as 〈…〉 it were a custard ; and so bake it and serue it in the pot it is baked in , trimming the top with sugar or comfets . of banqueting stuffe and conceited dishes . there are a world of other bak't meates and pies , but for as much as whosoeuer can doe these may doe all the rest , because herein is contained all the art of seasonings , i will trouble you with no further repetitions ▪ but proceede to the manner of making of banqueting stuffe and conceited dishes , with other pretty and curious secrets , necessary for the vnderstanding of our english hous-wife : for albeit they are not of generall vse , yet in their due times they are so needfull for adornation , that whosoeuer is ignorant therein , is lame , and but the halfe part of a compleat hous-wife . to make paste of quinces . ☞ to make paste of quinces : first boile your quinces whole and when they are soft , pare them and cut the quince from the core ; then take the finest sugar you can get finely beaten and sea●sed , and put in a little rose-water and boi●e it together ti●l it be thicke ; then pu● in the cut quinces and so boyle them together t●ll it be st●ffe enough to mold , and when it is cold , then role it and print it ; a pound of quinces will take a pound of sugar , or neere thereabouts . to make thin quince cakes . to make thin quince cakes , take your quince when it is boyled soft as before said , and dry it vpon a pewter plate with soft heate , & be ouer stirring of it with a slice till it be hard ; then take searced sugar quantity for quantit● & strow it into the quince , as you beate it in a woodden or stone morter : and so role them thin & print them . to preserue quinces . ☜ to preserue quinces : first pare your quinces and take out the cores and boile the cores and parings all together in faire water , and when they beginne to be soft , take them out and straine your liquor , and put the waight of your quinces in sugar , and boile the quinces in the sirrup till they be tender : then take them vp and boile your sirrup till it be thicke : if you will haue your quinces red , couer them in the boiling , and if you will haue them white doe not couer them . to make ipocras . to make ipocras , take a pottle of wine , two ounces of good cinamon , halfe an ounce of ginger , nine cloues , & sixe pepper cornes , and a nutmeg , & bruise them and put them into the wine with some rosemary flowers , and so let them steepe all night , and then put in sugar a pound at least : & when it is well setled , let it run through a woollen bag made for that purpose : thus if your wine be claret , the ipocras wil be red : if white then of that color also . to make ielly . to make the best ielly , take calues feet and wash them and scald off the haire as cleane as you can get it : then split them and take out the fat and lay them in water , & shift them : then b●ile them in faire water vntill it will ielly , which you shall know by now and then cooling a spoonefull of the broth : when it will ielly then straine it , and when it is cold then put in a pint of sacke and whole cinamon and ginger slic't , and sugar and a little rose-water , and boyle all well together againe : then beate the white of an egge an put it into it , and let it haue one boile more : then put in a branch of rosemary into the bottome of your ielly bag , and let it runne through once or twice , and if you will haue it coloured , then put in a little townefall . also if you want calues feete you may make as good ielly if you take the like quantity of isingglasse , and so vse no calues feete at all . 〈…〉 to make the best l●ach , take isingglasse and lay it two houres in water , and shift it and boyle it in faire water and let it coole : then take almonds and lay them in cold water till they will blaunch : and then stampe them and put to new milke , and strayne them and put in whole mace and ginger slic't , and boile them till it taste well of the sp●ce : then put in your isingglasse and sugar , and a little rose-water : and then let them all runne through a strainer . 〈…〉 ginger bread . take claret wine and colour it with townefall , and put in sugar and set it to the fire : then take wheat bread finely grated and sifted , and licoras , aniseedes , ginger and cinamon beaten very small and sears●d : and put your bread and your spice all together , and put th●m into the wine and boile it and stirre it till it be thicke : then mould it and print it at your pleasure ▪ & let it stand neither too moist nor too warme . marmalad of quinces red . to make red marmelade of quinces : take a pound of quinces and cut them in halfes , and take out the co●es and pare them : then take a pound of sugar and a quart of faire water and put them all into a pan , and let them boile with a soft fire , and sometimes turne them and keepe them couered with a pewter dish , so that the st●mme or aire may c●me a little out : the longer they are in boyling the better colour they will haue : and when they be soft take a knife and cut them crosse vpon the top , it will make the sirrup goe through that they may be all of a like colour : then set a little of your sirrop to coole , and when it beginneth to be thicke then breake your quinces with a slice or a spoone so small as you can in the pan , and then strow a little fine sugar in your boxes bottome , and so put it vp . marmalad wines . to make white marmalade you must in all points vse your quinces as is before said ; only you must take but a pint of water to a pound of quinces , and a pound of sugar , and boile them as fast as you can , and couer them not at all . to make iumbals . to make the best iumbals , take the whites of three egges and beate them well , and take off the froth ; then take a little milke and a pound of fine wheate flower & sugar together finely sifted , and a few aniseeds well rub'd and dried ; and then worke all together as stiffe as you can worke it , and so make them in what formes you please , and bake them in a soft ouen vppon white papers . to make bisket bread . to make bisket-bread , take a pound of fine flower , & a pound of sugar finely beaten and searsed , and mixe them together ; then take eight egges and put foure yelks and beate them very well together ; then st●ow in your flower and sugar as you are beating of it , by a little at once , it will take very neere an hou●es b●a●m ; then take halfe an ounce of aniseedes and coriand●r-seeds and let them be dried and rubbed very cleane , and put them in ; then rub your bisket-pans with co●d sweet butter as thin as you can , and so put it in and bake it in an ouen : but if you would haue thinne cakes , then take fruit dishes and rub them in like sort with butter , and so bake your cakes on them , and wh●n they are almost back't , turne them , and thrust them downe close with your hand . some to this bisket-bread will adde a little creame , and it is not amisse , but excellent good also . to make fin● iumbals . to make iumbals more fine and curious then the former , and neerer to the taste of the macaroone : take a pound of sugar beate it fine , then take as much fine wheat flower and mixe them together , then take two whites and one yolke of an egge , halfe a quarter of a pound of blaunched almonds ; then beate them very fine altogether with halfe a dish of sweet butter , and a spoonefull of rose water , and so worke it with a little creame till it come to a very stiffe paste , then rou●e them forth as you please : and hereto you shall also , if you please , adde a few dried aniseeds finely rubbed and strewed into the paste , and also coriander seed . to make drye sugar leach to make drie sugar leache , blaunch your almonds and beate them with a little rose water and the white of one egge , and you must beate it with a great deale of sugar , and worke it as you would worke a peece of paste : then roule it and print it as you did other things , onely be sure to strew sugar in the print for feare of cleaning too . to make leach lumbard . to make leache lumbard , take halfe a pound of blaunched almonds , two ounces of cinamon beaten and searsed , halfe a pound of sugar , then beate your almonds , and strewe in your sugar and cynamon till it come to a paste , then roule it and print it , as aforesayd . to make fresh cheese . to make an excelle●t fresh cheese , take a p●t●le of milke as it comes from the cow , and a pint of creame : then take a spoonefull of runnet or earning , and put it vnto it , and let it stand two houres : then stirre it vp , and put it into a fine cloth , and let the whay draine from it : then put it into a bowle , and take the yelke of an egge , a spoonefull of rose-water , and bray them together with a very little salt , with sugar and nutmegs ; and when all these are brayed together and searst , m●xe it with the curd , and then put it into a cheese fat with a very fine cloth . how to make course ginger bread . to make course ginger bread , take a quart of hony and set it on the coales and refine it : then take a penny-worth of ginger , as much pepper , as much licoras , and a quarter of a pound of aniseeds , and a peny worth of saunders : all these must be beaten and searsed , and so put into the hony : then put in a quarter of a pint of claret wine or old ale , then take three peny manchets finely grated and strow it amongst the rest , and stirre it till it come to a stiffe paste , and then make it into cakes and dry them gently . how to make quince cakes ordinary . ☜ to make ordinary quince cakes , take a good peece of a preserued quince , and beate in a morter , and worke it vp into a very stiffe paste wi●h fine searst sugar ▪ then print it and drie them gently . how to make cinamon stickes . ☜ to make most artificiall cinamon stickes , take an ounce of cinamon and pound it , and halfe a pound of sugar ; then take some gumme dragon and put it in steepe in rosewater , then take thereof to the quantity of a hasell nut , and worke it out and print it , and roule it in forme of a cinamon sticke . how to make cinamon water . to make cinamon water take a pottle of the best ale and a pott●e of sack-lees ; a pound of cinamon sliced fine , and put them together , and let them stand two daies ; then distill them in a limbecke or glasse ▪ still . how to make w●rme-wood water . to make wormewood water take two gallons of good ale , a pound of aniseedes , halfe a pound of licoras , and beate them very fine ; and then take two good handfuls of the crops of wormewood , and put them into the ale and let them stand all night , and then distill them in a limbeck with a moderate fire . to make sw●ete water to make sweete water of the best kind , take a thousand damaske roses , two good handfuls of lauendar tops , a three peny waight of mace , two ounces of cloues bruised , a quart of running water : put a little water into the bottome of an earthen pot , and then put in your roses and lauender with the spices by little and little , and in the putting in alwaies knead them downe with your fist , and so continue it vntill you haue wrought vp all your roses and lauender , and in the working betweene put in alwaies a little of your water ; then stop your pot close , and let it stand foure daies , in which time euery morning and euening put in your hand , and pull from the bottome of your pot the saide roses , working it for a time : and then distill it , and hang in the glasse of water a graine or two of muske wrapt in a pe●ce of sarcenet or fine cloath . another way others to make sweete water , take of ireos two ounces , of calamus halfe an ounce , of cipresse rootes halfe an ounce , of yellow saunders nine drams , of cloues bruised one ounce , of beniamin one ounce , of storax and calamint one ounce ▪ and of muske twelfe graines , and infusing all these in rose-water distill it . to make date leach ▪ to m●ke an exce●lent date-leach , take dates , and take out the stone● and the wh●te rinde , and beate them with suga● , cinamon and ginger very finely then work it as you would worke a peece of paste , and then print them as you please , to make sugar plate . to m●ke a ●ind of sugar plate , take gumme dragon , and lay it in rose-water ●wo daies ▪ then take the powder of faire hepps and sugar , and the iuyce of an oreng ; beate all these together in a morter , then take it out and worke it with your hand : and print it at your pleasure . to make spice cakes . to make excellent spice cakes , take halfe a pecke of very fine wheat-flower , take almost one pound of sweet butter , and some good milke and creame mixt together , set it on the fire , and put in your butter , and a good deale of sugar , and let it melt together : then straine saffron into your milke a good quantity : then take seuen or eight spoonefulls of good ale-ba●me , and eight egges with two yelkes and mixe them together , then put your milke to it when it is somewhat cold , and into your flower put salt , aniseedes bruised , cloues and mace , and a good deale of cinamon : then worke all together good and stiffe , that you need not worke in any flower after : then put in a little rosewater cold , then rub it well in the thing you knead it in , and worke it throughly : if it be not sweete enough , scrape in a little more sugar , and pull it all in peeces , and hurle in a good quantity of currants , and so worke all together againe , and bake your cake as you see cause in a gentle warme ouen . to make a banbury cake . ☜ to make a very good banbury cake , take foure pounds of currants , & wash and pick them very cleane , and drie them in a cloth : then take three egges and put away one yelke , and beate them , and strayne them with harme , putting thereto cloues , mace , cinamon and nutmegges , then take a pint of creame , and as much mornings milke and set it on the fire till the cold be taken away ; then take flower and put in good store of cold butter and sugar , then put in your egges , ba●me and meale and worke them all together an houre or more ; then saue a part of the p●ste , & the rest breake in p●eces and worke in your currants ; which done , mold your cake of what quantity you please ; and then with that paste which hath not any currants coue● it very thinne both vnderneath and a lost . and so bake it according to the the bignesse . ☞ to m●ke the best march-pane . to make the best march pane , take the best iordan almonds and blaunch them in warme water , then put them into a stone-morter , and with a wooden pestell beate them to pappe , then take of the finest refined sugar well searst , and with it damaske rose-water , beate it to a good stiffe paste , allowing almost to euery iordan amlond three spoonefull of sugar ; then when it is brought thus to a paste , lay it vpon a faire table , and strowing searst sugar vnder it , mould it like leauen , then with a roling pin role it forth , and lay it vpon wafers washt with rose-water ; then pinch it about the sides , and put it into what forme you please ; then strow searst sugar all ouer it ; which done , wash it ouer with rose-water and sugar mixt together , for that will make the ice ; then adorne it with comfets , guilding , or whatsoeuer deuices you please , and so set it into a hot stoue , and there bake it crispie , and so serue it forth . some vse to mixe with the paste cinamon and ginger finely searst , but i referre that to your particular taste . to make paste of gen●● , o● any other past to make paste of genoa , you shall take quinces after they haue beene boyled soft , and beate them in a morter with refined sugar , cinamon and ginger finely searst , and damaske rose water till it come to a stiffe paste ; and role it forth and print it , and so bake it in a stoue ; and in this sort you may make paste of peares , apples , wardens , plummes of all kinds , cherries , barberries ; or what other fruit you please . to m●ke any conserue . to make conserue of any fruit you please , you shall take the fruite you intend to make conserue of : and if it be stone-fruit you shall take out the stones : if other fruit take away the paring and chore , and then boyle them in faire running water to a resonable height : then draine them from thence , and put them into a fresh vessell with claret wine , or white wine , according to the colour of the fruit : and so boyle them to a thicke pappe all to mashing , breaking and stirring them together : then to euery pound of pappe put to a pound of sugar , and so stirre them all well together , and being very hot strayne them through faire strayners , and so pot it vp . to make conserue of flowers . to make conserue of flowers , as roses , violets , gilly flowers , and such like : you shall take the flowers from the stalkes , and with a paire of sheeres cut away the white ends at the roots thereof , and then put them into a stone morter or wooden brake , and there crush or beate them till they be come to a soft substance : and then to euery pound thereof , take a pound of fine refined sugar well searst and beate it all together , till it come to one intire body , and then pot it vp , and vse it as occasion shall serue . to make wafers . to make the best wafers , take the finest wheat-flower you can get , and mixe it with creame , the yelkes of egges , rose-water , sugar and cinamon till it be a little thicker then pan cake-batter ; and then warming your wafer-irons on a char-coale-fire , annoint them first with sweete butter , and then lay on your batter and presse it , and bake it white or browne at your pleasure . ☜ to make marmala●e of oranges . to make an excellent marmalade of oranges , take the oranges , and with a knife pare off as thinn as is possible the vppermost rinde of the orange : yet in such sort , as by no meanes you alter the color of the orange ; then steere them in ●aire water , changing the water twice a d●y , till you finde no bitternesse of taste therein ; then take them forth , and first boile them in faire running water , and when they are soft , remoue them into rosewater , and boile them therein till they breake : then to euery pound of the pulpe put a pound of refined sugar , and so hauing masht and stirred them all well together , straine it through very faire strainers into boxes , and so vse it as you shall see occasion . additions to banqu●ti●g stuff●· to make fine cakes . take a pottle of fine flower , and a pound of sugar , a little mace , and good store of water to mingle the flower into a stifle paste , and a good season of salt , and so knead it , and role out the cake thinne and bake them on papers . fine bread . take a quarter of a pound of fine sugar well beaten , and as much flower finely boulted , with a quantity of aniseedes a little bruised , and mingle all together ; then take two egges and beate them very well , whites and all ; then put in the mingled stuffe aforesaid , and beate all together a good while , then put it into a mould , wiping the bottome euer first with butter to make it come out easily , and in the baking turne it once or twice as you shall haue occasion , and so serue it whole , or in slices at your pleasure . to prese●ue qu●nce● 〈…〉 . take sweete apples and stampe them as you doe for cider , then presse them through a bagge as you doe veriuyce ; then put it into a ferkin wherein you will keepe your quinces , and then gather your quinces , and wipe them cleane , and neither chore them nor pare them , but onely take the blacks from the tops , and so put them into the ferkin of cider , and therein you may keepe them all the yeere very faire , and take them not out of the liquor , but as you are ready to vse them , whether it be for pies , ar any other purpose , and then pare them , and chore them as you thinke good . to make spoc●a● . take a gallon of claret or white-wine , and put therein foure ounces of ginger , an ounce and a halfe of nutmegs , of cloues one quarter , of sugar foure pound ; let all this stand together in a pot at least twelue houres , then take it , and put it into a cleane bagge made for the purpose , so that the wine may come with good leasure from the spices . to preserue quinces . take quinces and wipe them very cleane , and then chore them , and as you chore them , put the chores straight into faire water , and let the chores and the water boyle ; when the water boyleth , put in the quinces vnpared , and let them boyle till they be tender , and then take them out and pare them , and euer as you pare them , put them straight into sugar finely beaten : then take the water they were sodden in , & straine it through a faire cloth , and take as much of the same water as you thinke will make sirrup enough for the quinces , and put in some of your sugar and let it boile a while , and then put in your quinces , and let them boyle a while , and turne them , and cast a good deale of sugar vpon them ; they must seeth a pace , and euer as you turne them , couer them still with sugar , till you haue bestowed all your sugar ; and when you thinke that your quinces are tender enough , take them forth , and if your sirrup be not stiffe enough , you may seeth it againe after the quinces are forth . to euery pound of quinces you must take more then a pound of sugar : for the more sugar you take , the fairer your quinces will bee , and the better and longer they will be precrued . conserue of quinces . take two gallons of faire water , and set it on the fire , and when it is luke-warme , beate the whites of fiue or six egges , and put them into the water , and stirre it well , and then let the water seeth , and when it riseth vp all on a curd , then scumme it off : take quinces and pare them , and quarter them , and cut out the chores : then take as many pound of your quinces as of your sugar , and put them into your liquor , and let it boyle till your liquor be as high coloured as french wine , and when they be very tender , then take a faire new canuase cloth faire washt , and straine your quinces through it with some of your liquor ; ( if they will not goe through easily , ) then if you will make it very pleasant , take a little muske , and lay it in rose water , and put it thereto ; then take and seeth it , vntill it bee of such substance , that when it is cold , it will cut with a knife ; and then put it into a faire boxe , and if you please , lay leafe-gold thereon . ☞ to keepe quinces all the yeere . take all the parings of your quinces that you make your conserue withall , and three or foure other quinces , and cut them in peeces , and boile the same parings , and the other peeces in two or three gallonds of water , and so let them boyle till all the strength bee sodden out of the sayd quinces and parings , and if any skumme arise whilest it boyles , take it away : then let the sayd water runne thorough a strayner into a faire vessell , and set it on the fire againe , and take your quinces that you will keepe , and wipe them cleane , and cut off the vttermost part of the said quinces , and picke out the kernels and chores as cleane as you can , and put them into the said liquor , and so let them boile till they be a little soft , and then take them from the fire , and let them stand till they be cold ▪ then take a little barrell , and put into the said barrell , the water that your quinces be sodden in ; then take vp your quinces with a sadle , and put them into your barrell , and stop your barrell close that no ayre come into them , till you haue fit occasion to vse them ; and bee sure to take such quinces as are neither bruised nor rotten . fine ginger cakes . take of the best sugar , and when it is beaten searse it very fine , and of the best ginger and cinamon ▪ then take a little gum-dragon and lay it in rosewater all night , then poure the water from it , and put the same with a little white of an egge well beaten into a brasse morter , the sugar , ginger , cinamon and all together , and beate them together till you may worke it like past ; then take it and driue it forth into cakes , and print them , and lay them before the fire , or in a very warme stoue to bake . or otherwise , take sugar and ginger ( as is before said ) cinamon and gum-dragon excepted , in stead whereof , take onely the whites of eggs and so doe as was before shewed you . to make suckets . take curds , the paring of lemons , of oranges or pouncithrous , or indeede any halfe-ripe greene fruite , and boyle them till they be tender in sweete worte ; then make a sirrop in this sort : take three pound of sugar , and the whites of foure eggs , and a gallon of water , then swinge and beate the water and the eggs together ; and then put in your sugar , and set it on the fire , and let it haue an easier fire , and so let it boyle sixe or seuen walmes , and then straine it thorow a cloth , and let it seeth againe till it fall from the spoone , and then put it into the rindes or fruits . course ginger-bread . take a quart of hony clarified , and seeth it till it bee browne , and if it be thicke , put to it a dish of water : then take fine crummes of white bread grated , and put to it , and stirre it well , and when it is almost cold , put to it the powder of ginger , cloues , cinamon , and a little licoras and aniseedes : then knead it , and put it into moulds and print it : some vse to put to it also a little pepper , but that is according vnto taste and pleasure . to candy any roote , fruite or flower . dissolue sugar , or sugar candy in rose-water , boile it to an height , put in your rootes , fruits or flowers , the sirrop being cold , then rest a little , after take them out and boyle the sirrop againe , then put in more roots , &c. then boile the sirrop the third time to an hardnesse , putting in more sugar but not rose-water , put in the roots , &c. the sirrop being cold and let them stand till they candie . ordering of banquets . thus hauing shewed you how to preserue , conserue , candy , and make pasts of all kinds , in which foure heads consists the whole art of banqueting dishes ; i will now proceed to the ordering or setting foorth of a banquet , where in you shall obserue , that march-panes haue the first place , the middle place , and last place : your preserued fruites shall be disht vp first , your pasts next , your wet suckets after them , then your dried suckets , then your marmelades and goodiniakes , then your comfets of all kinds ; next , your peares , apples , wardens back't , raw or roasted , and your oranges and leamons sliced ; and lastly your wafer-cakes . thus you shall order them in the closet : but when they goe to the table , you shall first send foorth a dish made for shew onely , as beast , bird , fish , fowle , according to inuention : then your marchpane , then preserued fruite , then a paste , then a wet sucket , then a dry sucket , marmelade , comfets , apples , peares , wardens , oranges and lemmons sliced ; and then wafers , and another dish of preserued fruites , and so consequently all the rest before : no two dishes of one kind going or standing together , and this will not onely appeare delicate to the eye , but inuite the appetite with the much variety thereof . ordering of grea●●●asts , and proport●on o● expence . now we haue drawne our house-wife into these seuerall knowledges of cookery , in as much as in her is contained all the inward offices of houshold , we will proceede to declare the manner of seruing and setting forth of meate for a great feast , and from it deriue meaner , making a due proportion of all things : for what auailes it our good house-wife to bee neuer so skilfull in the parts of cookery , if she want skill to marshall the dishes , and set euery one in his due place , giuing precedency according to fashion and custome : it is like to a fencer leading a band of men in rout , who knowes the vse of the weapon , but not how to put men in order . it is then to be vnderstood , that it is the office of the clerke of the kitchin ( whose place our house-wife must many times supply ) to order the meate at the dresser , and deliuer it vnto the sewer , who is to deliuer it to the gentlemen and yeomen-waiters to beare to the table . now because wee allow no offices but our house-wife , to whom we onely speake in this booke , shee shall first marshall her sallets , deliuering the grand sallet first , which is euermore compound : then greene sallets , then boyld sallets , then some smaller compound sallets . next vnto sallets she shall deliuer foorth all her fricases , the simple first , as collops , rashers , and such like : then compound fricases , after them all her boyld meats in their degree , as simple broths , stewd-broth , and the boylings of sundry fowles . next them all sorts of rost-meates , of which the greatest first , as chine of beefe , or surloyne , the gigget or legges of mutton , goose , swan , veale , pig , capon , and such like . then bak't-meates , the hot first , as fallow-deere in pasty , chicken , or calues foote-pie and douset . then cold bak't meates , pheasant , partidges , turkie , goose , woodcocke , and such like . then lastly , carbonados both simple and compound . and being thus marshald from the dresser , the sewer vpon the placing them on the table , shall not set them downe as he receiued them , but setting the sallets extrauagantly about the table , mixe the fricases about them ; then the boild meates amongst the fricases , rost meates amongst the boild , bak't meates amongst the rost , and carbonados amongst the bak't ; so that before euery trencher may stand a sallet , a fricase , a boild meate , a rost meate , a bak't meat , and a carbonado , which will both giue a most comely beauty to the table , and very great contentment to the guesse . so likewise in the second course she shall first preferre the lesser wild-fowle , as mallard , tayle , snipe , plouer , wood-cocke , and such like : then the lesser land-fowle ; as chicken , pigeons , partridge , raile , turky , chickens , young pea●hens , and such like . then the greater wild-fowle ; as bitter , hearne , shoueler , crane , bustard , and such like . then the greater land fowles ; as peacocks , pheasant , puets , gulles , and such like . then hot bak't-meates ; as marrybone-pie , quince-pie , florentine , and tarts . then cold bak't meates , as red deere , hare-pie , gammon of bacon-pie , wild b●r● , roe-pie , and such like , and these also shall bee marshald at the table , as the first course not one kind all together , but each seuerall sort mixt together , as a lesser wild-fowle and a lesser land-fowle ; a great wild-fowle , and a great land-fowle ; a hot bak't meate and a cold : and for made dishes and quelquechoses , which relie on the inuention of the cooke , they are to bee thrust in into euery place that is emptie , and so sprinkled ouer all the table : and this is the best method for the extraordinary great feasts of princes . but in case it be for much more humble meanes , then lesse care and fewer dishes may discharge it : yet before i proceede to that lower rate , you shall vnderstand , that in these great feasts of princes , though i haue mentioned nothing but flesh , yet is not fifh to be exempted ; for it is a beauty and an honour vnto euery feast , and is to be placed amongst all the seuerall seruices , as thus ; as amongst your sallets all sorts of soused-fish that liues in the fresh water ; amongst your fricases all manner of fride-fish ; amongst your boyld-meates , all fish in broaths ; amongst your rost-meates , all fish serued hot , but drie ; amongst the bak't meates , and sea-fish that is soust , as sturgion and the like ; and amongst your carbonados , fish that is broild . as for your second course , to it belongeth all manner of shell fish , either in the shell , or without ; the hot to goe vp with the hot meate , and the cold with the cold . and thus shall the feast bee royall , and the seruice worthy . now for a more humble feast , or an ordinary proportion which any good man may keepe in his family for the entertainment of his true and worthy friends , it must hold limitation with his prouision , and the season of the yeere : for summer affords what winter wantes , & winter is master of that which summer can but with difficulty haue : it is good then for him that intends to feast , to set downe the full number of his full dishes , that is , dishes of meate that are of substance , and not emptie or for shew ; and of these sixteene is a good proportion for one course vnto one messe , as thus for example , first , a shield of brawne with mustard : secondly , a boyld capon ; thirdly , a boyld peece of beefe : fourthly , a chine of beefe rosted : fiftly , a neates tongue rosted : sixtly , a pigge rosted : seuenthly , chewets back't ; eightly , a goose rosted : ninethly , a swan rosted : tenthly , a turkey rosted ; the eleuenth , a haunch of venison rosted ; the twelfth , a pasty of venison ; the thirteenth , a kid with a pudding in the belly ; the fourteenth , an oliue pye ; the fifteenth , a couple of capons ; the sixteenth , a custard or dousets . now to these full dishes may be added in sallets , fricases , quelquechoses , and deuised paste , as many dishes more , which make the full seruice no lesse then two and thirty dishes , which is as much as can conueniently stand on one table , and in one messe : and after this manner you may proportion both your second and third course , holding fulnesse in one halfe of the dishes , and shew in the other , which will be both frugall in the spendor , contentment to the guest , and much pleasure and delight to the beholders . and thus much touching the ordering of great feasts and ordinary contentments . chap. . of distillations , and their veriues , and of perfuming . when our english house-wife is exact in these rules before rehearsed , and that she is able to adorne and beautifie her table , with all the vertuous illustrations meet for her knowledge ; she shall then sort her mind to the vnderstanding of other house-wifely secrets , right profitable and meete for her vse , su●h as the want thereof may trouble her when need , o● time requires . of the nature of waters . therefore first i would haue her furnish her selfe of very good stils , for the distulation of all kinds of waters , which stils would either be of tinne , or sweete earth , and in them she shall distill all sorts of waters meete for the health of her houshold , as sage water , which is good for all rhumes and collickes ; radish water , which is good for the stone , angelica water good for infection , celadine water for sore eyes , vine water for itchings , rose water , and eye-bright water for dim sights , rosemary water for fistulo●s , treacle water for mouth cankers , water of cloues for paine in the stomacke , saxifrage water for grauell and hard vrine , allum water for old vlcers , and a world of others , any of which will last a full yeare at the least : then she shall know that the best waters for the smoothing of the skinne , and keeping the face delicate and amiable , are those which are distilled from beane-flowers , from strawberries , from vine leaues , from goates-milke , from asses milke , from the whites of egges , from the flowers of lillies , from dragons , from calues feete , from bran , or from yelkes of egges , any of which will last a yeare or better . additions , to distillations . to distill wa●er of the colour of of the hearbe o● flower you desire . first distill your water in a stillatory , then put it in a glasse of great strength , and fill it with those flowers againe ( whose colour you desire ) as full as you can , and stop it , and set it in the stillatory againe , and let it distill , and you shall haue the colour you distill . to make aq●●vitae . ☜ take of rosemary flowers two handfuls , of mariarome , wi●ter-sauory , rosemary , rew , vnset time , germander , rybworte , harts tongue , mouscare , white wormewood , buglosse , red sage , liuer●worte , hoare-hound , fine lauender , issop-cropps , penny royall , red fennell , of each of these one handfull : of elycompane rootes , cleane pared and sliced , two handfuls : then take all these aforesayd and shred them , but not wash them , then ta●e foure gallons and more of strong ale , and one gallon of sacke-lees , and put all these aforesayd hearbes shred into it , and then put into it one pound of licoras bruised , halfe a pound of anyseeds cleane sifted and bruised , and of mace and nutmegs bruised of each one ounce : then put altogether into your stilling-pot close couered with rye paste , and make a soft fire vnder your pot , and as the head of the limbecke heateth , draw out your hot water and put in cold , keeping the head of your limbecke still with cold water , but see your fire be not too rash at the first , but let your water come at leasure ; and take heed vnto your stilling that your water change not white : for it is not so strong as the first draught is ; and when the water is distilled , take a gallon glasse with a wide mouth , and put therein a pottle of the best water and cleerest , and put into it a pottle of rosa-solis , halfe a pound of dates bruised , and one ounce of graines , halfe a pound of sugar , halfe an ounce of seed-pearle beaten , three leaues of fine gold , stirre all these together well , then stop your glasse and set it in the sunne the space of one or two moneths , and then clarifie it and vse it at your discretion : for a spoonfu●l or two at a time is sufficient , and the vertues are infinite . 〈…〉 ●ill a pot with red wine cleare and strong , and put therein the powders of camomile , gi●i-flowers , ginger , pellitory , nutmeg , ga●lengall , spicknard , que●●bits , graines of pure long pepper , blacke pepper , commin , fennell seede , smalledge , parsley , sage , r●w , mint , calamint and horshow , of each of them a like quantity , and beware they differ not the weight of a dr●mme vnder or aboue : then put all the pouders aboue sayd into the wine , and after put them into the distilling pot , and distill it with a soft fire , and looke that it be well luted about with rye paste , so that no fume or breath goe foorth , and looke , that the fire be temperate : also receiue the water out of the lymbecke into a glasse vyall . this water is called the water of life , and it may be likened to balme , for it hath all the vertues and properties which balme hath : this water is cleere and lighter then rose water , for it will fleet aboue all liquors , for if oyle be put aboue this water , it sinketh to the bottome . this water keepeth flesh and fish both raw and sodden in his owne kind and state , it is good against aches in the bones , the poxe , and such like , neither can any thing kept in this water rot or putrifie , it doth draw out the sweetenesse , sauour , and vertues of all manner of spices , rootes and hearbes that are wet or layd therein , it giues sweetnesse to all manner of water that is mixt with it , it is good for all manner of cold sicknesses , and namely for the palsie or trembling ioynts , and stretching of the sinewes ; it is good against the cold goute , and it maketh an old man seeme young , vsing to drinke it fasting , and lastly it fretteth away dead flesh in wounds , and killeth the canker . to make aqu● comp● . take rosemary , time , issop , sage , fennell , nip , rootes of elicompane , of each an handfull , of marierum and peny-royall of each halfe a handfull , eight slips of red mint , halfe a pound of licoras , halfe a pound of aniseeds , and two gallons of the best ale that can bee brewed , wash all these hearbes cleane , and put into the ale , licoras , aniseeds , and herbes into a cleane brasse pot , and set your limbecke thereon , and paste it round about that no ayre come out , then distill the water with a gentle fire , and keepe the limbecke coole aboue , not suffering it to runne too fast ; and take heede when your water changeth colour , to put another glasse vnder , and keepe the first water , for it is most precious , and the latter water keepe by it selfe , and put it into your next pot , and that shall make it much better . ☞ a very principall aq●● com● . take of balme , of rosemary flowers tops and all , of dried red rose leaues , of penny-royall , of each of these a handfull , one roote of ely compane the whitest that can be got , three quarters of a pound of licoras , two ounces of cinamon , two drams of great mace , two drams of gallendgall , three drams of coliander seeds three drammes of carraway seeds , two or three nutmegges cut in foure quarters , an ounce of aniseeds , a handfull of borage ; you must chuse a faire sunny day , to gather the hearbs in ; you must not wash them , but cut them in sunder , and not too small ; then lay all your hearbs in soule all night and a day , with the spices grosly beaten or bruised , and then distill it in order aforesaid , this was made for a learned phisitians owne drinking . to make the emperiall water . take a gallond of gascoine-wine , ginger , gallendgall , nutmegs , grains , cloues , aniseeds , fennell seeds , ca●away seeds , of each one dramme , then take sage , mints , red roses , time , pellitory , rosemary , wild-time camomile , and lauender ▪ of each a handfull , then bray the spices small , and the hearbs also , and put all together into the wine , and let it stand so twelue houres , stirring it diuers times , then distill it with a limbecke , and keepe the first water , for it is best : of a gallond of wine you must not take aboue a quart of water ; this water comforteth the vitall spirits , and helpeth inward diseases that commeth of cold , as the palsey , the contraction of sinewes , also it killeth wormes , and comforts the stomacke ; it cureth the cold dropsie , helpes the stone , the stinking breath , & maketh one seeme yong . to make cinamon water . take a pottell of the best sack , and halfe a pint of rose water , a quarter and halfe of a pound of good cinamon well bruised , but not small beaten ; distill all these together in a glasse-still , but you must carefully looke to it , that it boyle not ouer hastily , and attend it with cold wet cloathes to coole the top of the still if the water should offer to boyle too hastily . this water is very soueraigne for the stomacke , the head , and all the inward parts ; it helps digestion , and comforteth the vitall spirits . sixe most pretious waters , wh●ch hepocrates made , and sent to a queene sometimes liuing in england . take fennell , rew , veruine , endiue , betony , germander , red rose , capillus veneris , of each an ounce ; stampe them and keepe them in white wine a day and a night ; and distill water of them , which water will diuide in three parts , the first water you shall put in a glasse by it selfe , for it is more pretious then gold , the second as siluer , and the third as balme , and keepe these three parts in glasses : this water you shall giue the rich for gold , to meaner for siluer , to poore men for balme : this water keepeth the sight in clearenesse , and purgeth all grosse humors . take salgemma a pound , and lappe it in a greene docke leafe , and lay it in the fire till it be will rosted , and waxe white , and put it in a glasse against the ayre a night , and on the morrow it shall bee turned to a white water like vnto christall : keepe this water well in a glasse , and put a drop into the eie , and it shall clense and sharpe the sight : it is good for any euill at the heart , for the morphew , and the canker in the mouth , and for diuers other euills in the body . take the roots of fennell , parseley , endiue , betony● of each an ounce , and first wash them well in luke-warme water , and bray them well with white wine a day and a night , and then distill them into water : this water is more worthy then balme ; it preserueth the sight much , and clenseth it of all filth , it restrayneth teares , and comforteth the head , and auoideth the water that commeth through the payne in the head . take the seed of parsley , achannes , veruine , carawaies , and cen●●●ry , of each ten drams ; beate all these together , and put it in warme water a day and a night , and put it in a vessell to distill : this water is a pretious water for all sore eies , and very good for the health of man or womans body . take limmell of gold , siluer , lattin , copper , iron , steele , and lead ; and take lethurgy of gold and siluer , take calamint and columbine , and steepe all together , the first day in the vrine of a man-child , that is between a day & a night , the second day in white wine , the third day in the iuice of fenell , the fourth day in the whites of egs , the fift day in the womans milke that nourisheth a man-child , the sixt day in red wine , the seuenth day in the whites of egges , and vpon the eight day bind all these together , and distill the water of them , and keepe this water in a vessell of gold or siluer : the vertues of this water are these , first it expelleth all rhumes , and doth away all manner of sicknesse from the eyes , and weares away the pearle , pin and webbe ; it draweth againe into his owne kinde the eye-lidds that haue beene blea●ed , it easeth the ache of the head , and if a man drinke it , maketh him looke young euen in old age , besides a world of other most excellent vertues . take the gold-smiths stone , and put it into the fire , till it be red-hot , and quench it in a pint of white wine , and doe so nine times , and after grind it , and beate it small , and cleanse it as cleane as you may , and after set it in the sunne with the water of fennell distilled , and veruine , roses , celladine and rew , and a little aquauite , and when you haue sprinkled it in the water nine times , put it then in a vessell of glasse , and yet vpon a reuersion of the water distill it , till it passe ouer the touch foure or fiue inches ; and when you will vse it then stirre it all together , and then take vp a drop with a feather , and put it on your naile , & if it abide , it is fine and good : then put it in the eye that runneth , or annoint the head with it if it ake , and the temples , and beleeue it , that of all waters this is the most pretious , and helpeth the sight , or any paine in the head . the water of cheruyle is good for a sore mouth . the vertues of seuerall waters . the water of callamint is good for the stomacke . the water of planten is good for the fluxe , and the hot dropsie . water of fennell is good to make a fat body small , and also for the eyes . water of viol●ts is good for a man that is sore within his body and for the raynes and for the liuer . water of endiue is good for the dropsy , and for the iaundise , and the stomacke . water of borage is good for the stomacke , and for the iliaca passio , and many other sicknesses in the body . water of both sages is good for the palsey . water of bettony , is good for old age and all inward sicknesses . water of radish drunke twice a day , at each time an ounce , or an ounce and a halfe , doth multiply and prouoke lust , and also prouoketh the tearmes in women . rosemary water ( the face washed therein both morning and night ▪ ) causeth a faire and cleere countenance : also the head washed therewith , and let dry of it selfe , preserueth the falling of the haire , and causeth more to grow ; also two onunces of the same drunke , driueth venome out of the body in the same sort as methridate doth ; the same twice or thrice drunke at each time halfe an ounce , rectifieth the mother , and it causeth women to bee fruitfull : when one maketh a bath of this decoction , it is called the bath of life ; the same drunke comforteth the heart , the brayne , and the whole body , and cleanseth away the spots of the face ; it maketh a man looke young , and causeth women to conceiue quickely , and hath all the vertues of balme . water of rew drunke in a morning foure or fiue daies together , at each time an ounce , purifieth the flowers in women : the same water drunke in the morning fasting , is good against the gryping of the bowels , and drunke at morning and at night , at each time an ounce , it prouoketh the tearmes in women . the water of sorrell drunke is good for all burning and pestilent feuers , and all other hot sicknesses : being mixt with beere , ale or wine , it slacketh the thirst : it is also good for the yellow iaundise , being taken sixe or eight dayes together : it also expelleth from the liuer if it be drunke , and a cloth wet in the same and a little wrong out , and so applied to the right side ouer against the liuer , and when it is dry then wet another , and apply it ; and thus doe three or foure times together . lastly the water of angelica is good for the head , for inward infection , either of the plague or pestilence , it is very soueraigne for sore breasts ; also the same water being drunke of twelue or thirteene daies together , is good to vnlade the stomack of grosse humours and superfluities , and it strengthneth and comforteth all the vniuersall parts of the body : and lastly , it is a most soueraigne medicine for the gout , by bathing the diseased members much therein . now to conclude and knit vp this chapter , it is meere that our hous-wife know that from the eight of the kalends of the moneth of aprill vnto the eight of the kalends of iuly , all manner of hearbes and leaues are in that time most in strength and of the greatest vertue to be vsed and put in all manner of medicines , also from the eight of the kalends of iuly , vnto the eight of the kalends of october the stalks , stems and hard branches of euery hearbe and plant is most in strength to be vsed in medicines ; and from the eight of the kalends of october , vnto the eight of the kalends of aprill , all manner of roots of hearbs and plants are the most of strength and vertue to be vsed in all manner of medicines . ☜ an excellent water for perfume . to make an excellent sweet water for perfume , you shall take of basill , mints , marierum , corne-slaggerootes , is●op , sauory , sage , balme , lauender & rosemary , of each one handfull , of cloues , cinamon and nutmegs of each halfe an ounce , then three or foure pome-citrons cut into slices , infuse all these into damaske-rose water the space of three dayes , and then distill it with a gentle fire of char-coale , then when you haue put it into a very cleane glasse , take of fat muske , ciuet , and ambergreece of each the quantity of a scruple , and put into a ragge of fi●e lawne , and then hang it within the water : this being either burnt vpon a hot pan , or else boyled in perfuming pans with cloues , bay-leaues and lemmon-pils , will make the most delicatest perfume that may be without any offence , and will last the longest of all other sweet perfumes , as hath been found by experience . to perfume gloues . to perfume gloues excellently , take the oyle of sweet almonds , oyle of nutmegs , oyle of beniamin , of each a dramme , of ambergreece one graine , fat muske two graines : mixe them all together and grind them vpon a painters stone , and then annoint the gloues ther●wi●h : yet before you annoint them let them be dampishly moistned with damaske rose-water . to perfume a ierkin . to perfume a ierkin well , take the oyle of beniamin a penny-worth , oyle of spike , and oyle of oliues halfe penny-worths of each , and take two spunges and warme one of them against the fire and rub your ierkin therewith , and when the oyle is dried , take the other spunge and dip it in the oyle and rub your ierkin therewith till it be dry , then lay on the perfume before prescribed for gloues . ☞ to mak● washing balls . to make very good washing bals , take storax of both kindes , beniamin , calamus aromaticus , labdanum of each a like ; and bray them to pouder with cloues and arras ; then beate them all with a sufficient quantity of sope till it bee stiffe , then with your hand you shall worke it like paste , and make round balls thereof . to make a m●ske ball. to make muske balls , take nutmegs , mace , cloues , saffron and cinamon , of each the waight of two-pence , & beate it to fine pouder , of masticke the waight of two pence halfe penny , of storax the waight of six-pence ; of labdanum the waight of t●nne-pence ; of ambergreece the waight of six-pence ; and of muske foure●graines , dissolue and worke all these in hard sweete sope till it come to a stiffe paste , and then make balls thereof . ☜ a perfume to burne . to make a good perfume to burne , take beniamin one ounce , storaxe , calamint two ounces , of mastick , white ambergreece , of each one ounce , ireos , calamus aromaticus , cypresse-wood , of each halfe an ounce , of camphire one scruple , labdanum one ounce : beate all these to pouder , then take of sallow charcole sixe ounces , of liquid storax two ounces , beate them all with aquauita , and then shall you role them into long round rolles . to make pomanders . to make pomanders , take to penny-worth of labdanum two penny-worth of storax liquid , one penny-worth of calamus aromaticus , as much balme , halfe a quarter a pound of fine waxe , of cloues and ma●e two penny-worth , of liquid aloes three penny-worth , of nutmegs eight peny-worth , and of muske foure grains ; beate all these exceedingly together till they come to a perfect substance , then mould it in any fashion you please and dry it . to make vinegar . to make excellent strong vinegar , you shall brew the strongest ale that may be , and hauing tunned it in a very strong vessell , you shall set it either in your garden or some other safe place abroad , where it may haue the whole summers day sun to shine vpon it , and there let it lie till it be extreame sowre , then into a hogshead of this vinegar put the leaues of foure or fiue hundred damaske roses , and after they haue layen for the space of a moneth therein , house the vinegar and draw it as you neede it . to make dry vinegar . to make drie vinegar which you may carry in your pocket , you shall take the blades of greene corne either wheat or rie , and beate it in a morter with the strongest vinegar you can get till it come to a paste ; then role it into little balls , and dry it in the sunne till it be very hard , then when you haue any occasion to vse it , cut a little peece thereof and dissolue it in wine , and it will make a strong vinegar . to make veriuyce . to make ve●iuyce , you shall gather your crabbs as soone as the kernels turne blacke , and hauing layd them a wh●le in a heape to sweate together , take them and picke them from stalkes , blackes and rottennesse : then in long troughs with beetles for the purpose , crush and breake them all to mash : then make a bagge of course haire cloth as square as the presse , and fill it with the crusht crabs , then put it into the presse , and presse it while any moysture will drop forth , hauing a cleane vessell vnderneath to receiue the liquor : this done , 〈◊〉 it vp into sweet hogsheads , and to euery hogshead put halfe a dozen handfuls of damaske rose leaues , and then bung it vp , and spend it as you shall haue occasion . many other pretty secrets there are belonging vnto curious hous-wiues , but none more necessary then these already rehearsed , except such as shall hereafter follow in their proper places . ☞ additions to conceited secrets . to make sweet powder for baggs . take of arras sixe ounces , of damaske rose-leaues as much , of marierom and sweete basill , of each an ounce , of cloues two ounces , yellow saunders two ounces , of citron pills seuen drammes , of lignum-aloes one ounce , of beniamin one ounce , of storaxe one ounce , of muske one dram : bruise all these , and put them into a bagge of silke or linnen , but silke is the best . to make 〈◊〉 bags . take of arras foure ounces , of gallaminis one ounce , of ciris halfe an ounce , of rose leaues dried two handfuls , of dryed marierum one handfull , of spike one handfull , cloues one ounce , of beniamin and storax of each two ounces , of white saunders and yellow of each one ounce : beate all these into a grosse pouder , then put to it muske a dramme , of ciuet halfe a dramme , and of ambergreece halfe a dramme ; then put them into a taffata bagge and vse it . how to make sweet water . ☜ take of bay-leaues one handfull , of red roses two handfuls , of damaske roses three handfull , of lauender foure handfuls , of basill one handfull , mariorum two handfuls , of camomile one handfull , the young tops of sweete briar two handfuls , of mandelion-tansey two handfuls , of orange pils sixe or seuen ounces , of cloues and mace a groats-worth put all these together in a pottle of new ale in cornes for the space of three daies , shaking it euery day three or foure times , then distill it the fourth day in a still with a continuall soft fire , and after it is distilled , put into it a graine or two of muske . ☜ a very rare and plesan● damask water . take a quart of malmsey lees , or a quart of malmsey simply , one handfull of margerome , of basill as much , of lauender foure handfuls , bay-leaues one good handfull , damaske rose-leaues foure handfuls , and as many of red , the pils of sixe orenges , or for want of them one handful of the tender leaues of walnut-trees , of beniamine halfe an ounce , of callamus aramaticus as much , of camphire foure drammes , of cloues one ounce , of baldamum halfe an ounce ; then take a pottle of running water , and put in all these spices bruised into your water and malmsey together in a close stopped pot , with a good handfull or rosemary , and let them stand for the space of sixe dayes : then distill it with a soft fire : then set it in the sunne sixteene dayes with foure graines of muske bruised . this quantity will make three quarts of water , probatum est . t● m●ke the 〈…〉 . take and brew very strong ale , then take halfe a dozen gallons of the first running , and set it abroade to coole , and when it is cold , put yest vnto it , and head it very strongly : then put it vp in a ferkin , and distill it in the sunne : then take foure or fiue handfull of beanes , an● p●tch them in a pan till they burst : then put them in as hot as you can into the ferkin , and stop it with a little clay about the bung-hole : then take a handfull of cleane rye leauen and put in the ferkin ; then take a quantity of barberies , and bruise and straine them into the ferkin , and a good handfull of salt , and let them lie and worke in the sunne from may till august : then hauing the full strength , take rose leaues and clip the white ends off , and let them dry in the sunne ; then take elder-flowers and picke them , and dry them in the sunne , and when they are dry , put them in bagges , and keepe them a●l the winter : then take a pottle-pot , and dr●w forth a pottle out of the ferkin into the bottle , and put a handfull of the red rose-leaues , and another of the elder-flowers , and put into the bottle , and hang i● i● the sunne , where you may occupie the same , and when it is empty , take out all the leaues , and fill it againe as you did before . 〈◊〉 perfume gloues . take angelica water and rose-water , and put into them the powder of cloues , amber-greece , muske and lignum aloes , beniamine and callamus aramattecus : boyle these till halfe be consumed : then straine it , and put your gloues therein ; then hang them in the sunne to dry , and turne them often : and thus three times wet them , and dry them againe : or otherwise , take rose-water and wet your gloues therein , then h●ng them vp till they be almost dry ; then take halfe an ounce of beniamine , and grind it with the oyle of almonds , and rub it on the gloues till it be almost dried in : then take twenty graines of amber-greece , and twenty graines of muske , and grind them together with oyle of almonds , and so rub it on the gloues , and then hang them vp to dry , or let them dry in your bosome , and so after vse them at your pleasure . chap. . the ordering , preseruing and helping of all sorts of wines , and first of the choyce of sweete wines . ☜ i doe not assume to my selfe this knowledge of the vintners secrets , but ingeniously confesse that one profest skillfull in the trade , hauing rudely written , and more rudely disclosed this secret , & preferring it to the stationer it came to me to be polished , which i haue done , knowing that it is necessary , &c. it is necessary that our english house-wife be skilfull in the election , preseruation and curing of all sorts of wines , because they be vsuall charges vnder her hands , and by the least neglect must turne the husband to much losse : therefore to speake first of the election of sweete wines , she must be carefull that her malmseys be full wines , pleasant , well hewed and fine : that bastard be fat , and if it be tawny it skils not , for the tawny bastards be alwayes the sweetest . muskadine must bee great , pleasant and strong , with a sweet sent , and with amber colour . sacke if it be se●es ( as it should bee ) you shall know it by the marke of a corke burned on one side of the bung , and they be euer full gadge , and so are no other sackes , and the longer they lye , the better they be . to make muskadine , and giue i● a slauer . take a pleasant but of malmsey , and draw it out a quarter and more ; then fill it vp with fat basterd within eight gallons , or thereabouts ▪ and parill it with sixe egges , yelkes and all , one handfull of bay-salt , and a pint of cunduit water to euery parill , and if the wine be hye of colour , put in three gallons of new milke , but skimm off the creame first , and beate it well , or otherwise , if you haue a good butt of malmsey , and a good pipe of bastard , you must take some empty butt or pipe ; and draw thirty gallons of malmsey , and as many of bastard ; and beate them well together : and when you haue so done , take a quarter of a pound of ginger and bruise it , and put it into your vessell ; then fill it vp with malmsey and bastard : or otherwise thus , if you haue a pleasant butt of malmsey , which is called ralt-mow , you may draw out of it forty gallons , and if your bastard be very faint , then thirty gallons of it will serue to make it pleasant : then take foure gallons of new milke and beate it , and put it into it when it lacketh twelue gallons of full , and then make your slauer . how to ●l●uer musk●dine . take one ounce of collianders , of bay-salt , of cloues , of each as much , one handfull of sauory : let all these bee blended and bruised together , and sow them close in a bagge , and take halfe a pint of damasket water , and lay your slauer into it , and then put it into your butt , and if it fine , giue it a parill and fill it vp , and let it lie ti●l it fine : or else thus , take coliander roots a peniworth , one pound of aniseedes , one peniworth in ginger : bruise them together and put them into a bagge as before , and make your bagge long and small that it goe in and out at the bung-hole , and when you do put it in , fasten it with a thread at the bung : then take a pint of the strongest damaske water , and warme it luke-warme , then put into the but , and then stop it close for two or three dayes at least , and then if you please you may set it abroach . to aparell muskadine when it comes new into be fined in twenty foure houres . take seuen whites of new layd egges , two handfuls of bay-salt , and beate them well together , and put therein a pint of sacke or more , and beate them till they be as short as snow ; then ouer-draw the but seauen or eight gallons , and beate the wine , and stirre the lees , and then put in the parill and beate it , and so fill it vp , and stop it close , and draw it on the morrow . to make white bastard . draw out of a pipe of bastard ten gallans , and put to it fiue gallans of new milke , and skim it as before , and all to beate it with a parill of eight whites of egges , and a handfull of bay-salt , and a pint of conduit water , and it will be white and fine in the morning . but if you will make very fine bastard , take a white-wine hogs-head , and put out the lees , and wash it cleane , and fill it halfe full and halfe a quarter , and put to it foure gallans of new milke , and beate it well with the whites of sixe egges , and fill it vp with white-wine and sacke , and it will be white and fine . how to helpe bastard being eager . take two gallons of the best stoned honey , and two gallans of white-wine , and boyle them in a faire pan , skimme it cleane , and straine it through a faire cloth that there be no moats in it : then put to it one ounce of collianders , and one ounce of aniseeds , foure or fiue orange pils dry and beaten to powder , let them lye three dayes : then draw your bastard into a cleane pipe , then put in your honey with the rest , and beate it well : then let it lye a weeke and touch it not , after draw it at pleasure . to make bastard white , and to● away lagges . if your bastard be fat and good , draw out forty gallons , then may you fill it vp with the lagges of any kind of white-wines or sackes , then take fiue gallons of new milke , and first take away the creame , then straine it through a cleane cloth , and when your pipe is three quarters full , put in your milke : then beate it very well , and fill it so , that it may lacke fifteene gallons , then aparill it thus : take the whites onely of ten egges , and beate them in a faire tray with bay-salt and conduite water : then put it into the pipe and beate it well , and so fill it vp , and let it stand open all night : and if you will keepe it any while , you must on the morrow stop it close , and to make the same drinke like ossey , giue it this slauer : take a pound of aniseeds , two pence in colianders , two pence in ginger , two pence in cloues , two pence in graines , two pence in long pepper , and two pence in licoras : bruise all these together : then make two bagges of linnen cloth , long and small , and put your spices into them , and put them into the pipe at the bung , making them fast there with a thread that it may sinke into the wine , then stop it close , and in two dayes you may broch it . a remedy for bastard if it p●icke . take and draw him from his lees if he haue any , and put the wine into a malmsey but to the lees of malmsey : then put to the bastard that is in the malmsey but , nigh three gallons of the best worte of a fresh tap , and then fill him vp with bastard or malmsey , or cute if you will : then aparell it thus ; first , parell him , and beate him with a staffe , and then take the whites of foure new layd egges , and beate them with a handfull of salt till it be short as mosse , and then put a pint of running water therein , and so fill the pipe vp full , and lay a tile stone on the bang , and set it abroach within foure and twenty houres if you will. to make malmsey . if you haue a good but of malmsey , and a butt or two of sacke that will not be drunke : for the sacke prepare some empty but or pipe , and draw it more then halfe full of sacke , then fill it vp with malmsey , and when your butt is full within a little , put into it three gallons of spanish cute , the best that you can get , then beate it well , then take your taster and see that it bee deepe coloured : then fill it vp with sacke , and giue it aparell , and beate it well , the aparell is thus : take the yelkes of tenne egges , and beate them in a cleane bason with a handfull of bay-salt , and a quart of conduit water , and beate them together with a little peece of birch , and beate it till it be as short as mosse , then draw fiue or sixe gallons out of your butt , then b●ate it againe , and then fill it vp , and the next day it will be ready to be drawne . this aparell will serue both for muskadine , bastard , and for sacke . to shift malmsey , and to rid away ill wines . if you haue two principall butts of malmsey , you may make three good butts with your lagges of claret and of sacke , if you put two gallons of red wine in a butt , it will saue the more cute : then put two or three gallons of cute as you see cause ; and if it be spanish cute , two gallons will goe further then fiue gallons of candy cute , but the candy cute is more naturall for the malmsey : also one butt of good malmsey , & a butt of sacke that hath lost his colour , wi●l make two good buts of malmsey with the more cute ; and when you haue fild your butts within twelue gallons , then put in your cute , and beate it halfe an houre and more : then put in your parell and let it lye . if sacke want his col●u● . first , parell him as you did the bastard , and order him as shall be shewed you for the white-wine of gascoyne with milke , and so set him abroach . for sacke that is tawny . if you sacke haue a strong ley or taste , take a good sweete but faire washed , and draw your sacke into it , and make vnto it a parell as you doe to the bastard , and beate it very well , and so stop vp your but : and if it be tawny , take three gallons of newe milke and straine it cleane , and put it into your sacke , then beate it very well , and stop it close . for sacke ha●●orn ●ape and is bro●ne . take a faire empty but with the lees in it , and draw your sacke into the same from his lees fine : then take a pound of rice flower as fine as you can get , and foure graines of camphire , and put it into the sacke : and if it will not fine , giue it a good parell , and beate it well : then stop it and let it lie . to color sack , or any white-wine . if any of your sackes or white-wines haue lost their colour , take three gallans of new milke , and take away the creame : then ouer-draw your wine fiue or sixe gallons , then put in your milke and beate it ; then lay it a foretarke all night , and in the morning lay it vp , and the next day if you will you may set it abroach . if alligant be growne hard . draw him out into fresh lees , and take three or foure gallons of stone-hony clarified , and beeing coole , put it in and parell it with the yelkes of foure egges , whites and all , and beate it well , and fill it vp , and stop it close , and it will be pleasant and quicke as long as it is in drawing . for al●igant that i● lower . take three gallons of white honey , and two gallons of red wine , boyle them together in a faire pan , and s●imme it cleane , and let it stand till it be fine and cold , then put it into your pipe : yet nothing but the finest ; then beate it well , and fill it vp , and stop it close , and if your alligant be pleasant and great , it will doe much good , for the one pipe will rid away diuers . how to order renish wine . there are two sorts of renish wines , that is to say , elstertune and barabant : the estertune are best , you shal know it by the fat , for it is double bard and double pinned ; the barabant is nothing so good , and there is not so much good to be done with them as with the other . if the wines be good and pleasant , a man may rid away a hogshead or two of white wine , and this is the most vantage a man can haue by them : and if it be slender and hard , then take three or foure gallons of stone-honey and clarifie it cleane ; then put into the honey foure or fiue gallons of the same wine , and then let it seeth a great while , & put into it two pence in cloues bruised , let them seeth together , for it will take away the sent of honey , and when it is sodden take it off , and set it by till it be thorow cold ; then take foure gallons of milke and order it as before , and then put all into your wine and all to beate it ; and ( if you can ) role it , for that is the best way ; then stop it close and let it lie , and that will make it pleasant . of what countries wines are by their names . the wines that be made in burdeaux are called gascoyne wines , and you shall know them by their hazell hoopes , and the most be full gadge and sound wines . the wines of the hie countryes , and which is called hie-country wine , are made some thirty or forty miles beyond burdeaux , and they come not down so soone as the other ; for if they doe , they are all forfeited , and you shall know them euer by their hazell hoopes , and the length gagelackes . then haue you wires that be called gallaway both in pipes and hogsheads , and be long , and lackes two cesternes in gadge and a halfe , and the wines themselues are high coloured . then there are other wines which is called white wine of angulle , very good wine , and lackes little of gadge , and that is also in pipes for the most part , and is quarter bound . then there are rochell wines , which are also in pipes long and slender : they are very small hedge-wines , sharpe in taste , and of a pallad complexions . your best sacke are of seres in spaine , your smaller of galicia and portugall : your strong sackes are of the islands of the canaries , and of malligo ; and your muskadine and malmseys are of many parts of italy , greece , and some speciall islands . notes of padging of wines , oyles and lyquors . euery terse is in depth the middle of the knot in the midst . the depth of euery hogshead is the fourth pricke aboue the knot . the depth of euery puncheon is the fourth pricke next to the punchener . the depth of euery sack but is the foure prickes next to the puncheon . the depth of the halfe hogshead is at the lowest notch , and accounted one . the depth of the halfe terse is at the second notch , and is accounted two . the depth of the halfe hogshead and halfe pipe , is at the third notch , and accounted three . the depth of the halfe butt is at the fourth notch , and is accounted foure . the markes of 〈◊〉 . . the full gage is marked thus . . the halfe sesterne lacketh , thus . the whole sesterne lacketh , thus . the sesterne and halfe lag . . the two sesternes , thus . . the two and a halfe sesterns , thus the contents of all manner of gascoyne wine , and others . a but of malmsey if he be full gadge , is one hundred and twenty six gallons . and so the tun is two hundred and fifty two gallons . euery sesterne is three gallons . if you sell for twelue pence a gallon , the tun is twelue pound , twelue shillings . and malmsey and renish wine at ten pence the gallon , is the tun tenne pound . eight pence the gallon , is the tun eight pounds . sixe pence the gallon , is the tun sixe pounds . fiue pence the gallon , is the tun fiue pound . foure pence the gallon , is the tun foure pound . now for gascoine wine there goeth foure hogsheads to a tun , and euery hogshead is sixty three gallons , the two hogsheads are one hundred twenty sixe gallons , and foure hogsheads are two hundred fifty two gallons ; and if you sell for eight pence the gallon , you shall make of the tun eight pounds , and so foorth looke how many pence the gallons are , and so many pounds the tunne is . now for bastard it is at the same rate , but it lacketh of gadge two sesternes and a halfe , or three at a pipe , and then you must abate sixe gallons of the price , and so in all other wines . to chuse gascoyne wine● . see that in your choice of gascoine wines you obserue , that your clarret wines be faire coloured , and bright as a rubie , not deepe as an ametist ; for though it may shew strength , yet it wants neatnesse : also let it be sweete as a rose or a violet , and in any case let it be short ; for if it be long , then in no wise meddle with it . for your white wines , see they be sweete and pleasant at the nose , very short , cleere and bright and quick in the taste . lastly for your red wine , prouide that they be deepe coloured and pleasant , long , and sweete , and if in them , or clarret wines be any default of colour , there are remedies enow to amend and repaire them . to remedy clarret wine that hath lost h●s c●l●u● . if your clarret wine be faint , and haue lost his color ; then take a fresh hogshead with his fresh lees which was very good wine , and draw your wine into the same , then stop it close and tight , and lay it a foretake for two or three daies that the lees may run through it , then lay it vp till it be fine , and if the colour be not perfit , draw it into a red wine hogshead , that is new drawne with the lees , and that will colour of himselfe , and make him strong ; or take a pound of tourn●oll or two , and beate it with a gal●on or two of wine , and let it lie a day or two , then put it into your hogshead , draw your wine againe , and wash your cloths , then lay it a foretake all night , and roule it on the morrow ; then lay it vp , and it will haue a perfit colour . a remedy for gascoyne wine that ha●● lost his colour . and if your clarret wine haue lost his colour , take a peny worth of damsens , or els blacke bullesses , as you see cause , and stew them with some red wine of the deepest colour , and make thereof a pound or more of sirrup , and put it into a cleane glasse , and after into the hogshead of clarret wine ; and the same you may likewise doe vnto red wine if you please . a remedy for white wine , that ha●h lost his colour . and if your white wine be faint , and haue lost his colour , if the wine haue any strength in it ; take to a hogshead so much as you intend to put in , out of the said thi●ke , and a handfull of rice beaten very wel● , and a little salt , and lay him a foretake all night , and on the morning lay him vp againe , and set it abrach in any wise the next wine you spend ▪ for it will not last long . for white wine that 〈…〉 . take three gallons of new ●ilke , and take away the creame off it ; then draw fiue or sixe gallons of wine , and put your milke into the hogshead , and beate it exceeding well , then fill it vp , but before you fill it vp , if you can , rou●e it , and if it be long and small , take halfe a pound of roche al●um finely beaten into pouder , and pu● into the vessell , and let it lie . a rem●dy for 〈…〉 white wine that drink●●oule . take and draw it into new lees of the one nature , and then take a dozen of new pippins , and pare them , & take away the chores , and then put them in , and if that will not serue , take a handfull of the oake of ierusalem , and stampe it , then put it into your wine , and beate it exceeding well , and it will not onely take away the foulnesse , but also make it haue a good sent at the nose . fo● red wine that d●inks faint . if your red wine drinke faint , then take a hogshead that allegant hath been in with the lees also , and draw your wine into it , and that will refresh it well , and make the wine well coloured ; or otherwise draw it close to fresh lees , & that wil● recouer it againe , & put to it three or foure gallons of allegant , and turne it on his lees . for red wine that w●s colour . if your red wine lacke colour , then take out foure gallons , and put in foure gallons of allegant , and turne him on his lees , and the bung vp , and his colour will returne and be fai●e . to make tyre . take a good but of malmsey , and ouerdraw it ▪ quarter or more , and fill him vp with fat bastard , and with cute a gallon and more , then parrell him as you did your malmsey . if os●ey complea●e , 〈◊〉 aproch ha● l●st thei● co●our . you shall in all points dresse him , as you did dresse your sacke , or white wine in the like case and parrell him , and then set him abroach : and thus much touching wines of all sorts , and the true vse and ordering of them , so farre forth as belongeth to the knowledge ; and profit of our english hous-wife . chap. . of wooll , hempe , flax and cloth , and dying of colours , of each seuerall substance , with all the knowledges belonging thereto . ovr english hous wife after her knowledge of preseruing , and feeding her family , must learne also how out of her owne endeauours , she ought to cloath them outwardly & inwardly for defence from the cold and comlinesse to the person ; and inwardly , for cleanlinesse and neatnesse of the skin , whereby it may be kept from the filth of sweat , or vermine ; the first consisting of woollen clo●h , the latter of linnen . of making wo●llen cloth . to speake then first of the making of woollen cloth , it is the office of the husbandman at the shee●ing of his sheepe , to bestow vpon the hous-wife such a competent proportion of wooll , as shall be conuenient for the clothing of his family , which wooll as soone as she hath receiued it , she shall open , and with a paire of shee●es ( the fleece lying as it were whole before her ) she shall cut away all the course locks pitch , brands , tarr'd locks , and other felt●ings , and lay them by themselues for course couerlids , o● the ●ike : then the r●st so c●ensed she shall breake into peeces , and tose it euery locke by locke , that is , with her hands open , and so diuide the wooll , as not any part thereof may be fel●●ed or close together , but all open and loose , then so much of the wooll as shee intends to spi●ne white , shee shall put by it selfe , and the rest which shee intends to put it to colours shee shall waigh vp , and diuide it to seuerall quantities , accord●ng to the proportion of the web which she intends to make , and put euery one of them into particular bagges made of netting , with tal●●s or little peeces of wood fixed vnto them , with priuy markes thereon both for the w●●ght , the colour , and the knowledge of the same wooll when the first colour is altred : this done she shall if she please send them vnto the dyers , to be died after her owne fancy ; yet for as much is i wou●d not haue our engl●sh hous● w●fe ignorant in any thing meete for her knowledge , i will shew her here before i proceede any further , how she sha●l dye her wooll her selfe into any colour meete for he● vse . to dye w●oll blacke . first then to dye wooll blac●e , you shall take two pound of gals , and bru●se them , then take halfe so much of the best greene coperas , and boyle them both together in two gallons of running water : then shall you put your wooll therein and boile it , so done , take it for hand dry it . to dye wooll of haire c●l●r● . if you will dye your wooll of a bright haire colour : first boyle your wooll in allum and water ; then take it foorth , and when it is cold , take chamber-lye and chim●ey-soote , and mixing them together well , boyle your wooll againe therein , and stirre it exceeding well about , then take it forth , and lay it where it may conueniently dry . to dye wooll red . if you would dye your wooll into a perfect red colour , set on a p●n full of water , when it is hot put in a pe●ke of wh●ate branne , and let it boyle a little , then put it into a tub , and put twice as much cold water vnto it , and let it stand vntill it be a weeke old : hauing done so , then shall you put to ten pounds of wooll , a pound of allum , then heate your liquor againe , and put in your allum , and so soone as it is melted , put in your wooll , and let it boyle the space of an houre : then take it againe , and then set on more branne and water : then take a pound of madder , and put in your madder when the liquor is hot : when the madder is broken , put in the wooll and open it , and when it commeth to be very hot , then stirre it with a staffe , and then take it out and wash it with faire water ; then set on the panne againe with faire water , and then take a pound of saradine bucke , and put it therein , and let it boyle the space of an egge seething ; then put in the wooll , and stirre it three or foure times about , and open it well , after dry it . to dye wooll blew . to dye wooll blew , take good store of old chamber-lye , and set it on the fire , then take halfe a pound of blew neale , byse or indico , and beate it small in a morter , and then put it into the lye , and when it seethes put in your wooll . to dye a puke . to dye wooll of a puke colour , take galles , and beate them very small in a morter , put them into faire seething water , and boyle your wooll or your cloth therein , and boyle them the space of halfe an howre : then take them vp , and put in your copheras into the same liquor : then put in your wooll againe , and doing thus once or twice , it will bee sufficient . to dye a sinder colour . and if you will dye your wooll of a sinder colour , which is a very good colour , you shall put your redde wooll into your puke liquor ; and then it will failelesse be of a sinder colour . to dye greene or yellow . if you will dye your wooll either greene or yellow , then boyle your woodward in faire water , then put in your wooll or cloth , and the wooll which you put in white , will be ye●low , and that wooll which you put in blew will be greene , and all this with one liquor : prouided that each be first boyled in allom. 〈…〉 wooll 〈◊〉 dying . when you haue thus died your wooll into those seuerall colours meete for your purpose , and haue also dried it well ; then you shall take it foorth ▪ and toase it ouer againe as you did before : for the first roasing was to m●ke it receiue the colour or dye : this second is to 〈…〉 the oyle , and make it 〈◊〉 for spinning ▪ which 〈◊〉 as you haue ●o●e , you shall mix● your colours together , wh●●ein you are to note that the best medly , is 〈…〉 compounded of two colou●● onely , as a 〈…〉 for to haue more is but confu● 〈…〉 , but distraction to the sight : 〈…〉 the proportion or your mixtures , you shall 〈◊〉 take two parts of the darker colour , and but a third 〈◊〉 of the light . as for example , your web containes 〈◊〉 pound and the colours are red and greene : you 〈◊〉 it 〈◊〉 t●ke right pound of the greene wooll , and but 〈◊〉 pou●d of the red , and so of any other colours wh●r● th●re is difference in brightnesse . 〈…〉 but if it be so that you will needs haue your cloth of three colours , as of two darke and one light , or two light and o●● darke : as thus , you will haue crimson , yellow , and 〈◊〉 , you shall take of the crimson and yellow of each two pound , and of the pu●e eight pound : 〈…〉 is two light colours to one darke ; but if you 〈…〉 , a greene and an orenge tawny which is 〈…〉 , and one light , then you shall ta●e of the puke and greene , and the orenge tawny of each a like quantity : 〈…〉 , of or her foure pounds , when you haue equally diuided yo●r portions , then you shall spread vpp●n the ground a s●e●e , and vpon the same first lay a thin layre or bed of your darker colour , all of one euen thick●esse : then vpon the same layre , lay an●ther much thinner of the brighter quantity , being so 〈◊〉 ●s you guesse it , hard●y halfe so mu●h as the darker : th● cou●r it ouer with a●o●h●r layre of the sad colour or col●●rs againe , then vpon it another of the bright again●● ▪ 〈◊〉 thus lay layre vpon la●re till all your wooll be 〈◊〉 ▪ then beginning at one end to r●le vp round and 〈◊〉 together the whole bed of woo●l ; and then causing one to kneele hard vpon the rou●e , that 〈◊〉 may not stir●e nor open , with your hands toase , and pu●l out all the wooll in small peeces : and then taking a paire of sto●●e-cards sharpe and large , and bound f●st to a forme 〈◊〉 such like thing , and on the the same combe , and card ouer all the wooll , till you see it perfectly and vndistinctly mixed together , and that indeed it is become one intire colour of diuerse without spots , or vnd●uided lockes or knots ; in which doing you shall be very carefull , and heedfull with your eye : and if you finde any hard knot , or other felter in the wooll , which will not open , though it be neuer so small , yet you shall picke it out and open it , or else being any other 〈◊〉 cast it away : for it is the greatest art in house wifery to mixe these wools aright , and to make the clo●h without blemish . of the dying of wooll . your wooll being thus mixed perfectly together , you shall then oyle it , or as the plaine house-wife termes it , grease it : in this manner being said in a round fla● b●d , you shall take of the best rap● oyle or for want thereof either well rayd red goo●● grease , or swines grese , and hauing melted it with your hand sprinkle it all ouer your wooll , and worke it very well into the same : then turne your wooll about , and doe as much on the other side , till you haue oyled all the wooll ouer , and that there is not a locke which is not moystened with the same . the quanti●y of ●yle . now for as much as if you shall put too much oyle vpon the wooll , you may thereby do great hurt to the web , and make that the thread will not d●aw , but fall into many peeces ; you shall therefore bee sure at the first to giue it little enough : and taking some thereof , proue it vpon the wheele : and if you see it drawes dry , and breaketh , then you may put more oyle vnto it ; but if draw well , then to keepe it there without any alteration : but because you shall be a little more certaine in the ●ruth of your proportions , you shall know , that three pound of grease or oyle , will sufficiently onnoint o● grease ten pounds of wooll : and so according to that proportion you may oyle what quantity you will. 〈…〉 after your wooll is oyld and annointed thus , you shall then tumme it , which is , you shall pull it foorth as you did before , when you mixe it , and ca●de it ouer againe vpon your stock-cardes : and then those cardings which you strike off , are called tummings , which you shall lay by , till it come to spinning . there be some hous●-w●u●s which oyle it as they mixe it , and spri●ckle euery layre as they lay it , and worke the oyle well into it : and then rouling vp as before sayd , pul● it out , and tumme it ; so that then it goeth but once ouer the stock-cards , which is not amis●e : yet the other is more certaine , though somewhat painefull . of spinn●ng wo●ll . after your wooll is thus mixed , oyled and tummed , you shall then spinne it vpon great wooll-wheeles , according to the order of good house wifery : the action whereof must be got by practise , and not relation ; only this you shall be carefull , to draw your thread according to the nature , and goodnes of your wooll , not according to your particular desire : for if you draw a fi●e thread from a wooll which is of a course staple , it will want substance when it comes to the walke mill , and either there beate in peeces , or not being able to bed , and couer the threads well , be a cloth of a very short lasting . so likewise if you draw a course thread from a wooll of a fine staple , it will then so much ouer thicke , that you must either take away a great part of the substance of your wooll in flockes ; or els let the cloth weare course , and high , to the disgrace of the good house-wifery , and losse of much cloth , which els might haue beene saued . the diuersiti● in spinning now for the diuersities of spinning , although our ordinary english house-wiues make none at all , but spin euery thread alike , yet the better experienst make two manner of spinnings , and two sorts of thread ▪ the one they call warpe , the other weft , or else wooffe ; the warpe is spunne close , round and hard twisted , being strong and well smoothed , because it runs thorough the sleies , and also indureth the fretting and beating of the beame , the weft is spunne open , loose , hollow , and but halfe twisted ; neither smoothed with the hand , no● made of an great strength , because it but only crosseth the warpe , without any violent straining , and by reason of the softnesse thereof beddeth closer , and couereth the warpe so well , that a very little beating in the mill bringeth it to perfect cloth : and though some hold it lesse substantiall then the web , which is all of twisted yarne , yet experience findes they are deceiued , and that this open weft keepes the cloth longer from fretting and wearing . 〈…〉 after the spinning of your wooll , some hous-wifes vse to wind i● from the broch into round clewes for more ease in the warping , but it is a about may v●ry wel● be saued , and you may ●s well wa●●e it from the broch as from the clew , as lon● as you know the certaine w●ight , for by that onely you are to be directed in all manner of cloth making . 〈…〉 now as touching the warping of cloth , which i● both the skill and action of the weauer , yet must not our english house-wife be ignorant therein , but though the ●ou●g of the thing be not proper vnto her , yet what is done must not be beyond her knowledge , both to bridle he falshood of vnconscionable workemen , and for her owne satisfaction , when shee is ●id of the doubt of anothers euill doing . it is necessary then that shee first case by the waight of her wooll , to know how many yards of cloth the web will arise : for if the wooll be of a resonable good staple , and well spunne , it will run yard and pound , but if it be course , it will not runne so much . now in your warping also , you must looke how many pounds you lay in your warpe , and so many you must necessarily preserue for your weft ; for hous-wifes say the best cloth is made of euen and euen ; for to driue it to greater aduantage is hurtfull to the cloth : there be other obseruations in the warping of cloth ; as to number your po●●usles , and how many goes to a yard : to looke to the closenesse , and filling of the sleie , and and such like , which sometimes hold , and sometimes 〈◊〉 , according to the art of the workeman ; and therefore i will not stand much vpon them ; but referre the house-wife to the instruction of her owne experience . of w●auing cloth , w●lk●ng and dressi●g it now after your cloth is thus warped , and deliuered vp into the hands of the weauer ; the hous-wife hath finisht her labour : for in the weauing , walking , and dressing thereof shee can challenge no property more then to entreate them seuerally to discharge their duties with a good conscience ; that is say , that the weauer weaue close , strong , and true , that the walker or fuller , mill it carefully , and looke well to his scowring-earth , for feare of beating holes into the cloth ; and that the clothworker , or sheereman burle , and dresse it sufficiently , neither cutting the wooll too vnreasonable high , whereby the cloth may wea●e rough , nor too low , least it appeare thread-bare 〈◊〉 it come out of the hands of the taylor . these thinges forewarnd and performed , the cloth is then to be vsed at your pleasure . of linnen cloth . the next thing to this , which our english house-wife must be skilfull is in the making of all sorts of linnen-cloth , whether it be of hempe or fl●xe , for from those two onely this is the most principall cloth deriued , and made both in this , and in other nations the ground b● 〈…〉 . and first touching the soile fittest to sow hempe vpon , it must be a rich mingle earth of clay and sand , or clay and grauell well tempered : and of these the best serueth best for the purpose , for the simple clay ▪ or ▪ the simple sand are nothing so good ; for the first is too tough , too rich , and too heauy , bringeth forth all bunne and no rinde , the other is too barren , too hot ▪ and too light , and bringeth forth such sl●nder withe●●ed incre●se that it is nothing neere worth the abou●● b●●●fly the●● the best earth is the best mixt ground which husband men 〈◊〉 the ●●d hazeil ground , being well ordered and 〈…〉 and of this earth a principall place to ●w 〈◊〉 , is in old stackeyards , or other places kept in the winter time for the laire of sheepe or cattle , when your ground is either scarfe , or formerly not imployed to that purpose : but if it be where the ground is plenty , and onely vsed thereunto , as in holland , in lincolne-sheire , the isle of axham , and such like places , then the custome of the country will make you except enough therein : there be some that will preserue the endes of their corne lands , which but vpon grasse for to sow hempe or flaxe thereon , and for that purpose will manure it well with ●●eepe : for whereas corne which butteth on grasse hads , where cattle are teathered is commonly destroyed , and no profit issuing from a good part thereof ; by this meanes , that which is sowen will be more lafe and plentifull , and that which was destroyed , will beare a commodity of better value . the tillage of the ground . now for the tillage or ordering of the ground where you sow hempe or flaxe , it would in all poynts be like vnto that where you sow barley , or at the least as often broke vp , as you do when you sow fallow wheat , which is thrice at least , except it be some very mellow , and ripe mould , as stack yards , and vsuall hempe-lands be , and then twice breaking vp is sufficient : that is to say , about the latter end of february , and the latter ende of aprill , at which time you shall sow it : and herein is to noted , that you must sow it reasonable thicke with good sound and perfect seed , of which the smoothest , roundest , and brightest with least dust in is best : you must not lay it too deepe in the earth , but you must couer it close , light , and with so fine a mould as you can possible breake with your harrowes , clotting-beetles , or sleighting then till you see it appeare aboue the earth , you must haue it exceedingly carefully tended , especially an houre or two before sunne rise , and as much b●fore it set , from birds and other vermine , which wi●l otherwise picke the seed out of the earth , and so deceiue you of your profit . of weeding of hempe and f●ax● . now for the weeding of hempe , you may saue the labour , because it is naturally of it selfe swift of growth , rough , and venemous to any thing that growes vnder it , and will sooner of its owne accord destroy those vnwholesome weeds then by your labour : but for your flaxe or line which is a great deale more tender , and of harder encrease , you shall as occasion serueth weede it , and ●rimme it , especially if the weeds ouergrow it , but not otherwise : for if it once get aboue the weeds , then it will f●ue it selfe . the pull●ng of h●mpe or flax . touching the pulling of hempe or flaxe , which is the manner of gathering of the same : you shall vnderstand that it must be pulled vp by the roo●es , and not cut as cor●e is , either with sithe or hooke : and the best tima for the pulling of the same is , when you see the leaues fall downeward , or turne yellow at the tops , for that it is full ripe , and this for the most part will be in iuly , and about mary mau●lins day . i speake now touching the pul●ing of hempe for cloth : but if you intend to saue any for seed , then you shal saue the principal ●unnes , and let them stand till it be the latter end of august , or sometimes till mid september following : and then seeing the seede turned browne and hard , you may gather it , for if it stand longer , it will ●ed suddenly : as for flaxe , which ripeneth a little after the hempe , you shall pull it as soone as you see the se●d turne browne , and bend the head to the earthward , for it will afterward ripen of it selfe as the bunne drieth . the ripening of hempe and flaxe . now for the ripening , and seasoning of hempe or flaxe , you shall so soone as you haue pulled it , lay it all along flat , and thinne vpon the ground , for a night and a day at the most , and no more ; and then as house-wiues call it , tye it vp in baites , and reare them vpright till you can conueniently carry it to the water , which would be done as speedily as may be . now there be some which ripen their hempe and flaxe vpon the ground where it grew , by letting it lye thereon to receiue dewes and raine , and the moystnesse of the earth , till it be ripe : but this is a vile and naughty way of ripening , it making the hempe or flaxe blacke , rough , and often rotten : therefore i would wish none to vse it , but such as necessity compelleth thereunto , and then to be carefull to the often turning thereof , for it is the ground onely which rots it . the watering of hempe or flaxe . now for the watring of the hempe or flaxe , the best water is the running streame , and the worst the standing pit , yet because hempe is a poysonous thing , and infecteth the water , and destroyeth all kind of fish , it is more fit to employ such pits and ditches as are least subiect to annoyance , except you liue neere some great broad and swift streame , and then in the shallow parts thereof , you may water without danger : touching the manner of the watering thereof , you shall according to the quantity , knocke foure or sixe strong stakes into the bottome of the water , and let them square-wise , then lay your round baits or bundles of hempe downe vnder the water , the thicke end of one bundle one way ▪ and the thicke ends of another bundle another way ; and so lay baite vpon baite , till you haue laid in all , and that the water couereth them all ouer ; then you shall take ouer-lyers of wood , and binding them ouerthwart to the stakes , keepe the hempe downe close , and especially at the foure corners ; then take great stones , grauell , and other heauy rubbish , and lay it betweene , and ouer the ouer-lyers , and so couer the hempe close , that it may by no meanes stirre , and so let it continue in the water foure daies and nights , if it be in a running water , but if it be in a standing water , then longer , and then take out one of the vppermost baites and wash it ; and if in the washing you see the leafe come off , then you may be assured the hempe is watred enough : as for flaxe , lesse time will serue it , and it will shead the leafe in three nights . of washing out of hempe or flax. when your hempe or flaxe is thus watered enough , you shall take off the grauell , stones , ouer-lyers of wood , and vnloosing it from the stakes , take and wash out euery baite or bundle seuerall by it selfe , and rub it exceeding cleane , leauing not a leafe vpon it , nor any filth within it ; then set it vpon the dry earth vpright , that the water may drop from it , which done , load it vp , and carry it home , and in some open close or piece of ground reare it vpright either against hedges , pales , walls , backsides of houses , or such like , where it may haue the full strength , or reflection of the sunne , and being throughly dried , then house it ; yet there be some house w●ues which assoone as their hempe comes from the water , will not reare it vpright , but lay it vpon the ground flat and thinne for the space of a fortnight , turning it at the end of euery two daies ; first on the one side , then on the other , and then after reare it vpright , dry it , and so house it , and this house wifery is good and orderly . speciall orde●●ng of flaxe . now although i haue hitherto ioyned hempe and flaxe together , yet y●u sha●l vnderstand that there are some particular differences betweene them ; for wheras your hempe may within a night or two after the pulling be ca●●ed to the water , your flaxe may not , but must be reared vp , and dried and withered a weeke or more to ripen the seede , which done , you must take ripple combes , and ripple your fl●xe ouer , which is the beating , or breaking off from the stalkes the round belles or bobs , which containe the seede which you must preserue in some dry vessell or place , till the spring of the ●eare , and then beate it , or thr●sh it for your vse , and when your fl●xe or line is ripled , then you must send it to the water as aforesayd . the br●●king for hemp● flax . after your hempe or flaxe hath bene watered , dried , and housed , you may then at your pleasure breake it , which is in a brake of wood ( whose proportion is so ordinary , that euery one almost knowes them ) breake and beate out the d●y bu●ne , or kexe of the hempe or flaxe from the rinde which couers it , and when you brake either , you shall doe it , as neere as you can , on a faire dry sun shine day , obseruing to set foorth your hempe and fl●xe , and sp●ead it thinne before the sunne ▪ that it may be as dry as tinder before it come to the brake ; for if either in the lying close together it shall giu● againe or sweate , or through the moystnesse of the ayre , or place where it lies receiues any dampishnesse , you must necessarily see it dried sufficiently againe , or else it will neuer bra●e well , nor the bu●ne breake and part from the ●nde in order as it should : therefore if the weather bee not seasonable , and your need much to vse your hempe or fl●xe , you shall then spread it vpon your ●ilne , and making a soft fire vnder it , dry it vpon the same , and then brake it : yet for as much as this is oft times dangerous , and much hurt hath beene receiued thereby through casualty of fi●e , i would wish you to st●●ke foure stakes in the earth at least fiue foote aboue ground , and laying ouer them small our layers of wood , and open fleakes or hurdles vpon the same , spread your hempe , and also reare some round about it all , but at one open side ; then with straw , small shauings , or other ●ight dry wood make a soft fire vnder the same , and so dry it , and brake it , and this without all danger or mistrust of euill ; and as you brake it , you shall open and looke into it , euer beginning to brake the roote ends first ; and when you see the bun is suffi●ciently crusht , fallen away , or at the most hangeth but in very small shiuers within the hempe or flaxe , then you shall say it is brak't enough , and then tearming that which you called a baite or bundle before , now a strike , you shall lay them together and so house them , keeping in your memorie either by score or writing , how many str●kes of hempe , and how many strikes of flaxe you brake vp euery day . d●u●rsity o● b●ak●s . now that your h●mpe or flaxe may brake so much the better , you must haue for each seuerall sort two seuerall brakes , which is an open and wide toothed , or nickt brake , and a close and straight toothed brake : the first being to crush the bun , and the latter to beate it forth . now for flaxe you must take first that which is the straightest for the hempe , and then after one of purpose , much straighter and sharper for the bun●e of it being more small , tough and thinne , must necessarily be broken into much lesse peeces . of swingling hempe ●nd flaxe . after your hempe and flaxe is brak't , you shall then swingle it ▪ wh●ch is vpon a swingle tree blocke made of an ha●fe inch boord about foure foote aboue ground , and set vpon a strong foote or stocke , that will not easily moue and stirre , as you may see in any house-wiues house whatsoeuer better then my words can expresse : and with a peece of wood called the swingle tree dagger , and made in the shape and proportion of an olde dagger with a reasonable blunt edge ; you shall beate out all the loose buns and shiuers that ha●g in the hemp or flaxe , opening and turning it from one ende to the other , till you haue no bunne or shiuer to be perceiued therein , and then strike a twist , and fould in the midst , which is euer the thickest part of the strike , lay them by till you haue swingled all ; the generall profit where of , is not onely the bea●ing out of the hard bunne , but also an opening , and sof●●ing of the teare , whereby it is prepared and made ready for the market . 〈…〉 now after you haue swingled you● hempe and flax ouer once , you shall take and s●a●e vp the refuse stuffe , which you beate from the same seuerally , and not onely i● , but the tops and knots , and halfe brack't buns which ●●ll from the b●ake also , and drying them againe cause them to be very well thresht with flayles , and then mixing them with the refuse which f●ll from the swingle tree , dresse them all well with threshing and shaking , till the bunnes be cleane 〈◊〉 out of them ; and then lay them in some safe drye place till occasion of vse : these are called swingle tree hurds , and that which comes from the hempe will make window cloth , and such 〈◊〉 course stuffe , and that which comes from the fl●xe ▪ be●ng a little towed againe in a paire of woollc●●d , will make a course ha●ding . the s●cond swingli●g . but 〈◊〉 proc●ed forward in the making of cloth , after you● 〈…〉 o● fl●x● hath beene swingled once ouer , wh●c● is s●ffi●●●nt for the market , o● for o●y ●●l● , you sh●●l ●●e● for cloth swingle 〈…〉 a●d as the first did beate away 〈…〉 the rind , so this shall breake and diuide , and prepare it fit for the heckle ; and hurds which are this second time beaten off , you shall also saue : for that of the hempe ( being toased in wooll cards ) will make a good hempen harden ) and that commeth from the slaxe ( vsed in that manner ) a flaxe harden better then the former . of heating h●m●● . after the second swingling of your hempe , and that the hurds thereof haue bene layd by , you shall take the strikes , and diuiding them into dozens , o● halfe dozens , make them vp into great thicke roles , and then as it were broaching them , or spitting them vpon long stickes , set them in the corner of some chemney , where they may receiue the heate of the fire , and there let them abide , till they be dried exceedingly , then take them , and laying them in a round trough made for the purpose , so many as may conueniently lye therein , and there with beetles beate them exceedingly , till they handle both without and within as soft and plyant as may be , without any hardnesse or roughnesse to be felt or perceiued ; then take them from the trough , and open the roler , and diuide the strikes seuerally as at the first , and if any be insufficiently beaten , role them vp , and beate them ouer as before . o● he●kling hempe . when your hempe hath bene twice swingled , dried , and beaten , you shall then bring it to the heckle , which instrument needeth no demonstration , because it is hardly vnknowne to any woman whatsoeuer : and the first heckle shall be course , open and wide to●thed because it is the first breaker or diuider of the s●me , and the layer of the strikes euen and straight : and the hu●ds which come of this heckling you shall m●xe with ho●e of the latter swingling , and it will make the clo●h much better ; then you shall heckle it the second time through a good straight he●kle made purposely for hempe , and be sure to breake it very well and sufficiently thereupon , and saue both the hurds by themselues , and the strikes by themselues in seuerall places . now there bee some very pincipall good house-wiues , which vse onely but to heckle their hempe once ouer , affirming , that if it be sufficiently dried and beaten , that once going ouer through a straight heckle will serue without more losse of labour , hauing bene twice swingled before . dressing of h●mpe mo●e fine , now if you intend to haue an excellent peece of hempen cloth , which shall equall a peece of very pure li●nen , then after you haue beaten it , as beforesayd , and he●ked it once ouer , you shall then roule it vp againe , dry it as before , and beate it againe as much as at the first ; then heckle it through a fine flaxen heckle , and the towe which falles from the heckle , will make a principall hemping , but the teare it selfe a cloth as pure , as fine house-wifes linnen , the indurance and lasting whereof , is rare and wonderfu●l : thus you see the vttermost art in dressing of hempe for each seuerall purpose in cloth making t●ll it come to the spinning . of heckling flaxe . flaxe after it hath bene tw●ce swingled needeth neither more drying nor beating as hempe doth , but may be brought to the heckle in the same manner as you did hempe ; onely the heckle must be much finer and straiter , and as you did before the first heckle being much courser then the latter , holding the strike stiffe in your hand , breake it very we●l vpon that heckell : then the hurdes wh●ch comes thereof , you shall saue to make fine hurden cloth of , and the strike it selfe you shall passe through a finer heckle ; and the hurds which come from thence , you shall saue to make fine mid●en cloth of , and the teare it selfe for the best linnen . the dressing of flaxe to 〈◊〉 finest vs● to dresse flaxe for the finest vse that may be , as to make faire holland cloth of great price , or thread for the most curious purpose , a secret hitherto almost concealed from the best house-wifes with vs ; you shall takee your flaxe after it hath beene handled , as is before shewed , and laying three strikes together , plat them in a plat of three so hard and close together as it is possible , ioyning one to the end of another , till you haue platted so much as you thinke conuenient , and then begin another plat , and thus platte as many seuerall plats as you thinke will make a roule , like vnto one of your hempe roules before spoke of , and then wreathing them hard together , make vp the roule ; and so many roules more or lesse , according to the purpose you dresse them for : this done , put the roules into a hempe-trough , and beate them soundly , rather more then lesse then the hempe : and then open and vnplat it and diuide euery strike from other very carefully ; then heckle it through a fine heckle then any formerly vsed : for of heckles there be euer three sorts , and this must be the finest : and in this heckling you must be exceeding carefull to doe it gently , lightly , and with good delibera●ion , least what you heckle from it should runne to knots , or other hardnes , as it is apt to doe : but being done artificially as it ought , you shall see it looke , and fee●e it handle like fine soft cotton , or iersie wooll ; and this which thus looketh and feeleth , and falleth from the heckle , will notwithstanding make a pure linnen , and run at least two yards and a ha●fe in the pound ; but the teare it selfe will make a perfect strong , and most fine holland , running at least fiue yards in the pound . of the 〈◊〉 the● 〈◊〉 . after your teare is thus drest , you shall spinne it either vpon wheele or rock , but the wheele is the swifter way , and the rocke maketh the finer thread ; you shall draw your thread according to the nature of the teare , and as long as it is euen , it cannot be too small , but if it be vneuen it will neuer make a durable cloth . now for as much as euery hous●wife is not able to spinne her owne teare in her owne house , you shall make choyce of the best spinners you can heareof , and to them put foorth your teare to spinne , w●ighing it before it goe , and waighing it after it is spun and dry , allowing waight for waight , os an ounce and a halfe for wast at the most : as for the prises for spinning , they are according to the natures of the countrie , the finenesse of the teare , and the dearenesse of prouisions : some spinning by the pound , some by the lay , and some by day , as the bargain shall be made . 〈…〉 after your yarne is spunne vpon spindles , spooles , or such like ; you shall then reele it vpon reeles , of which the reeles which are hardly two foot in length , and haue but onely two contrary crosse barres are the best , the most easie and least to be troubled with rauelling ; and in the weauing of your fi●e yarne to keepe in the b●tter from rauelling , you shall as you reele it , with a leyband of a bigge twist , diuide the slipping or ●●eane into diuers leyes , al●owing to euery ley . threads , and . laies to euery slipping , the yarne being very fine , otherwise lesse of both kinds : but if you spin by the ley , as at a pound a ley or so , then the ancient custome hath beene to allow to the reele which was . yarde all aboue ● . threads to euery ley , and leyes , and sometimes leyes to a sl●pping , which will ordinarily amount to a 〈◊〉 or there abou●es ; and so by that you may proportion foorth the price for any manner of spinnig whatsoeuer : for if the best thus , then the second so much bated ; and so accordingly the worst . 〈…〉 after thus yor yarne is spunne and yeeld , being in the slipping you shall scowre it : therefore first to f●tch out the spotts , you shall lay it in luke warme water , and let it lie so three or foure dayes , each day shifting it once , and wringing it out , and laying it in another water of the same nature , then carry it to a well or brooke ; and there rinse it , till you see that nothing commeth from it , but pure cleane water ; for whilst there is any filth within it , there will neuer be white cloth ; which done take a bucking tub , and couer the bottome thereof with very fine ashen-ashes : then opening your slippings , and spreading them , lay them on those ashes ; then couer those slippings with ashes againe , then lay in more slippings , and couer them with ashes as before ▪ and thus lay one vpon another , till all your yarne be laid in ; then couer the vppermost yarne with a bucking cloth , and lay therein a pecke or two ( according to the bignesse of the tub ) of ashes more : then poure into all through the vppermost cloth so much warme water , till the tub can receiue no more ; and so let it stand all night : the next morning , you shal● set a kettle of cleare water on the fire ; and when it is warme , you shall pull out the spigget of the bucking tubbe , and let the water ter therein runne into another cleane vessell , and as the bucking tubbe wasteth , so you shall fill it vp againe with the warme water on the fire , and as the water on the fire waste●h , so you shall fi●l it vp againe with the li● which commeth from the bucking tubbe , euer obseruinge 〈◊〉 in 〈◊〉 the li● hotter and hotter till it seeth ; and then when 〈…〉 seetheth , you shall as before apply it with 〈…〉 , at least foure houres together ; which is called , the driuing of a back of yarne : all which being done you shall take off the buckling-cloth , and then putting the yarne with the lie ashes into large tubbes or boa●es , with your hands as hot as you can suffer it to posse , and labour the yarne , ashes , and lie a pretty while together ; then carry it to a well , riuer , or other cleane scouring water , and there rinse it as cleane as may be from the ashes , then take it , and hang it vp vpon poales abroad in the ayre all day , and at night take the slippings downe , and lay them in water all night , then the next day hang them vp againe , and if any part of them drie , then cast water vpon them , obseruing euer to turne that side outmost which whi●eth slowest , and thus doe at least seuen daies together , then put all the yarne againe into a bucking tubbe without ashes , and couer it as before with a bucking cloth , and lay thereupon good store of fresh ashes , and driue that buck as you did before , with very strong seething lies , the space of halfe a day or more , then take it foor●h , posse it , rinse it , and hang it vp as you did before on the daies , and laying it in water on the nights another weeke , and then wash it ouer in faire water , and so dry it vp : other waies there are of scouring and whiting of yarne ; as sleeping it in branne and warme water , and then boyling it with ozier sticks , wheat straw water and ashes , and then possing , rinsing , and bleaching it vpon hedges , or bu●●es ; but it it is a foule and vncertaine waie , and i would not wish any good house-wife to vse it . of wi●ding yarne . after your yarne is scoured and whited , you shall then winde it vp into round balls of a reasonable bignesse , rather with●●● bottom●s then with any at all , because it may deceiue you in the waight , for according to the pounds will arise your yards and lengths of cloth . of w●p●g and w●g . after your yarne is wound and waighed , you shall carry it to the weauers , and warpe it as was before shewed for woollen cloth , knowing this , that if your weauer be honest and skilfull he will make you good and perfect cloth of euen and euen , that is iust the same waight in weft that then was in warp ; as for the action of weauing it selfe , it is the worke-mans occupation , and therefore to him i referre it . the scowring and ●g of cl●th . after your cloth is wouen , and the web or webs come home , you shall first lay it to steepe in all points as you did your yarne , to fetch out the soyling and other filth which is gathered from the weauer ; then rinse it also as you did your yarne , then bucke it a●so in lie and ashes as before said , and rinse it , and then hauing loops fixt to the seluedge of the cloth spread it vpon the grasse , and stake it downe at the vttermost length and bread●h , and as fast as it d●●es water it againe , b●● take heed you wet ●t not too much , for feare you mildew or ●ot it , neither cast water vpon it till you see it in manner drie , and be sure weekely to turne it first on one side , and then on the other , and at the end of the first weeke you shall bucke it as before in lie and ashes : againe then rinse it , spread it , and water it as before ; then if you see it whtes a pace , you need not to giue it any more bucks with the ashes and the cloth mixt together : but then a couple of cleane buckes as was before shewed in the yarne ) the next fortnight following ; and then being whitened enough , dry vp the cloth , and vse it as occasion shall require ; the best season for the same whitening being in aprill and may. now the course and worst hous-wifes scoure and white their cloath with water and branne , and bucke it with lie and greene hemlocks : but as before i said , it is not good , neither would i haue it put in practise . and thus much for wooll , hempe , flaxe , and cloth of each seuerall substance . chap. . of dairies , butter , cheese , and the necessary things belonging to that office. there followeth now in this place after these knowledges already rehearsed , the ordering and gouernment of dairies , with the profits and commodities belonging to the same . and first touching the stocke wherewith to furnish dairies , it is to be vnderstood that they must be kine of the best choice & breed that our english house-wife can possibly attaine vnto , as of big bone , faire shape , right bred , and deepe of milke , gentle , and kindely . ●ignesse of kine . touching the bignesse of bone , the larger that euery cow is , the better shee is : for when either age , or mischance shall disable her for the paile , being of large bone , shee may be fed ▪ and made sit for the shambles , and so no losse , but profit , and any other to the paile as good and sufficient as herselfe . shape of kine . for her shape it must a little differ from the butchers rules , for being chose for the dairy , shee must haue all the signes of plenty of milke , as a crumpled horne , a thinne recke , a hairy dewlappe , and a very large v●der , with foure tea●es , long , thicke , and sha●pe at the e●ds , for the most part either all white , of what colo●● soeuer the cow be ; or at least the fore part thereof ▪ and if it be wel● haue before and behinde , and smooth in the bottome , it is a good signe also . the breed of kine . as touching the right breed of kine through our nation , it generally affoordeth very good ones , yet some countries doe farre exceed other countries ; as ch●sshire , lancashire , yorke-shire , and darbie shire for blacke kine ; clocester-shire , somerset-shire , and some part of wilt-shire for red kine , and lincolne-shire pide kine : and from the breeds of these countries generally doe proceede the breeds of all other , howsoeuer dispersed ouer the whole kingdome . now for our house-wifes direction , shee shall choose her dairy from any of the best breeds before named , according as her opinion and delight shall gouerne her , onely obseruing not to mixe her breeds of diuers kinds , but to haue all of one intire choice without variation , because it is vnprofitable ; neither must you by any meanes haue your bull a forrener from your kine , but absolutely either of one country , or of one shape & colour : againe in the choice of your kine , you must looke diligently to the goodnes & fertility of the soile wherein you liue , & by all meanes buy no kine from a place that is more fruitfull then your owne , but rather harder ; for the latter will prosper & come on , the other wil decay & fal into disease ; as the p●ssing of blood and such like , for which disease & all other you may find assured cures in the former booke , called cheape & good . depth of m●lke in kine . for the depth of milke in kine ( which is the giuing of most milke ) being the maine of a house-wifes profit , shee shall be very carefull to haue that quallit in her beasts . now those kine are said to be deepest of milke , which are new ba●e ; that is which haue but lately calued , and haue thei● milke deepe ●●●●●ging in their vdders , for at that time she giueth the most milke ; and if the quantity then be not conuenient doubtlesse the cow cannot be said to be of deepe m●lch● and for the quantity of milke , for a cow to giue two gallons at a meale , is rare , and extraordinary ; to giue a gallon and a ha●fe is much , and conuenient , and to giue but a gallon certaine is not to be found fault with : againe those ki●e are said to be deepe of milke , which though they giue not so exceeding much milke as o●hers , yet they giue a reasonable quantity , and giue it long as all the yeere through , whereas o●her kine that giue more in quantity , will goe dry , being with calfe some three moneths , some two , and some one , but these will giue their vsua●l measure , euen the night before they calue ; and therefore are said to bee kine deepe of milke . now for the retained opinion , that the cow which goeth not dry at all , or very little , bringeth not foorth so good a calfe as the other , because it wanteth much of the nourishment it should enioye , it is vaine and f●iuolous ; for should the substa●ce from whence the milke proceedeth conuert to the other intended nourishment , it would be so superabundant , that it wou●d conuert either to disease or putrifaction : but letting these secret reasons ●asse , there ●e some kine which are so exceedingly full of milke , that they must be milkt at least thrice a day , at morning , noone , and euening , or else they will shed their milke , but it is a fault rather then a vertue , and proceedeth more from a laxatiuenesse or loosenesse of milke , then from any abundance ; for i neuer saw those th●ee meales yet equal the two meales of a good cow , and therefore they are not truly called deepe of milke . o● the gen●l●nesse 〈◊〉 kin● . touching the gentlenesse of kine , it is a vertue as fit to be expected as any other , for if she be not affable to the maide , gentle and willing to come to the p●●le , and patient to haue her duggs drawne without skittishnesse , striking or wildnesse , shee is vtterly vnfit for the dayry . of kindlinesse in ●ine . as a cow must be gent●e to her milker , so shee must be kind in her owne nature ; that is ▪ apt to conceiue , and bring foorth , fruitfull to nourish , and louing to that which springs from her ; for so she bringeth foorth a double profit ; the one for the time present which is in the dairy ; the other for the time to come ; which is in the maintenance of the stocke , and vpholding of breed . the best time to calue in , for the dairy or breed . the best time for a cow to ca●ue in for the dairy , is in the latter end of march ▪ and all aprill ; for then grasse beginning to spr●ng to its perfect goodnesse , will occasion the greatest increase of milke that may be : and one good early cow will counteruaile two latter , yet the calues thus calued a●● not to be reared , but suffered to feed vpon their dammes best milke , and then to be sold to the butchers , and surely the profit will equall the charge ; but those calues which fall in october , nouember , or any time of the depth of winter may well be reared vp for breed , because the maine profit of the dairy is then spent , and such breed will hold vp any calues which are calued in the prime daies , for they generally are subiect to the disease of the sturdy , which is dangerous and mortall . roaring of calues . the house-wife which onely hath respect to her dairy , and for whose knowledge this discourse is written ( for we haue shewed the grasier his office in the engl●sh husband-man ) must reare her calues vpon the singer with floten milke , and not suffer them to run with the dammes , the generall manner whereof , and the cure of all the diseases incident to them and all other cattell is fully declared in the booke called cheape and good . the generall v●e of dairies . to proceed then to the geneall vse of dairies , it consisteth first in the cattell ( of which we haue spoken sufficiently ) then in the houres of milking , the o●dering of the milke , and the profits arising from the fame . th● h●wers of milki●g . the best and most commended howers for milking , are indeed but two in the day , that in the spring and summ●r time which is the best season for the dairy , is betwixt fiue and sixe in the morning , and sixe and seu●n a clocke in the euening : a●d although nice and curious house-w●ues wil h●ue a third hou●e betwixt them , as betweene twelue and one in the after-noone , yet the better experienst doe not allow it , and say as i beleeue , that two good meales of milke are better euer then three bad ones ; also in the mil●ing of a cow , the woman must sit on the neere side of the cow , she must gently at the first handle and stretch her dugges , and mo●sten them with milke that they may yeeld out the milke the better and with lesse paine : she shall not settle her selfe to milke , nor fixe her paile fi●me to the ground till she see the cowe stand sure and firme , but be ready vpon any motion of the cow to saue her paile from ouerturning ; when she seeth all things answerable to her desire , she shall then milke the cow boldly , & not leaue stre●ching and straining of her teats till not one drop of milke more will come from them , for he worst poynt of hous●-w●fery that can be , is to leaue a cowe halfe mil●t , for besides the losse of the milke , it is the onely way to m●●ke a cowe dry and vtter●y vnprofitable for the d●i●y : the milke-mayd whilst she is in m●lking , shall doe nothing rashly or sudden●y about the cowe , which ●ay aff●ight or am●se her , but as she came gently , so with al● gentlenesse she shall depart . the ord●ring of milk● . touching th● well ordering of milke after it is come home to the da●●y , the maine point belongeth there●●●● is the house-wifes c●eanlines in the sweet and neate ke●ping of the dairy-house ; where not the least moate of any filth may by any meanes appeare , but all things either to the eie or nose to void of sowernesse or slattishnesse ▪ that a princes bed chamber must not exceed it : to this must be added the sweete and delicate keeping of her milke vessels , whether they be of wood , earth or lead , the best of which is yet disputable with the best house-w●fes ; onely this opinion is generally receiued , that the woodden vessel which is round and shallow is best in cold vaults , the earthen vessels principall for long keeping , and the leaden vessell for yee●ding of much creame : but howsoeuer , any and all these must bee carefully scalded once a day , and set in the open ayre to sweeten , lest getting any taint of sowernesse into them , they corrupt the milke that sha●l be put therein . s●ll●ng of milke . but to proceede to my purpose , after your milke is come home , you sha●l as it were straine it from all vncleane things , through a neate and sweete kept syledish , the forme whereof euery house-wife knowes , and the bottome of this syle , through which the milke must passe , shall bee couered with a very cleane washt fine linnen cloth , such an one as will not suffer the least mote or haire to go through it ; you shall into euery vessell sy●e a pretty quanti●y of mi●ke , according to the proportion of the vessell , the broader it is , and the sha●lower it is , the better it is , and yeeldeth euer the most creame , and keepeth the mi●ke longest from sowring . profi●s arising from milke . now for the profit ar●sing from milke , they are three of especiall account , as butter , cheese , and milke , to be eaten either simple or compounded : as for curds , sowre milke , or wigge , they come from secondary meanes , and therefore may not bee numbred with these . of butter . for your butter which onely proceedeth from the creame , which is the very heart and strength of milke , it must be gathered very carefully , diligently , and painefully . and though cleanlinesse be such an ornament to a hous-wife , that if shee want any part thereof , shee loseth bo●h that and all good names else : yet in this action it must be more seriously imploied then in any other . of fl●eting creame . to beginne then with the fleeting or gathering of your creame from the milke , you shall doe it in this manner : the milke which you doe milke in the morning you shall with a fine thinne shallow dish made for the purpose , take of the creame about fiue of the clocke in the euening ; and the milke which you did milke in the euening , you shall fleete and take of the creame aboute fiue of the clocke the next morning ; and the creame so taken of , you shall put into a cleane sweete and well leaded earthen pot close couered , and set in a coole place : and this creame so gathered you shall not keepe aboue two daies in the summer , and not aboue foure in the winter , if you will haue the sweetest and best butter ; and that your dairy containe fiue kine or more ; but how many or few soeuer you keepe , you shal not by any meanes preserue your creame aboue three daies in summer , and not aboue sixe in the winter . of o●urming butter and the daies . your creame being neately and sweet kept , you shall chu●me or churne it on those vsuall daies which are fittest either for your vse in the house , or the markets adioyning neere vnto you , according to the purpose for which you keepe your dairy . now the daies most accustomable held amongst ordinary house-wiues , are tuesday and friday : tuesday in the afternoone , to serue wednesday morning market , and friday morning to serue saturday-market ; for wednesday and saturday are the most generall market daies of this kingdome , and wednesday , friday , and saturday , the vsuall fasting dayes of the weeke ; and so meetest for the vse of butter . now for churming , take your creame and through a strong and cleane cloth straine it into the churme ; and then couering the churme close , and setting it in a place fit for the action in which you are imploid ( as in the summer ) in the coolest place of your dairy , and exceeding early in the morning ▪ or very late in the euening , and in the winter , in the warmest place of your dairy , and in the most temperate houres , as about noone , or a litt●e before or after , and so churne it , with swift strokes , marking the noise of the same which will be solid , heauy and intyre , vntill you heare it alter , and the sound is light , sharpe , and more spirity : and then you shall say that your butter breakes , which perceiued both by this sound , the lightnesse of the churne staffe , and the sparkes and drops , which will appeare yellow about the lippe of the churne , and clense with your hand both the lidde and inward sides of the churne , and hauing put all together , you shall couer the churne againe , and then with easie strokes round , and not to the bottome , gather the but●er together into one intire lumpe and body , leauing no pieces thereof seuerall or vnioyned . helpes in churning . now for as much as there be many mischiefes and inconueniences which may happen to butter in the churning , because it is a body of much tendernesse , and neither will endure much heate , not much cold : for if it be ouer-heated , it will looke white , crumble , and be bitter in taste , and if it be ouer-cold , it will not come at all , but make you waste much labour in vaine , which faults to helpe , if you chur●e your butter in the heate of summer , it shall not be amisse , if during the time of your chu●ning you place your churne in a paile of cold water as deepe as your creame riseth in the churne ; and in the churning thereof let your stroakes goe slow , and be sure that your churne be co●d when you put in your creame : but if you churne in the coldest time of winter , you shall then put in your cr●ame before the churne be cold , after it hath beene scalded ; and you shall p●●ce it within the aire of the fire , and churne it with as swift stroakes , and as fast as may be , for the much labouring thereof will keepe it in a continuall warmth , and thus you shall haue your butter good ; sweete , and according to your wish . after your butter is churnd , or churnd and gathered well together in your churne , you shall then open your churne , and with both your hands gather it well together , and take it from the butter-milke , and put it into a very cleane boule of wood , or panshion of earth sweetned for the purpose , and if you intend to spend the butter sweete and fresh , you shall haue your boule or panshion filled with very cleane water , and therein with your hand you shall worke the butter , turning and tossing it to and fro , till you haue by that labour beaten & washt out all the butter-milke , & brought the butter to a firme substance of it selfe , without any other moisture : which done , you shall take the butter from the water , a●d with the point of a knife scoch and sl●sh the butter ouer and ouer euery way so thicke as is possible , leauing no part through which your knife must not passe ; for this will clense and fetch out the smallest haire or mote , or ragge of a strainer , and any other thing which by casuall meanes may happen to fall into it . seasoning of butter . after this you shall spread the butter in a boule thin , and take so much salt as you shall thinke conuenient , which must by no meanes be much for sweete butter , and sprinkle it thereupon , then with your hands worke the butter and the salt exceedingly well together , and then make it vp either into dishes , pounds , or halfe pounds at your pleasure . of may butter . if during the moneth of may before you salt your butter you saue a lumpe thereof , and put it into a vessell , and so set it into the sun the space of that moneth , you shall finde it exceeding soueraigne and medicinable for wounds , straines , aches , and such like grieuances . of powdering vp o● potting of butter . touching the poudring vp or potting of butter , you shall by no meanes as in fresh butter wash the butter-milke out with water , but onely worke it cleere out with your hands : for water will make the butter rusty , or reesse ; this done you shall weigh your butter , and know how many pounds there is thereof : for should you weigh it after it were salted , you would be deceiued in the weight : which done , you shall open the butter , and salt it very well and throughly , beating it in with your hand till it be generally disperst through the whole butter ; then take cleane earthen pots , exceedingly well leaded least the brine should leake through the same , and cast salt into the bottome of it : then lay in your butter , and presse it downe hard within the same , and when your pot is filled , then couer the top thereof with salt so as no butter be seene : then closing vp the pot let it stand where it may be cold and safe : but if your dairy be so little that you cannot at first fill vp the pot , you shall then when you haue potted vp so much as you haue , couer it all ouer with salt and pot the next quantity vpon it till the pot be full . of great dairies and their customes . now there be hous wiues whose dairies being great , can by no meanes conueniently haue their butter contained in pots ; as in holland , suffolke , norfolke , and such like , and therefore are first to take barrels very close and well made , and after they hau● salted it well , they fi●l their barrels therewith ; then they take a small sticke , cleane and sweete , and therewith make diuers holes downe thorough the butter , eu●n to the bottome of the barrell : and then make a strong brine of water a●d salt which will beare an egge , and after it is boyl'd , well skimm'd and cool'd ; then powre it vpon the top of the butter till i● swimme aboue the same , and so let it settle . some vse to boyle in this brine a branch or two of rosemary , and it is not amisse , but pleasant and wholesome . when to pot butter . now although you may at any time betw●xt may and september pot vp butter , obseruing to doe it in the co●dest time of the morning : yet the most principall season of all is in the moneth of may onely ▪ for then the aire is most temperate , and the butter will take salt the best and the east subiect to ●eesing . vse of butter milke . the best vse of buttermilke for the able house wife , is charitably to bestow it on the poore neighbours , whose wants doe dayly cry out for sustenance : and no doubt but she shall finde the profit thereof in a diuine place , as well as in her earthly businesse : but if her owne wants command her to vse it for her owne good , then she shall of her butter milke make curds , in this mann●r she shall take her butter-milke and put it into a cleane earthen vessell , which is much larger then to receiue the butter-milke onely ; and looking vnto the quantity thereof , she shall take as it were a third part so much new mi●ke , and set it on the fire , and when it is ready to rise , take it off and let it coole a little : then powre it into the buttermilk in the same manner as you would make a posset , and hauing stirred it about , let it stand : then with a fine skummer , when you will vse the curds ( for the longer it stands the better the curds will eate ) take them vp into a cullander and let the whey drop well from it : and then eate them either wi●h creame , ale , wine , or beere : as for the whey , you may keepe it also in a sweete stone vessell : for it is that which is called whigge , and is an excellent coole drinke and a wholesome ; and may very well be drunke a summer through in sted of any other drinke , and without doubt will slake the thirst of any labouring man as well , if not better . of cheese . the next maine profit which ariseth from the dairy is cheese , of which there be diuerse kinds , as new milke , or morrow milke cheese , net●le cheese , floaten milke cheese , and eddish , or after-math cheese , all which haue their seuerall orderings and compositions , as you shall perceiue by the discourse following : yet before i do begin to speake of the making of the cheese , i will shew you how to order your cheeselep-bag or runnet ▪ which is ●he most principall thing wherewith your cheese is compounded , and giueth the perfect tast vnto the same . of the cheesle● bagge or runnet . the cheeselep-bag or runnet , wh●ch is the stomacke bagge of a yong suckling calfe , which neuer tasted other food then milke , where the curd lieth vndisgested . of these bagges you shall in the beginning of the yeare prouide your selfe good store , and first open the bag and powre out into a cleane vessell the curd and th●cke substance thereof ; but the rest which is not curdled you shall put away : then open the curd and picke out of it all manner of motes , chie●s of grasse , or other fi●th gotten into the same : then wash the curd in so many cold waters , till it be as white and cleane from all sorts of moates as is possible ; then lay it on a cleane cloth that the water may draine from it , which done , ley it in another dry vessell , then take a handfull or two of salt and rubbe the curd therewith exceedingly : then take your bagge and wash it also in diuerse cold waters till it be very cleane , and then put the curd and the salt vp into the bag , the bagge being also well rub'd within with salt : and so put it vp , and salt the outside also all ouer : and then close vp the pot close , and so keepe them a full yeare before you vse them . for touching the hanging of them vp in chimney corners ( as course house-wiues do ) is sluttish , naught , and vnwholesome , and the spending of your runnet whilst it is new , makes your cheese heaue and proue hollow . seasoning of the runnet . when your runnet or earning is fit to be vsed , you shall season it after this manner ; you shall take the bag you intend to vse , and opening it , put the curd into a stone morter or a bowle , and with a wooden pestle or a roling pinne beate it exceedingly ; then put to it the yelkes of two or three egges , and halfe a pint of the thickest and sweetest creame you can fleete from your milke , with a peny-worth of saffron finely dried and beaten to powder , together with a little cloues and mace , and stirre them all passing well together till they appeare but as one substance , and then put it vp in the bagge againe : then you shall make a very strong brine of water and salt , and in the same you shall boile a handfull or two of saxifrage , and then when it is cold cleare it into a cleane earthen vessell ; then take out of the bag halfe a dosen spoonfull of the former curd and mixe it with the brine , then closing the bagge vp againe close hang it within the brine , and in any case also steepe in your brine a few wall-nut-tree leaues , and so keepe your runnet a fortnight after before you vse it ; and in this manner dresse all your bagges so , as you may euer haue one ready after another , and the youngest a fortnight olde euer at the least , for that will make the earning quicke and sharpe , so that foure spoonefuls thereof will suffice for the gathering and seasoning of at l●ast twelue gallons of milke , and this is the choysest and best earning which can possible be made by any house-wife . to make a new mi●ke ●heese compound . to make a new milke or morning milke cheese , which is the best cheese made ordinarily in our kingdome ; you shall take your milke early in the morning as it comes from the cow , and syle it into a cleane tubbe , then take all the creame also from the milke you milkt the euening before , and straine it into your new mi●ke : then take a pretty quantity of cleane water , and hauing made it scalding hot , poure it into the milke also to scald the creame and it together , then let it stand , and coole it with a dish til it be no more then lukewarme ; then go to the pot where your earning bags hangs , and d●aw from thence so much of the earning without stirring of the bag , as will serue for your proportion of milke , & straine it therein very carefully ; for if the least mote of the curd of the earning fal into the cheese , it will make the cheese rot and mould , when your earnings is put in you shall couer the milke , and so let it stand halfe an howre or thereabouts ; for if the earning be good it will come in that space ; but if you see it doth not , then you shall put in more : being come , you shall with a dish in your hand breake and mashe the curde together , possing and turning it about diuersly : which done , with the flat pa●mes of your hands very gently presse the curde downe into the bottome of the tubbe , then with a thinne dish take the whey from it as cleane as you can , and so hauing prepared your cheese-fat answerable to the proportion of your curd with both your hands ioyned together , put your curd therein and breake it and presse it down hard into the fat till you haue fild it ; then lay vpon the top of the curd your flat cheese boord , and a little small weight thereupon , that the whey may drop from it into the vnder vessell ; when it hath done dropping , take a large cheese cloth , and hauing wet it in the cold water , lay it on the cheese-boord , and then turne the cheese vpon it ; then lay the cloth into the cheese-fat : and so put the cheese therein againe , and with a thin slice thrust the same downe close on euery side : then laying the cloth also ouer the top to lay on the cheese boord , and so carry it to your great presse , and there presse it vnder a sufficient waight : after it hath beene there prest halfe an houre , you shall take i● and turne it into a dry cloth , and put it into the presse againe , and thus you shall turne it into dry cloaths at least fiue or sixe times in the first day , and euer put it vn●er the presse againe , not taking it there from , till the next day in the euening at soonest , & the last time it is turned , you shall turne it into the dry fat without any cloth at all . when it is prest sufficiently and taken from the fat , you shall then lay it in a kimnell , and rub it first on the one side , and then on the other with salt , and so let it ●e all that night , then the next morning , you shall doe the like againe , and so turne it vpon the brine , which comes from the salt two or three dayes or more , according to the bignesse of the cheese , and then lay it vpon a faire table or she●fe to drie , forgetting not euery day once to rubbe it all ouer with a cleane cloth , and then to turne it , till such time that it be throughly drie , and fit to goe into the cheese hecke : ad in this manner of drying you must obserue to lay it first where it may dry hastily , and after where it may dry at more leysure : thus may you make the best and most principall cheese . a cheese of two meales . now if you will make cheese of two meales , as your mornings new milke , and the euenings creame , milke and all you shall doe but the same formerly rehearsed . and if you will make a simple morrow milke cheese , which is all of newe milke and nothing else , you shall then doe as is before declared , onely you shall put in your earning so soone as the milke is fild ( if it haue any warmth in t ) and not scald it : but if the warmth be lost you shall put it into a kettle and giue it the ayre of the fire . of nettle cheese . if you will haue a very dainty nettle cheese , which is the finest summer cheese which can bee eaten ; you shall doe in all things as was formerly taught in the new milke cheese compound ; onely you shall put the curde into a very thinne cheese-fat , not aboue halfe an inch or a little better deepe at the most , and then when you come to dry them assoone as it is drained from the brine , you shall lay it vpon fresh nettles and couer it all ouer with the same ; and so lying where they may feele the ayre , let them ripen therein , obseruing to renew your nettles once in two danes , and euery time you renewe them , to turne the cheese or cheeses , and to gather your nettles as much without stalkes as may be , and to make the bed both vnder and a ●oft as smooth as may be , for the more euen and fewer wrinkles that your cheese hath , the more dainty is your house-wife accounted . of floaten-milk cheese . if you will make floaten milke cheese , which is the coursest of all cheses , you shall take some of the milke and heate it vpon the fire to warme all the rest : but if it be so sowre that you dare not aduenture the warming of it for feare of breaking , then you shall heate water , and with it warme it ; then put in your earning as before shewed , and gather it , presse it , salt it , and dry it as you did all other cheeses . of edd●●● cheese . touching your eddish cheese or winter cheese , there is not any difference betwixt it and your summer cheese touching the making thereof onely , because she season of the yeere denieth a kindly drying or hardning thereof , it d●ff●●eth much in taste , and will be soft alwaies ; and of these eddi●h cheeses you may make as many kinds as of summer cheeses , as of one mea●e , two meales , or of milke that is floaten . of whey and the profits . when you haue made your cheese , you shall then haue care of the whey , whose generall vse differeth not from that of butter milke , for either you shall preserue it to bestow on the poore , because it is a good drinke for the labouring m●n , or keepe it to make curds out of it , or lastly to nourish and bring vp your swine . of whey curds . if you will make curds of your best whey , you shall set it vpon the fire , and being ready to boyle , you shall put into it a pretty quantit● of butter-milke , and then as you see the curds arising vp to the top of the whey , with a skummer skim them off , and put them into a cullender , and then put in more butter milke , and thus doe whilest you can see any curds arise ; then the whey being drained cleare from them , put them into a cleane vessel , and so serue them forth as occasion shall serue . chap. . the office of the malster , and the seuerall secrets , and knowledges belonging to the making of malt. it is most requisite and fit that our hous-wife be experienced and well practised in the well making of malt , both for the necessary and continuall vse thereof , as also for the generall profit whlch accrueth and ariseth to the husband , hous wife , and the whole family : for as from it is made the drinke , by which the houshold is nourished and sustained , so to the fruitfull husbandman ( who is the master of rich ground , and much tillage ) it is an excellent merchandize , & a commodite of so great trade , that not alone especiall townes and counties are maintained thereby , but also the whole kingdom , and diuers others of our neighboring nations . this office or place of knowledge belongeth particularly to the hous wife ; and though we haue many excellent men-malsters , yet it is properly the worke and care of the woman , for it is a house-worke , and done altogether within dores , where generally lieth her charge ; the man only ought to bring in , and to prouide the graine , and excuse her from portage or too heauy but hens , but for the art of making the malt , & the seuerall labours appertaining to the same , euen from the fat to th● kilne it is onely the worke of the hous-wife and the maid seruants to her appertaining . election of o● c●rne for malt. to begin then with the first knowledge of our malster , it consisteth in the election and choise of graine fit to make m●lton , of which there are indeed ●iuely but two kinds , that is to say , ba●ley , which is of all other the most excellent for this purpose ; and oates , which when barly is scant or wanting , maketh also a good and sufficient malt : and though the drinke which is drawne from it be neither so much in the quantity , so strong in the substance , nor yet so pleasant in the taste , yet is the drinke very good and tolerable , and nourishing enough for any reasonable creature . now i doe not deny , but there may be made malt of wheate , pease , lupins , fetches & such like , yet it is with vs of no retained custome , nor is the drinke simply drawne or ex●racted from those graines , either wholsome or pleasant , but strong and fulsome ; therefore i thinke it not fit to spend any time in treating of the same . to speake then of the election of barly , you shall vnderstand that there be diuers kinds thereof , according to the alteration of soy●es , some being big , some little , some full , some empty , some white , some browne , and some yellow : but i will reduce all these into three kinds , that is , into the clay barly , the sand-barly , and the barly which groweth on t●e mixt soyle . now the best barly to make malt on , both for yeelding the greatest quantity of matter , and making the strongest , best and most wholesome drinke , is the clay-barly well drest , being cleane corne of it selfe , without weede o● oates , white of colour , full in substance , and sweete in taste : that which groweth on the mixt grounds is the next ; for though it be subiect to some oates and some weedes : yet being painefully and carefully drest , it is a faire and a bould come , great and full ; and though somewhat browner then the former , yet it is of a faire and cleane complexion . the last and worst graine for this purpose is the sand-barly , for although it be seldome or neuer mixt with oates , yet if the ti●lage be not painefully and cunning●y handled , it is much subiect to weedes of diuerse kinds , as tares , fetches , and such like , which drinke vp the liquor in the brewing , and make the yeeld or quantity thereof very little and vnprofitable : besides , the graine naturally of it selfe hath a yellow , withered , empty huske , thicke and vnfurnished of meale , so that the drinke drawne from it can neither be so much , so strong , so good , nor so pleasant ; so that to conclude , the cleane clay barley is best for profit in the sale drinke for strength and long lasting . the barley in the mixt grounds will serue well for housholds and fam●lies : and the sandy bar●ey for the poore , and in such places where better is not to be gotten . and these are to be knowne of euery husband or house-wife : the first by his whitenesse , greatnesse and fulnesse : the second by his brownenesse , and the third by his yellownesse , with a darke browne nether ende , and the emptinesse and thicknesse of the huske ( and in this e●ection of barley ) you shall note , that if you finde in it any wild oates , it is a signe of a rich clay-ground , but ill husbanded , yet the malt made thereof is not much amisse , for both the wilde oate and the perfit oate giue a pleasant sharpe rellish to the drinke , if the quantity be not too much , which is euermore to be respected . and to conclude this matter of election , great care must be had of both husband and house-wife ▪ that the bar●ey chosen for malt , be exceeding swe●te , both in smell and taste , and very cleane drest : for any corruption maketh the malt loathsome , and the foule dressing affordeth much losse . of th● malt-house , and the situation . after the skilfull election of graine for malt , the house-wife is to looke to the situation , goodnesse and apt accommodation of the malt-house ; for in that consisteth both much of the skill , and much of the profit : for the generall situation of the house , it would ( as neere as can be ) stand vpon firme dry ground , hauing prospect euery way , with open windowes and lights to let in the wind , sunne , and ayre , which way the malster pleaseth , both to coole and comfort the graine at pleasure , and also close-shuts or draw-windowes to neepe out the frosts and stormes , which are the onely lets and hinderances for making the malt good and perfect , for the modell or fo●me of these houses , some are made round , with a court in the middle , some long , and some square , but the round is the best , and the least laborious ; for the cesternes or fat 's being placed ( as it were ) at the head , or beginning of the circkle , and the pumpe or well ( but the pumpe is best ) being close adioyning , or at least by conueyance of troughes made as vsefull as if it were neere adioyning , the corne being steept , may with one persons labour and a shouell , be cast from the fat , or cesterne to the flowre and there coucht ; then when the couch is broken it may in the turning either with the hand or the shouell , be carried in such a circular house round about from one flowre to another , till it come to the kilne , which would also be placed next ouer against the pumpe and cesternes , and all contained vnder one rooffe ; and thus you may empty steeping after steeping , and carrie them with one persons labour from flowre to flowre , till all the flowres be fild : in which circular motion you shall finde , that euer that which was first steept , shall first come to the kilne , and so consequently one after another in such sort as they were steeped , and your worke may euermore be constant , and your flowres at no time empty but at your owne pleasure , and all the labour done onely with the hand and shouell , without carrying or recarrying , or lifting heauie burthens , is both troublesome and offensiue , and not without much losse , because in such cases euer some graine scattereth . now ouer against the kilne-hole or furnace ( which is euermore intended to bee on the ground ) should a conuenient place be made to pile the fuell for the kilne , whether it bee strawe , bracken , furres , wood , coale , or other fewell ; but sweete straw is of all other the best and nearest . now it is intended that this mault-house may be made two stories in height , but no higher : ouer your cesternes shall be made the garners wherein to keepe your barley before it be steeped : in the bottomes of these garners , standing directly ouer the cesternes , shall bee conuenient holes made to open and shut at pleasure , through which shall runne downe the barley into the cesterne . ouer the bed of the kilne can bee nothing but the place for the haire cloth , and a spacious roofe open euery way , that the smoake may haue free passage , and with the least ayre bee carried from the kilne , which maketh the malte sweete and pleasant . ouer that place where the fewell is piled , and is next of all to the bed of the kilne , would likewise bee other spacious garners made , some to receiue the malte assoone as it is dried with the come and kilne-dust , in which it may lye to mellow and ripen ; and others to receiue the malt after it is skreened and drest vp ; for to let it bee too long in the come , as aboue three moneths at longest , will make it both corrupt , and breede weeuels and other wormes , which are the greatest destroyers of malt that may be . and these garners should be so conueniently plac't before the front of the kilne-bed , that either with the shouell or a small scuttle you may cast , or carrie the malt once dryed into the garners . for the other part of the flowers , they may be imployed as the ground flowers are for the receiuing of the malt when it comes from the cesterne : and in this manner , and with these accommodations you may fashion any malt-house either round , long , square , or of what proportion soeuer , as either your estate , or the conuenience of the ground you haue to build on shall admiinister . of malt-flowers . next to the cite or proportion of the ground , you shall haue a principall care for the making of your malt-flowers , in which ( all the custome , and the nature of the soile binds many times a man to sundry inconueniences , and that a man must necessarily build according to the matter he hath to build withal , from whence ariseth the many diuersities of malt flowers ) yet you shall vnderstand , that the generall best malt-flowre , both for summer and winter , and all seasons , is the caue or vaulted arch which is hewed out of a drye and mayne greetie rocke , for it is both warme in winter , coole in summer , and generally comfortable in all seasons of the yeare whatsoeuer . for it is to be noted , that all be house wiues do giue ouer the making of malt in the extreame heate of summer , it is not because the malt is worse that is made in summer then that which is made in winter , but because the flowres are more vnseasonable , and that the sunne getting a power into such open places maketh the graine which is steeped to sprou●e and com● so swif●ly , that it cannot indure to tak● tim● on the flowre , and get the right seas●ning which belongeth to the same : wheras these kind of vaults being dry , and as it were coucht vnder the ground , not onely keepeth out the sunne in summer , which maketh the malt come much too fast , but also defendeth it from frosts and colde bitter blastes in sharpe winters , which will not suffer it to come , or sproute at all ; or if parte doe come and sproute , as that which lyeth in the heart of the bed ; yet the vpper partes and outside by meanes of extreame colde cannot sproute : but being againe dryed , hath his first hardnesse , and is one and the s●me with rawe barley ; for euery house wife must knowe , that if malt do not come as it were altogether ▪ and at an instant , and not one come more than another , the malt must needes be very much imperfect : the next flower to the caue , or drye sandy rocke , is the flower which is made of earth , or a stiffe strong binding claye well watered , and mixt with horse-dung , and soape-ashes , beaten and wrought together , till it come to one sollide firmenesse ; this flower is a very warme comfortable flower in the winter season , and will helpe the graine to come and sproute exceedingly , and with the helpe of windowes to let in the colde ayre , and to shut out the violent reflection of the sunne , will serue very conueniently for the making of malt , for nine monethes in the yeare , that is to say , from september till the ende of may , but for iune , iuly , and august , to imploye it to that purpose , will breede both losse , and ●ncumbrance : the next flower to this of earth , is that which is made of plaster , or plaster of paris , being burnt in a seasonable time , and kept from wet , till the t●me of shooting , and then smoothly layde , and well levelled ; the imperfection of the plaster flower is onely the extreame coldnesse thereof , which in frosty and cold seasons , so bindeth in the heart of the graine , that it cannot sproute , for which cause it behooueth euery mal●ster that is compelled to these flowers , to looke well into the seasons of the yeere , and when hee findeth either the frostes , northerne blasts , or other ●ipping stormes to rage too violently , then to make his first couches or beds , when the graine commeth newly out of the cesterne , much thicker and rounder then otherwise hee would doe ; and as the colde abateth , or the corne increaseth in sprouting , so to make couches or beds thinner and thinner , for the thicker and closer the graine is coucht and layde together , the warmer it lyeth ; and so catching heate , the sooner it sprouteth , and the thinner it lyeth the cooler it is , and so much the flower in sprouting . this flowre , if the windowes be close , and guard of the sunne sufficiently , will ( if necessity compell ) serue for the making of malt ten moneths in the yeare , onely in iuly and august which containe the dogge-dayes , it would not be imployed , not in the time of any frost , without great care and circumpection . againe , there is in this flowre another fault , which is a naturall casting out of dust , which much sullieth the graine , and being dried , makes it looke dun and foule , which is much disparagement to the maltster ; therefore she must haue great care that when the malt is taken away , to sweepe and keepe her flowers as cleane and neate as may be . the last and worst is the boarded flower , of what kind soeuer it be , by reason of the too much heate thereof , and yet of boarded flowers the oken boarded is the coolest and longest lasting ; the e●me or beech is next ; then the ashe , and the worst ( though it bee the fairest to the eye ) is the firre , for it hath in it selfe ( by reason of the frankensence and turpentine which it holdeth ) a naturall heate , which mixed with the violence of the sunne in the summer-time , forceth the graine not onely to sproute , but to grow in the couch , which is much losse , and a foule ●mputation . now these boarded flowers can hardly be in vse for aboue fiue moneths at the most , that is to say , october , nouember , december , ianuary and february : for the rest , the sunne hath too much strength , and these boarded flowers too much warmth and therefore in the coolest times it is good to obserue 〈◊〉 make the couches thinne , whereby the ayre may passe thorough the corne , and so coole it , that it may sprou●e at leasure . imperfect flowers . now for any other flower besides these alreadie named , there is not any good to malt vpon ; for the common flowre which is of naturall earth , whether it be claye , sand or grauell , if it haue no mixture at all with it more then it owne nature , by oft treading vpon it , groweth to gather the nature of saltnesse or salt-peter into it , which not onely giueth an ill taste to the graine that is layde vpon the same , but also his moysture and moldinesse , which in the moyst t●mes of the yeare arise from the ground , it often corrupteth and putrifieth the corne . the rough paued flowre by reason of the vneuennesse , is vnfit to malt on , because the graine getting into the cranni●s , doth there lye , and are not remoued or turned vp and downe as they shou●d be with the hand , but many times is so fixed to the ground , it sprouteth and groweth vp into a greene blade , affoording much losse and hinderance to the owner . the smooth paued flowre , or any flowre of stone whatsoeuer , is full as ill ; for euery one of them naturally against much wet o● chaunge of weather , will sweate and disti●l forth such abundant moisture , that the malt lying vpon the same , can neither dry kindly and expell the former moisture receiued in the c●sterne , but also by that ouer much moisture many times rotte●h , and comes to altogether vselesse . lastly , for the flower made of lime and haire , it is as ill as any formerly spoken of , both in respect of the nature of the lime , whose heate and sharpnes is a maine enemy to malt , or any moist corne , as also in respect of the weaknes and brittlenes of the substance thereof , being apt to molder and fall in pieces with the lightest treading on the same , and that lime and dust once mixing with the corne , it doth so poison and suffocate it , that it can neither sprout , nor turne seruiceable for any vse . of the kilne and th●●u●lding thereof . next vnto the malt flowers , our malster shall haue a great care in the framing and fashioning of the kilne , of which there are sundry sorts of moddles , as the ancient forme which was in times past vsed of our fore-fathers , being onely made in a square proportion at the top with small sp●nts or rafters , ioyned within foure inches one of another going from a maine beame crossing the mid part of that great square : then is this great square from the top , with good and sufficient studds to be drawne slope wise narrower and narrower , till it come to the ground , so that the harth or lowest part thereof may be not aboue a sixth part to the great square aboue , on which the malt is laid to be dr●ed , and this harth shall be made hollow and descending , and not leuell nor ascending : and these kilns doe not hold an● certaine quantity in the vpper square , but may euer be accordi●g to the frame of the house , some being thirty foot each way , some twenty , and some eighteene . there be other kilnes which are made af●er this manner open and slope , but they are round of proportion ; but both these kind of kilnes haue one fault , which is danger of fire ; for lying euery way open and apt for the blaze , if the malster be any thing negligent either in the keeping of the blaze low and forward , or not sweeping euery part about the harth any thing that may take fire , or foreseeing that no strawes which doe belong to the bedding of the kilne do hang downe , or are loose , whereby the fire may take hold of them , it is very possible that the kilne may be set on fire , to the great losse and often vndoing of the owner . the perfect kilne . which to preuent , and that the malster may haue better assurance and comfort in her labour , there is a kilne now of generall vse in this kingdome , which is called a french kilne , being framed of a bricke , ashler , or other fire-stone , according to the nature of the soyle in which husbands and hous wiues liue : and this french kilne is euer safe and secure from fire , and whether the malster wake or sleepe , without extreame wilfull negligence , there can no danger come to the kilne ; and in these kilnes may be burnt any kind of fewell whatsoeuer , and neither shall the smoke offend or breed ill taste in the malt , nor yet discolour it , as many times it doth in open kilnes , where the malt is as it were , couered all ouer , and euen pa●boyld in smoke : so that of all sorts of kilnes whatsoeuer , this which is called the french kilne , is to be preferred and onely embraced . of the forme or mode● whereof , i will not here stand to entreat , because they are now so generally frequent amongst vs , that not a mason or carpenter in the whole kingdome but can bu●d the s●me ; so that to vse more words thereof were tediousnesse to little purpose . now there is an●ther kind of kilne which i haue seene ( and but in the west-country onely ) which for the profitable quaintnesse thereof , i tooke some especiall note of , and that was a kilne made at the end of a kitchin raunge or chimney , being in shape round , and made of bricke , with a little hollownesse narrowed by degrees ▪ into which came from the bottome and midst of the kitchin-chimney a hollow tun●ell or vault , like the tunnell of a chimny , and 〈◊〉 directly on the backe side , the hood or backe of the kitchin chimney ; then in the midst of the chimney , where the greateh strength of the fire was made , was a ●quare hole made of about a foote and a halfe eue●y way , with an iron thicke plate to draw to and fro , opening and closing the hole at pleasure ; and this hole doth open onely into that tunnell which went to the kilne , so that the malt being once laid , and spread vpon the kilne , draw away the iron plate , and the ordinary fire with which you dresse your meate , and performe other necessary businesses , is suckt vp into this tunnell , and so conuaieth the heate to the kilne , where it drieth the malt with as great perfection , as any kilne i saw in my life , and needeth neither attendance or other ceremony more , then once in fiue or sixe houres to turne the malt , and take it away when it is dried sufficiently : for it is here to be noted , that how great or violent soeuer the fire be which is in the chimney , yet by reason of the passage , and the quantity thereof , it carrieth no more but a moderate heate to the kilne ; and for the smoke , it is so carried away in other loope-holes which runne from the hollownesse betweene the tunnell and the malt-bed , that no malt in the world can possibly be sweeter , or more delicately coloured ▪ onely the fault of these kilns are , that they are but little in compasse , and so cannot dry much at a time , as not aboue a quarter or ten strike at the most in one drying , and therefore are no more but for a ma●s owne particular vse , and for the furnishing of one setled family ; but so applied , they exceede all the kilnes that i haue seene whatsoeuer . 〈…〉 when our malster hath thus persited the malt house and kilne , then next looke to the well bedding of the kilne , which is diuersly done according to mens diuers opinions ; for some vse one thing , and some another , us the necessity of the place , or mens particular profits draw them . but first to shewe you what the bedding of a kilne is , you shall vnderstand , that it is a thinne couering laid vpon the open rafters , which are next vnto the heate of the fire ; being made either so thinne or so open , that the smallest heate may passe thorow it , and come to the corne : this bed must be laid so euen and leuell as may be , and not thicker in one place then another , least the malt drie too fast where it is thinnest , and too slowly where it is thicke , and so in the taste seeme to bee of two seuerall dryings : it must also be made of such stuffe , as hauing receiued heate , it will long continue the same , and be an assistant to the fire in drying the corne : it should also haue in it no moyst or dankish propertie , least at the first receiuing of the fire , it send out a stinking smoke , and so taint the malt : nor should it be of any rough or sharpe substance , because vpon this bed or bedding is laid the haire-cloth , and on the haire-cloth the malt , so that with the turning the malt , and treading vpon the cloth , should the bed be of any such roughnesse , it would soone weare out the haire-cloth , which would be both losse and ill house-wifery , which is carefully to be eschewed . but now for the matter or substance whereof this bidding should be made , the best , nearest , and sweetest , is cleane long rye straw , with the eares onely cut off , and the ends layd euen together , not one longer then another ▪ and so spread vpon the rafter of the kilne as euen and thinne as may be , and layd as it were straw by straw in a iust proportion , where skill and industry may make it thin or thicke at pleasure , as but the thicknesse of one straw , or of two , three , foure or fiue , as shall seeme to your iudgement most conuenient , and then this , there can be nothing more euen , more drye , sweete , or open to let in the heate at your pleasure : and although in the olde open ki●nes it be subiect to daunger of fire , by reason of the quickenesse to receiue the flame , yet in the french kilnes ( before mentioned ) it is a most safe bedding , for not any fire can come neere vnto it . there bee others which bed the ki●ne with mat ; and it is not much to bee misliked , if the mat be made of rye straw sowed , and wouen together according to the manner of the indian mats , or those vsuall thinne bent mats , which you shall commonly see in the summer time , standing in husbandmens chimneyes , where one bent or straw is layde by another , and so wouen together with a good strong packe-thread : but these m●●s according to the o●de prouerbe ( more cost more worshippe ) for they are chargeable to b●e bought , and very troubles●me in the making , and in the wearing will not out-last one of the former loose beddings ; for fo●●e thread or stitch breake , immediately most in that ●owe will followe : onely it is most certaine , that during the time it lasteth it is both good , necessary and handsome . but if the matt be made either of bulrushes , flaggs , or any other thicke substance ( as for the most part they are ) then it is not so good a bedding , both because the thicknesse keepeth out the heate , and is long before it can be warmed ; as also in that it euer being cold , naturally of it selfe draweth into it a certaine moysture , which with the first heate being expelled in smoke , doth much offend and breed ill taste in the malt . there be others that bed the kilne with a kinde of matt made of broad thinne splints of wood wrought checker-wise one into another , and it hath the same faults which the thicke matt hath ; for it is long in catching the heate , and will euer smoke at the first warming , and that smoke will the malt smell on euer after ; for the smoke of wood is euer more sharpe and piercing then any other smoke whatsoeuer . besides this wooden matt , after it hath once bedded the kilne , it can hardly afterward bee taken vp or remoued ; for by continuall heate , being brought to such an extreame drienesse , if vpon any occasion either to mend the kilne , or clense the kilne , or doe other necessary labour vnderneath the bedding , you shall take vp the wooden matt , it would presently cracke and fall to pieces , and be no more seruiceable . there be others which bed the kilne with a bedding made all of wickers , of small wands foulded one into another like a hurdle , or such like wand-worke ; but it is made very open , euery wand at least two or three fingers one from another ▪ and this kind of bedding is a very strong kind of bedding , and will last long , and catcheth the h●at ●t the fi●st springing , onely the smoke is offensiue , and the ●ou●●nesse without great care vsed , will soone weare out your haire-cloth : yet in such places where straw is not to be got or spared , and that you are compelled onely to vse wood for your fuell in drying your malt , i allow this bedding before any other , for it is very good , strong and long-lasting : besides , it may be taken vp & set by at pleasure , so that you may sweepe and clense your kilne as oft as occasion shall serue , and in the neate and fine keeping of the kilne , doth consist much of the hous-wiues art ; for to be choakt either with dust , durt , soote or ashes , as it shewes sluttishnesse and sloth , the onely great imputations hanging ouer a hous-wife , so they likewise hinder the labou● , and make the malt dry a great●deale worse , and more vnkindly . of fuell for the drying of ●alt . next the bedding of the kilne , our malster by all meanes must haue an especiall ●are with what fuell shee dryeth the malt ; for commonly according to that it euer receiueth and keepeth the taste , if by some especiall art in the kilne that anoyance be not taken away . to speake then of fewels in generall , they are of diuers kinds according to the na●ures of soyles , and the accommodation of places in which men liue ; yet the bed and most principall fewell for the k●lnes ( both for sweetnesse , gentle heate , and perfect drying ) is either good wheate-straw , rye-straw , barley-straw , or oaten-straw ; and of these the wheat-straw is the best , because it is most substantiall , longest lasting , makes the sharpest fire , and yeelds the least flame : the next is rie-straw , then oaten-straw , and last barley-straw , which by reason it is shortest , lightest , least lasting , and giueth more blaze then heate , it is last of these white straws to be chosen ; where any of these faile , or are scarce , you may take the stubble or after-crop of them , when the vpper part is shorne away ; which being well dried and housed , is as good as any of the rest already spoken of , and lesse chargeable , because it is not sit for any better purpose as to make fodder , mea●ure , or such like , of more then ordinary thatching , and so fittest for this purpose . next to these white strawes , your long fenne-●ushes , being very exceedingly well withered and dried , and all the sappie moysture gotten out of them , and so either safely housed or stacked , are the best fuell : for they make a very substantiall fire , and much lasting , neither are apt to much blazing , nor the smoke so sharpe or violent but may very well be endured : where all these are wanting , you may take the straw of pease , fetches , ●●pi●s , or tares , any of which will serue , yet the smoke is apt to taint , and the fire without preuention drieth too suddenly and swiftly . next to these is cleane beane-straw , or straw mixt of beanes and pease together ; but this must be handled with great discretion , for the substance containeth so much heate , that it will rather burne then drie , if it be not moderated , and the smoke is also much offensiue . next to this beane-straw is your ●urrs , gorse , whinnes , or small brush-wood , which differeth not much from beane-straw ; onely the smoke is much sharper , and tainteth the malt with a much stronger sauour . to these i may adde braken or braks , ling , heath , or brome , all which may serue in time of necessity , but each one of them haue this fault , that they adde to the malt an ill taste or sauour . after these i place wood of all sorts , for each is alike noysome , and if the smoke which commeth from it touch the malt , the infection cannot be recouered ; from whence amongst the best husbands haue sprung this opinion , that when at any time drinke is ill tasted , they say straight , it was made of wood-dried malt. and thus you see the generality of fuels , their vertues , faults , and how they are to be imployed . now for coale of all kinds , turfe or peate , they are not by any meanes to be vsed vnder kilnes , except where the furnaces are so subtilly made , that the smoke is conuaied a quite contrary way , and neuer commeth neere the malt ; in that case it skilleth not what fuell you vse , so it be durable and cheape it is fit for the purpose , onely great regard must be had to the gentlenesse of the fire ; for as the old prouerb is ( soft fire makes sweet malt ) so too rash and hasty a fire scorcheth and burneth it , which is called amongst malsters firefangd ; and such malt is good for little or no purpose : therefore to keepe a temperate and true fire , is the onely art of a most skilfull maltste● . when the kilne is thus made and furnished of all necessaries duely belonging to the same , our malsters next care shall bee to the fashioning and making of the garnets , hutches , or holds in which both the malt after it is dried , and the barley before it be steeped , is to be kept and preserued ; and these garners or safes for corne are made of diuers fashions , and diuers matters , as some of boords , some of brickes , some of stone , some of lime and haire , and some of mud , clay or loame : but all of these haue their seuerall faults ; for wood of all kinds breedeth w●●uell and wormes which destroy the graine , and is indeed much too hot : for although malt would euer be kept passing drie , yet neuer so little ouer-plus of heate withers it , and takes away the vertue ; for as moysture rots and corrupts it , so heate takes away and decayeth the substance . bricke , because it is layde with lime , is altogether vnwholesome , for the lime being apt at change of weather to sweate , moysteneth the graine , and so tainteth it , and in the driest seasons with the sharpe hot taste , doth fully as much offend it : those which are made of stone are much more noysome , both in respect of the reasons before rehearsed , as also in that all stone of it selfe will sweate , and so more and more corrupteth the graine which is harboured in it . lime and haire being of the same nature , carrieth the same offences , and is in the like sort to be eschewed . now for mud , clay , or loame , in as much as they must necessarily be mixed with wood , because otherwise of themselues they cannot knit or binde together , and besides , that the clay or loame must be mixt either with chopt hey , chopt straw , or chopt litter , they are as great breeders of wormes and vermine as wood is , nor are they defences against mice , but easie to be wrought through , and so very vnprofitable for any husband or house-wife to vse . besides , they are much too hot , and beeing either in a close house neere the kilne , or the backe or face of any other chimney , they drye the corne too sore , and make it dwindle and wither , so that it neither filleth the bushell , nor inricheth the liquor , but turnes to losse euery way . the best garner then that can bee made both for safety and profite , is to be made either of broken tile-shread , or broken brickes , cunningly and euen layd , & bound together with plaster of paris , or our ordinary english plaster , or burnt alablaster , and then couered all ouer both within and without , in the bo●tome and on euery side , at least three fingers thicke with the same plaster , so as no bricke or tyle-shread may by any meanes bee seene , or come neere to touch the corne ; and these garners you may make as bigge , or as little as you please , according to the frame of your house , or places of most conuenience for the purpose , which indeed would euer be as neere the kilne as may be , that the ayre of the fire in the dayes of drying may come vnto the same , or else neere the backes or sides of chemneyes , where the ayre thereof may correct the extreame coldnesse of the plaster , which of a●l things that are bred in the earth , is the coldest thing that may be , and yet most dry , and not apt to sweat , or take moysture but by some violent extremity , neither will any worme or vermine come neere it , because the great coldnesse thereof is a mortall enemy to their natures , and so the safest and longest these garners of plaster keepe all kinde of graine and pulse in the best perfection . the making of cesternes . after these garners , hutches , or large keepes for corne are perfitted and made , and fitly adioyned to the kilne , the next thing that our maultster hath to looke vnto , is the framing of the fatts or cesternes , in which the corne is to be steeped , and they are of two sorts , that is , either of coopers worke , being great fatts of wood , or else of masons worke , beeing cesternes made of stone ; but the cesterne of stone is much the better , for besides that these great fatts of wood are very chargeable and costly ( as a fatte to containe foure quarters of graine , which is but two and thirty bushels , cannot be affoorded vnder twenty shillings ) so likewise they are very casuall and apt to mischaunce and spilling ; for and besides their ordinary wearing , if in the heate of summer they be neuer so little neglected without water , and suffered to be ouer-drye , it is tenne to one but in the winter they will bee ready to fall in peeces ; and if they bee kept moyst , yet if the water bee not oft shifted and preserued sweete , the fatte will soone taynt , and beeing once growne faultie , it is not onely irrecouerable , but also whatsoeuer commeth to be steeped in it after , will be sure to haue the same sauour , besides the wearing and breaking of garthes and plugges , the binding , clensing , sweetning , and a whole world of other troubles and charges doe so dayly attend them , that the benefite is a great deale short of the incumbrance ; whereas the stone cesterne is euer ready and vsefull , without any vexation at all , and being once well and sufficiently made , will not neede trouble or reparation ( more then ordinary washing ) scarce in a hundred yeares . now the best way of making these mault-cesternes , is to make the bottomes and sides of good tyle-shreads , fixed together with the best lime and sand , and the bottome shall bee raised at least a foote and a halfe higher then the ground , and at one corner in the bottome a fine artificiall round hole must be made , which being outwardly stopt , the maltster may through it drayne the cesterne drye when shee pleaseth , and the bottome must bee so artificially leueld and contriued , that the water may haue a true descent to that hole , and not any remaine behind when it is opened . now when the modell is thus made of tile-shread , which you may do great or little at your pleasure , then with lime , haire , and beasts blood mixed together , you shall couer the bottome at least two inches thicke , laying it leuell and plaine , as is before shewed : which done , you shall also couer all the sides and toppe , both within and without with the same mat●er , at least a good fingers thicknesse , and the maine wall of the whole cesterne shall bee a full foote in thicknesse , as well for strength and dureablesse , as other priuate reasons for the holding the graine and water , whose poyse and weight might otherwise indanger a weaker substance . and thus much concerning the malt-house , and those seuerall accommodations which doe belong vnto the same . the manner how to make malt. i wil● now speake a little in generall as touching the art , skill and knowledge of malt making , which i haue referred to the conc●●sion of this chapter , because whosoeuer is ignorant in any of the things before spoken of , cannot by any meanes euer attaine to the perfection of most true and most thrifty malt making : to beginne then with this art of making , or ( as some tearme it ) making of malt , you shall first ( hauing proportioned the quantity you meane to steepe , which should euer be answerable to the continent of your cesterne , and your cesterne to your flowres ) let it either runne downe from your vpper garner into the cesterne , or otherwise be carried into your cesterne , as you shal● please , or your occasions desire , and this barley wou●d by all meanes be very cleane , and neatly drest ; then when your cesterne is filled , you shall from your pumpe or well conuey the water into the cesterne , till all the corne be drencht , and that the water floate aboue it : if there be any corne that will not sinke , you shall with your hand stirre it about , and wet it , and so let it rest and couer the cesterne , and thus for the space of three nights you shall let the corne steepe in the water . after the third night is expired , the next morning you shall come to the cesterne , and plucke out the plug or bung-sticke which stoppeth the hole in the bottome of the cesterne , and so draine the water cleane from the corne , and this water you shall by all meanes saue , for much light corne and others will come foorth with this draine water , which is very good swines meate , and may not bee lost by any good house-w●fe . then hauing drained it , you shall let the cesterne drop all that day , and in the euening with your shoue●l you shall empty the corne from the cesterne vnto the malt flowre , and when all is out , and the cesterne cleansed , you shall lay all the wet corne on a great heape round or long , and flat on the toppe ; and the thicknesse of this heape shall be answerable to the season of the yeare ; for if the wea●her be extreame cold , then ●he heape shall be made very thicke , as three or foure foote , or more , according to the quantity of the graine : but if the weather be temperate and warme , then shall the heape be made thinner , as two foote , a foote and a halfe , or one foote , according to the quantity of the graine . and this heape is called of malsters a couch or bed of raw malt. in this couch you shall let the corne lye three nights more without stirring , and after the expiration of the three nights , you shall looke vpon it , and if you find that it beginneth but to sproute ( which is called comming of malt ) though it be neuer so little , as but the very white ende of the sproute peeping out ( so it bee in the outward part of the heape or couch ) you shall then breake open the couch , and in the middest ( where the corne laye neerest ) you shall finde the sproute or come of a greater largenesse ; then with your shouell you shall turne all the outward part of the couch inw●rd , and the inward outward , and make it at least three o● foure times as bigge as it was at the first , and so let it lye all that day and night , and the next day you shall with your shouell turne the whole heape ouer againe , increasing the largenesse , and making it of one indifferent thicknesse ouer all the flowre ; that is to say , not aboue a handfull thicke at the most , not failing af●er for the space of foureteene dayes , which doth make vp full in all three weekes , to turne it a●l ouer twice or thrice a day according to the season of the weather , for if it be warme , the malt must be turned oftner ; if coole , then it may lye looser-thicker and longer together ; and when the three weekes is fu●ly accomplisht , then you shall ( hauing bedded your kilne , and spread a cleane hayre-cloth thereon ) lay the malte as thinne as may be ( as about three fingers thicknesse ) vpon the haire-cloth , and so drye it with a gentle and soft fire , euer and anon turning the mault ( as it drieth on the kilne ) ouer and ouer with your hand , till you finde it sufficiently well dryed , which you shall know both by the taste when you bite it in your mouth , and also by the falling off of the come or sprout , when it is throughly dryed . now assoone as you see the come beginne to shed ▪ you shall in the turning of the mault rubbe it well betweene your hands , and scower it , to make the come fall away , then finding it all sufficiently dried , first pu● out your fire , then let the malt coole vpon the kilne for foure or fiue howres , and after raising vp the foure corners of the haire-cloth , and gathering the mault together on a heape , empty it with the come and all into your garners , and there let it lye ( if you hau● not present occasion to v●e it ) for a moneth or two or three to ripen , but no longer , for as the come or dust of the kilne , for such a space melloweth and ripeneth the malt , making it better both for sale or expence , so to lye too long in it doth ingender weeuell , wormes , and vermine which doe destroye the graine . the dressing of malt. now for the dressing and cleensing of malt at such time as it is either to be spent in the house , or solde in the market , you shall first winnow it with a good wind either from the ayre , or from the fan ; and before the winnowing you shall rubbe it exceeding well betweene your hands to get the come or sproutings cleane away : for the beauty and goodnesse of malt is when it is most smug , cleane , bright , and likest to barley in the viewe , for then there is least wast and greatest profit : for come and dust drinketh vp the liquor , and giues an ill taste to the drinke . after it is well rubd and winnowed , you shall then ●ee it ouer in a fine siue , and if any of the malt be vnclensed , then rub it aga●ne in the siue till it be pure , and the rubbings will arise on the top of the siue , which you may cast off at pleasure , and both those rubbings from the siue and the chaffe and dust which commeth from the winnowings should be safe kept , for they are very good swines meate , and feede well mixt either with whay or swillings : and thus after the malt is reed , you shall either sacke it vp for especiall vse , or put it into a well clensed garne● , where it may lye till there be occasion for expence . obseruations in the making of malt. now there bee certaine obseruations in the making of malt , which i may by no meanes omit : for though diuerse opinions doe diuersly argue them , yet as neere as i can , i will reconcile them to that truth , which is most consonant to reason , and the rule of honesty and equalitie . first , there is a difference in mens opinions as touching the constant time for the mellowing and making of the malt ; that is , from the first steeping to the time of drying ; for some will allow b●th fat and flowre hardly a fortnight , some a fortnight and two or three dayes , and doe giue this re●son ; first , they say it makes the corne looke whiter and brigh●er , and doth not get so much the suil●g and foul●nesse of the flower , as that wh●ch lieth three weekes , which makes it a great deale more beautifull and so more s●llable : next , it doth not come or shoote our so much sprout , as that which lieth a longer time , and so preserueth more h●●rt in the graine , makes it bould and fuller , and so consequently more full of ●ubstance , and able to make more of a ●ittle , then the other much of more ; a●d these reasons are good in shew , but not in substantiall tru●h : for ( although i confesse that corne which lie●h least time of the fl●wre must be the whitest and brightest ) yet that which wanteth any of the due time , can neither ripen , mellow , nor come to true perfection , and lesse then three weekes cannot ripen barley : for looke what time it hath to swell and sprout , it must haue full that t●me to flourish , and as much time to decay : now in lesse then a weeke it cannot doe the first , and so in a weeke the second , and in another weeke the third ; so that in lesse then three weekes a man cannot make perfect malt. againe , i confesse , that malt which hath the least come , must haue the greatest kernell , and so be most substantiall ; yet the malt which putteth not out his full sprout , but hath that moysture ( with too much haste ) driuen in which should be expelled , can neuer be malt of any long lasting , or profitab●e for indurance , because it hath so much moist substance as doth make it both apt to corrupt and breed wormes in most great abundance : it is most true , that this hastie made malt is fairest to the eie , and will soonest be vented in the market ; and being spent assoone as it is bought , little or no losse is to be perceiued , yet if it be kept three or foure moneths , or longer ( vnlesse the place where it is kept be like a hot house ) it will so danke and giue againe , that it will be litt●e better then raw malt , and so good for no seruice without a second drying : besides ▪ malt that is not suffred to sprout to the full kindly , but is stopt as soone as it begins to peepe , much of that malt cannot come at all , for the moystest graines doe sprout first , and the hardest are longer in breaking the husk ; now if you stop the graine on the first sprouts , and not giue all leasure to come one after another , you shall haue halfe malt and halfe barley , and that is good for nothing but hens and hogs trough . so that to conclude , lesse then three weekes you cannot haue to make good and perfect malt. next there is a difference in the turning of the malt , for some ( and those be the most men malsters whatsoeuer ) turne all their malt with the shouell , and say it is most easie , most speedy , and dispatcheth more in an houre , then any other way doth in three ; and it is very true , yet it scattereth much , leaueth much behind vnturn'd , and commonly that which was vndermost , it leaueth vndermost still , and so by some comming too much , and others not comming at all , the malt is oft much imperfect , and the old saying made good , that too much haste , maketh waste . now there are others ( and they are for the most part woemen malsters ) which turne ●ll with the ●and , and that is the best , safest , and most certaine way ; for there is not a graine which the hand doth not remoue and turne ouer and ouer and laies euery seuerall heape or row of such an euen and iust thicknesse , that the malt both equally commeth , and equally seasoneth together without defect or alteration : and though he that hath much malt to make , will be willing to hearken to the swiftest course in making , yet he that wlll make the best malt , must take such conuenient leasure , and imploy that labour which commeth neerest to perfection . then there is another especiall care to be had in the coming or sprouting of malt , which is , that as it must not come too little , so it must not by any meanes come too much , for that is the grossest abuse that may be : and that which we call comed or sprouted too much is , when either by negligence for want or looking to the couch , and not opening of it , or for want of turning when the malt is spread on the flowre it come or sprout at both ends , which husbands ca● akeripyerd ; such corne by reason the whole heart or substance is driuen out of it , can be good for no purpose but the swine●rough , and therefore you must haue an especiall care both to the well tending of the couch , and the turning the malt on the flowre , and be sure ( as neere as you can by the ordering of the couch , and happing the hardest graine inward and warmest ) to make it all come very indifferently together . now i● it so fall out that you buy your barley , and happen to light on mixt graine , some being old corne , some new corne , some of the heart of the st●cke , and some of the sta●le , which is an ordinary dee●● with husbandmen in the market , then you m●y be wel ●s●●ed , tha● this graine can neuer come o● sprout equally together ; for the new corne will sprout before the old , and the st●ddle before that in the heart of the stacke , by reason the one exceedeth the other in moystnesse : therefore in this case you shall marke well which commeth first , which will be still in the heart of the couch , and with your hand gather it by it selfe into a seperate place , and then heape the other together againe ; and thus as it cometh and sprouteth , so gather it from the heape with your hand , and spread it on the flowre , and keepe the other still in a thicke heape till all be sprouted . now lastly obserue , that if your malt be hard to sprout or come , and that the fault consist more in the bitter coldnes of the season , then any defect of the corne , that then ( besides the thicke and close making of the heape or couch ) you faile not to couer it ouer with some thicke woollen clothes , as course couerlids , or such like stuffe , the warmth whereof will make it come presently : which once perceiued , then forthwith vncloth it , and order it as aforesaid in all points . and thus much for the art , order , skill and cunning belonging to the malt-making . of o●-ma● . now as touching the making of oates into malt , which is a thing of generall vse in many parts of this kingdome where barley is scarse , as in chesheire , lancasheire , much of darbisheire , deuonsheire , cornwall , and the like , the art and skill is all one with that of barley , nor is there any variation or change of worke , but one and the same order still to be obserued , onely by reason that oates are more swift in sprouting , and apter to clutter , ball and hang together by the length of the sprout then barley is , therefore you must not faile but turne them oftner then barley , and in the turning be carefull to turne all , and not leaue any vnmoued . lastly , they wi●l need lesse of the slow●e then barley will , for in a full fortnight , or a fortnight and two or three dayes you may make very good and perfect oate-malt . but because i haue a great deale more to speake particularly of oates in the next chapter , i will here conclude this , and aduise euery skilfull house-wife to ioyne with mine obseruations her owne tryed experience , and no doubt but shee shall find both profit and satisfaction . chap. . of the excellency of oates , and the many singular vertues and vses of them in a family . oats although they are of all manner of graine the cheapest , because of their generality being a graine of that goodnesse and hardnesse , that it will grow in any soyle whatsoeuer , be it neuer so rich , or neuer so poore , as if nature had made it the onely louing companion and true friend to mankind ; yet is it a graine of that singularity for the multiplicity of vertues , and necessary vses for the sustenance and support of the family , that not any other graine is to be compared with it , for if any other haue equall vertue , yet it hath not equall value , and if equall value , then it wants many degrees of equall vertue ; so that ioyning vertue and value together , no husband , house-wife , or house-keeper whatsoeuer , hath so true and worthy a friend , as his oats are . to speake then first of the vertues of oates , as they accrew to cattell and creatures without doore , and first to begin with the horse , there is not any food whatsoeuer that is so good , wholesome , and agreeable with the nature of a horse , as oates are , being a prouendar in which he taketh such delight , that with it he feedeth , traualleth , and doth any violent labour whatsoeuer with more courage and comfort , then with any other food that can be inuented , as all men know , that haue either vse of it , or horses : neither doth the horse euer take surfeit of oates , ( if they be sweet and dry ) for albe he may well be glutted or stal●ed vpon them ( with indiscreet feeding ) and so refuse them for a little time , yet he neuer surfeiteth , or any present sicknesse follow after ; whereas no other graine but glut a horse therewith , and instantly sicknesse will follow , which shewes surfeit , and the danger is oft incurable : for wee read in italy , at the siege of naples , of many hundred horses that died on the surfeit of wheat ; at rome also dyed many hundred horses of the plague , which by due proofe was found to proceed from a surfeit taken of peason and fetches ; and so i could runne ouer all other graines , but it is needlesse , and farre from the purpose i haue to handle : suffice it , oates for horses are the best of all foods whatsoeuer , whether they be but onely cleane thresht from the straw , and so dryed , o● conuerted to oatmeale , and so ground and made into bread , oates boiyl'd and giuen to a horse whilst they are coole and sweete , are an excellent foode for any horse in the time of disease , pouerty , or sicknesse , for they scower and sat exceedingly . in the same nature that oates are for horses , so are they for the asse , mule , camell , or any other beast of burthen . if you will feede either oxe , bull , cow , or any neate , whatsoeuer to an extraordinary height of fatnesse , there is no foode doth it so soone as oates doth , whether you giue them in the straw , or cleane thresht from the sheafe , and well winnowed ; but the winnowed oate is the best , for by them i haue seen an oxe fed to twenty pound , to twenty foure pound , and thirty pounds , which is a most vnreasanable reckoning for any beast , onely fame and the tallow hath beene precious . sheepe or goates may likewise be fed with oates , to as great price and profit as with pease , and swine are fed with oates , either in taw malt , or otherwise , to as great thicknesse as with any graine whatsoeuer ; onely they must haue a few pease after the oates to harden the fat , or else it will waste , and consume in boyling . now for holding swine , which are onely to be p●eserued in good flesh , nothing is better then a thin mange made of ground oates , whey , butter-milke , or other ordinary washe , or swillings , which either the dury , or kitchin affoordeth ; nor is there any more soueraigne or excellent meate for swine in the time of sicknesse , then a mange made of ground oates and sweet whey , warmed luke-warme on the fire , and mixt with the powder of raddle , or ted oaker . nay if you will goe to the matter of pleasure , there is not any meate so excellent for the feeding , and wholesome keeping of a kenell of hounds , as the mangge made of ground oats and scalding water , or of beefe-broth , or any other broth , in which flesh hath beene sodden ; if it be for the feeding , strengthning and comforting of grey-hounds , spaniels , or any other sort of tenderer doggs , there is no meate better then sheepes-heads , haire and all , or other intralls of sheepe chopt and well sodden , with good store of oate-meale . now for all manner of poultry , as cocks , capons , hens , chickens of great size , tur●yes , g●ese , ducks , swannes and such like , there is no food feedeth them better then oates , and if it be the young breede of any of those kinds , euen from the first hatching or disclosing , till they be able to shift for them selues , there is no food better whatsoeuer then oate-meale greets , or fine oate-meale , either simple of it selfe , or else mixt with milke , drinke , or else new made vrine . vertue of oates for man. thus much touching the vertues and quality of oates or oate-meale , as they are seruiceable for the vse of cattle and poultry . now for the most necessary vse thereof for man , and the geneall support of the family , there is no graine in our knowledge answerable vnto it ; first for the simple oate it selfe ( excepting some particular physicke helpes , as frying them with sweet butter , and putting them in a bag , and very hot app●ied to the belly or stomacke to auoyde collicke or windinesse , and such like experiments ) the most especiall vse which is made of them is for malt to make beere or ale of , which it doth exceeding well , and maintaineth many townes and countries ; but the oat-meale which is drawne from them , being the heart and kernell of the oate , is a thing of much rarer price and estimation ; for to speake troth , it is like salt of such a generall vse , that without it hardly can any family be maintained : therefore i thinke it not much amisse to speake a word or two touching the making of oate-meale , you shall vnderstand then , that to make good and perfect oat-meale , you shall first dry your oates exceeding well , and then put them on the mill , which may either be water-mill , wind-mill , or horse-mill ( but the hors-mill is best ) and no more but crush or hull them ; that is , to carry the stones so large , that they may no more but crush the husk from the kernell : then you shall winnow the hulls from the kirnells either with the wind or a fanne , and finding them of an indifferent cleannesse ( for it is impossible to hull them all cleane at the first ) you shall then put them on againe , and making the mill goe a little closer , runne them through the mill againe , and then winnow them ouer againe , and such greetes or kirnels as are cleane huld and well cut you may lay by , and the rest you shall run through the mill againe the third time , and so winnow them againe , in which time all will bee perfit , and the greetes or full kirnels will separate from the smaller oate-meale ; for you shall vnderstand , that at this first making of oate meale , you shall euer haue two sorts of oate meales ; that is , the full whole greete or kirnell , and the small dust oate meale : as for the course hulles or chaffe that commeth from them , that also is worthy sauing , for it is an excellent good horse-prouender for any plow or labouring horses , beeing mixt with either beanes , pease , or any other pulse whatsoeuer . the vertues of oate-meale . now for the vse and vertues of these two seuerall kinds of oate-meales in maintaining the family , they are so many ( according to the many customes of many nations ) that it is almost impossible to recken all ; yet ( as neere as i can ) i will impart my knowledge , and what i haue tane from relation : first , for the small dust or meale oate-meale , it is that with which all pottage is made and thickned , whether they be meate-pottage , milke-pottage , or any thicke or else thinne grewell whatsoeuer , of whose goodnesse and wholesomenesse it is needlesse to speake , in that it is frequent with euery experience : also with this small meale oate-meale is made in diuerse countries six seuerall kinds of very good and wholsome bread , euery one finer then other , ●s your anacks , ianacks , and such like . also there is made of it both thicke and thin oaten-cakes , which are very pleasant in taste , and much esteemed : but if it be mixed with fine wheate-meale , then it maketh a most delicate and dainty oate-cake , either thicke or thin , such as no prince in the world but may haue them serued to his table ; also this small oat-meale mixed with blood , and the liuer of either sheepe , calfe or swine , maketh that pudding which is called the haggas or haggus , of whose goodnesse it is in vaine to boast , because there is hardly to be found a man that doth not affect them . and lastly , from this small oat-meale by oft steeping it in water and clensing it ; and then boyling it to a thicke and stiffe ielly , is made that excellent dish of meate , which is so esteemed of in the west parts of this kingdome , which they call wash brew , and in chesheire and lancasheire they call it flamery or flumery , the wholesomnesse and rare goodnesse , nay , the very physicke helpes thereof , being such and so many , that i my selfe haue heard a very reuerend and worthily renowned physition speake more in the commendations of that meate , then of any other foode whatsoeuer : and certaine it is ▪ that you shall not heare of any that euer did surfeite of this wash-brew or flammery ; and yet i haue seene them of very dainety and sickely stomackes which haue eaten great quantities thereof , beyond the proportion of ordinary meates . now for the manner of eating this meate , it is of diuerse diuersly vsed ; for some eate it with hony , which is reputed the best sauce ; some with wine , either sacke , claret or white ; some with strong beere or strong ale , and some with milke , as your ability , or the accommodations of the place will administer . now there is deriued from this wash-brew another courser meate , which is as it were the dregges , or grosser substance of the wash-brew , which is called gird brew , which is a well ●illing and sufficient meate , fit for seruants and men of labour ; of the commendations whereof , i will not much stand , in that it is a meate of harder disiestion , and fit indeed but for strong ab●e stomackes , and such whose toyle and much sweate both liberally spendeth euill humors , and also preserueth men from the offence of fulnesse and surfeits . now for the bigger kind of oate-meale , which is called greets , o● corne oate meale , it is of no lesse vse then the former , nor are there fewer meates compounded thereof : for first , of these greets are made all sorts of puddings , or potts ( as the west-countrey tearmes them ) whether they be blacke , as those which a●e made of the blood of beasts , swine , sheepe , geese , red or fallow deere , or the li●e , mixt with whole greetes , suet and wholesome hearbes : or else white , as when the greetes are mixt with good creame , egges , bread-crummes , suet , currants , and other wholesome spices . also of these greets are made the good friday pudding , which is mixt with egges , milke , suet , peni-royall , and boyld first in a linnen bagge , and then stript and buttered with sweet butter . againe , if you rost a goose , and stop her belly with who●e greetes beaten together with egges ▪ and after mixt with the grauy , there cannot be a better or more pleasanter s●uce : nay , if a man be at ●ea in any long trauell , he cannot eate a more wholesome and pleasant meate then the●e whole greets boyld in water till they burst , and then m●xt wi●h butter , and so eaten with spoones ; which although sea-men call simply by the name of l●b●olly , yet there is not any meate how significant soeuer the name be , that is more toothsome or wholesome . and to conclude , there is no way or purpose whatsoeuer to which a man can vse or imploy rice : but with the same seasoning and order you may imploy the whole greetes of oate-meale , and haue full as good and wholesome meate , and as well tasted ; so that i may well knit vp this chapter with this approbation of oate meale , that the little charge and great benefite consider● ▪ it is the very crowne of the house wi●es ga●●and , and doth more grace her table and her knowledge , then all graines whatsoeuer ; neither indeed can any fami●y o● household be well and thriftily maintained , where this is either scant or wanting . and thus much touching the nature , wo●●h , vertues , and great necessity of oates and oate-meale . chap. . of the office of the brew-house , and the bake house , and the necessary things belonging to the same . when our english house-wife knowes how to preserue health by wholesome physicke , to nourish by good meate , and to cloath the body with warme garments , shee must not then by any meanes bee ignorant in the prouision of bread and drinke ; shee must knowe both the proportions and compositions of the same . and for as much as drinke is in euery house more generally spent then bread , being indeede ( but how well i know not ) made the very substance of all entertainement ; i will first beginne with it , and therefore you shall knowe that generally our kingdome hath out two kindes of drinkes , that is to say , beere and ale , but particularly foure ▪ as beere , ale , perry and cider ; and to these we may adde two more , meede and metheglin , two compound drinkes of hony and hearbs , which in the places where they are made , as in wales and the march ●s , are reckoned for exceeding wholesome and cordiall . strong beere . to speake then of beere , although there be diuers kinds of tastes and strength thereof , according to the allowance of malt , hoppes , and age giuen vnto the same ; yet indeed there can be truly sayd to be but two kinds thereof ; namely , ordinary beere and march beere , all other beeres being deriued from them . of ordinary beere . touching ordinary beere , which is that wherewith either nobleman , gentleman , yeoman , or husbandman shall maintaine his family the whole yeere ; it is meete first that our english hous wife respect the proportion or allowance of malt due to the same , which amongst the best husbands is thought most conuenient , and it is held , that to draw from one quarter of good malt three hogsheads of beere , is the best ordinary proportion that can be a●lowed , and hauing age and good caske to lie in , it will be strong enough for any good mans drinking . of brewing ordinary beere . now for the brewing of ordinary beere , your malt being well ground and put in your mash-fat , and your liquor in your leade ready to boyle , you shall then by little and little with scoopes or pailes put the bo●ling liquor to the malt , and then stirre it euen to the bottome exceedingly well together ( which is called the mashing of the malt ) then the liquor swimming in the top couer all ouer with more malt , and so let it stand an houre and more in the mash fat , during which space you may if you please heate more liquor in your lead for your second or small drinke ; this done , plucke vp your mashing stroame , and let the first liquor runne gently from the malt , either in a cleane trough or other vessells prepared for the purpose , and then stopping the mash fat againe , put the second liquor to the malt , and stirre it well together ; then your leade being emptied put your first liquor or wort therein , and then to euery quarter of malt put a pound and a halfe of the best hopps you can get ; and boyle them an houre together , till taking vp a dishfull thereof you see the hopps shrinke into the bottome of the dish ; this done , put the wort through a straight siue which may draine the hopps from it into your cooler , which standing ouer the guil-fat , you shall in the bottome thereof set a great bowle with your barme , and some of the first wort ( before the hops come into it mixt together ) that it may rise therein , and then let your wort drop or run gently into the dish with the barme which stands in the guil-fat , & this you shall do the first day of your brewing , letting your cooler drop all the night following , and some part of the next morning , and as it droppeth if you finde that a blacke skumme or mother riseth vpon the barme , you shall with your hand take it off and cast it away , then nothing being left in the cooler , and the beere well risen , with your hand stirre it about & so let it stand an houre after , and then beating it and the barme exceeding well together , tunne it vp into the hogsheads being cleane washt and scalded , and so let it purge : and herein you shall obserue not to tun your vessells too full , for feare thereby it purge too much of the barme away : when it hath purged a day and a night , you shall c●ose vp the bung holes with clay , and onely for a day or two after keepe a vent-hole in it , and after close it vp as close as may be . now for your second or small drinke which are left vpon the graine , you shall suffer it there to stay but an houre or a little better , and then draine it off also , which done put it into the lead with the former hops and boyle the other also ▪ then cleere it from the hops and couer it very close till your first beere be tunn'd , and then as before put it also to barme and so tunne it vp also in sma●ler vessels , and of this second beere you shall not draw aboue one hogshead to three of the better . now there be diuers other waies and obseruations for the brewing of ordinary beere , but none so good , so easie , so ready and quickly performed as this before shewed : neither will any beere last longer or ripen sooner , for it may be drunke at a fortnigh●s-age , and will last as long and liuely . of brewing the b●st march beer● . now for the brewing of the best march-beere , you shall allow to a hogshead thereof a quarter of the best malt , well ground : then you shall take a pecke of pease , halfe a pecke of wheate , and halfe a pecke of oates and grind them a●l very well together , and then mixe them with your malt : which done , you shall in all points brew this beere as you did the former ordinary beere : onely you shall allow a pound and a halfe of hops to this one hogshead : and where as before you drew but two sorts of beere : so now you shall draw three : that is a hogshead of the best , and a hogshead of the second , and halfe a hogshead of small beere without any augmentaion of hops or malt . this march beere would be brewd in the moneths of march or aprill , and should ( if it haue right ) haue a whole yeere to ripen in : it will last two , three and foure yeeres if it lie coole and close , & endure the drawing to the last drop , though with neuer so much leasure . brewing of strong ale. now for the brewing of strong ale , because it is drinke of no such long lasting as beere is , therefore you shall brew lesse quantity at a time thereof , as two bushels of northerne measure ( which is foure bushels or halfe a quarter in the south ) at a brewing , and not aboue , which will make foureteene gallons of the best ale. now for the mashing and ordering of it in the mash-fat , it will not differ any thing from that of beere ; as for hops , although some vse not to put in any , yet the best brewers thereof will allow to foureteene gallons of ale a good espen full of hops , and no more , yet before you put in your hops , as soone as you take it from the graines , you shall put it into a vessell and change it , or blinke it in this manner : put into the wort a handfull of oke-bowes and a pewter-dis● , and let them lye therein till the wort looke a little paler then it did at the first , and then presently take out the dish and the leafe , and then boile it a full houre with the hops , as aforesayd , and then clense it , and set it in vessels to coole ; when it is milke-warme , hauing set your barme to rise with some sweete wort : then put all into the guilfat , and as soone as it riseth , with a dish or bowle beate it in , and so keepe it with continuall beating a day and a night at least , and after tun it . from this ale you may also draw halfe so much very good middle ale , and a third part very good small ale . brewing of bottle-ale . touching the brewing of bottle-ale , it differeth nothing at all from the brewing of strong ale , onely it must be drawne in a larger proportion , as at least twenty gallons of halfe a quarter ; and when it comes to bee changed , you shall blinke it ( as was before shewed ) more by much then was the strong ale , for it must bee pretty and sharpe , which giueth the life and quicknesse to the ale : and when you tunne it , you shall put it into round bottles with narrow mouthes , and then stopping them close with corke , set them in a cold sellar vp to the wast in sand , and be sure that the corkes be fast tied in with strong packe-thrid , for feare of rising out , or taking vent , which is the vtter spoyle of the ale. now for the small drinke arising from this bottle-ale , or any other beere or ale whatsoeuer , if you keepe it after ●t is blinckt and boyled in a close vessell , and then put it to barme euery morning as you haue occasion to vse it , the drinke will drinke a great deale the fresher ▪ and be much more liuely in taste . of making perry or cider . as for the making of perry and cider , which are drinkes much vsed in the west parts , and other countries well stored with fruit in this kingdome ; you shall know that your perry is made of peares onely , and your cider of apples ; and for the manner of making thereof , it is done after one fashion , that is to say , after your peares and apples are well pickt from the stalkes , rottennesse , and all manner of other filth , you shall put them in the presse-mill which is made with a mil-stone running round in a circle , vnder which you shall crush your peares or apples , and then straining them through a bagge of haire-cloth , tunne vp the same ( after it hath bene a little setled ) into hogs-heads , barrels , and other close vessels . now after you haue prest all , you shall saue that which is within the haire cloth bagge , and putting it into seuerall vessels , put a pretty quantity of water thereunto , and after it hath stood a day or two , and hath beene well stirred together , presse it ouer also againe , for this will make a small perry or cider , and must be spent first . now of your best sider that which you make of your summer or sweete fruit , you shall call summer or sweete cider or perty , and that you shall spend first also ; and that which you make of the winter and hard fruit , you shall call winter and sowre cider , or perry ; and that you may spend last , for it will indure the longest . thus after our english house-wife is experienc't in the brewing of these seuerall drinkes , shee shall then looke into her bake-house , and to the making of all sorts of bread , either for maisters , seruants , or hinds , and to the ordering and compounding of the meale for each seuerall vse . ordering of meale . to speake then first of meales for bread , they are either simple or compound , simple , as wheate and rye , or compound , as rye and wheate mixt together , or rye , wheate and barley mixt together ; and of these the oldest meale is euer the best , and yeeldeth most so it be sweet and vntainted , for the preseruation whereof , it is meet that you clense your meale well from the bran , and then keepe it in sweet vessels . baking manchets . now for the baking of bread of your simple meales , your best and principall bread is manchet , which you shall bake in this maner : first your meale being ground vpon the blacke stones , if it be possible , which make the whitest flower , and boulted through the finest boulting cloth , you shall put it into a cleane kimnell , and opening the flower hollow in the midst , put into it of the best ale-barme , the quantity of three pints to a bushell of meale , with some salt to season it with : then put in your liquor reasonable warme and kneade it very well together with both your hands and through the brake , or for want thereof , fold it in a cloth , and with your feete tread it a good space together , then letting it lie an houre or there abouts to swell , take it foorth and mold it into manchets , round , and flat , scotch them about the waste to giue it leaue to rise , and pricke it with your knife in the top , and so put it into the ouen , and bake it with a gentle heate . baking cheate bread. to bake the best cheate bread , which is also simply of wheate onely , you shall after your meate is drest and boulted through a more course boulter then was vsed for your manchets , and put also in●o a cleane tub , trough , or kim●ell , take a sowre leauen , that is , a piece of such like leauen saued from a fo●mer batch , and well fild with salt , and so laid vp to sower , and this sower leauen you sha●l breake into small pieces into warme water , and then straine it , which done , make a deepe hollow hole , as was before said in the midst of your flower , and therein powre your strained liquor ; then with your hand mixe some part of the flower therwith , till the liquor be as thicke as pancake batter , then couer it all ouer with meale , and so let it lie all that night , the next morning stirre it , and all the rest of the meale we●l together , and with a little more warme water , barme , and salt to season it with , bring it to a perfect leauen , stiffe , & firme ; then knead it , breake it , and read it , as was before said in the manchets , and so mold it vp in reasonable bigge loaues , and then bake it with an indifferent good heate : and thus according to these two examples before shewed , you may br●ake leauend or vnleauend whatsoeuer , whether it be simple corne , as wheate or rie of it selfe , or compound graine as wheate and rie , or wheate and barley , or rie and barley , or any othe● mixt white corne ; onely because rie is a litttle stronger graine then wheate , it shall be good for you to put your water a little hotter then you did to your wheate . baking of browne bread· for your browne bread , or bread for your hinde-seruants , which is the coursest bread for mans vse , you shall take of barley two bushels , of pease two pecks , of of wheate or rie a pecke , a pecke of malt ; these you shall grind all together and dresse it through a meale siue , then putting it into a sower trough set liquor on the fire , and when it boyles let one put on the water , and another with a mash rudder stirre some of the flower with it after it hath beene seasoned with salt , and so let it be till the next day , and then putting to the rest of the flower , worke it vp into stiffe leauen , then mould it and bake it into great loaues with a very strong heate : now if your trough be not sower enough to sower your leauen , then you shal either let it li● longer in the trough , or else take the helpe of a sower leauen with ●our boyling water : for you must vnderstand , that the hotter your liquor is , the lesse will the sm●ll or ●anknesse of the pease be receiued . and thus much for the baking of any kind of bread , which our english house-wife shall haue occasion to vse for the maintenance of her family . generall obseruations in the brew-house and bake-h●use . as for the generall obseruations to be respected in the brew-house or bake-house , they be these : first , that your brew house be seated in so conuenient a part of the house , that the smoke may not annoy your other more priuate roomes ; then that you furnace be made close and hollow for sauing fewell , and with a vent for the pass●ge of smoake least it taint your l●quor ; then that you preferre a copper before a lead , next that your m●sh-fat bee euer neerest to your leade , your cooler neerest your mash-fat , and your gul fat vnder your cooler , and adioyning to them all seuerall cleane ●ubs to receiue your worts and liquors : then in your bake-house you shall haue a faire boulting house with large pipes to boult meale in , faire troughes to lay leauen in , and sweet safes to receiue your bran : you shall haue boulters , searses , raunges and meale siues of all sorts both fine and course ; you shall haue faire tables to mould on , large ouens to brake in the soales thereof rather of one or two intire stones then of many brickes , and the mouth made narrow , square and easie to be close couered : as for your peeles , cole-rakes , maukins , and such like , though they be necessary yet they are of such generall vse they neede no further relation . and thus much for a full satisfaction to all the husbands and house-wiues of this kingdome touching brewing , baking , and all whatsoeuer else appertaineth to either of their offices . the end of the english hous-wife . finis . notes, typically marginal, from the original text notes for div a -e a hous-wife must be religious . shee must be temperate . other garments . o● her dyet . her generall vertues . of her vertues in physicke . dr. burket . dr. bomelius . to make one sweate . another . another . additions , to the diseases of the p●e part . additions , to greene wound● . notes for div a -e obseruations in roast meats . spitting of roast-meates . the complexions of meate , shoueler , or large fowle . to bake beefe or mutton for venison . notes for div a -e of tosing ●o●ll . the dying of wooll . of ●owing of 〈…〉 . the time it sha●l lie in the water . the drying of hempe o● flaxe . when it is br●k't enough . bucking yarne . 〈…〉 notes for div a -e o● kine . q●an●ity of 〈◊〉 . 〈…〉 m●neer of m●●k●ng . ordering of milke vessels . of keeping creame . the handling of butter . clensing of butter . of butter milke curds . of whigge ▪ cheese of one meale . notes for div a -e the drying of mault . notes for div a -e making of oate-meale . notes for div a -e diuersities of drinkes . of baking . the gentlewomans companion; or, a guide to the female sex containing directions of behaviour, in all places, companies, relations, and conditions, from their childhood down to old age: viz. as, children to parents. scholars to governours. single to servants. virgins to suitors. married to husbands. huswifes to the house mistresses to servants. mothers to children. widows to the world prudent to all. with letters and discourses upon all occasions. whereunto is added, a guide for cook-maids, dairy-maids, chamber-maids, and all others that go to service. the whole being an exact rule for the female sex in general. by hannah woolley. woolley, hannah, fl. . approx. kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from -bit group-iv tiff page images. text creation partnership, ann arbor, mi ; oxford (uk) : - (eebo-tcp phase ). a wing w a estc r this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons . universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase , no. a ) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set ) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, - ; : ) the gentlewomans companion; or, a guide to the female sex containing directions of behaviour, in all places, companies, relations, and conditions, from their childhood down to old age: viz. as, children to parents. scholars to governours. single to servants. virgins to suitors. married to husbands. huswifes to the house mistresses to servants. mothers to children. widows to the world prudent to all. with letters and discourses upon all occasions. whereunto is added, a guide for cook-maids, dairy-maids, chamber-maids, and all others that go to service. the whole being an exact rule for the female sex in general. by hannah woolley. woolley, hannah, fl. . faithorne, william, - , engraver. [ ], , [ ] p. : port. (metal cut) printed by a. maxwell for dorman newman at the kings-arms in the poultry, london : . the portrait is signed: w: faithorne fe:. the words "children .. husbands." and "huswifes .. to all." are bracketed together on title page. includes index. with four final advertisement leaves. reproduction of the original in the henry e. huntington library and art gallery. created by converting tcp files to tei p using tcp tei.xsl, tei @ oxford. re-processed by university of nebraska-lincoln and northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. gap elements of known extent have been transformed into placeholder characters or elements to simplify the filling in of gaps by user contributors. eebo-tcp is a partnership between the universities of michigan and oxford and the publisher proquest to create accurately transcribed and encoded texts based on the image sets published by proquest via their early english books online (eebo) database (http://eebo.chadwyck.com). the general aim of eebo-tcp is to encode one copy (usually the first edition) of every monographic english-language title published between and available in eebo. eebo-tcp aimed to produce large quantities of textual data within the usual project restraints of time and funding, and therefore chose to create diplomatic transcriptions (as opposed to critical editions) with light-touch, mainly structural encoding based on the text encoding initiative (http://www.tei-c.org). the eebo-tcp project was divided into two phases. the , texts created during phase of the project have been released into the public domain as of january . anyone can now take and use these texts for their own purposes, but we respectfully request that due credit and attribution is given to their original source. users should be aware of the process of creating the tcp texts, and therefore of any assumptions that can be made about the data. text selection was based on the new cambridge bibliography of english literature (ncbel). if an author (or for an anonymous work, the title) appears in ncbel, then their works are eligible for inclusion. selection was intended to range over a wide variety of subject areas, to reflect the true nature of the print record of the period. in general, first editions of a works in english were prioritized, although there are a number of works in other languages, notably latin and welsh, included and sometimes a second or later edition of a work was chosen if there was a compelling reason to do so. image sets were sent to external keying companies for transcription and basic encoding. quality assurance was then carried out by editorial teams in oxford and michigan. % (or pages, whichever is the greater) of each text was proofread for accuracy and those which did not meet qa standards were returned to the keyers to be redone. after proofreading, the encoding was enhanced and/or corrected and characters marked as illegible were corrected where possible up to a limit of instances per text. any remaining illegibles were encoded as <gap>s. understanding these processes should make clear that, while the overall quality of tcp data is very good, some errors will remain and some readable characters will be marked as illegible. users should bear in mind that in all likelihood such instances will never have been looked at by a tcp editor. the texts were encoded and linked to page images in accordance with level of the tei in libraries guidelines. copies of the texts have been issued variously as sgml (tcp schema; ascii text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable xml (tcp schema; characters represented either as utf- unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless xml (tei p , characters represented either as utf- unicode or tei g elements). keying and markup guidelines are available at the text creation partnership web site . eng home economics -- early works to . cookery -- early works to . - tcp assigned for keying and markup - apex covantage keyed and coded from proquest page images - kirk davis sampled and proofread - kirk davis text and markup reviewed and edited - pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion the gentlewomans companion ; or , a guide to the female sex : containing directions of behaviour , in all places , companies , relations , and conditions , from their childhood down to old age : viz. as , children to parents . scholars to governours . single to servants . virgins to suitors . married to husbands . huswifes to the house mistresses to servants . mothers to children . widows to the world prudent to all . with letters and discourses upon all occasions . whereunto is added , a guide for cook-maids , dairy-maids , chamber-maids , and all others that go to service . the whole being an exact rule for the female sex in general . by hannah woolley . london , printed by a. maxwell for dorman nowman at the kings-arms in the poultry , . to all young ladies , gentlewomen , and all maidens whatever . i have formerly sent forth amongst you two little books , the first called , the ladies directory ; the other , the cooks guide . both which have found very good acceptance . it is near seven years since i began to write this book , at the desire of the book-seller , and earnest intreaties of very many worthy friends ; unto whom i owe more than i can do for them . and when i considered the great need of such a book as might be a universal companion and guide to the female sex , in all relations , companies , conditions , and states of life , even from child-hood down to old-age ; and from the lady at the court , to the cook-maid in the country : i was at length prevailed upon to do it , and the rather because i knew not of any book in any language that hath done the like . indeed many excellent authors there be who have wrote excellent well of some particular subjects herein treated of . but as there is not one of them hath written upon all of them , so there are some things treated of in this book , that i have not met with in any language , but are the product of my thirty years observations and experience . i will not deny but i have made some use of that excellent book , the queens closet ; may's cookery ; the ladies companion ; my own directory and guide . also , the second part of youths behaviour , and what other books i thought pertinent and proper to make up a compleat book , that might have a universal usefulness ; and to that end i did not only make use of them , but also of all others , especially those that have been lately writ in the french and italian languages . for as the things treated of are many and various , so were my helps . i hope the reader will not think it much , that as the famous lymner when he drew the picture of an exact beauty , made use of an eye from one , of a mouth from another , and so cull'd what was rare in all others , that he might present them all in one entire piece of workmanship and frame : so i , when i was to write of physick and chyrurgery , have consulted all books i could meet with in that kind , to compleat my own experiences . if any shall wonder why i have been so large upon it , i must tell them , i look upon the end of life to be usefulness ; nor know i wherein our sex can be more useful in their generation than in having a competent skill in physick and chyrurgery , a competent estate to distribute it , and a heart willing thereunto . the like apology i have for my prolixity about cookery and carving , which being essential to a true houswife , i thought it best to dwell most upon that which they cannot dwell without , unless they design to render themselves insignificant , not only in the world , but in those families where they are . as for what concerns gentlewomens behaviour , i have the concurrent advice and directions of the most able professors and teachers , both here and beyond the seas ; yet durst not be so airy and leight in my treatise about ladies love and courtship as some of the french authors have been , but have taken out of them what i found most taking with our english gentry . the like i may say for habits and gesture ; i am not ignorant of the vanity of some mens stiles upon these subjects ; and that young ladies are too apt to take what may gratifie their fancies , and leave what may better their judgments about true behaviour . i know i may be censured by many for undertaking this great design , in presenting to all of our sex a compleat directory , and that which contains several sciences : deeming it a work for a solomon , who could give an account from the cedar to the hysop . i have therefore in my apology to the bookseller , declared how i came to be of ability to do it , reciting to him the grounds of my knowledg in all those sciences i profess ; and also what practice and experience i have had in the world , lest any should think i speak more than i am able to perform . i doubt not but judicious persons will esteem this essay of mine , when they have read the book , and weighed it well ; and if so , i shall the less trouble my self what the ignorant do or say . i have now done my task , and shall leave it to your candid judgments and improvement ; your acceptation will much encourage london , nov. . . your most humble servant hannah woolly . the table introduction page . the duty and qualification of a governess to gentlewomens children , . a short account of the life and abilities of the authoress of this book , . good instructions for a young gentlewoman , from the age of six to sixteen , . advice to the female younger sort , . the duty of children to their parents , . of a young gentlewomans deportment to her governess and servants in the family , . what qualifications best become and are most suitable to a gentlewoman , . of a gentlewomans civil behaviour to all sorts of people in all places , . of the gait or gesture , . of the government of the eye , . of speech and complement , . choice and general rules for a gentlewomans observation in conversation with company , . rules to be observed in walking with persons of bonour , and how you ought to behave your self in congratulating and condoling them , . of habit , and the neatness and propriety thereof ; of fashions , and their ridiculous apish imitation , . of new fashions , . of young gentlewomens fit hours and times for their recreations and pleasures , and how to govern themselves therein , . what recreations and pleasures are most fitting and proper for young gentlewomen , . of the guiding of a ladies love and fancy , . the gentlewomans mirrour , or patterns for their imitation of such famous women who have been eminent in piety and learning , . of marriage , and the duty of a wife to her husband , . of womens behaviour to their servants , and what is to be required of them in the house , or what thereunto apppertains , . ferms for carving all sorts of meat at table , . quaint directions for the carving all manner of fowl , . artichoaks fried , . artichoaks stewed , ibid. an almond-pudding , ibid. an almond-pudding in guts , ibid. an almond-tart , . almond-cream , ibid. apple-cream , ibid. apricocks green baked , ibid. barley-broth , . bisk , ibid. beef hashed , . beef a-la-mode ibid. beef carbonadoed , ibid. beef baked red deer fashion in pies or pasties , either sirloyn , brisket , buttock or fillet , larded or not , . beef collared , ibid. brawn , how to make a collar , . brawn made of a sucking-pig , otherways called a souced pig. . calves-head roasted , . calves-foot pie , or neats-foot-pie . ibid. capons souced , . calves-chaldron mince-pies , . capon or chicken in white broth , ibid. chicken-pie , ibid. clouted cream , . cabbidge-cream , ibid. carp stewed , . carp marinated , . carp roasted , ibid. deer red and fallow roasted , . deer baked , ibid. egg mince-pie , ibid. florentines on paste , or without paste , . flowers of all sorts pickled , ioid . grapes and goosberries pickled , ibid. geese boiled , ibid. hashes several ways , . hashes of neats-feet , or any feet , as calves , sheep , deer , hogs , pigs or lambs , ibid. hashing of any feet , ibid. hares roasted without , and with the skin , . ipocras , ibid. jellies of several colours , for all sorts of sonc'd meats , and to be eaten alone , . land or sea-fowl , how to boil them , . land-fowl the smaller sort , how to boil a plover , quails , black-birds , rails , thrushes , snites , wheatears , larks and sparrows . ibid. marrow-pudding in a dish baked , garnished with puff-paste . ibid. mutton hashed the french way , . marinated mullet , bace , gurnet or rochet , ibid. mullets fried , . mullets or bace baked , ibid. mushrooms fried , . mushrooms stewed , ibid. neats-tongues boiled , . neats-tongues stewed , ibid. neats-tongues an excellent way how to dry them ibid. neats-tongues roasted , . neats-tongue mince-pye , ibid. a norfolk fool , ibid. oysters stewed , . oysters fried , ibid. oyster-pyes , ibid. oysters pickled , . ox-cheeks baked in a pye , . a calves-head-pye , ibid. puff-paste , the best way how to make it , ibid. panadoes , . posset of sack , claret , or white-wine , the best manner , ibid. pumpion-pye , ibid. pig-roasted with the hair on , . pidgeons boiled , . pike boiled , ibid. pike stewed , ibid. pike souced , . pike roasted , ibid. quaking-pudding , . quince-pyes , ibid. an excellent restorative for a weak back , . a most incomparable broth or drink for a sick person , ibid. rice-tart , ibid. rice-cream , ibid. another excellent and rare cream , . several excellent sawces for several dishes , and first for green-geese , ibid. salmon roasted , . salmon fried , ibid. souc't veal , lamb , or any joint of mutton , kid , fawn , or venison , . taffety-tart , ibid. venison how to recover when tainted , . to make beef , ram , or mutton pass for venison , ibid. warden tarts , ibid. a bill of fare of suitable meat for every month in the year , . bills of fare for fasting-days , or leut , . an introduction to physick and chyrurgery , . what is to be observed by a gentlewoman before she undertakes the administration of physick 〈◊〉 a most approved receipt for a quartane ague . for a sudden and violent bleeding at the nose , ibid to stop the bleeding of a wound , . an approved medicine of london-midwifes to break and heal womens sore breasts , ibid. an excellent way to dry up a womans breast , ibid. an infallible way to increase milk in womens breasts , ibid. against a stinking breath , . for a cancer in a womans breast , ibid. for young children who by reason of the weakness of their limbs can neither stand nor go , ibid. an approved china-broth for a consumption , . a most excellent jelly for the consumption , ibid. an excellent comforter for the stomack , and helper of digestion , . a well tried medicine for the corns on the feet or toes , ibid. an excellent diet-drink for the spring to purge the blood and cleanse it , . a remedy for the dropsie , whether hot or cold , ibid. another for the dropsie , ibid. for the web or pin in the eye , . to cleanse the skin of your face , and make it look beautiful and fair , ibid. how to ripen and heal a felon or whitclof , ibid. how to cure the bloody flux , ibid. a cure for every sort of gout , . how to cure the green sickness , . an universal medicine of wonderful use hoth for man and woman , ibid. against the yellow jaundies , . against the itch. ibid. against kibed heels , . what is best to be administred to one sick of the meazels , ibid. to cure the fits of the mother , ibid. to take away the heat of a burn or scald , . for a scald-head , ibid. for one burnt with gun-powder ibid. a very safe clister to be used by either man or woman who is much bound or costive , ibid. how to cure old sores on the legs which have been of so long standing that the bones have appeared , . an excellent way to dissolve the stone , ibid. a way not only to prevent but to cure the tooth-ach , or to make an aking tooth fall out of it self , ibid. how to order a woman with child before , in , and after the dilivery , . an excellent cordial for women troubled with swooning fits in travel , . of candying , conserving and preserving , . barberries preserved , . pears preserved , ibid. green pippins , ibid. black-cherries , ibid. mulberries , ibid. oranges and lemons , . goosberries preserved , ibid. roses , or any other flowers , . cherries , ibid. apricocks , ibid. green walnuts , . eringo-roots , ibid. ennula-campana-roots , ibid. conserve of roses , . how to candy all sorts of flowers as they grow with their stalks on , . candied eringo-roots , ibid. the best and most approved way to dry plumbs , . proper colours for fruitage , ibid. quince marmelade , ibid. how to make syrrup of violets , . syrrup of roses , ibid. syrrup of coltsfoots , ibid. of distillation , . dr. stevens his famous water , . aqua mirabilis , ibid. water for the eyes , ibid. an admirable water against the stone in the kidnies , . an excellent water for the worms , ibid. an excellent artificial wine like claret , . an oyntment for any wound or sore , . a searcloth for all aches , ibid. what things belong to a country gentlewoman ; of dairies , and making butter and cheese , ibid. how to make your ordinary clouted cream , . to make fresh cheese in cream , . cream of codlins , ibid. to make a junket , ibid. to gentlewomen who serve persons of quality , . to all maidens who desire to be chamber-maids to persons of quality , . instructions for all nursery-maids in noble families , . instructions for all chamber-maids to gentlewomen in city and country , . to nursery-maids in london or elsewhere , . to cook-maids , . under-cook-maids , . dairy-maids , ibid. laundry-maids , . house-maids , . scullery-maids , . writing letters , , to pag. . the resolute lover : a pastoral dialogue , . addresses of love and service , from erotus to aurelia . . a merry dialogue between an ingenious gentlewoman and a poetaster or rimer , . a form of discourse at a casual meeting between silvester and sylvia , . a method of courtship on fair and honourable terms , . an impertinent and lying travellers discourse with his witty and jocose mistress , . a gentleman accidentally hapning into a room where a company of ladies were well known to him , . the introduction . the right education of the female sex , as it is in a manner every where neglected , so it ought to be generally lamented . most in this depraved later age think a woman learned and wise enough if she can distinguish her husbands bed from anothers . certainly mans soul cannot boast of a more sublime original than ours , they had equally their efflux from the same eternal immensity , and therefore capable of the same improvement , by good education . vain man is apt to think we were meerly intended for the worlds propagation , and to keep its humane inhabitants sweet and clean ; but , by their leaves , had we the same literature , he would find our brains as fruitful as our bodies . hence i am induced to believe , we are debar'd from the knowledg of humane learning , lest our pregnant wits should rival the towring conceits of our insulting lords and masters . pardon the severity of this expression , since i intend not thereby to infuse bitter rebellion into the sweet blood of females ; for know , i would have all such as are enter'd into the honourable state of matrimony , to be loyal and loving subjects to their lawful ( though lording ) husbands . i cannot but complain of , and must condemn the great negligence of parents , in letting the fertile ground of their daughters lie fallow , yet send the barren noddles of their sons to the university , where they stay for no other purpose than to fill their empty sconces with idle notions to make a noise in the country . pagans of old may teach our christian parents a new lesson . edesia , an infidel , taught her daughters learning and morality . cornelia , hers ( with the greek tongue ) piety . portia , hers ( with the learning of the egyptians ) the exemplary grounds of chastity . sulpitia , hers ( with the knowledg of several languages ) the precepts of conjugal unity . these , though ethnicks , were excellent informers of youth ; so that their children were more bound to them for their breeding than bearing , nurturing than nursing . emulation of goodness is most commendable ; and though you cannot hang up the pictures of these worthy persons , so that their memories may live with you ; however , imitate their virtues , that their memories may live fresher in you . all memorials , being materials , be they never so durable are subject to frailty , only the precious monuments of virtue survive time , and breathe eternity . thus as ye take good example from others , be ye mother-patterns of virtue to your daughters : let your living actions be lines of their direction . while they are under your command , the error is yours not theirs , if they go astray . their honour should be one of the cheifest things you are to tender , neither can it be blemish'd without some soil to your own credit . i have known some inconsiderate mothers , and those none of the lowest rank and quality , who either out of the confidence of their daughters good carriage , or drawn with the hopes of some rich suitors to advance their marriage , have usually given too free way to opportunity , which brought upon their daughters name a spreading infamy . suffer not then those who partake of your image , to lose their best beauty . look then to your own actions , these must inform them ; look to your own examples , these must confirm them . without you , they cannot perish ; with you they may . what will you do with the rest that is left , when you see a part of your self lost . there is no instruction more moving , than the example of your living . by that line of yours they are to conform their own . take heed then lest the damp of your own life extinguish the light of your childrens . as you are a kind mother to them , be a careful monitor about them ; and if your business will permit , teach them your self , with their letters , good manners . for there is an in-bred , filial fear in children to their parents , which will beget in them more attention in hearing , and retention in holding what they hear . but if it be inconsistent with your conveniency , and that you must commit the tutelage and education of your children to a governess , give me leave to inform you what she ought to be . the duty and qualifications of a governess to gentlemens children . they who undertake the difficult employ of being an instructress or governess of children , should be persons of no mean birth and breeding , civil in deportment , and of an extraordinary winning and pleasing conversation . they should not be harsh in expression , nor severe in correcting such as are under their charge ; but instruct them with all mildness , cheerfully incouraging them in what they are injoin'd to perform ; not suddenly striking , nor startling them with a loud rebuke , which causeth in some an aversness to what they should love , imbittering all the former delight they had in learning . whereas if you woo them with soft words , you will soon find them won by the testimony of their good works . there is so much servility in rigor and restraint , that of consequence there can be no greater enemy to ingenuity and good nature . fools are to be always bauld upon , and blows are fitter for beasts than rational creatures ; wherefore there can nothing more engage an ingenious generous soul , than cheerfulness and liberty ; not over-frightned . i have often observed the many ill consequences which attends an unadvised severity . a gentlewoman of my acquaintance , who was well born and bred , and every way accomplisht for a tutoress to young ladies , lost all her employment in that faulty , by her irresistible passion . another in dorsetshire being somewhat aged , and suspecting her strength was not able to grapple with active youth , call'd up her maid to her assistance , with whose help she so cruelly chastised a young gentlewoman for some fault she had committed , that with grief and shame she died in a little time after . many more instances i could insert , but i shall forbear to publish further the shame of such inconsiderate rashness . as i must condemn the insolent severity of such a governess , so i must not let pass without reproof the tyranny of some mothers , whose presence makes their children tremble , without the commission of a fault ; by which means they many times with their imperiousness frighten their love into an abhorrency of their fight ; to be sure they make them tell many a lye to excuse their negligence , ( which otherwise they would not do ) only that for that time they might escape the rigor of their punishment . yet i would not have any mistake me in my perswading young gentlewomen to be used mildly , and tenderly , that i intend thereby their over-indulgence , so as to let their tender age rust in sloth and vanity ; all that i would have a mother do , is , that she would be moderate in the correction of an offence , lest by correcting one , she commit another , and so transgress that positive command in holy writ , parents provoke not your children to wrath . a governess is to study diligently the nature , disposition , and inclination of those she is to teach ; and so by suiting their humours , make their study the more facile , by how much it is more pleasant to them ; praising such and such of their own age , that are thus and thus qualified , which will breed in them an emulation to tread in their footsteps . if she finds any addicted to reading , let her ask the question , what she thinks of such a book she hath read ? by the answer she may easily conjecture at the strength of her intellect : if she find her a lover of conversation , it will not be amiss to ask what she thinks of such a gentlewoman or gentleman whose virtues she hath a great esteem for ; when she hath return'd an answer to the demand , let the governess require a reason for her so saying ; which in the approving or condemning will not only make the scholar cautious of what she delivers , but give a great insight both into her disposition and understanding . whatever she doth , let her have a special care in obstructing the growth of evil manners , and ingraft the good , stifle in the very birth those corruptions which will grow in the purest natures without an indefatigable circumspection . countenance not an untruth by any means , especially if they stand in it ; this is a very great vice , and argues an inclination impudently vicious ; there is a fault contrary to this , and shall be reckoned in the number of infirmities , when by an over-modesty , and too much bashfulness , a young maid cannot hold up her head when spoken to ; and if askt a question , would blush , as if by some gross miscarriage she had lately contracted a guilt . this sudden alteration of the countenance may breed an undeserv'd suspition , and therefore it ought to be corrected discreetly with good instruction . favour not obstinacy by any means , for flattery in this case will spoil the gentlewoman . be the incessant tormentor of her sloath , left by proving burdensome to others , she at length becomes so to her self , by which means her understanding starves , and her body contracts an hospital of diseases . this you may remedy by suffering her not to sleep over long , lest the spirits be over dull'd , as well as by too little rest . if the season be dry , walk them in the fields ; if not , some moderate exercise within doors , which will be instrumental in keeping them from the knowledg of the physician . and now since nature only gives us a beeing ; and education , a well being ; the parent or governess ought to have a special care how she seasons youth with what is most conducible to the orderly and prudent management of the concerns of this life ; let such a foundation be therefore laid which may sufficiently promise the parents a happy issue , when their children shall arrive to maturity of age . letters undoubtedly is the first step to the perfection of knowledg , by which means they come to improve their own understandings by the help of others : reading furnisheth them with agreeable discourse , and adopts them for the conversation of the most ingenious , without which i know not how the fancy can be supplied with what is acceptable to the auditor . how little would conversation signifie , did not reading on all occasions find matter for discourse . the want of which hath made so many country-gentlewomen stand like so many mutes or statues when they have hapned into the company of the ingenious ; their quaint expressions have seem'd to them arabian sentences ; and have stared like so many distracted persons , in that they should hear the sound of english , and yet understand but here and there a word of their own language . the consideration hereof is sufficient one would think to make the preposterous suspitions of some to vanish , who vainly imagine that books are womens academies , wherein they learn to do evil with greater subtilty and cunning ; whereas the helps of learning , which are attained from thence , not only fortifies the best inclinations , but enlargeth a mean capacity to a great perfection . having thus proved , that the reading books doth much conduce to the improving the understanding of young gentlewomen , it behoveth the governess to be careful in her choice of them . in the first place let them read some choice pieces of piety , which may inflame their hearts with the love of god , and kindle in them ardent desires to be early followers of the doctrine of christ jesus . let there be a strict watch to keep unviolated the two gates of the soul , the ears and eyes ; let the last be imployed on good and proper subjects , and there will be the less fear that the ears should be surpriz'd by the converse of such who delight in wanton and obscene discourses , which too often do pleasantly and privately insinuate themselves into the ear , carrying with them that unwholsome air which infects and poysons the purity of the soul. i know it will be expected what sort of books of piety , i would recommend to the perusal of these gentlewomen ; london affords such plenty of them , i know not which to pitch on ; not to trouble you with too many , take these which follow : bishop vshers body of divinity . mr. swinnocks christian-calling . mr. firmins real christian. mr. james janeways book , intituled , acquaintance with god betimes ; and his token for children when they are young . some may imagin , that to read romances after such practical books of divinity , will not only be a vain thing , but will absolutely overthrow that fabrick i endeavoured to erect : i am of a contrary opinion , and do believe such romances which treat of generosity , gallantry , and virtue , as cassandra , clelia , grand cyrus , cleopatra , parthenessa , not omitting sir philip sydney's arcadia , are books altogether worthy of their observation . there are few ladies mention'd therein , but are character'd what they ought to be ; the magnanimity , virtue , gallantry , patience , constancy , and courage of the men , might intitle them worthy husbands to the most deserving of the female sex . thus having qualified them for reading , you should so practice them in their pen , as not to be ignorant in a point de venice , and all the productions of the needle , with all the curious devices of wax-work , rock-work , moss-work , cabinet-work , bengle-work , &c. and in due time let them know how to preserve , conserve , distill ; with all those laudible sciences which adorn a compleat gentlewoman . having thus characteriz'd in part , what a governess ought to be , i shall with your leave and patience give you some account of my self . a short account of the life and abilities of the authoress of this book . i would not presume to trouble you with any passages of my life , or relate my innate qualifications , or acquired , were it not in obedience to a person of honour , who engag'd me so to do , if for no other reason than to stop the mouths of such who may be so maliciously censorious as to believe i pretend what i cannot perform . it is no ambitious design of gaining a name in print ( a thing as rare for a woman to endeavour , as obtain ) that put me on this bold undertaking ; but the meer pity i have entertain'd for such ladies , gentlewomen , and others , as have not received the benefits of the tythe of the ensuing accomplishments : these ten years and upwards , i have studied how to repair their loss of time , by making publick those gifts which god hath bestow'd upon me . to be useful in our generation is partly the intent of our creation ; i shall then arrive to the top of the pyramid of my contentment , if any shall profit by this following discourse . if any question the truth of what i can perform , their trial of me i doubt not but will convince their infidelity . the things i pretend greatest skill in , are all works wrought with a needle , all transparent works , shell-work , moss-work , also cutting of prints , and adorning rooms , or cabinets , or stands with them . all kinds of beugle-works upon wyers , or otherwise . all manner of pretty toyes for closets . rocks made with shells , or in sweets . frames for looking-glasses , pictures , or the like . feathers of crewel for the corner of beds . preserving all kind of sweet-meats wet and dry . setting out of banquets . making salves , oyntments , waters , cordials ; healing any wounds not desperately dangerous . knowledg in discerning the symptomes of most diseases , and giving such remedies as are fit in such cases . all manner of cookery . writing and arithmetick . washing black or white sarsnets . making sweet powders for the hair , or to lay among linnen . all these and several things beside , too tedious here to relate , i shall be ready to impart to those who are desirous to learn. now to the intent i may increase your wonder , i shall relate how i came to the knowledg of what i prosess . when i was fourteen years old , i began to consider how i might improve my time to the best advantage , not knowing at that age any thing but what reason and fancy dictated to me . before i was fifteen i was intrusted to keep a little school , and was the sole mistress thereof . this course of life i continued till the age of seventeen , when my extraordinary parts appear'd more splendid in the eyes of a noble lady in this kingdom , than really they deserv'd , who praising my works with the appellation of curious pieces of art , was infinitely pleas'd therewith . but understanding withall , that i understood indifferently the smooth italian , and could sing , dance and play on several sorts of musical instruments , she took me from my school , and greedily entertained me in her house as governess of her only daughter . unto this honourable person i am indebted for the basis , or ground-work of my preserving and cookery , by my observation of what she order'd to be done . by this ladies means i came acquainted with the court , with a deportment suitable thereunto . the death of this lady gave me a fit opportunity to be entertain'd by another no way inferiour to the former , with whom i lived seven years . at first i was governess to those of her children , whose forward virtue sufficiently declared the goodness of the stock from whence they came . time and my ladies good opinion of me , constituted me afterwards her woman , her stewardess , and her scribe or secretary . by which means i appear'd as a person of no mean authority in the family . i kept an exact account of what was spent in the house . and as i profited in externals ; so i treasured up things necessary for my understanding , having an happy opportunity so to do , nor only by hearing that ingenious and agreeable discourse interfac'd between my lady and persons of honour , but also by inditing all her letters ; in the framing and well fashioning of which ( that i might increase my ladies esteem ) i took indefatigable pains . there were not any who both wittily and wisely had publisht their epistles to view of the world , whom i had not read , and on all occasions did consult : those which i placed in my greatest esteem were the letters of mr. ford , mr. howel , mr. loveday , and monsieur voiture . but that which most of all increast my knowledg , was my daily reading to my lady , poems of all sorts , and plays , teaching me as i read , where to place my accents , how to arise and fall my voice , where lay the emphasis of the expression . romances of the best sort she took great delight in ; and being very well verst in the propriety of the french tongue , there was not any thing published by the virtuosi of france , which carefully and chargably she procur'd not ; this put me upon the understanding of that language , she was so well experienc'd therein , which is as great an ornament for young ladies as those learned tongues , of which the academical studioso boasts a more than common understanding . here as i learned hourly courtly phrases and graces , so how to express my self with the attendency of a becoming air . and as i gather'd how to manage my tongue gracefully , and discreetly ; so i thought it irrequisite to let my hands to lye idle . i exercised them daily in carving at table . and when any sad accident required their help in physick and chyrurgery , i was ready to be assisting ; in those two excellent arts in this place i acquired a competent knowledg . in short time i be came skilful , and stayed enough to order an house , and all offices belonging to it ; and gained so great an esteem among the nobility and gentry of two counties , that i was necessitated to yield to the importunity of one i dearly lov'd , that i might free my self from the tedious caresses of a many more . in the time i was a wife , i had frequent occasions to make use of all , or most of my aforenamed qualities ; and what i exercised not within my own roof , i used among my neighbours , friends , and acquaintants . that which qualified me as a governess for children as well as any thing yet i have mention'd was the great knowledg i had in the humours , inclinations , and dispositions of children , having often had at one time above threescore in number under my tuition . besides , as i have been the mistress of many servants , so i have qualified them with my instructions to be mistress to others ; the major part of them living very comfortably in a married condition . as i have taken great pains for an honest livelihood , so the hand of the almighty hath exercised me in all manner of afflictions , by death of parents when very young , by loss of husband , children , friends , estate , very much sickness , by which i was disenabled from my employment . having already given you an account of the duty , and requisite endowments which ought to be in a governess , and how qualified i was my self in that troublesome conccrn . i shall now proceed in giving young ladies such rules which long experience and observation hath taught me , which may be as their perfect guide in all ages and conditions , the practice whereof will assuredly imbalm their names here , let their stedfast faith in jesus christ only crown them with glory hereafter . good instructions for a young gentlewoman , from the age of six to sixteen . i shall suppose your parents have not been so remiss in their duties as not to furnish your tender age with what it is capable of understanding ; and therefore do not question but that you can read well , sow and write indifferently ; but i would have , long before you arrive at your teens , your first age water'd with the wholsome and sound doctrine of fearing god. remember thy creator in the days of thy youth ; that thou mayst have , with david , in thy later days this comfortable testimony of thy self , from my youth up have i loved thy law. i cannot bewail enough the careless neglect of parents in this matter , who think neither god nor nature doth tye them to further regard of their children than to afford them food , and make them strut in the fashion , learn them to dance and sing , and lastly lay up a considerable summ for some person whom they value by his greatness , not his goodness ; but how far that care falls short of what is required from parents , i appeal to the sad effects thereof , profaness towards god , and a contempt of his people , and not only a daily breach of his holy laws , but the laws of civil society . above all things , let the fear of god be improved in you . omit not by any means the duty of prayer , morning and evening , and forget not to read some portion of the sctipture every day . be very cautious in the choice of your companions , and when your age adapts you for society , have a care with whom you associate . if you tender your repute , you must beware with whom you consort , for report will bruit what you are by the company which you bear . would you then preserve those precious odours of your good name ? consort with such whose names were never branded , converse with such whose tongues sor immodesty were never taxed . as by good words evil manners are corrected ; so by evil words , are good ones corrupted . make no reside there where the least occasion of lightness is ministred ; avert your ear when you hear it ; but your heart especially , lest you harbour it . it is proverbially said , maids should be seen , not heard ; not that they should not speak , but that they should not be too talkative . a traveller sets himself out best by discourse , but a maid is best set out by silence . for your carriage , let it be in a mediocrity , neither too precise , nor too free . these simpring , made-faces partake more of chamber-maid than gentlewoman . being grown up , you may possibly be wooed to interchange favours ; rings or ribbands may seem trifles , yet trust me they are no trifles that are aim'd at in those exchanges . wherefore let nothing pass from you that may any way impeach you , or give others advantage over you . it is probable that your innocent credulity may be free from the conceit of ill as theirs from the intention of good ; but these intercourses of courtesies are not to be admitted , lest by this familiarity an entry to affection be opened which before was closed . it is dangerous to enter parley with a beleaguring-enemy ; it implies want or weakness in the besieged . presuming on your own strength is a great weakness ; and the ready way to betray your self to dangers , is to contemn them . presumption is a daring sin , and ever brings out some untimely birth , which , viper-like , is the destruction of its parent . i shall desist here in this place from giving you more rules of caution and good behaviour , having design'd another , wherein i intend a more copious relation . advice to the female younger sort . incline not to sloth , and love not to laze in bed , but rise early ; having drest your self with decency and cleanliness , prostrate your self in all humility upon your bended knees before god almighty , beseeching his infinite majesty to forgive you whatever sins you have committed in deed , word or thought ; begging protection from the sin and evil of that day , and his holy assistance in the prosecution of good all the days of your life . having said your prayers , then on your knees ask your parents blessing ; and what they shall appoint for your breakfast , do you by no means dislike or grumble at ; waste not too much time in eating thereof , but hasten to school , having first taken your leave of your parents with all reverence . do not loyter by the way , or play the truant ; abuse none whom you meet , but be courteous and mannerly to all who speak with you . leave not any thing behind which you ought to carry with you , not only things you learn in or by , but also gloves , pocket-handkerchiefs ; and have a special care of any thing that may mischief you by the way . when you come to school , salute your mistress in a reverent manner , and be sure to mind what she injoyns you to do or observe . you cannot but live well if you conform to what you hear . be not offended if your governess advise you rather what is most fitting , than what is most pleasing ; for such is the property of a good instructress . and these are to be entertained with such indeared respect , as their speeches ( be they never so tart ) should not incense you ; nor their reproofs , be they never so free distaste you ; having done this , salute civilly your school-fellows , and then apply your self to your book , work , writing , or what ever else you are to learn. show not your ill breeding and want of manners , by eating in the school , especially before your mistress . mind what you are about , and neglect not what you are to do , by vain pratling in the school : make no noise , that you may neither disturb your mistress , or school-fellows . when you are called to read , come reverently to your mistress , or any whom she appoints ; avoid reading with a tone , huddle not over your lesson , but strive to understand what you read , and read so plainly , distinctly , and deliberately , that others may understand ; if you are doubtful of a word , carefully spell it , and mistake not one word for another ; when you have done , return , shewing your reverence to your place . whatever work you take in hand , do it cleanly and well , though you are the longer about it ; and have a care of wasting or losing any thing that appertains thereunto . sit upright at your work , and do not lean or lol : and forbear to carry children in your arms out of a wanton humour ; for these , whilst you are so young , may incline your body to crookedness . if you write , be careful you do not blot your paper ; take pains in the true forming or cutting your letters , and endeavour to write true and well after your copy . preserve your pens , spill not your ink , nor flurt it on your own or others clothes , and keep your fingers from being polluted therewith . returning from school , make haste home , not gaping on every idle object you meet with by the way . coming into the house , apply your self immediately to your parents ; and having saluted them according to your duty , acquaint them with what proficiency you have made in your learning that day ; be not absent when dinner is on the table , but present when grace is said ; and sit not down before you have done your obeisance to your parents , and the company then present . keep your clothes from greasing , by pinning or keeping your napkin tite about you ; and receive what is given you , thankfully . be not talkative at table , nay , nor do not speak , unless you are askt a question . eat not your meat greedily , nor fill your mouth too full ; and empty your mouth before you drink ; and avoid smacking in your eating . grease not your fingers as those that are slovenly , up to the knuckles . you will show your self too saucy by calling for sawce or any dainty thing . forbear putting both hands to your mouth at onee ; nor gnaw your meat , but cut it handsomely , and eat sparingly . let your nose and hands be always kept clean . when you have dined or supt , rise from the table , and carry your trencher or plate with you , doing your obeisance to the company ; and then attend in the room till the rest rise . in the intervals of school-time , let your recreation be pleasant and civil , not rude and boisterous . sit not before your betters , unless you are so desired , and unless you are at meat , working , or writing . be no make-bate between your parents and their servants ; tell not a lye in any case , nor mince it into a plausible excuse to save you from the hand of correction . going to bed , make no noise that may disturb any of the family , but more especially your parents ; and before you betake your self to rest , commit your self into the hands of the almighty ; desiring his infinite majesty not only to watch over you in the night , but preserve you for , and assist you in the duties of the ensuing day . if the poor beg at your father's door , though you cannot your self supply his necessities , yet you may do it by perswading your father or mother , which may be the sooner induced to it by observing your early and forward inclination tocharity . get that catechism the government has made choice of for you , by heart ; by the practice of which you will be enabled to perform your duty to god and man. behave your self in the church reverently , giving an awful regard to what sacred truths the minister shall deliver for your future observation and practice ; and do not proclaim publickly to the whole congregation your levity and vanity , by laughing , talking , pointing with your finger , and nodding , or your careless contempt of gods word by drowsiness or sleeping . do not despise the aged , but rather honour them for their antiquity ; and indeed you have but little reason to contemn old people , if you consider this , that you will be old if god shall think fit to continue your days to the length of theirs , and therefore would not be so serv'd your self . god inable you to observe and practice what i have here already laid down , and give you yielding hearts to the exercise of what shall hereafter follow to the glory of god , the unspeakable comfort of your friends , and eternal salvation of your immortal souls . thus i have given you general instructions as to your learning and deportment : give me now leave to insist in particular on the duty you owe your parents . the duty of children to their parents . the duties of a child ( male or female ) to parents , may be branch'd out into these particulars ; reverence , love , obedience , ( especially in marriage ) assisting them in their wants , nay all these considered as a due debt to the worst of parents . you ought in the first place to behave your self towards them with reverence , respect , humility , and observance ; and although their infirmities may tempt you into a contempt of them , yet you must not despise them in your behaviour , nor let your heart entertain an undervaluing thought . what infirmities they have , you must endeavour to cover and conceal , like shem and japhet , who whilst cursed cham endeavoured to disclose the nakedness of their father to publick view , they privately covered from the sight of others , that which they debarr'd their own eyes to look upon . it is a great fault in our days , and too frequently practised , for youth not only to deride the imperfections of their parents , but forge and pretend more than they have , that their counsel and correction may seem rather the effect of weakness , than good judgment in the punishing their childrens errors . they think they then best express their wit , when they can most flout and abuse grave counsel . let such , if they will not practise the exhortations , yet remember the threatnings of the wisest of men , prov. . . the eye that mocketh his father , and despiseth to obey his mother , the ravens of the valley shall pick it out , and the young eagles shall eat it . thus as your behaviour ought to be respectful to them , so ought you to shew them all the demonstrations of love imaginable , striving to do them all the good you can , and shunning all the occasions of their disquiet . this you are obliged unto by common gratitude ; for they were not only the instruments of bringing you into the world , but of sustaining and supporting you afterwards ; if you could but rightly weigh the fears and cares that are required in the bringing up a child , you would judg your love to be but a moderate return in compensation thereof . this love is to be exprest several ways : first in all kindness of behaviour , carrying your self not only with awe and respect , but with kindness and affection , which will encourage you to do those things they affect , and make you avoid what may grieve and afflict them . secondly , this love is to be exprest in praying for them . the debt a child owes her parents is so great , that she can never make satisfaction unless she call god to her aid and assistance , by beseeching him to multiply his blessings on them . do not for any temporal benefit , or to be freed from the severity of thy parents , wish their death . god in the old testament hath denounced death and destruction to the curser of his parents , and therefore certainly will not let thy ill wishes towards them go unpunished ; certainly they who watch for the death of their parents , may untimely meet with their own . the third duty we owe them , is obedience ; this is not only contained in the fifth commandment , but injoined in many other places of scripture . this obedience extends no farther than to lawful things ; otherwise it is disobedience , and offends against a higher duty , even that you owe to god your heavenly father . how little this duty is regarded , daily experience makes evident ; the careful mother having her child no longer under her command , than under the rod. wherefore think not , though grown up to womans estate , that you are freed from obedience ; and let not your motive thereunto be out of worldly prudence , fearing to displease your parents , lest they should diminish your intended portion , and so be a loser thereby ; but let your obedience be grounded upon conscience of duty . but of all the acts of disobedience , that of marrying against the consent of parents is the highest . children are so much the goods and chattels of a parent , that they cannot without a kind of theft give themselves away without the allowance of those that have the right in them ; and therefore we see under the law , the maid that had made any vow , was not suffer'd to perform it without the consent of the patent , numb . . . the right of the parent was thought of force enough to cancel and make void the obligation even of a vow ; and therefore surely it ought to be so much considered by us to keep us from making any such whereby that right is infringed . a fourth duty is , to minister to , and assist your parents in what ever necessities or infirmities god almighty shall think fit to inflict upon them . it may be thy parent is weak or decay'd in understanding , supply his or her wants according to thy ability , since in thy infancy thou didst receive the same benefits from them . when an infant , you had neither strength to support , nor understanding to guide your self , but was supply'd with both by your indulgent parents ; wherefore common gratitude , when either of these becomes their case , obligeth you to return the same offices back again to them . and as for the relieving their poverty , there is the same obligation with the former , it being but just to sustain those who had maintain'd thee . how then shall those answer it , who will not part with , or circumscribe their own excesses and superfluities for the relief of such to whom they owe their being and well-being ? and worse it will be with those who out of pride deny their parents , being themselves exalted , fearing lest the lowness of their condition should betray the meanness of their birth . lastly , that i may conclude this discourse , assure your self , that no unkindness , fault , or poverty of a parent , can excuse or acquit a child from this duty . although the gratitude due to a kind parent be a forcible motive to make the child pay his duty ; yet though our parent were ever so unnatural , yet still we are to perform our duty , though none of that tye of gratitude lie on us . take this for all , honour and obey thy natural parents in what condition soever ; for if they cannot give thee riches , yet thy heavenly father hath promised thee length of days . of a young gentlewomans deportment to her governess and servants in the family . if your parents have committed you to the care and tuition of a governess in the house with you , think with your self , that this person whom i must now call my governess , is one whom my father and mother have elected and entertain'd for my education , to lessen their own trouble , but not their tender care of me . therefore if i obey her not in all things requisite , i transgress the commands of my loving parents , and displease god in abusing their kindness . next , consider within your self , that this person who is constituted the guide of my actions , is such a one as they are confident either in their own judgments , or those who have recommended her , to be fit in all points to perform this charge committed to her ; therefore in obedience to them i must and will obey her and follow those good examples and precepts she shall lay down for my better information . if she seem somewhat harsh , reserv'd , and abridgeth your freedom , yet let not your green years be too forward in condemning her , nor let not the ill counsel of inferior servants perswade you against her ; lest by so doing you betray your want of reason and good nature , and detract from your parents worthy care for you . if you have just cause of complaint , yet speak not maliciously against her , but truly and opportunely impart your grief ; by this means she will be either removed from you , or regulated by their commands . be sure therefore that your complaints be just , lest you should have one in her stead who may more justly deserve your censure , and so make your self unhappy by your parents fears of having a child that is refractory . besides , think thus with your self , that too often complaining makes dull and careless the auditor ; and instead of extracting compassion , it creates a jealousie of an ill disposition . if your governess be a woman in years , honour her the more ; if young , you may promise your self more freedom with her ; yet if i may advise , i would not have a person too young to have such a charge , for they will have sufficient to do to govern themselves , therefore the more unfit to govern others ; besides youth will be the more easily induced to submit rather to their elders than their equals . what i now declare , is the fruit of experience , having had too great a charge in this nature , when i was very young ; and do know how defective i was then in my duty , since i became a mother of children , having now more tenderness to youth ; and can speak it knowingly , that a mild moderate way is to be preferred before rigor and harshness , and that correction of words is better than that of blows . give me leave , gentlewomen , to wish you a good governess , not such a one as i have been , but as i could or would be now . i can now with a greater sense look back upon my faults , than i could discern them when first committed : thus much to your governess . now to your maid who is to dress you . be not peevish or froward to her , but sweetly accept her endeavours , and gently admonish her of her neglects or errors ; if she be good natur'd and willing to please , this carriage will oblige and command a constant diligence from her ; otherwise you will cause her to serve you only for her own ends , and with an eye-service ; and whilst you are making a wry face in the glass , she will make another behind your back . be courteous to all the servants belonging to your parents , but not over-familiar with any of them , lest they grow rude and sawcy with you ; and indeed too much familiarity is not good with any , for contempt is commonly the product thereof . if you can do any servant good in any thing , either in mitigating your parents anger towards them , or presenting their humble petition for them , be not slack in so doing , for by this means you will purchase to your self both love and honour . if any poor body sue to you to beg in their names that which is not unfit for them to ask , do not deny them , and god will not deny you your requests : do good to all , and turn not your face away from the indigent , but let your charity extend to their relief and succour . be courteous to all people inferior to your quality ; but in such a way , that they may know you understand your self , and this will be a sweet kind of commanding reverence from them , and will give you the character of a good and humble spirit ; assure your self it is better to be good than great . majesty mixt with modesty and humility forcibly commands the service of all ; but pride and imperiousness , though in a great person , breeds scorn and contempt in the heart and tongue even of the meanest peasant . if god hath blest you with birth and fortune above others , be sure your virtue shine with greater luster than others . despise not those who have not so great a portion of wit and wealth as you possess ; but think with your self , to whom the lord , gives much he requires much from . as god made nothing in vain , so he gives nothing in vain . that person is not to be trusted , who doth not endeavour to improve what he is intrusted withal . if you have wisdom , boast not thereof , but give god thanks , and use it to his glory and your own comfort . what qualifications best become and are most suitable to a gentlewoman . i have already endeavoured to prove , that though nature hath differ'd mankind into sexes , yet she never intended any great difference in their intellect . this will evidently appear not only from those many arguments learned cornelius agrippa hath laid down in a particular treatise for the vindication of the excellency of the female-sex , but likewise from the many learned and incomparable writings of famous women , ancient and modern , particularly anna comnena who wrote the eastern history in greek , a large folio . nor can we without great ingratitude forget the memory of that most ingenious dutch lady anna maria a schurman , who was so much admired by the greatest scholars in europe for her unparallel'd , natural and acquired parts , that there were very few ( as the great salmasius , &c. ) who did not frequently correspond with her by letters . her opusucla or smaller works are now extant , printed in holland in latin , greek , and hebrew , in which there is a small tract , proving that a womans capacity is no way inferior to mans in the reception of any sort of learning ; and therefore exhorts all parents who are not much necessitated , not to let their children spin away their precious time , or pore on a sampler , till they have prickt out the date of their life ; but rather instruct them in the principles of those learned tongues , whereby they may at pleasure pick-lock the treasuries of knowledg contained in those languages , and adapt them for the conversation and discourse of most nations . i need not go out of our native country to produce you examples enough of our own sex for your imitation and incouragement in treading the paths of learning ; i shall forbear to speak of the incomparable worth and pregnant parts of some gentlewomen lately deceased , as mrs. philips the ingenious translatress of pompey , &c. since what is extant of hers , or her contemporaries will more at large express their matchless merit ; nor shall i eulogize or praise the living , nominating any person , left i be thought one partially addicted to flattery . yet give me leave to say , i could instance not a few , who ( to the glory of our sex , and the place of their nativity if occasion modestly required ) would not blush to answer a capricious virtuoso in three of the most useful tongues spoken or understood , that is , latin , french , and italian . i desire not to hyperbolize ; it is probable they may not be so expert in the anatomizing an insect , or the discovery of some monstrous production , as these epidemical wits are ; yet for ought i know , may find out many monstrosities in their brain , whilst they are subtilly plumming the depth of their self-admired understanding . now since it may hence appear , ladies , that you have no pygmean souls , but as capable of gygantick growth as of your male-opponents ; apply your self to your gramar by time , and let your endeavours be indefatigable , and not to be tired in apprehending the first principles of the latin tongue . i shall forbear to give you rules for attaining the perfect knowledg thereof , but leave you to that method your tutor or skilful governess shall propound for your observation . i need not tell you the vast advantages that will accrue hereby , your own experience will better inform you hereafter . however i shall hint some ; as first , your understanding the latin tongue will inable you to write and speak true and good english ; next , it will accommodate you with an eloquent stile in speaking , and afford you matter for any discourse ; lastly , you will be freed from the fear of rencountring such who make it their business to ransack a new world of words to find out what are long and obscure ; not regarding how insignificant , if they carry a ratling sound with them . thus these fops of rhetorick , spawns of non-intelligency , will venture the spraining of their tongues , and splay-footing their own mouths , if they can but cramp a young gentlewomans intellect . our english tongue is of late verymuch refined , by borrowing many words from the latin , only altering the termination ; these you will never perfectly understand without the knowledg of the latin , but rather misapply or displace them to your great discredit , although you should consult all the english interpreters that were ever extant . and as our mother-tongue hath finified her expressions with the roman dialect ; so to make them the more spruce and complacent , she hath borrowed some choice words from other nations , more especially the neighbouring french , whose tongue you must in no sort be ignorant of , if you intend to speak with the air of the court , or like the quaint oratresses of the court-air . it is no small benefit which will accrue to you by learning the italian ; for by reason of our gentries travelling into foreign parts , occasioned by our late unhappy and inhumane home-bred distractions , these two languages are generally spoken in england ; insomuch that a court-lady will not be induced to esteem a friend , or entertain a servant who cannot speak one of them at least : and that you may not despair of a competent knowledg of either , or both , without going into those countries where they are naturally spoken , know there are many excellent masters who teach here in london those languages ; but more especially that sober and learned natural italian seignor torriano ; and that unimitable master of the french tongue , monsieur mauger ; both which have publisht their gramars ; the first a large and useful italian dictionary also . both these countrys have been happy , and may be justly proud in producing so many learned and ingenious men ; so many , should i nominate them with their deserved encomiums , this small treatise would swell into volumes ; i shall therefore pass them over , but would not have you their writings , where you shall find plenty of every thing , which shall either tickle your fancy , or furnish your understanding . having thus adapted you for conversation , let me next show you your deportment therein . of a gentlewomans civil behaviour to all sorts of people in all places . a painter of old being about a draught of a most absolute beauty , propounded for the accomplishment thereof half a dozen of the most exquisite and wonderful fair maidens he could find , that he might steal from each those charms and features which he thought were most powerful ; but i will assure you , a greater assistance is required in the framing and fashioning of a woman , whose behaviour should be such as to please in all companies . whatsoever nature can afford , or good manners inform , come short of this purpose . in this subject the fairest ornaments are most necessary ; among which what i have already exprest , are highly to be prized , which with the aggregation of all the best qualities can be desired , are the proper things , which as in their center , must terminate in conversation . the first things i judg most necessary , and do wish , with socrates , were in you ladies , as he desired in his pupils , are discretion , silence and modesty . but this is too general ; wherefore since conversation ( after the milk ) is the first and chiefest thing , both animal as well as rational creatures do most desire and delight in , i shall first advise , as to choice of company ; next , your carriage therein , both in gesture , look , speech and habit . no wonder all mankind is so generally inclined to conversation , since life without society is more insupportable than death ; it is discourse makes us pass over our tedious hours and days with delight . what a desart would this world seem without company ! and how dangerous would it prove were we not cautious in our election ! for example is more forcible than precept ; thus by ill company you may gain a bad custom , which all good instructions shall never root out . but should you be so prudent as not to follow their evil example ; yet by associating your self , you will inevitably contract a suspition of being as bad as they ; this made the philosopher say , shew me thy companion , and i will tell thee what thou art . be not easily induc'd to enter into discourse with strangers , for nothing argueth levity and indiscretion more than that . consort your self with your betters as near as you can , yet do not despise your equals , but in a most especial manner avoid all familiarity with your inferiors ; if female , in a little time they will thereby be drawn to slight you ; if male , they will be incouraged to attack your honour unlawfully , or subtilly insinuate themselvcs into your affection , whereby though you are as high in fortune as honourable in birth , you may stoop to so low a contract , that forgeting your self by the incessant importunities of their over-blown desires , you are overcome , and so become a grief to your friends , a shame to your selves , and a lamentable spectacle of reproach and sorrow to that worthy family , from whence you had your original . affect not the vanity of some , in being seen in publick too frequently . thus many excellent ladies have exposed themselves to the mercy of the tempter , who otherwise had stood impregnable in the defence of their chastities . you think , it may be , and intend no harm in your promenades or walks ; but by so doing , you give too often occasion for licentious amorists to meet with you , and may thereby be perswaded to throw off the vail of circumspection , to give attention to some wanton smutty story . consult not too much with youthful blood and beauty , lest they prove too dangerous enemies to be your privy-councellors . be not guilty of the unpardonable fault of some , who never think they do better than when they speak most ; uttering an ocean of words , without one drop of reason ; talking much , expressing little . much like that woman dr. heylin unhappily met withal , in his younger years , with whom he was constrained to travel a long journey in a coach : so indiscreetly reserved she was at first meeting , that tendring his devoir of a salute , ( as it is customary ) she would not admit thereof ; so speechless withal at first , as if a vow'd resolution had tied up her tongue to the strict observance of an everlasting silence ; but the next day , she so far presumed on the slenderness of the acquaintance , that , though she was so silent before , she then opened upon their setting forward ; and the continual click of her tongue never ceast till the sun was set ; which the motion of her tongue , and the doctor 's watch , kept exact time for eleven hours ; and notwithstanding her seeming modesty in refusing a kiss , did now voluntarily prompt him to a close imbrace . as i would not advise you to be over-reserv'd , so give not too loose reins to liberty , making pleasure your vocation , as if you were created for no other end than to dedicate the first fruits of the morning to your looking-glass , and the remainder thereof to the exchange , or play-house . many of our sex are too blame , who have no sooner ting'd their faces artificially , than some attendant is dispatcht to know what plays are to be acted that day ; my lady approveth of one which she is resolved to see , that she may be seen ; being in the pit or box , she minds not how little she observeth in it , as how much to be observed at it . if the novelty or goodness of the play invite them not , then what lady fashion-munger ? or what lord beauty-hunter ? shun all affectation in your behaviour ; for virtue admits of no such thing in her gesture or habit , but that which is proper , and not enforced ; native or decent , and not what is apishly introduced . therefore since nothing better befits you than what is your own , make known by your dress , how much you hate formality . to this end play not the hypocrite with your creator , in pretending to go to church to serve him , whereas it is to serve your selves in the imitation of some new fashion . that which becometh another well , may ill become you : you deserve in your preposterous imitation , suitable correction with the ass in the fable , who seeing the spaniel fawningly to leap on his master , thought that the like posture would alike become and oblige him ; which he adventuring to put in practice , alarm'd the whole family , and was soundly beaten for his unadvised folly . affectation cannot be conceal'd , and the indecency of your deportment will quickly be discovered in publick societies ; wherefore behave your self so discreetly abroad , that you may confer no less a benefit on such as see your behaviour , than you profit such as shall observe your carriage at home . express in publick such a well-becoming garb , that every action may deserve the applause and imitation of all that are in your company . let your conceits be nimble and ready , and not temper'd or mixt with leightness , let your jests be innocent and seasonable , without the least capriciousness ; let your discourse be free without niceness ; your whole carriage delightful , and agreeable , and flowing with a seeming carelesness . thus much in general , let me now come to particulars . of the gait or gesture . it is an easie matter to gather the disposition of our heart , by the dimension of our gait . a leight carriage most commonly discovers a loose inclination ; as jetting and strutting , shew haughtiness , and self-conceit . were your bodies transparent , you could not more perspicuously display your levity than by wanton gesticulations . decency , when she seeth women , whose modesty should be the ornament of their beauty , demean themselves in the streets , or elswhere , more like an actoress , than virtues imitatress ; she endeavours to reclaim them , by bidding them look back to preceding times , and there they shall find women ( though pagans ) highly censured , for that their outward carriage only made them suspected . a vail ( no vizard-mask ) covered their face , modesty measured each step , and so circumspect were they in general of their carriage , lest they should become a scandal or blemish to their sex. their repair to their ( prophane ) temples was decent , without any loose or leight gesture ; and having entred them , constant and setled was their behaviour . quick was their pace in the dispatch of oeconomick or houshold affairs , but slow in their epicurean visits , or extravagant gossipings . how much more should you in these purer christian times , affect that most which most adorns and beautifieth ? eye your feet those bases of frailty , how they who so proudly exalt themselves on the surface of the earth , are but earth ; and are the daily porters which carry their earthly frame nearer its earth . with what apish gestures some walk , to discover their leightness ; others like colosso's , discovering their ambition and haughtiness ? how punctually these , as if they were puppets , who are beholding for their motion to some secret artifice ? these unstaid dimensions , argue unsetled dispositions . such as these , discretion cannot prize , nor sound judgment praise . vulgar opinion , whose applause seldom receives life from desert , may admire what is new ; but discretion only that which is neat . having thus spoken what is requisite in gesture , i shall next treat how the eye ought to be governed . of the government of the eye . as prudence is the eye of the soul , so discretion is the apple of that eye ; but as for the natural eyes , they are the casements of the soul , the windows of reason : as they are the inlets of understanding , so they are the outlets or discoverers of many inward corruptions . a wanton eye is the truest evidence of a wandring and distracted mind . as by them you ought not to betray to others view , your imperfections within ; so be not betray'd by their means , by vain objects without : this made the princely prophet pray so earnestly , lord turn away my eyes from vanity . and hence appears our misery , that those eyes which should be the cisterns of sorrow , limbecks of contrition , should become the lodges of lust , and portals of our perdition . that those which were given us for our assistants , should become our assassinates . an unclean eye , is the messenger of an unclean heart ; wherefore confine the one , and it will be a means to rectifie the other . there are many objects a wandring eye finds out , whereon to vent the disposition of her corrupt heart . the ambitious eye makes honour her object , wherewith she torments her self , both in aspiring to what she cannot enjoy ; as likewise , in seeing another enjoy that whereto her self did aspire . the covetous makes wealth her object ; which she obtains with toil , enjoys with fear , foregoes with grief ; for being got , they load her ; lov'd , they soil her ; lost , they gall her . the envious makes her neighbours flourishing condition her object ; she cannot but look on it ; looking , pine and repine at it ; and by repining , with envy , murders her quiet and contentment . the loose or lascivious makes beauty her object ; and with a lecring look , or wanton glance , while she throweth out her lure to catch others , she becomes catcht her self . gentlewomen , i am not insensible , that you frequent places of eminency for resort , which cannot but offer to your view variety of pleasing objects . nay , there where nothing but chast thoughts , staid looks , and modest desires , should harbour , are too commonly loose thoughts , leight looks , and licentious desires in especial honour . the means to prevent this malady , which like a spreading canker , disperseth it self in all societies , is to abate your esteem for any earthly object . do you admire the comeliness of any creature ? remove your eye from thence , and bestow it on the contemplation of the superexcellency of your creator . put a check to the stragling disposition of your eyes , lest dinah-like , by straying abroad , you are in danger of ravishing . now to preserve purity of heart , you must observe a vigilancy over every sense ; where , if the eye which is the light of the body be not well disposed , the rest of the senses cannot chuse but be much darkned . be assur'd , there is no one sense that more distempers the harmony of the mind , nor prospect of the soul , than this window of the body . it may be said to open ever to the raven , but seldom to the dove . roving affections , it easily conveys to the heart ; but dove-like innocence , it rarely retains in the breast . the very frame of your eyes may sufficiently inform you how to govern and guide them . for it is observed by the most curious oculists , that whereas all irrational creatures have but four muscles to turn their eyes round about ; man alone hath a fifth to draw his eyes up to heaven . do not then depress your eyes , as if earth were the center of their happiness , but on heaven the haven of their bliss after earth . to conclude , so order and dispose your looks , that censure may not tax them with leightness , nor an amorous glance impeach you of wantonness . send not forth a tempting eye to take another ; nor entertain a tempting look , darting from another . take not , nor be taken . to become a prey to others , will enslave you , to make a prey of others will transport you . look then upward , where the more you look , you shall like ; the longer you live , you shall love . from the managenagement of the eyes let us next proceed to speech . of speech and complement . the eye entertains it self not with more objects than the invention furnisheth the tongue with subjects ; and as without speech , no society can subsist ; so by it we express what we are ; as vessels discover themselves best by the sound . let discretion make opportunity her anvil , whereon to fashion a seasonable discourse ; otherwise , though you speak much , you discourse little . it is true ( ladies ) your tongues are held your defensive armour , but you never detract more from your honour than when you give too much liberty to that slippery glib member . that ivory guard or garrison , which impales your tongue , doth caution and instruct you , to put a restraint on your speech . in much talk you must of necessity commit much error , at least , it leaves some tincture of vain glory , which proclaims the proud heart from whence it proceeded , or some taste of scurrility , which displays the wanton heart from whence it streamed . a well disposed mind will not deliver any thing , till it hath rightly conceived ; but its expressions are always prepared by a well-season'd deliberation . think not i would have you altogether silent ( ladies ) in company , for that is a misbecoming error on the other side ; but i would have you when you do speak , to do it knowingly and opportunely . a saying of a philosopher will not be unworthy of your commemoration , who seeing a silent guest at a publick feast , used these words , if thou beest wise , thou art a fool ; if a fool thou art wise in holding thy peace . for as propriety of speech affords no less profit than delight to the hearer , so it argues discretion in the speaker . by the way , let me advise you never to tye your self so strictly to elegancy , or ornament ; as by outward trimming , the internal worth of right understanding should be altogether forgotten , and so your expressions savour of some absurd impertinency . this were to prefer the rind before the pith , and the sound of words before solid reason . that excellent precept of ecclesiasticus , though it was spoken in general , yet i know not to whom it is more particularly useful than to young women . thou that art young , speak , if need be , and yet scarcely when thou art twice asked . comprehend much in few words ; in many , be as one that is ignorant ; be as one that understandetb , and yet hold thy tongue . volubility of tongue in these , argues either rudeness of breeding , or boldness of expression . gentlewomen , it will best become ye , whose generous education hath estranged ye from the first , and whose modest disposition hath weaned ye from the last , in publick society to observe , rather than discourse , especially among elderly matrons to whom ye owe a civil reverence , and therefore ought to tip your tongue with silence . silence in a woman is a moving-rhetorick , winning most , when in words it woeth least . if opportunity give your sex argument of discourse , let it neither taste of affectation , for that were servile ; nor touch upon any wanton relation , for that were uncivil ; nor any thing above the sphere of your proper concern , for that were unequal . this will make your discourse generally acceptable , and free you from prejudicate censure . choice and general rules for a gentlewomans observation in conversation with company . before i shall direct you in a method for civil converse in society , it will not be improper to give you an account of civility , and in what it consists ; next , the definition , circumstances , and several kinds thereof ; lastly , the difference of things decent , and undecent according to custom . civility , or gentle plausibility , of which i intend to give you information ; is in my slender judgment nothing else but the modesty and handsome decorum , to be observed by every one according to his or her condition ; attended with a bonne grace , and a neat becoming air . it lyeth not in my power to lay you down rules and precepts for the procuring this charming air , and winning agreeableness . nature hath reserved this to her self , and will not bestow this inexpressible boon , but to her choicest favourites , and therefore i do not see how art with her utmost skill can imitate it to any purpose . i confess this very much engageth the eye , and sometimes doth very subtilly steal into the affections ; but we rest too much on a trifle , if we do not endeavour to make our selves more grateful to the eye of reason . it is not barely the outward ornamental dress , or becoming-address which is the true principle and form of a compleat gentlewoman ; there is something more required , more substantial and solid , which must discover the disposition of her soul , rather than the gesticulations of her body . were it not for this , alas what would become of a great many to whom nature hath prov'd an unkind stepmother , denying them not only convenient use of members , but hath thrown on them deformity of parts ; these corporal incommodities would make them pass for monsters , did not the excellency of their souls compensate those irreparable defects ; their minds being well cultivated and polite , their actions may be as pleasing as those of the handsomest ; that lady that is so unfortunate in the one , and so happy in the other , may say with the poet : si mihi difficilis formam natura negavit , ingenio formae damna rependo meae . in english thus : if nature hath deni'd me what is fit , the want of beauty i repay with wit. but whether you are afflicted with any natural or accidental deformity , or not , you can never be truly accomplisht till you apply your self to the rule of civility , which is nothing but a certain modesty or pudor required in all your actions ; this is the virtue i shall labour to describe , which description i hope will be sufficient to direct you towards the acquisition of that agreeable deportment which hath the power to conciliate and procure the applause and affection of all sorts of people . the definition of civility may be thus understood ; it is a science for the right understanding our selves , and true instructing how to dispose all our words and actions in their proper and due places . there are four circumstances which attend civility ; without which , according to its rules , nothing can be done exactly . first , ladies , you must consult your years , and so accordingly behave your self to your age and condition . next , preserve all due respect to the quality of the person you converse withall . thirdly , consider well the time . and , lastly , the place where you are . these circumstances relating to the knowledg of our selves , and all persons in all conditions , having respect to time and place , are of such great consequence , and necessary import , that if you are deficient in any of these , all your actions ( how well soever intended ) are the rags of imperfection and deformity . i shall find it somewhat difficult to prescribe the exact rules of civility , so as to render them compliable with all times , places , and persons , by reason of variety of customs : you may fall accidentally into the society of some exotick and forreign person of quality ; and what may seem civil and decent in you , may seem undecent and ridiculous to another nation . nay , should you observe and practise in your behaviour what hath been applauded for useful and profitable , and commended to posterity for a gentlewomans laudible imitation , may decline or grow altogether contemptible in our critical and curious age. in short , nothing is so intrinsically decorous , but the experience or capricio of a phantastical lady will alter or explode . by reason of this variety , i think it altogether requisite to treat of it as it stands at this time in reputation among such who call themselves christians , and accordingly reduce these notions into practise . this modesty or civility we speak of , take it according to its truest acceptation , is little else but humility ; which being well practis'd by persons of quality , is sufficient to stamp an everlasting impress on them of virtue and civility . and this humility consists not only in a moderate and submiss opinion of our selves , but in preferring the satisfaction and commodity of other persons before our own ; and that so ingeniously , first , by not provoking or disobliging any one ; to be of this disposition , is to be not only esteemed modest , but good-natur'd ; the benefit that will redound to you hereby , may incite and encourage you to the practise of this shining-virtue : for as there is nothing will render any one more insupportable , and lessen estimation among all , than insolence and vanity ; so nothing recommends more strongly to the good opinion and affection of all , than affability and submission . this virtue of humility , above all others , hath this great priviledg in extraordinary eminence . i have known some , who having been endued with a more than an ordinary measure hereof , have been so far from being accused for their formal indecencies , and other errors , which otherwise might have been objected to their disparagement , that every one endeavoured to excuse them . i have known , on the other side , a proud and an imperious carriage ( though the person was adorned with much breeding , and beautified with all the usual ornaments of art , yet ) was beloved by few , because displeasing to most , and hardly welcome to any . modesty therefore is the effect of humility , as civility and the gratefulness of our actions is the effect of modesty . to conclude this chapter , i shall add the difference or discrimination between things civil and uncivil , convenient and inconvenient , decent and undecent . for the better understanding hereof , a good natural judgment is required in a gentlewoman for the perception and discerning the various qualities of things ; for want of this , she may many times fall into a mistake , and commit gross absurdities . in the next place , it is necessary that you take an exact observation of what is own'd and establisht for civil or uncivil , in the place wherein you are . lastly , you must have a special regard , not to confound familiarity with civility . to persons of quality in a higher rank than your own , be very attentive to what they say , lest you put them to the trouble of speaking things twice . interrupt them not whilst they are speaking , but patiently expect till they have done . have a special care how you contradict them ; but if finding them in an error , and necessity obligeth you to inform them of the truth , first beg your excuse ; but if they persist therein , contend not , but refer your further discourse till another opportunity . when it comes to your turn to speak to intelligent ladies , entertain them not with things you understand but imperfectly . if you find the company more facetious and witty than your self , leave the discourse to time , and be silent , contenting your self to be an attentive hearer : if you will run the hazzard , be smart and pithy , comprehending much in few words ; and be not the vain imitatrix of those who affect to have the whole talk ; and when their mouths are once open , can never shut them again . if you are obliged to complement any great person , do it as briefly as possible ; and return your answers rather in courtships , than in any prolix discourse . avoid especially that rudeness that is too frequently practised among some , who think they are never heard , unless they come up so close to the face , as to run against your nose ; in that case you are to pray heartily their breath be sweet , or you faint irrecoverably . let not your visits be too long ; and when you think it convenient to retreat , and that lady you visited will do you the honour to accompany you out of the chamber , do not seem to oppose it in the least ; that would imply she understood not what she went about ; but you are only to testifie by some little formality how undeserving you are of that great honour . when you enter into a room by way of visit , avoid the indiseretion and vanity of a bold entrance without ceremony , but do it quietly and civilly ; and when you come near the person you would salute , make your complement , and render your devoir modestly , and with some gravity , shunning all bauling noise or obstreperousness . the ladies which do you the civility of rising when you come in , do not displace , by assuming any of their chairs ; but make choice of another seat ; observing still , not to sit down till they are most in their places : it being a great indecorum to seat your self in that case , whilst any person which gave you that respect continues in a standing-posture . it is an intollerable incivility to enquire what they were talking about ; or if you see any two or more discoursing or dialoguing together , to interrupt them by hastily asking what they said last . if you are in a mixt company , and you are qualified with those languages ( the knowledg whereof i have advised you to prosecute ) , speak as little as you can : but be sure you do not hold a discourse in that language the rest do not understand . it is not civil to whisper in company , and much less to laugh when you have done . the generality of gentlewomen are suspicious , and somewhat conscious , and are apt to surmize what was never intended , and to apply to themselves what was meant of another ; by which means they have conceived so great a displeasure , as never to be irradicated or removed . i need not put you in mind of those documents you learned every day when you were children ; that is , when ever you answer negatively or affirmatively , to give always the titles of sir , madam , or my lord. it is very unhandsome , when you contradict a person of quality , to answer him with , it is not so ; if you are necessitated thereunto , do it by circumlocution , as , i beg your honour's pardon : madam , i beseech your ladiship to excuse my presumption if i say you mistake , &c. if any discourse you complementally , and run out into some extravagant expressions in commendation of your person , it is a breach of civility if you should say , pray forbear your jeers , my back is broad enough to bear your flouts ; but say , you strangely surprize me , sir ; or , i am confident , sir , what you now express , is rather to shew your wit and ingenuity , than to declare any thing worth a taking notice of in me . if your love and respect to a lady's person , obligeth you to reprove a fault in her , do not say , madam , you acted the part of a mad woman , in doing such a thing ; but , had such a thing been left undone , you had neither disobliged your self or friends . take special care of speaking imperiously to your superiors , but rather do it in some indefinite manner ; as instead of saying , come , you must , do , go , &c. say , come , madam , if you think it convenient , or if it stand with your ladiships pleasure , we will go to such a place , or do such a thing ; in my opinion such a thing is requisite to be done , if it suits , madam , with your approbation . as it is a great argument of indiscretion in a gentlewoman that would be thought prudent and wise , to talk much in praise of her relations in the presence of persons of honour ; so it is very unhandsome to seem affected or over-much pleased in hearing others speaking largely in their commendations . there is a certain ambitious vanity that possesseth the minds of some of the younger sort , who being nobly extracted , think they add to the honour of their parents , when having occasion to speak of them in honourable company , they never mention them without their titles of honour ( though we ought always to speak of them with respect ) , as , my lord my father , my lady my mother ; in my opinion every jot as ridiculous , as for young gentlewomen of twelve years old to call them dad and mam. avoid , as a thing very improper , to send commendations or messages to any person by your superior ; you may make choice of your equal for that purpose , but chuse rather your inferior . in relating a story , do not trouble your auditors with the vain repetion of do you understand me , mark ye , or obsrve me ; and do not accustom your self to the empty cautologies of said be , and said she . be backward in discourse of minding any one of any thing which may renew their grief , or perplex and trouble their spirit . carelesly to nod , gape , or go away whilst one is speaking , is both an act of incivility and stupidity ; to laugh , or express any tom-boy trick , is as bad or worse ; be careful therefore you do not pat or toy with her that sits near you , nor do not that childish or foolish thing which may provoke laughter ; left the company , being indisposed for such idle diversious , take distaste at you , and look upon you as the subject of their scorn . it is very ungentile and indiscreet , to peep over any ladies shoulder when she is either writing or reading ; or to cast your eye seriously on any one's papers lying in your way . let it be your principal care , of not intruding upon persons in private discourse , which will be discovered either by their retirement , their whispering , or by changing their discourse upon your approach : having observed either of these signs , make it your business to withdraw , lest you incur the censure of indiscretion . if the person you visit be sick , and in bed , let not your stay be long : for sick perfons are unquiet ; and being tied up to physick , and controul'd by its operations , you may offend them by their being offensive to you : you must remember likewise to speak low ; and urge him not to answer as little as you can . in company it is ill-becoming to break out into loud and violent laughter , upon any occasion whatever ; but worse by far , to laugh always without occasion . rules to be observed in walking with persons of honour ; and how you ought to behave your self in congratulating and condoling them . if you walk in a gallery , chamber , or garden , be sure to keep the left hand ; and without affectation or trouble to the lady , recover that side every turn . if you make up the third in your walk , the middle is the most honourable place , and belongs to the best in the company ; the right hand is next , and the left in the lowest estimation . if the lady with whom you walk , hath a desire to fit down , to the intent she may repofe her self ; if you pretend any difference between persons , it would be very ridiculous and slighting to leave her to her rest , whilst you continued walking on . if you understand a person for whom you have any deference or respect , meets with a subject or occasion of rejoycing or sorrowing ; civility requires you so to conform your self , that this lady may be fully perswaded of your affection , and how much you are concerned in all her affairs ; and as your countenances , so ought your habit testifie the sentiment of your heart , as well as words and actions . how preposterous would it appear to the meanest capacity , for any out of a ridiculous non-conformity , who hearing of some joyful and succesful accident which hath befaln some noble family of his or her acquaintance , repair thither with all the symptoms of sorrow and melancholy in the countenance ; and on the contrary , if it be in mourning , or under any eminent affliction , to express all the signs of joy and satisfaction ? and now since i have toucht on clothes ; i think this a fit place to give you an account of what kind of habit is most necessary for a civil , sober , and modest conversation . of habit , and the neatness and property thereof . of fashions , and their ridiculous apish imitation . the neatness and property of your clothes , may be said to shew a great part of your breeding . property , i call a certain suitableness and convenience , betwixt the clothes and the person ; as civility is the framing and adapting our actions to the satisfaction of other people . and indeed the suitableness and comeliness of your habit , makes the greatest discovery of your virtue and discretion ; for it must consequently follow , that a ridiculous garb is the most certain indicium of a foolish person . now if you desire to be exact , you ought to proportion your clothes to your shape , condition , and age ; and not to run into excesses , stimulated thereunto by too much exactness , or an over-valu'd conceit . and indeed it is a great fault in our sex , being very much inclin'd to pride it in sin with what our merciful creator bestow'd upon us to cover our shame . the fruit of a tree made woman first to sin , and the leaves thereof made her first covering . how careful ought you to be in your habit , since by it your modesty is best expressed , your dispositions best discovered ? as none can probably imagin such to have modest minds , who have immodest eyes ; so a maid cannot be accounted modest whose attire openly proclaims arguments to the contrary . it matters not whether the quality of your habits be silken or woollen , so they be civil and not wanton . pardon me , i am not of that cynical and morose temper of some , who affirm all gorgeous apparel is the attire of sin ; but if it be a sin , i am perswaded the quality of the person extenuates the quality thereof : for i read , that noble and eminent persons were in all times admitted to wear them , and to be distinguished by them ; neither indeed is the sumptuousness of the habit so reprehensive , as the phantastickness in respect of form and fashion , which of late hath been so much affected , that all fashion is in a manner exiled . i shall not trouble my self with what the glittering bona-robas of our times think , but i am confident it is civility which adds most grace , decency which expresseth best state , and comeliness in attire , which procures most love . these misconceived ornaments are meer deformities to virtuous minds . foreign fashions are no baits to catch them ; nor phantastick , rather phanatick dressings , to delude them . decency is their choicest livery , which sets them forth above others gaudy pageantry . those whose erected thoughts sphere them in an higher orb than this circle of frailty ; those whose spotless affections have devoted their best services to goodness , and made modesty the exact mold of all their actions , will not easily be induced to stoop to such worthless brain-sick lures . now such of you whose generous descent , as it claims precedence of others , so should your vertuous demeanor in these four things which i have already spoken of , viz. gesture , look , speech , and habit , improve your esteem above others . in gesture , by appearing humbly where ever you are ; in look , by disposing it demurely ; in speech , by delivering it moderately ; in habit , by attiring your self modestly . frown not on me , ladies , that i seem to be thus severe in reproving the excess of apparel ; yet i dot not deny , there is a kind of priviledg in youth for wearing fashionable clothes , jewels and diamonds , which nature ( who doth nothing in vain ) hath provided ; and whatsoever some maliciously may whisper to the contrary ; the use of apparel is to dignifie the wearer , and add more beauty to the creature , provided the apparel be not above the dignity of her that weareth it , nor doth exceed the arithmetick of her revenues . but whilst i seem to give you ( young gentle-women ) some allowance of liberty in your clothing ; for indeed it is impossible there should be youth without some vanity ; yet i know not how to excuse the vain custom now so much in fashion , to deform the face with black patches , under a pretence to make it appear more beautiful . it is a riddle to me , that a blemish should appear a grace , a deformity be esteemed a beauty : i am confident were any of them born with those half moons , stars , coach and horses , and such like trumpery , by which a lady becomes a stranger to her self , as well as others , she would give more money to be freed from them , than a seven years costly expence , in following the fashion , would amount to . it must not be denyed but that the indulgence of nature hath left a greater liberty to women , than unto men , in point of curiosity in apparel . a priviledg which men ought not to envy them , because whatever imbellishment she bestows on her own beauty , is to be supposed an effect of that great love she would shew to man , by endeavouring and studying how to shew her self most complaisant , grateful , and acceptable to man. and yet nature hath limited this priviledg of women with strict laws . the dictate of this natural law is , that no woman use any habit or form of attire but that which contributeth to her truest beauty . for since the fall of their first parent hath subjected them to the necessity of apparel , they must ever remember to wear it as an ornament of decency , and not of vanity . but if we shall examine the present fashions by the standard of this rule , we shall find , to the amazement of sober thoughts , a new-born law of custom to have defaced the reverend old law of nature . i cannot imagine whence our ladies borrowed that monstrous and prodigious custom of patching their faces ; if they did borrow it from the french , they did ill to imitate such , who it may be made use of the fashion out of pure necessity , and not novelty ; having french-pimples , they needed a french-plaister . meer need taught us at first to build houses , and wear clothes , which afterwards were used for ornament : who then can tax their witty-pride ( although justly we may the imitation of the english gentry therein ) which could so cunningly turn botches into beauty , and make ugliness handsome ? i know not but that the fashion of wearing farthingals of old , were politickly invented to hide the shame of great bellies unlawfully puft up ; and of late the large-topt stockings with supporters to bear them up , were a good excuse for some hot gallants , in that they stradled so much when they walkt the streets ; whereas , poor gentlemen , they could do no otherwise . i have read , that the indians did accustom themselves to print the volume of their bodies all over with apes , monkies , and other beasts . i know not whether our ladies have endeavoured to epitomize their works , and abridg them into the narrow compass of the title-page of their own faces . but sure i am , that they are much beholding to the ingenious artist , whose skilful hand much exceeded his who writ the ten commandments and pater-noster ( to be legibly read ) within the compass of a penny . such a one is able to vie with wonder it self , since he can pass a camel through the eye of a spanish needle without a miracle ; and contract a coach and horses into the narrow dimension of four gnats . by the impertinent pains of this curious facespoiling-mender , the exchanges ( for now we have three great arsenals of choice vanities ) are furnished with a daily supply and variety of beauty-spots ( with many other things , whose names are only known to the inventer and buyer ) ; and these patches are cut out into little moons , suns , stars , castles , birds , beasts , and fishes of all sorts ; so that their faces may be properly termed a landskip of living creatures . the vanity and pride of these gentlewomen hath in a manner abstracted noah's ark , and exprest a compendium of the creation in their front and cheeks . add to this the gallantry of their garb , with all the ornamental appurtenances which rackt invention can discover , and then you will say , there wanted nothing except it be that which a roman writer said was wanting to the accomplishments of poppaea sabina ( mistris to bloody nero ) , that she was defective in nothing but a vertuous mind . mediocrity in most things is the best rule for your observation : as in mode and fashion you are to avoid profusion , so you are to shun singularity : the one , as well as the other , will render you ridiculous . i would not advise you to be obstinate , and altogether oppose the torrent of the fashion then in being : for example , should you now wear a farthingal , or narrow brim'd hat with a long crown , and a strutting ruff ( it is not long since such things were in fashion ) , a jack-pudding could not attract more boys after him , than would follow you . or should you always keep in one fashion , you would be laught at for your singularity , almost as much as others for their profuseness . to avoid this incommodious extravagancy , incline somewhat to the mode of the court ( which is the source and foundation of fashions ) ; but let the example of the most sober , moderate , and modest , be the pattern for your imitation . those who are too remote in the countrey , or hindred by any other impediment to resort to court , let them acquaint themselves ( if they can ) with some prudent person who is frequently there , and by her pattern and direction order your habit with reference , as near as may be , to your quality , age , and estate . your own wit and ingenuity may so contrive your clothes , as to retrench a great part of the luxury of a fashion , and reduce it to suit with your convenience , modesty , and christian deportment . i have already declared , your habits ought to be adapted to your conditions ; it is easie to judg of the truth of this rule , if you consider how preposterous you would appear ( being nobly born ) drest in the habit of a dairy-maid , or for a scullion to be array'd in the dress of a ladies daughter ; this would be looked on no other than a masquerade , or a christmass mumming . as it is very unfit to suit your selves unsuitable to your condition , so 't is likewise as to your age . for an old woman to habit her self as youthfully as a gentlewoman of fifteen , is as improper as to sing a wanton song at a funeral . for a young woman to clothe her self in the habit of a grave and aged matron is as preposterous as to weep and mourn at a merry gossiping . proportion therefore your clothes to your bodies , and let them be proper for your persons . i could not forbear to laugh heartily , when heretofore i saw a little man lost in a great band ; nor can i now abstain from laughter , when i see a man of small stature with a monstrous broad brim'd hat ; i have often thought the hat hath walkt alone , and that the narrow breeches and short coat shrunk , for fear of the hats greatness , into an exact fitness for an overgrown monky or baboon . agreeableness therefore ought to be exact , and adequate both to age , person and condition , avoiding extremities on both sides , being neither too much out , nor in the fashions . now lest i have been too rigid concerning apparel , and so have justly incur'd the displeasure of some ladies i am ever bound to respect for those singular favours they have from time to time confer'd on their poor servant ; i shall endeavour to make them amends for it , without wronging my conscience , in this ensuing chapter . of new fashions . man at first was left at liberty to be his own taylor , and had the whole world to furnish him with all sorts of materials , both for stuff and trimming , and so made his clothes as he thought fit and convenient . hence it is apparent that he was the first fashion-inventer ; some of his posterity imitated him , and others them , and we others ; since then fashions seem to be left at liberty , i think no wise man should reprehend them , unless inconvenient and ridiculous . if womens palats are not confinable to one sort of meat , why should their fancies to one particular mode ? nature is the mistress of variety ; shall we then be so ingrateful to her various kindnesses , as to rest in the the enjoyment of one individual ? she made all things for strength , use and ornament ; and shall we be so slothful and negligent , as not to contemplate their worth , and applaud them in our due use ? it is true , we never heard any thing of apparel till sin sent man in an errant to seek for it ; at first it was chosen for a covering for our first parents shame ; but their progeny beside that , have since found a decency therein . and certainly good clothes are not displeasing to heaven ; had they been so , god would never have commanded the garments of his high-priests to be glorious and beautiful ; not only to be rich in the outward materials , but richly wrought with the best eye-pleasing colours , and refulgent with precious stones and jewels . the peacocks starry train we cannot look on , but we must incline to admiration ; and that the glory thereof may not be useless , nature hath given that bird an excellent art to spread it to the best advantage . i may be bold to say , ladies , you sin more in the sordidness of your apparel , than in its splendor ; and you will not lose in your reputations , by being cloth'd a little above your rank , rather than altogether beneath it . a jeweller when he would enhanse the price of his commodity , sets his precious stones to the best advantage ; and the richer they are , the greater is his endeavour and care to grace them in the luster . it s true , a diamond will sparkle in the dark , and glitter , though unpolisht or ill set ; yet we think the excellency of the cut , or water , can never cast abroad its rays too much . let me ask the gravest and most prudent matron living , whether it be not only convenient , but necessary , that as occasion shall require , young gentlewomen should be finer than ordinary , as upon their addresses and visitings of persons of quality , on days of publick feasting and joy , and on solemn and sacred meetings . socrates , though a serious and sour philosopher , being askt the question , why one day he was so unusual fine and brave ? answered , that he might appear handsome to the handsome . we ought in our clothes to conform our selves to those with whom we do converse . besides , we commonly guess at the fatness and goodness of the soil , by the grass which we see upon the ground . since most then judg by outward apparencies , it is requisite to provide for a good estimation , even from externals . i have heard of some profuse gallants , who having spent all their money , yet prudently and for credit , have kept good clothes to their back , otherwise they might have hoop'd for a dinner , and look'd sor a lodging . if there were not a due respect to be had , according to rank and quality , what use would there be of scarlet , velvet , cloth of tissue , silk , satten , jewels , and precious stones of all sorts ? they would be accounted superfluous , and rather burdens than benefits to the world. this is a maxim undeniable , that nature doth nothing in vain . certainly then she had never produced such multiplicity and quantity of excellent and inestimable things , but for our use and ornament : yet withal remember the saying of demonax , who seeing a gallant brave it in the fashion , and insult with his feather , whispered these words in his ear , the silk and fine clothes you boast of , were spun by a worm , and worn by a beast , before they came on your back , and yet the worm continues still a worm , and a beast a beast ; and the bird in whose tayl was the feather you wear , is a fowl still . there are some persons whose gallantry of apparel can never hide the fool from them , whilst others do grace and are graced by every thing they wear . yet still we must conclude , that comely apparel is to be prefer'd before what is costly or conceited . some choice observations for a gentlewomans behaviour at table . gentlewomen , the first thing you are to observe , is to keep your body strait in the chair , and do not iean your elbows on the table . discover not by any ravenous gesture your angry appetite ; nor fix your eyes too greedily on the meat before you , as if you would devour more that way than your throat can swallow , or your stomack digest . if you are invited abroad , presume not on the principal place at the table , and seem to be perswaded with some difficulty to be seated , where your inviter hath chosen in his opinion the most convenient place for you . being a guest , let not your hand be first in the dish ; and though the mistress of the feast may out of a complement desire you to carve , yet beg her excuse , though you are better able to do it than her self . in carving at your own table , distribute the best pieces first , and it will appear very comely and decent to use a fork ; if so touch no piece of meat without it . i have been invited to dinner , where i have seen the good gentlewoman of the house sweat more in cutting up of a fowl , than the cook-maid in rosting it ; and when she had soundly beliquor'd her joints , hath suckt her knuckles , and to work with them again in the dish ; at the fight whereof my belly hath been three quarters full , before i had swallowed one bit . wherefore avoid clapping your fingers in your mouth and lick them , although you have burnt them with carving . take these more especial rules , according to the newest and best mode for carving . if chicken-broth be the first dish , and you would help your principal guest with a part of the chicken , the best piece is the breast ; the wings and legs are the next ; and of them , the general opinion of most is , that in all boil'd fowl the legs are look'd on as chief . as to all roasted fowl , those which are curious in the indulging their pallats , do generally agree , that flying wild-fowl are much tenderer than tame-fowl , and quicker of concoction ; such as scratch the earth , and seldom use the wing , the legs are to be preferr'd before any other part ; the wings and breasts of wild-fowl are best . the ordinary way of cutting-up a roast-fowl , is by dividing the four principal members , beginning first with the legs ; and be not tedious in hitting the joints , which you may avoid by well considering with your eye where they lye , before you exercise your knife . the best piece to carve to the best in the company , of the larger sort of fowl , as capons , turkies , geese , duck , and mallard , pheasant , dottril , cock of the wood , &c. is the piece on the breast , observing always to cut it long-ways towards the rump . but do not cut your oranges long-ways , but cross . since in butchers-meat there are few ignorant of the best pieces , it will be to little purpose to give you an account of them in this place ; for my design is to treat of that which is not commonly known : however , without deviating from my intention , take these remarks which follow . in boiled or roasted beef , that which is interlin'd or interlarded with fat , is most to be esteemed ; and the short ribs being most sweet and tender , is to be preferred before any other . cut a loin of veal in the middle , and present the nut or kidney as the best part in the whole joint . thrust your knife into a leg of mutton a considerable depth , above the handle , to let out the gravy ; and begin to cut on the inside , as if you intended to split it ; in the joint on the other side , is a little bone fit to be presented , and in great estimation among the curious . i heard of a gentleman coming from hunting , and falling into a friend's house , complained he was extreamly hungry ; the mistris thereof replied , that she was very sorry she had nothing to accommodate him with but a cold leg of mutton . his appetite being very sharp , made him commend that joint beyond any other ; whereupon it was brought : but finding that choice bone remaining still untoucht , refused to eat a bit : being demanded the reason , madam , said he , the sharpness of my stomach shall never make me feed uncleanly ; for i am confident they must be bores and clowns that first handled this leg of mutton , or else their breeding would have taught them not to have left untoucht the choicest bit in the whole joint . i cannot but applaud the jest , but i must condemn the rudeness of the gentleman . a shoulder of mutton is to be cut semicircularly , between the handle and the flap ; the pope's eye ( as it is commonly called ) is a choice bit both in leg and shoulder . in a roasted pig , the dainty most approve the ears and divided jaws , the neck and middle-piece , by reason of the crackling . in hares , leverets , and rabbets , the most esteemed ( called the hunts-mans piece ) is by the sides of the tail ; and next to that , is the back , legs , and wings , improperly so termed . some who esteem themselves the virtuosi for rarity of diet and choice provision , esteem ( in fish ) the head , and what is near about it , to be the best : i must acknowledg it in a cods-head , with the various appurtenances , drest secundum artem , sparing no cost ; such a dish in old and new fish street , hath made many a gallant 's pocket bleed freely . as also , i approve it in a salmon or sturgeon , the jowles of both being the best of the fish ; likewise in pike or carp , where note , the tongue of this last-named is an excellent morsel ; but in other fish you must excuse the weakness of my knowledg . in fish that have but one long bone running down the back ( as the sole ) , the middle is to be carved without dispute ; there is none so unacquainted with fare , to contradict it . if fish be in paste , it is proper enough to touch it with your knife ; if otherwise , with your fork and spoon , laying it hansomely on a plate with sauce , and so present it . but should there be olives on the board , use your spoon , and not your fork , lest you become the laughter of the whole table . all sorts of tarts , wet-sweat-meats , and cake , being cut first in the dish wherein they were served to the table , are to be taken up at the point of your knives , laid dextrously on a plate , and so presented : and whatever you carve and present , let it be on a clean plate ; but by no means on the point of your knife , or fork , nor with your spoon . if any one carves to you , refuse it not , though you dislike it . where you see variety at a table , ask not to be helpt to any dainty ; and if you are offered the choice of several dishes , chuse not the best ; you may answer , madam , i am indifferent , your ladiships choice shall be mine . be not nice nor curious at the table , for that is undecent ; and do not mump it , mince it , nor bridle the head , as if you either disliked the meat , or the company . if you have a stomach , eat not voraciously ; nor too sparingly , like an old-fashion gentlewoman i have heard of , who because she would seem ( being invited to a feast ) to be a slender eater , fed heartily at home ( before she went ) on a piece of powder'd-beef and cabbage ; by-chance a fleak thereof fell on her ruff , and not perceiving it , went so where she was invited ; being observed to eat little or nothing , a gentlewoman askt her why she did not eat ; indeed , madam , said she , i did eat ( before i came forth ) a whole pestle of a lark to my breakfast , and that i think hath deprived me of my appetite . the witty gentlewoman presently replied , i am easily induced to believe you fed on that bird , for on your ruff i see you have brought a feather of him with you . thus your nicety may be discovered by means you dream not of , and and thereby make your self the subject of publick laughter . on the other side , do not baul out aloud for any thing you want ; as , i would have some of that ; i like not this ; i hate onions ; give me no pepper : but whisper softly to one , that he or she may without noise supply your wants . if you be carved with any thing ( as i said before ) which you do not like , conceal ( as much as in you lieth ) your repugnancies , and receive it however : and though your disgust many times is invincible , and it would be insufferable tyranny to require you should eat what your stomach nauseates ; yet it will shew your civility to accept it , though you let it lye on your plate , pretending to eat , till you meet with a fit opportunity of changing your plate , without any palpable discovery of your disgust . if you are left to your own liberty , with the rest , to carve to your self , let not your hand be in the dish first , but give way , to others ; and be sure to carve on that side of the dish only which is next you , not overcharging your plate , but laying thercon a little at a time . what you take , as near as you can let it be at once ; it is not civil to be twice in one dish , and much worse to eat out of it piece by piece ; and do not ( for it savours of rudeness ) reach your arms over other dishes to come at that you like better . wipe your spoon every time you put it into the dish , otherwise you may offend some squeamish stomacks . eat not so fast , though very hungry , as by gormandizing you are ready to choak your selves . close your lips when you eat ; talk not when you have meat in your mouth ; and do not smack like a pig , nor make any other noise which shall prove ungrateful to the company . if your pottage be so hot your mouth cannot endure it , have patience till it be of a fit coolness ; for it is very unseemly to blow it in your spoon , or otherwise . do not venture to eat spoon-meat so hot , that the tears stand in your eyes , or that thereby you betray your intollerable greediness , by bewraying the room , besides your great discomposure for a while afterwards . do not bite your bread , but cut or break what you are about to eat ; and keep not your knife always in your hand , for that is as unseemly as a gentlewoman who pretended to have as little a stomach as she had a mouth , and therefore would not swallow her pease by spoonfuls , but took them one by one , and cut them in two before she would eat them . fill not your mouth so full , that your cheeks shall swell like a pair of scotch-bag-pipes ; neither cut your meat into too big pieces . gnaw no bones with your teeth , nor suck them to come at the marrow : be cautious , and not over-forward in dipping or sopping in the dish ; and have a care of letting fall any thing you are about to eat , between the plate and your mouth . it is very uncivil to criticise or find fault with any dish of meat or sauce during the repast , or more especially at another's table ; or to ask what such a joint or such a fowl cost ; or to trouble your self and others with perpetual discourses of bills of fare , that being a sure sign of a foolish epicure . it is very uncomely to drink so large a draught , that your breath is almost gone , and are forced to blow strongly to recover your self : nor let it go down too hastily , lest it force you to an extream cough , or bring it up again , which would be a great rudeness to nauseate the whole table ; and this throwing down your liquor as into a funnel , would be an action fitter for a jugler than a gentlewoman . if you sit next a person of honour , it will behove you , not to receive your drink on that side ; for those who are accurately bred , receive it generally on the other . it is uncivil to rub your teeth in company , or to pick them at or after meals , with your knife , or otherwise ; for it is a thing both indecent and distastful . thus much i have laid down for your observation in general ; wherein i am defective as to particulars , let your own prudence , discretion , and curious observation supply . rules for a gentlewomans behaviour at a ball. ladies , it is presumed you know the grounds of dancing , else your resort to a ball amongst well accomplisht gentlewomen , would not only be improper but very much hazzard your repute and good esteem among them ; and as you can dance , so i would have you understand the rules and formalities of dancing , which are practised in that place . if you are skilful in this faculty , be not difficultly perswaded to make a demonstration of your art . a fault is found in many of whom if you request a dance or song , they will be deaf to all your importunities ; but may be when you are out of humour , and have left them to their own liberty , will dance so long till they have tired themselves and the spectators ; and sing till they have neither voice , nor their auditors ears . i say , if you have skill , be not over-conceited thereof , lest it lead you into the error of engaging in some dance you do not understand , or but imperfectly . if you are perswaded to dance , and though you alledg a great many apologies to the contrary , yet when you find your self obliged thereunto , by no means refuse . for it is much better to expose your self to some little disorder in being complacent , than be suspected of pride . rules to be observed by a gentlewoman in vocal and instrumental musick . do not discover upon every slight occasion you can sing or play upon any instrument of musick ; but if it be known to any particular friend in company , whom you have a special respect for , and he or she perswade you to sing , excuse your self as modestly as you may ; but if your friends persist , satisfie their desires , and therein you will express no part of ill breeding ; your prompt and ready compliance thereunto shall serve you against censure ; whereas , a refractory resistance savours of one that makes a livelyhood of the profession , and must expect to have but small doings if there be no better recommendation than that distastful kind of morosity . use not your self to hemming or hauking , a foolish custom of some , endeavouring to clear their throat thereby ; nor be not too long in tuning your instrument . having commenced your harmony , do not stop in the middle thereof to beg attention , and consequently applause to this trill , or that cadence , but continue without interruption what you have begun , and make an end so as not to be tedious , but leave the company an appetite : as you would desire silence from others being thus applied , be yon attentive , and not talkative when others are exercising their harmonious voices . let the songs you make choice of be modest , yet witty , and ingenious ; and because there are so many , which though they may please the ear , yet may corrupt good manners ; let me give you this caution to have a care . of wanton songs , and idle ballads . let your prudence renounce a little pleasure for a great deal of danger . to take delight in an idle vain song without staining your self with the obscenity of it , is a thing in my mind almost impossible ; for wickedness enters insensibly by the ear into the soul , and what care soever we take to guard and defend our selves , yet still it is a difficult task not to be tainted with the pleasing and alluring poyson thereof . physicians endeavour to perswade the wiser sort of men , as well as ignorant and credulous women , that a mother fixing stedfastly her eye on a picture , she will secretly convey the complexion , or some other mark on the infant ; from hence we may be induced to believe , that lascivious and wanton expressions contain'd in some songs and ballads may have the same effect in our imagination , and do most frequently leave behind them some foul impressions in our spirits . the reading these wanton things do heat by little and little ; it insensibly takes away the horrour and repugnancy you ought to have to evil ; by this means you acquaint your self so thorowly with the image of vice , that afterwards you fear it not though you meet with vice it self . licentiousness is not bred in a moment , at one and the same instant ; so the contagion of loose songs seizeth by degrees on the heart ; they may be said to work on the minds of youth as seed in the ground , it first appears only above the surface of the earth , but every day afterwards adds to its growth till it be fit for the sickle . nay more , these songs of wantonness will breed in you a more than fitting boldness , which will put you on the confidence of practising what you read or sing . assure your self , if you admit of a familiarity with these things , your innoceny will be in daily danger . you may easily believe this to be truth , if you consider the multiplicity of vanity and trumpery which stuff these ballads ; how an amorous or rather foolishly fond virgin forsook kindred and country , to run after a stranger and her lover . in another you find how craftily two lovers had plotted their private meetings to prosecute their unlawful enjoyments ; and the letters that pass between for the continuation of their affection ; which straight ways makes the reader up to the ears in love. in the one is exprest the constancy of two fools one to the other ; in the other , what trouble , what hazzard , and what not , they run into , to ruin themselves , distract their parents , and leave a stain on their own reputations , never to be washt out . these are the things which contain cunning lessons to learn the younger sort to sin more wittily ; and therefore no judicious person can comprehend with what reason these dangerous songs and sonnets can be justified . the lacedemonians prohibited plays , because adulteries were exhibited ; then why should such pamphlets be permitted where such dishonest actions , lascivious examples , and extravagant passions are maintained ? shall it be said , that christians have less love for virtue than infidels ? ladies , accuse me not of too much severity , in endeavouring to take away this too much accustomed delight in singing wanton , though witty sonnets : i say excuse me rather , since i aim at nothing more than your welfare . i know your inclinations as you are young and youthful , tend rather to these things , than what is more serious ; and are apt to read those books which rather corrupt and deprave good manners than teach them . some may be so vain as to delight more in a comedy than a sermon , and had rather hear a jack-pudding than a preacher : this made a sober philosopher complain , he had fewer scholars than such a one of meaner parts , and a greater libertine ; because there are more who haunt the school of voluptuousness , than that of virtue , and we love them better who flatter and make us merry , than those who tell us the truth , and the danger , if we follow not her precepts . wherefore i cannot allow of any sort of poetry , though it be ever so ingenious , if vice lurk therein to do you harm ; and wheresoever you find vice , let it be your intention and strong resolution to fight against it , and throw aside all those instruments and implements , which will but learn you to fin with the greater dexterity . this is one vanity the younger sort incline to , and there are a great many more which our sex ( and to their shame ) are prone to follow , take a brief account of them . of the vanities some young ladies and gentlewomen are too prone to prosecute . i need not speak of the vanity of gentlewomen in overmuch affecting bravery , since we find it thorowly ingrafted in most of them ; so that we may as easily take off their skins from their bodies , as this vanity from their minds . if this were to be observed only in some particular court-ladies , it were something excusable ; but this is an innate humour , an original sin which gentlewomen bring into the world with them ; the tincture of which infirmity their baptism washeth not off . from hence proceeds the babel or confusion of habits , insomuch that of late there is neither order observed , nor distinction ; a chamber-maid finified on a festival or holiday , may be taken for her mistress , and a citizens wife mistaken for a court-lady . where shall we find any so regular as to follow the dictates of modesty and mediocrity , so that the most fevere cannot blame their superfluities , nor the more favourable accuse their defects ? a young gentlewoman well accomplisht , is like a star with five rays , devotion , modesty , chastity , discretion and charity ; such women whose composition is made up of these , seem to have been moulded upon the coelestial globes , by the hands of cherubims ; so excellent are their virtues , and so sweet their deportments ; they are in their houses as the sun in his proper sphere : should i attempt to represent their worth , i might sooner find poverty in the center of all the rich ore and precious stones of the earth , than want of merit in this subject . were all our sex of the same temper , by being inhabitants of this earth , they would speedily convert it into a heaven . but alas , too many there are who every day must be dressed up like idols , as if they intended thereby to be worshipped . their filles de chambre have more to do in attending their beauties , than some have in fitting and rigging out a navy . their glass with studied advantages takes up the whole morning , and the afternoon is spent in visits . and indeed should a man come into some ladies chambers unacquainted with the furniture that belong'd to them , and seeing them lie on the table , having never seen such vanities before , would think them the coverings and utensils of some creature of a monstrous and prodigious bulk , and that there was mercery enough to furnish a little city , rather than the body of a little lady . they may be fitly compared to some birds i have seen , who though they have but little bodies , yet have abundance of feathers . and though they seem to load themselves with variety of things , yet they do but seem to cover what they should disclose to none ; and though they have but little flesh , they will show as much of it as they can . it was a true saying of one , and very applicable to this purpose ; i know not what may be reserved for the eyes of a chast husband , when almost through all markets where they go , the secret parts of his wives body are exposed , as if they were ready to be delivered to the best bidders . moreover , how dangerous is it for young gentlewomen to affect a small waste , thinking that the most exquisite proportion ? endeavouring by strait-lacing to be as slender in the middle as the strand-may-pole is tall in its height . i am sure they are big enough to be wiser , who never think themselves finer , than when the girl with her span can make a girdle . i know , gentlewomen , that the inconveniences which attend this affectation , do not proceed altogether from you , or that you are in the fault , but your mothers or nurses : but did they know how speedily and wilfully they destroy you by girding your tender bodies , certainly they would prove kinder mothers , than be your cruel murderers . for by this means they reduce your bodies into such pinching-extremities , that it engenders a stinking breath ; and by cloistering you up in a steel or whale-bone-prison , they open a door to consumptions , with many other dangerous inconveniences , as crookedness : for mothers striving to have their daughters bodies small in the middle , do pluck and draw their bones awry ; for the ligatures of the back being very tender at that age , and soft and moist , with all the muscles , do easily slip aside . thus nurses , whilst they too straitly do lace the breasts and sides of children on purpose to make them slender , do occasion the breast-bone to cast it self aside , whereby one shoulder doth become bigger and fuller than the other . though i would not have too great a restriction laid on your bodies , yet i would not have them by inconsiderate loosness run out into a deformed corpulency , like the venecian-ladies , who seldom lace themselves at all , accounting it an excellency in proportion to be round and full-bodied : and that they may attain that ( meerly supposed ) comeliness , if nature incline them not to be somewhat gross or corpulent , they will use art , by counterfeiting that fulness of body , by the fulness of garments . thus you see , that in all things ( except piety ) mediocrity , or the golden-mean , is to be observed . of a young gentlewoman's fit hours and times for their recreation and pleasure , and how to govern themselves therein . the chief , thing that you ought to consider , is , how to govern and behave your selves in your pastimes : wisdom therein must be your guide ; and the chief rule it can teach you , is , to shun all pleasures which are vicious ; and in the reception of those which are lawful , exceed not the rule , nor moderation ; which consist , first , in not giving offence , scandal , damage , or prejudice , to your associates or others : next , that it be without injury to your health , reputation , or business . lastly , let your recreation be with moderation . you must by no means make pleasure your business , but by the enjoyment thereof return with more alacrity and chearfulness to your business : young ladies may use it , but not abuse it , which they never do more than in the excess thereof ; for it softneth and weakneth the vigour both of soul and body , it besotteth the best complexions , and banisheth the principal vertues . if pleasure be taken as it was at first provided , it will be taken without a sting ; but if you exceed either in measure or manner , you pollute the purer stream , and drink your own destruction . the heathen of old did put a check on men and women , forbidding them to let loose the reins to all the corrupt and mistaken pleasures of this life , much more should christians forbear the inordinate enjoyment of them . above all , these pleasures are most to be commended , which in every respect are so lawful , that they leave in the conscience no private check behind them to upbraid the sense for the unlawful using of them . he that plungeth himself into a puddle , doth but engage himself thereby to an after washing , to purge that filth away he contracted by that imprudent action . or would you be so mad to feed on that you are certain will make you sick in the eating ? almighty god would never have allowed you the desire of pleasure , nor the faculties to enjoy it , if he had not design'd that with decency you should use them . an action of this kind is but natural , and will not be unlawful unless it be found to run into excess attended with unlawful circumstances . there is so much corruption adhering to the use of pleasure , by exceeding the measure , mistaking the manner , misplacing the time ; that although recreations be lawful in themselves , yet if they be circumstanced amiss , they are not expedient . recreations and pleasures are indisputably lawful , if you are not irregular in measure , manner , or time ; had they been otherwise our most wise and merciful creator would never have made them so distinct in their kinds , nor so many in their number . all the several tastes in food and fruit were intended to please the pallate , as well as satisfie the appetite . of all the beautiful and pleasant fruits in paradise there was but one only tree excepted . from hence it may be concluded , mankind may enjoy those delights which they have a well-grounded inclination unto , with this proviso , they abuse them not . before you do or act any thing , examine well the sequel ; if that be clear the present enjoyment will be accompanied with content , otherwise it will end in repentance . what recreations and pleasures are most fitting and proper for young gentlewomen . recreations which are most proper and suitable to ladies , may be rankt under four principal heads , musick , dancing , limning and reading . of dancing i have already leightly treated on in the directions for your deportment at balls ; however this i shall say further of it , that though the romans had no very great esteem for it , as may appear by salusts speaking of sempronia , she danced better than became a virtuous lady ; yet the mode and humour of these times look upon it not only as a generous and becoming property , but look upon gentility ill bred if not thorowly acquainted therewith ; and to speak the truth it is the best and readiest way to put the body into a graceful posture ; behaviour must of necisity hault without it ; and how will you blush when you come into a mixt society , where each person strives to shew her utmost art and skill in dancing , and you for the want thereof must stand still , and appear like one whose body was well framed but wanted motion , or a soul to actuate it . in the next place , musick is without doubt an excellent quality ; the ancient philosophers were of the opinion , that souls were made of harmony ; and that that man or woman could not be virtuously inclined who loved not musick , wherefore without it a lady or gentlewoman can hardly be said to be absolutely accomplished . limning is an excellent qualification for a gentlewoman to exercise and please her fancy therein . there are a many foreign ladies that are excellent artists herein ; neither are there wanting examples enough in his majesty's three kingdoms of such gentlewomen whose indefatigable industry in this laudible and ingenious art may run parallel with such as make it their profession . some may add stage-plays as a proper recreation for gentlewomen ; as to that ( provided they have the consent of parents or governess ) i shall leave them to make use of their own liberty , as they shall think convenient . i am not ignorant that stage-plays have been much envy'd at , and not without just cause ; yet most certain it is , that by a wise use , and a right application of many things we hear and see contain'd therein , we may meet with many excellent precepts for instruction , and sundry great examples for caution , and such notable passages , which being well applied ( as what may not be perverted ) will confer no small profit to the cautious and judicious hearers . edward the sixth the reformer of the english church , did so much approve of plays , that he appointed a courtier eminent for wit and fancy to be the chief officer in supervising , ordering , and disposing what should be acted or represented before his majesty ; which office at this time retains the name of master of the revels . queen elizabeth , that incomparable virtuous princess , was pleased to term plays the harmless spenders of time , and largely contributed to the maintenance of the authors and actors of them . but if the moderate recourse of gentlewomen to plays may be excused , certainly the daily and constant frequenting them , is as much to be condemned . there are an hundred divertisements harmless enough , which a young lady may find out , suitable to her inclination ; but give me leave to find out one for her which hath the attendance of profit as well as pleasure , and that is reading . mistake me not ; i mean the reading of books whose subjects are noble and honourable . there are some in these later days so stoical , that they will not allow any books to womankind , but such as may teach them to read , and the bible . the most severe of them do willingly permit young gentlewomen to converse with wise and learned men ; i know not then by what strange nicety they would keep them from reading their works . there are a sort of religious men in forreign parts , who do not debar the people from knowing there is a bible ; yet they prohibit them from looking into it . i would fain ask these sower stoicks what can be desired for the ornament of the mind , which is not largely contain'd and exprest in books ; where virtue is to be seen in all her lovely and glorious dresses , and truth discovered in what manner soever it is desired . we may behold it in all its force , in the philosophers ; with all its purity in faithful historians ; with all its beauty and ornaments in golden-tongu'd orators , and ingenious poets . in this pleasing variety ( whatsoever your humour be ) you may find matter for delectation and information . reading is of most exquisite and requisite use , if for nothing but this , that these dumb teachers instrust impartially . beauty , as well as royalty , is constantly attended with more flatterers than true informers . to discover and acknowledg their faults , it is necessary that they sometimes learn of the dead what the living either dare not or are loth to tell them . books are the true discoverers of the mind's imperfections , as a glass the faults of their face ; herein shall they find judges that cannot be corrupted with love or hate . the fair and the foul are both alike treated , having to do with such who have no other eyes but to put a difference between virtue and vice. in perswading you to read , i do not advise you should read all books ; advise with persons of understanding in your choice of books ; and fancy not their quantity but quality . for why should ye seek that in many which you may find in one ? the sun , whilst in our hemisphere , needs no other light but its own to illuminate the world. one book may serve for a library . the reading of few books , is not to be less knowing , but to be the less troubled . of the guidance of a ladies love and fancy . i suppose you , virtuous ladies and gentlewomen to whom i direct this discourse , yet know , that though you are victoriously seated in the fort of honour , yet beauty cannot be there planted , but it must be attempted . however i would have you so constantly gracious in your resolves , that though it be assaulted , it cannot be soiled ; attempted but never attainted . how incident and prone our whole sex is to love , especially when young , my blushes will acknowledg without the assistance of my tongue ; now since our inclination so generally tend to love and fancy , and knowing withal how much the last good or evil of our whole lives depend thereon , give me leave to trace them in all or most of their meanders , wherein you will find such suitable instructions as will give you for the future safe and sound direction . fancy is an affection privily received in by the eye , and speedily convey'd to the heart ; the eye is the harbinger , but the heart is the harbourer . look well before you like ; love conceived at first sight seldom lasts long , therefore deliberate with your love , lest your love be misguided ; for to love at first look makes an house of misrule . portion may woo a worldling , proportion a youthful wanton , but it is vertue which wins the heart of discretion ; admit he have the one to purchase your esteem , and the other to maintain your estate ; yet his breast is not so transparent as to know the badness of his disposition ; if you then take his humour on trust , it may prove so perverse and peevish , that your expected heaven of bliss may be converted into an haven of insupportable crosses . themistocles being asked by a noble-man , whether he had rather marry his daughter to a vicious rich man or an honest poor man ? return'd this answer , that he had rather have a man without money than money without a man. whence it was that prudent portia replied , being asked , when she would marry ? then said she , when i find one that seeks me , and not mine . there is no time requires more modesty from a young gentlewoman , than in wooing-time ; a shamefast red then best commends her , and is the most moving orator that speaks in her behalf . like venus silver dove she is ever brouzing on the palm of peace , while her cheeks betray her love more than her tongue . there is a pretty pleasing kind of wooing drawn from a conceived yet concealed fancy-might they chuse , they would converse with them freely , consort with them friendly , and impart their truest thoughts fully , yet would they not have their bashful loves find discovery . phillis , to willows , like a cunning flyer flys , yet she fears her shepherd should not spy her . whatever you do be not induced to marry one you have either abhorrency or loathing to ; for it is neither affluence of estate , potency of friends , nor highness of descent can allay the insufferable grief of a loathed bed . wherefore ( gentlewomen ) to the intent you may shew your selves discreetest in that , which requires your discreetion most , discuss with your selves the parity of love and the quality of your lover , ever reflecting on those best endowments which render him worthy or unworthy of your greatest estimation . a discreet eye will not be taken only with a proportionable body , or smooth countenance ; it is not the rind but the mind that is her loadstone . justina a roman maid , no less nobly descended than notably accomplished , exclaimed much against her too rigid fate in being married to one more rich than wise : and good reason had she , being untimely made by his groundless jealousie a sad tragick spectacle of misery . for the whiteness of her neck was an object which begot in him a slender argument of suspect , which he seconded with rash revenge . let deliberation then be the scale wherein you may weigh love with an equal poize . there are many high consequent-circumstances which a discreet woman will not only discourse , but discuss , before she enter into that hazzardous though honourable state of marriage . disparity in descent , fortunes , friends , do often beget a distraction in the mind . disparity of years breeds dislike , obscurity of descent begets contempt , and inequality of fortunes discontent . if you marry one very young , bear with his youth , till riper experience bring him to a better understanding . let your usage be more easie than to wean him from what he affects by extremity . youth will have his swing ; time will reclaim , and discretion will bring him home at last . so conform your self to him as to confirm your love in him , and undoubtedly this conjugal duty , mixt with affability , will compleatly conquer the moroseness of his temper . if he be old , let his age beget in you the greater reverence ; his words shall be as so many aged and time improved precepts to inform you ; his actions as so many directions to guide you ; his kind rebukes as so many friendly admonitions to reclaim you ; his bed you must so honour , as not to let an unchast thought defile it ; his counsel so keep , as not to trust it in any others breast ; be a staff in his age to support him , and an hand upon all occasions to help him . if he be rich , this shall not or must not make you proud ; but let your desire be , that you both employ it to the best advantage . communicate to the needy , that your wealth may make you truly happy . that is a miserable wealth which starves the owner . i have heard of one worth scores of thousands of pounds who bought billets , not for fewel but luggage ; not to burn them and so warm himself , but to carry them on a frosty morning up stairs and down , and so heat himself by that labouring exercise . wherefore let me perswade you to enjoy your own , and so shun baseness ; reserve a provident care for your own , and so avoid profuseness . is your husband fallen to poverty ; let his poor condition make you rich ; there is certainly no want , where there wants no content . it is a common saying , that as poverty goes in at one door , love goes out at the other ; and love without harbour falls into a cold and aguish distemper ; let this never direct your thoughts , let your affection counterpoize all afflictions . no adversity should divide you from him , if your vowed faith hath individually tyed you to him . thus if you expostulate , your christian constant resolves shall make you fortunate . if your fancy be on grounded deliberation , it will promise you such good success , as your marriage-days shall never fear the bitter encounter of untimely repentance , nor the cureless anguish of an afflicted conscience . now as i would have you , gentlewomen , to be slow in entertaining , so be most constant in retaining . lovers or favourites are not to be worn like favers ; now near your bosom , or about your wrist , and presently out of all request . which to prevent , entertain none so near your heart , whom you observe to harbour in his breast something that may deserve your hate . carefully avoid the acquaintance of strangers ; and neither affect variety nor glory in the multiplicity of your suitors . for there is no greater argument of mutability add leightness . constant you cannot be where you profess , if change you do affect . have a care , vows deliberately advised , and religiously grounded , are not to be slighted or dispensed with . before any such things are made , sift him , if you can find any bran in him ; task him , before you tye your self to take him . and when your desires are drawn to this period , become so taken with the love of your choice , as to interpret all his actions in the best sense ; this will make one soul rule two hearts , and one heart dwell in two bodies , before you arrive to this honourable condition all wanton fancy you must lay aside , for it will never promise you good success since the effect cannot be good where the object is evil . wanton love hath a thousand devices to purchase a minutes penitential pleasure . her eye looks , and by that the sense of her mind is averted ; her ear hears , and by it the intention of the heart is perverted ; her smell breathes , and by it her good thoughts are hindred ; her mouth speaks , and by it others are deceived ; by touch , her heat of desire upon every small occasion is stirred , never did orlando rage more for his angelica than these utopian lovers for their imaginary shadows . these exorbitancies we must endeavour to remedy ; and that therein we may use the method of art , we must first remove the cause , and the effect will follow . let me then discover the incendiaries of this disorderly passion , next the effects arising from them , and lastly their cure or remedy . the original grounds of this wanton fancy , or wandring phrenzie , are included in these two lines . sloth , words , books , eyes , consorts , and luscious fare , the lures of lust , and stains of honour are . for the first , sententious seneca saith , he had rather be exposed to the utmost extremities fortune can inflict on him , than subject himself to slotb and sensuality . for it is this only which maketh of men , women ; of women , beasts ; and of beasts , monsters . secondly , words corrupt the disposition ; they set an edg or gloss on depraved liberty ; making that member offend most , when it should be imployed in profiting most . thirdly , books treating of leight subjects , are nurseries of wantonness ; remove them timely from you , if they ever had entertainment by you , lest like the snake in the fable , they annoy you . fourthly , eyes are those windows by which death enters . eve looked on the fruit before she coveted ; coveting , she tasted ; and tasting , she perished ; place them then on those objects , whose real beauty make , take them , and not on such vanities which miserably taint them . fifthly , consorts are thieves of time , which will rob you of many precious opportunities . chuse then such consorts of whom you may have assured hope , that they will either better you , or be better'd by you . chuse such whom you may admire when you see and hear them ; when you see their living-doctrine , and hear their wholsome instruction . lastly , luscious fare is the fewel of inordinate desires , which you must abstain from , or be very temperate in , if you intend to have your understanding strengthned , virtue nourished , and a healthy bodily constitution . the next thing we are to insist upon , is , the evil effects of this wanton fancy , many may be here inserted , might i not be taxed with prolixity , and terrifie the reader with examples of too much horror and cruelty . but if you would understand them , our late italian stories will afford you variety , for the satisfaction of your curiosity ; where indiscreet love closeth her doleful scene with so miserable an exit , as no pencil can express any picture more to life than an historical line hath drawn out the web of their misfortunes . now to cure this desperate malady ( though to you , gentlewomen , i hope the cure is needless , being void of all such violent distempers ) the best and most soveraign receipt , is to fortifie the weakness of your sex with strength of resolution . be not too liberal in the bestowing your favours ; nor too familiar in publick converse . make a contract with your eyes not to wander abroad , lest they be catcht in coming home . treat net of love too freely ; play no waggish tricks with the blind boy ; he hath a dangerous aun , though he hath no eyes ; sport not with him that may hurt you ; play not with him that would play on you . your sports will turn to an ill jest , when you are wounded in earnest ; let the fly be your emblem . so long the foolish fly plays with the flame , till her leight wings are sindged in the same . be watchful ; there are many snares which students in loves mysteries have laid to entrap female credulity . how many are there can tip their tongues with rhetorical protestations , purposely to gull a believing creature , for the purchase of an unlawful pleasure ; which no sooner obtained , then the person slighted and left alone to bemoan her irrecoverable iost honour ? with more safety therefore ought you ro suspect , than too rashly to affect ; and be sure you check your wild fancy by time , lest a remediless check attend your choice . repentance comes too late at the marriage-night . and yet i cannot commend your extraordinary coolness in affection , flighting all , as if none were worthy of your choice . the extreams of these two indisposed fancies ought to be seasoned with an indifferent temper . now the difference betwixt a wise and a wild love is this ; the one ever deliberates before it loves ; and the other loves before it deliberates . there are a sort of wild girls who compute their riches by the quantity of their suitors . i have heard of a couple of maids of different temper , who contending with one another , said the one , i have such and such vertuous and wealthy relations . i but ( replied the other ) i have more suiters than thou hast friends . more shameless you ( answered the other ) unless you mean to set up an house of entertainment . such an one as this , never cares for more than to be married ; if she may but see that day , it accomplisheth her content ; though she have but one comical - day all her life : yea , it is as well as can be expected from their hands , if they attain unto that stile without some apparent foil . such as these i could wish , to prevent the worst , they were married betimes , lest they marr themselves before time . to you then kind-hearted , gentlewomen , am i to recommend some necessary cautions ; the careful observation of which i hope will prevent that danger which threatens the goodness of your sex and natures . the index of your hearts you carry in your eyes and tongues ; for shame learn silence in the one , and secrecy in the other . give not the power to an insulting lover to triumph over your weakness ; and which is worse , to work on the opportunity of your leightness . rather damm up those portels which-betray you to your enemy ; and prevent his entry by your vigilancy . keep home and straggle not , lest by gadding abroad you fall into dinah's danger and mishap . let not a stray'd thought prove the traytor to your innocency . check your roving fancy ; and if it use resistance , curb it with greater restraint . and now a word or two to you cov 〈…〉 dies , whom either coldness of nature hath be numb'd , or coyness hath made subtil to dissemble it . you can look and like , and yet turn away your head from what you love most . no object of love can take you , till it overtake you . you may be modest , and spare a great deal of this coyness ; yet so conceal and smoothly palliate your love , as your lover may not despair of obtaining it . indifferent courtesies you may shew without leightness , and receive them too in lieu of thankfulness . have a special regard to your honour , which is of an higher esteem than to be undervalued . leight occasions are often-times grounds of deep aspersions . actions are to be seasoned with discretion , seconded by direction , strengthened with instruction , lest too much rashness bring the undertaker to destruction . in the labyrinth of this life , many are our cares , mighty are our fears , strong our assailants , weak our assistance ; and therefore we had need have the brazen-wall within us , to fortifie us against these evil occurrents . the scene of your life is short ; so live then that your noble actions may preserve your memory long . it was the advice of seneca to his friend , never to do any thing without imagining a cato , a scipio , or some other worthy roman was present . to second his advice ( which may confer on your glorious actions eternal praise ) , set always before your eyes , as an imitable mirrour , some good woman or other , before whom you may live , as if she eyed and continually viewed you . there is no scarcity of examples of such famous women , who though weak in sex and condition , yet parallels to men for charity , chastity , piety , purity , and vertuous conversation . it will not be amiss here in this place to insert some few eminent patterns for your imitation . the gentlewomans mirrour , or patterns for their imitation of such famous women who have been eminent in piety and learning . revisit those ancient families of rome , and you shall find those matrons make a pagan state seem morally christian. octavia , portia , caecilia , cornelia , were such , who though dead , their actions will make their memories live perpetually : nor were niostrata , corvina and sappho , women less famous for learning , than the other for blameless-living . neither have our modern times less flourished with feminine worthies , as might be illustrated with several eminent instances , were there not already of them so many panagyricks already extant . it is said of dorcas , she was full of good works and alms which she did . yea even the coats and garments which she made when living , were shown the apostle as arguments of her industry , and memorials of her piety . hence it was that saint jerome counselled the holy virgin demetrias to eschew idleness ; exhorting her when she had finished her devotion , she should work with her hands after the commendable example of dorcus ; so that by change of works the day might seem less tedious , and the assaults of the devil less grievous . and know , that this demetrias was not one whom poverty did enforce to such actions of necessity , but one honourably descended , richly endowed , powerfully friended . devout mention is made of zealous anna , who made frequent recourse to the temple . of whom to her succeeding memory the scripture recordeth , that after her tears devoutly shed , her prayers sincerely offer'd , her religious vows faithfully performed , she became fully satisfied : thus sighing she sought , seeking she obtain'd , and obtaining she retained a grateful memory of what she received . queen esther , with what fervency and zeal did she make gods cause the progress of her course , desiring nothing more than how to effect it , which was seconded with a successful conclusion ? because begun , continued , and ended with devotion . neither was judith backward in zeal , faith armed her with resolution , and constancy strengthned her against all opposition : prayer was her armour , and holy desires her sole attendants . nazianzen reporteth of his sister gorgonia , that by reason of the incessancy of her prayers , her knees seemed to cleave to the earth . gregory relates , that his aunt thrasilla being dead , was found to have her elbows as hard as horn , which became so by leaning to a desk , at which she usually prayed . such as these deserve your imitation , who prayed and obtain'd what they pray'd for , they liv'd and practic'd what they sought for ; they dy'd and enjoy'd what they so long sighed for . should you consider what troops of furious and implacable enemies lies in ambuscado for you ; how many soul-tempting syrens are warbling notes of ruin to delude you ; what fears within you , what foes without you , what furies all about you , you would not let one minute to pass undedicated to some good employment . the commendable and admired chastity of penelope must not be forgot , which suffer'd a daily siege ; and her conquest was no less victorious than those peers of greece , who made troy their triumph . estimation was her highest prize ; suiters she got ; yet amidst these was not her ulysses forgot . long absence had not estranged her affection ; youthful consorts could not move in her thoughts the least distraction ; neither could opportunity induce her to give way to any leight action . well might famous greece then esteem her penelope of more lasting fame than any pyramid that ever she erected . her unblemished esteem was of purer stuff than any ivory statue that could be reared . nor was rome less beholden to her lucretia , who set her honour at so high a price , that she held death too leight to redeem such a prize . though force , fright , foes and furies gaz'd upon her , those were no wounds but wonders to her honour . the presence of a prince no less amorous than victorious , could not win her ; though with him , price , prayer and power , did jointly woo her . well deserved such two modest matrons the choice embraces of two such heroick champions as might equal their constant loves with the tender of their dearest lives . there were seven milesian virgins , who at such time as the gauls raved and raged every where , subjecting all to fire and faggot , deprived themselves of life , lest hostile force should deprive them of their honour . i have read of two maidens living in leuctra , a town in boeotia , who having in their fathers absence hospitably entertained two young men , by whom made drunk with wine , they were deflowred that very night ; the next morning conceiving a mutual sorrow for their lost virginity , became resolute actors in their own bloody tragedy . we may draw nearer home , and instance this maiden-constancy in one of our own . it was not long since there lived within the walls of london a notable spirited girl , who notwithstanding she frequented places of publick concourse boldly , discoursed freely , expressed her self in all assays forwardly , yet so tender was she in the preservation of her honour , that being on a time highly courted by a spruce and finical gallant , who was as much taken with the height of her spirit , wherewith she was endowed , as he preferred it before the beauty of an amorous face , wherewith she was not meanly enriched . she presently apprehending the loosness of his desires , seemingly condescended ; so that the business might be so secretly managed , as no occasion of suspition may be probably grounded . in order hereunto a coach is provided , all things prepared , the place appointed where they shall meet , which for more privacy must be the country . time and place they observed ; but before she would admit him to her embraces , she told him ( calling him aside ) that she would never consent to any such thing with any man , unless she had first tried his valour in the field ; and to that purpose she had furnished her self with a sword , and therefore bid him draw , he smilingly refus'd , as thinking she was in jest , but seeing by her home-passes how carnestly she prosecuted his life , he was constrained to draw ; but this virago , which was metal to the back , disarm'd him in an instant , and had like to have made this a bloody combat , instead of an amorous conflict . our amazed gallant not knowing what to think , say , or do , was at last compell'd to beg his life of her ; in granting which , she bestow'd on him plentifully her kicks , advising him ever after to be more wary in the attempting a maidens honour . excellent was the answer of the lacedemonian wives , who being courted and tempted to lewd and immodest actions , made this reply , surely we should give way to this your request , but this you sue for , lies not in our power to grant ; for when we were maids , we were to be disposed of by our parents ; and now being wives , by our husbands . lastly , ( that i may avoid prolixity ) what singular mirrors of vidual continency and matron-like modesty were , cornelia , vetruria , livia and salvina ? now what may you suppose did these pagan ladies hold to be the absolute end whereto this tender care of their reputation aspired chiefly , and wherein it most cheerfully rested ? it was not riches , for these they contemned , so their honour might be preserved : certainly there was implanted in them an innate desire of moral goodness , mixed with an honest ambition , so to advance their esteem during life , that they might become examples to others of a good moral life , and perpetuate their memories after death . your ambition , gentlewomen , must mount more high , because your conversation is most heavenly . it is immortality you aspire to , a lower orb cannot hold you ; nothing else may confine you . of marriage , and the duty of a wife to her husband . marriage is an holy and inviolable bond ; if the choice on both sides be good and well ordered , there is nothing in the world that is more beautiful , more comfortable . it is a sweet society , full of trust and loyalty . it is a fellowship , not of hot distempered love , but endeared affection ; for these two are as different as the inflamed fit of an high feaver , from the natural heat of a sound and healthy body . love in the first acceptation is a distemper , and no wonder then that marriages succeed so ill , which have their original from such disordered amorous desires . this boiling affection is seldom worth any thing . there are these two essentials in marriage , superiority and inferiority . undoubtedly the husband hath power over the wife , and the wife ought to be subject to the husband in all thing . although the wife be more noble in her extraction , and more wealthy in portion , yet being once married is inferior to her husband in condition . man , of human-kind , was gods first workmanship ; woman was made after man , and of the same substance , to be subservient and assisting to him . though the power of an husband in this kingdom extends it self farther than it is commonly exercised , yet something more moderate than in forreign parts . amongst the romans the husband had power to kill the wife in four cases ; adultery , suborning of children , counterfeiting false keys , and drunkenness . it is customary among the indians ( but i do not therefore approve of it as lawful ) that when the husband dies , the death of the wife immediately follows . this is not only practised by the publick laws of the country , but often times with such ardent affection , that the wives ( for they allow polygamy ) will contend one amongst the other who shall first sleep with their departed husband . though this custom i cannot only reject as unreasonable , but cruel and horrible ; so i cannot but applaud those wives ( as they are in duty bound ) who affectionately and patiently content themselves to accompany their husbands in all conditions , in adversity as well as prosperity . many examples hereof we may find at home as well as abroad ; though in these late depraved and corrupted times there are not so many as may justly be desired . lentulus being exiled by a decree of the roman senate into sicily , his loving wife sulpitia sold all , and followed him thither . ipsicrates followed her vanquished husband and king mithridates throughout all extremities , notwithstanding she was advantagiously perswaded to the contrary . theagena wife to agathocles shew'd admirable constancy in her husbands greatest misery ; shewing her self most his own , when he was relinquisht and forsaken of his own ; closing her resolution with this noble conclusion , she had not only betaken her self to be his companion in prosperity , but in all fortunes which should befall him . conform your selves to this mirror , and it will reform in you many a dangerous error . thus if you live , thus if you love , honour cannot chuse but accompany you living ; much comfort attend you loving , and a virtuous memory embalm you dying . the more particular duties of a wife to an husband , are first , to have a greater esteem for him than for any other person ; and withal , to have a setled apprehension , that he is wife and prudent . that woman that will entertain mean and low thoughts of her husband , will be easily induced to love another , whom she ought not to affect . on this good esteem depends a great part of the wives obedience , who will be apt to run into extravagancies when she is once possessed of the weakness of her husbands understanding : she is to give honour , respect , and reverence to her husband ; so have the wisest ever done ; and those which do it not , betray their indiscretion ; with reverence she is to express her obedience in all lawful things ; and apply and accommodate her self ( as much as in her lies ) to his humour and disposition . you must be mindful of what you promised your husband in marriage ; and the best demonstration thereof will be in your carriage ; honour and obey , and love no mans company better than his . be quiet , pleasant , and peaceable with him , and be not angry , when he is so ; but endeavour to pacifie him with sweet and winning expressions ; and if casually you should provoke him to a passion , be not long ere you shew some regret , which may argue how much you are displeased with your self for so doing ; nay bear his anger patiently , though without a cause . be careful to keep your house in good order , and let all things with decency be in readiness when he comes to his repast ; let him not wait for his meals , lest by so staying , his affairs be diorder'd or impeded . and let what ever you provide be so neatly and cleanly drest , that his fare , though ordinary , may engage his appetite , and disingage his fancy from taverns , which many are compell'd to make ufe of by reason of the continual and daily dissatisfactions they find at home . shew respect and kindness to what friends he brings home with him ; but more especially to his relations ; for by this means he will find your love to him by your respect to them ; and they will be obliged to love you for your own as well as his sake . suffer not any to buz in your ears detracting stories of him , and abhor it in your servants ; for it is your duty to hide his faults and infirmities , and not detect them your self , or suffer them to be discovered . take them for your greatest enemies who perswade you against your husband ; for without question they have some dangerous design in it . those whom god hath joined together , let no man put asunder ; cursed then is that instrument which occasions their seperation . breed up your children in as much or more obedience to him than your self ; and keep them in so much awe that they shew no rudeness before him , or make any noise to his disturbance . make them shew him all awful regard , and keep them sweet , clean , and decent , that he may delight himself in them . let him see your love to him in your care for them ; educating and bringing them up in the knowledg of religion , with their learning . be careful to manage what money he doth trust you with , to his and your own credit ; abuse not the freedom you have of his purse , by being too lavish ; and pinch not the guts of your family at home , that you may pamper yours abroad ; or throw away that money in buying trifles , which shall evidence your vanity as well as luxury . to govern an house is an excellent and profitable employment ; there is nothing more beautiful than an houshold well and peaceably governed ; it is a profession that is not difficult ; for she that is not capable of any thing else , may be capable of this . the principal precepts that belong to the frugal ordering and disposing houshold-affairs may be compremis'd under these heads . first to buy and sell all things at the best times and seasons . secondly , to take an especial care that the goods in the house be not spoiled by negligence , of servants , or otherwise . let me counsel you not only to avoid unnecessary or immoderate charges , but also with a little cost make a great shew ; but above all suffer not your expence to exceed the receipt of your husbands income . there is a proverbial saying , that the masters eye maketh the horse fat ; i am sure the active vigilance of a good and careful wise is the ready way to enrich a bad husband . of womens behaviour to their servants , and what is to be required of them in the house , or what thereunto appertains . if by a thorough inspection and experience , you find you have a faithful servant , give her to understand you are not insensible thereof by your loving carriage , and kind acknowledgment of her fidelity , and frequently find out some occasions to give her some little encouragements to engage her continuance therein ; do not dishearten her in her duty , by often finding fault where there is little or none committed , yet be not remiss in reproving where she doth amiss . if you find you have a bad or unfaithful servant ( as now adays there are too many , more than ever ) whom you cannot either by fair means or foul reclaim : vex not nor fret at what you see is remediless , but first making her thoroughly sensible of her errors , give her fair warning to provide for her self , and convenient for your own affairs ; and do not ( as a great many much to blame ) give too ill a character of her , which will raise you little benefit , although it may lay the basis of her utter ruin ; but rather be silent if you cannot speak good , which course i should think was sufficient to work on the greatest stupidity for a future amendment . though a bad servant , detain not the wages , nor any part that is justly due , for the labourer is worthy of his hire . be not too passionate with your servants ; and look narrowly to them , that they wast or lavish nothing , lest thereby you impair your estate , and so purchase the repute of a carelefs and indiscreet women . if you sind that they affect bravery too much , and presume to wear what misbecomes their present condition , rebuke them mildly into a moderation for their future advantage , and the credit of the family wherein they are . let not the business of the house take them clearly off the service of god , but let them so relieve one the other in their duties , that they may be sometimes hearers of a good sermon ; and do not forget to make enquiry how they improve by what they hear at church , and in your own house . let every servant , men and women have their daily work appointed them , which must be duly exacted , and taken account of , either by your self , or some superior servant constituted by you for that purpose ; and let not your constant and painful care of your worldly affairs exclude your greatest concern , the things of heaven , and therefore appoint certain hours , morning and evening for publick prayers for the family , and let not any servant be absent , unless some extraordinary occasion hinder . as near as you can , keep one set and certain time , with good orders observed for the table , in which be free , yet frugal . let there be a competent allowance for the servants , that they may have no just cause to complain ; nor so much superfluity as that they may entertain a sort of loose gossips in corners , the very bane and spoil of servants . invert not the course of nature ( as too many do of late ) by converting day into night , and night into day ; but keep good hours for your repose , that your servants may be the better disposed for the next days labour . observe due times for washing and smoothing up the linnen quickly , that it may not be thrown up and down , and be mildewed and spoil'd , and so be fit for nothing but the wash again ; and forget not to dearn or mend it every week , that it may not run to tatters before it be half worn ; and do not suffer any servant to be idle . if you have a dairy , see it be kept clean and neat . let not the corn in the granary muste and spoil for want of skreening and turning . let your servant see that your beasts and poultry be fatted in their due season ; and that your stable keep no more horses than your own . in the brew-house , that the first wort be not drunk up by idle people , and so the smallness of your beer become a disparagement to your family . in the bake-house , that your dough which should be for the finest bread at your table , be not half consumed in making of cakes . that there be always bread enough for the servants before hand , for it is a point of ill huswifry to eat hot or very new bread. in the kitchin , that there be no necessaries wanting , nor no wast or spoil made , but that the meat be salted , and spent in due time . in the parlour , let the fire be made , and the cloth laid : in due time , that the cook may have no excuse for the spoiling of his meat . in the chambers , that every thing be kept cleanly ; the beds often turned , the furniture often beaten in the sun , and well brushed . every saturday take an account of every servants layings out ; and once a month an account of all the expences of the whole house . in the buttery and cellars , that the butler be careful of not making every idle fellow drunk that comes to the house , and so squander away without credit the wine , ale , and beer . now because you will have frequent occasions for banquets , in the entertaining of persons of quality , i think it not unfit for a gentle-woman to learn the art of preserving and candying ; of which i shall according to the profession i make thereof give you an ample account or instruction in some chapters following . frugality will perswade you to learn these cxcellent arts , for in the constant use of the product thereof , you will save much for sweet-meats , you will make much cheaper than you can buy them , and more commendable . other things you will meet withall worthy of your observation , of which this is no mean one , most requisite and in no wise dishonourable ; that is , your understanding how to dress meat as well as eat it , that your servants may be guided by you , and not you by them . gentlewomen , i will appeal to you as persons competent to judg whether the right understanding of these things be not altogether requisite and necessary ; and as to your divertisements , none carries in it more profit than cookery ; now to the intent i may be instrumental to the making up a compleat and accomplished gentlewoman , give me leave here to set you down such a-la-mode instructions , as may perfectly inform you in every thing that belongs to the commendable art of cookery . terms for carving all sorts of meat at table . before we shall treat of the body of cookery ; i think it fit by way of prologue or introduction , to acquaint you with those proper terms in carving , which are used abroad and at home , by the curious students in the art of carving ; take them thus as follows . in cutting up all manner of small birds , it is proper to say , thigh them ; as thigh that woodcock , thigh that pidgeon ; but as to others say , mince that plover , wing that quail , and wing that patridge , allay that pheasant , untach that . curlew , unjoint that bittern , disfigure that peacock , display that crane , dismember that hern ; unbrace that mallard , frust that chicken , spoil that hen , sauce that capon , lift that swan , rear that goose , tire that egg. as to the flesh of beasts , unlace that coney , break that deer , and leach that brawn . for fish ; chine that salmon , string that lamprey , splat that pike , sauce that plaice , and sauce that tench , splay that bream , side that haddock , tusk that barbel , culpon that trout ; transon that eel , tranch that sturgeon , tame that crab , barb that lobster . quaint directions for the carving all manner of fowl . if you will lift a swan , slit her right down in the middle of the breast , and so clean through the back , from the neck to the rump , and so divide her equally in the middle without tearing the flesh from either part ; having laid it in the dish with the slit-sides downwards , let your sawce be chaldron a part in sawcers . you must rear or break a goose roasted , by taking off the legs very fair ; then cut off the belly-piece round close to the lower end of the breast ; lace her down with your knife clean through the breast on each side , a thumbs breadth from the breast-bone ; then take off the wings on each side , with the flesh which you first laced , raising it up clear from the bone , then cut up the merry thought , and having cut up another piece of flesh which you formerly laced , then turn your carkass , and cut it asunder the back-bone , above the loyn-bones ; then take the rump-end of the back-bone , and lay it at the fore-end of the merry-thought , with the skinny side upward ; then lay your pinions on each side contrary , set your leggs on each side contrary behind them , that the bone-end of the legs may stand up cross in the middle of the dish ; and the wing-pinions on the outside of them ; put under the wing-pinions on each side the long slices of flesh which you did cut from the breast-bone , and let the ends meet under the leg-bones . if you would cut up a turky or bustard , raise up the leg very fair , then open the joint with the point of your sharp knife , yet take not off the leg ; then lace down the breast on both sides , and open the breast-pinion , but take it not off ; then raise up the merry-thought betwixt the breast-bone and the top of the merry-thought , lace down the flesh on both sides of the breast-bone , and raise up the flesh called the brawn , turn it outwards on both sides , but break it not nor cut it off ; then cut off the wing-pinion at the joint next the body , and stick on each side the pinion in the place where you turned out the brawn , but cut off the sharp end of the pinion , take the middle piece and that will just fit the place . you may cut up a capon or pheasant the same way ; but be sure you cut not off the pinion of your capon , but in the place where you put the pinion os the turky , place there your divided gizard on each side half . in the dismembring of an hern , you must take off both the legs , and lace it down the breast ; then raise up the flesh , and take it clean off , with the pinion ; then stick the head in the breast , set the pinion on the contrary side of the carcass , and the leg on the other side , so that the bones ends may meet cross over the carcass , and the other wing cross over upon the top of the carcass . if you will unbrace a mallard , raise up the pinion and the leg , but take them not off ; raise the merry-thought from the breast , and lace it down slopingly , on each side the breast with your knife . turn the back downwards , if you unlace a coney , and cut the belly-flaps clean off from the kidneys ; then put in the point of your knife between the kidneys , and loosen the flesh from each side the bone ; then turn up the back of the rabbat , and cut it cross between the wings , and lace it down close by the bone on each side ; then open the flesh from the bone , against the kidney , and pull the leg open softly with your hand , but pluck it not off ; then thrust in your knife betwixt the ribs and the kidney , slit it out , then lay the legs close together . in the allaying of a pheasant , and winging a partridge , you must raise their wings and legs as if they were hens . if you mince your partridg , sauce him with wine , powder of ginger and salt , and so set him on a chafing-dish of coals to keep warm . use a quail after the same manner . display a crane thus : unfold his legs , and cut off his wings by the joints ; then rake up his wings and legs , and sauce them with powder of ginger , mustard , vinegar and salt : dismember a hern in the same manner , and fauce him accordingly ; so likewise unjoint a bittern , but use no sauce , but salt . i shall now proceed to give you some instructions in the art of cookery ; which i shall rank in an alphabetical order compendiously . artichoaks fried . boil your artichoaks , and sever them from the bottom , then slice and quarter them , having so done , dip them in butter , and fry them in butter . for the sauce , take verjuice , butter , and sugar , with the juice of an orange , lay marrow on them , and having garnisht them with marrow , serve them up . artichoaks stewed . artichoaks being boil'd , take out the core , and take off the leaves , cut the bottoms into quarters , splitting them in the middle , then put them into your flat stewing-pan , with manchet-toasts therein , laying the artichoaks on them , with an indifferent quantity of marrow , five or six large maces , half a pound of preserved plumbs with the sirrup , verjuice , and sugar ; let them thus stew two hours , if you stew them in a dish , stir them not thence , but serve them up in it , laying on some barberries preserv'd , and such like , so sippet it and serve it up ; instead of preserved plumbs , you may stew those which are ordinary , and will do near as well , and are much cheaper . an almond-pudding . take a pounnd of almond-paste , some grated bisket-bread , cream , rosewater , yolks of eggs , beaten cinnamon , ginger , nutmeg , some boiled currans , pistaches and musk , boil it in a napkin , and serve it in a dish , with beaten butter and sugar scrap'd thereon . an almond-pudding in guts . get a pound of almonds blanched , beat them very small with rose-water , and a little good new milk , or cream , with two or three blades of mace , and some sliced nutmegs ; when it is boiled , take the spice clean from it , then grate a penny-loaf , and serce it through a cullender , put it into the cream , and let it stand till it be pretty cool , then put in the almonds , five or six yolks of eggs , salt , sugar , and good store of marrow , or beef-suet , finely minced , and so fill the guts . an almond-tart . strain beaten almonds with cream , yolks of eggs , sugar , cinnamon and ginger , boil it thick , and fill your tart therewith . almond-cream . take half a pound of almond-paste , beaten with rose-water , and strain it with a quart of cream , put it in a skillet with a stick of cinnamon , and boil it , stir it continually , and when it is boiled thick , put sugar to it , and serve it up cold . apple cream . take a dozen pippins , or more , pare , slice , or quarter them , put them into a skillet , with some claret-wine , and a race of ginger sliced thin , a little lemon-peel cut small , and some sugar ; let all these stew together till they be soft , then take them off the fire , and put them into a dish , and when they be cold , take a quart of boil'd cream , with a little nutmeg , and put in os the apple as much as will thicken it ; and so serve it up . apricocks green baked . when your apricocks are green , and so tender that you may thrust a pin through the stone , scald them , and scrape the outside , oft putting them in water as you peel them , till your tart be ready , then dry them well , and fill your tart with them , and lay on good store of fine sugar , close it up and bake it , ice it , scrape on sugar , and serve it up . barley-broth . boil the barley first in two waters , having first pickt it well , then join it with a knuckle of veal , and seeth them together , to the broth add raisins , sweet herbs , large mace , and the quantity of a fine manchet sliced together , then season it with salt . bisk . there are divers ways to make a bisk , but the best is this ; take a leg of beef , and knuckle of veal , boil them in two gallons of fair water , scum them clean , and put to them some cloves and mace , then boil them from two gallons to three quarts of broth ; being boiled , strain it thin , put it into a pipkin ; when it is cold take off the fat and bottom , and put it into a clean pipkin , and keep it warm till the bisk be ready ; boil the fowl in the liquor of the marrow-bones of half a douzen peeping chickens , and as many peeping pidgeons in a clean pipkin . then have pallats , noses and lips , boil'd tender , blanch'd and cut into pieces as big as a sixpence ; also some sheeps-tongues boil'd , blanch'd , larded , fried , and stewed in gravy , with some chesnuts blanched ; also some cocks combs boiled and blanched , with some yolks of hard eggs. stew all the aforesaid in some roast mutton , or beef-gravy , with some pistaches , large mace , a good big onion or two , and salt . then take lamb-stones blanch'd and slic'd , also sweet-breads of veal and sweet-breads of lamb slit , some great oysters parboil'd , and some cock-stones : fry the aforesaid materials in clarified butter , some fried spinnage , or alexander-leaves , and keep them warm in an oven , with some fried sausages made of minced bacon , veal , yolks of eggs , nutmegs , sweet herbs , salt , and pistaches ; bake it in an oven in cauls of veal ; and being baked and cold , slice it round , fry it , and keep it warm in the oven , with the aforesaid baked things . having prepared all these things in readiness , take a great eight pound dish , and a six-penny french loaf , chip it and slice it into large slices , and cover all the bottom of the dish , then steep it well with your strong broth , and upon that some beef-gravy ; then dish up the fowl on the dish , and round about it the fried tongues , with the lips , pallats , pestaches , eggs , noses , chesnuts , and cocks-combs , and run them over the fowls with some of the gravy , and large mace. then again run it over with fried sweet-breads , sausages , lamb-stones , cock-stones , fried spinnage , and the marrow over all ; next the carved lemons on the meat , and run it over with the beaten butter , yolks of eggs and gravy beaten up till it be thick ; lastly , garnish the dish with little pyes , dolphins of puff-paste , chesnuts , boil'd and fried oisters , and yolks of hard eggs. gentlewomen , i must crave your pardon , since i know i have tired your patience in the description of a dish , which though it be frequently used in noblemens houses , and with all this cost and trouble put together by some rare whimsical french cook , yet i cannot approve of it , but must call it a miscellaneous hodg-podg of studied vanity ; and i have here inserted it not for your imitation , but admiration . beef hashed . in the making of a hash of beef , take some of the buttock and mince it very small with some beef-suet , or lard , and some sweet herbs , some beaten cloves and mace , pepper , nutmeg , and a whole onion or two , stew altogether in a pipkin , with some blanched chesnuts , strong broth , and a little claret ; let it stew softly for the space of three hours , that it may be very tender , then blow off the fat , dish it , and serve it on sippets , you may garnish it with barberries , grapes , or gooseberries . beef a-la-mode . cut some buttock-beef a quarter of an inch thick , and lard it with bacon , having hackt it before a little with the back of your knise , then stew it in a pipkin with some gravy , clarotwine , and strong broth , cloves , mace , pepper , cinnamon and salt ; being tender stewed , serve it on french bread sippets . beef carbonadoed . steep your beef in claret-wine , salt , pepper , and nutmeg , then broil it on the embers over a temperate and unsmoaky fire , in the mean while boil up the liquor wherein it was steeped , and serve it for sauce , with beaten butter . beef baked , red-deer-fashion , in pies or pasties , either surloine , brisket , buttock or fillet , larded or not . let your surloine be boned , and take off the great sinue that lies on the back , lard the leanest parts of it with great lard , being season'd with nutmeg , pepper , four ounces of each , two ounces of ginger , and a pound of salt , which seasoning you must put into the pye ; but first lay a bed of good sweet butter , and a bay-leaf or two , half an ounce of whole cloves , lay on your beef , then put on the rest of the seasoning , and a few more cloves , good store of butter , and a bay-leaf or two , close it up and bake it , it will require eight hours soaking ; if you will eat it hot , half the seasoning will serve , and then let your paste be fine , otherwise course . to this quantity of flesh you must have three gallons of fine flower heapt measure . but the best way to bake red deer is in course paste , either pye , or pasty ; if rye-meal , it will keep long , otherwise you may make it of meal , as it comes from the mill , using only boiling-water , without any other stuff . beef collar'd . in the right making of a collar of beef you must take the flank and lay it in pump-water two or three days , shift it twice a day , then take it out , and dry it very well with clean clothes , cut it in three layers , and take out the bones and most of the fat ; then take three handfuls of salt , and good store of sweet herbs chopped very small , mingle them , and stew them betwixt the three layers , and lay them one upon another ; then take an ounce of cloves and mace , and another of nutmegs , and beat them well , and strew it between the layers of beef , rowl it up close together , then lay some splices about it , and with pack-thread tye it up very close and hard , put it in a long earthen-pot , which are made on purpose for that use , tying up the top of the pot with cap-paper ; set it into the oven , let it stand eight hours , draw it , and taking it out of the pot , hang it up for use . brawn , how to make a collar . take a fat brawn of two or three years growth , and bone the sides , cut off the head close to the ears , and cut five collars of a side , bone the hinder leg , or else five will not be deep enough ; cut the collars an inch deeper on the belly then on the back , because the belly will shrink more in the boiling ; make your collars very even before you bind them up , not big at one end , and small at the other , but fill them equally , and lay them a soaking in fair water , be sure that they be watered two days before you bind them up , shift and scrape them twice a day in that time , then bind them up with white tape ; having your boiler ready with the water boiling , put in your collars of the biggest bulk first , a quarter of an hour before those which are less . boil them an hour with a quick fire , keeping the boiler continually filled up with warm clean liquor , and scum the fat clean off as it riseth . after an hour , let it boil still , but more leisurely ; being fine and tender boiled , so that you may thrust a straw through it , draw your fire , and let your brawn remain till the next morning ; between hot and cold put your brawn into moulds of deep hoops , and bind them about with packthread ; when cold take them out and put them into souce made of boil'd oatmeal ground or beaten , and bran boil'd in fair water , which you must strain through a cullender when it is cold , into that thing you intend to lay your brawn ; then put salt thereunto , and close up the mouth of the vessel from the air. when you use it , dish it up with a sprig of rosemary on the top , dipt in the white of an egg well beaten to froth , sprinkled with flower , or with a straight sprig of ew-tree . brawn made of a sucking-pig , otherwise called souced pig. chuse not a spotted pig for handsomenesssake , but one that is white ; scald him , and cut off his head , parting him down the back , draw and bone him , the sides being thorowly cleansed from the blood , and soaked in several clean waters , dry the sides thereof , season them with nutmeg , ginger and salt , rowl them , and put them up in clean clothes ; then take as much water as will cover it in the boiling-pan two inches over and above , and add two quarts of white-wine thereunto . when the liquor boils , put in your collars , with salt , mace , sliced ginger , parsley-roots , and fennel-roots scraped and picked ; being half boil'd , put in a quart of white-wine more , being quite boil'd , put in slices of lemon to it with the whole peel . having souc'd it two or three days , dish it out on plates with vinegar ; or serve it in collars with mustard and sugar . a calves-head roasted . take the head , and cleave it , and remove from thence the brains , purge it well from the blood , then steep the head in fair water warm five hours , in that time shift it twice or thrice , the last time clense the head ; then boil the brains , and with it make a pudding with some grated bread , beef-suet , and some veal minced small together , with some sage ; let the pudding be seasoned with cloves , mace , salt , ginger , sugar , five yolks of eggs and saffron ; fill the head with this pudding , then close it up , and bind it fast with pack-thread , spit it , and bind on the caul with some of the pudding round about it ; as it roasts save the gravy ; but when you use it for the sauce , blow off the fat , and add thereunto a little white-wine , a nutmeg sliced , the juice of an orange , salt , and sugar , and a piece of sweet butter ; before you take up the head , dredg it with grated bread , beaten cinnamon , minced lemmon-peel with a little salt. calves-foot pye , or neats-foot pye. take two pair of calves-feet , boil them tender and blanch them ; being cold bone them , and mince them very small , and season them with pepper , nutmeg , cinnamon , a little ginger and salt , and a pound of currans , a quarter of a pound of dates sliced , a quarter of a pound of fine sugar , with a little rose-water , and verjuice , stir all together in a dish or tray , laying a little butter in the bottom of the pye ; then lay on half the meat in the pye ; take then the marrow of three marrow-bones , and lay that on the meat in the pye , and the other half of the meat on the marrow , and stick some dates on the top of the meat , so close up the pye and bake it ; being half baked , liquor it with butter , white-wine or verjuice , and ice it with butter , rosewater and sugar , then set it in the oven again till it be iced . capons souced . take a good young fat capon , finely pulled , drawn , and trussed , lay it in soak two or three hours , with a knuckle of veal well jointed , and after set them a boiling in a deep brass-pan , or large pipkin in a gallon of fair water , when it boils , scum it , and put in four or five blades of mace , two or three races of ginger sliced , some fennel and parsley roots scraped and pickt , season all with salt. the capon being tenderly boiled , take it up , and when almost cold put it to your souced broth which you must boil with a quart of white-wine to a jelly , putting this liquor into a convenient vessel , place your capon therein , with two or three sliced lemmons , cover it close and serve it at your pleasure , garnishing your dish with slices of lemmon , barberries , and some of the jelly . calves-chaldron-mince-pyes . let your chaldrons or muggets be boiled tender , and being cold mince them small , with beef-suet , or interlarded bacon , some volks of hard eggs , veal , mutton , and lamb cut small , season it with cloves , mace , nutmeg , pepper , a little onion , and minced lemon-peel , with salt , and juice of an orange ; then lay on some slices of interlarden bacon and butter , close it up and bake it ; and when you draw it , liquor it with white-wine beaten with butter . capon or chicken in white broth. first boil the capon in water and salt , then take three pints of strong broth , and a quart of white-wine , and stew it in a pipkin , with a quarter of a pound of dates , half a pound of fine sugar , four or five blades of large mace , the marrow of three marrow-bones , an handful of white endive ; stew them very leisurely ; having so done , strain the yolks of ten eggs with some of the broth. before you dish up the capon or chickens , put the eggs into the broth , and keep it stirring that it may not curdle , and let it be but a little while on the fire ; the fowls being dished up , put on the broth , and garnish the dish with dates , large mace , endive , preserved barberries . you may make a lere of almond-paste , and grape-verjuice . chicken-pye . truss the chickens , then season them leightly with pepper , salt and nutmeg , lay them in the pye , and lay on them some sliced dates , with the marrow of two or three marrow-bones , some large mace , a quarter of a pound of eringo-roots , some grapes or barberries , with butter , close it up and put it into the oven ; being half baked , liquor it with a cawdle made of a pint of white-wine or verjuice , the yolks of five or six eggs , with sugar and butter , shake liquor well in it , which you may colour green with the juice of spinnage : it is proper to ice these pyes ; or scrape sugar on them . clouted cream . take a gallon of new milk from the cow , two quarts of cream , and twelve spoonfuls of rosewater , put these together in a large milk-pan , and set it upon a fire of charcole well kindled , ( be sure the fire be not too hot ) and let it stand a day and a night , then take it off and dish it with a slice or scummer , let no milk be in it , lay it in a cream-dish , with sugar scraped thereon , and so serve it up . cabbedg-cream . set over the fire six quarts of new milk , and when it boils , pour it out into half a score of earthen-pans or bowls , as fast as you can without frothing , set them apart , and when they are a little cold , gather the cream that is on the top with your hand , rumpling it together , and lay it on a flat dish ; when you have laid three or four layers one on the other , wet a feather in rosewater and musk , and stroke over it , then searse a little grated nutmeg , and fine sugar , then lay three or four lays more on , as before , thus doing till you have all the cream in the bowl , and then put all the milk together and boil it again ; and when it boils , do with it as you did before ; it will yield thus four or five times seething , with which you must do as before , that it may lie round and high like a cabbedg . you will do well to let one of the first bowls to stand till last , that the cream may be thick and crumpled , and that use for the uppermost lay , and so scrape sugar in it . this must be made over-night for dinner , and in the morning for supper . carp stewed . dress the carp and take out the milt , put it in a dish with the carp , take out the gall , then save the blood , and scotch with your knife the back of the carp. if the carp be large , take a quart of claret , or white-wine , four or five blades of large mace , ten cloves , two large races of ginger sliced , two sliced nutmegs , with the tops of time , marjoram , savory , and parsley chopped very small , four great onions whole , three or four bay-leaves , and some salt ; stew them all together with the wine when the liquor boils : put in the carp , with a quarter of a pound of sweet butter ; being stew'd enough , take a large dish , and laying the carp therein , pour the sawce thereon with the spices ; lay on sliced lemon , with some of the peel cut small , and run it over with beaten butter ; garnish the dish with manchet grated and searsed , and carved sippets laid round the dish . you may , for variety , the carp being scaled , garnish the body with stewed oisters , some fried in white butter , some in green , made by the juice of spinnage . carp marinated . take a carp , fcale it , and scrape off the slime , wipe it clean with a dry cloth , and split it down the back , flowre it , and fry it in sweet sallet-oyl , or clarified butter ; being fried crisp , lay it in a deep dish , or earthen-pan , then take some white claret-wine , white-wine-vinegar , and put it into a broad mouth'd pipkin , with rosemary , time , sweet marjoram , parsley , winter-savory , bay-leaves , sorrel and sage , a like quantity of each , with some large mace , sliced ginger , gross pepper , sliced nutmeg , whole cloves and salt , with as much wine and vinegar as will cover the fish ; boil all these together a little while , and then pour it on the fish hot , and cover it close to detain the spirits from evaporating for an hours , space , and then lay on your lemon with orange-peel . thus you may marinate soles , plaice , or any other , whether sea or fresh-water fish ; if you barrel or pack it up close , it will be as good , and keep as long as sturgeon . carp roasted . take a live carp , draw and wash it , taking away the gall , milt or spawn ; then make a pudding with some grated manchet , some almond-paste , cream , currans , grated nutmeg , raw yolks of eggs , sugar , carraway-seed candied , some salt and lemon ; make a stiff pudding , and put it through the gills into the belly of the carp ; then spit it , and when it is roasted , make sauce with the gravy that falls from it , with juice of orange , sugar and cinamon ; beat up the sauce thick with the butter , and dish it up . deer , red and fallow , roasted . take a side or half haunch , and parboil it ; then farce or stuff it with all manner of sweet herbs minced with beef-suet ; lay the cawl over , and so roast it ; when ready , dish it up with a gallendine-sauce made with strained bread , vinegar , claret-wine , cinamon , ginger and sugar , boil up these with a few whole cloves , and a sprig of rosemary . deer baked . take a side of venison , bone and lard it with great lards as big as your little finger , and season it with two ounces of pepper , two ounces of nutmeg , and four ounces of salt , then make your pye , and lay some butter in the bottom thereof , then lay in your flesh the inside downward , coat it thick with seasoning , adding a few cloves and good store of butter , so close it up and bake it , first basting it with eggs. egg-mince-pye . boil your eggs hard , then mince and mix them with cinamon , currans , carraway-seed , sugar and dates , minced lemon-peel , verjuice , rosewater , butter and salt , with these fill your pyes ; when baked , liquor them with butter , white-wine , sugar , and ice them . florentines on paste , or without paste . take a leg of mutton or veal , shave it into thin slices , and mingle it with some sweet herbs , as sweet marjoram , time , savory , parsley and rosemary ; being minced very small , a clove of garlick , some beaten nutmeg , pepper , a minced onion , some grated manchet , and three or four yolks of raw eggs , mix all together with a little salt , some thin slices of interlarded bacon , lay the meat round the dish , on a sheet of paste , or in the dish without paste ; being baked , stick bay-leaves round the dish . flowers of all sorts pickled . put them into a gally-pot , or glass , with as much sugar as they weigh , fill them up with wine-vinegar . to a pint of vinegar a pound of sugar , and a pound of flowers : so keep them for sallets and boil'd meats . grapes and goosberries pickled . pick them and put them in verjuice , and so barrel them up . geese boiled . take them being powder'd , and fill their bellies with oatmeal , being first steeped in warm milk , then mingle it with some beef-suet , minced onions and apples , season'd with cloves , mace , some sweet herbs minced , and pepper , fasten the neck and vent , boil them , and serve them with brewis , and colliflowers or cabbedg , running it over with beaten butter ; thus you may dress any sort of sea-fowl . hashes several ways . first , of raw beef , mince it very small with beef-suet or lard , some sweet-herbs , pepper , salt , some cloves and mace , chesnuts or almonds blanch'd , put in whole , some nutmeg , and a whole onion or two , and stew it in a pipkin with some strong broth two hours , put a little claret to it , and serve it on sippets , blowing off the fat ; and garnish it with lemon or barberries . otherways . cut your beef , fat and lean , into gobbets , as big as a pullets egg , and put them into a pot or pipkin with some carrots cut into pieces as big as a walnut , some whole onions , some parsnips , large mace , a faggot of sweet herbs , salt , pepper , cloves , with as much water and wine as will cover them , let them thus stew three hours . hashes of neats-feet , or any feet , as calves , sheep , deer , hogs , pigs or lambs . boil them very tender , and being cold , mince them small , then put currans to them , beaten cinamon , hard eggs minc'd , capers , sweet herbs minced small , cloves , mace , sugar , white-wine , butter , sliced lemon or orange , sliced almonds , grated bread , saffron , grapes , or barberries , so serve them on fine carved sippets . hashing of any feet . mince them small , and stew them with white-wine , butter , currans , raisins , marrow , sugar , prunes , dates , cinamon , mace , ginger , pepper , and serve them on toasts of fried manchet . hares roasted without and with the skin . take an hare and flay him , then lard him with small lard , stick him with cloves , and make a pudding in his belly , with grated bread , grated nutmeg , cinamon beaten , salt , currans , eggs , cream and sugar ; having made it stiff , fill the belly of the hare and so roast it . if you will have your pudding green , colour it with spinage ; if yellow , with saffron . let the sauce be made of beaten cinamon , nutmeg , ginger , pepper , prunes , currans , a little grated bread , sugar and cloves , all boiled up as thick as water-gruel . if you roast an hare with the skin on , draw out the bowels , and make a farsing , or stuffing of all manner of sweet herbs minced very small , then roul them in some butter , and make a ball thereof , put it into the belly , and prick it up close , baste it with butter , and being almost roasted , flay off the skin , and stick on some cloves on the body , bread it with fine grated manchet , flower and cinamon , froth it up , and dish it on sawce , made of grated bread , claret-wine , wine-vinegar , cinamon , ginger , and sugar , being boiled up to an indifferency . ipocras . to make good ipocras , you must take a gallon of wine , three ounces of cinamon , two ounces of sliced ginger , an ounce of nutmegs , a quarter of an ounce of cloves , twenty corns of pepper , an handful of rosemary-flowers , three pounds of sugar , and two quarts of cream . jellies of several colours for all sorts of soust meats , and to be eaten alone . take four pair of calves-feet , a knuckle of veal , a good fleshy capon , take out the bones and fat , and cast them into fair water , shift them three or four times in a day and night , then boil them in three gallons of fair water till six quarts be wasted , then strain it into an earthen pan , let it cool , then take off the fat a top , and pare the bottom ; then dissolve it again in broth , and divide it into four equal parts , every part in a particular vessel ; put a little saffron into one of them , into another cutcheneel , into a third turnsole , let the last alone to its own natural whiteness ; let each vessel have a quart of white-wine , and the juice of two lemons . to the white jelly add one race of ginger pared and sliced , and three blades of large mace. to the red jelly two nutmegs , and the like quantity of cinamon and ginger . to the yellow or amber-colour the same spices , and the like quantity ; and to the turnsole the same with a few cloves . then take eighteen whites of eggs , and beat them with six pound of double refined sugar , beaten small and stirred together in a tray , or great bason ; with a rowling pin , divide it equally into four parts , and distribute one to each vessel , being well mixed with wine , and a little musk , or ambergriece , stir it about with your jelly . then set on your jelly again on a fine charcole fire , and let it stew near an hour , then make it boil up a little , so take it off ; being somewhat cold , strain it , and so let it stand for your use , casting it into what mould you please . land or sea-fowl , how to boil them . half roast the fowls , sticking on them some cloves as they roast , save the gravy , and when they are half roasted , put them into a pipkin with the gravy , some claret-wine , as much strong broth as will cover them , mace , cloves , pepper , ginger , some fried onions and salt ; stew all well together and serve them on carved sippets . land-fowl , the smaller sort , how to boil , as plovers , quails , blackbirds , rails , thrushes , snites , wheat-ears , larks and sparrows . take them and truss them , or cut off the heads and legs , and boil them , scum your pipkin , and put therein large mace , white-wine , currans well pickt and washt , dates , marrow , pepper and salt ; being well stewed , dish them on carved sippets ; thicken the broth with strained almonds , rosewater , and sugar ; garnish them with lemon , barberries and grated bread . marrow-pudding in a dish baked , garnished with puff-paste . take the marrow of four marrow-bones , two french breads , half a pound of raisins of the sun ready boiled and cold , cinamon a quarter of an ounce beaten , two grated nutmegs , a quarter of a pound of sugar , the like of dates , sack half a pint , rosewater a quarter of a pint , ten eggs , two grains of amber-griece . now take a deep large dish , and lay a lay of sliced french-bread therein , and strew it with cinamon , nutmeg , and sugar , mingled together , also sprinkle the slices of bread with sack and rosewater , and then some raisins of the sun , sliced dates , and good big pieces of marrow , and thus make two or three lays of the aforesaid ingredients , with most marrow on the top ; then take two quarts of cream , and strain it with half a quarter of fine sugar , with about a spoonful of salt , and twelve eggs , six of the whites taken away , then set the dish into the oven , temperate , and not too hot , and bake it very white , then strew some sugar on , and so serve it . mutton hashed the french way . take a shoulder of mutton , and roast it three quarters and save the gravy ; slice the one half and mince the other , and put it into a pipkin , with the shoulder-blade , put to it some strong broth of mutton or beef-gravy , large mace , some pepper , salt , a big onion or two , a faggot of sweet herbs , and a pint of white-wine ; stew them all together close covered , then take away the fat , and put some oyster-liquor thereunto ; add also three pints of great oysters parboiled in their own liquor ; these materials being well stewed down , dish up your meat , pouring your liquor thereon , and uppermost lay your stewed oysters , with sliced lemon and fine carved sippets . marinated mullet , bace , gurnet , or rochet . take a gallon of white-wine-vinegar , a quart of fair water , a good handful of bay-leaves , as much rosemary , and a quarter of a pound of beaten pepper , put these together , and let them boil softly , season it with salt , then fry your fish in the best sallet-oyl ; this done , put the fish in an earthen vessel or barrel , lay the bay-leaves and rosemary between every layer of the fish , and pour the broth upon it ; when it is cold , close up the vessel . mallets fried . scale , draw , and scotch them , after washing wipe them dry , and flowre them , fry them in clarified butter ; being fried , put to them some claret-wine , sliced ginger , grated nutmeg , an anchove , salt , and sweet butter beaten up thick , but first rub the dish with a clove of garlick : chuse the least mullets to fry . mullets or bace baked . scale , garbedg , wash and dry the bace or mullet very well , lard it with salt-eel , season it and make a pudding for it of grated bread , sweet herbs , and fresh eel minced , put also the yolks of hard eggs , anchove washt and minced very small , some nutmeg and salt , fill the belly herewith , or cut it into quarters , and season them with nutmeg , ginger and pepper , lay them in your pye , and make balls , and lay them on the pieces of mullet , then put on some capers , prawns , or cockles , yolks of eggs minced , butter , large mace , and barberries , close it up ; being baked , cut it up and fill it with beaten butter , and garnish it with sliced lemon . this is a very good way for tench or bream . mushrooms fried . blanch them and wash them clean ; if they be large , quarter them , and boil them with salt , vinegar , and water , sweet herbs , large mace , cloves , bay-leaves , and two or three cloves of garlick , then take them up , dry them , dip them in butter , and fry them in clarified butter , till they be brown ; make your sauce for them of claret-wine , the juice of two or three oranges , salt , butter the juice of horse-raddish-root beaten and strain'd , sliced nutmeg and pepper , put these into a frying-pan , with the yolks of two or three eggs , with some mutton-gravy , beat or shake them well together in the pan , that they curdle not , then rub a dish with garlick , and lay the mushrooms therein garnisht with oranges and lemons . mushrooms stewed . take them fresh gathered , and cut off the end of the stalk ; and as you peel them , put them in a dish with white-wine ; after they have layn half an hour , drain them from the wine , and put them between two dishes , and set them on a soft fire without any liquor , and when they have stewed a while , pour away the liquor that proceeded from them , then put to your mushrooms a sprig of time , a whole onion , four or five corns of whole pepper , two or three cloves , a piece of an orange , a little salt , and some sweet butter , with some pure gravy of mutton ; cover them and set them on a gentle fire , so let them stew softly till they are enough and very tender ; when you dish them , blow off the fat from them , and take out the time , the spice , and orange , then wring in the juice of a lemon , and strew some nutmeg thereon . neats-tongues boiled . salt a tongue twelve hours , or boil it in water and salt till it be tender , blanch it , serve it on carved sippets and brewis , with boiled turnips and onions , run it over with beaten butter , and garnish it with barberries or grapes . neats-tongues stewed . take a tongue and put it a stewing between two dishes , being raw and fresh , put some strong broth and white-wine to it , with some whole cloves , mace , and whole pepper , some capers , salt , with roots , as carrots or turnips , and stew them all together leisurely the space of two hours or more , then blanch it , and put some marrow to it , give it a walm or two , then serve it on sippets finely carved , and strew on some mined lemon , barberries or grapes , and run it over with beaten butter : garnish your dish with manchets finely searsed . neats-tongues , an excellent way how to dry them . take salt beaten very fine , and salt-peter , of each a like quantity , rub your tongues very well with the salts , and cover them all over with it ; and as it wasts , supply them with more , then roul them in bran , and dry them before a soft fire ; before you boil them , lay them in pump-water one night , and boil them in pump-water . neats-tongues roasted . take a neats-tongue tenderly boiled , blanched , and cold , cut a hole in the butt-end , and mince the meat that you take out , then put some sweet herbs finely minced to it , with a minced pippin or two , the yolks of eggs sliced , some minced beef-suet , beaten ginger and salt , fill the tongue and stop the end with a caul of veal , lard it and roast it , make your sawce with butter , nutmeg , gravy , and juice of oranges : garnish the dish with sliced lemon and barberries . neats-tongue-minc'd-pye . take a fresh neats-tongue , boil , blanch , and mince it , then mince four pound of beef-suet by it self , mingle them together , and season them with an ounce of cloves and mace beaten , some salt , half an orange preserved , and a little lemon-peel , shred with a quarter of a pound of sugar , four pound of currans , a little verjuice and rosewater and a quarter of a pint of sack , stir all together , and fill your pyes . a norfolk-fool . take a quart of thick sweet cream , and set it a boiling in a clear scoured skillet , with some large mace , and whole cinamon ; having boiled a little while , take the yolks of five or six eggs beaten well , and put to it ; being off , the fire take out the cinamon and mace ; the cream being pretty thick , slice a fine manchet into thin slices as many as will cover the bottom of the dish , and then pour on the cream ; trim the dish with carved sippets , and stick it with sliced dates , and scrape sugar all over it . oysters stewed . take a pottle of large oysters , parboil them in their own liquor , then wash them from the dregs in warm water , and put them in a pipkin , with a good big onion or two , and five or six blades of large mace , a little whole pepper , a sliced nutmeg , a quarter of a pint of white-wine , as much wine-vinegar , a quarter of a pound of sweet butter , with a little salt , stew them together on a soft fire the space of half an hour , then dish them on sippets of french-bread , sliced lemon on that , and barberries , then run them over with beaten butter ; and garnish the dish with grated manchet searsed . oysters fried . strain the liquor from them , and parboil them in a kettle , then dry and roul them in flower , or make a batter with eggs , flower , a little cream and salt , dip them therein , and fry them in butter . for the sawce , boil the juice of three or four oranges , some of their own liquor , a sliced nutmeg and claret ; being boiled a little , put in a slice of butter , beating it up thick ; having warm'd the dish , rub it with some garlick , and lay therein the oysters ; garnishing the dish with slices of orange . oyster-pyes . parboil your oysters in their own liquor , then take them out and wash them in warm water , dry them , and season them with pepper , nutmeg , yolks of hard eggs and salt ; the pye being made , put a few currans in the bottom , and lay on the oysters with some sliced dates in halfs , some large mace , sliced lemon , barberries and butter , close it up , and bake it , then liquor it with white-wine , sugar , and butter . otherways . take a pottle of oysters , being parboiled in their own liquor , beard and dry them , then season them with large mace , whole pepper , a little beaten ginger , salt , butter , and marrow , then close and bake it ; then make a lear with white-wine , oyster-liquor , and one onion ; boil these with a pound of butter , minced lemon , and a faggot of sweet herbs , and liquor the pye therewith . oysters pickled . take eight quarts of oysters , and parboil them in their own liquor , then take them out and cleanse them in warm water , then wipe them dry ; then take the liquor they were parboiled in , and clear it from the grounds into a large pipkin , or skillet , put to it a pottle of good white-wine , a quart of wine-vinegar , some large mace , whole pepper , and a good quantity of salt , set it over the fire and boil it leisurely , scum it clean , and being well boiled , put the liquor into barrels , that will hold a quart or more , and when it is cold , put in the oysters , and close up the head . ox-cheeks baked in a pye. being first cleansed from the slime , filth and blood , cut them in pieces , take out the bones , and season them with pepper , salt , and nutmeg , then put them in a pye with a few whole cloves , a little seasoning , slices of butter and bacon over all ; bake them very tender , and liquor them with butter and claret-wine . a calves-head pye. take a calves-head , soak it well , and take out the brains , boil the head , and take out the bones ; being cold , stuff it with sweet herbs and hard eggs chopped small , minced bacon , and a raw egg or two , nutmeg , pepper , and salt ; and lay in the bottom of the pye minced veal raw , and bacon ; then lay the cheeks on it in the pye , and sliced bacon on that , then spices , butter and grapes , or a lemon , then close it up , bake it , and liquor it with butter only . puff-paste , the best way how to make it . take a pottle of flower , mix it with cold water , half a pound of butter , and the whites of five eggs , work these together very well and stiff , then roul it out very thin , and put flower under it and over it , then take near a pound of butter , and lay it in bits all over it , then double it in five or six doubles ; this being done , roul it out the second time , and serve it as at the first , then roul it out and cut it into what form you please , and for what use , you need not fear the curle , for it will divide as often as you have doubled , ten or twelve times is enough for any use . panado's . boil fair water in a skillet , put to it grated bread or cakes , good store of currans , mace , and whole cinamon ; being almost boil'd , and indifferent thick , put in some sack or white-wine , sugar , and some strained yolks of eggs. otherways , with sliced bread , water , currans , and mace ; and being well boiled , put to it some sugar , white-wine , and butter . posset of sack , claret , or white-wine , the best manner . take twenty yolks of eggs , with a little cream , strain them , and set them by ; then have a clean scoured skillet , and put into it a pottle of sweet cream , and a good quantity of whole cinamon ; set it a boiling on a soft charcolcfire , and stir it continually ; the cream having a good taste of the cinamon , put in the strained eggs and cream into your skillet , stir them together , and give them a walm , then have in readiness some sack or other wine in a deep bason , or posset-cup , good store of fine sugar , and some sliced nutmeg ; the sack and sugar being warm , take out the cinamon , and pour your eggs and cream very high into the bason , that it may spatter in it ; then strew on loaf-sugar . pumpion-pye . take a pound of pumpion , and slice ; it an handful of time , a little rosemary , sweet marjoram stripped off the stalks , chop them small ; then take cinamon , nutmeg , pepper , and a few cloves , all beaten ; also ten eggs , and beat them all together , with as much sugar as you shall think sufficient ; then fry them like a froise ; and being fried , let them stand till they are cold : then fill your pye after this manner : take apples sliced thin round ways , and lay a layer of the froise , and another of the apples , with currans betwixt the layers ; be sure you put in good store of sweet butter before you close it . when the pye is baked , take six yolks of eggs , some white-wine or verjuice , and make a caudle thereof , but not too thick ; cut up the lid and put it in , and stir them well together whilst the eggs and pumpions are not perceived , and so serve it up . pig roasted with the hair on . take a pig , and draw out his entrails , liver and lights , draw him very clean at vent , and wipe him , cut off his legs and truss him , and prick up the belly close , spit it , and lay it to the fire ; have a care of scorching it ; when it is a quarter roasted , the skin will rise up in blisters from the flesh , then with your hands or knife , pull off the skin and hair ; being cleanly flay'd , cut slashes down to the bones , baste it with butter or cream , then bread it with grated white-bread , currans , sugar and salt , all together , and thus baste it and dredg till it the body be covered an inch thick , then the pig being throughly roasted , draw it and serve it up whole , with sauce made of wine-vinegar , whole cloves , whole cinamon , and sugar boiled to a syrrup . pidgeons boiled . being trussed , put them into a pipkin or skillet , with some strong broth , or fair water , boil and scum them , then put in some mace , a faggot of sweet herbs , white endive , marigold-flowers and salt , and being finely boiled , serve them on sippets ; and garnish the dish with mace and white endive-flowers . pike boiled . take your pike and wash it clean , then truss it whole , round , with the tail in his mouth , and his back scotched , or cut it in three pieces , and divide the middle piece into two ; then boil it in water , salt , and vinegar , put it not in till the liquor boil , and then make it boil apace , and that will crisp your pike ; but afterwards foftly . for the sauce , put into a pipkin a pint of white-wine , sliced ginger , mace , dates quartered , a pint of large oysters with their liquor , a little vinegar and salt , boil them a quarter of an hour , then mince a few sweet herbs and parsley , stew them till half the liquor be consumed ; the pike being boiled , dish it , and garnish the dish with grated white-bread , or ginger fine beaten , then beat up the sawce with half a pound of butter , minced lemon or orange , and pour it on the pike with sippets . pike stewed . take a pike , slat it , and lay it in a dish ; when the blood is clean washed out , put to it as much white-wine as will cover it , and fet it a stewing ; when it boils , put in the fish , and scum it , and put to it some large mace , whole cinamon , and some salt ; when thorowly stewed , dish it on sippets finely carved . pike souc'd . draw and wash it clean from the blood and slime , then boil it in fair water and salt ; when the liquor boils , put it to it , and boil it leisurely and simmering , feason it savourly of the salt , boil it not too much , nor in more water than will just cover it . if you intend to keep it long , put as much white-wine as water , of both as much as will cover the fish , some wine-vinegar , sliced ginger , large mace , cloves , and some salt ; when it boils put in the fish , spices , and some lemon-peel , boil it up quick , and not too much ; then take it up in a tray , and boil down the liquor to a jelly ; lay some sliced lemon on it , pour on the liquor , and cover it up close ; when you serve it in jelly , melt some of the jelly , and run it over therewith ; garnish your dish with barberries and sliced lemon . pike roasted . take a pike , scour off the slime , and take out the entrails , lard the back with pickled herring , ( you must have a sharp bodkin to make the holes to lard it ) then take some large oysters and claret-wine ; season the oysters with pepper and nutmeg , stuff the belly with the oysters , and intermix the stuffing with rosemary , time , winter-savory , sweet marjoram , a little onion and garlick , sow these in the belly of the pike ; then take two sticks about the breadth of a lath , and with packthread tye the pike to the spit , tye also along the side of the pike which is not defended with the spit , rosemary and bays ; baste the pike with butter and claret-wine ; when it is roasted , rip up the belly , and take out the herbs quite away , boil up the gravy with butter , and dish it up . quaking-pudding . slice the crum of a peny-manchet , and infuse it three or four hours in a pint of scalding hot cream , covering it close , then break the bread with a spoon very small , and put to it eight eggs ( but four whites ) , and beat them together very well , then season it with sugar , rosewater and grated nutmeg ; if you think it too stiff , qualifie that fault with cold cream , and beat them well together , then wet the bag or napkin , and flower it , put in the pudding , and tye it hard , boil it half an hour , then dish it , and put butter to it , rosewater and sugar , and so serve it to the table . quince-pyes . make choice of fair quinces to make your pye withall , pare them very thin , and core them , and lay them within your paste ; add thereunto two races of ginger sliced , as much cinamon broken into bits , and eight or ten whole cloves , lay these with the quinces close packed , with as much refined sugar as the quinces weigh , close it up ; and having soaked four or five hours in the oven , take it out and ice it . you may otherways make a quince-pye thus : take a gallon of flower , a pound and half of butter , six eggs , thirty quinces , three pound of sugar , half an ounce of cinamon , the like quantity of ginger and cloves , and some rose-water , then make it into a pye or tart ; when it is baked , strew on some double refined sugar . an excellent restorative for a weak back . take clary , dates , the pith of an ox , and chop them together , put some cream to them , eggs , grated bread , and a little white sanders , temper them all well together , fry them , and let it be the first thing you eat in a morning . you may also take the leaves of clary , and nepe , and fry them for breakfast . a most incomparable broth or drink for a sick person . procure a good fleshy capon , and take the flesh from the bones , or chop it in pieces very small , and not wash it , then put it in a rose-still , with slices of lemon-peel , wood-sorrel , with other restorative herbs , being distilled , give it the sick person to drink . rice-tart . boil your rice in milk or cream ; being tenden boiled , pour it into a dish , and season it with nutmeg , ginger , and cinamon , pepper , salt , sugar , and the yolks of six eggs ; put it in the tart , with the juice of orange , close it , and when it is baked , scrape sugar thereon . rice-cream . take a quart of cream , two handfuls of rice-flower , and a quarter of a pound of sugar , mingle the flower and sugar very well together , and put it in the cream , then beat the yolk of an egg with a little rosewater , put it to the cream and stir them all together , set it over a quick fire , and keep it continually stirring till it be as thick as pap. another excellent and rare cream . take a pound of almond-paste , fine beaten with rosewater , mingle it with a quart of cream , six eggs , a little sack , half a pound of sugar , and some beaten nutmeg ; strain them , and put them in a clean scoured skillet , and set it on a soft fire , stir it continually , and being well incorporated , dish it and serve it up with juice of orange , sugar , and stick it full of candied pistaches . several excellent sawces for several dishes , and first for green-geese . take the juice of sorrel mixed with scalded goosberries , beaten butter and sugar , then serve it on sippets . or fill their bellies with goosberries , and so roast them , then take them out , and mingle them with sugar , butter , vinegar , cinamon , and served on sippets . for land-fowl , take boiled pruncs , and strain them with the blood of the fowl , cinamon , ginger , and sugar , boil them to an indifferent thickness , and serve it in sawcers , with the gravy of the fowl. for roast mutton divers sorts of sawces ; . gravy , capers , samphire , and salt , stew them well together . . water , onion , claret-wine , sliced nutmeg and gravy boiled . . whole onions stewed in gravy , white-wine , pepper , pickled capers , mace , and three or four slices of lemon . . take vinegar , butter , and currans , put them into a pipkin with sweet herbs finely minced , the yolks of two hard eggs , some cinamon , ginger , sugar , salt , with some of the meat minced very small , and boiled up with the aforesaid ingredients . . salt , pepper , juice of oranges , and an anchove . . preserve the liquor of the oysters you stuff your mutton with , and add thereto onions , claret , capers , or broom-buds , gravy , nutmeg , and salt boiled together . these for a taste , for brevity , i shall omit a many more for mutton , which might be here inserted . for roast veal several sawces . . gravy , claret , nutmeg , vinegar , butter , sugar and oranges . . only vinegar and butter . . all manner of sweet herbs chopped small , with the yolks of three or four eggs , and boil them in vinegar and butter , a few bread-crumbs , currans , beaten cinamon , sugar , and a whole clove or two , put it under the veal , with slices of orange and lemon to garnish the dish . for red-deer . . the gravy and sweet herbs chopped small and boiled together . . whitebread boiled in water pretty thick without spice , and put to it some butter , vinegar and sugar . . the juice of oranges or lemons , with the gravy . a gallendine sawce i have already described in the roasting of red-deer . for rabbets several sawces . . beaten butter , with the liver , and parsley cut very small . . sage and parsley minced , roul it in a ball of butter , and stuff the belly therewith . for roast hens divers sawces . . take the yolks of three hard eggs minced small , salt , grated bread , gravy , juice of oranges , with lemon-peel shred small . . gravy and claret boiled with a piece of an onion , nutmeg and salt. . oyster-liquor , an anchove or two , nutmeg and gravy , and rub the dish with a clove of garlick . sawces for roast chicken . butter and vinegar boiled together with a little sugar , then make thin sops of bread , then lay the roast chicken on them , and serve them up . for roast pidgeons , or stock-doves . . boil'd parsley minced , and put amongst some butter and vinegar beaten up thick . . vine-leaves roasted with the pidgeons , minced and put into claret with salt , butter and gravy boiled together . . minced onions boiled in claret-wine almost dry , then put to it nutmeg , sugar , gravy of the fowl , and a little pepper . an excellent way to roast salmon . take a rand or jole , cut it into four pieces , and season it with a little nutmeg and salt , stick a few cloves , and put it on a small pit , put between it some bay-leaves , and stick it with little sprigs of rosemary , roast it and bast it with butter , save the gravy , and add to it for sawce some vinegar , sweet butter , and some slices of orange . salmon fried . take a jole , chine , or rand , and fry it in clarified butter ; being stiff and crisp fried , make sauce with a little claret-wine , sweet butter , grated nutmeg , slices of orange , and oyster-liquor , stew them all together , and pour on the sauce , and on that , parsley , ellick-sander , and sage-leaves fried in butter . soust veal , lamb , or any joint of mutton , kid , fawn or venison . bone a breast of veal , and soak it well from the blood , then wipe it dry , and season the side of the breast with beaten nutmeg , ginger , some sweet herbs minced small , whole coriander-seed , minced lemon-peel and salt , and lay some broad slices of sweet lard over the seasoning , then roul it into a collar , and bind it up in a white clean cloth , put it into boiling liquor , scum it well , and then put in sliced ginger , sliced nutmeg , salt , fennel , parsley ; being almost boiled , put in a quart of white-wine , and when it is quite boiled , take it off , and put in slices of lemon , the peel of two lemons whole , and a dozen bay-leaves , boil it close covered , that the souse may look white . taffety tart. first , wet your paste with butter , and cold water , roul it very thin , then lay apples in lays , and between every lay of apples strew some fine sugar , and some lemon-peel cut very small ; you may also put some fennel-seed to them , let them bake an hour or more , then ice them with rosewater , sugar , and butter beaten together , and wash them over with the same , strew more fine sugar over them , and put them into the oven again ; this done , you may serve them hot or cold . venison how to recover when tainted . take a clean cloth and wrap your venison therein , then bury it in the earth one whole night , and it will take away the ill scent or savour . to make beef , ram , or mutton pass for venison . take your beef , &c. and dip it in pigs-blood , or any new blood , then take small-beer and vinegar , and parboil it therein , let it steep all night , then put some turnsole to it ; when it is baked , a good judgment shall not discern it from red or fallow-deer . warden-tarts . take twenty good wardens , pare them and cut them into your tart , and put to them two pound of refined sugar , twenty whole cloves , a quarter of an ounce of cinamon broke into little bits , and three races of ginger pared and sliced thin ; then close up the tart and bake it ; it will require five hours baking ; then ice it with a quarter of a pound of double refined sugar , rosewater and butter . thus ladies and gentlewomen i have cursorily ran through the whole body of the art of cookery ; i have only toucht here and there upon some excellent receipts , and now much in fashion , leaving it to your industry to supply my deficiency : i shall now proceed to the rest of those accomplishments which best become a gentlewoman . a bill of fare of suitable meat for every month in the year . january . . brawn and mustard . . two boiled capons in white-broth . . a turky roasted . . a shoulder of mutton hasht . . two geese boiled . . goose roasted . . ribs or surloyn of beef . . minced pyes . . a loyn of veal . . a pasty of venison . . a marrow-pye . . roasted capons . . lamb. . woodcocks , partridges , with smaller birds . second course . . a soust pig. . a warden-pye . . dried neats-tongues . . a soust capon . . pickled oysters , and mushrooms together . . sturgeon . . a goose , or turky-pye . february . . a chine of roast-pork . . veal or beef roasted . . a lamb-pye , and mince-pyes . . a couple of wild ducks . . a couple of rabbits . . fried oysters . . a skirrot-pye . second course . . a whole lamb roasted . . three widgeons . . a pippin-pye . . a jole of sturgeon . . a cold turky-pye . march. . neats-tongue and udder . . boil'd chickens . . a dish of stew'd oysters . . a dish of young rabbits . . a grand sallet . second course . . a dish of soles , or smelts . . marinate flounders . . a lambstone-pye . . an hundred of asparagus . . a warden-pye . april . . green geese , or veal , and bacon . . haunch of venison roasted . . a lumber-pye . . rabbits and tarts . second course . . cold lamb. . cold neats-tongue-pye . . salmon , lobsters and prauns . . asparagus . may. . boil'd chickens . . roast-veal . . roasted capons . . rabbits . second course . . artichoak-pye hot . . westphalia bacon , and tarts . sturgeon , salmon and lobsters . . a dish of sparagrass . . a tansie . june . . a neats-tongue , or leg of mutton and colliflowers . . a steak-pye . . a shoulder of mutton . . a fore-quarter of lamb. . a dish of pease . second course . . sweet-bread-pye . . a capon . . a goose-berry-tart . . strawberries and cream . or strawberries , white-wine , rosewater and sugar . july . . a westphalia ham and pidgeons . . a loyn of veal . . a venison-pasty . . roast capons . second course . . pease or french beans . . a codling-tart . . artechoaks , or a pye made thereof . . roast chickens . august . . calves-head and bacon . . an olio , or grand boil'd meat . . a haunch of venison roasted . . a pig roasted . second course . . marinate smelts . . a pidgeon-pye . . roast chickens . . a tart. . some creams and fruit. september . . capon and white-broth . . neats-tongue and udder roasted . . a powder'd goose. . a roast turky . second course . . a potato-pye . . roast partridges . . a dish of larks . . creams and fruit. october . . roast veal . . two brand geese roasted . . a grand sallet . . roasted capons . second course . . pheasants , pouts and pidgeons . . a dish of quails , or sparrows . . a warden-pye , tarts , or custards . november . . a shoulder of mutton and oysters . . a loyn of veal . . geese roasted . . a pasty of venison . second course . . two herns , one larded . . a soust turbut . . two pheasants , one larded . . a roll of beef . . a soust mullet and base . . jellies and tarts . december . . stew'd broth of mutton and marrow-bones . . lambs-head and white-broth . . a chine of beef roasted . . mince-pyes . . a roast turky stuck with cloves . . two capons , one larded . second course . . a young lamb or kid. . two brace of partridg . . ballonia sausages , anchoves , mushrooms , caviare , and pickled oysters , in a dish together . . a quince-pye . . half a dozen of woodcocks . bills of fare for fasting days or lent ; out of these following dishes you may compose what messes you please of several sorts and kinds . oysters , if in season . pole of ling. green-fish and eggs. prauns butter'd , or craw-fish . pike boil'd . carp stew'd with oysters . soles fried . spitchcock eels roasted . fried smelts . salmon , lobsters , and sturgeon . butter'd eggs. barley-broth , or rice-pottage . stew'd or fried oysters . boil'd gurnet . hadducks , fresh cod , or whitings . eel or carp-pye . soust turbut . potato's baked , or oyster-pyes . butter'd crabs . fried flounders . joles of fresh salmon . fried turbut . fried skirrets . soust conger ; with what else your own judgments shall think proper for that season . thus ladies i have given you an essay , or small pattern of cookery , not desiring to tye you too strictly to the observation of those rules i have here laid down for your imitation ; but desire to give your fancy all convenient liberty in correcting what you may find amiss herein . there are many excellent books in cookery already extant , to which i shall refer you , and your own ingenious experiments in the amending what in this you find erroneous , and that you may know ( though a woman ) i am not altogether ignorant of that tongue i have advised you to learn ; give me leave to quote an ancient poet very applicable to this purpose . — si quid novisti rectius istis candidus imperti , si non his utere mecum . if thou know'st ought than this more right or wise , impart it freely , or let this suffice . now because i have promised to give an essay to every thing which concerns the virtuous and good education of young ladies and gentlewomen , i shall endeavour their instruction in the most considerable matters of physick and chyrurgery , candying , preserving and distilling . an introduction to physick and chyrurgery . as it is a very commendable quality in gentlewomen , whether young or old , to visit the sick ; so it is impossible to do it with that charity some stand in need of , without some knowledg in physick , and the several operations of herbs and spices : but since it will take up too much room to insert here what may make you a compleat herbalists i shall refer you to such who have largely treated on that subject ; viz. mr. gerhard , and mr. parkinson , with many more expert in the knowledg of vegetables . wherefore since the knowledg of sundry sorts of spices is very requisite both for persons diseased , and in health , i shall begin with them . pepper is a spice of the most common use , hot and dry to the fourth degree almost . the black is that which is generally coveted ; but inconsiderately by the younger sort of people , it being hurtful to them , though comfortable to old age. when you use it , beat it not too small for fear of inflaming the blood , otherwise it cutteth gross flegm , dispelleth crudities , and helpeth digestion . the next thing , which is hotter than pepper , is ginger ; not that it is really so , but because the biting heat of ginger is more lasting and durable . this spice is not so much used in dressing meat , as the other ; however it is very good for concoction , and opens obstructions , and is very expedient for the expulsion of wind. green ginger in the indies preserved , is excellent good for a watry and windy stomack , if taken fasting , the better sort is unfleaky , and so clear you may almost see through it ; but there is little good made in england . cloves is an excellent spice for the head , heart , stomack , and the eyes , which are much benefited thereby , and nature strengthned . in swoonings and fainting-fits they are very good , or against the plague , or any other infectious disease whatsoever , or fluxes of the belly proceeding from cold humors . they are good against strengthning the retentive faculty , and sweetning the breath ; but let young sanguine and cholerick complexions use them and all other spices very sparingly . nutmeg is hot and dry in the second degree , and is accounted a spice of the like nature and property , with what are before mention'd . it is astringent , and good for flegmatick constitutions , cold diseases and fluxes . nutmegs whilst green and covered over with an husk or shell like our walnuts , are preserved in the indies as ginger is , and are very comfortable to the head and stomack . the covering of the nutmeg is the mace , which partakes of the same nature with it , strengthning the animal parts , and it is good against fluxes and spitting of blood . cinamon is the inward bark or rind of a tree growing in the indies , and is accounted to be hot and dry in the third degree . this spice by reason of its fragrancy and palatable taste , may justly challenge the pre-cellency of most other spices ; it comforteth the spirits , and opens obstructions both in men and women ; it helpeth a woman in her delivery , furthereth urine , and is good for concoction . we have a spice growing here at home called saffron , which need not give place to any of the former ; it is hot in the second , and dry in the first degree : it is a great cordial , and a help against obstructions ; it is good against the jaundies , and unstufss the pipes of the lungs : it is good to bring down the menstruum , and facilitates the birth , if taken moderately . and since i have spoken of a thing of our own growth , let me add another , which is honey , hot and dry in the second degree , and is better boiled than raw ; it is very restorative , and therefore good against consumptions , and phlegmatick constitutions , but dangerous to be used much by hot complexions , for thereby it is soon converted into choler . the best is very sweet , pleasant of smell , of a cleer and yellowish colour , pretty stiff and firm , and yieldeth but little scum on the top when boiled . garden-honey is the best , and is clarified by adding a little water to it , about the fourth part , and so scum it whilst any froth ariseth , or till the water be evaporated , which is known by the bubbles rising from the bottom ; if you will have it more pure , put into every pound of honey the white of an egg , and afterwards scum it again in the boiling ; then use it against all pectoral infirmities , as the cough , shortness of breath , the pleurisie , &c. sugar is the next thing we treat of , which is generally esteemed and used , and more now than ever ; since the ancients knew not the right way of preparing it as it is done now-a-days . sugar is neither so hot and dry as honey ; the brownest or coarsest is most cleansing , and is good for abstersions in diseases of the breast or lungs ; but as it is opening and cleansing , so the immoderate use thereof is dangerous ; for it will rot the teeth , and taint the breath , ingender jaundies and consumptions ; and physicians verily believe , that the major part of those who die of the consumption in the city ( the constantly great numbers whereof may be seen in the weekly bills of mortality ) are such who eat confections , and such like sweet things immoderately . and since i have spoken of sugar , pray take special notice of this remark , that the most part of our finest sugar , and which is most coveted , is refined and whitened by the means of the lee of lime ; how prejudicial that may be to the body , i will leave it to the rational to consider . thus i have given you a small touch of the nature of spices ; i think i need not acquaint you , that we have here at home in our own gardens many excellent aromatical plants , such as rosemary , lavender , tyme , savory , sage , mint , penny-royal , basil , sweet cerfuel , avens , angellica , with many more which you may find in culpeper's english physician , with their nature , use , and disposition . the great plenty we have of these excellent plants hath made many judicious persons admire , that being supplied at home with such admirable simples , we should hunt so eagerly after outlandish spices , which by difficulty of transportation , length of way , and carelesness of the merchant , are frequently imported rotten , or worm-eaten ; or so long before they come to our hands , that they have lost half their virtue . what is to be observed by a gentlewoman before she undertakes the administration of physick . the first inconvenience you must shun ( which i have observed in most physical practitioners ) is the vulgar error of not suffering the diseased or sick person to change his linnen often ; and i know not by what unreasonable prescription they will not suffer a diseased female to change her head-clothes , till it too sensibly offend the noses of the visitants . their common objection is , that the sick by that means may catch cold ; and next , that there shifting much weakneth them . to this i answer , that it is only the foolish conjecture and groundless fear of some old dotard of our sex ; for a good fire will easily prevent catching of cold ; and in the next place , their often shifting hath apparently proved the means of their strengthning ; besides it much discourageth and dejecteth the sick person to lie in foul linnen , making them even loath themselves in that stinking condition . to make this the more easily understood , take notice , that in humane bodies there is a threefold concoction ; the first in the stomack , which is commonly called the chyle , and hath for its excrement that which is convey'd to colon or the great gut ; the second concoction is in the liver , and hath for its excrement the urine ; the last is called nutrition , and hath for its excrement certain fuliginous vapours , which by insensible transpiration do breathe out themselves through the pores of the body , and by the sweat , which is apparent to the eye . now in times of sickness , especially in all sorts of fevers ( which are the usual diseases which invade english bodies ) this last excrement doth very much abound , and doth extreamly and specdily foul the linnen of the sick person ; for which cause reason tells us , that the linnen should be often shifted , especially if they sweat much , lest the sweat continuing about the body , it should be drawn in by the same way it had its passage out . for know , the arteries of the body have a double motion , one whereby they expell the excrements , already mention'd ; and the other whereby they attract into the body the ambient air to refresh the blood : now observe , whatsoever air is next unto them , whether good or bad , they draw it in ; and therefore if this foul sweaty linnen do lie about , or upon them , undoubtedly the noisome airs will be drawn in by the arteries , and so prolong the distemper . to make further proof hereof , i have heard it reported by an eminent physician , that let any person newly come out of the bath go into a place where quantity of dust is rais'd , and he shall instantly feel an universal pricking over his whole body , which is nothing else but the atoms of dust drawn in by the arteries . by this then you may understand , that the skin ought to be cleansed from all corruption , and the pores and passages to be kept open and clean ; for which cause it was that the romans of old had their bodies frequently rubbed with a coarse cloth . thus much i have added likewise , to let gentlewomen see how much they are abused by their credulous and ignorant nurses . should i add other observables , with the symptomes of diseases , i should swell this small treatise into a greater volume than is requisite . i shall therefore desist and give you my collection ( with my own observation ) of the choicest receipts in physick and chyrugery i could meet with in my strictest indigation . choice and experimental observations in physick and chyrurgery , such which rarely fail'd any who made trial thereof . a most approved receipt for a quartane ague . procure a white flint-stone ( for that will best endure the fire without breaking ) and let it lye in a quick fire till it be red hot , then take fome small beer and quench it therein ; when the fit is coming , let the diseased drink a good draught thereof , and another in the midst thereof ; let this be done four several days both in the fit , and when the fit is coming . this i have been credibly inform'd was a receipt a woman had her livelihood from , in curing several when all other means proved ineffectual . for a sudden and violent bleeding at the nose . take an egg-shell and burn it to a coal , then pulverize or beat it to a fine powder , and let the person snuff it up his nostrils , or take your two thumbs and press them hard against the temples of the bleeder , and you would admire how speedily it will divert the course of the blood . for those that are accustomed thus to bleed , let them make an ordinary posset , taking off the curd , let the juice of liverwort beaten be added thereunto , and so drink morning and evening . to stop the bleeding of a wound . take vervine dried , and reduce it to powder ; or take the sole of an old stocking and burn it , put the ashes of the one , or powder of the other , to the wound , and it will leave bleeding . an approved medicine of london-midwives to break and heal womens sore breasts . take red sage and oatmeal the finest you can get , and boil them together in spring-water , till you have boil'd them to a consistency , that is as thick as to make a plaister ; then add thereunto a fit proportion of honey ; having boil'd a little while together , take it off the fire , and whilst it is boiling-hot , make it indifferent thick with the best venice-turpentine , then spread it on fine leather , or linnen-cloth , and laying it on the sore breast it will first break it , and afterwards perfectly heal it . an excellent way to dry up a womans breast . of linseed-oyl and english honey , take of each a peny-worth , of white-wax half a peny-worth , and half a quarter of a pound of sweet butter , boil all these together , spread a plaister thereof , and lay it on the breast . probatum est . an infallible receipt to increase milk in womens breasts . take chickens and make broth of them , then add thereunto fennel and parsnip-roots , then take the newest-made butter you can procure , and butter the roots therewith ; having so done let her eat heartily , and her expectations therein will be speedily satisfied . against a stinking-breath . to prevent a stinking-breath , you ought to keep your teeth very clean by rubbing them every morning with water and salt , which will also cure the scurvy ; you may if you please try mr. turners dentifrices , which are every where much cryed up . but if your breath be tainted , proceeding from some other cause , take rosemary-leaves with the blossoms , if to be had , and seeth them in white-wine , with a little myrrh , and cinamon , and you will find the effect to answer your desires if you use it often . for a cancer in a womans breast . take goos-dung and cellydony , stamp them well together , and lay them plaisterwise on the sore ; this shall cleanse the cancer , kill the worm , and heal the sore . for a cancer in the mouth take the juice of plantane-vinegar , and rose-water , mingle together of each a like quantity , and wash the mouth often with them . for young children who by reason of the weakness of their limbs can neither stand nor go . take marjoram and sage , of each a like quantity , beat them very well together , then strain out the juice , and put it into a double glass-vial , filling the glass as full as it will hold ; stop it then with paste very close all over , set it into an oven , and there let it stand the time of an houshold-loafs baking ; taking it out , let it stand till it be cold ; then breaking the paste round about it , see if the juice be grown thick ; if so , break the glass , and put what was therein contain'd , into a gally-pot , and keep it . when you use it , take the quantity of two spoonfuls at a time , and as much marrow of an oxleg , melt them together , and mingle them well , and both morning and evening anoint therewith ( as warm as can be endur'd ) the tender parts of the childs legs , knees and thighs , chafing them well with your hands ; and in a short time ( deo volente ) the child will be able to go and stand ; this receipt hath been ever found successful . an approved china-broth for a consumption . take two ounces of china-root sliced thin , and let it be steept twenty-four hours in fair water , let it stand warm all the time close covered in an earthen pipkin , add thereunto a couple of chickens , or a cockerel , cleanly dressed , to these put half an handful of maiden-hair , the like quantity of fine leav'd grass , and harts-tongue ; twenty sliced dates , three or four blades of mace , and the bottom of a manchet , let all these stew together till there be but a quart of liquor left , then strain it and take all the flesh and bones , and beat them in a stone-morter , then strain out the juice into the aforesaid broth , then sweeten it with two ounces of powder'd sugar-candy . take hereof half a pint in the morning warm , and sleep after it if you can ; you will not do amiss to add two drams of white and red sanders to steep with your china-root . a most excellent jelly for the consumption . take a new kill'd cock , scald him , and wash him clean ; then take a leg of veal , and take away all the fat from it , and let them lie in water five or six hours , then seethe them together in a gallon of spring-water , scum clean the fat off ; thus let it seethe over a soft fire till the liquor be half consumed ; then put in a pottle of white-wine , and let it boil to a quart ; add hereunto the whites of new-laid eggs , clarifie it and let it run through a jelly-bag ; then set it on the fire again , and put into it an ounce of gross cinamon , and a pound of fine sugar , and let it run twice or thrice through a jelly-bag again ; having made a jelly hereof , eat thereof cold . an excellent comforter of the stomach , and helper of digestion . take two ounces of good old conserve of red-roses , of chosen mithridate two dramms , mingle them together , and when you are going to bed eat thereof the quantity of an hasel-nut . this will expel all flatulency or windiness off the stomach , drives away raw humours , and venemous vapours ; helpeth digestion , drieth the rheum , and strengthneth the sight and memory . a well-tried medicine for the corns on the feet or toes . pare your corns well , then take a black snail and bruise it , and put a drop or two thereof on the place grieved ; adding thereto a little powder of samphire ; this i can assure with constant use in a little time will take away the corn. an excellent diet-drink for the spring to purge the blood , and cleanse it . of scurvy-grass take half a peck , broodlime , water-cresses , acrimony , maiden-hair , liverwort , borrage , bugloss , betony , sage , sweet marjoram , sea-wormwood , tops of green-hops , fumitory , of each a good handful ; of ivory , harts-horn , and yellow sanders , of each one ounce ; red dock-roots two ounces , parsley , fennel , asparagus-roots of each an ounce , raisins half a pound ; boil these very well in a gallon of beer , then stamp and strain them , and put it into three gallons of new beer to work together . a remedy for the dropsie , whether hot or cold . take of the tops of red mint , of archangel , or blind nettles , and red sage , of either a small quantity , stamp them together , and strain the juice of them into some stale ale , so much as will serve to drink morning and evening , do this for ten days together , and ( god willing ) it will effect the cure. another for the dropsie , which hath cured many a person when they were left and forsaken by physicians . take green broom and burn it in some clean place , that you may save the ashes of it ; take ten or twelve spoonful of the same ashes , and boil them in a pint of white-wine till the virtue thereof be in the wine , then cool it , and drain the wine from the dregs , and make three draughts of the wine , one fasting in the morning , the other at three in the afternoon , and the other when you go to bed , this seldom fails in its desired effect . for the web or pin in the eye . take the gall of a hare and clarified honey , of each a like quantity , mingle them well together , and anoint the web with a feather dipped in the same , and in three or four days it will be gone . to cleanse the skin of the face , and make it look heautiful and fair . take rosemary and boil it in white-wine , with the juice of erigan put thereunto , and wash your face therewith mornings and evenings . if your face be troubled with heat , take elder-flowers , plantane , white daisie-roots , and herb-robert , and put these into running-water , and wash your face therewith at night , and in the morning . how to ripen and heal a felon or whitclof . take some white flower and boil it in claret-wine to a poultess , then spread it very thick , and apply it as hot as you can endure it , this will asswage the throbbing pain of the whitclof , break and heal it . how to cure the bloody flux . there are two sorts of fluxes , the one proceedeth from the evil quality or temperament of the liver , and is called in latin , fluxus hepaticus ; the other cometh from the great heat and distemperament of nature , and is called dysenteria ; that is , the distemper of the guts ; some cure this distemper with repression and restrictives , but many more hundreds are cured by aromaticum leonardi , with three or four doses of his syrupus solutivus . you may try this way , which i shall assure you is both safe and good : take frogs and distill them as you do herbs and flowers , or any thing else , but put nothing to them but a little water ; take two or three spoonfuls of this distillation in any thing you drink , and it will give you present ease . a cure for every sort of gout . the gout whether hot or cold , or whatever temperature , ariseth from one and the same cause , though the effects seem different . as for example , fat-men have it with much inflamation , redness , and great pain ; in leaner persons it is discovered with less inflamation , though not with lesser pain ; it afflicteth cholerick and melancholick men with nodes and tumours . the cause of this distemper cometh from an evil quality engendred in the stomack , blood and liver , the cure thereof must be then the removal of this ill quality from the stomack , and the purgation of blood and liver . wherefore when you perceive the pain approaching , take two doses of pillula magistrales leonardi in the morning fasting one day after another ; or if you will intermit a day , then take drams of quinta essentia solutiva leonardi , in half a pottinger of veal-broth sweetned with sugar ; take this five hours before you eat any thing ; then every night after supper take a little of the unguentum leonardi , and anoint your grief , and you will find your speedy recovery . how to cure the green-sickness . laziness and love are the usual causes of these obstructions in young women ; and that which increaseth : and continueth this distemper , is their eating oatmeal , chalk ; nay fome have not forborn cynders , lime , and i know not what trash . if you would prevent this slothful disease , be sure you let not those under your command to want imployment , that will hinder the growth of this distemper , and cure a worser malady of a love-sick breast , for business will not give them time to think of such idle matters . but if this green-sickness hath already got footing in the body , use this means to drive it away : take a quart of claret-wine , one pound of currans , an handful of young rosemary-tops , with half an ounce of mace , seethe these to a pint , and let the patient drink thereof three spoonfuls at a time , morning and evening , and eat some of the currans after . an universal medicine of wonderful use both for man and woman . take ten ounces of the seeds of quinces , six ounces of the pills of citrons ; balm and nettles , of each four ounces ; beat all these grosly , and infuse them in six quarts of good white-wine , thus let it remain six days , then distill it with six ounces of honey , and fifteen ounces of sugar , until you have received a quart of water ; then put it in a place to cool , then add thereunto eight grains of musk dissolved , with about two ounces of rose-water put thereunto , two scruples of oyl of vitriol , and incorporate them well together ; then keep this water in a glass well closed to keep out the air ; and of this take one ounce in the morning , and fast thereon two hours . this experiment is a wonderful preserver of health , and continuer of life to long age , if constanly used , which may appear by the excellency of the ingredients ; for the quince-seeds are admirable for the removing of ill humours which clog the stomach , and are very cordial ; the pome-citron-pills preserve and help digestion ; the balm purifieth the blood , healeth the liver , incourageth concoction , and comforteth the heart ; the nettles provoke urine , mundifie the reins , and correct the malignity of the sinews ; as for the wine , you cannot be ignorant of its virtues ; musk purgeth the blood of windiness ; the oyl of vitriol healeth all the excoriations of the mouth , breast , and stomach , and is excellent against malign humours that oppress it . an admirable remedy against the yellow jaundies . take an handful of red-nettle-tops , plantane , and saffron , and boil them well in a pint of ale , then strain it , and drink five or six days thereof , and you will find it a present remedy ; let not the cheapness of its ingredients occasion this composition to be slighted . against the itch. take sweet butter , unwrought wax , vinegar ; brimstone , a little rose-water and red cloves whole , boil them together till they be like salve , then anoint the flesh three sundry nights by the fire therewith , and no more , and you need not question a cure . against kibed heels a certain remedy . make a hole in the top of a turnip , take out some of the pith , and pour into the hole oyl of roses , then stop the hole close , and roast it under hot embers ; when it is soft , apply it plaisterwife to the kibe as hot as can be endured . what is best to be administred to one sick of the measels . in this distemper , as in the small pox , it is only necessary to defend the heart , and preserve the stomach from putrefaction and corruption ; if young , to hinder the hands from murdring a good face ; and then give the diseased a julip , made of two ounces of violets , four ounces of rose-water , and four grains of oyl of vitriol , mix them and let them be drunk cold : it is as good a receipt as any for this distemper . to cure the fits of the mother . some , nay most use burnt feathers , or assafoetida , applyed to the nose of the distemper'd person , not without success ; but your better way is to take six or seven drops of the spirit of castoreum , in the beginning of the fit , in two or three spoonfuls of ale-posset , and apply a plaister of gavanum to the navel . to take away the heat of a burn or scald . roast eggs as hard as a stone , then take out the yolks of them , then fry the yolks of these eggs in a frying-pan till they turn to an oyl ; then strain it , and anoint the burn or scald therewith , then lay on a bladder anointed with sallet-oyl , and this will speedily asswage the pain , and heal the scald or burn. for a scald-head . take a candle , and let it drop upon it as hot as you can , in so doing it will scale off ; then take the stale of a cow , and the furring of chamber-pots , boil these together and wash the place , and it will speedily cure it . a very good receipt for one hurt with gun-powder . take twelve heads of housleek , one handful of groundsel , one pint of goose-dung , as much chicken-dung of the newest that can be gotten ; stamp the herbs very small , then put the dung into a mortar , temper them together with a pottle of bores-grease , stir them together half an hour , then strain it through a canvas-bag , and so preserve it for your use ; it will keep two years , and be not the worse . a very safe clister to be used by-either man or woman , who is much bound or costive . take mallows and mercury unwasht , of each two handfuls , half an handful of barley ; clean rubbed and washed , and boil them in spring-water , from a pottle to a quart , then strain out the water , and put it in a skillet , and put to it three spoonfuls of sallet-oyl , two spoonfuls of honey , and a little salt , then make it luke-warm , and with your pipe administer it . how to cure old sores on the legs , which have been of so long standing that the bones have appeared . take a quantity of sweet cream , and as much brimstone beaten into fine powder as will make it thick like paste ; then take so much sweet butter as will work it into the form of an oyntment , and herewith anoint the place grieved twice a day , and in a short time the cure will be effected . probatum est . an excellent way to dissolve the stone . take a peck of green-bean-cods without dew or rain , and two good handfuls of saxifrage , lay the same into a still , one row of saxifrage , and another of the green-bean-cods ; and so distill in this manner a quart of water ; and then distill another quantity of water from the bean-cods alone , and use to drink of these two waters . if the patient be most troubled with the heat of the reins , then let him most frequently drink of the distilled bean-water , and upon coming down of the sharp gravel or stone , let him drink the other . a way not only to prevent but to cure the tooth-ach , or to make an aking-tooth fall out of it self . every month , twice or thrice therein , wash your mouth with white-wine , in which spurge hath been boil'd , and you shall never be troubled with the tooth-ach . if your tooth be hollow , and paineth you much , take this herb called spurge , and squeeze it , and mingle wheat-flower with the milk which issueth thence , with this make a paste , and fill the cavity of your tooth therewith , leaving it there a while , changing it every two hours , and the tooth will drop out . how to order a woman with child , before , in , and after her delivery . to preserve the infant , and prevent abortion , take coriander-seed prepared two drams , of the roots of bistort , the shaving of ivory , and red coral , of each a dram , of white amber and crystal , of each a scruple ; alkermes half a scruple , sugar dissolv'd in four ounces of rose-water ; make tables each of them weighing a dram . let the woman with child take one of them every other day , morning and evening ; between whiles let her sup a new-laid-egg , thickned a little with magisterium of pearl , or red coral . but if her breasts after their filling should begin to lessen or fall , it is a sign of future abortion ; to prevent which , let her take root of bistort and corianders , of each two drams ; of unripened gales , and red sander , and hippocestidos , of each one dram ; guin-labdanum and mastick of each half an ounce ; choice frankineense and bdelium , of each two drams ; of coral , amber , one dram of each ; powder those which are to be powder'd , and with oyl of turpentine and wax , make two or three cere-cloths , apply them sometimes to her loynes and sides , and sometimes under the navel . she must avoid all violent and sudden motions , both of the mind and body , as coughs , sneezings , frights , also spices and wine . thus much before delivery . in labour , if you will facilitate the birth , and give speedy ease , take three or four drops of the distilled oyl of nutmegs in a spoonful of white-wine , or take white dictamn-root , stones of dates , and borax , of each two scruples ; cinamon , cassia-lignea , amber , fine pearl , of each one scruple ; saffron half a scruple , make a small powder of these , and divide them into two equal parts , and let her take the one part in a draught of lilly-water , or ale-posset made with rhinish-wine ; and the other part let her take in like manner six hours after if need require . if she be subject to swooning or fainting before or after labour , give her a spoonful of this excellent cordial following . an excellent cordial for women troubled with swooning-fits in travel . take borage-water , rose-water , strawberry-water , and rhinish-wine , of each two ounces ; species of diamargaricum frigidum , one scruple ; make a warm infusion for the space of an hour , then strain it , and add thereunto manus christi , made with pearl , four ounces ; oriental bezor , unicorns-horn , and ambergriece , of each six crains ; of these make a cordial-julip . great pains frequently follow women newly brought to bed ; for which , there is nothing better than this plain receipt ; viz. drink a good draught of beer boil'd with a spoonful of camomile-flowers ; and in greater pains let her drink six ounces of the oyl of sweet almonds fresh drawn . if the woman delivered have no mind to give suck , and that she will have her milk speedily dried up , a quick and safe remedy is , new spunnges wet in vinegar , where a handful of cummin-seed boiled is bruised , tyed close to the breasts , anointing them with unguentum populeum . to procure store of milk , use posset-drink boiled with fennel , with the seeds thereof , and anniseeds . these remedies are known to be safe and effectual . thus much for physick and chyrurgery ; having given you only some of the choicest receipts i could procure ; if you defire a larger knowledg herein , you would do well to acquaint your self with the composition of mans body , and the diseases incident to every part ; which you may gather from several books of anatomy , either that of dr. read , or dr. riolanus , i think as good as any extant . if you would know the nature of plants , gerhard and parkinson write incomparably on that subject , but if they are too bulky , and so may seem tedious , you may make choice of lesser herbals , as adam in eden ; or a small manuel , written by mr. lovel . if you would have a salve for every sore , as the proverb expresseth , and a receipt for every distemper , consult the general practice of physick , riverius his practice of physick translated by mr. culpeper ; with many more of the like subject . the next qualifications which accomplish a gentlewoman , are , candying , conserving , preserving , and distilling . and first of candying , conserving and preserving . these are curiosities which are not only laudible , but requisite and necessary in young ladies and gentlewomen : to represent them at large , would require more art and time than i have either the ability or leisure to perform ; however i shall give you a specimen hereof , or an essay of my own experiments ; and first , how to preserve barberries . select the largest and fairest bunches , picking off the wither'd or shrunk barberries , and wash them clean , drying them in a clean cloth. after this , take a quantity of barberries , and boil them in claret-wine till they be soft ; then strain them well through a strainer , wringing the juice hard through it ; boil this strained liquor with sugar , till it be thick , and very sweet ; let it then stand till it be cold , then put your branches of barberries into gally-pots , and fill them up with this liquor ; by this means you will have both the syrrup of barberries , and their preserves . pears preserved . take pears that are sound , and newly gather'd from the tree , indifferent ripe , then lay in the bottom of an earthen-pot some dried vine-leaves , and so make a lay of pears and leaves till you have filled the pot , laying between each lay some sliced ginger , then pour in as much old wine as the pot will hold , laying some heavy thing on the pears that they may not swim . green pippins preserved . take half a score of green pippins , ( from the tree if you can ) pare them , and boil them in a pottle of water , till they are like a pulpe ; strain them from the cores , then take two pound of sugar , and mingle it with the liquor or pulp so strained , then set it on the fire , and as soon as it boileth , put in your pippins you intend to preserve , so let them boil leisurely ; till they be enough ; when they are preserved , they will be green ; in , like sort you may preserve quinces , plumbs , peaches and apricocks , if you take them green . black cherries preserved . take them fresh , or as they come from the tree , and cut off the stalk ; take one pound of sugar for double the weight of cherries , seethe and clarifie them , and when they are half boil'd put in your other cherries , and let them seethe softly together , until the sugar may be drawn between the fingers like small threads ; when the broth is almost cold , put the cherries in the pots with the stalks upwards . mulberries preserved . take mulberries , and add to them their weight of sugar ; having wet your sugar with some juice of mulberries , then stir your sugar together , and put in your mulberries and boil them till they are enough , then take them off and boil the syrrup a while , then put in the mulberries , and let them stand till they be cold . oranges and lemons preserved . take the fairest you can get , lay them in water three days and three nights , to take away their bitterness ; then boil them in fair water till they be tender ; make as much syrrup as will make them swim about the pan ; let them not boil long , for then the skins will be tough ; then let them lye all night in the syrrup , that they may soak themselves therein ; in the morning boil the syrrup to a convenient thickness , then with it and the oranges and lemons , fill your gally-pots , and keep them all the year ; in this manner you may preserve citrons . goosberries preserved . let your goosberries be gather'd with their stalks on , cut off their heads and stone them , then put them in scalding-water , and let them stand therein covered a little while ; then take their weight of sugar finely beaten , and lay first a layer of sugar , then one of goosberries in your preserving-pan or skillet . till all be in , putting in for every pound of goosberries a spoonful of fair water , set them on the embers till the sugar be melted , then boil them up as fast as you can , till the syrrup be thick enough ; when cold , put them up . in this manner you may preserve raspices and mulberries . preserved roses , or any other flowers . take one pound of roses , three pound of sugar , one pint and a little more of rose-water , make your syrrup first , and let it stand till it be cold ; then take your rose-leaves , having first clipt off all the white , put them in the cold syrrup and cover them ; let your fire be very soft that they may only simmer two or three hours ; then whilst they are hot , put them out into pots or glasses for your use . cherries preserved . take cherries fully ripe , and newly gather'd , put them to the bottom of your preserving-pan , let the cherries and sugar be of equal weight , then throw some sugar on the cherries , and set them over a quick-fire ; and as they boil , throw on the rest of the sugar till the syrrup be thick enough ; then take them out and put them into a gally-pot whilst they are warm ; it will not be amiss to add two or three spoonfuls of rose-water to them . apricocks preserved . let the weight of your sugar equal the weight of your apricocks , what quantity soever you mind to use ; pare and stone your apricocks , and lay them in the sugar in your preserving-pan all night , and in the morning set them on the embers till the sugar be all melted , and then let them stand and scald an hour ; then take them off the fire and let them stand in that syrrup two days , and then boil them softly till they be tender and well colour'd ; and after that , when they are cold , put them up in glasses or pots , which you please . green walnuts preserv'd . take walnuts and boil them till the water taste bitter , then take them off and put them in cold water , and peel off the rind , and put to them as much sugar as they weigh , and a little more water than will wet the sugar , set them on a fire , and when they boil up , take them off , and let them stand two days , then boil them again once more . eringo-roots preserv'd . take eringo-roots fair , and not knotty , one pound , and wash them clean , then set them on the fire , and boil them very tender , peel off their outermost skin , but break them not as you pare them ; then let them lye a while in cold water ; after this you must take to every pound of roots three quarters of a pound of clarified sugar , and boil it almost to the height of a syrrup , and then put in your roots , but look that they boil but gently together , and stir them as little as may be , for fear of breaking ; when they are cold , put them up and keep them . ennula-campana-roots preserved . wash them , and scrape them very clean , and cut them thin to the pith , the length of your little finger ; and as you cut them , put them in water , and let them lye there thirty days , shifting them twice every day , to take away the bitterness ; then weigh them , and to every pound of roots add twelve ounces of sugar , clarified first , boiling the roots very tender , then put them into this sugar , and let them boil upon a gentle fire until they be enough ; having stood a good while off the fire , put them up between hot and cold . conserve of roses . take red-rose-buds , clip all the white , either bruised or withered from them ; then add to every pound of roses , three pound of sugar , stamp the roses very small , putting to them a little juice of lemons or rose-water as they become dry ; when you think your roses small enough , then put your sugar to them , so beat them together till they be well mingled , then put it up in gally-pots or glasses . in this manner is made the conserve of flowers of violets , which doth cool and open in a burning fever or ague , being dissolved in almond-milk , and so taken ; and excellent good for any inflamation in children . thus you may also make the conserve of cowslips , which strengthens the brain , and is a preservative against madness ; it helps the memory , asswageth the pain of the head , and helpeth most infirmities thereof . in like manner you may also make conserve of marigolds , which taken fasting in the morning is very good against melancholy ; cureth the trembling of the heart , and very good against any pestilential distemper . thus make conserve of sage and scabious , the one is good against melancholy , drieth and comforteth the stomack , cureth an old cough , and openeth the stopping of the liver : the other , that is scabious , cleanseth the breast and lungs , takes away old coughs , and imposthumes of the breast and inward parts . how to candy all sorts of flowers as they grow with their stalks on . take the flowers , and cut the stalks somewhat short ; then take one pound of the whitest and hardest sugar you can get , put to it eight spoonfuls of rose-water , and boil it till it will roul between your finger and your thumb ; then take it from the fire , and cool it with a stick , and as it waxeth cold , dip in all your flowers , and taking them out again suddenly , lay them one by one on the bottom of a sieve , then turn a joined stool with the feet upward ; set the sieve on the feet thereof , then cover it with a fair linnen cloth , and set a chafing-dish of coals in the midst of the stool underneath the sieve , and the heat thereof will dry your candy speedily , which will look very pleasantly , and keep the whole year . candyed eringo-roots . take of your eringo-roots ready to be preserved , and weigh them , and to every pound of roots you must take of the purest sugar you can get two pound , and clarifie it with the whites of eggs exceeding well , that it may be as clear as crystal ; it being clarified , you must boil it to the height of manus christi , and then dip in your roots two or three at once till they are all candyed ; put them in a stove , and so keep them all the year . the best and most approved way to dry plumbs . take plumbs when they are fully grown , with the stalks on them ; however let them be green , split them on the one side , and put them in hot water ( but not too hot ) , and so let them stand three or four hours ; then to a pound of them take three quarters of a pound of sugar beaten very fine , and eight spoonfuls of water to every pound ; set them on hot embers till the sugar be melted ; and after that , boil them till they be very tender , letting them stand in that syrrup three days to plump them ; then take them out , and wash the syrrup from them in warm water , and wipe them dry in a fine linnen-cloth , then set them on plates , and let them dry in a stove ; dry them not in an oven , for then they will be tough . proper colours for fruitage . saffron is the best yellow , sap-green the best green , indian-lake the best red ; all your colours must be temper'd with gum-water made of rose-water . quince marmelade . take of the tairest quinces , wash them very clean , grate them very small , and wring out as much juice as you can ; then take other quinces and cut them in six pieces , put them into a pot , let them be evapoured with hot water , until they be throughly mellow ; then take half a pot-ful of the former juice , and pour it upon the former , stew'd and cut to pieces ; break it well together , and put the rest of the juice amongst it , then wring it through a clean thin cloth ; seethe no more of this juice at once than will fill a box therewith , and put white sugar to it , as much as you please . how to make syrrup of violets . boil fair water , and scum it , and to every ounce so scum'd and boil'd , take six ounces of the blew of violets , only shift them as before nine times , and the last time take nine ounces of violets ; let them stand between times of shifting twelve hours , keeping the liquor still on hot embers , that it may be but milk-warm ; after the first shifting , you must stamp and strain your last nine ounces of violets , and put in only the juice of them , then take to every pint of this liquor thus prepared , one pound of sugar finely beaten , boil it , and keep it stirring till all the sugar be melted , which you must do , if you can , before it boil ; afterwards boil it up with a quick fire . syrrup of roses . take damask roses , and clip off the white of them , for every pint of water take six ounces of them , boil your water first , and scum it , then let them stand twelve hours , wringing out the roses , and putting in new eight times , then wringing out the last , put in the juice of four ounces of roses only , and so make it up as before . syrrup of coltsfoot . take the leaves of coltsfoot , and wash them very clean , then wipe them with a clean cloth leaf by leaf , then dry them well with a cloth , then beat them in a mortar , and put them in a strainer , and wring all the juice you can out of them , and put it into glasses , and let it stand in them to settle all night , the next day pour out the clearest of the juice from the grounds into a clean bason , and take for every pint thereof a pound of sugar finely beaten , boil the juice of coltsfoot softly on a charcoal fire , and when you have well scum'd it , put in the sugar according to its proportion , and so let them boil together , keeping it with due scumming , until it will stand on a stiff purl , dropping it on a plate ; then take it from the fire , and pour it through a jelly-bag into a fair bason , putting first a branch or two of rosemary into the bag 's bottom , then keep it stirring with a spoon till it be luke-warm ; otherwise it will have a cream upon it ; so letting it stand all night , put it in what vessels you think fit to keep it in , for your future use and service . let these forms suffice to furnish you with the knowledg of making any other syrrups ; you need no better a pattern than this , for the making of a many others ; as to make syrrup of wormwood , take the like quantity of sugar , with the juice of the said wormwood , the sugar being first clarified , and so make it up according to art ; in the like manner you may make syrrup of betony , borage , bugloss , cardis , cammomel , succory , endive , strawberries , fumitory , groundear , purslain , sage , scabious , scordium , housleek , with many more . but enough of this ; and therefore i shall next treat of distillation . of distillation . ladies , before you come to the knowledg of distilling waters , you ought in the first place to be furnished with good stills , which stills must either be of tyne , or sweet earth , wherein you may distill all manner of waters , either for the health of your own family or others . now by the way observe , you may easily make your waters look of what colour you please , if you will first distill your water in a stillatory , and then put it in a great glass of strength , and fill it full of those flowers whose colours you desire , then stop it and set it in the stillatory , and let it distill , and you shall have their perfect colour . of precious and excellent waters there are thousands , wherefore i shall only set down here some of the choicest and most valuable . dr. stevens his famous water . take a gallon of gascoin-wine , of ginger , gallingal , cinamon-grains , cloves , mace , nutmegs , anniseeds , carraway-seed , coriander-secd , fennel-seed , and sugar , of every one a dram ; then take of sack and ale a quart of each , of camomile , sage , mint , red-roses , tyme , pellitory of the wall , wild marjoram , wild tyme , lavender , penneroyal , fennel-roots , parsley-roots , and setwall-roots , of each half a handful ; then beat the spice small , and bruise the herbs , and put them all together into the wine , and so let it stand sixteen hours , stirring it now and then , then distill it in a limbeck with a soft fire , the first pint of the water by it self , for it is the best . the principal use of this water is against all cold diseases , it preserveth youth , comforteth the stomack , cureth the stone of what nature soever , using but two spoonfuls in seven days : it preserved dr. stevens ten years bed-rid , that he lived to ninety eight years . aqua mirabilis . take three pints of white-wine , of aqua-vitae , and juice of saladine , of each a pint ; one dram of cardamer , and one dram of mellilot-flowers , cubebs a dram , of gallingale , nutmegs , cloves , mace and ginger , of each a dram ; mingle all these together over night , the next morning set them a stilling in a glass-limbeck . this admirable water dissolveth the swelling of the lungs , and restoreth them when perished ; it suffereth not the blood to putrifie ; neither need he or she to breathe a vein , that useth this water often ; it cureth the heart-burn , and purgeth melancholy and flegm ; it expelleth urine ; it preserveth a good colour in the face ; and is an utter enemy to the palsey ; take three spoonsfuls of it at a time , morning and evening twice a week . a most approved water for the eyes . take a new-laid egg and roast it hard , then cut the shell in the midst , and take out the yolk and put some white copporis where the yolk was , then bind the egg together again , and let it lye till it begin to be a water , then take the white forth from both sides of the egg , and put the same into a glass of fair running-water , and so let it stand a while ; then strain it through a fair linnen-cloth , and keep it close stopped in a glass , and therewith wash your eyes morning and evening . an admirable water against the stone in the kidneys . take of the middle-rind of the root of ash bruised two pound ; juniper-berries bruised , three pound ; venice-turpentine of the best , two pound and an half ; put these into twelve pints of spring-water in a glass-vessel well closed , and there let them purifie in hors-dung three months , then distill them in ashes , and there will come forth an oyl , and a water ; seperate the one from the other ; ten or twelve drops being taken of this oyl every morning in four or six spoonfuls of the said water , dissolves the stone and gravel in the kidneys most wonderfully . an excellent water for the worms . take of worm-seeds bruised , eight ounces ; the shaving of harts-horn , two ounces ; of peach-flowers dri'd , an ounce ; of aloes bruised , half an ounce ; pour on these the waters of tansie , rue , peach-flowers , and of wormwood , of each a pint and half ; let them be digested in a glass-vessel three days , then distill them ; cohobate this water three times . this water may be given from half an ounce to three ounces , according to the age and strength of the person . a small quantity for young children will work the desired effect ; it infallibly kills stomack-worms , maw-worms , or any other inwardly infesting the body . an excellent artificial wine like claret , but much better , and by many degrees brisker . take two gallons of your best sider , ( some esteem worcester-shire red-streak the best ) and mingle it with six gallons of water , put thereunto eight pound of the best malaga raisins bruised in a mortar ; let them stand close covered in a warm place , for the space of a fortnight , stirring them every two days well together ; then press out the raisins , and put the liquor into the same vessel again ; to which , add a quart of the juice of raspberries , and a pint of the juice of black cherries ; cover this liquor with bread , spread thick with mustard , the mustard-side being downward , and so let it work by the fire-side three or four days ; then turn it up , and let it stand a week , and then bottle it up , and it will taste as quick as the briskest liquor whatever , and is a very pleasant drink , and much wholsomer than french-wine . an ointment for any wound or sore . take two pound of sheeps-suet , or rather deers-suet , a pint of candy-oyl , a quarter of a pound of the newest and best bees-wax , melting them all together , and stirring them well ; and put to them one ounce of the oyl of spike , and half an ounce of the goldsmiths boras ; then heat them again , and stir them all together ; put it up in a gally-pot , and keep it close stopped , till you have cause to use it . this is an approved ointment for any wound or sore , new or old . a searcloth for all aches . take rosin one pound , perrosin a quarter of a pound , as much mastick , deers suit the like , turpentine two ounces , cloves bruised one ounce , mace bruised two ounces , saffron two drachms , boil all these together in oyl of camomile , and preserve it for your use . this hath done many good when nothing else would . now , that i may not seem wholly to apply my discourse and study for the benefit of young court-ladies and city-madams , i shall descend into the country , and find out something worthy the observation of a rural gentlewoman . what things belong to a country-gentlewoman : of dayries , and making butter and cheese . gentlewomen , that you may be delighted with your own experience , as well as satisfied in the labours of your servants , i shall give you an account of what must be pre-observ'd in the keeping of a dayry . let your kine be of the best choice and breed that possibly can be procured ; and the larger the cow is , the better she is , whereof lincolnshire and cheshire afford great plenty . the reason why i advise you to chuse large cattel , is , that when they grow old , and will yeild but little milk , you may then feed and fatten them for the shambles . the common and most known signs of a cow that gives good store of milk , are , a wreathed horn , a thin neck , and a large hairy dewlap , a full udder , and the teats long and thick . the best black kine are said to come from cheshire , lancashire , derby-shire , york-shire ; the best red cows ( whose milk is so much esteemed above all other of that kind for its extraordinary nourishing quality ) , come from gloucester-shire , somerset-shire ; the pied-kine come commonly from lincoln-shire , and are little inferior to the rest . thus you see england affords variety enough of extraordinary good cows for the good housewife to make choice of as she pleaseth ; but withal let her be careful that the bull be of as good a breed as the kine themselves , otherwise the encrease will degenerate , and your dairy in time run to ruin . if at any time you buy any kine to encrease your dairy , you must be careful they come not from a soil that is more fruitful than your own ; but rather not so fertile , or being not so good pasture , for then they will the better prosper and thrive with you ; otherwise it is ten to one they will pine away , and fall into many distempers : cows are said to give most milk when they have newly calved . if a cow gives a gallon at a time constantly , she may pass for a very good milch-cow ; there are some cows which give a gallon and half , but very few who give two at a time . you cannot design a better time sor your cow to calve in , than at the latter end of february , or in the months of march or april , for then the grass is coming on , or springing up in its perfect goodness . the hours or times most approved and commonly used for milking , are in the spring and summer , between five or six in the morning , and six in the evening . some very unprofitably with the pretence of reason , milk their cows in the summer-season , betwixt the hours of twelve and one ; but i would not have it to be a president for any to follow . there is an old proverb very pertinent to what is here related ; that two good meals are better than three bad ones : it is the worst point of huswifry that can be to leave the cow half milked ; for besides the loss of milk , it is the ready way to make the cow dry and so become unprofitable to the dairy . now the profits arising from milk are chiefly three ; viz. cream , butter , and cheese ; the cream is the very heart and strength of the milk , which must be skimmed very cleanly : cleanly , i say ; for cleanliness is such an ornament to a good . huswife , that if she want any part thereof , she loseth both that and all other good names whatsoever . cream is not to be kept above two days in summer , and not above four in the winter , if you will be always provided with the best and sweetest butter : but before we speak of that , i shall here insert some excellent receipts for made-cream , and milk made better by art . how to make your ordinary clouted-cream . take a quantity of milk from the cow , and put it into a broad earthen-pan , and set it over a slow fire , letting it stand there from morning to night , suffering it not to boil by any means ; then take it off the fire , and set it in some place all night to cool , in the morning dish off your cream , for it will be very thick . to make fresh cheese in cream . take a pottle of new milk as it corneth from the cow , and half a pound of blanched almonds beaten very small , and make a thick almond-milk , with a pint of cream strained ; and a little before you go to dinner make it blood-warm , season it with a little sugar , rose-water , and scarsed ginger , and put to it a little runnet , and when it is scummed , bread it up , and whey it , and put it into a mould , and press it with your hand ; and when it is well wheyed put it into a dish with cream . cream of codlins . after you have scalded your codlins and peel'd off the skins , and scrap'd the pulps from the cores , with a little sugar and rose-water , strain them , and lay the pulp of your codlins in a dish , with as much raw cream as you please about them ; there are several other ways propounded , but this is most satisfactory to the palat. to make a junket . take ews or goats-milk ; if you have neither of these , then take cows-milk , and put it over the fire to warm , then put in a little runnet to it ; then pour it out into a dish , and let it cool , then strew on cinamon and sugar , then take some cream and lay upon it , scraping sugar thereon , serve it up . here note by the way , that you cannot keep cream above three days in summer , and six days in winter without prejudice . i need not tell you how to make butter , since there are very few in the country that can be ignorant thereof ; wherefore i shall only say , that the best time to pot your butter is in the month of may , for then the air is most temperate ; and the butter will take salt best ; however , it may be done any time betwixt may and september . in preserving thus your butter , you may not only supply your house therewith , but to your profit furnish others . there is another profit which ariseth from the dairy , and that is cheese ; of which there are three kinds , morning-milk-cheese , nettle-cheese , and floaten-milk-cheese : the first is the fattest and best that is made in this kingdom ; the nettle-cheese is so called , because when the cheese is new-made , nettles are put upon it : which nettles are to be renew'd once in two days : the floaten-milk-cheese is the worst of all cheeses , and indeed so coarse , that as i like not to feed thereof , so i love not to write of it . what is further to be spoken of a dairy , i shall refer it to my advice to that maid who desires to be a dairy-maid in a great house . i have hitherto , ladies , endeavoured the accomplishment of gentlewomen well extracted ; but as you cannot do all things your selves , so you must have attendants and servants about you , such whose good qualifications may not only render them fit for your employments , but in the performance thereof they may credit the house wherein they live , and profit their own selves , to such therefore i direct my following advice . and first , to all gentlewomen , who though well-born , are notwithstanding by indigency necessitated to serve some person of quality . in the first place , i would not have you look upon your condition as to what it hath been , but what it is ; learn what ever you can , and slight no opportunity which may advance your knowledg to the height of your birth , for want of which , some by reason of their parents negligence , think they have enough to maintain their children in a good equipage , and therefore slight those arts which may not only be ornamental , but beneficial to their children hereafter , vainly imagining that poverty will never approach their gates ; by which cross mistake their daughters are often exposed to great hardships , many times contenting themselves to serve as chamber-maids , because they have not the accomplishments of a waiting-woman , or an house-keeper ; and so whereas their own natural and acquired parts might raise in every ones opinion a great esteem of their worth and merit , and incline ladies to covet their company , sit at table , and have a command in the house , respect from the rest of the servants ; wear good clothes , and have a considerable sallary ; instead thereof , the meanness of their qualifications render them only fit companions for grooms and footboys . wherefore in the first place i shall advise all parents ( be their estates never so good , and their revenues large ) to endeavour the gentile education of their daughters , encouraging them to learn whatever opportunity offers , worthy a good estimation . for riches hath wings , and will quickly fly away ; or death comes and removes the parents , leaving the children to the tuition of merciless and unconscionable executors or others intrusted , who only study how to rob the orphans of their due , and afterwards thrust them into the world , giving them neither their own money , nor half the education they deserved ; now if there be a treasury laid up within by education , by which they may live ( without an estate their parents shall leave them ) in some honest and creditable imployment , their condition will be so establisht , that nothing almost but death or sickness can make an alteration therein , and may boldly defie and scorn the various vicissitudes of common misfortunes . for this reason i would have you to lose no time , but improve all you may in learning whatever may befit a woman . if your father hath had large revenues , and could talk loudly of his birth , and so may think this servile life beneath you , yet thank god you can do something for an honest livelihood , and be never the less submissive ; for if you are a servant , you must do what becomes a servant ; if your extraction be mean , and have attained to serviceable preferment , give god the glory , and be more careful to please . if you desire to be a waiting-gentlewoman , it will be expected that you can dress well ; preserve well ; and write well a legible hand , good language , and good english ; have some skill in arithmetick ; carve well , and let your behaviour be modest and courteous to all persons according to their degree ; humble and submissive to your lord and lady , or master and mistress ; neat in your habit ; loving to servants ; sober in your countenance and discourse ; not using any wanton gesture , which may give gentlemen occasion to suspect your levity , and so court you to debauchery , and so lose a reputation irrecoverable . if you would be an house-keeper , it will be required that your behaviour be grave and solid , which will inculcate into their beliefs that you are able to govern a family . and as i told you before , you must preserve well , so you must have a competent knowledg in distilling , making cates , all manner of spoon-meats , and the like . be careful in looking after the servants , that every one perform their duty in their several places ; that they keep good hours in up-rising and lying down ; and that no goods be either spoil'd or imbezel'd . that all strangers be nobly and civilly used in their chambers ; and that your master or lady be not dishonoured through neglect or miscarriage of servants . to be first up , and last in bed , to prevent junketing . to make salves and ointments , to dress the wounds of the poor about you , with other things of your own composition , with which you may compassionate the sick and indigent : for commonly all good and charitable ladies do make this part of their house-keepers business . to all maidens who desire to be chamber-maids to persons of quality . it will be required of you , that you dress well , that you may be able to supply the place of the waiting-woman , should she chance to fall sick , or be absent from your lady ; you must wash fine linnen well ; and starch tiffanies , lawns points , and laces , mend them neatly ; and wash white sarcenets , with such like things . you must make your ladies bed ; lay up , and lay out her night-clothes ; see that her chamber be kept clean , and nothing wanting which she desires or requires to be done . be modest in your deportment , ready at her call , always diligent , answering not again when reprov'd , but with pacifying words ; loving and courteous to your fellow-servants , not gigling or idling out your time , nor wantoning in the society of men ; you will find the benefit thereof ; for an honest and sober man will sooner make that woman his wife whom he seeth continually imployed about her business , than one who makes it her business to trifle away her own and others time ; neither will a virtuous and understanding mistress long entertain such a servant whom she finds of such a temper . be not subject to change , for a rouling-stone gathers no moss ; and as you will gain but little money , so if you ramble up and down you will lose your credit . it may be a fellow-servant may court you ; but before you entertain the motion , consider how you must live ; by inconsiderately marrying you may have one joyful meeting , and ever after a sorrowful living , and have time to repent of your rash matching . instructions for all nursery-maids in noble families . you ought to be naturally inclined to love young children , or else you will soon discover your unfitness to manage that charge ; you must be neat and cleanly about them , and careful to keep good hours for them : get their breakfasts and suppers in good and convenient time ; let them not sit too long , but walk them often up and down , especially those who cannot go well of themselves ; take heed they get no falls by your carelesness , for by such means many ( the cause at first being unperceivable ) have afterwards grown irrecoverably lame or crooked ; wherefore if any such thing should happen , conceal it not , though you may justly incur a great deal of blame therefore . i knew a gentlewoman absolutely spoil'd by such a concealment ; her nurse by negligence let her fall ( being very young ) from a table , and by the fall her thigh-bone was dislocated : the nurse fearing the indignation and displeasure of the childs parents , who were rich and potent , conceal'd it a long time , under the pretence of some other indisposition ; endeavouring in the mean time the reducing of the bone to its proper place ; but by reason of an interposition of a jelly between the dislocations , it could not be done , and then when it was too late the parents were acquainted with the sad condition of their beloved child , and hereupon all means imaginable used for its recovery , but all in vain , although they had been at some hundreds of pounds charge for the cure . she is now as lovely a young gentlewoman as a ravisht eye can feast upon ; but it would break the heart of that body the eye belongs unto to see her go ; her back-side-walking would force a man from her to the indies , and yet her face would attract him to her twice as far . but to my purpose ; be not churlish or dogged to them , but merry and pleasant , and contrive and invent pretty pastimes , agreeable to their age ; keep their linnen and other things always mended , and suffer them not to run too fast to decay . do not shew a partiality in your love to any of them , for that dejects the rest : be careful to hear them read if it be imposed upon you , and be not too hasty with them ; have a special care how you behave your self before them , neither speaking nor acting misbecomingly , lest your bad example prove the subject of their imitation . instructions for all chamber-maids to gentlewomen in city and country . from you it will be required that you wash and starch very well both tiffanies , lawns , points and laces , and that you can mend what is amiss in them . that you work needle-work well , and all sorts of plain-work , or any other work with the needle which is used in such houses . that you wash black and white sarsnets ; that you dress well , and diligently perform what you are commanded by your mistress ; be neat in your habit , modest in your carriage , silent when she is angry , willing to please , quick and neat handed about what you have to do . you must know how to make all manner of spoon-meats , to raise paste , to dress meat well , ( though not often required thereunto ) both of fish and flesh ; to make sauces , garnish dishes , make all sorts of pickles , to see that every thing be served in well and handsomely to the table , in due time , and to wait with a graceful decorum at the table if need should require . keep your mistresses chamber clean , and lay up every thing in its due place ; you ought to be skilful in buying any thing in the market , if you be intrusted therewith ; these things will be expected from you in those houses where there is no head-cook . if there be no butler , you must see all things decent and fitting in the parlour and dining-room . in a word , you must divest your mistress from all the care you can , giving to her a just and true account of what moneys you lay out , shewing your self thrifty in all your disbursements ; be careful in overlooking inferior servants , that they waste nothing which belongs to your master and mistress . if you are thus qualified , and be of an humble and good disposition , your merit will deserve a good sallary , and a great deal of love and respect . if you have not these accomplishments , endeavour their procuration by sparing some money from superfluous expence , and over-gaudy clothes ; for to see a maid finely trickt up , having a fine show without , and not one good qualification within , is like a jointed bartholomew-baby , bought for no other use than to be look'd upon . instructions for nursery-maids to gentlewomen , both in london , or elsewhere . let me advise you , first to consider the charge you take in hand , and not to desire it as too many do , because it is an easie kind of life , void of labour and pains-taking , thinking also that children are easily pleas'd with any thing ; i can assure you the contrary ; for it is a troublesome employment , and the charge is of greater weight than such vainly imagine . you ought in the first place to be of a gentle and good disposition , sober in your carriage , neat in your apparel ; not sluggish nor heavy-headed , but watchful and careful in the night-season , for fear any of the children should be ill ; and keep due hours for their up-rising and going to bed . take special care that they eat nothing which may over-charge their stomacks . if you observe their faces at any time paler than ordinary , or complain of pain in their stomack , conclude it is the worms that troubles them ; and therefore give them remedies suitable to the distemper ; do this often whether you see those symtoms or no , the neglect of which hath been the destruction of many hopeful children . keep them ( whatever you do ) sweet and clean , and moderately warm ; teach them some good forms of prayer , and to read as they are capable ; restrain them from drinking too much wine , strong liquors , and eating over-much fruit. be loving and chearful with them , not humping or beating them as many do , contrary to the knowledg and pleasure of their parents : that mother is very un wife that will give liberty to servants to strike her children ; and that servant is over-sawcy and ill natur'd who dares do it without her mistresses privity and consent . this is your duty ; and unless you can and will do this , never undertake this charge . instructions for such who desire to be absolute cook-maids in good and great houses . it is a common thing now-adays for cook-maids to ask great wages , although they are conscious to themselves of their inability of performing almost any thing ; which as it is unconscionable so to do , so in the end it will prove disgraceful to them : i shall therefore tell you what in reason may be required from you , and what justly you ought to perform . your skill will chiefly consist in dressing all forts of meat , both fish , flesh and fowl , all manner of baked-meats , all kind of sawces , and which are most proper for every sort of dish , and be curious in garnishing your dishes , and making all manner of pickles , of all which i have treated of before , as you will find it in the chapter of my instructions for young ladies and gentlewomen in the art of cookery , wherein you may be supplyed with the customary and a-la-mode ways of dressing all sorts of meat . and as you must know how to dress meat well , so you must know how to save what is left of that you have dressed , of which you may make both handsome and toothsome dishes again , to the saving of your masters purse , and the credit of his table . be as saving as you can , and cleanly about every thing ; see also that your kitchen be kept clean , and all things scoured in due time ; your larders also and cubbards , that there be no bits of meat or bread lye about them to spoil and stink . that your meat taint not for want of good salting . that you keep good hours for your meals , else you put an house quite out of order ; do not covet to have the kitchen-stuff for your vails , but rather ask the more wages , for that may make you an ill huswife of your masters goods , and teach you to be a thief , for you will be apt to put that which goes into the tried suet into your pot . lay not all your wages on your back , but lay up something against sickness , and an hundred other casualties ; assure your self , it is more commendable for one of your profession to go decent and clean , than gaudily fine . take this in part of that good counsel i could give you , had i time ; which if you follow , the greatest benefit will be your own at last . instructions for under-cook-maids . it behoves you to be very diligent and willing to do what you are bid to do ; and though your employment be greasie and smutty , yet if you please you may keep your self from being nasty , therefore let it be your care to keep your self clean . observe every thing in cookery that is done by your superiour , treasure it up in your memory ; and when you meet with a convenient opportunity , put that in practice which you have observed ; this course will advance you from a drudg to be a cook another day . every one must have a beginning ; and if you will be ingenious and willing to learn , there is none will be so churlish or unkind as to be unwilling to teach you ; but if you are stuborn and careless , who do you think will trouble themselves with you ? beware of gossips , for they will misadvise you ; beware of the sollicitations of the flesh , for they will undo you ; and though you may have mean thoughts of your self , and think none will meddle with such as you ; it is a mistake , hungry dogs will eat dirty puddings ; and i my self have known a brave gallant to fall foul with the wench of the skullery , when some others would have hazzarded their life for one sole enjoyment of that incomparable lady his wife , he so ingratefully slighted . instructions for dairy-maids in great houses . have a care that all your vessels be scalded well , and kept very clean ; that you milk your cattel in due time , for your kine by custom will expect it , though you neglect it , which will tend much to their detriment , waste not your cream by giving it away to liquorish persons ; keep certain days for your chirning , and be sure to make up your butter neatly and cleanly , washing it well from the butter-milk , and then salt it well . be careful to make your cheeses good and tender , by well ordering them ; and see that your hogs have the whey , and that it be not given away to idle or gossipping people , who live meerly upon what they can get from servants : that you provide your winter-butter and cheese in the summer , as in may ; and when your rowens come in , be sparing of your fire ; and do not lavish away your milk-butter or cheese . if you have any fowls to fat , or pigs , look to them that it may be your credit , and not your shame when they come to the table . when you milk your cattel , stroke them well , and in the summer-time save those strokings by themselves , to put into your morning-milk-cheese . instructions for laundry-maids in great houses . your duty will be to take care of all the linnen in the house , excepting points and laces ; whatever you wash , do it up quickly , that it may not stink and grow yellow , and be forced to the washing again before it be used . let all the bracks in the linnen , or rents , be duly mended ; and keep your certain days of washing , and other days for the making clean of such rooms as are appointed you . be sparing of your soap , fire and candle . entertain no chare-woman unknown to your lady or mistress . be careful that your tubs and copper , or whatever else you make use of , be kept clean , and in good repair . that you rise early every morning , but more especially on washing-days . instructians for house-maids in great houses . your principal office is to make clean the greatest part of the house ; and so that you suffer no room to lie foul ; that you look well to all the stuff , and see that they be often brushed , and the beds frequently turned . that you do not misplace any thing by carrying it out of one room into another , for that is the way to have then lost , or you soundly chid for their being not in their proper places . that you be careful for , and diligent to all strangers , and see that they lack nothing in their chambers , which your mistress or lady will allow ; and that your close-stools and chamber-pots be duly emptied and kept clean . that you help the laundry-maid in a morning on a washing-day . that in the afternoon you be ready to help the house-keeper or the waiting-woman in their preserving and distilling . to scullery-maids in great houses . there are several rooms that you must keep sweet and clean , as the kitchen , pantry , wash-house , &c. that you wash and scowre all the plates and dishes which are used in the kitchen , also kettles , pots , pans , chamber-pots , with all other iron , brass , and pewter materials that belong to the chambers or kitchen ; and lastly , you must wash your own linnen . thus ladies , i have endeavoured to shew your servants their duties in their respective places , and what qualifications they ought to have , which may enable and fit them for your service . i shall now return to the compleatment of those accomplishments which best become your noble and gentile extraction . i have already declared how you ought to be educated from your minority to better maturity of years , and from thence what your deportment ought to be to all persons in all places ; there remaineth only some instructions how you may talk , and that elegantly , to the same persons at a distance , whether relations , friends or acquaintance , and that is by letter ; having given you some general instructions how to pen them , i shall lay you down some choice patterns of letters upon several occasions for your imitation . i shall conclude at present this treatise with some witty dialogues , or interchangable discourses between several of your sex eminent for birth , worth , and ingenuity . some general and choice rules for writing of letters . first , what a letters is ? it is or ought to be the express image of the mind , represented in writing to a friend at a distance ; wherein is declared what he or she would do or have done . this excellent use we have of letters , that when distance of place will not admit of union of persons , or converse viva voce ; that deplorable defect is supplied by a letter or missive ; and indeed the necessity of conversing one with another as long as we live , layeth an unavoidable cogency of communicating our affairs each to other , without which friends at a distance could have no correspondence one with the other . though it lyeth not in the power of every one to make use of these excellent means for reciprocal communication ; yet we see daily the illiterate and ignorant will make hard shifts rather than go without the benefit thereof , applying themselves to friends that can write ; or if they have none , to scriveners or other strangers , venturing their secrets with them , rather than their friend shall go without the knowledg of them . but as for you , ladies , for whose use this book was framed , i question not your writing well ; but without inditing well , it will signifie but little ; to the intent therefore you may pollish your epistolical compositions , observe these two things therein , that is , the matter and form. the matter of letters is any thing that may be discoursed of without any exception ; or that which you would freely discover to your relations , or discourse to your friend when present , the same you would do by letter when he is absent , if it stands with conveniency . for sometimes it is not convenient to trust that in a sheet of paper , which if lost or miscarried may be the great detriment , if not the utter ruin of the person . this matter you must know varieth much according to the subject you write upon . i shall endeavour to treat a little of all the common subjects which are the usual occasions of letter-writing . of intelligence or advice . these letters are the informers of our friends , of our own , or others . concerns . there is no great matter of invention required in them , for the very subject will afford you matter enough ; all that is required of you in this , are these two things ; the first , that you word your matter well , and that you write not any thing unadvisedly , which you cannot justifie ; but above all , have a care of news-writing , if it nearly concern the state , or any great person thereunto belonging . of friend-chastisement . if you have a dear female-friend whom you suspect of any youthful excursions , especially levity , and would reduce her to a better understanding , mildly lay open her errors ; and therein discover what an enemy she hath been to god and to her own reputation ; that there is no way to reconcile her self to god and the world , but by her future exemplary modest carriage . and that she may not think , your reproofs have their original from malice or hatred to her person , declare , what a great esteem you ever had for her excellent parts , and rare endowments of mind ; and what a pity it is , such excellencies should be eclipsed by such foul miscarriages ; that it is not your sorrow alone , but the grief of several of her friends ; and then subtilly insinuate this , that had it not been a friend you so dearly loved , you could have been well content to have been filent ; but contrary , the love you bear her , obliged you to reveal the evil reports you have heard of her , and how troubled you are , to see her commendations so limited with exceptions , were it not that she is — she is absolutely one of the finest gentlewoman in europe . then conclude , that you hope she will take all in good part ; and that she will highly oblige you , to use the same freedom as you have done with her , if she hears ought amiss . of giving good counsel . you may in the first place excuse your rash intrusion , in giving counsel before it be required , but the bonds of friendship were so strong , that you could not forbear , and therefore hoped she would take all in good part ; and then inculcate this , that you did not doubt the sufficiency of her judgment , but being tender of her welfare , and knowing of what weighty concern the business in hand imported , that it was not for a year or a day , but for lise , you could do no less , being full fraught with a most entire affection , but tell her , she must consider — then tell her what your advice is , and be sure you back it with the best reasons and arguments you can summon together ; making it appear , that your counsel is both honest and profitable , and not self-interested ; and it only tends to her lasting good here , and eternal hereafter ; husbanding your reasons according to the person you deal with . conclude with an hearty ejaculation to god , that he may direct her for the best , following the good advice you have given , &c. if you are a mother of children , and would write to them , or to your servant , you need not have rules in so doing , the plainer you write , the better it is , and they will more readily understand you ; you need no more than signifie to them what you would have done , and what undone ; as for reasons , you need not alledg any to encourage them in their duty , your power is sufficient , and your command is the only reason why they should do so , or so ; however , if you see any refractoriness in your children , it will not be amiss , to urge how just your commands are , and how easily performed , adding the promise of a reward , if they fulfil your desire ; but threats and menaces of punishment , if they disobey ; but concluding , you hope to find them so towardly , that they will not need correction . of requesting a kindness . letters of this nature , are of two kinds ; the first is , when one gentlewoman of quality sends to another , her very good friend , either for some courtesie to her self , or for another ; and then she must begin with an acknowledgment of her love , and how consident she still remains in the assurance thereof ; then make known your request , and how easily it may be done , and end with a promise of being sensible of the courtesie , and retalliation . if the person requesting be somewhat a stranger , but much infcrior to the person of whom she intreats the kindness , then she must begin with an insinuation , excusing her boldness in daring to request a favour of a person whom she never obliged by any former service ; yet adding withall , that knowing her goodness , and the delight her ladiship takes in bestowing courtesies on the undeserver , she fears not a denial , if it be upon an urgent occasion , let her endeavour to move her , to compassionate her misery , exaggerating the greatness thereof ; infisting , that she hath no other way to retrieve her misfortune ; that if she cannot hereafter find any way a requital , yet she shall notwithstanding retain the remembrance of her love or charity fixed in her heart . conclude with a prayer to god , so to increase her relicity here , that she may never stand in need of a kindness from any , till the almighty hath fixed on her head a crown of glory . of recommendation . in the recommending of a person , you must shew your motives for so doing , as first , either as she is a kinswoman , or friend , and a person so worthy as deserving all favour , that were it not for her goodness and virtue , you would not utter a word in her behalf ; and conclude , that what kindness is done her , is shewn to your self . how elegantly to complain of injuries done . this may be done several ways ; if you would mildly complain of a friend , and yet not break with him or her ; let your complaint be mixt with praises , saying , that you are sorry the persons deportment hath not been such as your friendship required ; however , you are so charitable , as to believe the offence was not committed willingly , but rather through misprision or ill perswasion . but let the offence be ever so great , do not rail in opprobrious terms , though in smart and significant expressions ; saying , that you have connived too long patiently at the injuries done you ; but finding , instead of amendment , the person growing worse , you would be more sensless than stones if you should not speak ; referring your self to his own judgment , if passion hath not quite extinguisht the eye of reason , whether you are not very much wrong'd ; however , upon a just acknowledgment , you are willing to forget all , and retain him or her still in the estimation of a friend . forms of address or visit. in the first place , insinuate your contentment in discoursing with your friend face to face , but since you are deprived thereof , you are happy still in having the opportunity and conveniency of writing : that you desire to hear of her welfare , both as to health and other concerns ; that your desire is earnest to see her , and that those days wherein you see her not , are years ; and those years seem ages , especially when you receive no letters from her ; that if she will continue that correspondence , she shall find occasion of finding fault on your side more of importunity than carelesness or neglect , and so conclude with a protestation of the continuance of an inviolable friendship . forms of congratulation . this is done when we desire to rejoice with our friend for some great good that hath befaln him or her , either by escaping from some eminent danger , or sickness . there are several other subjects of this nature which you may treat on as they happen , and therefore i cannot prescribe you exact rules ; only you must testifie the great satisfaction you receive in your friends welfare , and that your joy is not particular , but all in general have it when good and virtuous persons are advanced , and do prosper . of consolation . letters of consolation seem to mitigate any evil or adversity that hath befaln a friend , which being various cannot well have one remedy applied to them . if the evil be but small , alledg they have no such great cause for their sorrowing , the subject not deserving it ; that they ought to have courage ; for pusillanimity wrongs the reputation ; or if it be great , insist that it will not last long : but if the disaster be very great indeed , you must then acknowledg how much you are concerned in his or her sufferings ; and that having so great a share in her misfortune , you are fitter to condole than comfort her therein , yet however the interest of alliance or friendship oblige you to apply some lenitive : that you cannot perswade her from grieving , for that would argue inhumanity ; having sustain'd so great a loss of a husband , a wife , father , mother , &c. but hope she or he will not be so heartless as to be carried away in the torrent of a fruitless grief ; that reason must be used : for nature is not obliged to alter its course to please him or her particularly , and exempt it self for the sake of one from those laws to which the whole world is subject . in short , when a misfortune cannot be withstood , immoderate grief doth but exasperate it ; and that being a christian , there ought to be a submission to gods will , and subscribe with a prayer to the almighty to give him or her patience to overcome this great affliction . form of thanks for courtesies received . thanks we must apply as well to the nature of the courtesie , as to the quality of him that hath done it . you must begin with a commemoration of the courtesie received , acknowledging the receiver not worthy thereof , having never done any obliging service ; or if you have , yet this hath made double satisfaction ; then promise that the remembrance of her love shall be deeply engraven in your heart ; and that you will always retain a resentment of her kindness : this you may write , if the kindness be so highly qualified that the person looks for no other satisfaction than acknowledgment only . i have given you several forms of letters , let me now shew you the parts of a letter ; the common ones are superscription and subscription . the superscription of letters is twofold ; the one external , the other internal ; the outward superscription is that when the letter is folded up , and containeth the name , title , and abode of the person we write unto ; but above all you must have a care that you give proper titles , such as befit the quality of the person . the title of a king is , to his most excellent majesty . to the queen the same , altering the article . to all sons or brethren of the king of england , to his royal highness . to a duke , to his grace . to a duchess the same . to all earls , marquesses , viscounts and barons , to the right honourable . to marchionesses and countesses by patent , to the right honourable . to all lords , to the right honourable . to knights , to the right worshipful . to all justices of peace , high sheriffs , counsellors at law , esquires , either by birth or place , &c. to the worshipful . the subscription is placed at the lower end of the letter ; and in writing to great persons you must subscribe thus ,   my lord , or madam , your most humble , and most obedient servant . or your most faithful , and most obliged servant . s. g. to persons of meaner degree , subscribe your self thus ,   your servant . or your friend and servant . if kindred write one to another , the greater may express the relation in the beginning of the letter ; but she that is of the meaner quality , must be content to specifie it in the subscription . besides superscription and subscription , you must set down what year and day you writ this letter in , and the place from whence it came ; yet it is not always convenient to mention the place , nor the relation the person hath to you to whom you write . the beginning of all your letters ought to contain some small complements by way of insinuation , with a short proposal of what you intend to say : this is only observed in long letters , otherwise you may fall upon the matter immediately . as for the matter , that is according to your concern , and i need not use much order in the discoursing it , but write what falls under your pen , not standing much upon connexion , unless it be in letters of answer , and then you must follow the order of those letters , using some small transition . in the conclusion it is requisite that you testifie your affection with hearty wishes and prayers for the person you write unto . for the stile of your letters , let it not be affected but careless , not much differing from our usual way of speaking . in letters of complement supply the barrenness of your matter with the smoothness of your rhetorical exornations ; but have a care that in striving to avoid affectation you do not run into improprieties of speech , or barbarisms . consider seriously what best befits the things you are to write of , regarding person , time and place . it would be absurd for any one to write to a superiour as to a familiar , and that which would suit very well with an ancient man , or a person in authority , would be ridiculous for to use to a man of mean degree , or of the younger sort ; surely we are not to use the like expressions to a soldier , as we do to a scholar or lady . be not too prolix in your writing , nor too short ; but observe a mediocrity or mean betwixt them : in the avoiding of tautologies , do not omit any thing that may conduce to the illustration of your matter . do not study for hard words , but such as are either plain , or very significant , this perspicuity of writing is to be measur'd according to the capacity of the person to whom the letter is directed ; for some will easily conceive what is difficult and hard for others to comprehend . have especial care of blotting your paper , giving it a large margent ; and be curious in the cutting your letters , that they may delight the sight , and not tire the reader . lastly , be curious in the neat folding up your letter , pressing it so that it may take up but little room , and let your seal and superscription be very fair . having given you general instructions how to compose and indite letters , it follows that i here insert some of the best patterns for your imitation . letters upon all occasions . of complement . madam , i am by so many obligations yours , that the only want of occasion to give you testimony thereof , alone breeds in me all my discontent ; esteeming my self unfortunate in nothing so much ; and that the passion which carrieth me to your service , proves as unprofitable as extream ; which forceth me to have recourse to intreaties , beseeching you to honour me with your commands , that ( other means failing ) my obedience may oblige you to believe that i am , madam , your most humble and affectionate servant . another of the like nature . madam , though i have told you a thousand times by word of mouth how much i am your servant ; yet my pen shall once more assure you of the same ; i only wait for some eminent proofs to demonstrate the truth of my profession ; i do heartily wish that you would not longer make me expect an opportunity , but lay your command , which may satisfie my impatience , to make you know and confess at the same time , that you may have more powerful and more considerable servants , but never madam , one more obedient and faithful . their answers . madam , i will be so presumptuous ( since you desire it ) as to believe you love me , but on condition that you will acknowledg the passion i have to serve you . for as it only makes me merit the honour of your friendship , so i should be very glad that you would everlastingly conserve the memory thereof . continue then in loving me as much as you please , and likewise esteem infallibly that i am more than all the world besides , madam , your very servant . another answer . madam , i am not so unfortunate as i thought i was , since i see i hold some place still in your memory ; yet the grief which i entertain for not deserving the honour , hath reduced my thoughts to such a moderation , that i am in doubt whether i should complain or rejoice . it remains in you only , to allay the discontent of my mind , by giving me some employment in your service , which may witness the passion i have to maintain the quality of madam , your faithful servant . a letter from a gentlewoman at a boarding-school in hackney to her quondam school-fellow in london . indeared friend , i have laid aside the exercise of my needle , that i may employ my hand some little time in the management of my pen , that herein i may assure you , that the strong inclinations i have to manifest my self your friend upon all accounts , will not permit me to let slip any opportunity wherein i may evidence this truth . i am troubled that you are not always as ready to honour me with your commands , as i am zealous and forward to obey them . that cordial respect i bear you , hath so strongly link'd me to you , that into whatsoever condition fortune shall throw me , i shall still retain the memory of your affection , and must not live when i cease to love you , whom above mine own welfare i esteem , and therefore must subscribe my self , dearest friend , your most affectionate , &c. m. g. the answer to it . most obliging friend , i am ravisht with content , to see how your curious art , and delicateness thereof , can so happily translate your hand and fancy from one flower to another , the one as the draught of your needle , the other of your pen ; were i to be judg , i knew not to which to give the greatest praise or encomium , the flourishes of the pen , or the flowers of the needle ; the one might make arachne's maids of honour ( i mean those delicate finger'd nunns ) to blush , to be out-done ; and from the other , a secretary to a queen may gather eloquence and fancy . you need not make the least question of my love , or the integrity thereof ; for although i want the art of rhethorick to represent it , yet my deeds and services shall be the elaborate elocutors which shall express my self to be , your most cordially affectionate servant . s. l. from the above-nam'd m. g. to the said s. l. acknowledging her and her school-fellows sorrow for her absence , giving an account of the accustomed care of her governess . dear friend , we remain in the state and condition you left us , there being no access as yet of any more numbers , but only of our griefs for your absence , which increase , as our desires do increase , or our daily discourses of you . we understood not our happiness till your departure from us , being now made sensible of the good we enjoyed , by being deprived thereof . our governess is as active and watchful as ever , down with the sun and up with the lark , and then doth her messenger summon us to desert our beds ; if she perceives any unwilling , she subtilly tempers the unpleasantness of her early importunity ; she perswades them thereunto , by alledging , what benefit thereby will accrew to their healths ; nor is her accustomed care to be discommended , since therein she aims not only at the benefit of our bodies , but the eternal welfare of our souls , in the performance of our duties to god and our parents . she continues her former jealousie , not suffering a letter to come into the house without her knowledg thereof ; and herein her prudence is highly to be commended , for by her strict examination of these paper-messengers , she shuts the doors against a great many which might be the bawds that might betray the obedience of some , and the chastity of others . neither are there any answers returned to any letters but what she is privy to ; by which means , there is nothing we write we need be ashamed of , were it legibly written on our foreheads as well as papers . i question not but you have heard your old bed-fellow mrs. f. g. hath lately entertained a new one , being married to a gentleman , as deserving in excellency of parts as nobility of birth ; i long to hear of the like in you , whose good fortunes shall always be attended with the greatest acclamations of joy which can proceed from your most affectionate friend , m. g. the answer . indearedly beloved , you honour me much with the testimony of your affection ; and do glad my heart by giving me to understand , that your governess continueth her vigilancy and accustomed care ; if she reap the praise thereof , the profit will be yours , and yet she will be a gainer too , for this will be the means to increase the number of her scholars . mrs. f. g's . marriage is no news to me , wishing her all happiness in her choice , and that her fortune may be answerable to her incomparable virtues ; but for your good wishes to me , in the like nature , ( though i am thankful to you for them , yet ) i should not be displeased , if you did forbear to utter them ; for if good husbands are miacles , why should i afflict my self with the vain expectation of them , since miracles are ceased ? i can best content my self with my present condition , having thereby a greater liberty to express my self to be your passionate and most obliged friend and servant , s. l. to a kinswoman discoursing about fashions . beloved cousin , i thank you for your papers , and the trouble of that spruce inventory you sent me , which i desired more out of curiosity than any intention of conformity thereunto ; for indeed the vanity was sufficient to satiate an ordinary appetite ; and besides , mine is no way greedy of such idle kickshaws . i find fault with most of these modes , not for their levity only but brevity also , especially such as are far-fetcht for a fortnights wearing , and leaves not a good huswife a relique worth the keeping . i have learned in a great manner , that the fashion of the world passeth away , and therefore i cannot think it but a piece of great imprudence , to spend so much industry upon a frail and perishing object ; yet i am not against such natural or native decencies , which may difference persons , and bring not an unprofitable expence upon their finery ; no more than i discommend a sumptuous feast , when i censure one that is ridiculous ; for i know not what secret power of blandishment there is in an handsome ornament , even to court beauty it self , and therefore it must be more advantagious to those , whose small imperfections it conceals . but of all incongruities , deformity and the fashion , i take to be the ugliest ; you know how indifferently i am concern'd in these cases , and therefore will easily pardon this humour of your most humble servant . a letter from one lady to another , condemning artificial-beauty . madam , you are so absolute in the endowments of your mind and perfections of body , that i cannot but honour you ; having formerly experienced your love to me particularly , and the greatness of your wit to all ; i hope you will excuse this rudeness if i desire your opinion concerning borrowed beauty from art ; and whether it may be lawfully used by such as profess religion and a good conscience ? i must confess , my own judgment is much unsetled ; nevertheless , i have been informed by many learned and godly men , that it is a great sin , and undoubtedly inconsistent with a christian , and a good conscience . i do find that washing and painting is condemned in holy writ , as the practice of loose , licentious , and lascivious women ; who with the deforming of their souls , and polluting their consciences , do use the art for embellishing their countenances . the new testament affirms we cannot make one hair of our head white or black ; and if we have neither the liberty , nor are to assume the power to alter the complexion of our hairs , then much less the complexion of our cheeks and faces . it argueth , besides , ingratitude to the almighty , when we are not content with what he hath made ; and the highest presumption in thinking or daring to mend it . st. paul and st. peter prescribed how women should be clad , that is with modesty , shamefastness and sobriety , and not with gorgeous apparel , or with braided hair , gold or pearls ; and if these things were forbidden , how much more is washing or painting the face ; which is suitable ( some think ) to none but leight spirits , such who are not yet redeemed from the vanity of their conversation ? so that this artificial beauty may appear to be divinely forbidden as an enemy to truth , which needeth none but its own native complexion ; and is so far from being beholding to art for any addition to enliven her colour , or to put a blush upon it , that she converteth even deformities and decays into advantages and perfections . besides , that this adding of colour and complexion proceeds from pride , is without controversie ; and should it not reflect on wantonness , yet it doth on arrogance ; to borrow , and then challenge that beauty to be ours , which is not but by an adventitious wealth . moreover this self-conceit is an enemy to humility and grace , and would by degrees over-top all virtue . and now grant it were neither scandalously sinful , nor absolutely unlawful , yet the offence it giveth to the true and strict professors of piety is a sufficient argument , that it ought not to be practised . although many things may be permitted in themselves , yet they become evil and are to be forborn , when others are offended at them . neither is this all ; for the very name of a painted face is enough to destroy the reputation of her that useth it , and exposeth her to all manner of reproaches . we are taught to follow things of a good report , that we may not only be good , but that in all things we may preserve the reputation of a good name . if the light of scriptures were not so clear and full against all artificial beauty , yet the light of nature doth seem to discover an uncomeliness therein . there is none but may conclude , if god threatens to punish strange apparel , he will not spare to punish strange faces . madam , pardon the tediousness of my letter , which i have extended almost to the length of a treatise ; i was the more large , because i would be the more fully satisfied in your answer , which in a labouring-expectation i attend ; if your ladiship will deign me this favour , you will infinitely oblige her , who is madam , your most humble and affectionate servant . the answer of an ingenious lady . madam , you have been pleas'd to impose a great task upon me , which i am resolved to discharge , not so much to shew any wit or knowledg in my self , as your power over me , by my obedience to your commands ; what i shall say on this subject in the defence thereof , i shall be obliged thereunto by the rules of reason , and not the liberty of practice . i cannot deny but that several reverend and learned persons are of a judgment opposite to mine , which have prevailed on the credulity of many young ladies , and did at first upon my own , until i began to examine the grounds of their opinions , and to value more the weight of their reasons than the gravity and numbers of their persons . i do not find that these persons can produce out of scripture any reasons of force which expresly forbid the using any art in the imbellishing the counnance : the opinions of men are not of any power to charge the soul with sin in things of outward use and custom ; neither in this particular are the divines themselves all of one mind ; for i know many excellent persons , who wisely sorbear to condemn the use of these things as sin , that are innocently helpful to the beauties of modest women ; for indeed they are as far from sin , or not from sin , as the minds of those that use them are disposed either to a modest decency , or to pride and vanity . now where it is objected , that jezabel was devoured by dogs , because she painted her eyes ; if your ladiship be pleased to look again on the history , you shall find that the painting of her face or eyes was thirteen or fourteen years before the prophet elisha presaged her ruin ; and it was no more a cause of her dreadful death than the dressing her head , or her looking out at the window , which was at one and the same time , and one of them as innocent as the other . if all ' that jezable did is to be avoided as a sin , we may not call a solemn assembly , or keep a fast , because she did so , as appeareth by the same history : we may not embrace or kiss a friend because joab did so when he killed abner ; and judas , when he betray'd his master . and as for herodias dancing , which was the cause of john baptists death , you shall find in the gospel that she danced alone , which is allowed by our austerest divines , and by the precise matrons in the education of their children . she danced not with herod , but before him ; and it was not the decent motion of her feet , but the disorderly motions of her heart , and the perversness of her spirit to the doctrine of st. john , that was the cause of his murther . and as for those places in the prophets , from whence scrupulous and censorious persons do infer that the painting of the face is a sin ; we may truly answer , it is not therefore unlawful because we find it there sometimes condemned as unreasonable ; or because vain and loose women do practise it , therefore the modest must altogether disclaim it . believe me , madam , in the whole scripture there is not any moral command to be found that doth expresly forbid this artificial adorning the face . we may read that queen esther made use of sweet perfumes , of gorgeous habillements , and beautiful colours ; nay whatsoever was then in fashion , the more to attract the eyes and affections of the king unto her ; and this was in her so far from a sin , that it had been almost a sin in her not to have done it . we find that rebeccab almost in the infancy of the world , received ornaments for her hands , her neck and ears ; and certainly she thought it no disparagement to her modesty or her piety to wear them . neither is it any new invention for ladies to use artificial helps for the advancement of their beauties ; it is as general as ancient , and there is no nation but doth practise it without any reproach of vanity or pride . and although in this nation a commendable discretion is used in powdering , curling , and gumming the hair , and quickning the complexion , yet in forreign parts it is every where frequently done , and as sreely owned . it is strange methinks that supplies should be allowed of for bodily defects and deformities ; the shoo-maker is imployed and commended for making the body higher ; and the taylor for making it straighter ; and must we account it a sin or scandal to advance the beauty of the face ? much more might be alledged to prove the truth hereof , but i have been already too tedious , and have punished your expectation with the length of my letter , which notwithstanding the innocence of the subject , is a sin or fault in her , who is madam , your most devoted servant , &c. a lady to her daughter , perswading her from wearing spots and black-patches in her face . daughter , the indulgent care of a loving mother makes me keep my eye continually on you ; it hath been my great comfort hitherto in that you have seem'd a profest enemy against the vices of this present age ; but now it is no small grief to me that i hear you are too much addicted to its fashions ; and that lately you have been seen with those deformities which are commonly called black-patches . a fashion till of late never practiced by any , nor your half-moons used in the turkish seraglio ; no nor ever read of in all the histories of the vanities of women . it appeareth strange to me , that young gentlewomen should lose their reason with their modesty , and think that they add to their beauty by substracting from it . i must deal plainly with you , i am afraid that the black oath of god-damn-me in the mouth of a ranter , and the black-patch in the face of a gentlewoman , are near of kin one to another . i shall therefore assume the freedom of power which is due unto me , and command you to wear them no more till i am better satisfied in their decency or lawfulness ; thus not doubting of your obedience , i commit you with my blessing to the blessed protection of the god of all blessings , and rest your tenderly loving and careful mother , m. n. the answer of a dutiful daughter . madam , it is as well religion as duty in me , to render you all observances , which i shall make my delight as well as employment . my greatest blessing is the continuance of your love , which obligeth me to encrease my thankfulness as well as my obedience . i perceive some censorious tongue hath been too busie with my face , and hath endeavoured to throw dirt on it , because it hath been lately spotted in the fashion ; a fashion that hath as much innocence to plead for its excuse , as custom for its authority . venus the goddess of beauty was born with a motticella , or natural beauty-spot , as if nature had set forth a pattern for art to imitate . you may see every day some little clouds over the face of the sun , yet he is not ashamed of his attraction ; nay , some of late with an optick-glass have discovered some maculae or spots in the very face of the sun , yet they are not attributed as his deformities . the moon when she is at full and shining in her greatest lustre , hath in her face some remarkable spots , and herein is placed her chiefest glory ; as being in every thing inconstant but in this . when i put on my mask , which is no more nor better than one great patch , you do commend me for it ; and will you be displeased with me for wearing a few black patches ? which if they are cut into stars , do represent unto me whether i would go ; or if into little worms , whether i must go ; the one of them testifying in me the sense of my unworthiness to increase my humility , and the other the height of my meditations to advance my affections . it is the unhappiness of the most harmless things , to be subject to the greatest misconstruction ; and on the same subject from whence others draw their suspitions of curiosity to accuse our pride , we derive the greatest arguments of discipline and instruction to defend our innocence ; neither is the ignorance of antiquity in relation to them , any argument of weight to condemn their novelty ; for the black-bags on the head are not much older than the black-spots on the face , and much less may be said for them , only they have had the good luck in the city not to meet with contradiction , although in the country they are much cavil'd at , unless worn by gentlewomen of eminent note and quality . nevertheless , according to the obligation of my duty , to give you in all things satisfaction , i am determined to wear them no more ; not that i find any such vanity in them , but that by the fruits of my obedience , you may perceive what an absolute power your commands have over her , who is madam , your most humble and most obedient daughter , s. n. love protested , with its repulse . madam , it hath pleased heaven you should have the sole command of my affections , with which i am joyfully , content and stand disposed to obey you in every thing , when you shall be pleased to count me worthy of your service . enjoying you i must account my self the happiest man in the world ; but being deprived of you i shall not only live , but die miserably ; either then reward him who adores you , or chastise him who idolizeth you . yet must i confess all my good to proceed from you , and that all the evil i can endure must come from your disdain ; however hoping that you will commiserate my languishing condition , i shall greedily subscribe my self , intirely yours , &c. the answer . sir , if it hath pleas'd heaven you should love me , you cannot blame me though you suffer by it ; should i except the tenders of affection from all such amorous pretenders , i might be married to a whole troop , and make my self a legal prostitute . my inclinations lean not your way ; wherefore give me leave to tell you , that you would do better to bestow your affections on some lady who hath more need of a servant than i have . and if you think your affection ought not to go unrewarded , receive the perswasion which i give you , never to trouble me more , lest you run a worse hazzard by persevering in your intentions . be advised by her who is your faithful monitor and humble servant , &c. i shall swell this volume into too great a bulk , should i give you patterns of letters for all occasions ; let what i have here set down suffice , referring you for your better information and instruction to the incomparable letters of monsieur voiture , translated into english ; mr. howel , and mr. lovedays ingenious letters , with a many more ; every booksellers-shop affording great plenty . and now to conclude , pray accept of these ingenious dialogues , which will tend as well to your further instruction , as recreation . pleasaut discourses and witty dialogues between males and females , as well gentiliz'd by birth as accomplisht by generous education . the resolute lover : a pastoral dialogue . amyntas . stay , dearest , stay . amarillis . shepherd , why do you thus follow me ? amynt . i needs must follow , sweetest , for you have my heart . amar. who , i ! prithee tell me where it is , and how i shall restore it ? amynt . it hangs upon your eyes ; but being there scorched with disdain , and dazled with their luster , it flys for ease unto your rosie lips ; but being repulsed thence with harsh denials , it hovers still about you , hoping to rest it self within your breast ; but all its endeavours have been fruitless , for your hard heart would not give it entertainment . amar. well , if my heart be so hard as you would make it , i rejoice in my safety , it being then strong enough to be a fence to my honour . amynt . you make a fence in vain to guard the sheep where no wolf ever came . amar. o but my fears , amyntas ! how shall i cherish the man that would undo my chastity ? amynt . then cherish me , who never attempted any thing to cast a spot on that white innocence to which i am a most religious votary . amar. and canst thou love , and yet be chaste in thy desires ? amynt . yes , fairest , i could be content to love , and have our souls united , though we are not conjoined in our persons . amar. let me contain thee then within mine arms ; the force of greatest winds that shake , nay root up the aged oak , shall not divide us . amynt . my joys do overflow ! my happiness is too great to survive the enjoyment : o let me vent my grateful heart , or else it bursts ! here , here 's a spreading poplar , under whose cooler shade thou shalt seal thy promise amaryllis . amar. 't is done , not to be repented of ; and now methinks i here could stay , my dear amyntas , till death moved his cold dart , and beckned us to follow him to the lower shades ; and by his angry power , make these my warm embraces cold . amynt . may we never , never part , that thy delight i may prolong , dear amarillis hear this song . i. come my sweet , whilst every strain calls our souls into the ear , where thy greedy listnings fain would run into the sound they hear . lest in desire to fill the quire , themselves they tye to harmony . let 's kiss and call them back again . . now let us orderly convey our souls into each others breast , where interchanged let them stay , slumbring in a melting rest . then with new fire let them retire and still present sweet fresh content . youthful as the early day . . then let us a tumult make , shuffling so our souls , that we , careless who did give or take , may not know in whom they be . then let each smother and stifle the other , till we expire in gentle fire ; scorning the forgetful lake . addresses of love and service , from erotus to aurelia . erot. madam , invited , or rather forced , by the just commendations which englands metropolis and other famed places attribute to your merits , i here prostrate my respects and service , which i shall desire you to esteem obedient to your will , until the time of my perseverance manifest them to be constant and faithful . aurel. sir , report is commonly a lyar , and now proves more favourable to me than truth ; you know i am flatter'd , and you add thereunto by presenting feigned love and fervice to the honour of this imaginary merit . erot. madam , you seem ingrateful to over-kind and indulgent nature , in wronging that incomparable beauty she hath prodigally bestow'd upon you , which is so paramont , it can produce no other effects but fervent desires , and passionate endeavours to serve you . aurel. sir , your rhetorick may work miracles , but it can never alter my belief . erot. then , madam , i see there nothing remains but my future obedience and affection , which must condemn your misbelief , and authorize this truth . aurel. such expressions float commonly on the streams of this ages affection , which usually produce nothing but artifice , although they pretend to the greatest service . erot. i know it is ordinary for some to confirm promises with oaths , when at that instant they ne're intended to perform them ; but that which will infuse a belief that i follow not the common custom of the times , is and will be the sincerity of my love , and constancy of my service . aurel. sir , your enterprise will not be worth your pains ; and should you obtain your desire , i know not how you will bear with the loss of being cheated in your hopes . erot. however , madam , my resolution is fixt ; and although you should make the end of it unfortunate or successless , yet it shall be the glory of my courage that i fell from high attempts . aurel. seeing you thus ground your hope on misfortune , hope can no way harm you ; for if it deceive you , it makes you not withstanding happy . erot. may i be so happy aurel. i shall never advise a soul of your generosity to rest upon such a design , the resolution being so mean that it must needs be followed with sorrow and repentance . erot. my encouragement will be the gaining of as much honour in the enterprize as difficulty in the worthy atchieving . aurel. if you made but half the proofs of these many proffers of service , you would be famous throughout the whole empire of love. erot. madam , have patience to see the guidance of my love by the light of that fire your fair self hath kindled , which when your luminaries are by death extinct , shall never be extinguished . a merry dialogue between an ingenious gentlewoman and a poetaster or rimer . poet. madam , i 'm come to tell you i have writ your praise & glory wrapt up in my wit. then pray accept and grace it with a smile , your humble servant i my self shall stile . gent. after she had read his verses , thus she speaks ; now prithee tell me , are these lines of your own composition ? poet. they are indeed , madam . gent. now beshrew me if i did not think so ; the conceits are as poor as thy habit , and the whole matter like thy self , hunger-starved ; prithee leave off riming , and beg some other way , in the ancient manner of such who haunt moorfields on sundays ; if thou hadst but a sore leg or arm , with a partner , the structure of whose body is built on timber , ( in plain english ) a wooden-leg ; thou wouldst thrive on 't . poet. accept pray madam , what i here have writ . pay first your poet , and then shew your wit. gent. then i see you are a mercenary scribler : come tell me truly , how many have you presented with this encomium with no other alteration than the name ; i dare lay my life an hundred ; your verses are great travellers ; and yet i dare engage my life they have never been as far as parnassus ; but there is not a gentlemans house in the whole kingdom in which they have not been conversant , and yet i wonder how they came to have such universal entertainment as for my own part , i must confess plainly they are too lousie and beggarly to lodg underneath my roof ; they will infect my foot-men . poet. if these do not like you , lady , fair and bright , here 's more i do present unto your sight . gent. did you make them your self ? poet. did i not ? what a question is that ? how do you think i should come by them , unless i bought them ? some i know can buy verses cheaper than they can make them ; but i am no sales-man in one respect , though in another i may be said to be so ; sales-men use to have clothes in their shop which taylors make , and yet they own the work . gent. i marry , sir , these savour of raptures and poetical fancies ! poet. do you smell them , madam ? i hope they do not offend your ladiships nose . gent. but hold sir , how comes this about ? here is one verse is running a race with another , and hath the start of him , three feet at least ? poet. i did it on purpose to see which would run fastest ; or in imitation of a hare , who is swifter of foot than a dog , and therefore is commonly before-hand with him . gent. i , but sir , here is another hath ran too much , hath prickt his foot , and halts down-right ? poet. why , look you , there lyeth a conceit , my invention is rare by way of imitation ; lame halting verses are commendable , or magnum jovis incrementum had never been writ ; herein lyeth the greatest art , and herein i express no small courage , making my enemies come home short by a leg ; and to tell you truly , i am a sow'r satyrist , ( alias ) an iambographer . gent. in the name of goodness , what was that you mumbled ! i hope you are no conjurer ; there 's a word with all my heart ! poet. why , this it is to be ignorant ; or as we latins say , ars nullum habet inimicum nisi ignorantem ; it is my pride and glory that i speak beyond the reach of phlegmetick feminine capacity ; but i will condescend so low as to explain this significant word of my own composition , iambographer ; in the first place , know it is partly greek , and partly i know not what ; but the signification in short , is a keen and sharp versifier , whose lines prick worse than spanish needles ; or in short , you may hang your self in a pair of them . gent. i thank you , sir , for your good advice ; but if you and your lines are such dangerous company , pray let me have no more of their society ; and so farewell . poet. nay , one word more ; i cannot only hang with iambicks , but i can fetch blood with asclepiads ; cudgel and bastinado with sapphicks , and whip to death with phaleuciums . gent. pray practice , sir , first on your self ; 't is no matter which of them you take to free the world of such an insufferable burthen . adieu . a form of discourse at a casual meeting between silvester and sylvia . silvest . madam , i see your inclinations to virtue so powerful , that you are ever restless but when you are in the society of such who make the greatest proof thereof . sylvia . sir , your judgment concerning the company is most true ; for there cannot be more accomplished persons , nor any honester content found in any society whatever ; but your courtesie exceeds in attributing praises to her who least deserves them , and comparatively to the rest , hath no considerable perfection . silvest . your modesty and humility ( which is the crown of your excellencies ) makes you speak disadvantagiously of your self , which i must not connive at , lest i run into an unpardonable errour ; and i should look upon my self as most unworthy to look upon so fair an object , and not to admire its perfections , the luster whereof can never be eclipsed by your undervaluings . sylvia . sir , the higher you strain your eloquence , the more reason i have to shun those elogies whereof you are as liberal towards me , as heaven is sparing to me of those gifts you so much commend ; wherefore pray desist , and in this company select some better subject to exercise your wit and language on . a method of courtship on fair and honourable terms . inamorato . lusippe . inam . i shall ever account this , madam , the happiest day i ever had in all the course of my life , which hath given me the honour and satisfaction of your acquaintance . lufip . sir , if i knew ought in me worthy your merit , i should readily imploy it in your service ; but being fully sensible of my imperfections and weakness , i believe the knowledg of me will yield you less happiness than you imagin . inam . madam , i wonder you should wrong so much perfection . lusip. i wrong not any thing in my possession ; but it is your courtesie and rhetorick that would willingly excuse my defects , to make your own sufficiency to appear so much the more . inam . pardon me , madam , it is the charming-power of your virtues and merits , which oblige me not only to honour and serve you , but also to desire some part and interest in your affections . lusip. sir , whatsoever a maid with honour may do , you may request of me ; i should be as void of judgment as defective in beauty , did i not respect your quality , admire your virtues , and wish you a happiness equal to your demerit . inam . madam , i assure you , my affections are real , and i hope sincerity doth wait on your good wishes ; but if you will extend your favour , i cannot but be the happiest of all men . lusip. sir , as i cannot perswade my self you will fix your affection on a person so little deserving ; so i wish with all my heart your happy stars may guide you to a match that may become your worth . inam . do not entertain so palpable a mistake : i have proposed to my self an unfeigned resolution to honour and serve you to my uttermost endeavour ; and your refusal cannot lessen my affection ; suffer me then to bear the honourable title of your servant . lusip. sir , i have absolutely render'd my self up to the disposal of my dear parents , consult them ; if you prevail on their consent , you shall not doubt the conquest of my affection . inam . you oblige me infinitely , and i must thank you as heartily ; i will not rest a minute till i know my sentence of life or death , which consists in the refusal of my love , or its acceptance . an impertinent and lying travellers discourse with his witty and jocose mistress . erraticus . constantia . errat . madam , your seat is so incomparable , that i have not seen a better in all my travels . constant. it seems then you are a traveller . errat . i am no less : did you never travel , lady ? constant. i hope , sir , you do not take me for a lady-errant ; however , sir , i shall acknowledg i have travel'd through the universe , and yet was never out of my own country . errat . hey day ! how can that be ? constant. i pity your want of apprehension ; why , sir , this is no such notorious contradiction , if you consider that the cosmographers of these latter times have taught us in their books to surround the world , and yet never stir a foot ; i have read of some countries . errat . and you may hear talk of many wonderful passages ; but pish , talk is but talk ; give me the man hath measur'd those countries you have heard talk of ; and can readily recount you the names of all the petty towns as well as cities in a whole kingdom . constant. you have seen many cities abroad , i prav what think you of london ? errat . london ! ha , ha , ha , like a cock-boat to the royal-soveraign , comparatively to cities i have seen . constant. i pray name one , sir. errat . why , madam , i took shipping in the downs , and had no sooner arriv'd to the height of the cape of good-hope , but passing by the grimanians , hungarians and sclavonians , i came to vienna , a pretty village , and for scituation much like hamsted , its distance is about seven leagues from civil , from whence we are stor'd with oranges . constant. sir , i have read that vienna is in germany , and civil in spain . errat . pish , what care i for reading ; however as you say , i cannot but acknowledg the people in spain are as much or more civil than any other ; but if civil be not in germany , than i was neither in civil or vienna in my life ; i have been in paris too , and do know the founder thereof . constant. pray , sir , inform my curiosity with the name of the founder . errat . his name was parismus the son of palmerin of england , and hence the city was called paris ; some would have it called lutetia , because the women are so well skill'd in an instrument called a lute . constant. good sir , proceed ; what observations did you make whilst you were in that famous city ? errat . in the first place there is a famous university called pontneuse , whose students ply their business very notably ; studying most part of the night , and are such notable disputants , they confute all that come that way after ninc at night . here are excellent comedians , the women are the best , who act their parts notably , and take great pains to do things to the life . in the summer-time foot-boys and lacquys do here swarm as flyes in august ; and that season is so sultry hot , that the fiery heat continues with the people all the winter following . riding one day in the street , a dust arose so thick and great that i lost my way ; that way i rid , the wind drove the dust , and did not leave me till i was within a league of naples , and then i found where i was . constant. what a loss had england sustain'd had you never been found ! errat . entring this city i found the people all clad in silk , too soft and effeminate for me to converse withal . from hence i went to florence , from whence we borrow the art of making custards , which are therefore called florentines . from hence i went to milan , famous for haberdashers , from thence called in london millaners . thence to padua , hence come our padding or stroling doctors , vulgarly called mountebanks . constant. you report wonders ! go on , sir. errat . of all the champane countries in the world , venice for my money . what lofty mountains and pleasant valleys ! what spacious downs for the merry hunt ! oh how i have made the woods ring there with the dukes dogs ! and now i talk of him , i had never left the place had it not been for the excessive love of his chief concubine towards me ; who being discovered stealing the piazza to carry with her in her journey with me for england , was secur'd , and i forc'd to fly for 't . constant. is 't possible ? errat . i took poste from thence to genoa , from thence to madrid , and so to leyden . constant. excellent ; and how were you entertain'd by the dutch ? errat . we were drunk together every day ; but i 'le say this for them , the devil is but a dunce to them when they are in their drink . the last thing i heard there , was a design to charm the indies , and bring it to amsterdam in butter-firkins . had i staid longer in holland i should have dyed on a surfet of bore ; but i washt it down with a fox at flushing ; here i met with a bucksome froe , with whom i went to middleburgh , and left her as drunk as a bitch at rotterdam ; and so taking shipping , from thence i landed at trig-stairs . constant. well , sir , i see the difference between you and truth is so great , that there cannot be expected a reconcilement ; wherefore i shall leave you . a gentleman accidentally hapning into a room where a company of ladies were well known to him . gent. your pardon , ladies ; let not my coming interrupt your discourse , but rather give me the freedom that i may participate in the satisfaction . ladies . our discourse is of no great concernment ; we can take some other time to continue it , that we may now give way to yours , which we doubt not will prove every whit , if not more agreeable . gent. my invention , ladies , cannot want a subject for discourse , where the company so overflows with wit and ingenuity ; but my tongue will want expressions to answer your critical expectations . ladies . sir , we acknowledg no such thing in our selves , and therefore let not that we pray be the subject of your eloquence lest we suspect you intend to laugh at us . gent. ladies , you must suffer me , not withstanding all this , that though modesty interdicts you the acknowledging a truth , yet the respect i bear to ladies , commands me not only to acknowledg it , but also to divulge and maintain it . ladies . we confess , sir , the frailty and weakness of our sex requires some support ; and for my own part i cannot look upon any person so worthy as your self to be our champion . gent. what power i have to vindicate your person , is derivative from your virtues ; and were i so feeble that the supporters of my body were no longer able to support that burthen ; yet one propitious glance of any of your eyes would dart heat and vigor through my whole body , and so my feet would be enabled to run in your service . ladies . have a care , sir , you do not strain your invention above the reach of an hyperbole ; but lore your fancy to the meanness of our capacity ; if you cannot perform it at present we will give you time . gent. ladies , i am fearful my company may be troublesome , or interrupt you from more agreeable conversation , wherefore your servant , ladies . finis . books sold by dorman newman at the king's-arms and bible in the poultry . folio . the history of king john , king henry the second , and the most illustrious king edward the first ; wherein the ancient soveraign dominion of the kings of great britain over all persons in all causes , is asserted and vindicated : with an exact history of the popes intolerable usurpation upon the liberties of the kings and subjects of england and ireland . collected out of the ancient records in the tower of london . by w. prin , esq of lincolns-inn , and keeper of his majesties records in the tower of london . a description of the four parts of the world , taken from the works of monsieur sanson , geographer to the french king ; and other eminent travellers and authors ; to which is added the commodities , coynes , weights and measures of the chief places of traffick in the world ; illustrated with variety of useful and delightful maps and figures . by richard blome , gent. memoires of the lives , actions , sufferings and deaths of those excellent personages that suffered for allegiance to their soveraign in our late intestine warrs , from the year , to ; with the life and martyrdom of king charles the first . by david lloyd . the exact politician , or compleat states-man , &c. by leonard willan , esquire . a relation in form of a journal of the voyage and residence of k. charles the second in holland . the history of the cardinals of the roman church , from the time of their first creation to the election of pope clement the ninth , with a full account of his conclave . mores hominum , the manners of men described in sixteen satyrs , by juvenal ; together with a large comment , clearing the author in every place wherein he seemed obscure , out of the laws and customs of the romans , and the latin and greek histories . by sir robert stapleton , knight . a treatise of justification . by george downham , dr. of d. fifty one sermons , preached by the reverend dr. mark frank , master of pembroke-hall in cambridg , arch-deacon of st. albans , &c. to which is added a sermon preached at pauls-cross , anno , and then commanded to be printed by king charles the first . bentivolio and urania , in six books . by nathaniel ingelo , d. d. the third edition , wherein all the obscure words throughout the book are interpreted in the margent , which makes this much more delightful to read than the former . de jure uniformitatis ecclesiasticae , or three books of the rights belonging to an uniformity in churches , in which the chief things of the laws of nature and nations , and of the divine law concerning the consistency of the ecclesiastical estate with the civil , are unfolded , by hugh davis , ll. b. late fellow of new-colledg in oxon. quarto . a letter from dr. robert wild to his friend , mr. j. j. upon occasion of his majesties declaration for liberty of conscience . together with his poetica licentia , and a friendly debate between a conformist and a nonconformist . merry andrew , and poor robins dialogue . the dutch remonstrance concerning the proceedings and practices of john de wit , pensionary , and ruwaert van putten his brother , with others of that faction ; translated out of dutch. brevia parliamentaria rediviva , in thirteen sections . by w. prin. a plea for indulgence . by w. prin. the christian mans calling ; or a treatse of making religion ones business : wherein the christian is directed to perform in all religious duties , natural actions , particular vocations , family-directions ; and in his own recreations in all relations , in all conditions , in his dealings with all men , in the choice of his company , both of evil and good , in solitude , on a week-day , from morning to night ; in visiting the sick , and on a dying-bed . by george swinnack . mr. caryl's exposition on the book of job . gospel-remission ; or a treatise shewing that true blessedness consists in the pardon of sin . by jeremiah burroughs . an exposition of the song of solomon . by james durham , late minister in glasgow . the real christian ; or , a treatise of effectual calling ; wherein the work of god in drawing the soul to christ , being opened according to the holy scriptures ; some things required by our late divines as necessary to a right preparation for christ , and a true closing with christ , which have caused , and do still cause much trouble to some serious christians , and are with due respects to those worthy men brought to the ballance of the sanctuary , there weighed , and accordingly judged : to which is added a few words concerning socinianism . by giles firmin , sometimes minister at shalford in essex . mount pisgah , or a prospect of heaven ; being an exposition on the fourth chapter of the first epistle of st. paul to the thessalonians . by th. case , sometimes student in christ-church , oxon , and minister of the gospel . the vertue and value of baptism . by za. crofton . the quakers spiritual court proclaimed ; being an exact narrative of a new high court of justice ; also sundry errors and corruptions amongst the quakers , which were never till now made known to the world . by nath. smith , who was conversant among them fourteen years . a discourse of prodigious abstinence , occasion'd by the twelve months fasting of martha taylor , the fam'd darbyshire damsel ; proving , that without any miracle the texture of humane bodies may be so altered that life may be long continued without the supplies of meat and drink . by john reynolds . the life and death of that excellent minister of christ , mr. joseph allin . also his christian letters , full of spiritual instructions . published by several ministers . death unsting'd : a sermon preached at the funeral of tho. mowsley an apothecary , who died july ; with a brief narrative of his life and death , also the manner of gods dealing with him before and after his conversion , drawn up by his own hand , and published by james janeway , minister of the gospel . memorials of gods judgments , spiritual and temporal ; or , sermons to call to remembrance . by nich. lockier , minister of the gospel . a plat for marriners , or the seamans preacher ; delivered in several sermons upon jonah's voyage . by j. ryther , preacher of gods word at wappin . the life and death of cardinal wolsey . the present state of russia . by dr. collins . the fulfilling of the scriptures , or an essay , shewing the exact accomplishment of the word of god in his works of providence performed and to be performed . small octavo . the life and death of mr. tho. wilson , minister of maidstone , in the county of kent . drawn up by mr. george swinnock . hieragonisticon , or corahs doom ; being an answer to two letters of inquiry into the ground and occasions of the contempt of the clergy and religion . the comparison of plato and aristotle , with the opinions of the fathers on their doctrine , and some christian reflections ; together with judgment on alexander and caesar , as also on seneca , plutarch , and petronius , out of the french. observations on the poems of homer and virgil : a discourse representing the excellency of those works , and the perfection in general of all heroick actions , out of the french. the present state of russia , in a letter to a friend at london ; written by an eminent person residing at the great tzars court at mosco , for the space of nine years : illustrated with many copper-plates . misterium pietatis ; or the mystery of godliness , wherein the mysteries contained in the incarnation , circumcision , wise men , passion , resurrection , assension of the son of god , and coming of the holy ghost , are unfolded and applyed . by w. annand . fellowship with god , or sermons on the first epistle of john , chap. first and second . by hugh binning , late minister in scotland . the mystery of faith open'd , or some sermons concerning faith : by andrew gray late minister in glasgow . lazarus redivivus ; or , a discovery of the trials and triumphs that accompany the work of god in and about his people ; with an essay tending to clear up those mistakes men have about it ; laid open in several sermons : by nicholas blakie , minister of the gospel . octavo and twelve . vindiciae pietatis , or a vindication of godliness from the imputation of folly and fancy ; with several directions for the attaining and maintaining of a godly life . by r. allin . heaven on earth , or the best friend in the worst times ; to which is added a sermon preached at the funeral of thomas mowsley apothecary . by james janeway . a token for children , being an exact account of the conversation , holy and exemplary lives and joyful deaths of several young children . by james janeway . justification only upon a satisfaction . by rob. ferguson . the christians great interest , or the tryal of a saving interest in christ , with the way how to attain it . by william guthry , late minister in scotland . the virtue , vigour and efficacy of the promises displayed in their strength and glory . by tho. henderson . the history of moderation ; or the life , death , and resurrection of moderation , together with her nativity , country , pedigree , kindred , and character , friend , and also her enemies . a guide to the true religion ; or , a discourse directing to make a wise choise of that religion men venture their salvation upon . by john clappam . rebukes for sin , by god's burning anger ; by the burning of london ; by the burning of the world , and by the burning of the wicked in hell-fire ; to which is added a discourse of heart-fixedness . by t. doolittle . four select sermons upon several texts of scripture , wherein the will-worship and idolatry of the church of rome is laid open and confuted . by william fenner . the life and death of dr. james usher , archbishop of armagh , and primate of ireland . a most comfortable and christian dialogue between the lord and the soul. by william cooper bishop of galloway . the canons and institutions of the quakers , agreed upon at their general assembly at their new theatre in grace-church-street . a synopsis of quakerism ; or , a collection of the fundamental errors of the quakers . by tho. danson . blood for blood , being a true narrative of that late horrid murther committed by mary cook upon her child . by nath. partridge ; with a sermon on the same occasion . the welcome communicant . six several treatises . by nich. lockier minister of the gospel . bonasiis vapulans ; or , some castigations given to mr. durel for fouling himself and others in his english and latin-book : by a country scholar . a discourse written by sir george downing , the king of great britain's envoy extraordinary to the states of the united provinces : vindicating his royal master from the insolencies of a scandalous libel , printed under the title of [ an extract out of the register of the states general of the united provinces , upon the memorial of sir george downing , envoy , &c. ] and delivered by the agent de heyde for such , to several publick ministers . whereas no such resolution was ever communicated to the said envoy , nor any answer returned at all by their lordships to the said memorial . whereunto is added a relation of somé former and later proceedings of the hollanders : by a meaner hand . the assemblies works in , with the larger and smaller catechisms . scotch psalms alone , or with the bible . finis . observations and advices oeconomical north, dudley north, baron, - . approx. kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from -bit group-iv tiff page images. text creation partnership, ann arbor, mi ; oxford (uk) : - (eebo-tcp phase ). a wing n estc r ocm this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons . universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase , no. a ) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set ) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, - ; : ) observations and advices oeconomical north, dudley north, baron, - . [ ], , [ ] p. printed by t.r. for john martyn ..., london : . "inselix nimis cujus domicilio ignavia adhaeret." a treatise dealing with household and family affairs. attributed to dudley north, lord north. cf. blc reproduction of original in huntington library. created by converting tcp files to tei p using tcp tei.xsl, tei @ oxford. re-processed by university of nebraska-lincoln and northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. gap elements of known extent have been transformed into placeholder characters or elements to simplify the filling in of gaps by user contributors. eebo-tcp is a partnership between the universities of michigan and oxford and the publisher proquest to create accurately transcribed and encoded texts based on the image sets published by proquest via their early english books online (eebo) database (http://eebo.chadwyck.com). the general aim of eebo-tcp is to encode one copy (usually the first edition) of every monographic english-language title published between and available in eebo. eebo-tcp aimed to produce large quantities of textual data within the usual project restraints of time and funding, and therefore chose to create diplomatic transcriptions (as opposed to critical editions) with light-touch, mainly structural encoding based on the text encoding initiative (http://www.tei-c.org). the eebo-tcp project was divided into two phases. the , texts created during phase of the project have been released into the public domain as of january . anyone can now take and use these texts for their own purposes, but we respectfully request that due credit and attribution is given to their original source. users should be aware of the process of creating the tcp texts, and therefore of any assumptions that can be made about the data. text selection was based on the new cambridge bibliography of english literature (ncbel). if an author (or for an anonymous work, the title) appears in ncbel, then their works are eligible for inclusion. selection was intended to range over a wide variety of subject areas, to reflect the true nature of the print record of the period. in general, first editions of a works in english were prioritized, although there are a number of works in other languages, notably latin and welsh, included and sometimes a second or later edition of a work was chosen if there was a compelling reason to do so. image sets were sent to external keying companies for transcription and basic encoding. quality assurance was then carried out by editorial teams in oxford and michigan. % (or pages, whichever is the greater) of each text was proofread for accuracy and those which did not meet qa standards were returned to the keyers to be redone. after proofreading, the encoding was enhanced and/or corrected and characters marked as illegible were corrected where possible up to a limit of instances per text. any remaining illegibles were encoded as <gap>s. understanding these processes should make clear that, while the overall quality of tcp data is very good, some errors will remain and some readable characters will be marked as illegible. users should bear in mind that in all likelihood such instances will never have been looked at by a tcp editor. the texts were encoded and linked to page images in accordance with level of the tei in libraries guidelines. copies of the texts have been issued variously as sgml (tcp schema; ascii text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable xml (tcp schema; characters represented either as utf- unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless xml (tei p , characters represented either as utf- unicode or tei g elements). keying and markup guidelines are available at the text creation partnership web site . eng home economics. great britain -- social life and customs -- th century. - tcp assigned for keying and markup - aptara keyed and coded from proquest page images - jonathan blaney sampled and proofread - jonathan blaney text and markup reviewed and edited - pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion observations and advices oeconomical . infelix nimis cujus domicilio ignavia adhaeret . luke . . no man when he hath lighted a candle covereth it with a vessel , &c. london , printed by t. r. for john martyn printer to the royal society , at the sign of the bell without temple-bar . . the preface . a short work needs little preface , and this work is both short and slender , so as it may be easie to make a gate large enough for the city it self to run out at . a iourney cannot be too little , nor the way too plain , for a person of body tyred , and spirits spent by past travell ; and i may well professe my self such , having in my dayes galopped so many post-stages . in the prime of my youth i past ( or rather lost ) some few years at the vniversity of cambridge . then i came to have a tast of the court , but my father soon called me from thence , knowing by dear experience the air of that place to be such , as few elder brothers can long breath there without falling into a consumption . afterwards i lived with my parents at their london habitation , and having no employment i surfeited of idlenesse , taking my pastime with some of the most corrupt young men of those dayes . by gods grace i quickly found this unfit for continuance , and therefore i prevailed with my father to send me beyond sea to travel , where in lesse then two years i had a view of the best part of italy , france , and spain , being present at madrid and paris , when the several marriages for our then prince of wales were treated on in those courts , and so i became a partial witnesse of the artifices , and uncertainty of such negotiations . from thence i was employed as a soldier in holland , about three years , commanding a foot company in our sovereigns pay. and there i ran hazard again of being lost in debauchery , and especially in the vice-rampant of that people . but by gods grace i came home scot-free , though i served under a scotch colonel . then i became a married man , and was speedily called to publick affairs , being elected to four successive parliaments , where the service and approaches were excessive chargeable , and of no profit as to my particular . one of these was that fatal parliament which set the whole kingdom on fire , seeking to enervate or unsinue all government , and that it might the better be effected , divers of us their members were by club-law forced from our station . yet it pleased god ( even by that parliament ) when we were re-admitted ) to put all again in such a way , as the old government was perfectly restored in a succeeding assembly . then i made my full retreat into the countrey , which renewed my experience in businesses relating to that course of life ; and now at last i am come to reside at the chief mansion-house of our family , where i have no other ambition then to end my dayes with a peaceable and pious dissolution ; so much of my self tyred and retired , which i may well be , since the world can scarcely shew me any thing new . now a word or two about my approaches to this little inventary : being overtaken with old age , and by divers infirmities rendred unfit for action , i entertain my self frequently by turning over old books ( whereof i have good store in several languages ) without any fixed study , and among them i lately perused one , consisting of certain politick and prudential considerations , written by three distinct italian authors in an articular way , and as i was reading , it fell into my thoughts , that the same might profitably be done in oeconomicks , which is a path not much travelled in . thence i took occasion , to turn my meditations that way , and having spent same little time therein , i put my materials together , and so this small work received being , without any further trouble by way of method . as for the subject , though not of any sublime consideration , i conceived it fitter for me to embrace , then n●tes in politick government , as not having coversed sufficiently with sovereign princes , and taking it to be a high presumption for private persons to give them instructions . yet the government of private families may be considerable even with princes , because their principalities are composed of families , and they who are known to have well governed their private fortunes , are the rather judged fit for publick offices . oeconomy is a subject , that entertained the pen of learned aristotle himself , but it yieldeth little occasion for pleasant conceits or curious terms , wherefore i must advise all persons of nimble fancy , to forbear reading , least it become a kind of torture to them ; happy it is for this discourse , that it came into the world so seasonably ; for never was there more need of good menagery then now , at a time when revenues of the gentry are fallen beyond what could have been imagined of late years , and they are most likely to continue so , if not to incur a farther diminution . i meddle not with small families , which are concerned in the mysteries of agriculture and petty huswifery , matter 's no way suitable to my mind or experience ; and there was no need , for divers persons of peculiar knowledge in those matters have written of them . but it may be demanded , why i , having been so great a straggler , do undertake to give rules in oeconomy ? to which i answer , that at times i have been a house-keeper a great part of my dayes , and more especially in these my latter years , at which time men are accustomed to take matters into consideration more maturely , then when distracted with pleasures of youth . indeed my nature is not so perverse , but i receive great contentment in being beneficial to others , for in minimis prodesse juvat , better do a little good , then none at all . neither am i so ill opinioned of this my brains production , as to think it altogether uselesse , and therefore such as it is , like a knight errant , it shall travel about to seek adventures . perhaps it may yield assistance somewhere ; and so i leave it to its fortune . i expect to be censured in all , and not to escape in this introduction , as having said too much of my self , and too little of oeconomy our subject : but my face being masked , the blushes cannot appear , and therefore i may content my self to be a patient hearer . observations and advices oeconomical . i. our first observation shal be touching the importance of oeconomy ; wherefore let us bring it to the balance for tryal . though a family ( which is its general object ) be very small in comparison of the state whereof it is a member , yet is it not like an epicurean atome , unexposed to sense , but an aggregation capable of government , and the good government is of such concernment as a state cannot subsist without it ; for agriculture & manufactures are dependant upon families , and a nation can neither be fed nor defended without these , since publick contributions receive their life from them . there were very evident marks of domestical thrift among the roman senators in their beginning : and the noble venetians now subsist in their greatness by it . true it is , that states having obtained much riches , become subject to extravagant expense and luxury ; but these excesses grow not to their height , till the state come to its declination , as it was with the romans and persians . and now having made our approaches , let us give a definition of oeconomy . ii. oeconomy is the art of well governing a mans private house and fortunes , by which appears , that there is no necessary object of oeconomy , save an owner with his house and possessions , but it is seldom exercised without wife and servants . and children will be desired for succession sake , and as the bond or tye of affection between man and wife ; wherefore we shall treat of all these , and in the first place of a wife , whose care within dores is of greatest importance . iii. it is an antient english proverb , that if a man will thrive , he must ask leave of his wife ; and thrift is a matter of no small consideration in oeconomy . if therefore choyce be made of a wife , let him use as well his ear as his eye , that is , let him rather trust to his discretion according to what he hears , than to his affection kindled by sight , that she may be no lesse useful in the day than agreeable at night . iv. a jove principium . let her be of the same profession in religion with her husband ; for between them that agree not to go to church together , there can hardly be consent in other things . neither should she otherwise be of too different inclination and affections from her husband ; for if one delight in company , and the other in privacy , they must live together with as little convenience , as in the fable the swallow and the lark would have done , whereof one loved summer and the other winter . let her not be too young , for unripe fruit yields no increase . not too old , for fruit past its maturity tendeth to putrefaction , and is noysom . not too rich in revenue ( especially by a reserve of a great part in her power ) lest she become too imperious and upbraiding , as giving subsistence to her husband . not too fair , least like hony she draw wasps to his house . and not too foul , for that is not onely unpleasing , but brings shame with it . to conclude , he cannot use too much circumspection , being to give her an irrevocable estate for life in his person . and for advancement by marriage , let him consult martials epigram : vxorem quare locupletem ducere nolim quaeritis ? vxori nubere nolo meae inferior matrona suo sit quaeque marito , non fuerint aliter foemina virque pares . or thus ask you why wealth in marriage i not crave ? 't is that my wife the breeches should not have . the wife brings less in birth , and wealth then he , or else the man shall not her equal be . v. a master of a family being already married must maturely consider the disposition of his wife . if she be defective in brain , or naturally given to idlenesse , unfit she is to be much used in governing the family . the like may be said of one laciviously dispos'd ; for how improper to be trusted in businesse is one , who deserveth not to be trusted with her self ? and yet these will hardly suffer themselves to be excluded ; for what is more usual , than a desire of power in those who are uncapable of managing it ? but if the wife be industrious , prudent , and affectionate to her husband ( as some such there are ) no confidence can be too , much for her ; for she is such a blessing as may sway the balance against very many ( not onely good servants but ) children . vi. our first mother eve was inflamed with a desire of knowledge , which caused her fall , and begot our mischief ; but her daughters in these dayes affect nothing so much as the enjoying of their will. for the attaining of this they apply themselves to several wayes , according to their different constitutions and dispositions . the best of them are so happy in temper and abilities , as they are able in a modest way to propose to their husbands strength of reason for their chief desires , and these ought to receive full satisfaction , unlesse the husband can convince them with stronger reason . vii . some others of milder temper seek to have their will by discontent upon refusal , expressing it by tears , and pretended indisposition of body ; and these find many times an indulgence , perhaps too often . some are of so fiery constitution , as upon denyal they are ready to fly in their husbands face ; and these deserve little encouragement . in this case the husbands patience must be a narcotick to keep him from being too quick of sense , and so the fit may passe over without battail , and good use may be made of her passion , which being troublesom but in few cases , may be generally usefull in obliging servants strongly to their duty . to prevent contests between man and wife , a great lord of the late times had a pretty way . he would often professe , that he never in his whole life denyed any thing to his lady ; and his meaning was this , that when the matter proposed by her could not be conveniently yielded to , she could not by any importunity wrest any answer from him . viii . but those are of the worst condition , who free enough from the passion of anger , are fully bent to have their will in all things . and as tiberius the emperour said to agrippina widdow to germanicus , si non imperes filiola credis tibi injuriam fieri . they think themselves wronged if they be not permitted to have a complete empire . these are harsh and perverse enough by nature , but they strein theirs to the height , to become not onely crosse , but insupportably so , till they obtain their end . they do not apply themselves to storm the fort , but by siege to make the holding of it incommodious , and so to cause a rendry to them for want of conveniency , as the french say our englishmen surrendred calais for lack of mustard . the husband who yields all upon these terms , deserves to wear the petticoat , having renounced the prerogative of his sex , and therfore deserves not the least pitty . some husband would use the poet 's harsh complement , and say , vade uxor foras , aut moribus utere nostris . or thus abroad good wife , and there new dwelling find , or act at home , as i declare my mind . ix . progeny gives a futurity of being , and the word posterity may be fitly understood in that sense ; for the body ( if not the soul extraduce ) of parents hath a partial continuance by the seed , though not perpetuity . affection therefore to children is most natural , and the care of them is most strictly required of parents , even in religion it self , according to the uniform consent of all divines . in their infancy the government of them doth belong to the mother , and so properly , as the father is as then uncapable of it . the mothers care of them is as duly theirs , as is naturally the milk of her breasts . unhappy therefore are those children whose mother is ravished from them by death during that time , she being so obliged to a careful preservation , as their being lost by negligence is a kind of murder in her . and whereas many times after such losse of a true mother , a second marriage brings the name and not the nature of the mother ; and sometimes there groweth a disaffection to the children upon a second brood : it then concerns the father to double his care , putting on as much of a mother as is possible for those of his sex to do . x. male children when they become disciplinable fall under government of the father , whose duty in the first place , is to infuse into them the general principles of religion , and then as he shall be able , to preserve them from the rust of idleness , a certain bane of youth . in this he cannot be too sedulous , for as well the defects , as faults of young persons , which are generated by want of good education do justly become imputable , rather to their parents than to themselves . the father must therefore take into consideration his own condition , which if it be mechanical may find them employment at home . but if he be of the chief gentry , as we treat little of others , his children may be directed unto wayes of a more refined nature , and in my opinion , parents of such condition are praise-worthy who cause all their male children to undertake some profession of the more noble way , whereof this kingdom affordeth good plenty , as that of divinity , of the laws common and civil , of soldiery , and of physick . neither is merchandise to be contemned , whereunto in forrain lands persons of the most honourable condition do apply themselves . and though the care of daughters do chiefly belong to the mother , yet parents of eminency shall do well to place them fitly and seasonably in marriage , which the wise siracides calls the performance of a weighty matter ; yet that endeavour is better spared , if the daughter shall be found so much better disposed , as to embrace s. paul's counsel of perpetual virginity . xi . howsoever daughters are designed , either to a single , or married life , there must be a due preparation called breeding , of which a word or two . virginity is a precious thing , but most precious when preserved in a religious consideration . it is a perfection that was unknown in the church of god till christs incarnation , for the jews did neither enjoyn , nor exercise it , but were so averse , as ( if the learned selden deliver truth ) those men who did not apply themselves to the getting of children ( except some few men who dedicated themselves to study of the jewish law ) were esteemed as bad as homicides , being very great offenders against the first general commandment , encrease and multiply . but with us christians , perpetual chastity is most commendable ; but to oblige themselves to it is onely proper for those who have the gift of continence , which is not every person , for otherwise our blessed saviour , having said that some have made themselves eunuchs for the kingdom of heavens sake , would not have added , qui capere potest , capiat . let him receive it who can . therefore it may be mischievous to enjoyn it , which deserves the consideration of roman catholicks , who are said sometimes to oblige their children to such a vow , though indisposed to it . for these different courses of life there are different wayes of breeding , but in each there must be a training up to vertue and piety . a single life is the better part , giving a capability of beginning the heavenly joyes here on earth , by an uninterrupted contemplation of the divine excellencies . these young women cannot be too little inur'd to vanity , since the true businesse of their life is a pursuance of their dedication , and worldly businesses are but accidental . but the other sort , which in this faece romuli or corrupted race of people are thousands for one , may be permitted ( as s. paul saith ) to care for the things ▪ of this world , that they may please their husbands , and therefore it seems , that in their breeding such strictnesse is not required , as in educating the others , neither is vanity so much to be declined . from this it followeth , that these may assume some liberty to dresse and adorn their persons , as also to exercise themselves in musick and other courtly entertainments . if excesse be avoided , and if their only end of such their employment be to give contentment to a husband . yet such trifles must not be used to destroy the learning of more necessary things , as the wayes of domestical thrift , with the well governing of a family ; much lesse may they take up so much time , as not to leave sufficient for the performance of religious duties . xii . enough hath been said to shew that children are a blessing to the parents , yet they may be unprofitable ; for the same siracides gives it as a precept , not to desire a multitude of unprofitable children ; nay sometimes they prove dangerous , as it was with our second henry , who had many sons , and most of them rebellious , so as before his death he bitterly cursed two of them who survived him , and never would be perswaded by his bishops to revoke the curse . and david was no lesse unhappy in his sons ( i except solomon , though he made but ill use of his wisdom ) and this seemeth to have befallen him , by his own default , of too much indulgence to them , for in scripture there is such a note set upon him in the case of adonijah ; and the same may be observed in eli , whose negligence of reproof deprived his family of that great dignity of the priesthood . solomon therefore had good reason to say , he who spareth the rod hateth his son. xiii . having spoken of children , i shall take the freedom to say something by way of comparison between our english law , and the civil or imperial ; as they relate to succession for inheritance . by the civil law every man is capable of having legal issue , as well as natural , and may adopt whom he will , though he have posterity otherwise . these adopted children are as capable of inheritance as the natural , so as not onely the childlesse person may provide himself of an heir , but any other man use his judgment in choosing one educated , and of inclination according to his mind . why this is wholly rejected in our law , is left to conjecture . our lawyers have this saying , that god onely makes heirs , and we know that he can make better choyce then we our selves . sure i am , it may well become us to submit to his determination . to this it may be added , that there is not so much need of adoption with northern people , as with southern , for we are more fruitful and generative than they . and by adoption there is a total change of blood , and a change more certain , then if the succession were spurious , or of bastards by the fathers side . this is very injurious to progenitors , from whom families often receive their honour and inheritance , for in the choyce of a new heir the father hath an election , but not they , who perhaps may be then deceased ; and for the most part there remains some of the kindred lineally descended from those ancestors , who yet become rejected , though numerous , and sufficiently deserving . but enough of this . xiiii . now we have digressed , touching upon other laws concerning children . it may be pardonable to consider them about marriage in some particulars . the most essential difference lyeth in two poynts , a multiplicity of wives , and power of divorce ; for both these we must acquiesce in our saviours decision , which concludes against multiplicity of wives , and limits the power of divorce . the jews ( saving their king and high priest ) before the captivity , might have as many wives as they could maintain ; and at this day the mahomitans permit poligamy . the jewish king's dignity caused a limitation to him in marriage ; but the turks prerogative exempts him from nuptials altogether . oh the vast distance between several results of humane reason in the same matter . i say of humane reason , taking the jewish matrimonial customes to be grounded not upon divine institution , but upon resolutions of rabins like to judged cases in our law. let us compare monogamy or single marriage , with polygamy , and somewhat weigh the conveniences on either side . polygamy is said to be little lesse than necessary , to nations desirous of empire , as were the jews , and now the turks are , since abundance of people is chiefly instrumental in conquest ; but to this may be answered , that no people was ever more ambitious of ampliating their limits , then the romans , nor more desirous to abound in people then they , as appears by the priviledge of jus trium liberorum , and yet they never admitted polygamy . it may be added , for pol●gamy , that a single wife wants the spur to vertue , which emulation gives where there is more . but religion is a sufficient spur to vertue , and the benefit of emulation may arise from the consideration of other mens vertuous wives , as well as from rivalls in relation to the husband . but certainly in the oeconomical way , a multiplicity of wives must be very inconvenient , as causing many distractions and altercations within a family , to the great disturbance of the master ; for if one contentious woman be scarcely supportable , how must it be where there is many , and with power almost equal ? as to the power of divorce , christianity doth not allow it , but in the case of fornication , for impotence produceth a nullity and not a divorce . but the jews ( and romans also before they were christian ) had a full liberty to divorce . this was a great power to the masculine sex , which women will readily tax as unjust , as was thought by salome sister to herod , who to give a president for equality between the sexes , sent a bill of divorce to her husband , a thing opposite to the jewish custome . for liberty of divorce , it is said , that otherwise a man is for life ( and without remedy ) confined to the inconvenience of a humorous , unquiet , and disobedient wife ; but the fault is our own , for marriage should never be without full consent on both sides . to conclude , our levity and inconstancy is such , as the general unhappinesse would be much greater , if every man might be divorced at pleasure . xv. the next part of a family that offers it self is the servants , and of a great family ( for those that are little deserve small consideration ) the whole may be termed an epitome of hereditary monarchy . the master of such a family si parvis componere magna licet , if we may compare great things with small , doth somewhat resemble the soveraign prince , his children the nobility or second estate , and the body of servants beareth some similitude to the commons . and this comparison may the better be admitted , because writers very considerable fetch their chief argument for monarchy ( as being the most natural and ancient government ) from its conformity with the paternal , which alwayes supposeth a family . let us see how this comparison is proper . all power and office is derived from the sovereign in a state , and so is all from the master in a family . the protection and defence of a kingdom belongs onely to the king , and so of a family to the master . all the people pay tribute to the sovereign , and all work of servants in a family , whence profit may arise , is to the masters use . thus far there is an agreement , but in other things a difference . in monarchy every subject hath a natural interest in his prince , and the relation is indissoluble . but in a family servants have no natural interest in their master , and the relation is onely indissoluble between the father and his children . again , monarchy is one of the formes of political government , and a principal end of all such government is the whole peoples welfare , whereof the commons make the greatest part , whereas in a family there is no other design or intention then profit and convenience of the master , and his servants have no concernment of their own in such things as peculiarly belong to the family . many other instances of difference might be given , but they fully concur in one particular more , which is this , that neither of them can well subsist withont due subordinations , and good order . xvi . the first consideration belonging to servants is their number , wherein no certain rule can be given , for respect must be had to several things , as to the dignity and revenue of the master , his number of children , &c. but it is absolutely against the rules of wisdome to erre in the excesse . better it is to have too few , then too many , as well in respect of their idlenesse , which is to be shunned as a rock , and cannot so be in case a fit number be exceeded , as also in regard of encreasing charge beyond the masters income , a most necessary thing to be prevented ; for what is , or can be more uncomfortable , then for a master to find his estate in a continual ebb or diminution . xvii . the next thing to be weighed concerning servants in general is their condition , which as i conceive , may better be exprest by the negative then the affirmative . as first , that they differ not in religion from their master , for whatsoever their zeal may be otherwise , it cannot be excessive in relation to a master , whom they think not capable of heaven and eternal happinesse . xviii . that they be not much addicted to any notorious vice , and especially unto excesse of drinking , which for the most part ( like the crocadile ) grows as long as it lives with the person , and is every day more incurable , bringing with it many inconveniences into a family , as well by ill example as otherwise , whereas other vices in the habit of them , are not so frequent , and not appearing so often in publique , minister lesse scandal . xix . that they be not affected with any chronical disease , which must of necessity render them unfit for active businesse , since they are obliged to a continual observation of their health , and in that respect are much fitter to be served then to serve . xx. that they be not noted for extravagancy in the matter of their own expence , or much given to gaming , for both these will need a continual supply , which cannot in any probability be wrought out but at the masters charges , and the latter of these is deprived of all limits . xxi . that they be not disposed to wander much abroad out of dores , much lesse night-walkers , or lodgers out of the house ; which last consideration renders married persons altogether unfit for service , since they never want just occasion to lodge abroad , and it may be added , that a relation to two families ( whereof their own is one ) must be almost as inconvenient , as the serving of two masters . xxii . the proverb saith , so many servants , so many enemies ; and properly enough , for there is scarcely any waste in house-keeping but servants or their favourites do fare the better for it , and even the best of them do sometimes build upon their masters ruines , as it is seen in these dayes by purchasers of their masters lands . it is also no lesse wittily said , that he who is served by one , hath a servant ; he who by two hath half a servant , and he who is served by three hath none at all . this is most applicable to masters of small families , but in great families it may poynt out to this rule . that the care of one businesse be not committed to above one person , for otherwise when accompt is taken , every ones answer is likely to be , that he thought others had done it . xxiii . i have thought it strange , that servants are now worse then in former ages , and i have been apt to impute it to the iniquity of the times , and to degeneration of people from their wonted integrity , but upon better consideration i find , that the way of retaining is much altered ; for not a full century of years past , masters gave small wages , and their servants expected reward by a good pennyworth in some farm when they were aged . this kept them in diligence , and in a strict observance of their master , they having an eye to the reward , which still remained in his power . but now by contract servants have wages equivalent to the service they are obliged to , and being sure of that which is agreed upon , they may stand at defiance with their master , and not care how perfunctorily they apply themselves to their duty . xxiv . in the choyce of particular servants much care should be used , for respect must be had to the employment whereto they are designed . oeconomy is an art , and every artist ought to be curious in the choyce of his instruments , and not onely so , but to trust chiefly to his own eye , cast either upon the whole work it self , or upon those who act in it . he must not choose a young steward , or an old husband-man , for the one needs experience to direct , and the other must have strength to labour . every servant should also have some knowledge and particular aptnesse to the businesse referred to his care . i knew a person of eminence , who having observed a diligence and natural promptnesse in a young man trained up in his stable , thought him capable of any kind of service , and a considerable farm being cast into his hands , he found it best to employ this young man as a bayliff , who answered his expectation fully in point of diligence and promptnesse ; but for want of experience in tillage the master lost his seed for divers years ; and then finding his errour , he was enforced from that time forwards to use a person who had been exercised in that way . xxv . in this nation heretofore there were villains , servants by inheritance , whose persons and estates in land , were lyable to be disposed of at the will of their lord , and this continued with us a very long time , but at last it was found ( and perhaps upon ground of right reason ) that such a condition did not well consist with christianity , unto which a natural servitude is too opposite . but in processe of time that precious thing called liberty of the people , gained so much ground in our laws , as now a master cannot sufficiently chastise his servant , or put any restraint upon him within limits of his house , without incurring a complaint to the magistrate for breach of the peace , or false imprisonment , which giveth much presumption to servants . xxvi . i cannot but mervail , that the french should term england , pugatoire des serviteurs , the servants purgatory ; since all europe affordeth no countrey where they have more freedom ; and i no lesse wonder , that francis guichiardin , that excellent authour in his avertimenti civili , taking notice how little masters respect their servants , and cast them off upon every small disgust , should more then once advise servants to follow their masters example , and to make more accompt of their own interests , then of their masters , since all men are now so naturally disposed to self-love as nothing can with-hold them from advantaging themselves upon all occasions . xxvii . a steward of the houshold ( stiled oeconomus , to shew his usefulnesse in a family ) is his masters right hand in presence , and his deputy in time of absence . he hath a general command over his fellow servants , and therefore ought to be a man of understanding , and somewhat of an austere nature , that they may not too far press upon him in way of familiarity , but rather stand in awe of him . he must be of a higher condition then the rest , which will draw respect . and because he is highly trusted with receipt of moneys , he should be possest of some considerable estate of his own , that he may be sufficiently provided to answer upon accompt . he should excell in quicknesse of apprehension , that he may readily see faults , and as readily give order for the reformation of them . he must be full of observance towards his master , and careful that his commands be put in execution , as on the other part his master is imprudent , if he discountenance his steward in presence of other servants , though he do find him faulty , for such disgrace will much prejudice his businesse in relation to others of the family , who may thence be encouraged , to dispute with him upon every occasion , and so retard the businesse to be done . lastly , he must be a good accomptant , and not defective in memory , least he injure his master or himself in setting down receipts and disbursements . xxviii . in great families ( for we treat little of others ) there are many offices , and a series of subordinations ; as a gentleman of the horse , and under his jurisdiction several offices belonging to the stable . a clark of the kitchin , and under him the cook with his underlings , and so the butler , &c. and all these are to be countenanced in what they shall justly command to be done by their subordinates . here the master saith go , but in small families especially in the countrey , the master may say gow ( as we phrase it in east england ) or go we , implying that he will accompany them . when go is said , the command is executed , but with some uncertainty , because the businesse passeth through divers hands , but gow doth the businesse immediately , and with surer effect . xxix . though the wages of servants ( together with their diet ) is supposed to set the balance even against their service to be done , yet they do so overween their own merit , as when they have long resided in one family they are apt to become remisse in their service , and make no difficulty to say , that being old servants they ought to have an indulgence . upon this ground divers persons have taken a resolution , not to keep any servant for long continuance , except a steward , and such as are necessary about their person , and this hath succeeded well with some of them , but others have been unhappy , falling into great losses by unfaithfulnesse . and the danger in this kind seemeth great , for how can it be , but in frequent changes some must offer service coming with foul intentions . xxx . some masters there are , who never seem more displeased , then when they find much agreement and quietness among their servants , fearing least there may be a consent in them to cheat their master ; and thinking also , that when they quarrell they will be apt to accuse one another , if any thing be amisse . but certainly when there is continual disagreement and strife , it must be a great remora to them in the performance of what is to be done , and few there are , who hold it not the highest basenesse to accuse a fellow-servant . xxxi . the industry of a servant is not more useful in any office then that of a gardner , who besides his care in gardens of pleasure , by his improvement of the orchard and kitchin garden may bring great plenty with little charge to the kitchin , and so by consequence to the table , from which ariseth the chief honour of house-keeping . xxxii . the porters care is also of great use in a family , who should be a man somewhat aged , that he may be endued with patience , to give attendance at the gate , and take accompt of all strange faces who shall desire entrance , and especially of such as by habit or countenance give any the least suspicion , for it is most usual to suffer by such admittances , but most of all in city dwellings . and this officer ought constantly to see the gate made fast in due time at night . xxxiii . and since the well ordering of a table gives so much honour to a house-keeper , the offices of clark of the kitchin and of cook , cannot but be of great concernment . that of the clark to provide and appoint what is to be used , and of the cook to dresse it , and especially the cooks office , which makes me call to mind how in the family to which i have relation , there was a time , when notice being given of very extraordinary persons to come to dinner , and the warning being so short , as there was no time to fetch in achates fit for such an entertainment ; the cook who had been trained up at court , was such a master in his culinary way , as by well ordering of our ordinary provision in making and well seasoning several dishes of one sort of meat , he furnished the table , so as it gave great satisfaction to the guests , and caused little less then a wonder in us . xxxiv . the second person in a family is the wife , who if she be industrious , and prudent , flies at all within dores , and pitty it is that any obstacle should be met withal , which is well illustrated by the queen at the game of chesse , where the king , or master , keeps his gravity by going but one draught at once , but the queen as his lievtenant , is not limited for way , since she hath power to march every way , nor for distance , so as she keep within compasse of the chesse-board , which you may understand to be the house or family . xxxv . common use hath made the governing of diet and housholstuff so proper to the wife , as a name of reproach is framed for such husbands , as shall interpose in those matters . but that which is hers most particularly is government of females within the family , and good ordering of them is so necessary , as all that is neat depends upon it . they have one good quality wherein men-servants are defective , which is , the keeping themselves constantly within dores . and so many things besides are done by them with more perfection then by men , as it should be in that of women-servants , if i would exceed my number in any kind . xxxvi . having in the last article intimated the oeconomical vertues of women , it would be injurious to them not to mention one of them in particular . it is their attaining of a moderate skill in physick and chyrurgery , attended with their providing of simples and other materials , as also their due preparation of them at the still and fire-hearth , and the exercise of that knowledge where need requires . this is a good fruit of charity and of good advantage , as well within dores as without . and though it be much exclaimed against by professors in those arts , yet can it not be improper for the sex , since the prophet samuel , reckoning up the several tyranical oppressions that should fall upon the israelites under their so much desired kings , doth particularly expresse the taking of their daughters to be apothecaries , for so our old english translation renders it ; and the word vnguentarias ( used both by the vulgar latine and tremelius ) is not much dissonant . much good ariseth to poor people by the application of such ordinary remedies , and it is of more certain benefit , then the dealing about cures of extraordinary consideration , whereof observing the uncertain ( and sometimes dangerous ) event , some have taken occasion to doubt , whether there come more good , or harm , by those arts in such difficult cures . xxxvii . the children , though of full growth and understanding , are not to meddle with businesse further then they are called to it by their parents . in my own thoughts i blame such parents , as make their son and heir an absolute stranger to their estate , though perhaps it may be reasonable enough towards an heir remote in blood. i was told by a noble man of great fortunes , that his father , even to his death , did so effect to keep him in darknesse , as he would take offence , if his son upon any emergency made enquiry concerning the least part of his estate . it cannot be , but by that means the young man was expos'd to much abuse , when he came to be owner . the inclination of my father was clear other ; for as soon as my years gave me capability , he not onely acquainted me with matters of his estate , but would sometimes take my advice , and frequently make use of my endeavours , which was the way to give me not onely experience in those matters , but ability for businesse in general . xxxviii . the master hath a kind of pastoral charge within his own family , and shall do well to take order for the external and publick service of god there twice a day , and in case any of the servants ( especially those whose businesse lyeth within doors ) be negligent to give attendance at the chappel or other place assigned for that duty , he must either by himself , or his chaplain , who is his substitute , in spiritualibus , if he have one , reprove them for it , and so for scandalous courses that any of his family shall give themselves over unto . xxxix . there was a piece of managery heretofore which is now wholly out of use , and yet might be beneficial . it is the having of a wardrobe in considerable families , wherein was kept such houshold-stuff as seldom came into use , and there was also preserved all the old vestments of the master and mistris , which had been any thing costly . this was a store-house , out of which might be taken at any time materials , towards the making of new house furniture , and saddles , or such like things , but now it is grown a shame with us , to preserve any such frippery , as they call it . xl. having in the last observation mentioned vestments or apparrel , i cannot think it improper in this place to take that matter further into consideration . the most natural uses of apparrel are these , to defend against the injuries of weather , and to be a covering for the obscene parts of the body ; which last was the occasion of our father adams first piece of clothing by fig-leaves . but certainly it may also be used for ornament , or else our saviour would not have said , that such as wear soft cloathing are in kings houses ; nor s. paul have spoken of bestowing more abundant honour on those members of the body which we esteem least honourable . excesse in bravery of apparrel causeth much waste , and therefore some rules should be given to prevent it . there can be little said in general , the condition of persons being so different in respect of age , quality , &c. as for those who are aged , especially in a retired way , they cannot be too moderate , for much vanity and great age should be incompatible . most indulgence is to be afforded to people in the flower of their age , who may find advantage many wayes by adorning their persons . i knew a noble-man whose course was this , to apparrel his daughters in very plain habit till they became marriagable , and then he trimed them one by one in garments of more cost , which succeeded very well , all of them being seasonably and fitly disposed of . the same course may be proper for male children , and the way is not irrational , for persons so trained up will return with lesse reluctation to plain attire , if need be . in the general , it is a good rule , to defer the making of new apparrel as much as may be , which at the long run becomes a great saving of charge . and on the contrary , those who must have many suits of clothes at the same time , find themselves at great losse , since the fashion cannot but alter , before some of them have had their full wearing . that wise and frugal people , the venetians , have a way to distinguish the quality and degree of persons by the form and not the bravery of their habit , which of necessity must become a great advantage to their state in general . but the wiser part of every nation must submit it self to the common usages of the whole ; yet prudence ought to be shewed in affecting rather moderation then affectation ; for men are not sooner concluded to be defective in judgement by any thing , then by their apparrel ; and moderation is incomparably the best governour of expence , and no lesse so in this , then in other particulars . xli . the master ( and not onely he , but his steward ) ought to govern as much by example , as by command ; for how indecent must it be , for a man to reprove another for excesse of drinking , or any other habit of vice , whereunto he himself is given over , longum iter per precepta , breve per exempla , the way by precept is long , and that by example short . and if the example of superiours be attractive , up the cragged rock of vertue , it cannot be imagined , but our course after them will be speedy and somewhat tending to precipitation , on the smooth down-hill of vice , when we are spurred forwards by our own depraved inclinations . such persons as are leaders had need be very cautious in the choyce of their way , since they have no small share in others faults xlii . it is a common precept , that the master of a family must be last in bed at night , and soonest out of it in the morning ; for so he may see good order kept , and that the servants not onely attend their businesse , but observe fit times for it . yet in great families the masters dignity is such for the most part , as that , and other personal activities , are fitly transferred to the stew●rd . xliii . the master shall do well to take his stewards accompt once in a year at the least , and to be very punctual and curious in it , or seem to be so . this is good also for the steward , for by that means he may the more easily satisfie his master , as to particular disbursements , and the masters seeming care , will make the steward fear to be discovered , if he use any underboard play . xliv . masters of families are much favoured in our law , for their houses are termed their castles , and have the priviledge not to be forced by publike officers , but in prosecution of high treason , felony , present breach of the peace within dores , and some other extraordinary cases . xlv . the good government of families is very profitable to the prince or state ; for servants well trained up in obedience , and free from idlenesse , become good members of the common-wealth , and none more fit for soldiers then they , but especially those of the better sort , who by their breeding attain to a kind of generos●ty of spirit , which renders them most fit for the martial profession ; and i am fully perswaded , that the great actions performed by our kings in forrain countreys heretofore , were chiefly acted by the nobility and gentry , who being obliged by tenure of their lands to attend their prince in person , carryed with them their servants , and these had not their heart so much at a home of their own , as members of the traind-bands in our dayes . xlvi . it is necessary for fortresses and families to have a years provision before hand , the first to be in readinesse for siege , and the latter to prevent losse by a year of dear●h but as well in corne , as in most other provisions of store within dores , the damage will be very great , if sufficient care be not taken in custody of them . xlvii . money is said to be the sinew of war , and it is little less in the way of oeconomy , for if the housholder have not money in hand he must bear much losse . provisions will almost double their price , if they be not bought in due time , and in fitting place , for being taken up upon trust , they must be had of such persons as make a trade of buying and selling , whose manner is to work upon the necessity of others , and they will be sure to have great advantage by laying out their money . besides this , if the family be resident in the countrey , our master will find that such lands as he keeps in hand will frequently want stock , which must be accompanied with great prejudice . xlviii . some persons are so rich , as they have many places of residence , & romae tibur amant ventosi tibure romam , these are delighted in variety of habitation , swimming in plenty , and may do well to change often ▪ having no need to be frugal ; but our thrifty master of a family shall do better , to keep constant to his chief habitation , unlesse the change afford him some certain and constant opportunity of gain , for no place can afford him otherwise so much advantage , as that where much time hath yielded means to settle things with convenience for habitation . xlix . i have alwayes thought it a most uncomfortable thing to keep house in so sparing a manner , as to pinch the belly of servants ; and some i have known , who doing so have yet wasted the greatest part of their patrimony . hospitality hath ever been a great honour to this nation ; and certainly it is accompanied very far with gods blessing . and so thought king charles the first , who being told of a noble mans estate much wasted by house-keeping , could not give credit to it , but attributed the decay to some other extravagancy . i have been informed of a gentleman of the times little foregoing mine , who had been a great traveller in italy , and was very expenceful , as well in apparrel , as in other matters of parade ; but for house-keeping so great a lesinante or miser , as it was his use to keep but one meal a day , and to hold it about three in the afternoon , pretending that he did it for health . by this means he kept off all company from eating with him , and made it so usefull as to bear out his other excesses without impairing his estate . l. having in the last observation taken notice of a blessing upon hospitality , i think it fit to consider , how that happinesse may be procured . i conceive the readiest way to obtain the blessing may be , to take care sufficient for relief of the poor neighbourhood , and best it is to appoint set dayes and times for it , with a method in the doing , yet so , as the set time and method do not any whit diminish the proportion fit for them . li. it is a good rule in house-keeping to observe fasting days according to the law ; for much good ariseth thence . it becomes a great encouragement to the trade of fishing , by which shipping is much encreased , and many mariners are bred and maintained , whereof no countrey hath so great need in the way of defence as ours ; abstinence conduceth much to the confirmation of health , and the breed of cattel being a great part of the kingdoms stock is spared by that means . but the observation of this constitution may the better be thought reasonable , because there is no other particular ( to my knowledge ) either commanded or restrained within a family by the publike magistrate . lii . alike to that of fast dayes is the consideration of observing feasts ( for between these the opposition is so far relative as they should answer one another ) and the latter is no lesse sitting in a family then in a state , for chearfulness and plenty in diet cause labour to be undergone the more willingly another time , which may appear the better , since the wisdom of legislators have made lent but an attendant upon easter , and each vigil fast upon his relative feast . i speak not of occasional feasts , for to have these too frequent consisteth not well with the rules of frugality . yet sometimes even the miser will have his feast famous for excesse . liii . as good it is , to observe set hours for publike meals , and for going to rest ; for by that means servants know their proper times allotted to their businesse ; meat is the better drest and served in , and night disorders are much prevented , whereby there comes not only great wast for the most part , but danger by fire . liv. some have a way of diversifying their dishes according to several dayes of the week in a constant course , and this not only affords variety , which is pleasing to nature , but gives much ease to the mistris of the family , who hath so much lesse trouble in appointing what shall be drest lv. in houshold expences care would be taken not to have the excesse in such things , as require money to be immediately disbursed , and especially in those that drain the kingdom it self of bullyon , as wine , dried fruits , sugar , spices &c. but rather in commodities which arise originally upon the masters own land , as of cattel there bred , corn of growth upon the same , &c. or at least of such , as are improved there , as cattel bought and fatted . lvi . nothing ( as i conceive ) can be fitter to close up the advices to a housholder for that which is to be done within his house , then to put him in mind of filling his petty magazines in due season with those provisions of store which are necessary . these branch themselves into so many particulars , as here can be no room to specifie them , but so it is , as the very life of domestical frugality consisteth therein , and as to these , if occasion be not taken by the foretop , it will be little lesse then impossible to make these provisions at all , especially in a countrey family . and wheresoever the family is , the supply must otherwise be wrought out with infinite losse . our master therefore must not slumber in such matters , least his experience be too dearly bought . lvii . most of these observations do chiefly concern house-keeping in the countrey ; and it is not unreasonable to have it so ; for the most considerable hospitality is held there . families in the city are generally lesse , and being so , the care of them must be lesse also . yet the principal consideration taketh place there , which is the disposing of money , all being there bought with the penny , so as he deserveth greatest commendation who hath the best faculty in spreading his shilling , as william late earl of bedford was wont to stile it , by which is meant a making of the best appearance with least expence . lviii . we have already mentioned villains servants by discent or 〈…〉 ●nd have approved of their among us christians ; but there is another kind , termed by writers in politicks servi natura , who are endued with extraordinary strength of body , but altogether defective in point of understanding . these receive advantage by being servants , and may be of good use in a family , if labouring in body be necessary there ; but i altogether disapprove of that use , which is made of them by great persons turning their defect of nature into sport . these do not much increase charge , as serving onely for victuals and rayment , and excel beasts little in point of reason , or in any thing else , save their outward figure , and in that they have an immortal soul ▪ happy in being innocent , and possest of lesse malice , then appears to be in some beasts . lix . that famous lawyer sir edward cook , would often boast of it , as a matter of prudence , that he had never cast his penny into the water , nor dipt his finger in the mortar ; meaning that he had never been an adventurer at sea , not yet a builder . i confesse that building magnificently is a great honour to the kingdom , and in that respect deserveth all encouragement ; but it is fit either for persons of very eminent estate , or for great getters as cook was ; but our oeconomist takes it for a rule , not to disburse any considerable summe , but where he may either find great profit in a return , or a prevention of a future expence , and therefore he useth expedition in necessary repairs of his housing already built , for delay in that matter doth encrease charges beyond expectation . lx. it hath been observed as a great unhappinesse to our nobility and gentry , that generally they are over-housed . this must be meant of capital houses in the countrey , for buildings in the city are clearly matter of advantage and profit , because they may be rented out ; as for the other , the observation is true in both parts , for the builders of such great houses were persons either of wast , or rising fortunes , and they contrived their mansions to be fit for their present or approaching condition , and no man will doubt , but estates are much diminished , and likely to be so more and more . this puts me in mind of him who when his kitchin was found fault with , as being too little for his house , answered , that the littlenesse of the kitchin had made the house so great ; and contrariwise , where there is a very great house and a small estate , we may for the most part say , that the great house hath made the estate so little ; for it is like to great personal titles , causing the owner to hoise up more sail , then the bottom can bear , which draweth on his ruin. all men know ( and some of us by experience ) the great charge of fitting a large house , and keeping it in sufficient repair , together with the uncomfortablenesse ( and seeming shame ) of living there attended by a small family , so as it is hard to give advice to persons in such condition , especially if they be fettered so as they cannot transplant themselves , yet they may be wished , rather to affect ( and dispose themselves to ) the italian humour of living in a pallace with small retinue , then to our english inclination of abounding in number of servants , with the inconveniencies appendent to it , and the observation may ●lso give a caveat to rich persons , that they use not too much excesse in building at their chief habitation for their posterities sake . lxi . though it be out of the circumference of our circle to consider the niceties of architecture , yet we may give some touches upon the difference , in point of convenience , between building modern and ancient . the old way of building was , to seek out places sheltred from wind ( unlesse it were for a castle ) and to make thick walls with small windows , covering much ground with housing of moderate height . about the beginning of q. elizabeths raign they began to enlarge their lights , and of late the buildings are made high with great windows , and much uniformity is affected , after the italian manner . i conceive this fitter for cities , where ground is scarce and houses strengthen one another being joyned , then for the countrey , since to be expos'd to tempest is so great an inconvenience , especially where the scituation is chosen high for prospects sake , as is now usual . besides this , the hall ( or basis of hospitality ) is either wholly left out , or so contrived as to be without chimny of fire-hearth , which in winter time should draw company together , and give chearfulnesse to a family . great staire-cases are also affected , which fill a house with noyse , and uniformity doth often deprive us of inward rooms , and of closets , with other little retiring places . these considerations and some others make me lesse forward , then the generality , in crying down the pretended rusticity of our ancestors ; yet i must confesse , that not only beauty both inward and outward , but even the fashionablenesse of building is to be desired , where it may be attained with convenience , but certainly convenience ought to give the rule . and so i leave the matter to be taken into further consideration by others of better judgment who have more space for it . lxii . it is a rule in menagery , not to entertain many workmen by the day , nor women to assist those of the family within doors ; but in great houses it is impossible to avoid day-men , since there is so much use of them about repairs , felling and making up of wood , and such like matters . all therefore that can be done , is to decline them as much as may be , by removing the occasion . and when such are set to work , the steward shall do well , morning and evening , to take accompt of what is done , by which means they must either be active in their businesse or run hazard of loosing employment afterwards . when any of the servants are to work abroad , the same diligence is to be used in appointing what is to be done , and in taking accompt of it . lxiii . it is certain that families of noblemen are clean other , then they were antiently ; for within memory of some yet alive , it was usual for persons of the inferior gentry , to put their sons into such service for breeding , and it succeeded well , saving unto them many a penny , which would have been spent by sending them to london out of remote countries , and in maintaining them there ; to this purpose may be related that which happned in the family of robert dudley the great earl of leicester , and this it is . as he was sitting at his table with many other noblemen , a letter was delivered to him , whereby appeared that an earl was dead whose heir served him in his house , being somewhat remote in blood from the deceased , whereupon he called the gentleman to him , and acquainting his guests with the letters substance , made him presently to sit at the table above himself and many other of the lords . lxiv . a new married couple , if they be young , shall do well not to engage themselves in house-keeping too suddenly , but to sojourn with their parent , or some other friend , for some years , that they may have time to observe what order is to be held , and to provide themselves of houshold-stuff , and of other utensils , in some measure , for otherwise they will be like fresh-water soldiers going to a military command , before they are fitted with arms , and understand the use of them , or what belongs to the exercising of their soldiers . lxv . when the heir becomes a married man and master of a family of his own , yet sometimes the parent thinks his sons presence so necessary to him , as he will summon him again to sojourn , which must be inconvenient , unlesse the son hath brought himself by improvidence to an impossibility to live by himself . this i know by experience ; for having many children i was called home by my father several times , who finding the inconvenience of two considerable families in a house , returned me as often to my own home , which was not onely a doubling of charge ▪ but a very great hinderance to me in my whole course . lxvi . a considerable family ought to be furnished with houshold-stuff accordingly ; but it is far from necessary to have it wholly modern ( or a la mode , as they call it ) as it was with an earl whom a friend of mine found giving direction for taking down his hangings and some other stuff , which were decent enough , my friend asked why it was done , and his answer was , that they were out of fashion , and he would put new in their place . upon this ground a person of quality must change his furniture every ten years , for in or near that time the fashion changeth , and the same may be a motive for a house to be pulled down , and a new one to be set up in its place , as many have done , who were well housed before . lxvii . now we are come to look abroad , i wish our pater familias would take into consideration the situation of his mansion-house , together with the conveniencies and inconveniences of it , that by his industry he may remove what is offensive , and add what may yield advantage ; for it argueth want of prudence , either to sit under an inconvenience , where it may be removed , or to bear a defect where it may be supplied . but by no means would i have him to fall out utterly with his habitation , for it is an old note , that few persons thrive in the world , who quarrel with the antient seat of their progenitors . lxviii . if there be any receptacle of impure water near the house , which may render it unhealthful , i should wish him cause it to be drayned ; for nothing is so precious as health , yet the provision of fish is so necessary towards house-keeping , as he shall do well to make fish-ponds at convenient distance if the situation will bear it , and how necessary it is to be furnished with fish may appear by the placing of religious houses antiently , which were for the most part set near to running waters , so as they seemed more studious , to enjoy plenty , then to preserve health . lxix . our law makes it wast , to cut down high trees ( though they be not properly timber ) standing for safeguard and defence of a mansion-house , though it be done for necessary reparation , yet many hold it unhealthful , to suffer a house to be choaked up with trees , in regard that the air wanteth free passage ; the choyce of a fit distance may reconcile this difference : but in these daies people are so disposed to quarrel with timber , as there shall need no advice to fell trees about a house . lxx . a cony warren yields so constant dishes to a table , as it is very fit to be had , where the soyl will bear it . a dove-house is as requisite , and though to have a park about a house be not generally esteemed a point of good husbandry , yet to a person of the higher condition there can be no great losse in it , lying so conveniently , and the pleasure is very great , not onely in sight of the deer , but in having so much pasture-ground at hand lying open for riding , walking , or any other pastime . lxxi . to govern the plow was an entertainment used by the roman senators ; for quintius cincinnatus was called from the plow to be dictator , which office was endued with the soveraign power for a time ; but it was in the infancy of that state , when their territory was small , and their nobility not great ; but as for our master of a family , i should not advise him to use tillage farther then his houshold necessities require , for gentlemen , who cannot attend those employments in person , must be great loosers by it , servants for the most part being perfunctory in those services , which lie out of their masters view . lxxii . i should not advise a gentleman to keep any of his farms in hand at great distance , to prevent diminution of revenues ; for if there be losse in tillage at home , the damage of necessity must be very great far off . he shall therefore do much better , to abate rent in a moderate proportion , which course is confirmed to me by my own experience , for i have alwayes found most comfort , where i have let good penny-worths , otherwise our farmes are now and then thrown up into our hands ( as the country-man calls it ) by which means more losse is contracted in one year , then abatement of rent would arise to in many . and divines will also have it , that gods blessing doth not accompany such persons as are too hard to their tenants . lxxiii . a great unhappinesse it is to the nobility and gentry , that they do not measure their expences , so as to keep them somewhat under their annual revenue , by which being done they may continue a fair subsistence , and not otherwise . they consider high living as a great happinesse , and the least diminution of pomp , as a great dishonour , which causeth them to continue their wastful way , presuming of a supply to come to them out of the clouds . this is no lesse then folly , yet those may deserve some pitty , who have not put themselves into that height , but were left in it by their parents . for this the remedy is easie , for common prudence forbids all men , to continue in a consumptive condition , without absolute necessity , and therefore much better it is ( though it give occasion of discourse to the people ) to slack sail betimes by a reduction of the grounds of their expence , then to be dishonoured at last totally , by a ruine which might have been prevented in a resolution maturely taken . and let them not think themselves dishonoured , for there is no justification so sure , as that which is built upon necessity . lxxiv . there is one great danger which hath not yet been touched , and it is this ; that house-keepers upon their first setting up , either are already in debt , or by providing of necessaries contract a debt , which in the beginning is small , but too easie to be encreased for want of experience , so as at last they become enrowled in the usurers books . this groweth unawares to a masse , which like a cancer so eats into the estate , as ere long the very heart of it is in danger ; this with other ill managery becomes the ruine of much gentry , for men are generally so unapt to think of a lessening , as they can hardly find any particular , that may be spared for sale . but i must advise our owner , above all to remedy this in good time , though it be by a fell of timber , or by selling of that which may seem precious ; for as the french men say , pays gasté vault mieux que pays perdu . it is better to be master of a wasted countrey , then of none at all . lxxv . another danger there is , which though not to the generality , yet is very destructive to some , and it is a being engaged to law suits . an itch of being observed to prevail in matters of difference between neighbour and neighbour is too frequent , even with such as are not observed to be much bent to the having of their will , but with wilful people it surpasseth any other pleasure . this is a very chargeable entertainment , and bringeth bitternesse in the end , for such businesses are for the most part concluded with little advantage to any , but the lawyers ; it is therefore much more convenient ( or rather christian ) to make an end speedily by reference , or mediation of friends , which is the course whereunto i would advise our house-keeper . lxxvi . the point of non-residence at the prime mansion house is of so great importance , as the chief ( or at least the most probable ) cause of it , may deserve consideration . i take it to be the abhorrence of solitude , unto which the countrey life is alwayes subject , and in a very high measure but especially in the conceit of those of the best condition , who have been constantly used to much converse , and who cannot with the least contentment apply themselves to rural businesses . i confesse that melancholly must be prevented ; for nothing can be more mischievous , and therefore they must entertain themselves with such delights , as may best quadrate with this course of life , so new and unaccustomed . lxxvii . it was an observation of my fathers ( and perhaps printed in his forest ) whereof i may borrow the substance , and this it is ; that the english gentleman can hardly be prosperous in government of his estate ; for whereas the genius of some other nations prompteth them to particular excesses ; as the italian to curiosity of house and furniture ; the french man to bravery in habit of clothes and other matters of parade , as abundance of pages and laquays , &c. and the german to variety and excess in drinking ; but they are all frugal otherwise . our english man affects all these together , as also that of our own , which is , a number of menial servants , and great plenty in diet. of this i shall make no application , but say concerning the observation , valeat quantum valere potest . lxxviii . i have conversed much heretofore in the family of a nobleman of great fortunes , who having many children , would never send any of them to travel beyond sea , giving for a reason , that the seeing of so great variety and splendour , made young men dislike their own native countrey and place of habitation . the truth is , it proveth to be so too often , but as i conceive , the inconvenience ariseth from the persons disposition and not from travel , for it is not so with all travellers ; neither is there reason for it , england being supplyed with all necessaries of its own growth ; nor is it destitute of matters of ornament and splendor . in many things we fall short for curiosity and beauty , but in other things we exceed our neighbours ; as particularly in our universities , which have no parallel , and london falleth not much short of the greatest forrain cities . besides this , our situation is such , in respect of the sea , as we are not in want of curious wines , and such delightful commodities . but to shew fully how prevalent the persons disposition may be , the said nobleman gave breeding to his eldest son , with charge extraordinary , at our court and chief city , where vanity so far prevailed with him , as afterwards he bcame the wonder of those dayes , contracting a debt greater then ever was known , by a person having little or no estate of his own , for a foundation of security . lxxix . of countrey delights , study may deserve the first place , whereby our gentry may in some sort converse with persons of the greatest rank and wisdom . it were needlesse here , to discourse upon the excellency of that entertainment , which is so much treated of every where . in all wayes whereby delight is sought there must be variety , and therefore those families enjoy a great advantage in the way of satisfaction , which are furnished , and inriched with plenty of good books . there can be no direction given , for choyce of authours , to those who seek pleasure in reading , for different persons have different inclinations ; but if reason might be our guid , i should advise our gentleman to the study of history ; and in first place to that concerning our own nation , and his time will be the better spent , if by reading he acquaint himself with the laws of this kingdom , as far as may be obtained without much labour , for pains : taking and delight can hardly consist together . but some men are altogether averse to study ; and for such there must be found some divertisement of more activity . lxxx . of active rural recreations , hunting offers it self in the first place , which horace calls , romanis solenne viris opus utile famae vitaeque & membris . or thus , a serious work to all of roman name , useful to life , and limbs , and of good fame . this is a pastime royal fit for princes , inuring their bodies to motion and exercise , and as machiavel observes , acquainting them with variety of places and situations , as hills , dales , woods , plain grounds and uneven , moorish , and dry , enclosed , and champain ; a knowledge very useful for commanders military , which profession is fit to be understood , not only by princes , but by the gentry universally , it being their proper vocation , as appears in some measure by the ensigns of nobility , their coats of arms impressed upon a shield . this affords entertainment , not onely abroad , but at home in the discoursing of it ; and to this may be added hawking , bouling , fishing , &c. lxxxi . of pastimes within dores musick may challenge the next place to study , and is more sociable , for it entertains many at the same time . this is more innocent then that of hunting , for no living creature receives vexation or damage by it , and no man can complain that his fences are destroyed . horace his advice concerning verses , is , quocunque volunt aninum auditoris agunto . or thus , let verses gently charm the mind , and as they will th' affections wind . which qualitie i have found more constant in musick , from which i my self have received a great subsistence in this my retirement . when i found my self subject to be pensive , then by musical ayres , corantoes , and sarabands , i was rendred more chearful ; and when i desired to become serious , the work was done for me by hearing almayns , fancies , and pavans ; variety is most pleasing , and much of this is afforded even in the diversity of musical instruments , as the lute , harp , &c. but certainly no musick can bear up with the vocal , to which some suppose a continuance in heaven it self ; but howsoever that be , musick is found useful in the service of god here below ( even with the most rigid who must have singing psalms ) and so it was anciently in the jewish church . i professe not to know any pleasure exceeding musick , saving that of contemplation in matters divine . musick indeed may be said to be sensual , for it is altogether conveyed by the senses , but certainly it hath a great approach towards spirituality , or else the prophet elisha would never have called for a minstrel , when an inspiration was required . i may fear i have been too tedious concerning this recreation , to which i confesse my self a little partial ; and i cannot but wonder at some persons , who are so much more then brutish , as they have a total aversion to it , whom i must leave in their misery . lxxxii . some are so austere and rigid in the way of religion , as they will admit nothing of pleasure farther then refection , which includes eating , drinking and sleeping , only supposed to be necessary . recreation or pastime they hold altogether unlawful , as injurious to better employment ; these mens religion is very conformable to mahometisme , wherein all professors must have a mechanical profession , even the great turk himself , and they consider not the necessity of health , which cannot be preserved with a continual intention of mind . a bow that stands alwayes bent looseth its strength in the end , and so it is with the mental faculties , if they be continually at the stretch . immediately after meals all serious thoughts are prejudicial to health ; and certainly at such times entertainments of some levity are to be tolerated , and not onely then , but in the long winter evenings , a season unfit for stirring businesse , so as for the master , and better sort of servants , there may be then some use made of gaming in a moderate sort . for can it be better to sit by the fire and sleep ( or for a man to rack himself by his own thoughts ) then to entertain himself by innocent pastime ? but in this i leave our master to his own thoughts . lxxxiii . a gentleman of quality , whom i consider chiefly in these oeconomical notes , living in the countrey can hardly keep himself out of employment , under the lievtenancy or commission of the peace ; and this may contribute something against the inconveniencies of solitude . though this gives trouble , yet it generates an acquaintance and correspondence between those of the gentry , and may also yield some inward satisfaction to a well disposed person , who ever desires to be useful to others ; and here , as i conceive , notice may be taken that our soveraign is happy beyond other princes ; for he is very much served gratis , in matters of common government , whereas others are enforced to use mercinaries to their cost . lxxxiv . in these observations and every of them , i would not be understood , to intend persons of vast fortunes , noblemen or others , for it is fit that such should have their freedom , since they need not be obliged to any rules of frugality ; and i may say , it is for the honour of this kingdom , that the court and chief city should be frequented , and expence in bravery there , is not onely honourable , but brings advantage to the people , since many trades and manufactures subsist meerly by excesse , of that nature . every man therefore must use his prudence , and do that which is most proper for himself , as well in relation to the publike as to his own private condition . lxxxv . i think we cannot better conclude these observations , then with some notes concerning the royal family or household , which as i conceive , hath not its peer in christendom ; exceeding all others , as well for hospitality , as for order . as touching the first , it hath no parallel ; for consider it as it was in the time of former princes ( and as i hope now is ) and we may justly say , that more flesh and fish , bread and drink is spent yearly there , then is consumed in some italian cities , whose bishops are capable of sitting in general councels . and for order , it resembleth rather a state , then a family , having within it or thereto belonging , establishments for government ecclesiastical , military , civil and criminal . first , there is a kind of cathedral church , with an episcopal dean , &c. adorned with a quire , and vestments for the clergy , as also with materials for musick very extraordinary : then there is a judicatory called the green-cloth , which determineth in matters belonging to the houshold provisions and government , where the lord steward , the treasurer , and comptroller of the houshold , are judges , with several under officers . thirdly , there is two military companies , one of horse-men called pensioners , all gentlemen ; and the other that of the old guard , consisting of yeomen , and these are under command of two eminent persons their captains . lastly , it hath a jurisdiction as well civil as criminal appertaining to it called the verge , extending it self twelve miles about the court , where the lord steward of the kings house , and marshal and a peculiar coroner do respectively exercise a jurisdiction , and none of the publike judges may interpose in cases proper to that court uncalled ; which limit of the verge beareth some similitude to the rural territory of a city or state. besides this , the lord chamberlaine of his majesties houshold hath governance of all the gentry , and officers above-stairs , who are very numerous . lawyers tell us , that originally all justice was administred within the royal family , and that the kings bench was stiled aula regia . of these there still remains some shadow , in the stiles of teste meipso , and of coram rege , and at this day the privy councel , an assembly supposed to consist of the most eminent persons for wisdom in the whole nation , hath its residence within the kings house , with a jurisdiction extending it self over the whole kingdom in matters of state. to this royal family relate two others , whereof one is that of the queen consort , who by the law is a person distinct from the king , and may plead , or be impleaded apart . the other is , that of the prince of wales , when there is one , and both these have especial officers of state belonging to them . it is a prerogative of the royal family that the servants are obliged to a faithful and diligent performance of service domestical , which as i conceive , is not by the law permitted in the case of any person , who is a meer subject . and all this under a race of princes of unknown antiquity , linked in blood with most of the royal families of christendom , and that in all ages hath given to the world illustrious persons yielding to none for eminence in wisdom , and vertue , and sometime such , as by forreign conquests were famous for their martial power , and in great part arbiters of the most important affairs of europe , unto which royal race all true-hearted english men desire ( and pray for ) a continuance in regality , even until the universal day of judgment . morning prayer for a family . o lord our most gracious god : we of this family do acknowledge with all thankfullnesse thy many great mercies unto us ; but more especially thy freeing us from danger and temptation during this night past , and thy giving of healthful and pleasing rest unto us therein , whereby we are enabled to perform the duties of this day , and chiefly that of prayer unto thee . for we justly confesse , that the glorifying of thee is the principal end of our life ; which glorifying is most advanced , according to our weak power , by invocation of thy name , and by professing a full dependance upon thee in all our actions . we confess , that of our selves without thy especial grace we cannot step one step towards thee , by our actings in any religious duty ; yet by means of that grace we are enabled so far to act , as to obtain acceptance at thy hands in iesus christ , which is sufficient for us . we above all expresse our thankfulnesse to thee , for thy mercies in thy beloved son ; and more particularly for his undergoing the shameful death of the crosse for us . grant o lord , that by his blood and sufferings , we may be purged from the old leaven of unrighteousnesse , and that by faith in him our hearts may be purified and disposed to the performance of whatsoever duties are required by thee towards the attainment of everlasting life . grant that we may do all things with a holy mind and sincere intention in obedience unto thy holy will , and not with any self-love , which may be offensive unto thee a god of pure eyes , who canst not behold the least iniquity with approbation ; grant o lord , that we may this day apply our selves to the doing of our duty , according to our several relations and subordinations within this family , looking still up unto thee as the foundation of all power , and under whose protection we can onely be happy . we know o lord , that dutys perfunctorily done , satisfie the world but not thee , who art a god having an all-seeing eye , from which nothing can be hid , and who hatest eye-service , being only well pleased in a pure heart free from all hypocrisie . we beseech thee therefore so to guid all our actions as we may do nothing but what is acceptable in thy sight , and that our demeanour this day , and all the other dayes of our life may be such , as not to fill up our measure of iniquity and sinfulnesse , against the day of iudgement , but that we may then be accepted of , as pure and holy by and through the merits of the same iesus christ , by whom we expect our eternal happinesse . evening prayer for a family . o lord god creator of heaven and earth , the preserver and governour of all things that have a being . we thy poor servants of this family laden with iniquity implore thy mercy unto us in the forgivenesse of our sins . we confesse , that there is nothing in us but the seeds of impiety which daily spring up and generate actual sins , to the great provocation of thee our most gracious god. we confesse , o lord that by the sin and disobedience of the day past we have added very much to the masse of our transgressions , in so much as the very weight of them may presse us down , even to the pit of hell , to our everlasting ruin , unlesse it shall please thee to shew mercy unto us . o lord , thy mercies in iesus christ are abundant , and sufficient to blot out , not onely ours , but all the sin in the whole world ; yet thou wilt not do it to those that are impenitent . we therefore in his name beseech thee to give us humble and penitent hearts , together with a resolution to forbear all manner of sin hereafter , as a thing that is totally opposite to thy nature , and therefore must become the destruction of all such persons as wallow in it without reluctation . we are fully bent , o lord , to delight in our own wayes , and to be linked in affection with the things of this world , which is enmity against thee . cure us , we beseech thee , of this destructive malady , and enflame our hearts with the love of thee , which is so precious , as it cannot be enjoyed without a renunciation of our wicked selves , and all our impious wayes . create in us , o lord , a lively faith , whereby we may lay fast hold on the merits of our blessed saviour , and so become fully justified in thy sight o lord , kindle in us by thy holy spirit a brotherly affection one unto another , so as we may be wholly disposed to do good , and not to delight in mischief through evil will and envy . lastly , we beseech thee , more especially , to remit our sins of the day past , and so to blesse us this night , as we may not therein fall into any temptation , by evil thoughts and immaginations , or otherwise , but enjoy quiet and seasonable rest , to the refreshment of our bodies and spirits , whereby we may be fitted for such services as the day following shall require , and alwayes retain in our mind the fear of thee , restraining us from all manner of wickednesse . these mercies , and whatsoever else thou knowest to be necessary for us , we beg of thee , for thy own mercies sake in iesus christ thy dearly beloved son , in whose most absolute form and words , least our prayers should be otherwise defective , we conclude them , saying , our father which art in heaven , &c. finis . notes, typically marginal, from the original text notes for div a -e eccl●s . . . vxor ebr. lib. . cap. . mat. . . cor. . . ecclus. . . kings . . prov. . . sam. ● . . mat. . . cor. . . the cook's guide: or, rare receipts for cookery published and set forth particularly for ladies and gentlwomen; being very beneficial for all those that desire the true way of dressing of all sorts of flesh, fowles, and fish; the best directions for all manner of kickshaws, and the most ho-good sawces: whereby noble persons and others in their hospitalities may be gratified in their gusto's. never before printed. by hannah wolley. woolley, hannah, fl. . approx. kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from -bit group-iv tiff page images. text creation partnership, ann arbor, mi ; oxford (uk) : - (eebo-tcp phase ). a wing w estc r this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons . universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase , no. a ) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set ) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, - ; : ) the cook's guide: or, rare receipts for cookery published and set forth particularly for ladies and gentlwomen; being very beneficial for all those that desire the true way of dressing of all sorts of flesh, fowles, and fish; the best directions for all manner of kickshaws, and the most ho-good sawces: whereby noble persons and others in their hospitalities may be gratified in their gusto's. never before printed. by hannah wolley. woolley, hannah, fl. . [ ], , [ ] p. [p]rinted for peter dring at the sun in the poultry, next door to the rose-tavern, london : . includes contents. copy stained, torn, tightly bound, with some loss of print. reproduction of the original in the british library. created by converting tcp files to tei p using tcp tei.xsl, tei @ oxford. re-processed by university of nebraska-lincoln and northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. gap elements of known extent have been transformed into placeholder characters or elements to simplify the filling in of gaps by user contributors. eebo-tcp is a partnership between the universities of michigan and oxford and the publisher proquest to create accurately transcribed and encoded texts based on the image sets published by proquest via their early english books online (eebo) database (http://eebo.chadwyck.com). the general aim of eebo-tcp is to encode one copy (usually the first edition) of every monographic english-language title published between and available in eebo. eebo-tcp aimed to produce large quantities of textual data within the usual project restraints of time and funding, and therefore chose to create diplomatic transcriptions (as opposed to critical editions) with light-touch, mainly structural encoding based on the text encoding initiative (http://www.tei-c.org). the eebo-tcp project was divided into two phases. the , texts created during phase of the project have been released into the public domain as of january . anyone can now take and use these texts for their own purposes, but we respectfully request that due credit and attribution is given to their original source. users should be aware of the process of creating the tcp texts, and therefore of any assumptions that can be made about the data. text selection was based on the new cambridge bibliography of english literature (ncbel). if an author (or for an anonymous work, the title) appears in ncbel, then their works are eligible for inclusion. selection was intended to range over a wide variety of subject areas, to reflect the true nature of the print record of the period. in general, first editions of a works in english were prioritized, although there are a number of works in other languages, notably latin and welsh, included and sometimes a second or later edition of a work was chosen if there was a compelling reason to do so. image sets were sent to external keying companies for transcription and basic encoding. quality assurance was then carried out by editorial teams in oxford and michigan. % (or pages, whichever is the greater) of each text was proofread for accuracy and those which did not meet qa standards were returned to the keyers to be redone. after proofreading, the encoding was enhanced and/or corrected and characters marked as illegible were corrected where possible up to a limit of instances per text. any remaining illegibles were encoded as <gap>s. understanding these processes should make clear that, while the overall quality of tcp data is very good, some errors will remain and some readable characters will be marked as illegible. users should bear in mind that in all likelihood such instances will never have been looked at by a tcp editor. the texts were encoded and linked to page images in accordance with level of the tei in libraries guidelines. copies of the texts have been issued variously as sgml (tcp schema; ascii text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable xml (tcp schema; characters represented either as utf- unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless xml (tei p , characters represented either as utf- unicode or tei g elements). keying and markup guidelines are available at the text creation partnership web site . eng recipes -- early works to . home economics -- early works to . cookery -- early works to . - tcp assigned for keying and markup - spi global keyed and coded from proquest page images - tcp staff (michigan) sampled and proofread - tcp staff (michigan) text and markup reviewed and edited - pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion the cooks guide : or , rare receipts for cookery . published ●nd set forth particularly for ladies and gentlewomen ; being very beneficial for all those that desire the true way of dressing of all sorts of flesh , fowles , and fish ; the best directions for all manner of kickshaws , and the most ho-good sawces : whereby noble persons and others in their hospitalities may be gratified in their gusto's . never before printed . by hannah wolley . london , ●rinted for peter dring at the sun in the poultry , next door to the rose-tavern . . to the honourable and truly vertuous lady anne wroth , wife to the right worshipful sir henry wroth . madam , the duty i owe to your ladyship and the rest of your noble familie commands more than this booke is able to express ; but since ill fate hath made me altogether uncapable of any worthy return of your love and bounty , be pleased to accept this as a signal of what i am obliged to . i would not willingly dye while i live , nor be quite forgotten when i am dead ; therfore have i sent forth this book , to testifie to the ●candalous world that i do not al●ogether spend my time idlely ; somewhat of benefit it may be to the young ladies and gen●lewomen ; and such i wish it ; ( however ) it may serve to passe away their youthfull time , which otherwaies might be worse employed . the honour your ladyship does me in accepting the dedication of it , will , i hope , cherish their belief , and encourage their practice , aud assuredly it doth adde very much to the obligati●n of , madam , your honours most faithful , real , and most humble servant , hannah wolley . to the vertuous and truly ingenuous young gentlewoman mistriss mary wroth , daughter to the right worship●ul sir henry wroth . dear mistress , the sublimity of yo●● lady mothers affairs i fear will not permit her very often to view this book ; besides , her ladiship needs it not ; her acceptation and approbation hereof is my honour only , not her benefit ; your practice will be my content , and i doubt ●ot your own . it is a mise●●ble thing for any wo●●n , though never so great , 〈◊〉 to be able to teach her ●●●●ants ; there is no fear of it in you , since you begin so soon to delight in those sciences as may and will accomplish you ; this book i hope will afford you somthing ; and whatever else you know in me to serve you , be pleased freely to command ; i shall alwayes be ready to express my self dear mistress , your ●n●eigned real se●vant in all humility and affection hannah wolley . to all ladyes and gentlewomen in general , who love the art of preserving and cookery . ladyes and gentlewomen , it is now about two years since i sent forth a little book intituled , the ladies directory , or the true way of preserving , with a promise , that if that found acceptance , i would then present you with some of my choicest cookery ; which now i have done ; also some few receipes more o● preserving . the reason why i sent it amongst you without the protection of some noble person , was , because i would not seem to force a favour altogether undeserved ; but sinct it is so generally accepted on , as ● find it is , i hope you will rather commend than blame my modestie ; and if you please to look back a leaf or two , you will find it hath now a protection . i have joined both the books in one that they may pass as one : all you that have made trial of my first , will i hope b● encouraged to the cookery also . i heartily wish it may give you the benefit you desire , and then i shall have my desire . thus beseeching your diligent practice herein , i doubt not then but to gain the esteem of being , ladies , your unfeigned friend and servant hannah wolley . an alphabetical table of all the heads contained in this book . a artichokes pickled almond pudding anchoves made of sprats angelets an amalet apricock pudding almond tart artichoke pye artichokes with cream artichoke broth almond custard . b broth of a lambs head ● beans fryed ● blanched manchet ● beef dryed balls of veal or mutton bartlemas beef bisket pudding barly broth breast of veal boiled brown metheglin ibid. c cucumbers pickled cake with almonds . chicken pye cawdle for a sick body cheese-cakes chickens in white broth chickens or pigeons boiled . carp pye . cambrige pudding capon boiled with rice capon boiled with pippins cucumbers pickled clouted cream cheese-cakes clouted cream cheese very good ibid. christal jelly calves foot pye cream tart calves lights boiled calves ●ead pye chickens stewed capon boiled ibid. cows udder stewed calves foot pudding coloured beef carp pye calves head stewed carp stewed cheese calves head roasted calves head sowsed cheese-loaves ibid cabbage cream creams of pastes or jellyes cake without plumbs ibid. codling tart cherries dryed cherry wine custard ibid. d dutch sawsages . devonshire whitepot dumplin e eeles sowsed egge pyes . f french bread flounders boiled . fritters florentine florentine fresh cheese fritters fish stewed fresh cheese frycasie of chickens french bread french bisket g gurnets stewed gurnets boiled grand sallet gooseberry fool goose pickled green pudding gooseberries preserved green ginger bread h herb pye hare pye hare pye haggis puddings hypocrist hedge-hogg pudding hash of veal hasty pudding hare roasted in the skin i jelly jelly red ibid. jelly amber colour isings l lobsters roasted lambe pye legge of mutton roasted legge of mutton stewed lemmon sallet liver puddings lamprey pye lumber pye lambe fryed loyn of mutton stewed lark pye lemmon sillabub lemmons preserved white ibid. lemmon cream m made dish made dish with sweetbread minced meat to keep made dish for fish dayes mutton baked like venison . mutton dressed the french way n neats tongues dryed neats tongue pye o oysters pickled orange pudding oyster pye oysters fryed o●tmeal pudding ostyers stewed oranges candied oranges preserved ibid. p purslane pickled penado pye of eeles and oysters pike roasted pumpion pye pudding of a loaf pigge pye pudding to bake puff-paste pancakes ● pancakes ibid● puddings ● ●ickeril boiled pickled quinces polonia sawsages pigge sowsed phrase of apples pudding to bake ibid● pippins stewed with cream pasties to fry pigge sowsed whole ibid. pigeons stewed puffs fryed ibid. potato pye pork roasted without the skin pigge eat like lamb ibid. pretty fancies r red deer pye rice milk rabbet boiled rice pudding rump of beef stewed s sheeps guts stretched sack posset ●allet of sorrel ●teak pye ●●wsages boyled ●owsed veal ibid. ●teaks stewed ●pinage sallet ●upper dish ibid. ●awsages ●heeps feet dressed ●houlder of mutton hashed ●houlder o● mutton with oysters . ●oles stewed ●co●ch collops ●awce for fish ●awce for snipes ●houlder of mutton roasted ●almon boiled ●aw●e for any fowle ●pinage tart ●ack posset without milk ●illabub ●illabub whipt ●●gar plate in colours spices candied t tansie ● tart of cheese-curds ● turkey sowsed ● toast fryed ● trifle ● thick cream v venison kept long sweet usquebath w vvilde duck boiled white pudding white metheglin white broth ● wafers . rare receipts for cookery . to pickle cucumbers to look very green . take those that you mean to pickle , and lay them in water and salt three or four daies ; then take a good many great cucumbers and cut the outsides of them into water , for the insides will be too pappy , then boyle them in that water with dill seeds and fennel seeds , and when it is cold put to it some salt and as much vineger as will make it a strong pickle , then take them out of that water and salt and pour that over them in your vessel , then let them stand close covered for a fortnight or three weeks , then pour the liquor from them and new boyle it , putting in some whole pepper , cloves and mace , and when it is cold adde to it some more vineger , and a little salt , then pour it on them again , and let them stand a month longer , then boyle it again , and when it is cold put some more vineger , and pour it on them again , then let them stand a longer time , and as you see occasion boyle it over again , and alwaies put your seeds and pieces of cucumber on the top ; be sure your pickle be cold when you pour it over . to pickle pursla●e to keep all the year . take the biggest stalks picked clean , the● strew bay-salt first into your pot , and then th● stalks of purslane , and then salt again , so do ti●l your pot be full , then tye it up close and keep it cool . to stre●ch sheeps guts . after they are clean scoured , lay them in water nine daies , shifting them once● day , and they will be very easie to fill ; and when they are filled they will return to their wonted bigness . to make a sack posset . take a quart of thick cream , boyle it with whole spice , then take sixteen eggs , yolks and whites beaten very well , then heat about three quarters of a pint of sack , and mingle well with your eggs , then stir them into your cream , and sweeten it , then cover it up close for half an hour or more over a seething pot of water or over very slow embers , in a bason , and it will become like a cheese . to make penado . take oatmeal clean picked , steep it in water all night , then strain the water clean from it , and boyle that water in a pipkin , with a blade of mace and some currans ; when it is well boyled put in the yolks of two or three eggs beaten with sack , a little salt and as much sugar as you shall thi●k fi● , then stir it over a soft fire that it curd not till you think it be enough . to make the orange pudding . take the rind of a small orange , paired very thin , and boiled in several water● till it be very tender , then beat it very fine in a morter , then put to it four ounces of fine sugar , four ounces of fresh butter , the yolks of six eggs , and a spoonfull or two of cream , with a very little salt ; beat all these together in a morter while the oven heats , then bake it in puff paste . to make french-bread . take half a bushel of fine flower , ten eggs , yolks and white , one pound and an half of fresh butter , then put in as much of yest as into the ordinary manchet ; temper it with new milk pretty hot , then let it lye half an hour to rise , then make it into loaves or rowles , and wash them over with an egge beaten with milk ; let not your oven be too hot . to make a made dish . take four ounces of blanched almonds beaten , and strain them into some cream ; then take artichoke bottoms tenderly boyled , and some marrow boyled , then boyle a quart of cream till it be thick , and sweeten it with rose water and sugar , then lay your hartichokes into a dish , and the marrow on them , then mix your almonds cream , and the other together and powre it over them , ●nd let it stand upon embers till you serve ●it in . to make a cake with almonds . take one pound and an half of fine flower , of sugar twelve ounces beaten very fine , mingle them well together , then take half a pound of almonds blanched and beaten with a little rose water ; mingle all these with as much sack as will work it into a p●ste , and put in some spice , some yest and plumped currants , with a pound of butter ; so make it into a cake and bake it . to season a chicking pye . season them with nutmegg and sugar , pepper and salt , raisons , currans and butter● when it is baked , put in clouted cream , sack and sugar . to make an herb pye . take lettuce and spinage , a little time , winter savory and sweet marjorum , chop them and put them into the pye , with butter , nutmegg , and sugar , a little salt , when it is drawn and a little cooled , put in clouted cream , sack and sugar . to stew gurnets . stew them with white wine and salt , whole cloves , mace , nutmegg and cinnamon ; when you take them up , put in some butter and sugar . to boyle place or flounders . boyle them in white wine , water and salt with some cloves , mace , lemon pill , and some small onions . a cawdle for a sick body . take lemmon posset drink and thicken it with the yolks of eggs , and sweeten it with sugar . to make a pye with eeles and oysters . take the oysters from their liquor and put them to the eeles , and season them with pepper , salt and mace , raisons and currants , then put them in a pye with good store of butter and fruit on the top . to make a very good hare pye . take out all the bones , then lay it on a grid-iron under which is fresh coals ; when it begins to dry tu●n it and sprinckle it with wine vineger , wherein hath lien nutmegg , cloves and mace bruised , and as it dries sprinckle it with this liquor ; so do till you think it reasonable well broiled , then lay it in such vineger all night ; the next day broile it a little , then lard it , and bake it with good store of butter , and eat it cold ; adde a little salt . to roast a pike . draw a large pike at the gills ; when he is well washed , fill the belly with great oysters , and lard the back with herrings pickled ; tie it on the spit , and baste it with white wine and butter with two or three anchoves dissolved therein ; rub your dish with garlick , make sawce with capers , lemmon , butter , and white wine , and some anchoves . to roast lobsters . take two great lobsters alive , wash them clean , and stop the holes as you would to boile them , tie them fast to a spit , the insides together , baste them with water and salt very often till they are readie , which you will find by the redness of them , then have readie some oisters stewed and cut small , put them into a dish with melted butter beaten thick , then take . or . spoonfulls of the liquor the oisters were stewed in , and dissolve in it two anchoves , then put the liquor into the melted butter , and put it into the dish where the lobsters shall lie ; then take the lobsters and cr●ck the shells that they may be easie to open , and serve them in . to make a pumpion pye . fry it in ●hin slices with sweet herbs and eggs in butter till it be t●nder , then put it into a pye with butter , raisons , cur●ants sugar and sack with some sharp apples ; when it is baked put in some beaten butter . to make a rare lamb pye . take a legg of lamb and take out all the meat clean out at the great end● but keep the skin whole , then press the meat in a cloath , then mince it small , and put as much more be●f suet to it as the meat doth weigh finely shred ; then put to it naples bisket finely gr●ted , season it w●th cloves , mace , nutmegg and cinnamon , rosewater and a little salt , then spred some candied orange pill and cittron , mix it together w●th some sug●r , then put part of the meat into the skin , and lay it into the pye , then take the rest of the meat and make it up in balls with egg● and a little flower , ●hen l●y them into the pye to fill up the odd corners , then take candied orange and cittron , cut in long narrow pieces and strew over it ; do not forget to put in some currants into the minced meat ; when you ●id the pye , leave a tunnel , and when it is b●ked put into it a c●wd●e made wi●h sack , sugar , the yolks of egg● and butter ; you must put butter ●nto the bottome of your pye , and on the top with some marrow and dates cut in long pieces ; ●his is a very fine pye for tho●e that love such rice pyes . to make a pudding of a loaf . chip a white loaf , and put it into a skillet a little big●er ●han will hold it ; put as much ●ream to it as will cover it , put in a blade of mace , and boile it till it be ●ender , then take it up , and pour mel●ed butter a●d sack and sug●r over it . to make ra●e chees-cakes . set some cream over the fire , and turn it ●ith sack and eggs , then drain it well , and season it well with rose-water and sugar and eggs , spice , currants , and a few spoonfulls of cre●m , so pu● it into your crust , adding a little salt , and so bake ●hem . to fry garde●-beans . boil them well , then blanch them and fry them with sweet butter , whole pursley , ●nd shred onions , and melt butter for the ●●wce . to make a sorrel-sallet . pick it clean from the stalks , and boile it and butter it well , put in some vineger ●nd sugar , then garnish it with hard eggs and raisons . to boile a gurnet . draw your gurnet and wash it clean , boile it with water and salt with a faggot of sweet herbs , and a blade of mace ; when it is boiled and well-drained pour upon it verjuice , nutmegg , butter and pepper , thickned with the yolks of eggs ; garnish your dish with barberies and oringes . to roast a legg of mutton . take a legge of mutton , pare off all the skin as thin as you can , lard it with sweet lard , and stick about it about a dozen of cloves ; when it is half roasted cut off three or four ●hin pieces , and mince it small with a few sweet hearbs and a little beaten ginger , put in a ladle full of clare● wine , a piece of swe●t butter , two or three spoonful●s of verjuice , a little pepper and ●●ew parboiled capers ; when all this is boile●●ogether , then chop the yolk of an hard egg into it , then dredge your legg with flower , and serve it upon the sawce . to boile chickins in white broth . tru●s your chickens fit to boile , and boile them in ●air water , or thin mutton broth● wi●h a little salt , a blade of mace , and two or three dates cut in pieees ; thicken you● bro●h with beaten almonds , season it wi●● sack , sugar , and a little verjuice . to boile chickens or pigeons with gooseberries or grapes . boile them with mutton broth , and white wine , with a blade of mace , and a little salt , fill their bellies wi●h sweet hearbs ; when they are enough , thicken the broth with a piece of manchet and the yolks of two or three hard eggs strained wi●h some of the broth , then put some of the same broth into a boiled meat dish with verjuice , butter and sugar ; then put in your grapes or gooseberries scalded tend●r , and pour it over the breast of your chickens . to make a dish with the sweet bread of veal . boile or roast your sweet-bread , put to it a few parboiled currans , a minced date , ●he yolks of two new laid eggs , a lit●le manchet grated fine ; season it with pepper , salt , nutmeg and sugar ; wring in the juice of an orange or lemmon and put it berween two sheets of puff paste , and bake it or fry it . to make a carp pye . vvash your carp well , and a●ter you have scaled it , then draw it and wash it again , then dry it well , then put it in a pye with good store of sweet butter , a little mace , pepper and salt , with a few capers , and a little vinegar sprinkle● in . to make a steak-pye . season your steaks with pepper , salt and nutmegg , and let it lie one hour , then take a piece of the leanest of a legg of mutton and mince it small with oxe suet and a few sweet herbs , then put in grated bread , the yolks of eggs , sweet cream , raisons of the sun , work all together like a pudding with your hand stiff and make it into balls● putting in a little salt , then put them and your steaks into a deep pye with good store of butter , sprinckle a little verjuice on it and bake it , then cut it up and rowle sage leaves in butter , and fry them and stick them upright in your walls , and serve your pye without a cover , with the juice of orenge or lemmon . to make a pigg-pye . scalld it and slit in the middle , fley it and take out the bones , season it with ●epper , salt , cloves and mace , and nutmegg , ●op sweet herbs fine , with the yolks of two ●r three eggs , and some plumped currants , ●en lay the one half of the pigg into your ●ye , and the herbs and currants and salt over ●t , and some butter , then lay the other half ●f the pigg on the top of that , and the rest ●f the herbs and currants on the top with ●ome butter , and so bake it ; you may eat it ●ot or cold . to make a red dear pye . parboile it and lay it all night in red wine and vineger , then lard it thick , and sea●on it with pepper , salt , cloves , mace , nu●●egg and ginger , bake it in a deep pye o● rie●aste with store of burter , let it soak well , ●eave a vent hole in your pye , and when you ●raw it out of the oven , fit it up with butter ●nd vineger , and so keep it and eat it cold . to make a hare pye . parboile two hares and take the fles● from the bones , mince it small , and be● it in a morter , then sawce it in wine and v●neger as you would do red dear ; lap all th● about the chine of one hare , and so it w● seem but one ; lard it well and pur it int● your pye with good store of butter , season i● with salt and spice when you beat it ; when i● is b●ked , put in some melted butter to fi● it up . to make fritters . take the curd of a sack posset , the yol● of six eggs , the whites of two eggs , an● a little fine flower , put in a little nutmeg an● some ale , and a little salt , mingle them we● together , then slice in some apples ve●● thin , and so fry them in lard boiling hot ; i● your b●tter be too thin , it will drink suet ; if i● be in good temper it vvill svvim . to make broth of a lamb's heat . boile it with as much water as will cover it , and all sotrs of spice you like , thicken ●t with strained oatmeal and cream● put in ●ome ●aisons and currans which hath been plumbed first , and a little salt ; when you take ●t up put in sack and sugar . to make a cambridge pud●ing . searce grated bread thorovv a c●llender , mix it with a litle flower salt , minced dates , currans , nutmegg and cinnamon , and suet shred , fine nevv milk , fine sugar and eggs , leaving out some of their vvhittes , vvork all together pretty stiff , then take half ●he pudding on the one side and half on the other side , and make it round like a loaf , then take butter and put it in the middst of the pudding , and clap the other half on the top of it ; put it into boiling liquor , and vvhen it is boiled enough cut it in the middle and so serve it in . to m●ke a florentine of veale , or ●ther cold meat . mince your mea● fine , mix it vvith grated bread , currans , dates , nutmegg and sugar , vvith a little rose-vvater , a little salt , and two or three eggs , warm them together over a chafing dish of coals , and stir them all the while , bake it in puff-paste ; take some of this and lay it upon thin slices of white bread , first washed with the yolks of eggs , and so fry them and serve them in with beaten spice and sugar for the second course● to boile a capon with rice . boile ● , capon with water and salt , and a handfull of small oatmeal , the● take quarter of a pound of rice and steep it in w●ter , and so half boile it , then strain the rice thorow a cullender and boile it in a quart of milk , then put in some large mace and sugar ; put in a little rose-water , then blanch half a pound of almonds , and beat them with cream and rose-water , and so strain them into a pipkin by it self and warm them over the fire , then take up your capon and pour the rice over it , and then your almonds ; garnish your dish and serve it in . to boile a capon with pippins . parboile your capon in water and salt , then put the mar●ow of two or three good bones into a pipkin with a quart of whi●e wine , a little sliced nutmegg , four or five dates , and some sugar ; then pare some pippins and cut them in quarters , put them into a pipkin and cover them with sugar and water , then make ●●●pets of biskets , then ●ake the yolks of ● . hard eggs , and strain them with a little ●e●juice and some of the broth wherein the capon is boiled , put them to the pippins with a little sack , stir them ●ogether and serve the capon in with them . to boile a wilde duck . tr●uss and parboile it , then half roast it , ●hen ●arve it and save the gravy , take store of onions , p●rsley and pepper , put the gravy into a pipkin with a few currans , large mace and claret wine ; boile them together ●ith the duck ; when it is enough put in butter and sugar , and so serve it in . to boile sawsages . boile them in clarer wine , large mace , and sweet herbs . to sowce a breast of veal . bone it and lay it in fair water till the blood be gone , then dry it , then take all kind of sweet herbs , beaten nutmeg , cinnamon and ginger , lemmon pill cut in fine pieces , mingle all together , and strew all ●hese on the inside of your veal , then ●ye it up like a collar of br●wn ; let your liquor boile being water and salt , then put in your veal ; so you may use r●cks unbound or breas● unbound ; let it be scimmed very clean , pu● in a faggot of sweet herbs and cover it , for that will make it look white ; when it is almost boiled , throw in a little sliced nutmeg● large mace and a lemmon sliced● so keep it in the sowce drink and serve it with vineger , and shred fennel in it , or alone . to make a grand sallet . take in the spring time the buds of all kinde of sweet herbs and of violets , and a handfull of capers , seven or eight dates cut in slices , one handfull of raisons of the sun stoned , one handfull of blanched almonds , a handfull of currans , five or six figgs sliced●● preserved orange cut in slices ; mingle these together , then take a dish fit for a shoulder of mutton , set a standard of paste in the middst of it , put these mixed things about the standard , set upon your mixed ●allet four half lemmons with the flat end ●ownward right over against one another ; ●●lf way betwixt your standard and the ●ish side , prick in every one of these a ●ranch of rosemary with preserved cherries ; ●et four hard egges without the shells betwixt ●our lemmons , the biggest ends down●ards ; prick upon your egges sliced dates ●nd almonds , then lay another garnish be●ween the brim of the dish and the sallet , ●f quarters of hard egges and round sli●es of lemmons , then garnish the b●imme 〈◊〉 your dish with preserved orange in long slices , and betwixt every slice of orange a little heap of capers . to blanch manchet in a frying pan . take the yolks of nine eggs , and five whites , beat them with half a pint of sweet cream , put to them half a penny manchet grated , some sugar , nutmeg , mace , and rose-water , fry it with sweet-butter as you would a tansie in a very small frying-pan● when it is fryed wash it over with a little fack and the juice of a lemon , scrape on some sugar and serve it in . to make a good pudding . take the crump ●f a penny white loa● and cut it like dice , then pour over it a pint of sodden cream , and cover it till it be cold , then ta●e the yolks of four eggs , and two whites , beat them very well , and put them to the rest ; then put in beaten spice and sugar with some sue● shred small , then adde a little salt ; put it into a dish well buttered having first put some thin slices of pippin in the bottom , and some raisons of the sun , then stick on the top some good bigg pieces of marrow and so bake it , scrape fine sugar into it and serve it to the table . to pickle hartichokes . gather them with long stalks , then cut the stalks off close to the hartichokes , then take the pith out of the stalks and put it into your liquor which must be water , with pears and apples sliced , and a quince or two ; make good store of liquor , boile your liquor a while , then put in your hartichokes till the pith be tender in the bottoms of them , then take them up and let the liquor seeth a good while after , then let it stand till it be cold , then clense it , and put therewith into your barrel a little salt , then put in your hartichokes and stop them up close . to dry beef as they do in holland . take of the buttock-beef of a fat oxe , salt it well with bay-salt four or five daies , then hang it a draining one day , then ●ew it up in a thin cloth , and hang it up in a chimney to dry ; when you would eat any of it , boile it very tender , and slice it so thin that you may almost see thorow it and eat it with a sallet . to pickle cucumbers . vvipe them very clean , then sprinkle them with bay-salt , and so let them lye three o● four hours , then take carrawa● seeds , fennel seeds , dill seeds , cloves , mace ginger , nutmeg and cinnamon beaten toge●●her , then wipe the salt from your cucumbers and lay them into yo●r pot , and betwixt every lair lay some beaten spices , and l●t you● last laire be spices , then ●ill up your pot wi●● white wine vineger and stop them close . how to make minced mea● to keep five or six months . take a legg of beef and boile it very tender , then shred it very fine with store of suet , then season it with spice and salt , then bake it in a pot , and keep it in seveta● pots filled up with melted butter ; and when you would eat of it , cut some apples in thin little pieces and stew ●hem , and put in some plumped cu●rans ; when they are stewed well , put in some of your minced meat , mix ●hem well together and serve it in upon sippets . to make dutch sawsages . take beef and shred it fine , then season it with salt and spice as you like it , ●hen beat it in a morte● , then fill your guts being made very clean , then put so much ●alt into water as that it may bea● an egge , ●hen boile it ; and when it is cold put in your sawsages ; you may keep them from michael●as to may. to make anc●ovis of sprats . take a peck of the best sprats , pluck off their heads , and salt them a little over night , then take a little barrel and lay in it first a laire of bay salt , then a laire of sprats , and so do till you ba●rel be full , putting in between every laire a few bay leaves and a l●ttle lemmon pill , let your last laire be salt , ●hen stop the barrel close that no air get in , then pitch it and keep it in a cool celler , and once in every week turn it upside down , in two or three months you may use of it . to make rice milk . take half ● pound of rice , wash it well in wa●m water and dry it in an oven , afte● bread i● drawn , then beat i● to fine flower● then ●●●e a pottle of cream and blend a little of the flower therewith , then set it on the fire and thicken it with the rest of the flower , put in such spice as you love , and swee●en it with sugar . to make the best almond pudding . take half a pound of sweet almond● blanched and beaten with rose-water very well , then boile a quart of cream wi●h large mace and nutmegg ; when it hath boiled ● while put in the almonds , and boile both together till it will come f●om the bottom o●●he skillet , then pour it out and sweeten i● with rose-water and sugar ; when it is almos● cold break in twelve-egges , and leave ou● half the whites , then colour them according to your fancy , and if you put in any currans● let them be first plumped , pu● in marrow ●omething gross or beef suet finely shred , ●hen fill your skins and boile them a little , ●hen take them out again , and boile them ●gain when they have cooled a little . to make a devonshire whitepot . take a quart of new milk , a penny white loaf sliced very thin , make the milk ●calding hot , then put it to the bread and break it , and strain it thorow a cullender , put in two eggs , a little nutmegg , currans , ●ugar and salt , and then bake it . to make clout●d cream . take the morning milke and scald it at noon , when it pimples slack the fire , ●hen let it stand and harden a little , then take ●t off and let it stand till the next day ; then ●ake it off wi●h a skimmer , and serve it to the ●able . to keep venison nin● or ten months good and sweet . tak●● ha●●ch of venison and bore holes in it , then stop in seasoning into it as you do parsley into beef in the inside of i● if it be red deer , take pepper , nutmegg● cloves , mace and salt ; if it be fallow dee●●●hen only pepper and salt ; when it is thu● seasoned dip it in white wine vineger , and pu● it in an earthen pot with the salt side down● and having first sprinkled good store of spice into the pot ; if it be fallow deer three pound● of butter will serve , but if red deer then four pounds ; when you put it into the oven lay an earthen dish over it , and paste it close up that no air can get out nor in , so let it stan● six or seven hours in a very hot oven ; when it is baked take off the cover and put in ● trencher and a stone upon it to keep the meat down in the liquor ; fill up the pot with melted butter and so keep it , serve i● to the table in slices with mustard and sugar . to make good white puddings . take three pints of cream , the crumb of two penny loaves , boile your cream with a little mace , slice your bread into a bason , and put your cream into it , then take a pound of sweet almonds blanched and beaten with rose-water , half a pound of rice-flower , the yolks of ten eggs , and as much ●ugar as you think fit , a little salt , and a good deal of marrow , so fill your skins and boile ●hem . to make angellets . take some new milk and stroakings together , then take some cream , seeth it by it self wi●h whole mace and a little rose-water , then pour it into the milk and the stroakings ; when it is very cool put in a lit●le runnet● and when it is come fill the fatts ●ith a skimmer , and break it as little as may ●e , and let them sink gently of them●elves , and as they sink fill them up again . to make cheese-cakes . take three gallons of milk new from the cow , and set it with runnet as for a cheese , then take a quatt of cream ●nd slice a manchet into it very thinne , ●oile it a reasonable while till it be thick , ●hen put it into a bason , and put to it ● quarter of a pound of sweet butter , ●nd let it stand till it be cold , when yout milk is come which you set , break it a● for a cheese , and whey it very well , then break it very fine with your hands , and when it is very small , put in your boiled bread and milk , stir them well together , and put in a pound and half of plumped cu●rans or more , two nutmeggs grated , six egges , yolks and whites , a little salt , almost hal● a poun● of sugar , as much raw cr●am and ro●e-w●te● as you think fit ; do not make them too th●● with the cream ; nor bake them too much . to make clouted cream the best way . take a pail full of ●●roakings and boile them a little , then put ●n ● qua●● of ●wee● cream and boile them together , then po●● into several panns and cover them , and when it hath stood all night it will be very thick , then take it off with a skimmer and lay it all in one dish . to make a very good cheese . take a pa●l full of st●oakings almost col● , and put to it one spoonfull of ●unnet or more as you think fit ; when it is come , ●rea● it a little , let it lye almost one hour , then put it into a cloth and whey it , do not break ●t any more but cruse it gently ; when it is wheyed , enough put it into the p●esse in a ●resh cloth , and tu●n i● twice a day ; put ve●y little ●alt to it . to make a gooseberry fool . take a pint of gooseberries or thereabou●s ●●●●ll● them very tender , then pour the water from them , and wi●h the ●ack of a spoon bruise your gooseberries ●ery fine , then take a pint and a half of ●weet cream , th●●olks and whites of three ●gges well beaten , put them to your goose●erries with one nu●megg qua●t●red , a●d ●wo o● th●e●●poonful●● of rose-water , with ●s much sugar as you ●hink fit ; mingle all ●h●se , toge●her and set them on a slow fire , keep it stirring that it may not turn ; when ●ou perceive it to be of a good thickness , ●our it out , and whe● it is cold serve it to make a very good tansie . take ten eggs , leave out half the whites , beat them very well , and colour them with the juice of spinage according to your liking● and put so much tansie amongst your spi●nage as will give it a taste , then put in half a pinte or better of sweet cream , half a nut●megg grated , and as much sugar as wil● sweeten it to your taste , then put in butter in your frying pan , and when it is hot pour in your tansy and stir it till it thicken , then fl●t it with the back of a spoon , and when one side is fryed enough , turn the other , and when it is enoug● , serve it in with the juice of an orange and butter and sugar . to make an amalet . take ten eggs , and more then half the whites , beat them very well , and p●● in a spoonfull or two of cream , then hea● some butter in your frying pan , and when it is hot put in your eggs and stir them ● little , then fry them ●ill you find they are enough ; and a little before you put them ou● of the pan , turn both the sides over that the● may meet in the middle , and lay it the bot●tome upward● in the dish● serve it in wit● verjuice , butter and sugar . to mak● puff-paste a very quick way . take three pounds of fresh butter , break it in little bits into half a peck of flower or little more ; then put in one egg , and as much cold cream as will work it into a stiffe paste , do not mould it too much , for that will melt the butter , and then it is spoil●d , but so soon as you can , roul it abroad and make it into what you would have i● ; this will be extream good if you observe to do ●t carefully . to make a florentine . take a quart of cream and eight eggs , yolkes and whites , beat them well and put them into the cold cream , set it on the f●re and stir it till it run to curds , then drain it in a cullender , and break it well with a ●poon ; then take a little marrow and cut it ●●d ●owr dates shred small , four bunches of p●eserved barberies picked from their stalks , h●lf a handful of grated bread , season it with rosewater and sugar , some nutmegs and a little salt ; then cover it with some puff-paste , and so bake it . to make a fresh cheese . take a quarter of a pint of rosewater , steep in it all night one nutmeg bruised and a stick of cinnamon grosly beaten ; then take five pints of milk , not so hot as it comes from the cow , set it with a little runnet , and when it is come drein the curds very well from the whey ; then put in the rose-water strained , and half a pint of thick cream , sweeten it with sugar and break it very well ; then strain it through a cloth , and put it into a little cullender to shape it ; then put it into a dish with cream , and wine and sugar . to make a dumplin . take a pint of cream and boyl it with a blade of mace ; then take twelve spoonfuls of grated bread , five spoonfuls of flower ; then take six yolks of eggs and five whites ; beat them very well with two spoonfuls of rosewater and as much fair water , season it with sugar , nutmeg and salt , mingle them altogether with the cream , tye it in a cloth , and when your water boyles , put it in and boyl it one hour and half , and when it is enough , serve it in with rosewater , butter and sugar . to stew a leg of mutton . take a leg of mutton and mince it small with a good quantity of suet , then put it ●nto an earthen pot and set it on the coales with a quart of claret wine , and a little thin mutton broth ; then put in raisons , prunes ●nd dates , salt , cloves and mace , and let ●hem stew together till you think they be enough , then serve it in upon sippets . to stew a dish of steakes . take a coast of mutton and cut it into small pieces , bones and all , wash them clean and put them into an earthen pot with ● quart of white wine and a little water , and ●o let it seeth , skim it well , then put in a good handful of parsly with six onions , both chopped very small with some whole cloves , mace and salt ; when it is enough , serve it upon sippets . a boyled sallad of spinage . take four or five handfuls of spinage clean picked , boyl it well in water and salt ; then drain it well from the water , and chop it well with the back of a knife ; then let it boyl in a dish over a few coals with some butter and vinegar , a few plumped currans , and as much sugar as you think fit , garnish it with hard eggs , and so serve it in . a good supper dish . take a leg of mutton and cut it in thin pieces as long as you can , and three o● four fingers broad ; then take parsly , onions , penny-royal and time , and chop them fine with mutton suet ; season it with wine , pepper , cloves , mace and salt , so lay it up upon the slices of mutton , and roul them up , and fasten every one with a scure , then roul them in the yolks of eggs and grated bread , so roast them or bake them in a platter with butter . thus you may do veal ; but then put in some currans . these do well baked in a pye , or stewed with wine and butter . to make a very good ielly . take a shoulder of veal , cut it in three several pieces , but break none of the bones ; pare all the fat away as clean as you can , then wash it in five or six waters , and ●et it lye in water two or three houres , then boyl it in fair water till it be very clean , scim ●t very well , then take it from the fire and put it into another pot , with a pottle of white wine , and as much of the broth as wine , ●et it to the fire again , and ever as the scum ariseth take it off ; then set it over a soft ●ire six or eight houres close covered , then ●ake three or four drops of the stuffe , put it ●nto the palm of your hand , and close your other hand to it , and when it is cold chafe your hands together , and if it cl●ave it is enough ; then take it from the fire and strain ●t when it is cold , take away all the fat and ●etlings at the bottom . to colour it and season it . for red iellie . take a pint of your jellie stuffe , a quarter of a pint of pure white wine , half a pound of sugar , some cinnamon , nutmegs and cloves bruised ; then take a tornsel cloth or two , well dryed by the fire , and beaten with a stick from the dust ; put them into the jelly stuff , and set them to the fire till it be good and warm ; then wring the clothes well till you think it be coloured enough ; then put in six or eight whites of eggs well beaten , stir them well till it be boyled , then take it from the fire , and let it run thorow a jelly bag . for chrystal ielly . take the same quantity of your jelly stuffe as before , and sugar , but not so much spice because of the colour , so boyl i● with the whites of eggs , and let it run thorow a jelly bag . for amber colour ielly . take the same quantity of every thing as for the red jelly , only instead o● tornsel you must put in a little saffron . to make a calvesfoot pye. take your calves feet tenderly boyled , and ●plit them in the middle ; season them with whole pepper , salt , sugar and mace ; then put them into your pye with good store of butter and currans , and when it is baked , put in a caudle made with verjuyce , the yolks of eggs , butter and sugar . a made dish for fish-dayes . take time , sage , marjorum , of each a like quantity , chop them fine ; then take six or eight eggs beaten , and strain them into the herbs , stir them well together , and season them with salt , sugar , cinnamon and ginger , and some mace ; then put it into a platter with some butter , and set it over a pot-head of seething water close covered , till it be hard enough to slice ; then slice it , and lay it in a dish with some melted butter over it . to bake mutton like venison . make your paste course , and fashion it like a pye ; for venison parboyl your mutton in wine and vinegar , and let it lye in the same three or four houres ; before you parboyl it , thrust your knife often thorow that the liquor may soak through it , make it sharp with vinegar ; then take it out and lard it very thick , and cast pepper on every side of it ; season it with pepper and salt , and lard in the holes , and put good store of butter into the pye and bake it ; make a vent in the middle of the pye , and when it is baked fill up the pye with melted butter , and when you serve it in , stick some rosemary and bays in the vent hole , and eat it with mustard and sugar . to make a sallad of lemmons . take the thickest rinds and cut them in halfes , and take out all their meat ; then boyl the rinds in several waters till you can run a straw thorow them , then pick and scrape them clean and wash them in cold water ; then make a syrup with white wine vinegar , water and sugar , and when it is boyled and skim'd , put in your pills cut in some pretty fancies , boyl them till they are cleer , and so keep them . to make good pancakes . take a quart of fine flower , put thereto eight yolks of eggs and two whites , mix it with water and make it thin , then put in such spice as you think fit with a little salt ; then set over the fire some tryed suet in a posnet , and when it is seething hot put it into the frying pan , and pour it out clean again ; then pour in some batter as thin as you can and dry it on both sides , and then put to it so much suet as will cover it , and fry it . to make pancakes . take fair water lukewarm , make batter therewith with grated bread and a little flower and salt , to the quantity of every pancake , put one egg , then season it with spice and sugar , and fry them with butter . to make a haggis pudding . take your haggis or calves ginne clean scowred and watered , and parboyl it well ; then take out the kernels , and chop it fine ; season it with salt , sugar and beaten spice ; then put to it a little cream , and ten or twelve yolks of eggs , as much grated bread , a few minced dates and plumped currans , and so fill your skins , and boyl them carefully . to make isings . take your great oatmeal , and steep it in cream one night ; then season it with salt , cloves , mace and currans ; put in some suet , or some marrow , and a few sweet herbs , so fill you skins and boyl them . to make liver puddings . take hogs liver well boyled , and stamp it well in a mortar ; then put to it good store of suet minced fine , and the yolks of eggs ; season it with salt , pepper , cloves & mace , and a few currans , and fill the skins & boyl them . to make good sansages . take some pork , not too fat , mince it fine , then st●mp it in a mortar ; season it with pepper , salt , nutmegs , and a little s●ge ; then beat it well together , and when it is enough , keep it in gally pots as long as you please ; and when you would eat any of them , roul them in your hand like a sausage , and dip it in the yolk of eggs , and fry them in butter . to boyl a rabbet . take an old rabbet , and cut her off by the hind loines , and in the belly of her you must make a pudding with a sweet-bread or kidney of veal , sweet herbs , bread , suer , currans and spice , eggs and sugar ; boyl it in sweet broth of mutton or the like , with some chopped parsly● and salt , and whole spice ; when it is almost boyled , put in two handfuls of gooseberies , then thicken the broth with the pap of codlings , and put in some fresh butter , so serve it in with your dish finely garnished . to make a tart of cream . take a pint of cream and twelve egges , yolks and whites ; strain them with your cream , and season it with salt , sugar and spice , put to it a little sweet butter , and a little rosewater , set it over the fire and stir it that it do not burn till it be thick ; then let the whey run clean from it , then strain it from the thin , and fill your tart ; bake it but a little , then cast over it several sorts of sweet meats , and serve it to the table . to make a tart of cheescurds . take your curds and strain them with the yolks of eggs , rosewater and sugar and some spice ; put to it some sweet butter , and set it over a chaffing-dish of coals till it be hot , then fill your tart and bake it . to make fritters . take eight or ten eggs and half the whites , beat them well , then make a tender posset of ale and milk , and break the curd and the drink together ; then take the thickest of it for liquor to mingle your batter ; then take a little sack , nutmegs , cloves and ginger , a lit●le grated bread , flower and salt , and apples cut thin ; let your batter be very thick , or else it wil drink suet . to make excellent puddings . take a pint of sweet cream , half a handful of marjorum , as much penne-royal , as much of wintersavory , stamp these , and strain them into the cream ; then put in the yolks of eggs and grated bread , suet , cloves , mace , nutmeg and sugar , with some rose-water , and a little salt , so fill your skins and boyl them . to seeth a pickeril . take a fair pan , a little yest , and a good deal of white wine and fair water ; then slice two-onions very thin and put them to the broth ; then put in a little whole mace , a little salt and half a pound of butter , let them boyl together a good while , then wash your pike and put his tail in his mouth , and when he is boyled enough , garnish your dish and make sawce for him with some of the liquor● some fresh butter , and an auchovis or two . to boyl calves lights . boyl them fi●st in water ; then take parsly , onions and sweet herbs , and chop them small , & when the lights are boyled , put them into a little pot with the herbs and onions , with some of their own liquor , some butter and verjuyce , and spice , and salt , so let them boyl a little while , and serve them on sippets . to dress sheeps feet . when they are boyled and blanched , cleave them in sunder ; then take the yolks of eggs , with a little chopped parsly , and a little salt , and fry them with sweet butter : serve them in with vercuyce & butter . to pickle quinces . take as much small ale as will cover your quinces in the vessel ; then take some of your refuse quinces , and cut them small , core and all , put them into the liquor with some pears ; cut in pieces a good quantity of either , let these boyl till the one half be consumed ; then take it from the fire , and stain it , and let it stand all night ; then put your quinces into a vessel , either of wood or stone , just as they came from the tree , and to every score of quinces put in a quart of perry : be sure you have liquor enough to cover them , then cover them with the refuse quinces , and put something that will keep them down close in your vessel that no ayr get in . to make polonia sausages . take pork , and pick it clean from the bones and skin , let it not be too fat , mince it well , and beat it in a mortar very fine ; then weigh it , and to every pound of meat , take one ounce of salt ; then take pepper , cloves , mace , ginger , nutmegs and cinnamon , of each a like quantity , being mixed together , allow one spoonful of this to a pound of meat ; then take anniseeds carroway seeds , coriander seeds , of each a like quantity mixed together and beaten ; allow half a spoonful of the●e to one pound of meat ; first season your meat with the salt , kneading it in very well , and so let it lye one day and one night ; then put in your spices and knead them in very well with a little muscadine , kneading it morning and evening with a little more muscadine two dayes together ; your guts must now be ready , having before lyen in salt and water two dayes , then in sack and musk two dayes more , then fill your guts with the meat , and smoak them one night in the chimney ; then hang them where they may have the warmth of the fire , when they are dry take them down and keep them in a barrel of wood ashes sifted to keep them as long as you please ; if you would not have them dry , take them down and put them into so much oyle as will cover them ; after they have been smoaken a night or two ( they will keep in oyle seven years ) when you would eat of them , boyl them very well , and slice then thin and eat them cold . to sowce a pig. after it is scalded , chine it as you do a hog , then take the sides and dry them in a cloth , then bone it and lay it in water one day and one night , then take sweet herbs and chop them very small , and slice a nutmeg , with a race of ginger , mingle the spice and herbs well together with a little salt , then strew the fleshy sides with them , ●nd sprinkle some white wine vineger on them , then bind them up in collars , and tye them hard with pack thred , or rather tape ; then boile these collars in water and white wine vineger , and a good deal of falt ; do not boile the head and the claws so much as the collars ; when it is well boiled strain the liquor and boile in it whole mace , and put in a sl●ced lemmon ; when you take it off the fire , when it is cold , put in your pigg , and let it lye one week , then serve it in with mustard and suga● . to sowse an eele . take a very large eele and split it , then take out the bones , and strew it with sweet marjorum , time , rosemary , mace , and some nutmeg ; then rowle it up , and tye it hard , sew it up in a cloth , and boile it in water and ●ilt ; then make sowse drink for it with beer , water and salt . to season a calves head for a pye . vvhen you have boiled it pretty well , cut it very clean from the bones , season it with mace , nutmegg and salt , put six hard egges into the pye , and a little above half a pound of butter ; when it is almost baked , put in a cawdle made of verjuice , butter , the yolks of egges and sugar , then set it into the oven again . to pickle a goose. take a goose and powder her four daies , then take lard seasoned very well with nutmegg , salt and pepper , lard her with it very well ; then take two quarts of white wine , and a quart of white wine vineger , and as much water to make it up as will cover her ; then put in half a handfull of whole pepper , one handfull of sweet herbs , a handfull of cloves and mace , a handfull of bay-leaves , six great onions , six cloves of garlick ; boile her till she be tender , and let her lye in the liquor twelve or fourteen daies ; then garnish your dish with bay-leaves , and serve it in with mustard and sugar . to sowse a turkey . take the fattest turkey-cock you can get , pluck it dry , and split it down the ●ack bone , take out all the entrails and wash ●t clean , and sew up again , then take two quarts of wine , and as much water ; put into ●t large mace , cloves and a han●full of salt ; ●et these on the fire together , and when it ●egins to boil put in the turkey ; let it boile , and skim it well , then set it on a soft fire , and let it stew untill it be tender ; then put it into an earthen pan , and let it stand all night , then pour the clean liquor from the setlings into the pot wherein you mean to sowse it , and put to it two quarts of white wine , a pint of vineger● and a handfull of salt ; then put the turkey in , and cover it close ; let it lye twelve or fourteen dayes . to dress a neck of mutton the french way . take a large neck of mutton , boile it and skim it well , then take two handfulls of parsley , pick it , wash it and put it into a net , and boile it with the mutton with a little fresh butter and a little salt ; then take a pinte of oysters , and stew them in their own liquor with a little whole mace , and a little white wine vineger , then take half a pound of butter and set it on the coals , keep it beating till it be ready to boyle , then shred the parsley small , and half a lemmon cut small , four or five spoonfulls of white wine vineger , stir them all together , then put in your oysters ; garnish your dish with olives , capers , samphire and lemmon ; cover the dish with sippets , and lay your meat on them , then pour over your sawce . to make an apricock pudding . take a quart of sweet cream , and one manchet grated , the yolks of six egges , and three whites , season it with nutmeg , rose-water and sugar ; boile your cream fi●st with a little mace , then mingle all this together with some marrow ; and when it is ready to go into the oven , cut some preserved apricocks in quarters and put in . to hash a shoulder of mutton . vvhen your mutton is half roasted , cut some of it in bits and mince it ; then set it a stewing with the gravy , and some claret wine , nutmeg , capers , samphire and a little vineger , with some sliced onion ; when it is enough , put in some lemmon minced , rinde and all , then lay your mutton in● the dish , and pour the rest upon it . to make an almond tart . take half a pound of sweet almonds blanched , and beaten with rosewater , then boile a quart of cream ; and when it is cold , take the yolks of eight eggs well beaten and mix them with your cream and almonds , season it with rosewater , nutmeg and sugar , cinnamon , cloves and mace , then bake it in a dish with puff paste ; this , if you adde some grated bread , fruit and marrow , it is a very ●ine pudding . to make a make an hartichoke pye . take the bottoms of them tenderly boiled , season them with pepper ; nutmegg , cinnamon , salt and sugar ; having your pye ready raised , put in first some butter , then you● hartichoke bottoms , then whole mace● marrow , dates and cittron pill , then goo● store of butter again , with a little white wine or sack ; when it is baked put in a cawdle made with verjuice , butter , sugar , and the yolks of eggs . to stuff a shoulder of mutton with oysters . spit it , and cut it flaunting , and stuff it ful with oysters , baste it with claret wine an● onions ; and when it is roasted take all th● gravy that comes from it , and some oyster● two anchoves , capers , samphire and a lemmon cut small ; heat them together , an● when your mutton is enough , dish it an● pour the sawce over it . to make an oyster pye . take them out of their shells , wash them and strain their liquor ; lay first into your pye good store of butter , whole mace and pepper ; put your oysters to their liquor , season them with pepper and nutmeg , then put in hard eggs , whole mace and butter , wi●h a little salt , so close your pye and bake it ; when it is baked , put in some white wine , butter , vineger and sugar , with the yolks of egges . to make hypochrist of deal wine . take four gallons of d●al wine , two gallons of sack , nine pounds of powder sugar , twelve ounces of large cinnamon , none ounces of ginger , half an ounce of cloves , one ounce of coriander seeds , one ounce of nutmegg ; put● the wine and two parts of the sugar into a tubb , then put in the spice bruised ; let it stand close covered twenty four hour● , then put in the rest of the sugar and two wine quarts of milk , stirre them together and run them thorow an hypocrist bagg ; keep it in stone bottles close stopped , it will keep a month . to make a phrase of apples . take two pippins , pair them , and cut them in thin slices , then take three eggs , yolks , and whites , beat them very well , then put to it some nutmeg grated , some rose-water , currans and sugar , with some grated bread , as much as will make it as thick as batter , then fry your apples very well with sweet butrer , and pour it away ; then fry them in more butter till they are tender , then lay them in order in the pan , and pour all your batter on them ; and when it is fryed a lit●le turn it ; when it is enough dish it with the apples downward , strew sugar on it and serve it in . to make a p●dding to bake . take boiled cream , put in some grated bread , yolks of eggs , marrow , dates , blanched almonds beaten fine , salt , rosewater , ●ugar and spice , candied cittron pill , hard eggs , and iring● roots ; so bake it , and serve it in . to stew chickens . take two chickens , pull them and quarter them , wash them clean from their blood , season them with pepper , salt and parsley finely shred , then put them into a pipkin with no more water than will cover them ; when they are enough , put in a quarter of a pound of sweet butter , then take up your chickens , and put in ten eggs well beaten , stir it till it be thick , then pour it over your chickens , and serve them in . to boile a capon . take a fat capon , boile it with water and salt , some large mace , and a bundle of sweet herbs ; and when it is almost boiled put in some capers , then cut a manchet , bruise it , and scald it with some of the fatt which ariseth from the capon , then lay your capon on those sops , and lay the mace on it , and then good store of capers , butter and vineger . to stew a cows udder . take a cows udder very tenderly boiled and slice it in thin long slices , put them into a pipkin , with a lit●le thin mutton broth , a piece of sweet butter , and a little beaten ginger , a little sugar , and a few currans , with a little salt ; let it stew a while , and then serve it in , but first put in a little verjuice . to stew hartichokes wi●h cream . take the meat of the hartichokes tenderly boiled , and let them stew softly between two dishes , with cream , sack , sugar and grated nutmegg ; so let it stew till it be all alike ; then dish it and serve it to the table . to stew pippins with cream . take your pippins , pare them and core them ; if you would have them red , bake them first , or else put to them as much water as will cover them , and some cinnamon and cloves unbeaten ; turn them sometimes , and cover them close ; set them over the fire till they begin to be tender , then sweeten them with ●ugar ; and boile them when the sugar is in till they are clear , then put sweet cream to them , and let them stew together till you find they be enough ; thus you may do with baked pears . to fry toasts . take a manchet and cut off the crust , then cut it into thin round slices , soak them well in cream , then take three eggs well beaten ; and when your batter is hot in the frying pan dip your slices of bread in the egges and fry them ; when they are fryed a little pour the rest of the egges on them and turn them , and when they are fryed enough put some rose water , butter and sugar to them . to make hartichoke broth of chickens or veale . ta kt two chickens or a piece of veal , and when it hath boiled ●nd in is skimmed clean , then take as much of the broth , as you shall have occasion to use ; put into it a little whole mace , lertuce and spinage , and let it boile , then take the bottoms of three hartichokes tenderly boiled , and scrape all that is good from the leaves , mingle the scrapings with some of the broth , and put it to the rest and stir it about , b●at the yolks o● two or three egges , wiih some vineger or white wine , and some sugar , and then put it into ●hem , with your hartichokes bottoms to heat ; but before you put in the egges , take up your chickens , and dish them with some of the herbs upon them , and some pieces of the bo●toms , and let the rest swim by ; forget not ●o put in salt into the water you boile your meat in . to make a calves foot pudding . take two calves feet tenderly boiled and ●illed , mince them small , with the crum of two manchets , that it cannot be discerned what it is , then take half a pound of beef suet shred small , the yolkes and whites of egges , beat them well together ; then take one handfull of plumped currans , mix all these with a little salt and some grated nutmeg and sugar , and what other spice you please ; put it into the cawle of a veal , being first sewed up like a bagge , and as you put it in put in good store of marrow , then tye up in a napkin and throw it in boyling water , and let it boile two hours ; ●hen take it up and stick it with blanched almonds , and pour on it verjuice , bu●ter and sugar . to make little apple pasties to fry . take pared apples and cut them into small pieces to stew , stew ●hem to papp with claret wine and spice , then put in a good piece of sweet butter , cinnamon , ginger , rose-water , sugar and plumped currans ; then put them into the ●uff-paste and fry them , so serve them in with sugar . to sowse a pigge whole . take fair water , rhenish wine and salt , and when it boiles put in your pigge , with a branch of rosemary , some large mace , and a nutmeg grated and ginger sliced ; boile the pigge till it be tender ; then put in some verjuice and take it up , then slice a lemmon into it , rinde and all , and put in a few bay-leaves ; when the liquor is cold put in your pigge , and let it lye a fortnight , serve it in with mustard and sugar . to make a hedge-hogg pudding . take a two penny loafe with fair water , and a little milke , the yolkes of five egges , and three whites , one grated nutmegge and a little salt , some sugar and a little rose-water , then butter a wooden dish and put it in , tye it up close in a cloth that no water get in , put it into boiling water ; and when i● is boiled slip it out into a dish , and prick it full of blanched almonds cut in long slender pieces , and raisons of the sun cut in like manner ; pour on it rose-water , butter and sugar . to make white metheglin . take off sweetbryer , violets , sweet marjorum , large time , strawberry leaves , violet leave● , egrimony , of each one handfull ; burrage and buglosse , of each three leaves , four branches of rosemary , three or four red gilly flowers , ●nniseeds , coriander seeds , fennel seeds and c●rroway seeds , of e●ch half a spoonfull , some large mace ; boile all these in a gallon of water for the space of an hour , then strain it and let it stand till it be cold , ●●en put in as much honey as will make it ●●●ong enough to bear an egg , then boil it wel ; ●nd when it is almost cold , skim it well , and ●o ●o in the boiling ; then put in a little ale yest ●bout a pint , and beat it soundly with a stick , ●hen tun it up , and hang a little bag in the ●essel with nutmeg , cinnamon , ginger , cloves ●nd mace , and lemmon pill ; keep the bag ●own in the liquor ; when it hath been ●unn'd a while bottle it , and you will find it ●ery rare . to make balls of veal or ●utton . take a leg of mutton or fillet of veal , mince it small , with penyroial and pars●ey , then mingle it with a little grated ●read and currans , and two eggs well beaten ; ●eason them with cloves , mace , pepper and ●alt ; make them like tennis balls , and crush ●hem together with your hands ; boile them in a deep dish with some butter and mutton broth over a chafing dish of coals , and put in a few currans ; when they are enough serve ●hem in upon sippet● . to make a lamprey pye . take your lampreys , pull all the pith that runs along the back , and all the black , then wash them clean : season them with pepper and salt , make the crust of your pye very thick , and put good store of butter in the bottom ; then lay in your lampreys with some large mace , then more butter , and some white wine , so bake it very well , then fill up the pye with melted butter , and keep it to eat cold . to make rare bartlemas beef . take a fat brisket piece of beef and bone it , put it into so much water as will cover it , shifting it three times a day for three dayes together , then put it into as much white wine and vineger as will cover it ; and when it hath lyen twenty four hours take it out and drye it in a cloth , then take nutmeg , ginger , cinnamon , cloves and mace , of each a like quantity , beaten small and mingled with a good handfull of salt , strew both sides of the beef with this , and roul it up as you do brawn , tye it as close as you can ; then put it into an earthen pot , and cover it with some paste ; set it into the oven with houshold bread , and when it is cold , eat it with mustard and sugar . to stew fish. take of white wine and vinegar an equal quantity , grated bread , two or three anchoves , a few capers finely shred , and a little salt ; put all these together , having liquor enough to cover the fish , set them into a hot oven , covered with a dish , and when they are enough , put in some butter and serve them in ; if you put in no capers , then put in sweet marjorum , parsly and onions . to stew soals . take a pair of large soales , fley them , wash them , and dry them in a ●loth ; ●●ower them , and fry them with beef suet , ●●en lay them in a dish , and take some anchoves well washed in white wine ; open your soales , and put the anchoves into the middle of your soles ; then put in some white wine or claret , with a good piece of butter , set it upon coales , and when they have stewed a while , thicken the liquor with grated bread , and grate in a little nutmeg , and a little salt , and so serve them in . to make almond custard . take half a pint of cream , slice into it half a penny white loaf , let it be well steeped ; then take half a pound of almonds blanched and beaten with rosewater , eight yolks of eggs , four whites , beat them well and mix them together , put to them a quarter o● a pound of sugar , a quarter of a pound of butter , and bake it . to make scotch collops , either of beef , veal , or mutton . cut your meat very thin , ●hen beat it with a rowling pin till it be very tender ; then salt it a little , and fry it in a pan without any liquor , and when it is enough , take some butter and the gravy out of the pan● and a little vinegar , or the juyce of a lem●mon , and some anchoves , set it on the coales till the anchoves be dissolved ; ●hen put your meat into a dish , and pour the sawce over it . to make collored beef the best way . take a flank of beef , make brine for it with pump-water and bay-salt , strong enough to bea● an egg ; then split your beef in the middle , and it will make two collars : then take the skin off , and lay your beef in the brine with four pounds of suet , and let it lye all night ; then take two handfuls of sage chopped small ; one ounce of pepper , two ounces of cloves , two ounces of mace , six great nutmegs , beat your spice , and mix it with your sage , and a handful of taragon chopped small , and two handfuls of salt ; then strew these things upon your beef , and roul it up in collars , tye it hard , and put it in a pot : then shred your suet and lay on it , put in a pint of renish wine , and a pint of water , or better , set it into the oven wi●h houshold bread close pasted up , and let it stand all night , when you draw it , take it out of the pot , and turn it ; then tye your pot up close again , and let it stand till the next morning ; then hang it up in the chimney not too hot ; eat it with mustard and sugar . to make a lumber pye. take half a pound of veal , parboyl it , and shred it small with a pound of suet ; then grate a penny loaf , and take six egges , yolkes and whites , season your meat with beaten cinnamon , cloves and mace ; then take a handful of spinage , and a few sweet he●bs , chop them very well and put them to the meat , with a quarter of a pint of good verjuyce , and half a pound of currans , half a pound of loaf sugar ; work all these things together wit● your hands , and put in a little salt ; having your pye ready raised , take the marrow of two good bones , roul the marrow in the yolkes of egges : then take two ounces of suckets , as much of preserved orange-pill , as much of citron-pill , as much of iringo roots : fill your pye as hard as you can thrust it with the minced meat , and then your sweet meats , then your marrow , and a pound of butter , bake it , and serve it in with a caudle made with sack , rosewater , yolkes of egges , butter and sugar , pour it into the pye , and scrape on sugar . to make bisket pudding . take a pound of naples bisket sliced thin , and put it into a quart of boyled cream , let it stand to soak close covered ; then take pippins very small minced , and the marrow of two or three bones crumbled very small , a little beaten spice , rosewater , sugar , and a little salt with the yolkes of four eggs and two whites ; you may either boyl these in guts , or otherwise , or bake them . to fry oysters . take of your greatest oysters , washed well and dryed in a cloth , fry them with a little butter ; then take three or four yolks of eggs well beaten , and pour on them when they are in the pan , and fift a little flower over them ; when they are enough , ●erve them in with a little butter and white wine . to make egg pyes . take six hard eggs , pilled and chopped very small , with six pippings , and a pound of suet ; season it with beaten spice , sugar , currans , salt , rosewater and sack : so fill your pyes and bake them . to make barley broth . take a knuckle of veal , set it on the fire with four quarts of water , and a little salt ; when it boyls and is skim'd , put in a pound of french barley well washed , and a bundle of sweet herbs , and when they have boyled half an hour , put in as many raisons of the sun stoned , and as many currans as you think fit , and six sliced dates ; when they have boiled half an hour , put in some marrow in little pieces , and let them boyl softly till half be boyled away ; then beat the yolks of eggs about four or five , and fill up the porrenger with sack , beat them well together , and mingle them with some of the warm broth , and stir them in over the fire ; put in rose-water and sugar , and so serve it in . to make a rice pudding . boyl half a pound of rice over night in milk , the next morning put to it the crumbs of two m●nchets , a little cream , and a quarter of a pound of suet ; put in salt , spice , sugar and currans , and the yolks of eggs , boyl it , and serve it in with rosewater , butter and sugar . to make an oatmeal pudding . steep some oatmeal in milk all night , in the morning pour the milk from it ; then put in some cream , beaten spice , salt and currans , wi●h as many eggs as you think fit ; stir these together & boil them in a bag , made like a jelly bag , and so boyl it for four houres , then serve it in with melted butter . to make a green pudding . take a pint of boyled cream , and while it is hot , slice in the crumbs of two manchets , cover it close and let it scald ; then stir it well together , season it with salt and beaten spice , rosewater , sugar , and what eggs you please , some marrow , and some suet , with a little more cream ; them colour it with the juyce of spinage , and either boyl it or bake it ; then scrape on sugar and serve it in . to s●ew oysters . take three pints of oysters with their liquor , stew them with a blade of mace and a sprig of time ; when they are enough , take the liquor from them , and lay them before the fire to dry ; then take the yolks of eggs well beaten , put to them a piece of butter , some juyce of lemmon and sugar ; thicken it over the fire , and pour it over the oysters , and so serve them in . to stew a rump of beef . take a rump of beef , and when it is half boyled , put it into an earthen pot , put to it a quart of its own liquor , and a quart of claret wine , half a handful of capers , as much samphire , as much pickled cucumber sliced , two onions sliced , with some mace , nutmeg and salt ; cover it close and bake it , and serve it in with sippets . to make a good fresh cheese . take the whites of ten eggs , and beat them very well ; then take a pint of cream , set it on the fire , and stir your whites of eggs in it till it be thick ; then put it in a course cloth two or three houres , then open your cloth and sweeten it , and put in a little sack and rosewater ; then put it into a little cul●ender fit for that use , and thrust it hard with the back of a spoon ; when you serve it , slip it into a dish , and eat it with cream , wine and sugar . to make sawce for a cods head , or any o●her fresh fish . boyl your fish in salt and water , and a bundle of sweet herbs , and when it is boyled , take six or eight spoonfuls of the liquor , put to it half a pint of white wine & three anchoves , and two nutmegs sliced , set it on the fire and stew it ; then strain it thorow a hair sieve , and put in some sweet butter , and be●t it together , and pour it upon your fish. to fry a coast of lamb. parboyl it , and take it clean from the bones ; then take the yolkes of five or six eggs beaten , and a little sweet marjorum and parsly chopped small ; beat them with your eggs , and cut the lamb in little pieces , wrap it in the eggs , and fry it with water and salt , make sawce for it with white wine , butter and sugar . to make sawce for snipes , or for any small birds . take claret wine , salt , and the gravy of any kind of meat , the crumbs of bread , and some sage leaves or bay-leavs , boyl them together ; then cruse the juyce of a lemmon , take out the leav●s , and put in some butter . to m●ke a carp pye. take a great carp and scale it , gut it and wash it very clean , season it with spice and salt ; then put butter into your pye , then the carp , then some whole spice , and some sweet herbs with some capers , then some more butter , so close it and bake it . to stew a line of mutton . bone it , and slice it , then stew it with as much white wine as will cover it ; then put in salt , and store of sives shred small , with some grated nutmegs ; when it is well stewed , put in verjuyce , butter and sugar . to stew a calves head . boyl it in white wine , water and salt , and when it is tender , cut the one half of the head into little pieces ; then cut some oysters and mingle them together with a blade of mace , and a little pepper and salt , and a little liquor of the oysters ; put in two or three anchoves , put the other half head to them whole ; when it is enough , thicken the sawce with yolkes of eggs , and serve it in . to make a fricasie of chickens , or any meat else . cut your meat in little pieces , and put it in a frying pan with water and a little salt , and when it is almost stewed enough , put in some oysters with their liquor ; put in sweet herbs , nu●meg , and a little orange-pill , and when you think it is enough , take up the meat , and put some butter into the sawce ; then thicke● it with the yolkes of egges over the fire , and pour over it . to dry neats tongues . let them lye in brine made with salt-peter and salt one week ; then make new b●ine , and let them lye a for●night in that ; then hang them in th● chimney . to stew carpes . take four carpes , wash them clean , lay them in a dish , open their bellies , and take out their guts , a●d let the blood run into the dish ; then put to them a quart of claret wine , a●d slash the carpes over in several places with your knife ; then put in some pickled mushrooms , & somes anchoves washed , half an ounce of mace , half an ounce of nutmegs , some sweet herbs , and some parsly ; when they have stewed a while , put in three pints of oysters with their liquor , two cloves of garlick and a little salt , with some capers , let them stew upon a charcoal fire softly for three houres or more ; then put in some sweet butter , and shake it well together ; then garnish your dish with barberies and oysters , capers , lemmon , and such like , and serve it in . to make a larke pye. take the kidney of a roasted loin of veal , shred it ; then take two eggs , one nutmeg grated , a little beaten cinnamon , grated bread , rosewater and sugar , with a few currans , and a little salt , warm this together over a chaffing dish and coals ; then take your larks clean dressed , and fill their bellies with this , and of the ●emainder make round balls , then put butter first into your pye , and then your larks and balls , preserved barberies , dates , marrow and sugar ; when it is baked , hut in a caudle made with white wine , yolks of eggs , butter and sugar . to boyl a breast of veal . boyl it with water and salt , and a bundle of sweet herbs till it be tender ; then take some of the broth , and thicken it with hard eggs ; then dish your veal , then put in verjuyce , butter and capers into your sawce , & thicken it with the yolks of raw eggs beaten , and pour it over your meat , being layd upon sippets . to stew pigeons . stew them in white wine and water ; put in whole mace , whole pepper and salt , with some artichoke bottoms tenderly boyled ; when they are enough , put in some butter and serve them in . to fry puffes . take half a pint of flower , a little cream , and one egg , a little good butter , and a little nutmeg ; knead it into a paste , and roul it as thin as a pye-lid ; cut them into what form you please , and fry them in lard or beef suet ; serve them in with beaten cinnamon and sugar . to make a hash of veal . take half a leg of veal and slice it thin , then with the back of a knife hash it well on both sides ; then take sweet herbs chopped very small , and six eggs , yolkes and whites beaten very well , put them into the dish with the meat and herbs , with a little water and salt according to your taste ; beat them throughly with your hands , and put them into the frying pan ; then half fry it with sweet butter , and put it betwixt two dishes with more butter and vinegar , turn it now and then , and let it not stew too fast . to roast a shoulder of mutton . take a shoulder of mutton and cut off both the flaps , that it may look like a shoulder of veal ; then take pa●sly and onions with a little samphire shred small , and stuffe the shoulder of mutton well with it , and into every place where you stuffe it , pour in with a little spoon some liquor of the samphire ; then lay it to the fire , and set under a dish with claret wine and butter , bas●e it with that ; then take some other claret wine , and put into it a sliced onion , boyl them together , and when your meat is enough , put it into the dish to the wine and onions ; then put in the juyce of a lemmon , and serve it in . to make morning milk cheese . take morning milk and some stroakings while it is warm ; then take two quarts of fair water made somewhat hot , or rather seething hot , put it to your milk ; then take a good handful of marigold flowers , stamp them in a wooden dish , with the yolkes of four or five new layd eggs , then strain them into your milk , and put runnet to it , and when it is come , break it , and whey it , and put it in a cheese moat . to make a hasty pudding that will butter it self . take a quart of cream and boyl it with grated bread , and as many plumped currans as you shall think fit , with some spice and a little salt ; when you perceive it to be enough , put in the yolkes of four egges well beaten , and a litte rosewater and sugar● then let it boyl a very little , and turn it out into a dish , and serve it in . to roast a calves head whole . take a calves head , and make as little a hole in it as you can to take out the brains ; then lay the head in water one night , then dry it with a cloth , and fill it with a pudding , then roast it and baste it well with butter and a little salt ; when it is almost roasted , strew it with grated bread ; when it is quite roasted , pour over it vinegar , cinnamon , butter and sugar , but first cleave it in sunder . to boyl a salmon , or part of one . boyl it with water and salt and a bundle of sweet herbs ; to a tayl of salmon take a quart of oysters , and stew them in their own liquor with a blade of mace , and two or three anchoves , and a few corns of pepper ; when your salmon is enough , dish it , then take your oysters and some shrimps boyled , and the shells taken off , with some butter and liquor of the oysters ; beat them together with a spoon till it be thick , then pour it over your salmon and serve it in : garnish your dish with cru●ts of manchet grated , and slices of lemmon . to make white broth with capons . truss your capons and boyl them with fair water , then put to it in three pints of that liquor , and put to it a quart of sack , and as much white wine : slice in two ounces of dates , put in whole mace , cloves , cinnamon and sliced nutmegs , boyl this in a pipkin till the dates begin to be tender ; then put in the marrow of two bones , and let it boyl softly ; when your capons are ready , break twenty eggs , and take the yolks only , beat them well , and strain them with a little cold broth ; then mix them with some of the hot broth , then put into your broth raisons stoned , and currans ; when it is boyled enough , put in your eggs and a little cream , and some rosewater and sugar . to make sawce for any fowl. take the gravy of any meat , wine , anchoves , onion , butter , and sliced nutmegs . to sowce a calves head . boyl it in as much water and salt as will cover it with a bundle of sweet herbs , white wine and white wine vinegar , sliced ginger , whole mace and lemmon sliced , boyl it till it be tender , then keep it in the sowce drink for about a week ; when you serve it in , set it upright in a dish , and stick a branch of rosemary in the mouth and in the eyes ; garnish with jelly and pickled cucumbers , saucers of vinegar with jelly and lemmon mixed with it . to make cheese loaves . take the tender curds of new milk cheese , press them very well from the whey , break them as small as you can possible ; then take the crumbs of a cheat loaf , and as much curd as bread , the yolks of eight eggs and four whites beaten ; mingle them with some thick cream , make them up with a little flower into little loaves , and bake them upon buttered plates ; then cut them open at the top , and put in rosewater , butter and sugar , with some nutmegs grated , and stir the crumbs of them together . to roast a hare in the skin . take a hare , assoon as you have killed he● , paunch her and wash her clean ; then fill the belly full of butter , and ●ew it up close ; then split it and roast it , and when you think it is almost enough , pull off the skin and baste it , and dredge it , and make venison sawce for it , it will eat very moist . to make french bread. take a peck of flower , and a good pint of ale yest ; strain the yest into some warm water , knead your past very light , put in but a very little salt , and knead it a great while longer then any other bread ; then lay it to rise in a warm cloth before the fire , ●hen having your oven very hot , make it into three loaves , wash them over wi●h the yolks of eggs and beer , and let them bake four houres ; if you would have your bread very excellent , you must add to this quan●ity the yolke● of twenty egges , and a little milk , and a little sack. to make a spinage or let●ice tart. take spinage or cabbage lettice , boyl them in water and salt till ●hey be very tender , then put them into a cullender to drein the water from them ●ill they be very dry ; then lay in the bottom of your tart thin slices of butter , then stoned prunes , then beaten cinnamon and sugar , then your herbs , then more spice and sugar , then more prunes and butter , and so close it . to pickle oysters . take your great oysters , and save the liquor that comes from ●hem , strain it i●to an earthen pipkin , put to it some white wine and white wine vinegar , whole pepper , whole mace , sliced ginger , cloves and bay-leaves with a little salt● when it hath boyled a little put in your oysters● and let ●hem boyl two or three walmes ; then take them up and boyl your liquor a little longer , and when it is cold put in your oysters and barrel them up , or keep them in gally pots close stopped . to m●ke a potato pye. scald them well and pill them ; then put butter into your pye , then whole mace , then potatoes with marrow , cinnamon , mace and sugar , then butter , so close it , and bake it , and when it is baked , put in some white wine , butter and sugar , with the yolks of eggs. to make a neats-tongue pye , to be eaten hot . take fresh neats tongues , boyl them in water & salt till they be very tender● then case them , and when they are cold , cut them in thin slices ; ●hen put butter into your pye , then your neats tongue , then a little pepper , whole mace , raisons of ●he sun and sugar , with some salt , then but●er again , so close it and bake it ; and when you serve it in , put in white wine , butter and sug●r , and the yolks of eggs. t● roast pork without the skin . take any small joynt of pork , and lay it ●o roast till it will pill ; then pill it and stick it with rosemary ●nd cloves , ●hen baste it with butter and salt , make sawce for it with bread , water , claret wine , beaten cinnamon boyled together ; then put in but●er , vinegar and sugar . to make pig eat like lamb. take a fat pig , fley it , and cut it in quarters , and tr●ss it like lamb ; then draw it with parsly and roast it , baste it with butter and salt , and when it is enough flowre it , and make sawce for it wi●h butter , juyce of orange and pepper . to make cabbag● cream . take twenty five quarts of new milk , set it on the fire ●ill it be ready to boyl , and stir it all the while that it cream not ; then pour it into twenty several platters as fast as you can , and when it is cold take off the cream with a scimmer and lay it on a pye-plate in the fashion of a cabbage ●●umpled one upon another ; do ●his three times , and between every laire , lay on with a fea●her rosewater and sugar made very ●h●●k . you may take cream boyled with spice and stir'd all th● while ; then seasoned with rosewater and strained almonds , and stir it till it be cold ; then take toasts of manchets cut thin , not too hard , nor too brow● , lay them in the bottom of the dish , and lay ●he cream upon ●hem ; this is very good of it self ; but if you please you may add your cabbage cream to it ; cover i● , and so serve them in both together ; if you please you may colour some of the cream , either with red sanders , tornsel , saffron or spinage , and that will make it look very like a cabbage . to make a tri●te . take sweet cream , season it wi●h rose-water and sugar , and a little mace , boyl it a little ; then let it stand till i● be luke-warm ; then put it into such littl●●ishes or ●owls as you mean to serve it in ; then put in a little runnet and stir it together ; when you serve it in , cast on what comfits you please . to make thick cream . take sweet cream , a little flower finely searsed , large mace and a stick of cinnamon , rosewater and sugar , let these boyl together till it be somewhat thick , then put to it thick cream and the yolks of eggs beaten , and let it seeth a very little time for fear of turning ; then pour it out , and serve it in cold . to make creames of paste or iellies . boyl your cream and put eggs into it , as for a fool , then slice the sweet meats very ●hin , and boyl them ; then sweeten i● , and put it into a dish . to make cakes without plumbs . take four pound of fine flower , rub it into one pound of sweet butter very well ; ●hen wi●h warm cream and ale yest temper it into a p●ste , put in a little rosewater and several spices beaten ; let it lye by the fire ●ill the oven heat , and when you make it up , knead into it half a pound of c●rraway comfits , th●ee quarters of a pound of bisket comfits ; make it up as fast as you can , not thick nor cut it too deep ; put it in a hoop wel buttered , and wash it over with the white o● an egg , rosewater , sugar ; then strew it wi●h some comfits . a sack posset without milk. take thirteen eggs , and while they are beating , take a quart of s●ck , half a pound of fine sugar , a pint of strong beer , let them boyl together a while ; then take it off and put in the eggs , stirring them very well ; then put it into a b●son , and cover it close with a dish ; then set it over a very soft fire till you see it arise wi●h a curd : then serve it in with beaten spice . to pr●serve goosebe●ries , green and whole . pick them clean , and put them into water as warm as milk , so let them stand close covered half an hour● then put them into another warm water , and let them stand as long ; so do three times , then take their weight in fine sugar and make a syrup , ●hen put them in and let them boyl sof●ly one hour ; then set them by till the next day , so do twice , then take them out of that syrup , and make new syrup , and keep them in it all the year . to make a codling tart. scald them well & pill them , then rub them through a strainer , and put them into a dish with some rosewater and sugar , and some whole cinnamon , so let it stand over a chaffing dish and coals a good while close covered , stirring it now and then ; then take out the cinnamon , and fill your tart and bake it but a little , and when it is enough , pour in a custard , and let it stand a while in the oven . to make a sillibub . take a lemmon pared & sliced very thin , cover the bottom of your sillibub pot with it ; then strew it thick with fine sugar , then take sack or whi●e wine , and make a curd with some milk or cream , and lay it on the lemmon with a spoon , then cover it up to the top of the pot with some cream and whites of eggs whipped to a froth , and between every lay of curd you must put sugar . to make a lemmon sillibub . take a pint of new milk , and half a pint of cream● stir them together with a li●tle rosewater and sugar ; then squeeze into it the juyce of two lemmons , stir it very well together , and so let it stand an hour , ●nd ●hen eat it . to preserve lemmons to look white . take the palest lemmons you can get , and chip them very thin ; then put them in●o a linnen cloth , and boyl them two houres in fair water , shifting the water sometimes , ●hen cut them & t●ke out the meat ; then put them in●o another water , and let them boyl about half an hour without a cloth til you find ●hey are very tender ; then take their weight and h●lf in sugar , and to a pound of sugar a pint of water , make a syrup thereof ; then lay the lemmons into a pot , and when the syrup is no hotter then milk from a cow , put it over them , and let them stand a week ; ●hen pour the syrup from ●hem and boyl it ●gain , and put it to them as before , and let ●them sta●d another week ; then boyl it again and put it to them ; so do three or four times till you think they are throughly done , but never boil the lemmons in the syrup , for that spoiles the colour . to make a whipt sillubub . take a pint of cream , put to it half a pint of sack , and the whites of four egg● and some suga●● beat it to a froth with a birchin rod , and as the froth ariseth , take it off and put it into your sillubub pot till you have filled it above the brim . to make lemmon cream . take a quart of cream , keep it stirring on the fire till it be blood warm ; then take the meat of three lemmons sweetened well with sugar , and a little orange flower water , sweeten them so well that they may not turn the cream ; then stir them into the cream over the fire , with the yolkes of six eggs ; be sure to keep it stirring , and assoon as you see it be thick , take it off , and pour it into a dish , and serve it in cold . to make several pretty fancies . take sweet amonds blanched and beaten with rosewater ; mix them with fine sugar , the whites of eggs , and gum dragon steeped in rosewater , and so make them into what shape you please , and bake them . to ●ake musk sugar . take four graines of musk , bruise it , and tye it up in a piece of fine lawn , lay it in ●●e bottom of a gally pot ; then fill your pot with beaten sugar , and cover it close , and in a few days it will both taste and smell of musk ; when you have spent that sugar , lay on more , and s● do as long as you finde any vertue . to make sugar-plate of the colour and taste of any flower . beat your flowers very well in a mortar with a little fair water , or orange flower water ; then add some sugar to them , as much as you think fit , and beat them well together ; then make it up with gum dragon steeped , into what shape you please . to make french bisket . take a peck of fine flower , two ounces of coriander seeds , one ounce of aniseeds , the whites of four eggs , half a pint of ale yest , and as much water as will make it up into a stiffe paste , your water must be but blood warm ; then make it up in a long grea● rowl and bake it , and when it is a day old pare it , and slice it overthwart , then ice it over with fine powder sugar and rosewater , and the white of an egg , and put it into the oven a while ; then take it out , and keep it in boxes all the year . to make fine gingerbread . take three stale manchets , grate them , dry them , and beat them ; then sif● them thorow a fine sieve ; then put to them one ounce of ginger beaten and searced fine , as much cinnamon , half an ounce of aniseeds , and half an ounce of liquorice , half a pound of sugar ; boyll all these together with a quart of claret wine till it come to a stiffe paste ; then mould it on a table with a little flower , and roul it very thin , and print it in moulds ; dust your moulds with some of your powdered spices . to candy any spices with a rock candy . take a pound of fine sugar , eight spoonfuls of rosewater , and a six penny weight of gum arabick ; boyl them together to a candy height ; then put it into an earthen pipkin ; then put in your spices , having first been steeped in wine or rosewater one night , and dryed in a cloth ; then cover it with a sawcer , and lute it with clay that no ayr may enter ; then keep it in a hot place for three weeks , and it will candy hard . you must break your pot with a hammar , or else you cannot get them . thus you may candy oranges and lemmons that are preserved , or any other fruit. to candy oranges or lemmons after they are preserved . take them out of the syrrop and drain them well , then boile some sugar to a candy height , and lay your pills in the bottom of a five , and pour your hot sugar over them ; then dry them in a stove or warme oven . to p●eserve oranges after the portugal fashion . open them at one end and take out all the meat , then boile them in several waters till a straw may go thorow them ; then take their weight and half of fine sugar , and to every pound of sugar a pin●e of water , boile it and skim it , then put in your oranges and boile them a little ; then set them by till the next day , then boile them a little more ; then take them up , and fill them with preserved pippins , and boile them again till you think they are enough ; and if you will have them jelly , you must make a new syrrop with the water wherein some sliced pippins have been boiled , and some ●●ne sugar , and that will be a stiff jelly . to make wafers . take a pinte of flower , a little cream , the yolks of two eggs , a little rosewater , with some searced cinnamon and sugar , work them together , and bake them thin upon hot irons . to make a good sort of vsquebath . take two gallons of good aqua vitae , four ounces of the best liquorice bruised , four ounces of aniseeds bruised , put them into a wooden , glass or stone vessel , and cover them close , so let them stand a week , then draw off the clearest and sweeten it with malassoes , then keep it in another vessel , and put in some dates and raisons stoned ; be sure to keep it very close from the aire . to make the brown metheglin . take strong ale-wort , and put as much honey to it as will make it strong enough to bea● an egge , boile them very well together , then set it a cooling● and when it is almost cold put in some ale yest , then put it into a strong vessel ; and when it hath done working , put a bagge of spice into the vessel , and some lemmon pill , and stop it up close , and in a few daies it will be fit to drink ; but the longer you keep it● the better . to dry cherries . take six pounds of cherries , stone them , and take a pound of sugar and wet it with the juice of the cherries and boile it a little ; then put in your cherries , and boile them till they are clear ; then let them lye in the syrrop a week , then drain them from the syrrop ; then lay them on thin boards or sheets of glass to dry in a stove , turn them twice a day ; then when they are dry , wash off the clamminess with warm water , and dry them a little longer . to make good cherry wine . take the syrrop of these cherries , and when it hath stood a while , bottle it up , and tye down the corks , and in short time it will be very good pleasant wine . to make a very fine custard . take a quart of cream , boile it with whole spice , then beat the yolks of ten egges , and five whites , mingle them with a little cream ; and when your cream is almost cold put your egges into it , and stir them very well , then sweeten it ; and take out your custard into a deep dish and bake it ; then serve it in with french comfits strewed on it . ladies , i hope you will say i am better than my word ; for here are two hundred very good receipts added to what was befo●e ; i pray practice them carefully , and then censure or esteem your friend and servant , hannah wolley . finis . the twelve moneths, or, a pleasant and profitable discourse of every action, whether of labour or recreation, proper to each particular moneth branched into directions relating to husbandry, as plowing, sowing, gardening, planting, transplanting ... as also, of recreations as hunting, hawking, fishing, fowling, coursing, cockfighting : to which likewise is added a necessary advice touching physick ... : lastly, every moneth is shut up with an epigrame : with the fairs of every month / by m. stevenson. stevenson, matthew, d. . approx. kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from -bit group-iv tiff page images. text creation partnership, ann arbor, mi ; oxford (uk) : - (eebo-tcp phase ). a wing s estc r ocm this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons . universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase , no. a ) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set ) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, - ; : ) the twelve moneths, or, a pleasant and profitable discourse of every action, whether of labour or recreation, proper to each particular moneth branched into directions relating to husbandry, as plowing, sowing, gardening, planting, transplanting ... as also, of recreations as hunting, hawking, fishing, fowling, coursing, cockfighting : to which likewise is added a necessary advice touching physick ... : lastly, every moneth is shut up with an epigrame : with the fairs of every month / by m. stevenson. stevenson, matthew, d. . [ ], p. : ill. printed by m.s. for thomas jenner, london : . reproduction of original in the huntington library. created by converting tcp files to tei p using tcp tei.xsl, tei @ oxford. re-processed by university of nebraska-lincoln and northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. gap elements of known extent have been transformed into placeholder characters or elements to simplify the filling in of gaps by user contributors. eebo-tcp is a partnership between the universities of michigan and oxford and the publisher proquest to create accurately transcribed and encoded texts based on the image sets published by proquest via their early english books online (eebo) database (http://eebo.chadwyck.com). the general aim of eebo-tcp is to encode one copy (usually the first edition) of every monographic english-language title published between and available in eebo. eebo-tcp aimed to produce large quantities of textual data within the usual project restraints of time and funding, and therefore chose to create diplomatic transcriptions (as opposed to critical editions) with light-touch, mainly structural encoding based on the text encoding initiative (http://www.tei-c.org). the eebo-tcp project was divided into two phases. the , texts created during phase of the project have been released into the public domain as of january . anyone can now take and use these texts for their own purposes, but we respectfully request that due credit and attribution is given to their original source. users should be aware of the process of creating the tcp texts, and therefore of any assumptions that can be made about the data. text selection was based on the new cambridge bibliography of english literature (ncbel). if an author (or for an anonymous work, the title) appears in ncbel, then their works are eligible for inclusion. selection was intended to range over a wide variety of subject areas, to reflect the true nature of the print record of the period. in general, first editions of a works in english were prioritized, although there are a number of works in other languages, notably latin and welsh, included and sometimes a second or later edition of a work was chosen if there was a compelling reason to do so. image sets were sent to external keying companies for transcription and basic encoding. quality assurance was then carried out by editorial teams in oxford and michigan. % (or pages, whichever is the greater) of each text was proofread for accuracy and those which did not meet qa standards were returned to the keyers to be redone. after proofreading, the encoding was enhanced and/or corrected and characters marked as illegible were corrected where possible up to a limit of instances per text. any remaining illegibles were encoded as <gap>s. understanding these processes should make clear that, while the overall quality of tcp data is very good, some errors will remain and some readable characters will be marked as illegible. users should bear in mind that in all likelihood such instances will never have been looked at by a tcp editor. the texts were encoded and linked to page images in accordance with level of the tei in libraries guidelines. copies of the texts have been issued variously as sgml (tcp schema; ascii text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable xml (tcp schema; characters represented either as utf- unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless xml (tei p , characters represented either as utf- unicode or tei g elements). keying and markup guidelines are available at the text creation partnership web site . eng home economics. months. - tcp assigned for keying and markup - spi global keyed and coded from proquest page images - emma (leeson) huber sampled and proofread - emma (leeson) huber text and markup reviewed and edited - pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion the tvvelve moneths or , a pleasant and profitable discourse of every action , whether of labour or recreation , proper to each particular moneth , branched into directions relating to husbandry , as plowing , sowing , gardening , planting , transplanting , plashing of fences , felling of timber , ordering of cattle and bees , & of malt , &c. as also of recreations , as hunting , hawking , fishing , fowling , coursing , cockfighting . to which likewise is added a necessary advice touching physick , when it may , and when not be taken . lastly , every moneth is shut up with an epigrame . with the fairs of every month. by m. stevenson . humida solstitia , atque hiemes orate serenas . virg. london , printed by m. s. for thomas ienner , and are to be sold at his shop , at the south entrance of the royal exchange , . iohn earl of bute &c. to the reader . gentle reader . i have in this slender tractate endeavoured thy satisfaction , be thy condition what it will , gentle , or simple , citizen or country-man ; sure i am there is something in it will please most men , and nothing can please all , pro captu lectoris habent sua fata libelli , and hereunto it is a book never out of season , and ( if my hopes flatter me not with a tympany , for a pregnant womb ) it will take with the most , especially the iudicious , for such are the contents , & prodesse volunt , & delectare . for matters of husbandry , huswifery , fishing , fowling , and the like exercises , i confesse them somewhat out of my ro●●l , but i assure you to pleasure you and satisfie my self , i have consulted the most approved authors , and given you here the creame and marrow of their severall experiences in their own expresse characters ; nil dictum , quod non dictum prius . as for the fairs , if they make our labour look like an almanack we have brought our hogs to a fair market : yet this must be our defence , though we write of the months , we have nothing to doe with the dayes , except in the fairs , which ( for ought i know ) may sell a book . thus courteous reader , wishing thee as much pleasure and profit in reading these papers , as i had in writing them , i take my leave . your friend , m. stevenson . ianuarius dayes january . it is now ianuary , and winged time ( the measure of motion ) begins to turne the wheele of his revolution . the smiling fields and youthfull meadows have lost their particoloured liveries ; the woods have parted with their beautious verdour , and the amorous trees that but the other day with out-stretcht armes embraced each other , stand now at a distance . in a word , the white hath routed the greene regiment , root and branch . the squirrel now ( that hector that covers her back with her tayle ) survayes the nut and the maple all day , and at night goes to bed in her kell , whilst the proud oake stoops to the axe ; and the hedge-hog rowles up himself like a foot-ball , and with his naturall fortification stands on his own guard . the black-bird finds thin shelter in the bush , and therefore leaves not a berry on the thorne . the fisherman hath now but a cold trade , and the frost-nipt centinel keeps a hard watch , when he dares not for his ears stir off though he be ready to eat his fingers end . the cook-room now is not the worst place in the ship : and the shepheard hath a bleak seat on the mountaines . the dryed grasse is the horses ordinary , and the meale of oats and beanes makes him trot through the mire . the garden earth is turned up for her roots . the load-horse hath his full back burthen to the mill , and the wench should not ride on it were she not light . the thresher in the barne tryes the strength of his flaile , and counts it better employment then washing of sheep . to conclude ; the hills and the valleys , and the flowery meads doe pennance in a sheet of snow for their luxury and pride in the spring ; whilst the hard hearted frost locks up the wormes , and the pismires , and the blind velveteers in the earth . hitherto i have showne you in part what ianuary is , which indeed is rather felt then understood . i now come to advise you , and in the first place , have a care of bleeding , except in case of b●uises by falls or otherwise , there your physitian will advise you to it to prevent accidents that doe commonl● attend such maladies : or else in violent haemorrages , or bleeding at nose , for revulsion sake ; but truly as to feavors or plurysies they have their speedier , safer , and more proper cures without phlebotomy . i therefore give thee the same advice i meane to practise my self ; that is , now and then in snow and frosty weather , to thaw your congealed veyns , and cherish it with a glasse or two of rich and rasie wines , which are chiefly chosen by these five f's , fortia , formosa , fragrantia , frigida , frisca . neither would i have you too busie with physick without great occasion constraine , for mens bodyes are bound up as the earth in frosty weather , and therefore not without extream danger are purging medicines exhibited to open the pores of the body for cold and pernicious aire to enter . be sure you have a care of taking the least cold head or foot , for this month rheumes and flegme doe extraordinarily encrease . to fast long is exceeding hurtfull , it fills the stomack and intestines with wind , and renders thee subject to collicks , convulsions , and illiack passions . but to drink a draught of ale and wormewood wine mixt in a morning , comforts the heart , scowers the maw , and purges the ureters , and is good against gravell or stone . let your diet be such as is naturally of a moderate heat , and you may eat a more liberall meale now then in summer , for the heat of the stomack is more intense , and vigorous to concoct what it requires or receives , then it will be when the sun with his nearer neighbourhood calls forth that now self-centered heat to the extimous and cutaneous parts of the body . as to apparell , i hold it a needlesse thing to prescribe , for i presume frost and snow will convince thee that a freez jacket , will doe ye more service then a taffita doublet . for the country man if he live in stiffe simple clayes , let him in this month in the first place , plow up his pease earth , that it may lye and take baite before it be sowne : but if he live in fertile and well mixt soyles , then in this month he shall begin to fallow the field he will lay to rest the next yeare ; but if he live upon hard barren earths ( of which chiefly i write ) then in this month he shall water his meadows and pasture grounds , and drain his arable grounds , especially where he intends to sow pease , oats , or barley the seed time following : also he shall stub up all such rough grounds as he intends to sow the next year . now measure and trim up your garden mould , and comfort with manure , sand , or lime the roots of all barren fruit trees , and cleanse away mosse and superfluous branches from them . you may plant , or transplant all manner of fruit-trees , as apples , peares , plums , cherries , filbert , walnut . the fittest time of setting all manner of plants or quicksets ( the weather open and the ground easie ) is from the change to the first quarter . you may now geld such cattle as ye intend ( the state of the moon alwayes considered ) and such as are sick or weak ye may drench , kine with verjuice and london-triacle , and horses with your common mashes of water , and ground malt , and a little bran. the time is good to reare calves , and remove bees . now for the recreations of this month , they are within , or without doores , within , as it relates to christmasse ; it shares the chearfull carrolls of the wassell cup , beasts , fowls , and fish come to a generall execution , and hecatombs are sacrificed to cold weather , and cards and dice purge many a purse , and the ventrous youth shew their agility in shooing the wild-mare . the lord of misrule is no meane man for his time ; a good fire heats all the house , and a full alms-basket sets the beggar to his prayers , masking , and mumming , and choosing king and queen , the meeting of the friendly , and the mirth of the honest . for out door recreations . now does the early hunts-man prevent the sun-rise , and watches the stag to his leire , ( which this month he expects in the corne fields of wheat and rye ) and having lodg'd him , home he comes for his horne and his deep mouth'd quire ; now are the pampered pransers trampling the plaines as greedy of sport as their masters . now are the finders cast off , and after a ring or two about , in goe the full mouth'd chorus , and now the hunts-man comforts the hounds with his horn , and the sight of the stagg . now the horses try their heels , and the riders their throats , whilst the empty woods eccho the thunder with a double resound : the horses sweat , the hunts-man frets , and the stag is imbost , the next and last refuge is a sett , or a soyle , then comes the death of the deere , and the talbot supples his tongue , and his master his hands with the reeking blood . now the woodcock and the pheasant pay their lives for their feed , and the hare after a course makes his hearse in a pye. the oxe and the fat weather now furnish the market ; and the poor coney is so ferrited that she cannot keep in her burrough ; the curryer , and the lime-rod are the death of the fowle , and a long peece , and a good water spaniel are no bad company . the faulcons bells ring the mallards knell , and the hare and the hound put the huntsman to the horne . the barren doe subscribes to the dish , and the smallest seed makes sawce for the greatest flesh , but the shoulder of an hog is a shooing horne for good drink . the maid is stirring betimes , and slipping on her shooes and her petticoat , groaps for the tinder box , where after a conflict between the steele and the stone she begets a spark , at last the candle lights on his march ; then upon an old rotten foundation of broaken boards she erects an artificiall fabrick of the black bowels of new-castle soyle , to which she sets fire with as much confidence as the romans to their funerall pyles ; the comfortable light whereof is the good fellows cynosure , and becomes more magnetick then the loadstone ; for there he stayes till like the fly he scorches himself in the flame , which like that strange lightning melts the blade in the scabberd , i mean the plate in his pocket , whilst he is making his offering to ceres and bacchus . to conclude , this month is the rich mans charge , and the poor mans misery . the names of the principall fairs in england , and wales , observed in the month of ianuary . the day at llanibither : the at hicketford in lancashire : the being twelf day at salisbury , at bristow : the day at llanginny : the . day at bristol , at churchingford , at gravesend : the . at llandyssel . reader , i have describ'd this month to you ; and what you ought , and what you ought not doe . if you my counsell follow , much good doe ye , if you neglect it , i say nothing to ye . i tell you what this , or that writer saith , yet on their sleeves , i will not pin your faith . i write of work , and recreation too ; which you will follow , that i leave to you . thus not to flatter i have taken paines , that if you will not , i may have the gaines ▪ februarius days february . now is the aspiring sun got a cock-stride of his climbing ; and the humble valleyes are covered with a rug of snow , whilst the lofty mountaines obvious to every blast are nipt to the heart with a cold . neptune hath glazed his wavy court , and left not ●o much as a casement for his scaly subjects and finny friends to look out at ; who are therefore gone downe to his cellars to carouze it to the sun , that ambassadour of heaven , that ere long will dissolve their icy fetters , and pay his golden beames for their ransome . the frog goes to seek out the paddock ; and the crow , and the rook mislike their old mates . the usurer now is lapt in his furres , and the poor makes his breath a fire to his fingers ends . beauty is maskt for feare of the aire , and the flea hath his subterfuge in the wool of a blanket . cards and dice have scarce yet got their harvest in , and sack , and good ale are the cause of civill warres , muscovia commodities are now in much request , and down beds , and quilted caps are in the pride of their service , whilst the cook and 〈◊〉 pantler are men of no meane office . an apple and a nutmeg make a merry gossips feast ; and the ale and the faggot are the victuallers merchandise . the delay of law-suits is the death of hope , and a cold almes mak●s the beggar shrug . the terme travellers makes the shoo-makers harvest , and the chaundle●s cheese makes the chalk walk apace . the fishmonger sorts his water-work for lent , and beats the poor stock-fish for his stubbo●nness , whilst the herring domineers as a lord of great service , and though but yestarday a sorry jack-sprat , he calls himself king of fishes . the fruit of the dairy makes a hungry feast whilst fasting and mourning is the life of the poor , and the dogs are grown leane fo● want of bones , and make good album graecum a sca●ce commodity . the beasts of the forrest have a bare feed , and the hard crufts try the beggars teeth . the barefooted colt hath a ragged coat , and the half mewed h●ad ●isgraceth the deere . the shepheard hath but little pleasure in hi● pipe ; and the souldier finds cold comfort in the sconce . penury pinches the prisoners heart : and the deep fallowes weary the hunts-man . the fisherman is now the raker of the sea , and every day sacrifices to his ow● net. the aire is sharp and piercing , and the winds blow cold : the tavernes and the inns seldome lack guests ; and the ostler knowes how to make p●ofit of his hay . the hunting horse is at the heels of the hound , whilst the ambling nag carryes the physitian and his foot cloth . the blood of youth begins to spring , and the sap to rise up out of the root ; physick hath now work among weak bodies ; and he looks well to himself that catches not an ague before the end of this month : there is nothing pleasing but hope that the dayes will lengthen and time be more comfortable . and for the small pleasure that i find in it , i will thus briefly conclude of it : it is the poor mans pick-purse , and the miser's cut-throat ; the enemy of pleasure , and the exercise of patience . in this month eschew all such things as oppilate and stop the liver and veines or doe thicken the blood , of which kind are milk and rice , and slimy fish ; and yet also forbear medling with physick or blood-letting , except necessity doth urge , and the learned advise you . i gave you a hint of an ague before , and if you have a mind to one catch cold and i will warrant you the other . now methinks i see 〈◊〉 husbandman dresse afresh his rusty plowshare to teare up the stiffer clay grounds , and the gardener sending his seeds their severall beds , and the garden mould is made a grave for the beanes and the pease . the fliffer & colder the ground is , begin so much the sooner to plow prune & trim your fruit trees , & cleanse them from mosse and cankers , and from super●luous branches , as in ianuary . the best time of grafting from the time of removing your stock is the next spring , for that saves a second wound and a repulse of sap , if your stock be of sufficient bignesse to take a graffe from as bigge as your thumb , to as big as a mans arme , you may graffe less ( which i like ) and bigger , which i like not so well . the best time of the yeare is in the last part of february or march , and the beginning of april , when the sun with his heat begins to make the sap stir more rankly about the change of the moon , before you see any great appearance of leafe or flowers , but only knots , and buds , and before they be proved , though it be sooner ; cherries , pears , apricock● , quinces , and plums would be gathered , and grafted sooner in february . forward conyes begin now to kindle , and the fat grounds are not without lambs , and it is now a good time for ewes to bring forth , that their lambs may be strong , and able before may day to follow their damms over the rough fallow lands and deep water furrowes which weak and feeble lambs are not able to do ; and although you yean thus early in the winter when there is little or no grasse springing , and the sharpnesse of the weather also be dangerous , yet the husbandman must provide sweet fodder and convenient shelter , and the shepheard must bestirre himself , and be vigilant to prevent all incident evills and inconveniences , and though the ewe at the first be somewhat scarce of milk , yet as the warme weather encreaseth and the grasse beginneth to spring , so will her milk spring also . now does the stood over-run his banks and imitates the ocean , and the gaping oyster leaves his shell in the streets , while the house topping peacock is pie-bakt for his pride . now runs the poor hare for neither pins nor poynts , but her life , and like that senatour of rome is followed and found out by her scent , to the losse of her life ; and unequall fate she must run for 't , or with cocles duel an army . all the night when her eyes should be shut , she is forced to open her mouth in natures behalfe , and all the day she sets melan●●●●● in a bush , her open eyes are her watch-towers , and 〈…〉 her centinels , alwayes expecting an alarme from the enemy who too too often call her out and make her lead them a dance , but at last their deep notes are her knell and the huntsmans womb is her tomb ; as at fairest after a course she makes her hearse in a pye. thus ends this eager pursuit after many doublings and windings squattings and other shifts and sleights , and where is all the spoyle ? but a pint of butter to a kennel of hounds ; neverthelesse , though little she is not without profit and worth the having : her flesh , first , is good for all manner of fluxes , her brains good to make children breed their teeth with ease , her wool excellent to stanch blood , her gall soveraigne for the eyes , her blood to kill rheume and wormes , her stiffling bone being worne takes away the paine of the crampe , with many other good things beside , and i beleeve her furre-gown would doe no hurt to the knees that labour of a cold gout , especially in this cold moyst and raw month of february . the names of the principall fairs in england , and wales , observed in the month of february . the day at bromely in lancashire : the day at bath , at bicklesworth , at bugworth , at farringdon , at codlemew , at lin , at maidstone , at reading , at becklesfield , at the vizes in wiltshire , at whiteland : the day at boxgrove , at brimley : the day at stafford for dayes with all kind of merchandise , without arrest : the day at tragarron : the day at landasse : the at owndlee in northamptonshire , at feversham : the at baldoc , bourn , froom , henley upon thames , highamserries , tewksbury , vppingham , walden : the at stanford , an horse fair. my web is woven ; how ye like my task , that is the thing that i shall never ask . if ye applaud , or l●ugh at him that pen'd it , all 's one to me , 〈◊〉 ●isse your muse and mend it . i play all parts , and virgil-like , appear a shepheard , plowman , and a cavalier : yet labour still in a laconick stile : as carr-men drive , and whistle all the while . thus end my lines ; my lines did i these call ? my packthread rather that must wind up all . dayes marsius march . it is now march , and the northerne wind dryes up the southerne dirt ; the tender lips are now maskt for fear of chopping , and pomatum is the chamber-maids lip-salve for the wounds of the wind . the soft and delicate hands must not be ungloved ; but the good huswife hasts to the open fields , and bleaches her linnen with the breath of aeolus , which in dirty december had gotten the yellow jaundies , and this is the only time to purge them . the sun is now risen a pretty step to his faire height , and saint valentine calls the birds together , where nature is pleased with the variety of love , and the little winged familists make election of their mates for building , and keeping of house this spring . the fishes , and the frogs fall to their manner of generation , leaving the spawn floating upon the face of the brooks , and the adder dyes to bring forth her unnaturall frye . now the brewer is 〈◊〉 to store the cellars with march beer , which brewed in thi● 〈◊〉 keeps excellently well , and hath the honour to be called 〈◊〉 ●he air is sharp but the sun is comfortable and cherisheth the banks with 〈◊〉 beame , whilst the boysterous winds purge and saluti●●ra●e the grosser aire . the dayes begin to lengthen apace : the forward gardens give many a fine sallet , and a nose-gay of violets is a present , for a lady : the prime-rose is now in his prime , and the trees begin to bud , and the green spices of grasse to peep out of the earth now is nature as it were waking out of her sleep ; and sends the traveller to survay the walks of the world. the farrier now is the horses physitian , and horse spice and diapent● sets the apothecaryes boyes at work . the thrush and the blackbird make a charme in the springs that are young and tender : and the fat dog feeds the sharp faulcon in the mew . the milk maid is up as soon as the sun , and sings away sorrow to the cimballs of the cowes teats whilst she robs the calves of the bounty of nature , she with her best beloved talks away tiresomnesse to the market , and where the meaning is honest kind words doe no hurt . the foot-ball now tryes the legs of the strongest , and merry marches continue good fellowship ; but beware of your shins and a broken leg : in summe , it is a time of much labour , whereof i am about to discourse , and to be short , i hold it the servant of nature and the schoolmaster of art ; the hope of labour and the subject of reason . it is now time , honest country-man , to make an end of sowing of all sorts of small pulse , and to begin to sow oats , barley , and rye , which is called march-rye . graffe all sorts of fruit-trees , and with young plants , and syens replenish your nurcery . cover the roots of all trees that are bared , and with fat and pregnant earth lay them close , and warme . if any trees grow barren bore holes in the roots , and drive pins or hard wedges of oake wood therein , and that will produce fruitfulnesse . transplant all sort of summer flowers , especially the crown imperiall , tulips , hyacinths , and narcissus of all shapes and colours . cut downe underwood for fewell and fencing ; and look well to your cowes , for this is the principall time of calving ; and if you would be for a march brood of chickens , you must be sure to set your hen in february in the increase of the moon , so that she may hatch or disclose her chickens 〈◊〉 ●he increase of the next moon , being in march , and one brood of march chickens is worth three broods of any other , for then you shall have the best largest and most kindly chickens . you may if you please sett hens from march till october , and have good chickens but not after by any meanes , for the winter is a great enemy to their breeding ; yet some will attempt to sett them in winter-time in stows or ovens , but it is of little or no use with us in england , and though it is confest they may by that means bring forth , yet will the chickens be never kindly good , nor profitable , but like the planting of lemon , orange , and pomegranate trees in our colder climate , the fruits whereof come a great deale short of the charges . if you chufe hens to sett , chuse the eldest for they are constant , and will sett out their times . if you chuse to lay , take the youngest for they are lustier , and prone to the act of engendring , but for neither purpose chuse a fat hen , for if you sett her shee will forsake her nest , and if you keep her to lay , she will wax sloathfull , and neither delight in the one , nor the other act of nature , such then are fitter for the dish then the hen-house . turkies in this month and the next lay all their eggs , and alwayes sit in april when the weather is warme , to bring forth their tender brood . in this month the humours of mans body begin to increase the tenth of it being accounted the beginning of the spring . now look to your dyet , for grosse feeding breeds grosse and thick blood , and grosse humours , therefore use meats of good digestion ▪ and such as breeds good juyce ( which physitians call euchymia ) and nourisheth the body , as veal , lamb , and sucking rabbets , these are good for weak stomacks ; smallage and nettle pottage make good blood , and the dyet for the rheume doth now many a good cure . it is now good to purge , and clarifie the bloud by potions , and to take away a little of the grosser bloud is good to breath the veins , which thereby will have more room for the rest to stir and clarifie it self in , or any such way as the learned doctors shall prescribe the patient , or as the cause of the disease shall require : also this month sweet meats and drink are commendable . fo● this months recreation , it consists of profit as much as sport : it is either sho●●●●g or hunting ; shooting in musquets or fowling pieces at th● 〈◊〉 cowes and such vermine as constantly wait upon the yeaning ewes to pick out the eyes of their new fallen weak and feeble lambs . to the same end also is the exercise of hunting the fox and badger , which would else hunt the poor , silly lambs and devout them to feast his cubbs . the fox chase is pleasant for the time , for so soone as ye have unkenneld him , by reason of his strong scent there are few or no defaults , but a continued sport if you observe his haunts , and stop up his kennels , and prevent his earthing ; the worst is , he runs bad ground either for horse or foot , but the enterprize is noble , and necessary . for the badger , his is night work , and he is rather baited then hunted adayes . if you look for the hare you shall be sure to have her in low grounds , for in march she alwayes sets wet bretch . the names of the principall fairs in england , and wales , observed in the month of march. the day at llangadog , at llangevellah , at madrim : the day at bremwell-braks in norfolk : the at bedford , at oakham : the at tragarron , the at spaford ; at wooburn , at wrexam , at bodnam , and alsome in norfolke : the at wye , bodwin in cornwall , at mountbowin : the at parrington : the at sturbridge : the at ailesbury , at durham : the ●t llannerchemith : the at s. albanes , ashwell in hartf . at burton , at cardigan , at car walden in essex , at huntington , at s. iones in worcester , at malden , at malpas , at newcastle , at northampton , at onay in buckingham , at woodstock , at whiteland , at great chatte : the at malmsbury . gallants look to 't ! cupid hath got his bow , and strung't with wanton eyes to shoot at you ; and now the spring has filled yo●r veins with bloud , active and fresh , he 's not to be withstood . beware too how your veins you over heat . if not for fear of lusts , for feavers yet , and give your vigorous spirits an allay with cooling drinks and clarified whay . ceres and bacchus , wine and dainties , these are those that wound ye , venus else would freeze . aprilis dayes april . welcome sweet aprill ! thou gentle midwife of may's pride , and the earths green livery . methinks i heare the little sweet birds making ready their wa●bling accents to entertaine the rising sun and welcome him from the antipodes and those remoter regions that have all this winter rob'd us of his comfortable beames and benigne influence . but now the cuckoe is come and the laborious bees looke about for honey . the nightingale begins to tune her melodious throat against may : and the sunny showers perfume the aire . the dew hangs in pearles upon the tops of the grasse ; while the turtles sit billing on the little green boughs . the beasts of the wood look out into the plaines : and the fishes out of the deep run up into the shallow waters . the fowls of the aire begin to build their nests , and the sencelesse creatures gather life into their bodyes . the sun with his refulgent rayes enlightens and warmes the aire , and the little flyes to flock and swarme in it . now the muses try the poeta●ters in the pamflets . time is now gracious in nature , and nature in time . the air is wholsome , and the earth pleasant , and the sea not uncomfortable . the trowt begins to play in the brooks , and the salmon leaves the salt sea , and in spite of wind and tide will sport it in the fresh rivers , and like the hyeroglyphick snake , takes his tayle in his mouth , and mounts it over the mill-dams . the garden banks are full of gay flowers ; and the thorne and the plumme are white with faire blossomes . the march colt begins to play ; and the cosset lamb is learning 〈◊〉 in the chimney corner . the youth of the country m●ke ready for the morris-dance , and the merry milkmaid supplies them with ribbands her true love had given her . the little fishes lye nibling at the bait ; and the porpus playes in the pride of the tide . the shepheards pipe entertains the princes of arcadia with pleasant roundelayes : and the healthfull souldier hath a march of delight . the aged feele a kind of youth ; and youth hath a spirit full of life and activity : the aged hairs refreshen ; and the youthfull cheeks are as red as a cherry : the lark and the lamb look up at the sun , and the labourer is abroad by the dawning of the day . the sheeps eye in the lambs head tell kind-hearted maids strange tales ; and faith and troth make the true lovers knot : it were a world to set down the worth of this month ; for it is heavens blessing , and the earths comfort ; it is the messenger of many pleasures ; the courtiers progresse , and the farmers profit ; the labourers harvest , and the beggers pilgrimage . in summe , there is much to be spoken of it , but to avoid tediousnesse i hold it in all that i can see in i● , the jewell of time , and the joy of nature . in the month of aprill finish up all your barley seed , and begin to sow your hemp and flax , sow your garden seeds and plant all sorts of hearbs , finish your graffing in the stock , but begin your principall inauguration , for then the rind is most pliant and gentle . open your hives , and give your bees free liberty to look into the garden and the blossoming buds ; leave to succour them with food , and let them alone to labour for their living . now cut downe all great oake timber , for now the bark will rise and be in season for the tanner . now scower your ditches , and gather such manure as you make in the streets , or high wayes into great and convenient heaps together . now also lay your meadows and sleight your corne ground ; gather away stones , and repair your high-wayes ; set oziers and willowes , and cast up the banks and mines of all decayed fences . as yet ye may graffe or proine vines , and also set citrons , melons , cucumbers , artichoaks , and pole-hops . and you that are tanners , it is your season now to look out for the ruffe skins of the lofty looking oake that yields to good day-men natures abundance . the best time to put your stallion and mares together is about the middle of last month , if you have any graffe , and you should have great care for that purpose , and one foal falling in march is worth two failing in may , because he passeth as it were two winters in a year , and is thereby so hardened , that almost nothing can afterward impaire him : and the best time to take your horse from the mares againe is at the end of april or middle of may , a months continuance together is ever sufficient ; but be sure to put them together in the encrease of the moone , for foals got in the wane are not accounted strong and healthfull . in this instant month of aprill the pores of mans body are opened by the approach of the sun , and apt to receive physick , and they that refuse the same , i commit them to the benefit of nature , for of all times of the year , this is the best to prevent causes of sicknesse , or for speedy remedy in extremities , for now nature doth renew strength through all the body of man , so that where sicknesse happeneth she soone disburdeneth her self by the assistance of physick , and of this be confident , what cannot be done now will hardly be ever capable of remedy after : take time therefore by his foretop for he is bald behind ; you may very safely either take purging medicines or any physick your approved physitian shall advise you to . you may bathe freely or bleed , provided the patient be not under fourteene years , or above fifty six old , or be exceeding fat or very lean ; in such cases , by all means abstaine . lastly , use wholsome dyet that breeds good sanguine juyce , such as pullets , capons , sucking veal , beef not above three years old , a draught of morning milk fasting from the cow , grapes , raysons , and figs be good before meat , rice with almond milk , birds of the field , feasants and partridges , and fishes of stony rivers , hen eggs potcht and such like . use wholsome recreation , for then moderate exercise there is no better physick . the names of the principall fairs in england and wales , observed in the month of aprill . the day at hitchin , at nerthsteet , at rochford : the at leek in staffordshire : the at wallingford , the at darby : the at billingsworth : the at newport-pagnel : the at stafford : the at amphil , at bewdley , at brewton , at bristock , at bils●n , at bu●y in lancashire , at castlecombes , at charing , at chichester , at engfield in sussex , at gilford , at bishopshatfield , at hinningham , at ipswich , at kisborough , at lonquer , at northampton , at nutlay in sussex , at s. pombes , at sabridgworth , at tamworth , at wilton , at wortham , at riliborough , at harbin in norfolk , at sapsar in hartfordsh . the at bourn in lincolnsh . at buckingham , at calne in wiltshire , at cliffe in sussex , at colebrock , at dunmow in essex , at darby , at innings in bucking . at oakham , at vtroxiter , at winchhombe : the at tenderden in kent , at clere , at sudbury the last thursday , friday , and saturday in april . hail aprill , true medea of the yeare , that makest all things young and fresh appear . what praise , what thanks , what commendations due for all thy pearly drops of morning dew ? when we dispair , thy seasonable showers comfort the corne , and chear the drooping flowers ; as if thy charity could not but impart a shower of tears to see us out of heart . sweet , i have pen'd thy praise , and here i bring it , in confidence the birds themselves will sing it . majus dayes may. now comes that merry may-day so long expected , hoped , and prayed for of the fodder-scan●ed farmer , for now ●hall his almost famish'd beasts break up their tedious lent ; now is his mouth full of thanks , and theirs full of grass ; his h●art full of joy , and their bellies full of food . now gentle zephyrus fans the sweet buds , and dripping clouds water fair flor●● great garden ; the sun-beams bring forth fair blossoms ; and the perfumed ayre refresheth every spirit ; the flowry queen now brings forth her wardrobe , and richly embroydereth her green apron . the nymphs of the woods in consort with the muses , sing an ave to the morning , and a vale to the evening . the male deer puts out the velvet head , and the pagged doe is near her fawning . the sparhawk now is drawn out of the mew , and the fowler makes ready his whistle for the quail ; the lark sets the morning watch , and the nightingale the evening . the beautified barges keep the streams of 〈◊〉 ●weet rivers , like so many pleasant bowers ; whilst the dappled mackarel with the shade of a cloud is taken prisoner in the ocean . the tall young oak is cut down for a may-pole , and the frolick fry of the town prevent the rising sun , and with joy in their faces , and boughs in their hands , they march before it to the place of erection ; and if any kind sweet-heart left her maidenhead in a bush , she has good luck if she finde it again next may-day ; the sythe and the sick●e are the mowers furniture ; and a moneth of fair weather makes the labourer merry . the physitian now prescribes the cold whey to his patient , and the apothecary gathers the chrystal dewy drops for a medicine . butter and sage are now the wholsome breakfast , but fresh cheese and cream are meat for a dainty mouth ; the early peascods and strawberries want no price with great bellies ; but the chicken and the duck are fatted for the market ; the sucking rabbet is frequently taken in the nest ; and many a gosling never lives to be a goose. in a word , it is the moneth wherein nature hath her full of mirth , and the senses are stored with delights ; it is therefore from the heavens a grace , and to the earth a gladness ; i hold it a sweet and delicate season , the variety of pleasures , and the paradice of love. in the moneth of may , sow barley upon all light sands and burning grounds , so likewise order your hemp or flax , and also all sorts of tender garden seeds , as are cucumbers , and melons , and all kinde of sweet smelling herbs , and flowers ; fallow your stiff clayes ; summer-stir your mixt earth , and soil all loose hot sands ; prepare all barren earth for wheat and rye ; burn bait , stub gorse , and furres , and root out broom and fern ; begin to fold your sheep , lead forth manure , and bring home fewel , and fencing ; weed your winter corn , follow your common works , and put all sorts of grass either in pasture , or teather ; you may this moneth also put your mares to horse ; let nothing be wanting to furnish the dayrie , and now look and pot up your butter ; true it is , you may if you please pot it up at any time betwixt may and september , observing to do it in the coolest time of the morning ; yet the most principal season of all is in this moneth of may ; so now the ayr is most temperate , and the butter will take salt the best , and be the least subject to reesting . if during the moneth of may before you salt your butter , you save a lump thereof , and put it into an earthen pan , and so expose it to the sun during the whole moneth you shall finde it exceeding soveraigne , and medicinable for wounds , strains , aches , and such like grievances . now put off all your winter-fed-cattel , for now they are scarcest , and dearest ; put young stiers , and dry kine now to feed at fresh grass , and away with all pease-fed sheep , ●or the sweetness of g●as-mutton will pull down their prizes . you may weed your gardens , and watch your bees , which now call upon your care ; and so i shall conclude with the old p●overb , set sage in may , and it will grow alway . now you that set any price by your healths , rise early in the morning , for may does not love any sluggards ; let such as be in health , and able , walk into the fields , and eat and drink betimes ; for it is good and wholsome : abstain from all meats that be of a hot nature ; and for such as be sick , it is a very good time to let blood , or to take physick ; for such as be whole , god keep them in health , and let them use drinks that will cool , and purge the blood , and all other such physical preventions as art and observation shall direct them ; for such as be sick , god send them good physick , and learned physitians ; but above all things , beware of mountebanks , and old wives tales ; the one hath no ground , and the other no truth , but are both nothing but senseless babble , and apparent cousenage . if you take delight in angling , i shall here suit your baits and fi●h to the moneth , that with the more ease you may follow your recreation ; and therefore know in the first place , if you angle for the carp , you must have a strong rod and line , of at least seven or nine hairs , mixed either with green or watchet silk , your cork long , large , and smooth , your lead smooth , and close , and fixed neer the hook , and the hook almost of a three-peny compass ; he is very dainty to bite , but at some special hours , as very early in the morning , or very late at night , and therefore he must be very much enticed with paste ; his best baits are the moss-worm , the red-worm , or the menew , for he seldome refuseth them , the endis-worm is good for him next moneth ; let your paste be of sour ale , white of egges , and bread-crums , this much entiseth him . if you will angle for the chub , chevern , or trout , all your instruments must be strong and good ; your rod dark and discoloured , your line strong , and short , and small too , your hook of a two-penny compass ; and if you angle with a fly , then nor lead , nor cork , nor quill ; if otherwise , then all of an handsome and sutable proportion . thus much for present , i shall give you a further accompt in the next . the names of the principall fairs in england , and wales , observed in the month of may. the first day at and●ver , brickhil● , blackburn in lancashire , chelmsford , congerton in cheshire , fockingham , grighowel , kimar in leighton , leicester , lichfield if not sunday , lexfield in suffolk , linfield , llatrissent , louth , maidstone , ocestre in shropshire , perin , philips norton , pombridge , reading , rippon , stansted , stow the old , stocknailand , tuxford in the clay , vske , harveril , warwick , wendover , worsworth . the second day , at powletlieley in caermathenshire . the third day , at abergavenny , ashborn-peak , arundal , bramyard , bala , chersey neet oatlands , chipnam , churchstretton in shropshire , cowbridge in glamorganshire , darby , denbigh , elstow by bedford , hinningham , merthyr , mounton , non-eaton , huddersfield , ratsdale in lancashire , tidnam , waltham abbey , therford in norfolk . the fifth day , at marcheuleth in montgomery , almesbury , hoy , knighton . the seventh day , at bath , beverley , hanstop , newton in lancashire , hatesbury , oxford , stratford upon avon , thunderley in essex . the ninth day , at maidstone . the tenth day , at ashborn in the peak . the eleventh day , at dunstable . the twelfth day , at grayes thorock in essex . the thirteenth at bala in merionethsh . the fifteenth , at welchpool in montgogomery . the sixteenth , at llangartanong in cardigan . the nineteenth , at mayfield , oderhill , rochester , wellow . the twentieth , at malmesbury . the twenty fifth , at blackburn . the twenty ninth , at crambrook . the thirty one , at pershore . why should the priest against the may-pole preach ? alas ! it is a thing out of his reach : how he the errour of the time condoles , and sayes , 't is none of the coelestial poles : whist he ( fond man ! ) at may-poles thus perplext , forgets he makes a may-game of his text. but may shall tryumph at a higher rate , having trees for poles , and boughs to celebrate ; and the green regiment in brave array , like kent's great walking-grove , shall bring in may. iunius dayes june . now is it iune , and the stately hart is at layre in the high wood , while the hare in a furrow sits washing her face ; the leaves begin to whisper of the blessings of the ayr , whilest with out-stretched arms the courtly trees embrace each other ; the lambs and the rabbers run at base in the sandy warrens , and the plow-lands are covered with corn ; the bull makes his walk like a master of the field , and the broad-headed oxe bears the garland of the market ; the self-pleasing angler with a fly deceives the wanton fish , while the little merline hath the partridge in the foot ; the honey dews sweeten the ayr , and the sunny showers are the comfort of the earth ; the greyhound on the plain makes the fair course , and the deep-mouth'd hound makes the musick of the woods ; idle spirits are banish'd the lists of honour , while the studious brain brings forth his wonder ; the azure sky showes the heavens are gracious , and the glorious sun glads the spirit of nature ; the hay-makers are mustered to make an army for the field , where ( not alwayes in order ) they march under the bag and the bottle , when betwixt the fork and the rake , there is seen great force of arms ; the hook and the sickle are making ready for harvest , and the cuckoe is still in his note ; the medow grounds are gaping for rain , and the corn in the ear begins to harden ; the little lads make them pipes of the straw , and they that cannot dance , will yet be hopping ; the ayre now groweth very warm , and the cooler w●nds are very comfortable ; the nimble footman runs now with delight , and the sun-burnt sayler rides his wooden horse with pleasure : now doth the broad-spreading oak comfort the weary laboure● , while under his shady boughs he sits singing to his bread and cheese ; the hay-cock is the poor man's lodging , and the fresh gliding river is his gracious neighbour ; now the faulcon and the tassel try their wings at the partridge , and the fat buck fills the great pasty ; the trees are all in their rich array , but the poor silly sheep is turn'd out of his coat ; the roses , and the sweet herbs put the distiller to his cunning , while the green apples on the tree are ready for the great-bellyed wives ; now begins the hare to gather up her heels , and the fox looks about him for fear of the hounds . in brief , i thus conclude , i hold it a sweet season , the senses perfume , and the spirits comfort . in the moneth of iune , carry sand , marl , lime , and manure of what kinde soever , to your land ; bring home your coals , and other necessary fewel , fetcht far off ; cut rank low meadows , and make the first return of your fat cattel ; gather early summer fruits ; it is now good time to distil all your simple waters , as roses , and all manner of herbs and plants , and to make syrups of flowers and juyces ; now also gather what herbs you mean to lay up for winter service , but be sure you dry them in the shade , for the vigour of the sun will else exhale all the vertue from them , and leave only the terreity or earthy part , which signifies nothing in physical use ; nevertheless after you have dryed them in the shade , it is necessary to expose them in a sive or brown paper to the sun , to exhaust the flegme , and make them thorow dry , left when you paper them up , they do in moist weather give again , and mould . good husbands and huswives are now be-weeding the corn , and the garden , and shearing their early fat sheep . the season serves to set rosemary and gilly-flowers ; take heed of cutting trees , hedges , or herbs with a knife , but rather gather them with your fingers ; now you may set saffron , carry out compost , make hay , rid gardens of snails , ants , and pismires . i promised you in the conclusion of my last monethly exercise a further accompt of the recreation of angling , and therefore if you be for the bleak , ruffe , or perch , you must know , they are fishes which bite neither high nor low , but ( for the most part ) in the midst of the water , therefore your line must be very lightly plumb'd , and far from the hook ; the baits which most entice them , besides the red worm , are the house-fly in the summer , and fat of bacon in the vvinter ; in april , may , or iune , they will bite at the bob-worm , or the maggot , and in all other seasons , they seldome refuse any vvorm or canker ; your line would be small , and well armed from the hook , a handful at least , with small wyre , for the teeth of the perch will else gnaw it asunder . for a chevern , the best standing to take him is , concealed , behinde a tree , or an arch of a bridge , or a vvall ; their haunts are in clear waters , which run upon sand or gravel ; and they are in best season from march till michaelmass . now for the season in which all baits are most profitable , you shall understand that the red vvorm will ●erve for small fish all the year long , the maggot is good in iuly , the bob and dor in may , the brown flies in iune , frogs in march , grashoppers in september , snails in august for the roch , bleak or gudgeon they serve the pikes at any season ; all pastes are good in may , iune , or iuly , dryed vvasps in may , sheeps-blood and cheese in april ; for bramble-berries , corn , and seeds , they are good at the fall of the leaf ; lastly , for your dead flies , which are most proper for the trouts , or graveling , you shall know that the dun-fly is good in march , the stone-fly is good in april , the red fly , and yellow fly in may , the black fly , the dark yellow fly , and the moorish fly in iune , the wasp fly and the shell fly in iuly , and the cloudy dark fly in august , and lastly , the tawny fly part in may , and part in iune : you must understand , that these flies are as well artificial as natural ; but to shew you that , will be the work of the next sheet . the names of the principall fairs in england , and wales , observed in the month of iune . the third day , at alesbury . the . at maidstone . the . at holt , kinwilgate in caermarthen , llanybither , llanwist , llandilanador in caermarthen , maxfield , newborough , newcastle in emling , okingham , wellington , newport pannel , skipton upon stow , stremel in norfolk . the . at newtown in kedewen in montgomery . the . at bangor . the . at vizes , pershore from worcester . miles . the . at bealth in brecknock , newport in reams . the . at hadstock , highamferries , lla●villing , stowgreen . the . at bridgenorth . the . at ystaadmerick . the . at s. albones , shrewsbury , derham in norfolk . the . at barnet , castle ebithenin , monmouth , dolgelly in merioneth . the . at ashborn , s. annes , awkinbrough , bedford , bedle , beverley , bishops castle , broughton-green market , bosworth , brecnock , bromesgrove , cambridge , colchester , crambrook , croyden , farnham , gl●cester , hallifax , hartford , hartstone , horsham , hurst , kingston-war , kirkham-aund , lancaster , leicester , lincoln , ludlow , pemsey , preston , reading , romford , shaftsbury , straitstock ; tu●bridge , wakefield , wenlock , westchester , winfort , wormsters , york . the . at northop . the . at burton tent , folkstone , llangdogain . the . at hescorn , marchenlero , at s. pomnes . the . at ashwel , bala , barkamstead , bennington , bibalance , bolton , bromely , buckingham , buntingford , cardiffe , gorgan , hodesdon , holdworth , horndon , hudderfield , lower knotsford , lempster , llamorgan , hanbeder , mansfield , marlborough , mountfort , mounstril , onay , peterborough , peterfield , ponstephen , sarstrange , sennock , southam stafford , stockworth , thorockgrayes , tring , vpton , wem , westminster , witney , woolverhampton , woodhurst , york . the . at maxfield in cheshire . i have presented ( reader ) to thine eye , eclogues , and georgicks , junes oecunomy , the oaten pipe , the sickle , and the sythe , the man that labours , and the boy that 's biythe ; the faucon , partridge , hounds , hare , bucks , does , herbs , plants , and flowers , the lilly and the rose ; pismires , and bees , their various industries : grashoppers , cankers , maggots , worms , and flyes ; sun , moon , and stars , and all the elements , fire , ayre , earth , water ; these be the contents . dayes iulius july . it is now iuly , and the worlds great eye , the sun , is mounted on the highest loft of the horizon . the grasse of the mountaines withers , and the parched earth would be glad of a draught of raine to slake her thirst . now doth the farmer make ready his teame , and the carter with his whip hath no small pride in his whistle . the cannons of heaven begin to rattle , and when the fire is put to the charge , it breaketh out among the clouds , and the stones of congealed water cut off the ears of the corne. the cuckoe spits and storms , and the blacknesse of the clouds affright the faint-hearted . the stag and the buck are now in their pride and their prime , and the hardnesse of their heads makes them fit for the horner . now hath the sparhawk the partridge in the foot : and the ferret is tickling the coney in the burrough . the sparrows make a charme upon the green bushes , till the fowler comes and take them by douzens . the lark leads her young out of the nest , for the sythe and the sickle will downe with the grasse and the corne. the old partridge calls her covey in the morning , and the shepheard folds his flock in the evening . the hedges are full of berries , the high wayes of rogues , and the lazy limbs sleep out their dinner . malt is now above wheat with a number of mad people . pears and plumbs now ripen apace , and being of a crude watery substance are the cause of many diseases . the butler now hath the better of the cook , and a fine shirt is as comfortable as a freeze jerkin . the pipe and the tabor now follow the markets , and he that hath money gets many a good penny-worth . the ant and the bee are at work for their winter provision : and after a frost the grassehopper is no more seen . milk , butter and cheese are the labourers dyet ; and a pot of good beer quickens his spirit . if there be no plague the people are healthfull , for continuance of motion is natures preservative . the fresh of the morning , and the coole of the evening are the time the court walks ; but the poor dusty traveller treads out the whole day . the smelt is now in season , and the lamprey out of the river leaps into the pye. the souldier now hath a hot march , and the lawyer sweats in his lined gowne . don pedro the pedler hath a long walk ; and the dram of the bottle sets his face on a fire . in a word , this is a profitable season , the labourers gaine , and the rich mans wealth . now courteous country man , make hay while the sun shines , for a day slackt is many pounds loft , chiefly when the weather is unconstant ; sheare all manner of field sheep , and summer-stir rich stiffe grounds , soyle all mixt earths , and latter soyle all loose hot sands . let hearbs you would preserve now run to seed . cut off the stalks of outlandish flowers , and cover the roots with new earth , so well mixed with manure as may be . sell all ●uch lambs as you feed for the butcher , and still lead forth sand , marle , lime , and other manure , fence up your copses , graze your elder underwoods , and bring home all your field timber . in this month use cold hearbs and coole dyet , and abstaine from physick by reason of the intemperate heat of the weather . the rivers now are more wholsome and delightfull then the baths . let the sun be up before ye walk abroad in the time of contagious diseases , as plagues or pestilence . keep your chamber windowes shut , and open then only when the sun shines with vigour , be sure every morning to perfume your house well with tarr and angelica seeds burnt in a fire-pan , or chafing dish of coales , then which nothing is better . it is good to drink a draught of beer in a morning fasting , wherein card●us benedict●s hath been boyled , or else when you walk out in the morning , eat the quantity of a hasle nut of venice triacle and old con●erve of roses equally mixt , it is as good an antidote as you can take , bleed not but upon necessity , and have a care of over-heating your bloud , and meddle neither with bacchus nor venus . the recreations and country contentments more properly appertaining to this month are bathing and swimming in the coole and christall rivolets ; or shooting at buts , pricks , or rivers . and bowling ( however tearmed like cards and dice unlawfull ) i am sure is an healthfull exercise and good for the body , and hath been prescribed for a recreation to great persons by the learned physitians , in which there is a great deale of art and judgment to be seen especially in the expert bowler in choosing out his ground , and preventing the many hanging , win●ing , and many turning advantages of the same , whether it be in open wide places , or in allies , and in this sport the choosing of the bowle is not the least of the cunning belongs to it ; your fla● bowles being best for close allies , your round byassed bowles for open grounds of advantage , and your round bowles like a ball for greene swarths that are plaine and levell . others are fishing in the christall current for the fine speckled trout , whose baits are this month either the grashopper or the humble bee , dryed wasps or dryed hornets , or some of their young brood in the combs , these are your baits proper to the season , and i think a word of caution and direction is not much out of season . having gotten your baits you must look that they be good sweet and fine , for else they are uselesse , and you might as well have been at home as by the riverside ; then you must not angle in unseasonable times , for the fish being not enclined to bite , it is a strange enticement that can compell them . you must also be carefull neither by your apparell motion or too open standing to give affright to the fish ; for when they are ●cared they fly from you , and leave you seeking society in an empty house . then you must labour in clear and untroubled waters , for when the brooks are any whit white or muddy , or thick through inundations or other trouble , it is impossible to get any thing with the angle . in the next place , you must be sure to have a respect to the temper of the weather , for extream wind , or extream cold taketh away all manner of appetite from fish , so doth likewise too violent heat , or raine th●● is heavy , great and beating , or any storms , snowes , haile or blusterings , especially that which cometh from the east , which of all is the worst . those which blow from the south are the best , and those which come from the north or from the west are indifferent . many other observations there are , but remember these and it may be sufficient . the names of the principall fairs in england , and wales ; observed in the month of iuly . the day at ashton und . lin . congerton dayes , huntington , rickmansworth , smeath , swansey , wooburne : the at haverson , the at burton upon tr. the at haverkull llanibither , llan●dlas : the at albringtop , burntwood , chippingnorton , castlemaine , chappel-frieth , canterbury , denbigh , emlim , haverford , richmond , roystone , shelford , sweaton , tenbury , vizes , vppingham : the at lidde , partney : the at fedringham ; the at greensterd , pinchback : the stevenage , belth , llanvilling : the at winchcomb , awferton , barkway , barley , boultons , bowlin , gatesby , chimmock , coolldge , s. margarets , meath , odiham , tenby , vxbridge , woodstock : the at barnards castle , battlefield , bicklesworth , billeticay , bridgenorth , broughton , calne , clitherall , colchester , the at ichleton , keswich , klmolton , kingston , mawdl-hil , win maudle●hil , hey , marlborough , newark , trent , northwich , ch. ponterly , lldwalley , roking , stonystratford , stokesbury , turbury , witherall , withgrigge , yadeland , yarn , the at carnarvan , cheston : the at abbington , aldergame , ashwell , baldock , barkhansted , bilson , bistower , boston , bristoll , bromesgrove , bromely broadoke , buntingford , cambden , capeljago , chichester , chilholme , darby , doncaster , dover , dudley , erith , hatfield , s. iames london , s. iames near ipswich , kingston , lisle , kirkkam , linfield , liverpool , llandergiram , louth , malpar , malmsbury , machenbleth , ravenglasse , reading , richmond , nor , rosse , safsron , walden , shiffnall , shipton , crav . stamford , stone , stackpool , themblegreen , thikam , thrapston , tilbury , trowbridge , walden , warrington , wetherby , wigmore , the at bewdley , raladirgwy , tiptery . the at ashwell , canterbury , chappelfrieth , horsham : the at stafford . the flowery mead that smild so yestarday , as if it had dreamt of an eternall may. now times two handed razor shaves it down bare as birds britch , and bold as his own crowne : the sun that gave it verdour in the spring , is now to make of it another thing ; and the faire maids in peticoats and smocks are ready at a beck to raise the cocks , and wisely they so fair a warning take , while the sun shines so hot their h●y to make . augustus dayes august . now do the reapers try their backs and their arms , and the lufty youths pitch the sheafs into the cart , the furmenty pot welcomes home the harvest cart , and the garland of flowers crowns the captain of the reapers ; the battel of the field is now stoutly fought , and the proud rye must stoop to the sickle ; the sun is somwhat towards his declination , yet such is his heat , as hardneth the soft clay , dries up the standing ponds , withereth the sappy leaves , and scorcheth the skin of the naked ; now begin the gleaners to follow the corn-cart , and a little bread to a great deal of drink makes the travellers dinner ; the melon and the cucumber are now in their season , and oyl and vinegar dance attendance to the sallad-herbs ; the ale-house is more frequented then the tavern , and a gently gliding river is more comfortable then a fiery furnace ; the bath is now much visited by diseased bodies , and in the fair rivers , swimming is a sweet exercise ; the bowe , and the bowl pick many a purse , and the cocks with their heels kick away many a mans wealth : zephyrus now with his sweet breath cools and perfumes the parching beams of titan , while the ripened fruits dangling down the boughs , shew the wealth and the beauty of the earth ; the pipe and the taber are now busily set a work , and the lad and the lass will have no lead on their heels ; the new wheat makes the gossips cake , and the bride-cup is carryed above the heads of the whole parish ; o 't is the merry time wherein honest neighbours make good cheer , and god is glorified in his blessings on the earth . in sum , for that i finde , i thus conclude , august is the worlds welfare , and the earths warming pan ; or thus , i hold it to be the heavens bounty , earths beauty , and the worlds benefit . apply your selves now to your harvest , for if ye had as many hands as briarius , they must all turn corn-cutters ; shear down your wheat and rye , and mowe your barley and oats ; but have a care your early sickle prevents not the maturation and ripening of your corn. and as i would not you should reap too green , so neither would i you should gather it wet , for moist or unhardned corn when it is sheafed up close together , or stackt , or mowed up , sorthwith gathereth heat , and either setteth the co●n on fite , or else the moisture being in less quantity , and not apt to flame , yet it corrupteth the grain , and straw , and bringeth a stinking mouldiness or rottenne●s , so that the grain either becomes dung or dirt , or at best it is so stinking and unsavoury , that it is good for no use or purpose , as is daylie to be seen , where careless husbands gather in their corn without respect or government , making the old proverb true , that haste bri●gs waste . the cure and prevention of this inconvenience , is the well-husbanding and managing of the harvest , first with a careful and well-judging eye to look upon your corn , and to know by the hanging downward of the ear , whether it be ripe or not ; for when it is so , it will look as it were back again to the ground , then to look into the cleanness of the corn , as whether it be full of greeness , as grass , weeds , and such like ; or clean of it self , without any mixture ; if you finde there be any weeds mixt with it , then you may reap it so much the sooner , though the kernel be not so well hardened as you could wish ; but having shorn it so full of weeds , by no means sheaf it , but spreading it thin in the sun , let the grass wither all the day , which when you perceive to change colour , and grow dry , then binde it up in sheafs , and let it lye single a day , that the wind and sun may get into it , and dry the greeness more sufficiently , then lay it in shocks of six or eight sheafs a piece , and in those shocks turn the ears so inward , that the other bigger ends may defend them from rain , wet , or dew that may fall upon them ; then a day or two after lay them in shocks of twenty , or four and twenty sheafs a piece , and in those shocks let them take a sweat ; then b●eak them open in a bright sun-shine day , and let the ayr pass thorow them to dry them , fo●thwith lead the grain home , and either house or stack it , and ( be sure ) when thus ordered and dryed , it can never take hurt . now ye may make the second return of your fat sheep and cattel ; gather all your greater summer fruits , plumbs , apples , and pears , make your perry and cyder ; set slips of all sorts of gilly-flowers , and siens of other flowers , and transplant them that were set the spring before ; and at the end of this moneth , begin to winter-rig all fruitful soyls whatsoever ; you may now also very seasonably geld your lambs , carry manure from your dove-cots , and put your swine to the early or first mast. they that would have good seeds for their gardens next year , must now gather of their own , lest in buying their expectation be frustrate , and so they lose their labour , and their layings out ; and such as desire to have lettice , or other herbs for the winter , they must sow their seeds in the increase of the moon . in august moderate diet is good physick , for now there is danger of surfets , and take heed of heats , and then colds , for it is the high way to a pleurisie , and use not to sleep much , especially after noons , for fear of oppilations , and stopping flegme , and for the avoiding of agues , head-ach , and catarhs ; avoid physick , unless necessity compells , and abstain from wine , shun feasts and banquets , and only take delight in diet and drinks that are cool , and temperate . i had a touch at your recreations before , and that your cock may not kick your coyn out of your pocket , i shall give you some marks to choose a good one by ; know then , that the best characters observable in a fighting cock , are his shape , colour , courage , and sharp heel ; for his shape , the middle size is ever accounted best , because they be ever most matchable strong , nimble , and ready for your pleasure in his battel ; and so the exceeding little cock is as hard to match , and is commonly weak , and tedious in his manner of fighting ; he would be of a proud and upright shape , with a small head , like a spar-hawk , quick large eye , and a strong back crookt , and big at the setting on , and in colour sutable to the plume of his feathers , as black , yellow , or reddish ; the beam of his leg would be very strong , and according to his plume , blew , gray , or yellow , his spurs long , rough , and sharp , and a little bending , and looking inward ; for his colour , the gray pyle , the yellow pyle , or the red with the blanck breast , is esteemed the best , the pyde is not so good , and the white and dun are the worst ; if he be red about the head like scarlet , it is a signe of lust , strength , and courage ; but if he be pale it is a signe of sickness and faintness ; for his courage , you shall observe it in his walk , by his treading , and the pride of his going , and in his pen by his oft crowing ; for the sharpness of his heel , it is only seen in his fighting , for that cock is said to be sharp or narrow heel'd , which every time he riseth , hitteth and draws blood of his adversary , gilding his spurs in blood , and threatning at every blow an end of the battel . i wish you such a cock. farewell . the names of the principall fairs in england and wales , observed in the month of august . the . at bath , bedford , chepstow , dunstable , s. eedes , exceter , feversham , flint , hay , hersnay , kaermarthen , kaerwilly , llantrissent , llawrwin , ludford , loughborough , mailing , newton in lancashire , newcastle trent , northam-church , romney , selby , shrewsbury , selbourn , thaxted , wisbich , yelland , york . the . at radnor , linton . the . at burdney , peterborough . the . at aberlew . the . at alchurch , banbury , blakamore , bodwin , brainford , chidley , chorley , croyley , diffringoliwick , doncaster , farnham , frodisham , fullsea , harleigh , hawk-hurst , horn-castle , hungerford , keilow , ludlow , marras , molton , moubray , moirworth , newborough , owndle , rugby , sherborn , torceter , waltham abby , waldon , weidon , wormster , winstow . the . at s. albones , bolton , cambridge , carlisle , cardigan , dunmow , huntington , marlborough , northampton , preston , ross , stow , strowd , swansey , wakefield . the . at ashby de la zouch , beggers bush , bromley pagets , chorley , croyley , dover , faringdon , kidderminster , london , monmouth , mongommery , nantwich , northallerton , norwich , oxford , tewksbury . sluggard , where art ? is this a time to sleep ? when heaven for the whole year does market keep . go to the ant , and but consider how to live in winter , she bestirs her now ; if harvest thee in such a slumber rocks , thy mouth shall muzzled be , and not the oxe . god but for labour sells good things to none , the bees are busie , and abhor a drone . the reapers heads shall be with flowers crown'd , when thou shalt lie neglected on the ground . dayes september september . it is now september , and the glittering charioteer of heaven is driving down the hill apace , and the beauty of the earth is generally decaying , seeming no longer a lively act of nature , but a meer landskip , which the teeth of time has more then half defaced ; the sap of the trees sinks down into the earth , and the wi●hering leaves fall after it ; the lofty ash that but the other day lockt up his moisture in his arms , and vertical boughs , now hath got a palsie , and lets his keys fall . in a word , the whispering woods are now fain to quit their leavie pretences , and come to the naked truth ; the meadows are left bare by the mouths of the hungry cattel , and the hogs ( those four-footed swains ) are become the plowers of the corn-fields ; the wind begins to bluster among the apples , and knock their heads together on the trees , and the wind-falls are gathered to fill the pies for the houshold , except the old sow return by chance from her field-labour , and eat them raw to qualifie the heat of her stomack ; the saylors fall to work to get afore the wind , and if they spy a storm it puts them to prayer ; the souldier now begins to shrug at the weather , and prays for the dissolution of the camp , that he may get to his landladies fire side in a garrison . the lawyer now is hard at his harvest , and with his tongue and his tarbox reaps most of the gain of his poor clients sickle , while his labouring hands pay for his lying tongue ; the inns now begin to provide for guests , and the night-eaters in the stable pinch the ●oor traveller in his bed , while the ostler behinde the masters back , cheats his horse to his face . paper , pen , and inke , are much in request , and the quarter sessions take order with the vagabonds , and way-layers ; wood , and coals make toward the chimney , and sack , and good ale are in account with good fellows ; the butchers now knock down the great beeves , and the poulterers feathers make towards the upholsters ; now walfleet oysters are the wealth of the fishwife , and pippins fine are the costermongers merchandize ; the flayl and the fan fall to work in the barn , and the market is full of bakers : the porkers now are driven to the woods , and the home-fed pigs make pork for the market . in brief , i thus conclude of it , i hold it the winters forewarning , and the summers farewel . in the moneth of september reap your peas , beans , and all other pulse whatsoever , making a final end of your harvest ; now bestow upon your wheat land your principal manure , and now sowe your wheat and your rye born in rich , and in barren climates ; now put your swine to mast of all hands , gather your winter fruit ; now for your winter fruit , you shall know its ripeness , by observing his change of colour upon the tree , but you must be sure to gather it in a fair , sunny , and dry day , in the wain of the moon , and no winde in the east , also after the sun hath exhaled the dew , for the least wet or moisture will make them subject to rot and mildew , you must also have an apron to gather in , and to empty into the great basket , and a hook to draw the boughs unto you , which you cannot reach with your hands at ease , the apron is to be an ell every way , loopt up to your girdle , so as it may serve for either hand without any trouble , and when it is full , unloose one of your loops , and empty it gently into the great basket ; for in throwing them down roughly , their own stalks may prick them , and those that be once prickt will ever rot ; again , you must gather your fruits clean without either leaves or brunts , because the one hurts the tree , ( for every brunt would be a stalk for fruit to grow upon ) the other hurts the fruit by pricking and bruifing it as it is laid together , and there is nothing sooner rotteth fruit , then the green and withered leaves lying among them ; neither must you gather them without any stalk at all , for such fruit will begin to rot where the stalk stood . quinces should not be kept with other fruit , for the scent is offensive both to the other fruit , and to them that keep it , o● come amongst it ; therefore lay them by themselves in sweet straw , where they may have ayr enough ; they must be p●ckt with medlars , and gathered with medlars . now as touching windfalls , or such fruit as falleth from the tree , and are not gathered , they must not be laid with the fruit that is gathered ; and of fallings there are two sorts , one that falls through ripeness , and they are best , and may be kept to b●ke or roast ; the other beaten down by the wind , and they must be spent as fruit ( nor being ripe ) else they will wither and come to nothing ; and therefore it is not good by any means to beat down fruit with poles , or to carry them in carts , loose or jogging , or in half filled sacks , where they may be bruised ; and thus much for fruits . now to other concerns . farmer , make fale of your wool , and other summer commodities , now put off those stocks of bees you mean to part with ; or such as you mean to take for your own use , close thatch , and dawb warm all the surviving hives , and look that no drone , mouse , or other vermine be in or about them : now thatch your stocks and reeks , thrash your seed , rye , and wheat , and make an end with your cart of all forraigne journeys . lastly , in this moneth such as have need , may safely take physick , or if occasion be , may bathe , and bleed , all such things are in their proper nature and vertue ; and such fruits as are ripe , and not corrupted , may safely be eaten by those that have good stomacks ; it is now good time to make conserve of quinces and barberries ; winter herbs may now be sown ; now likewise is the time to set your artichoaks , rose-trees , apple-trees , wardens , strawberries , violets , gilly-flowers , sowe parsnips , and in dry weather gather your hops , and it is no bad huswifry to make verjuyce , and pluck hemp. they say so many dayes old the moon is on michaelmass day , so many floods after . the names of the principall fairs in england , and wales , observed in the mouth of september . the . day at chappelsilvy , s. giles , neath . the . at ware , woodbury-hill . the . at atherstone , be●maris , blackburn , brewood , bury in lancashire , caerdigan , cardiffe , chatten , caulton , drayton , dryfield , gisborough , gilbourn , hartford , huntington , llandisel , malden , northampton , partney , reculver smeath , suyde , southwark , sturbridge , camb. tenby , vicester , wakefield , waltham , wou , west name , whiteland . the . day at worsmouth , woolpit , luxford . the . at newtouredwin , powlethel●y , vahslay . the . at aberga●enny , barsley , churchstretton , chesterfield , denbigh , hidome , hetsbury , monckton , newborough , newp . penhad , rippon , richmond , ross , rockingham , sm●lding , stradford av●n , waltham abbey , worton●●d . hedge . the . at rajardagwp . the . at cliffe , llanidlass . the . at llanvelly , ruthin . the . at abergwilly , bladock , bedford , braintry , brackley maiden , bulwick , canterbury , clapon , croydon , daintny , dover , eastred , s. edmond-bury , helmsley , holden , katharin-hill , knighton , kingstone , war. marleborough , malden , midnal , nottingham , peterborough , shrewsbury , stratford , vizes , wendover , witherall , woodstock . the . at pancridge stf. the . at llanvilling , malton a week . the . at dolgeth , kaermarthen . the . at abercomway , s. albones , asleborn park , balmstock , basingstoke , bishopstratford , blackburn , burningham , buckland , burwell , canterbury , chichester , cockermouth , market deeping , michael dean , headley , hay , higham ferries , s. ives , kingston , hull , killingworth , kingsland , llavenham , lancaster , leicester , llanidlasse , llanvihadgel , lloychyr , ludl●t , maiden , marche●leth , methyr , newbury , selby , shelford bed , sittingburn , stow linc. sudbury the last thursday , friday , and saturday , tottington , tuddington , vxbridge , weyhilloy , andover , weymar . day . westchester , wiltham , woodhamferry . the sun declines , and now no comfort yeilds vnto the fading off-spring of the fields ; the tree is scarce adorn'd with one wan leaf ; and ceres dwells no longer at the sheaf : the careful client has his harvest done , a●d now the lawyer 's reaping is begun : arms yeild to arts , i see ; the gown-man stands exacting tribute at the plowmans hands : and somwhat still of reason here appears , the lawyer speaks , and tongue will chalenge ears . october . now followes the merry-goe-sorrow of the blythe , and bleak month of october . the coaches rattle through the street , and the ladyes ride in their boots , while the finicall city geese goe on patterns . muffing and cuffing are now in request , and he that will goe to billinsgate fort may have a cuff on the ear : it is now not amisse to play at hot-cockles hot , unlesse coals be the cheaper . the little tom-tit-mouse makes his cell in a hollow tree ; and the black-bird sets close in the bottome of a hedge for fear an ill wind should blow him no good . the forward deere begin to goe to ru● , and the barren doe is not out of season . the basket-makers now gather their rods , and fishermen lay their nets in the deeps . the lofty winds are the hogs caterer , and the falling of the aco●ns is the rising of their flesh , and puts them quite out of mind of pearle . the load horses goe apace to the mill : and the corn is in the flower puddings , and pancakes are meat for the lads , and — pyes are the delight of the lasses . the hare on the hill makes the greyhound a faire course ; and the loosing of labour is the saving of life . the fox just unkenneld makes the huntsmen laugh , and the hounds cry . the scarcity of people makes a plenty of wares , but a smooth and soft tongue vents many a hard bargaine . the marriner now bestirreth his stumps while the merchant liveth in feare of the weather . the cooks are preparing the great feasts for the city ; but the poor must not beg for fear of the stocks . a good fire and a paire of cards keep the guesse in the ordinary ; and the smoak of tobacco is precious , and held soveraigne for catatths , and troublesome rheums . the shuttle-cock and battledore is a good house exercise , and occupies the lady before she be drest . tennis and baloon are sports of some charge , and a quick bandy is the court keeps commodity . dancing and fencing are now in some use ; and true lovers lye close to keep off the cold . to be short , for the little pleasure i find of october , i thus conclude of it ; i hold it a messenger of ill news , and a second service to a cold dinner ; autumnes north-nuntio to winters well-a-day , farewell but not frost . days october in the month of october finish all your wheat seed ; and scower all your ditches and ponds : plash , and lay your hedges and quicksets ; plant , or transplant all manner of fruit trees of what nature or quality soever . make your winter cidar and perry : you may spare your private pastures , and feed up your co●n fields , and commons ; and now make an end of winter-ridging ; draw furrowes to draine and keep dry your new sown corne. reare all those calves that you mean shall fall ; and weane those foales from your draught mares which the spring before were foaled . now sell all such sheep as you will not winter ; give over your foaling , and separate the lambs from the ewes which you purpose to keep for your own stock , and follow hard the making of your malt , not forgetting the proverb , that soft fire makes sweet malt. nor shall i here think it amisse , no● you ( i hope ) tedious , if i insert a few directions to the young and unexperienced touching the drying and cleansing your malt. dry it with a gentle and soft fire , ever and anon turning it ( is it dryeth on the kilne ) over and over with your hand , till you find it sufficiently well dryed . now as soon as you see the corne begin to shed , you shall in the turning the malt rub it well between your hands , and scowre it to make the come fall away ; then finding it all sufficiently dryed , first put out your fire , then let the malt dryed coole upon the kilne for four or five hours at lest , then raising up the foure corners of the hair cloath , and gathering the malt together on a heap , empty it with the come , and all into your garner , and there let it lye ( if you have not occasion to use it ) for a month , or two , or three to ripen , but no longer , for as the come or dust of the kilne for such a space melloweth and ripeneth the malt , making it better both for sale , or expence , so to lye too long doth engender weevell , wormes and vermine which doe destroy the graine . now for the dressing and cleansing of malt at such time as it is either to be spent in the house , or sold in the market ; you shall first winnow it with a good wind either from the aire , or the fanner , and before the winnowing you shall rub it exceeding well between your hands to get the come or sproutings cleane away ; for the beauty and goodnesse of malt is when it is smug , cleane , bright , and likest to barley in the view , for then there is least wast and greatest profit , for come , and dust drinketh up the liquor , and gives an ill tast to the drink . after it is well rub'd and winnowed , you shall then ree it over in a fine sieve , and if any of the malt be uncleansed , then rub it againe into the sieve till it be pure , and the rubbings will rise on the top of the sieve , which you may cast off at pleasure , and both those rubbings from the sieve , and the chaffe , and dust which cometh from the winnowing should be safe kept , for they are very good swines meat and feed , well mixt with whey or swillings ; and thus after the malt is well ree'd , you shall either sack it up for especiall use , or put it into a well cleansed garner , where it may lye till there be occasion for expense ; and thus much i think sufficient to speak of malt. now to your health . as for what concerns your health , take my counsell , refuse not any needfull physick if you be advised thereunto by your skilfull physitian . if occasion serve use warme baths ; get good hot meat and drink , and good and wholsome wines to nourish good blood . keep your feet dry , and warme , and beware of taking cold , for quartane agues are gotten this month , and gotten rid of god knows when . use all moderate recreations , for any thing is good which by stirring and warming the bloud reviveth the spirits . they say if leaves now hang on the tree , it portends a cold winter , or many caterpillars . the names of the principall fairs in england and wales , observed in the month of october . the day at banbury , caster : the at salisbury : the at boultonmoors : the at s. michaels : the at hevent hamsh . maidstone in kent : the at bishopstratford , chichester , hereford , llanibither , ponstephen , swansey : the at ashburupeak blyth in nor . devizes , gainsborough , harborough , sabridgeworth , thorockgroyes : the at boulton farnac . llangoveth : the at aberstow , charing , chuston , colchester , draiton , edmu●dstow , gravesend , hichen , newp . h●dner , leighton buz . marshfield , newport mon. royston , stopforth , stanton , tamworth , windfore : the at ashwell , burbury , barne● , brickhill , bridgenorth , bishopshatfield , burton upon trent , charlton , cliffe regis , ely , farringdon , henley in arden . holt , kidwelly , isk , louhaddon , marloe upon tham. middlewick , newcastle , radnor , thirst , tisdale , tunbridge , vpheven , wellingborough , wigham , wrickley , york : the at fridiswid by oxford : the at saffron-walden , cicester , coventry , hereford , lentham , llanibither , tokestey : the at bickelsworth , knottford , low , rasdale , preston , whitechurch : the at beverly : the abercoway , ashby de la zou . bidderdes , hellaton , hart , lempster . llanedy , newmarket , oxford , preston aund . standford , talisamgreen , warwick , willon , wormester : the at abermales , chelmesford , powlethely , ruthin , stocksley , wakefield . now the swolne cheeks of aeolus advance their bag-pipes , and the wooden castles dance . now cutting capers to the skies , and then come tumbling downe to the infernall den. thus at no certaine , betwixt heaven and hell , erasmus like , they know not where to dwell , while the one-bottom'd merchant calls to fare , to pity theirs , yea , and his own estate . both are in danger of the furious blood , this of his life , that of his livelyhood . november dayes november . this is a hopeful dirty moneth , the penultima of christmass , the next close to the holy days , and the school-boys think long to break up , and the m●ids to be with their sweethearts ; but the woodcock comes time enough , if not too soon to the cockshoot ; the young hern , and the shoulerd are fatting for the great feast ; the warreners now begin to ply their harvest , and the butcher after a good bargain puts in at next ale-house , and drinks a health to the grasier ; the cook and the comfit-maker make ready for christmass , and the minstrels in the countrey are tuning their instruments , and for false notes , beat their boyes to some tune ; now wheels the proverb about , let the thresher take his flayl , and the ship no more sayl ; for the high winds , and the rough seas will try the ribs of the ship , and the hearts of the saylors ; now come the wenches all-wet to the market , and the toyling carryers are pittifully moyled ; scholars before breakfast have but cold stomacks to their books , and a master without art is fit for an a b c. herrings and sack make a war in a weak stomack , while the poor man's pinching fast is to be preferred to a gluttonous surfet ; dishes and trenchers are necessary servants , and they that have no meat may go scrape ; a spit and a dripping pan would do well , if well furnish'd ; and a lock to the cupboord door keeps a bit for a need ; now begins the goshawk to weed the wood of the phesant , and the mallard loves not to hear the bells of the faulcon ; the wind now is cold , and the ayr chill , and the poor perish because mens charity is colder then both ; alas , she is now grown so barren , she hath no children ; and so marble-hearted , she knows none but her self ; she was alwayes said to begin at home , but now she will not look out of doors ; butter and cheese begin to raise their price , for the higlers forestall the market ; now the chandler knows how to make the best of his merchandize , and kitchin-stuff is a commodity that every one is not acquainted with ; in sum , with the conceit of the raw ●nd rustick constitution of it , i take this moneth of november to be the discomfort of nature and the tryal of patience . in this month you may sowe either wheat or rye in exceeding hot soyls , afterward you may remove all sorts of fruit-trees , and plant great trees either for shelter , or ●haddow ; now cut down all sorts of timber trees for ploughs , carts , axel-trees naves , harrows , and other husbandry offices ; make now the last return of your grass-fed cattel ; bring your swine from the mast , and feed them for slaughter ; rear what calves soever fall , and break up all such hemp and flax as you intend to spin in the winter season , concerning which hemp or flax , i shall a little in this place , because it comes in my way , give the good wife a word or two of direction , and first for hemp. if you intend to have an excellent piece of hempen cloth , which shall equal a piece of very pure linnen , then after you have beaten your hemp excellently well , and heckled it once over , you shall then rowl it up again , dry it as before , and beat it again as much as at the first , then heckle it through a fine slaxen heckle ( and the towe which falls from the heckle , will make a principal hemping ) but the leaf it self a cloth as pure as fine huswifes linnen , the endurance and lasting whereof is rare and wonderful . but , now concerning flax a word also ; flax , after it hath been twice swingled , needeth neither more drying or beating , as hemp doth , but may be brought to the heckle in the same manner as you did hemp , only the heckle must be much finer and straiter , and ( as you did before ) the ●irst heckle being much courser then the latter , holding the strike stisse in your hand , break it very well upon that heckle , then the hurds that come off you shall save to make fine hurden cloth of , and the strike it self you shall pass thorow a finer heckle , and the hurds which come from thence , you shall save to make fine middle cloth of , and the tear it self for the be●t linnen . to dress flax for the finest use that may be , as to make fair holland cloth of great price , or thread for the most curious use , you shall take your flax after it hath been handled as is before shewed , and laying three strikes together , plat them in a plat of three , so hard and close as is possible , joyning one to the end of another , till you have platted so much as you think convenient , and then begin another plat , and thus plat so much as you think will make a rowl like unto one of your hemp-rowls , and then wreathing them hard together , make up the rowl , and so many rowls more or less , according to the purpose you dress them for ; this done , put the rowls into a hemp-trough , and beat them soundly , rather more then your hemp , and then open and unplat it , and divide every strike from other very carefully ; then heckle it through a finer heckle then any formerly used , for of heckles there be ever three sorts , and this must be the finest , and in this heckling you must be exceeding careful to do it gently , and deliberately , lest what you heckle from it should run to knots , as it is apt to do , but being done artificially , as it ought , you shall have it look and feel like fine cotton , or jersey wool , and this which thus looketh and feeleth , and falleth from the heckle , will notwithstanding make a pure fine linnen , and run at least two yards and half in the pound ; but the tear it self will make a perfect strong , and most fine holland , and run at least five yards in the pound . after your tear is thus drest , you shall spin it either upon rock or wheel , but the wheel is the swifter way , and the rock maketh the finest thread ; you shall draw your thread according to the tear , and as long as it is even , it cannot be too small , but if it be uneven , it will never make a durable cloth ; now for as much as every huswife is not able to spin in her own house , you shall make choice of the best spinners you can hear of , and to them put forth your tear , weighing it before it go , and weighing it again after it is spun , and dry , allowing weight for weight , or an ounce and half for waste at the most ; as for the prices for spinning , they are according to the natures of the countrey , the fineness of the tear , and the dearness of provision ; some spinning by the pound , some by the lay , and some by the day , as the bargain shall be made . for your health , eat good , wholsome , and strong meats , very well spiced and drest , and free from rawness , and use meat nourishing the blood , and drink sweet and insophisticate wines , and for digestion , ever before apples , or cheese , or such trumperies , prefer good and moderate exercise , keep your body from head to foot warm and dry , lest tooth-ach and rheum make ye wish ye had ; beware of hot-houses this moneth , lest the pores of your body set open by violent heat , as violent and piercing colds make their entry , not easily to be driven or complemented out of their new possessions ; and let me here advise what physick you mean to take , to finish now till the next march or april , unless urgent occasion . if the . day be cloudy , it denunciates a wet ; if dry , a sharp winter . the names of the principall fairs in england , and wale● , observed in the month of november . the . day at bicklesworth , castlemain , kellome , montgomery , ludloe . the . at bechingley , bishopcastle , elsemere , kingston tham. leek , lougborough , maxfield , mayfield , york . the . at kaermarthen . the . at welshpool . the . at andover , bedford , brecknock , hartford , lesford , mailing , marton holder , newport pond , pambridge , salforth , stanley , trigney , werlington , wershod . the . at aberwingtew , lento nottinghanish . llanibither , rugby , shifnall , wems . the . at aberkennen , bretingham , dever , folkingham , marlborough , monmouth , newcastle , elm. shaftsbury , skipton crav , tream , withgrigge , york . the . at s. edmonds bury , gilford sur. the . at llanithinery , marchinleth , wellington . the . at harlow , hide , lincoln , northampton , spalding . the . at horsham kent . the . at s. edmonds bur. healih , ingatestone . the . at pennibout , swathey , the . at bangor , bwelth , caerlin , froom , ludlow , katescross sandwith , tuddington . the . at highamferry . the . at ashborn peak . the . at lawrest . the at amptil , baldock , bedford , york , bewdley , boston mart , bradford , collingborough , cobhrm , cubley , enfield , gargreen , greenstead , harle●gh , kimolton , maidenhead , maiden-bruck , narbert , ocestry , peterfield , pecores , preston , rochester , wakefield , warrington . now are the swine compel●ed to the mast , so much the rather for the greater blast ; they fear not now the ocean should them choak ; no , they are to be victuall'd at the oak . they 're bound for acorns , that 's their merchandise ; what-ever falls , they still the sooner rise . i marvel at the wind , the hog so cries ; it feeds his belly , though it frights his eyes ; the fiercest tempest brings h●m fuller food : 't is an ill wind i see that brings none good . december day●is december . now doth the lawyer make an end of his harvest , and the clyent of his money , and he that walks the streets shall find dirt on his shooes , except he walk all in boots . now capons and hens , besides turkyes , geese and ducks , with bee●e and mu●ton , must all dye as a memoriall and a sacrifice to the feast of the sacred , the great and the sole sacrifice ; for in dayes a multitude of people will not be fed with a little . the asse that hath borne all the yeare must now take a little rest. the oxe and the cow , and the horse and the mare shall have their christmasse provant . now plumbes and spice , sugar and honey , square it among pies and broath ; and gossip i drink to you , and how doe you , and you are heartily welcome , i pray be merry , and i thank you . now are the taylors and the tyremakers full of work against the hollidayes , and a journey man cares not a rush for his master , though he beg his plum-pottage all the dayes . now or never must the musick be in tune , for the youth must dance and sing to get them a heat , while the aged set by the fire ; nature hath made it a law , and reason finds no contradiction . the fat oxe must dye , and the leane one live till he be more worthy the slaughter . the footman now shall have many a fowle ●tep ; and the ostler have work enough about the heels of the horses , while the talkative tapstet ( if he looks not to his hits ) will lye drunk in the cellar . the country maid leaves half her market , and must be sent againe , if she forgets a pair of cards on christmasse even . great is the contention of holly and ivy , whether master or dame weares the breeches . the price of meat riseth apace , and the aparrell of the proud makes the taylors rich , and as proud as themselves . dice and the cards benefit the butler ; and if the cook doe not lack wit he will sweetly lick his fingers . now starchers and laundresses have their hands full of work , and and periwigs ; and paintings will not be a little set by ; strange stuffs will be well sold , strange tales well told , strange sights much sought , strange things much bought , and what else as falls out . to conclude , i hold it the costly purveyer of excesse , and the after-breeder of necessity ; the practise of folly , and the purgatory of reason . in the month of december put your sheep and swine to the pease reeks , and fat them for slaughter , or the market . now kill your small porks , and large bacon● , lop hedges and trees , saw out your timber for building , ●nd lay it to season ; and if your land be exceeding stiffe , ●nd rise up in an extraordinary furrow , then in this month begin to plow up that ground whereon you meane to sow cleane beane only . now cover your dainty fruit-trees over with canvase ; and hide all your best flowers with rotten horse-litter from the impetuous tyranny of frosts and stormes . now draine all your corn-fields , and as occasion shall present it self , so water and keep moyst your meadows for the utility of the soyle . now fish for the carp , the breame , pike , tench , barbell , peale , and salmon ; omitting the rest i shall give you a word of direction for angling for the pike , the barbell , the breame , the salmon . the pike is a fish of great weight , in so much that you can hardly have a line of haire to hold him ; therefore your best anglers use most commonly a chaulk line , your angle rod also must have no small top , but be all of one peece and bigness , and the line made exceeding fast from slipping , your hoose would be of the strongest wire , white or yellow , and made double , the poynts turning two contrary wayes , and then armed with strong wyer , a foot at least ; his best bait is a little small roch , dace or minim , the hook being put in at the taile , and coming out at the gills , and you must seldome or never let your b●it lye still in the water , but draw it up and downe , as though the fish did move in the water , and fled from the pike , for this will make him more eager and h●sty to bite ; and having bit , you must be sure to tire him well before you venture to take him up . the yellow live frog is also an excellent bait for the pike , for you must understand they naturally delight not in any dead , or unmoving food . there is also another way , which is to snickle a pike , the manner thus , first find the pike where she lyeth , ( which about noon you may easily doe ) then take your chaulk-line with a noose of small wyer at the end of it , put it gently into the water about two feet before the nose of the pike , then when you feele it touch the ground , cause one to goe behind the pike , and with a pole to stir him ; then as he shooteth meet him with your noose and with a sudden and quick jerk throw him upon the land ; in this sport you must be very nimble , ready , and quick-fighted , for if you give him the lest time he will escape you . the barbell or graveling , which some call the ember , is a very subtle and crafty f●sh , you must therefore be carefull that your baits be sweet and new , and when you angle for them , doe in all things as you use for the trout , for they bite aloft in the summer , and at the bottome in the winter ; your line must be extraordinary strong , and your hooks of a three-penny compasse , for they are fishes of very weighty bodies , and being struck must have liberty to play and tire themselves , o● else they will endanger the breaking of your rod , and therefore your line must be the longest size . the best season to angle for the bream is from the latter end of february till september . he is a very lusty strong fish also , and therefore your tools must be able , and good ; the baits in which he most delighteth are the butter-flies , green-flyes , wormes of all sorts , past of bread-crumbs , or the brood of wasps . now lastly , touching the angling for the salmon , albeit he is a fish which in t●uth is unfit for your travell , but because he is too hege and cumbersome ; as also in that he naturally delighteth to lye in the bottome of great deep rivers , and as near as may be in the middle of the channel ; yet forasmuch as many men esteeme that best which is got with most difficulty , and trouble : you shall understand that the baits in which ●e most delighteth are those that serve for the trou● , as paste or flyes in the summer , and red wormes , bobwormes or cankers on the water docks after michaelmasse ; and thus much for fishing at this time . you may also now seasonably become a fowler , for all fowls whatsoever with peece , nets , or any manner of engins , for in this month no fowle is out of season , and i presume a waterspanniel is now better to keep , then to hang. christmasse is come and the wild swan , the teals , and the mallard are meat for the landlords mouth , and the tenants too if he can get them . for your health , keep your bodies warme , let your meat be hot of quality , abstaine from physick , and let your kitchin be your apotheca●ies shop , warme cloathing your nurse , merry company your keeper , and good hospitallity your exercise , so god send you a merry christmasse . the names of the principall fairs in england and wales , observed in the month of december . the at dolgeth , newton , pluckley : the at arundel , cafed , s. eeds , exceter , grantham , hendingham , hethin , hormsay , northwich ch. senoc . kent , spalamg , woodstock : the at sandhurst : the at bewmaris , clitherall , heltome , kaerdigon , kimar , leicester , malpas , northampton , whiteland : the at newport pagnel : the at hornby : the at llandelavawr : the at canterbury , salisbury . the yeare now like the hieroglyphick snake , his rounding tayl into his mouth doth take . christmasse is come , make ready the good cheare : apollo will be srollick once a yeare : i speak not here of englands twelve dayes madness , but humble gratitude and hearty gladnesse . these but observ'd , let instruments speak out , we may be merry , and we ought no doubt . christians , 't is the birth-day of ●hrist our king , are we disputing when the angels sing . finis . the worth of a peny, or, a caution to keep money with the causes of the scarcity and misery of the want hereof in these hard and mercilesse times : as also how to save it in our diet, apparell, recreations, &c.: and also what honest courses men in want may take to live / by h.p. ... peacham, henry, ?- ? this text is an enriched version of the tcp digital transcription a of text r in the english short title catalog (wing p a). textual changes and metadata enrichments aim at making the text more computationally tractable, easier to read, and suitable for network-based collaborative curation by amateur and professional end users from many walks of life. the text has been tokenized and linguistically annotated with morphadorner. the annotation includes standard spellings that support the display of a text in a standardized format that preserves archaic forms ('loveth', 'seekest'). textual changes aim at restoring the text the author or stationer meant to publish. this text has not been fully proofread approx. kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from -bit group-iv tiff page images. earlyprint project evanston,il, notre dame, in, st. louis, mo a wing p a estc r ocm this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons . universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase , no. a ) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set ) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, - ; : ) the worth of a peny, or, a caution to keep money with the causes of the scarcity and misery of the want hereof in these hard and mercilesse times : as also how to save it in our diet, apparell, recreations, &c.: and also what honest courses men in want may take to live / by h.p. ... peacham, henry, ?- ? [ ], p. printed by r. hearne, london : . written by henry peacham. cf. wing. reproduction of original in huntington library. eng home economics -- early works to . a r (wing p a). civilwar no the vvorth of a peny: or, a caution to keep money. with the causes of the scarcity and misery of the want hereof in these hard and merciless peacham, henry c the rate of defects per , words puts this text in the c category of texts with between and defects per , words. - tcp assigned for keying and markup - aptara keyed and coded from proquest page images - tcp staff (oxford) sampled and proofread - judith siefring text and markup reviewed and edited - pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion the worth of a peny : or , a caution to keep money . with the causes of the scarcity and misery of the want hereof in these hard and mercilesse times : as also how to save it in our diet , apparell , recreations , &c. and also what honest courses men in want may take to live . by h. p. master of arts . london , printed by r. hearne . . to the every way deserving and worthy gentleman , m. richard gipps , eldest son unto m. richard gipps , one of the iudges of the court of guild-hall in the citie of london . sir , when i had finished this discourse of the worth of a penie , or , a caution to keep money , and bethinking my selfe unto whom i should offer the dedication , none came more opportunely into my thought then your self : for i imagined , if i should dedicate the same unto any penurious or miserable minded man , it would make him worse , and be more uncharitable and illiberall ; if unto a bountifull and free-minded patrone , i should teach him to hold his hand , and against his nature make him a miser . i to avoid either , made choise of your selfe , who being yet unmarried , walk alone by your selfe , having neither occasion of the one nor the other : beside , you have travelled france and italie , and i hope have learned thrift in those places , and understand what a vertue parsimonie is ; for want whereof , how many young heires in england have gallop'd through their estates before they have been thirty ? lastly , my obligation is so much to your learned and good father , and for goodnesse your incomparable mother , that i should ever have thought the worse of my selfe , if i had not cum tota mea supellex sit chartacea , as erasmus saith : i had not expressed my duty and hearty love unto you one way or other , whose in all service i am truly , hen. peacham . the worth of a peny : or , a caution to keep money . the ambassadour of muley hamet , sheck . k. of morocco , when he was in england about four or five yeares since ; said on a time , sitting at dinner at his house at woodstreet , he thought verily that algiers was foure times as rich as london : an english merchant replied that he thought not so ; but that london was farre richer then that , and for plenty london might compare with hierusalem in the peacefull dayes of solomon . for my part , i beleeved neither , especially the merchant , for in the time of solomon , silver was as plentifull in hierusalem as stones in the street ; but with us stones are in farre more abundance , when in every street in london , you may walk over five thousand load ere you finde a single penie . againe , the generall complaint and murmure thorowout the kingdome of the scarcity and want of money , argues that we fall farre short of that plenty which the merchant imagined . and one time i began to bethink my selfe , and to look into the causes of our want , and this generall scarcity , and i found them manifold . first , some men who by their wits or industrie ( or both ) have serued and wound themselves into vast estates , and gathered thousands like the griffons of bactria when they have met with a gold myne ) so brood over , and watch it day and night , that it is impossible for charity to be regarded , vertue rewarded , or necessitie relieved : and this we know to have been the ruine , not onely of such private persons themselves , but of whole estates and kingdomes . that i may instance one for many , constantinople was taken by the turke when the citizens abounding in wealth and money , would not part with a peny in the common necessity , no , not for the repaire of their battered wals , or the levying of souldiers to defend them . another sort doat upon the stampe of their money , and the bright lustre of their gold , and rather then they will suffer it to see the light , will hide it in hills , old walls , thatch or tiles of their houses , tree-roots , and such places , as not many yeares since at wainslet in lincolnshire , there was found in digging of a backside to sow hempe in , an old rustie helmet of iron , rammed in full of peeces of gold , with the picture and arms of king henry the first ; and money thus hid , the owners seldome or never meet withall again , being many times prevented by sudden death , lost by casualty , or their forgetfulnesse . mounsieur gaulart , a great man of france ( though none of the wisest ) in the times of the civill warres buried some two thousand crownes , a mile or two from his house , in an open fallow field ; and that he might know the place again , took his mark from the spire of a steeple , that was right against the place : the wars being ended , he came with a friend of his , as neere the place as he could gesse , to look for his money , which he not finding , and wondering what the reason should be , after ( in the circumference ) he had gone about the steeple , ( being right against it which way soever he went ) quoth he to his friend , is there no cheating knave ( think you ) in the steeple that turnes it about , intending to cheat me of my money , imagining that it went round , and himselfe stood still , as copernicus did of the globe of the earth . indeed much money and treasure , in former times , as of the invasion of the saxons , danes , normans here with us , and of others in other places , hath been this way bestowed , and for this reason in such troublesome times become scarce for whole ages after : but this is no cause of want of money in our times , wherein ( it is true ) we have little money to hide , yet there are not wanting among us , those monedulae , or money hiding dawes , who repine and envie , that either king or countrey , should be one peny better ( yea even in the greatest extremity ) for what they have conveyed into their holes . and most true it is , that money so heaped up in chests , and odde corners , is like ( as one saith ) unto dung , which while it lies upon an heape doth no good , but dispersed and cast abroad , maketh fields fruitfull . hence aristotle concludeth , that the prodigall man is more beneficiall to , and deserveth better of his countrey then the covetous miser , every trade and vocation fareth the better for him , as the tailor , haberdasher , vintner , shoemakers , sempsters , hostlers , and the like . the covetous person is acquainted with none of these , for in stead of satten , he suits himselfe with sacken , he trembles as he passes by a taverne doore , to heare a reckoning of eight shillings sent up into the halfe moone , for wine , oisters , and faggots , for his owne naturall drink ( you must know ) is between that the frogs drink , and a kinde of pitifull small beere , too bad to be drunk , and somewhat too good to drive a water-mill : the haberdasher gets as little by him as he did by an old acquaintance of mine by li●ne in norfolke , who when he had worne an hat eight and thirty yeares , would have petitioned the parliament against haberdashers , for abusing the countrey in making their ware so slight . for the shomaker , he hath as little to do with him as ever tom coryat had : for sempsters ( it is true ) that he loves their faces better then their fashions : for playes , if he read but their titles upon a post , he hath enough . ordinaries he knowes none , save some of three pence in black-horse-alley , and such places . for tapsters and hostlers , they hate him as hell , as not seeing a mote in his cup once in seven yeares . another cause of scarcity and want of money , are peacefull times , the nurses of pride and idlenesse , wherein people increase , yet hardly get imployment , those of the richer and abler sort give themselves to observe and follow every fashion , as what an infinite summe of money yearly goeth out of this kingdome into forraine parts for the fuell of our fashionable pride ? let me hereto adde the multitude of strangers that daily come over into our warmer soile , ( as the cranes in winter betake themselves to aegypt ) where having enriched themselves through our folly and pride returne , and purchase great estates in their owne countreys , enhaunsing there our moneys to a higher rate , to their excessive gaine , and impoverishing of our people of england . let me adde hereto beside the great summes of money , and many other great and rich gifts , which have beene formerly conferred upon strangers , which how they have deserved , i know not ; some i am sure like snakes taken up and having gotten warmth from the royall fire ( have been ready to hisse at , and sting ( as much as in them lieth ) both their finders and their founders . again , there is an indisposition of many men to part with money in these tickle times , being desirous , if the worst should happen , to have their friends about them , as sir thomas moore said , filling his pockets with gold when he was carried to the tower . there is likewise , almost a sensible decay of trade and traffique , which being not so frequent as heretofore , by reason ( as some would have it ) the seas are now more pestered with pirats then in times past , the receipt of custome , like the stomack wanting the accustomed nourishment , is constrained to suck it from the neighbour veines , to the ill disposition , and weakening of the whole body . they are no few , or small summes , which in peeces of eight are carried over to the east indies , no doubt to the great profit and inriching of some in particular , but whether of the whole kingdome in generall or not , i know not . what hurt our late questioned patentees ( in latine hirudines ) have done to the common body in sucking and drawing forth even the very life-blood from it , we know daily , and more we shall know shortly ; i wish some of the craftiest , and most dangerous amongst them , might be singled out for examples , remembring that of tacitus , poena ad paucos , timor ad multos . all people complaine generally ( as i have said ) of the want of mony , which like an epidemicall disease , hath over-run the whole land , the city hath little trading , countrey-farmers complaine of their rents yearly raised , especially by their catholique landlords ) which in times past have bin accounted the best , though now the case is altred , ( and easily may the reason be ghessed ) yet can finde no utterance for their commodities , or must sell them at under rates . scholers without money get neither patrones nor preferment , mechanique artists no work , and the like of other professions . one very well compared worldly wealth , or money , unto a foot all , some few nimble heeled and headed run quite away with it , when the most are onely looke is on , and cannot get a kick at it in all their lives . go but among the usurers in their walk in moore-fields , and see if you can borrow an hundred pounds of any of them without a treble security , with the use one way or other doubled , and as your selfe , so must your estate be particularly knowne . a pleasant fellow came not long since to one of them , and desired that he would lend him fifty pounds : quoth the usurer , my friend . i know you not , for that reason onely i would borrow the money of you , for if you knew me , i am sure you would not lend me a peny . another meets a creditour of his in fleetstreet , who seeing his old debter , oh master a. quoth he , you are met in good time , you know there is money between us , and hath been a long time , and now it is become a scarce commodity ; it is true sir , quoth the other , but ( he looking down upon the stones that were between ) in good faith i see none : and this was all the citizen could get at that time , but afterward hee was well satisfied . whom would it not vex to be indebted to many of your shop-keepers , who though they have had their bills truly paid them for many years together , yet upon the smallest distaste of a petty mistake , reckoning , or some remnant behinde , be called upon , openly ra●led at , by their impudent and clamorous wives , insulted over , and lastly , arrested ; which should , me thinks , teach every young fashion-monger , either to keep himselfe out of debt , or money in his purse , to provide gerberus a sop . another miserie proceeding from the want of money is , that when it is due unto you by your own labour or desert from some rich miserable , or powerfull man or other , by long waiting day by day , yea , hourly attendance at his house or lodging , you not onely lose your time and opportunity of getting it elsewhere , and when all is done to be paid after five in the hundred , in his countenance , or else faire and candid promises , which will inrich you straight , promissis dives quilibet esse potest and some men there are of that currish and inhumane nature , whom if you shall importune through urgent necessity , then are you in danger to lose both your money and their favour for ever . would you preferre and place your sonne in the university ? let him deserve never so well , as being anable and ready grammarian , yea captain of his forme , you shall very hardly preferre him , without great friends joyned with your great purse ; for those just and charitable times , wherin desert seld went without it due , are gone ; the like i may say of the citie , where if the trade be any thing like , you cannot place your sonne under threescore or an hundred pounds , though by nature he were ( as many are ) made for the same , and of wit and capacity never so pregnant . or have you a daughter , by birth well descended , vertuous , chaste , faire and comely , indued with the best commendable qualities that may be required in a young , beautifull , and modest maid , if you have not been in your life time thriftie to provide her a portion , she may live till she be as old as creusa , or the nruse of aeneas , “ are you shall get her a good match . nam genus & formam regina pecunia donat . it is as true as old : hence the dutch hath a proverbe , that , gentility and faire lookes buy nothing in the market . if you happen to be sick or ill , if your purse hath been lately purged , the doctor is not a leisure to visit you , yea hardly your neighbours and familiar friends ; but unto monied and rich men , they slie as bees to the willow palms , and many times they have the judgements of so many , that the sick is in more danger of them , then his disease . a good and painfull scholer , having lately taken his orders , shall be hardly able to open a church doore without a golden key , when he should ring his bells ; hence it commeth to passe , that so many of our prime wits runne over sea to seek their fortunes , and prove such vipers to their mother-countrey . have but an ordinary suit in law , let your cause or case be never so plain or just , if you want where with to maintain it , and as it were ever and anon to water it at the root , it will quicklie wither and die ; i confesse , friends may do much to promote it , and many prevaile by their powerfull assistance in the prosecution . there was of late years in france , a marvellous faire and goodly lady , ( whose husband being imprisoned for debt or somthing else ) was constrained to be his sollicitor , and in her own person to follow his suits in law , through almost all the courts in paris , and indeed through her favour , gat extraordinary favour among the lawyers and courtiers , and almost a finall dispatch of all her businesse , onely she wanted the kings hand , ( who was henry the fourth of famous memorie ) he , as he was a noble , witty , and understanding prince , understanding how well she had sped , ( her suit being in the opinion of most men desperate or lost ) told her , that for his part he would willingly signe her petition ; withall , he asked how her husband did , and bad her from himselfe to tell him , that had be not pitch'd upon his hornes , he had utterly been spoil'd and crush'd . so that hereby was the old proverbe verified : a friend in court is better then a peny in the purse : but as friends go now adayes , i had rather seek for them in my parse , then in the court , and i beleeve many courtiers are of my minde . againe , to teach every one to make much of , and to keep money when he hath it ; let him seriously think with himselfe , what a miserie it is , and how hard a matter to borrow it , and most true it is that one faith , semper comitem aeris alieniesse miseriam . that miserie is ever the companion of borrowed money . hereby a man is made cheape , and undervalued , despised ; deferred , mistrusted , and oftentimes flatly denied . beside , upon the least occasion upbraided therewith in company , and among friends , and sometime necessitie drives men to be beholden to such as at another time they would scorne to be , wherein the old saying is verified : mis●rum est debere cui nolis . and on the contrary , how bold , confident , merry , lively , and ever in humour are monied men ; they go where they list , they weare what they list , they eat and drink what they list , and as their mindes , so their bodies are free ; they feare no city serjeant , court-marshalls-man , or countrey-bailiffe ; nor are they followed or dog'd home to their ordinaries , and lodgings by city-shopkeepers , and other creditours , but they come to their houses and shops where they are bidden welcome ; and if a stoole be fetch'd into the shop , it is an extraordinary favour , because all passers by take notice of it ; and these men can bring their wives , or friends , to see in court the king and queene at dinner , or to see a maske , by meanes of some eminent man of the guard , or the carpenter that made the scaffold . the common and ordinarie causes why men are poore and want money . there must , by the divine providence , in the body of a common-wealth , be as well poore as rich , for as an humane body cannot subsist without hands and feet to labour , and walke about to provide for the other members , the rich being the belly which devoure all , yet do no part of the work , but the cause of every mans poverty is not one and the same . some are poore by condition , and content with their calling , neither seek , nor can work themselves into a better fortune ; yet god raiseth up , as by miracle , the children and posterity of these , oftentimes to possesse the most eminent places either in church or common-wealth : as to become archbishops , bishops , judges , commanders and generalls in the field , secretaries of state , statesmen and the like , so that it proveth not ever true which martiall saith , pauper eris semper , si pauper es aemiliane . if poore thou beest , poore thou shalt ever be , aemilianus , i assure thee . of this condition are the greatest number in every kingdome ; other there are who have possessed great estates , but those estates ( as i have seene and knowne it in some families , and not farre from the citie ) have not thrived or continued , as gotten by oppression , deceite , usury and the like , which commonly lasteth not to the third generation , according to the old saying , de male quasitis vix gaudet tertius haeres . others come to want and miserie , and spend their faire estates in waies of vitious living , as upon drinke and women ; for bacchus and venus are inseparable companions , and he that is familiar with the one , is never a stranger to the other , vno namque modo vina venusque nocent . some againe live in perpetuall want , as being naturally wholly given to idlenesse , these are the droanes of a common wealth , who deserve not to live , qui non laborat , non manducet , saith the apostle paul . both countrie , and citie swarmeth with these kinde of people . the diligent hand ( saith salomon ) shall make rich , but the sluggard shall have scarcity of bread . i remember when i was in the low countries , there were three souldiers , a dutchman , a scot , and an englishman , for their misdemeanors condemned to be hanged : yet their lives were begd by three severall men , one a brick-layer , that he might help him to make bricks & carry them to walls , the other was a brewer of delft , who beg'd his man to fetch water and do other worke in the brewhouse ; now the third was a gardiner , and desired the third man to help him to worke in , and to dresse an hop-garden : the first two accepted their offers thankfully , this last the englishman told his maister in plaine termes his friends never brought him up to gather hops , but desired he might be hang'd first , and so he was . other having had great and faire estates left unto them by friends , and who never knew the paine and care of getting them , have as one said truely , gallop'd through them in a very short time ; these are such of whom salomon speaketh , who having riches , have not the hearts ( or rather the wit ) to use them : these men most aptly homer compareth unto the willow tree , which he calleth by a most significant epithete , {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} , in latine , frugsp●rda , or loose-fruit , because the palmes of the willow-tree are no sooner ripe , but blown away with the winde . i remember in queene elizabeths time , a wealthy citizen of london left his sonne a mighty estate in money , who imagining he should never be able to spend it , would usually make ducks and drakes in the thames with twelve pences , as boyes are wont with tilesheards and oister-shells , and in the end he grew to that extreme want that he was faine to begge or borrow sixepence , having many times no more shooes then fect , and sometime more feet then shooes , as the beggar said in the com●●die . many also there are who having beene borne to faire estates have quite undone themselves by marriage , and that after a twofold manner ; first by matching themselves without advice of parents or friends in heate of youth , unto proud foolish light huswifes , or such perfect linguists , that one were better to take his diet in “ hell then his dinner at home : and this is the reason so many of their husbands travaile beyond seas , or at home go from towne to towne , taverne to taverne , to looke for companie ; and in a word , to spend any thing , to live anywhere save at home , and in their owne houses . others there are againe who match themselves , for a little handsomnes and eie-pleasing beautie , unto very meane and poore kinreds , sometimes drawne in hereto by broking knaves , and necessitous parents , who are glad to meet with such that they might serve them as props to uphold their decaying and ruinous families ; and these poore sillie young birds , are commonlie caught up before they be iudge , and pulled bare before ever they know they hast feathers ; for their fathers in law , or some neere of the kinne , as soone as they have seene one and twentie , have so be●●m'd them in bands , that they shall hardly as long as they live be able to flie over ten acres of that land their friends left them . a knight of eight or ten thousand pound land by the yeere doated upon a poore alewives daughter , and made her a ladie : it cannot be denied , but women of the meanest condition may make good wives , since paupertas non est vnium , povertie is no vice ; but herein is the danger , that when their husbands in a short time having , as it were , taken a surfet of their beauties , and finding their error , they beginne ( as i have knowne many ) to contemne them , and flie abroad , do ●te upon others , and devise all the waies they can ( being growne desperate ) to give or sell all that they have , besides such poore ones oft times prove so impious and proud , as that they make no conscience to abuse , insult over , and make sillie fooles of their husbands , as by letting and disposing of his land , gathering up his rents , putting away and entertaining what servants they list , to verifie that old verse , asperius nihil est humili cum surgit in altum . there 's nothing more perverse and proud then shee , who is to wealth advanc'd from beggerie . an italian earle about naples of an hundred thousand crownes by the year in estate married a common laundresse whereupon the old pasquine ( the image of stone in rome , the next sunday morning , or shortly after , had a foule and a most filthy shirt put upon his back , and this tart libell beneath ; pasquine how now ? a foule shirt upon a sunday ? the resposto or answer in pasquines behalfe was ; i cannot help it , my laundresse is made a countesse ; besides another inconvenience is that beside the calling of his wit and judgement into question , he drawes unto him so many leaches and down-drawers upon his estate as his wife hath necessitous friends and kindred ; but they that thus marrie are commonly such young men as are left to themselves , their parents , overseers , or faithfullest friends being either dead or far from them . others not affecting marriage at all live ( as they say ) upon the commons , unto whom it is death to be put into the severall , but spend that they have altogether in irregular courses of life , as in change of houses and lodgings , entertainment of new acquaintance , making great feastes in tavernes , invitations and visits of their ( common ) mistresses , coach hire , cloathes in fashion , and the like : besides the hanging on and intrusion of some necessitous parasites , of whom they shall finde as much use as of water in their bootes . there are others againe of overgood , free natures and dispositions , who are easily fetch'd and drawn in by decayed and crafty knaves ( i call them no better ) to enter into bonds , and to passe their words for their old debts , and engagements ; and this they are wrought to do in taverns , in their cups and merriment , at ordinaries , and the like places . i would have in the fairest roome of one of these houses , the embleme of a gallant or young heire , creeping in at the great end of a hunters horne , with ease , but cruelly pinch'd in comming forth at the small end , a foole standing not farre off laughing at him : and these be those fooles who will be so easily bound , and passe their words in their drink . facilis descensus averni , sed revocare gradum , &c. it is easie slipping in , but the return and getting our full of difficulty . infinite also are the casualties that are incident to the life of man , whereby he may fall into poverty , as misfortune by fire , losse at sea , robbery and theft on land , wounds , lamenesse , sicknesse and the like . many run out of great estates , and have undone themselves by over-sumptuous building , above and beyond their means and estates . others have been undone by carelesse and thriftlesse servants , such as waste and consume their masters goods , neither saving nor mending what is amisse , but whatsoever they are intrusted withall , they suffer to be spoil'd and to runne to ruine . for , qui modicaspernit , paulatim defluit : he that despiseth small things , falls by little and little , saith the wiseman . some ( yea a great many ) have brought themselves to beggery by play and gaming , as never lying out of ordinaries , and dicing-houses , which places , like quicksands , so suddenly sink and swallow them , that hardly you shall ever see their heads appeare any more . others ( and great ones too ) affect unprofitable , yea and impossible inventions and practises , as the philosophers stone , the adamantine alphabet , the discovery of that new world in the moone , by those new devised perspective glasses ( farre excelling ( they say ) those of galilaus ) sundry kindes of uselesse wilde fire , water-works , extractions , distillations , and the like . if any would be taught the true use of money , let him travell into italie ; for the italian ( the florentine especially ) is able to teach all the world thrift . for itali● being divided into many principalities and provinces , and all very fertile , the inhabitants are many , ( and by reason of often differences amongst them , apt to take up armes ) the people are subject to taxes and impositions , as in florence the duke hath a custome at the gates , even out of hearbs , that are brought for sallets , and broaths into the city . the symptomes of a minde dejected , and discontent for want of money . he that wanteth money , is for the most part extreamly melancholique , in every company , or alone by himselfe , especially if the weather be fowle , rainy , or cloudy , talke to him of what you will , he will hardly give you the hearing ; aske him any questions , he answers you with monosyllables , as tarleton did one who out-eat him at an ordinarie ; as , yes , no , that , thankes , true , &c. that rhetoricall passage of status transtativus , is of great use with him : when he laies the cause of his want upon others , as protesting this great lord , that lady , or kinsman owes him money , but not a deniere that he can get : he swears , he murmures against the french , and other strangers , who convay such summes of money out of the land , besides our leather hides , under the colour of calve-skins , with that he shews you his boots out at the heeles , and wanting mending ; he walks with his armes folded , his belt without a sword or rapier , that perhaps being somewhere in trouble ; an hat without a band , hanging over his eyes , onely it weares a weather beaten fancie , for fashion sake : he cannot stand still , but like one of the tower wilde beasts , is still walking from one end of his roome to another , humming out some new northern tune or other ; if he meets with five or ten peeces , happily conferred upon him by the beneficence of some noble friend or other , he is become a new man , and so overjoyed with his fortune , that not one drop of small drink will down with him all that day . the misery of want of money inregard of contempt in the world . vvhosoever wanteth money is ever subject to contempt and scorne in the world , let him be furnished with never so good gifts , either of body or minde : so that most true it is that one saith , nil infoelicius in se paupertas habet quàm quòd homines ridiculos facit : the worst property that poverty hath , it maketh men ridiculous , and scorned , but oftentimes of such as are more to be contemned themselves , in regard either of their ignorance , or vitious living , or uselesse company : if we do but look back into better and wiser ages , we shall finde poverty , simply in it selfe , never to have been ( as now adayes , in this last and worst act of time ) esteemed a vice , and so loathsome as many would have it , it having been the badge of religion and piety in the primitive times since christ , and of wisdome and contempt of the world , among the wisest philosophers , long before . but , tempora mutantur , and in these times we may say with the wise man : my sonne , better it is to die then to be poore , for now money is the worlds god , and the card which the divell turnes up trumpe to winne the sett withall , for it gives birth , beauty , honour and credit , and the most thinke it conferreth wisdome to every possesso , p●cuniae omnia obediunt : hence it is so admired that millions venture both soules and bodies for the possession of it . but there is a worse effect of poverty then that , it maketh men dissolute and vitious , oh mala paupertas vitii scelerisque ministral saith mantuan , it wresteth and maketh crooked the best natures of all , which , were their necessities supplied , they would rather die then do as they sometimes do , borrow and not be able to pay , to speake untruths , to deceive , and sometime to cheate their own fathers and friends . what greater griefe can there be to an ingenuous & free spirit , who sitting at a superiors table and thought to be necessitous and onely to come for a dinner , to be plac'd the lowest , to be carve dunto of the worst and first cut , as of boild beefe , brawn , or the like , and if the ladie or loose bodied mistres presents unto him the milke from her trencher , then assuredly it is burn'd to the bodie , if he be carved unto out of a pastie of venison , it was some part that was bruised in the carriage and began to stinke , yet for all this he must be obsequious , endure any jeere , whisper for his drinke , and rise at the comming in of the bason and ewer . to do the which , any generous and truely noble spirit had rather ( as i am perswaded ) dine with my lord maiors hounds in finsburie fields . another miserie , a kinne to the former , is what discourse soever is offered at such tables , the necessitous man , though he can speake more to the purpose then them all , yet he must give them leave to engrosse all the talke , and though he knowes they tell palpable and grosse lies , speake the absurdest non-sence that may bee , yet must he be silent , and be held all the while for a vau-neant : let these and the like examples then be motives unto all to make much of money , to eat their own bread in their houses ; and to be beholden as little as may be to any for their meat , for , est aliena vivere quadra , miserrimum . how necessity and want compelleth to offend both against body and soule . seeke not death in the error of your lives ( saith the wiseman ) that is , by taking evil courses , to procure unto your selves untimely endes , as those do who through extream necessitie are constrained to steale , lie , forsweare themselves , become cheaters , common harlots , and the like , wherof now adaies we liave too many examples everie where , to the hazard of their soules to hell , and their bodies to the handes of the executioner . hereby we may see how much it concernes all parents to give their children vertuous education , in the fear of god , and to employ them betimes in honest vocations , whereby they may be armed against want and ill courses , and doubtles many ( yea too many ) parents have beene , and are herein , much too blame , who when they have given their children a little breeding and bringing up , till about twelve or fourteene yeares of age , they forsake them , and send them out into the wide world to shift for themselves , to sinke or swimme without trades or portion provided , so they be rid of a charge what care they ; hence we see so many young men and women come to untimely endes , who living might have beene comforts to their friends and parents , and prooved good members in the common wealth , i spake before of idle persons , whom saint paul denieth to eat , which are the droanes of a common wealth , not to be pitied , whom homer pretily describeth . of frugalitie or parsimonie what it is , and of the effects thereof . having already shewed you the misery of want , from the want of money , let me give you a preservative against that want , from the nature and effects of thrift , which if not observed and looked to , he shall live in perpetuall want , and indeed ( next to the serving of god ) it is the first we ought , even from children to learne in the world , some men are thriftie and sparing by nature , yea saving even in trifles , as charles the first was so naturally sparing , that if a point from his hose had broken , he would have tied the same upon a knot , and made it to serve againe . others againe are thriftie in small matters , but lavish and prodigall in great , these we say are , penny wise and pound foolish . manie great ladies , and our great dames are subiect to this disease . others having had long experience in the world and having been bitten with want , ( through their unthriftinesse when they were young ) have proved verie good husbands at the last . others againe there be who cloke their miserable basenesse under the pretence of thrift , as one would endure none of his familie to eat butter with an egge but himselfe , because it was sold for five pence the pound . the definition of frugalitie or thrife . frugalitie is a vertue which holdeth her own , laieth out or expendeth profitably , avoideth unnecessarie expences , much buying , riot , borrowing and lending , superfluous building , and the like ; yet can spend in a moderate way as occasion and reason shall require . it is a vertue very neare allied to liberality , and hath the same extremes , for as liberalitie is opposite to covetousnes , so frugalitie is more opposite to profusenesse or prodigality . this vertue is the fountaine or spring-head of beneficence and liberality , for none can be bountifull , except they be parsimonious and thrifty . bonus servatius facit bonum bonifacium : is an old monkish ( but true ) proverbe : quod cessat reditu ex frugalitate suppletur , ex quo velut fonte liberalitas nostra decurrit ; qua ita tamen temperanda est , no n●mia profusione in●rescat , saith seneca . it avoideth ambitious buildings , pompes , showes , courtmaskings , with excessive feasts and entertainments , as m. anthonie spent at one supper a thousand wild boares : heliogabalus had served him up at a supper likewise six hundred heads of ostriches . vitellius at one feast , had two thousand fishes , and most of severall kindes , besides seven thousand fowles . many such like feasts have beene made by the romane emperours , and some so excessive , that an infinite quantity of bread , meat , and other good victuals ( all sorts of people being satisfied ) hath been thrown into the river of tiber. againe , on the other side , there are as miserable eu●li'os , and base penurious slaves , to be found in all parts , yea in every towne of a kingdome , as one at pr●●rs thorne , neere to swafham in norfolke , made his man pay a peny out of his wages for a rope he cut , when he was hanging of himselfe in his barne . another in the spring-time , because the market should not thrive by him , would make boyes climbe trees , and search steeples for all the crowes and dawes they could finde , which he lived upon , ( while they lasted ) to save other victualls . now there is an {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} , or a selfe-contented sufficiencie , which is most pleasing and agreeable to the nature of many men , as phocion when alexander had sent him a gift of an hundred talents of gold , he sent it back again with this message , that he needed not alexanders money ; {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} , &c. be the words of plutarch . the derivation of the word peny , and of the value and worth thereof . our english peny consisteth of foure farthings , and a farthing is so called from the old saxon , or high dutch , ein vier● ding : that is , a fourth thing , because from the saxons time , untill edward the third , the peny of this land had a crosse struck so deep into the midst thereof , that you might break out any part , of the foure , to buy what you thought good withall , which was in those times their farthing . this word peny , is so called , {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} , that is , poverty : because for the most part poor people are herewith relieved : the old saxons called it p●nig the high dutch pfennig , the netherlands peni●●uk in italian denaro in spanish dinero , in latine denarius , which some fetch from the chaldean , denar ; but some body hath taught the chaldean to speak latine : it is indeed derived , a numero denario , because de●em asses made a peny ; or according to plutarch , a dicem ar●is , {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} . in the british , or welch , it is keniog , from being currant , because it goes away faster then other money ; as scavernog is welch for an hare , because she runnes over the mountains faster then an ordinary runner in wales can overtake or catch her , as my honest friend master owen morgan , that countrey-man , once ( in good earnest ) told me . there are so many kindes of pence as there are severall countries or nations ; our english pennie is a scottish shilling ; in the time of king edward the first our english pennie being round and unclip'd was to weigh two and thirty graines of wheat , taken out of the midst of the care ; twenty of these pence made an ounce , and twelve ounces made a pound . there were also golden pence , as we may finde in didymus clandius de analog . romanorum : in a word , i might discourse ad infinitum , of the varietie of pence , as well for the forme and stampe , as weight and value , though i sought no further then among those of our saxons kings , but it were needlesse . i will onely content my self with our own ordinary pennie , and stay my reader a while upon the not unpleasant consideration of the simple worth of a single pennie , reflecting or looking back as oft as i can , and , as ( plinie adviseth ) upon my title . the simple worth of a single pennie . a pennie bestowed in charitie upon a poore body shall not want an heavenly reward . for a pennie you may in the low-countries in any market buy eight severall commodities , as nuts , vineger , grapes , a little cake , onions , oatmeale , and the like . a pennie bestowed in a small quantity of aniseed , aqua vitae , or the like strong water , may save ones life in a fainting or swound . for a peny you may heare a most eloquent oration upon our english kings and queenes , if keeping your hands off , you will seriously listen to david owen , who keeps the monuments in westminster . some , for want of a peny , have been constrained to go from westminster about by london-bridge to lambeth ; and truly said , defessi sumus ambulando . you may have , in cheapside , your peny tripled in the same kinde , for you shall have peny-grasse , peny-wort and peny-royall . for a peny you may see any monster , jackanapes , or those roaring boyes , the lions . for a peny you may have all the newes in england , of murders , flonds , witches , fires , tempests , and what not , in one of martin parkers ballads . for a peny you may have your horse rubbed and walked after a long journey , and being at grasse , there are some that will breathe him for nothing . for a peny you may buy a faire cucumer , but not a brest of mutton , except it be multiplied . for a peny you may buy time , which is precious , yea and thrift too , if you be a bad husband . i or a peny an hostesse , or an hostler , may buy as much chalke as will score up thirty or forty pounds : but how to come by their money , that let them look to . for a peny you may have your dog worm'd , and so be kept from running mad . for a peny a drunkard may be guarded to his lodging , if his head be light , and the evening dark . for a peny you shall tell what will happen a yeare hence ( which the devill himselfe cannot do ) in some almanack , or other rude countrey . an hard-favoured , and il-bred wench , made peny white , may ( as our times are ) prove a gallant lady . for a peny you may be advanced to that height , that you shall be above the best in the city , yea the lord major himselfe ; that is , to the top of pauls . for a peny , a miserable and covetous wretch , that never did , or ever will bestow peny upon doctor , or apothecarie for their physick or advice , may provide a remedy for all diseases . for a peny you may buy the hardest book in the world , and which at some time or other hath posed the greatest clerks in the land , viz. an horn-book . in so great esteem in former times have our english pence been , that they have been carried to rome by cart-loads . for a peny you may search among the rolles , and withall give the master good satisfaction ; i meane , in a bakers basket . for a peny a chamber-maid may buy as much red-oker as wil serve seven years for the painting of her cheeks . for a peny the monarch of a free-schole may provide himselfe of as many armes as will keep all his rebellious subjects in awe . for a peny you may walke within one of the fairest gardens in the city , and have a nose-gay , or two made you of what sweet slowers you please . for a peny you may buy as much wood of that tree which is green all the yeare , and beareth red berries , as will cure any shrews tongue , if it be too long for her mouth . a peny may save the credit of many , as it did of foure or five young “ scholers in cambridge , who going into the towne to break their fast with puddings ( having sent to their colledge for bread and beere ) the hostesse brought them twelve puddings broil'd , and finding among themselves that they had but eleven pence , they were much troubled about the other peny , they neither having any book about them to lay to pawn for it : quoth one , bolder then the rest , audaces fortuna juvat ; fortune favours the venturous , and biting off a piece of the puddings end , by wonderfull luck spit out a single peny that paid for it , which it seemes was buried in the oat-meale , or spice , so for that time they saved their credits . but i will leave this discourse of a penies-worth to their judgments and experience , who having been troubled with overmuch money , afterward in no long time , have been fain ( after a long dinner with duke humphrey , to take a nap upon penielesse bench , onely to verifie the old proverbe , a foole and his money are soone parted . how money may many wayes be saved in diet , apparell , recreation , and the like . as there are infinite wayes and occasions of spending and laying out money , which were superfluous here to recount , whereof some may be well omitted , but others not , except we would want meat , drink and our apparell with other externall necessaries , as horses , armour , books , and the like , in a word whatsoever may conduce either to our profit or honest pleasure , yet in husbanding our money in all these , there is a great deale of caution and discretion to be used , for most true it is , that of all nations in europe , our english are the most profuse and careles in the way of expence , go into other countries ( especially italy ) the greatest magnifice in venice , will thinke it no disgrace to his magnifenza to go to market , to choose and buy his own meat , what him best liketh : but we in england scorne to do either , surfetting indeed of our plentie , whereof other countries fall far short . insomuch as i am perswaded that our citie of london of it selfe alone eateth more good beefe and mutton in one month then all spaine , italy , and a part of france in a whole yeare . if we have a minde to dine at a taverne , we bespeake a dinner at all adventure , never demaunding or knowing the price thereof till it be eaten , after dinner there is a certaine sawce brought up by the drawer called a reckoning in a bill as long as a brokers inventorie . i have knowne by experience in some tavernes sometime of at least twice and sometime thrice as much as the meat and dressing hath been worth : no question but a faire and an honest gaine is to be allowed , in regard of house rent , linnen , attendance of servants , and the like ; there are without doubt very many tavernes verie honest and reasonable , and the use of them is necessary , for if a man meetes with his friend or acquaintance in the street , whither should they go , having no friends house neere to go into , especially in rainie or fowle weather , but to a taverne ? where for the expence of a pinte or a quart of wine they may have a drie house & room to confer or write to any friends about busines , but to have in a bill . s. brought up for an ordinarie capon ( as my lord of northamptons gentlemen had at greenwich in king iames his time ) . or . s. for a paire of soales , four shillings for a dozen of larkes , would make a horentine runne out of his wits : how excellently in some houses are their neates tongues poudred when the reckoning is brought you up ? againe what can be more distastfull to an ingenuous and free spirit , then to stand to the curtesie of a nimble tong'd drawer , or his manie-ringed mistris , whether they or your self shall have the disposing of your money ; it is no small summe that our young gallants might save in a yeere , if they would be wise in this respect . beside in your owne private house or chamber , a dish or two , and a good stomack for the sawce shall give you more content , continnue your health , and keepe your bodie in better plight , then variety of many dishes : this pleased ever the wisest and best men . horace affirmeth him to live healthie and happily ; cui splendet in mensa tenue salinum : meaning by the small and poore salt seller , a slender and a frugall diet . curius that noble romane , a man of mervailous honestie , temperance and valour ( who overcame the samnites and pyrrhus himself ) when the ambassadors of the samnites brought him an huge summe of gold , they found him sitting by the fire , and seething of turneps for his dinner with an earthen dish in his lap , at what time he gave them this answere , i had rather eat in this dish and command over them , that have gold , then be rich my selfe , a while after being accused for deceiving the state of money , which he had gotten in his conquests and kept to himself : he tooke a solemne oath , that he saved no more of all he gat but that one tree'n , or wooden barrell , which he had there by him . marvellous was the temperance of the romanes in their diet , as also of the turkes at this day , the italians and spaniards , but it is in them naturall , not habituall , and by consequent no vertue as themselves would have it , for the inhabitants of hot countries , have not their digestion so strong as those under cold climates , whose bodies by an antiperistasis or surrounding of the cold have the natural heate repelled & kept within them , which is the reason that the northerne nations are of all other the greatest eaters and drinkers ; and of those , the french say we of england have the best stomacks and are the greatest trenchermen of the world , les anglois sont les plus gros mangeurs , de tout la monde : but they re deceived ; those of denmarke and norway exceed us , and the russians them . i confesse we have had , and have yet some remarkable eaters among us , who for a wager would have eaten with the best of them , as wolmer of windsor , and not long since wood of kent , who eat up at one dinner nineteen greene geese equall to the old ones in bignesse with sawce of gooseberries , according as i heard it affirmed to my lord richard earle of dorset at a dinner time at his house at knowle in kent , by one of his gentlemen who was an eye witnesse to the same . but the truth is , that those men live the longest and are commonly in perfect health , who content themselves with least and the simplest meat , which not onely saves the purse , but preserves the body , as we may see in lancashire , shropshire , cheshire , yorkshire , and other countries which are remote from the citie ; and it is master cambdens observation in his britannia , vt diutius vivant qui vescuntur lacticiniis : they commonlie are long liv'd , who live by whitmeates , as milke , butter , cheese curds , and the like . for , multa fercula multos morbos gignere , was truely said of saint hierome , as being apt by their sundrie and opposite qualities to breed much corruption . how healthfull are schollers in our universities , whose commons are no more then needs must ! neither would i have any man starve himself to save his purse , as an usurer confessed upon his death-bed , how he was above two hundred pounds endebted to his bellie , for breakefastes dinners and suppers which he had defrauded it of in terme times at london , and in other places , employing his money to other miserable purposes . money may be well saved , in travaile or in town ; if three or foure shall ioyne their purses , and provide their diet at the best hand , it is no shame so to do . i have known also some , who have been verie skilfull in dressing their own diet . homer tells us that achilles could play the cooke excellently well , and i beleeve it were not amisse for our english travailers so to do in forraign countries , for many reasons i have knowne . and execrable is the miserable and base humour of many , who to save their money will live upon vile and loathsome things , as mushromes , snailes , frogs , mice , young kitlings , and the like . in times of extreme dearth or famine , people ( i confesse ) have been driven to look out for whatsoever could nourish , and ( as we say ) keep life and soule together ; yea , and of farre worse things then these , as iosephus reporteth of the jewes , in that horrible and fearfull famine in hierusalem , at the time of the siege by titus and vespasian : such we blame not , most blame worthy are they , who as it were surfetting of , or loathing that abundant plenty of all good and wholesome meats god hath afforded us in this land , and which god by name hath commended to his people , make these stuffe their greatest dainties ; as i have known ladies , who when they have eaten till they could eat no more of all the daintiest dishes at the table , yet they must eat the legs of their larkes , roasted a new in a greasie tallow candle , and if they carved but a piece of a burnt claw to any gentleman at the table , he must take it as an extraordinary favour from her ladiship . it were much to be wished , that they were bound to hold them to their diet in a deare yeare , or a wet spring , when frogs and snailes may be had in greatest abundance . of thrift and good husbandrie in apparell . you must , if you would keep money in your purse to uphold your credit , at all times be frugall , and thrifty also in your apparell , not dogging the fashion , or setting your tailor on work at the sight of every mounsieurs new suit ; there is a middle , plain and decent garbe , which is best , and most to be commended : this is commonly affected of the most staied & wisest : what mony might be saved , if we were so wise as the dutch or spaniard , who for these two or three hundred yeares , have kept themselves to one fashion ? but we , the apes of europe , like proteus , must change our shapes every yeare , nay quarter , moneth and week , as well in our dublets , hose , cloaks , hats , bands , boots , and what not : that embleme was not unproper which once i saw in antwerpe , which was an hee and a shee foole turning a double rimmed wheele upon one axeltree , one on the one side , and the other on the other ; upon the hee-fooles wheele , were the severall fashions of mens apparell , on the others wheele of womens ; which , as with the revolution of time , went round , and came into the same place , use , and request again ; as for the present , aloft , and followed of all , by and by cast down , and despised . i see no reason why a french man should not imitate our english fashion , as well as we his : what , have the french more wit then we in fitting clothes to the body , or a better invention or way insaving money in the buying or making of apparell ? surely i think not : it may be our english when they had to do in france , got a humour of affecting their fashions , which they could not shake off since : there is no man ever the warmer , or ever the wiser for a fashion , ( so farre forth as it is a fashion ) but rather the contrary ; a foole : for needlesse expence , and suffering himselfe to quake for cold , when his clothes in the fashion must be cut to the skin , his hat hardly cover his crown , but stands upon his perewig like an extinguisher : and we know , by ridiculous experience , every day in the street , that our ladies , and their waiting women , will starve and shiver in the hardest frost , rather then they will suffer their bare necks and breasts to passe your eyes unviewed . but some will say ( as i have heard many ) there is no man now adayes esteemed , that follows not the fashion ; be it so , the fashions of these times are very fit to be observed , which is , to be deeply indebted to mercers , haberdashers , sempsters , tailors , and other trades , for the fulfilling of a fashionable humour , which a thrifty and wise man avoideth , accommodating himselfe with apparell faire and seemly , for halfe , or a third part of the others charge . what makes many of our city tailors arise to so great estates as some of them have , and to build so brave houses , but the fashion ? silkmen and mercers to buy such goodly lordships in the countreys , where many times they are chosen high sheriffes , but the fashion ? and i would fain know of any of our prime fashion-mongers , what use there is of lac'd bands , of six , seven , and eight pound the band , nay of forty and fifty pound the band . such d●ubing of cloakes , and dublets with gold and silver , points of five and eight pound the dozen to dangle uselesly at the knees , philopoemon , a brave commander among the graecians ( as plutarch reporteth ) commanded that all the gold and silver which he had taken away from his enemies ( which was a very great quantity ) should be imployed in gilding , inlaying of swords , saddles , bridles , all furniture both for his men and horse . for gold and silver worn by martiall men , addeth , saith plutarch , courage and spirit unto them ; but in others effeminacie , or a kinde of womanish vanity . moderata durant , and mediocria firma , were the motto's of two as grave and great counsellers as were ( of their times ) in england . a gentleman in a plain cloth suit well made , may appeare in the presence of the greatest prince . the venetians as wise a people and state as any other in europe , are bound by the lawes of their common wealth , that their upper garments ( worne within the city ) should ever be of plaine black : yea the greatest princes go many times the plainest in their apparell . charles the fifth emperour the bulwarke and moderator of christendome in his time , went verie plaine , seldome or never wearing any gold or silver , save his order of the golden fleece about his neck . henrie the fourth king of france ( worthily stiled the ninth worthy ) many times in the heate of summer would onely go in a suite of buckram cut upon white canvas or the like ; so little they , ( who had the kernell of wisdome and magnanimitie , cared for the shell of gaudie apparell : and it is worthy the observation , how for the most part , the safest and most excellent men in inward knowledge and multiplicity of learning , have been most negligent and careles in their apparell , and as we say , slovens ; erasmus saith of sir t. moore , quod à puere semper in vestitu fuit negligentissimus , that from a childe he was ever most careles and slovenly in his apparell . paracelsus we read to have been the like ; and to parallell him , our late master butter of cambridge , that learned and excellent physitian . there is much money to be saved in apparrell , in choise of the stuffe , for lasting , and cheapnesse : and that you may not be deceived in the stuffe or price , take the advice of some honest tailor , your friend , as no question but every where there are many . i will instance one ; in cambridge there dwelt , some twenty or thirty years ago , one godfrey colton , who was by his trade a tailor , but a merry companion with his taber and pipe , and for singing all manner of northern songs before noble and gentlemen , who much delighted in his company . beside , he was lord of sturbridge-faire , and all the misorders there . on a time , an old doctor of the university brought unto him five yards of pure fine scarlet , to make him a doctor of divinities gown : and withall , desired him to save him the least shred , to mend an hole , if a moth should eat it : godfrey having measured , and found that there was enough , laid it by : nay , quoth the doctor , let me see it cut out ere i go , for though you can play the knave abroad , i think you are honest at home , and at your work . god forbid else , quoth godfrey , and that you shall finde by me ; for give me but twenty shillings from you , and i will save you forty in the making of your gown : that i will , said the doctor ( who was miserable enough ) with all mine heart ; with that he gave him two old harrie angels out of his velvet pouch , which godfrey having put into his pocket , the doctor desired to tell him how he would save him forty shillings : marry will i ( quoth godfrey ) in good faith sir , let some other tailor in any case make it ; for if i take it in hand , i shall utterly spoile it , for i never , in all my life , made any of this fashion . i report this for the credit of honest tailors , who will ever tell their friends the truth . of recreations . of recreations , some are more expensive then others , as requiring more addresse and charge : as tiltings , masques , playes , and the like , which are proper to princes courts : but i speak of those which are proper to private men , for such is our nature , that we cannot stand long bent , but we must have our relaxations , as well of minde as body ; for of recreations , some are proper to the minde and speculation ; as reading of delightfull and pleasant books , the knowledge of the mathematicall and other contemplative sciences , which are the more pleasing and excellent , by how much the pleasure of the minde excelleth that of the body ; others belong to the body , as walking , riding upon pleasure , shooting , hunting , hawking , bowling , ringing , paille maille , and the like , which are recreations without doores ; others are within doores , as chesse , tables , cards , dice , billiards , ●ioco d●oco and the like : but the truth is , the most pleasing of all is , riding with a good horse , and a good companion in the spring , or summer season , into the countrey , when blossomes are on the trees , flowers in the fields , corn and fruit are ripe ; in autumne , what sweet and goodly prospects shall you have on both sides of you upon the way , delicate green fields , low meadowes , divorces of christall streams , woody-hills , parks with deere , hedge-rows , orchards , fruit-trees , churches , villages , the houses of gentlemen , and husbandmen , severall habits and faces , variety of countrey labour and exercises , and if you happen ( as often it falleth out ) to converse with countrey men of the place , you shall finde them for the most part understanding enough to give you satisfaction , and sometimes countrey maids , and market wenches , will give as unhappy answers , as they be asked knavish and uncivill questions ; others there be , who , out of their rusticall simplicity , will afford you matter of mirth if you stay to talk with them . i remember , riding once by horn-castle , neere to stikeswold , in lincolneshire , in the heat of summer , i met with a swineherd keeping his hogs upon a fallow field . my friend ( quoth i ) you keep here a company of unruly cattell , i poore soules , they are indeed ( quoth he ) i beleeve , said i , they have a language among themselves , & can understand one another , i as well as you and i : were they ever taught ? alas , poor things , they know not a letter of the book , i teach them all they have : why , what sayes that great hog with red spots ( quoth i ) that lies under another , in his grunting language : marry , he bids him that sleeps so heavie upon him to lie further off . but to our purpose ; the most ordinary recreations of the countrey are football , ska●es , or nine pins , shooting at butts , quaits , bowling , running at the base , stooleball , leaping , and the like ; whereof some are too violent and dangerous : the safest recreations are within doores ( but not in regard of cost & expence ) for thousands sometimes are lost at ordinaries , and dicing-houses ; yea , i have known goodly lordships to have been lost at a cast , and for the sport of one night , some have made themselves beggers all their lives after . recreation , is so called , à recreando , that is from ( by a metaphore ) of creating a man anew ; by putting life , spirit and delight into him , after the powers of his minde and body have been decayed , and weakened , with overmuch much contemplation , studie and labour , and therefore to be used onely to that end : some go for recreations which trouble and amuse the minde as much , or more then the hardest study , as chesse , which king iames therefore calleth , ouer-philosophicall a follie : and indeed , such recreations are to be used , that leave no sting of repentance for sinne committed by them , or griefe and sorrow for losse of money and time many dayes after : i could instance many of that nature , but i will onely give some generall rules to be observed in some of them . if you have a minde to recreate your selfe by play , never adventure but a third part of that money you have : let those you play withall be of acquaintance , and not strangers , if you may avoid it . never mis-time your selfe by sitting long at play , as some will do three or foure dayes and nights together , and so make your selfe unfit for any businesse in many dayes after . never play untill you be constrained to borrow or pawne any thing of your owne , which becommeth a base groom better then a gentleman . avoid quarrelling , blasphemous swearing , and in a word , never play for more then you are willing to lose ; that you may finde your selfe , after your pastime , not the worse , but the better , which is the end of all recreations . there are some , i know , so base and penurious , who for feare of losing a peny , will never play at any thing ; yet rather then they should want their recreations , i would wish them to venture at span-counter , and dust-point with schole-boyes upon their ordinary play-dayes in a market-place or church-porch . of such honest wayes that a man in want may take to live and get money . if a man hath fallen into poverty or distresse , either by death of friends , some accident or other by sea or land , sicknesse , or the like ; let him not despaire , for , paupertas non est vtium ; and since the common-wealth is like unto an humane body , consisting of many members , so usefull each to either , as one cannot subsist without the other ; as a prince his counsell and statesmen are as the head , the arms , are men of arms , the back , the communalty ; hands and feet , are country and mechanique trades , &c. so god hath ordained , that all men should have need one of another , that none might live idlely , or want imployment ; wherefore idlenesse , as the bane of a common-wealth , hath a curse attending upon it , it should be clothed with rags , it should beg its bread , &c. i remember i have read in an italian historie , of one so idle , that he was fain to have one to help him stirre his chaps when he should eat his meat . now if you would ask me what course he should take , or what he should do that wanteth money , let him first bethink himselfe , to what profession or trade of life he hath been formerly brought up , if to none , to what his genius , or naturall disposition standes most affected unto : if he hath a minde to travaile , he shall finde entertainment in the netherlands , who are the best pay-masters except the emperour of russia , and the venetians ( i meane for the most meanes ) in europe . if you list not to follow the warres , you may finde entertainement among our new plantations in america , as new england , virginia , the barbadas , saint christophers , and the rest , where with a great deale of delight you may have variety of honest employment , as fishing with the net or hooke , planting , gardening , and the like , which beside your maintenance you shall finde it a great content to your conscience to be in action , which god commaunds us all to be , if you have beene ever in a grammer-schoole you may everie where finde children to teach , so many , no doubt , as will keepe you from starving , and it may be in a gentlemans house , or if you get entertainment of any who followeth the law , or practifeth physick , you may with diligence and practise prove a clerk to himselfe or some justice of the peace , by the other you may get the knowledge and nature of herbes and all forraigne drugges from his apothecarie , and perhaps manie good receipts for agues wounds and the like : i have known many this way to have prooved in a country towne tollerable physitians , and have growne rich , if being borne a gentleman ( as our gentlemen doe ) you scorne to doe any of these , you may get to be a gentleman usher to some ladie or other , they are not a few that have thrived passing well this way , and in a word , rather then in miserable and pitilesse want , let a man undertake any vocation and labour , alwayes remembring that homely ( but true ) distich of old tussers . thinks no labour slaverie , that bringes in pennie saverlie . and as a necessary rule hereto coincident , let every man endeavour by a dutifull diligence to get a friend , and when he hath found him ( neither are they so easily found in these dayes ) with all care to keep him , and to use him as one would do a christall or a venice glasse , to take him up softly and use him tenderly , or as you would a sword of excellent temper and mettall , not to hack every gate , or cut every staple and post therewith , but to keepe him to defend you in your extremest danger . false and seeming friends are infinite , and such be our ordinarie acquaintance , with the complement of glad to see you well , how have you done this long time , &c. and with these we meete every day . in a word , for a conclusion , let every one be carefull to get and keepe money , know the worth of a penny , and since we are born , we must live , vivions nous , let us live as well , as merrily as we can in these hardest times , and say every one of us as sir roger williams that brave souldier said to queene elizabeth , when he wanted pay for himselfe and his souldiers ; madam , i tell you true , we will be without money for no mans pleasure . finis . notes, typically marginal, from the original text notes for div a e- scar beere brewed with broom in the low countreys at peny farthing the gallon is much like it . “ ca●et . “ a place neer to westminster hall where very good meat is dressed all the terme time . nil ait esse prius , melius nil coelibe vita . the old embleme of suretieship . wisdome . for the romanes had nodinners , but suppers , which were about three of the clock in the afternoon . “ some of them are yet living in london . that many dishes breed many diseases . in philop. in farra : epistolarum in basilicondoron . the queen-like closet; or, rich cabinet stored with all manner of rare receipts for preserving, candying & cookery. very pleasant and beneficial to all ingenious persons of the female sex. by hannah wolley. woolley, hannah, fl. . approx. kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from -bit group-iv tiff page images. text creation partnership, ann arbor, mi ; oxford (uk) : - (eebo-tcp phase ). a wing w estc r this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons . universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase , no. a ) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set ) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, - ; : ) the queen-like closet; or, rich cabinet stored with all manner of rare receipts for preserving, candying & cookery. very pleasant and beneficial to all ingenious persons of the female sex. by hannah wolley. woolley, hannah, fl. . woolley, hannah, fl. . second part of the queen-like closet. [ ], , [ ] p., [ ] leaf of plates printed for r. lowndes at the white lion in duck-lane, near west-smithfield, london : . first leaf blank. with an added engraved title page following a . a reads: licensed, nov. , . roger l'estrange. advertisement: p. [ ]-[ ] of rd count. "the second part of the queen-like closet" has a separate dated title page; pagination and register are continuous. includes an index to each part. copy tightly bound with slight loss of print; print show-through. created by converting tcp files to tei p using tcp tei.xsl, tei @ oxford. re-processed by university of nebraska-lincoln and northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. gap elements of known extent have been transformed into placeholder characters or elements to simplify the filling in of gaps by user contributors. eebo-tcp is a partnership between the universities of michigan and oxford and the publisher proquest to create accurately transcribed and encoded texts based on the image sets published by proquest via their early english books online (eebo) database (http://eebo.chadwyck.com). the general aim of eebo-tcp is to encode one copy (usually the first edition) of every monographic english-language title published between and available in eebo. eebo-tcp aimed to produce large quantities of textual data within the usual project restraints of time and funding, and therefore chose to create diplomatic transcriptions (as opposed to critical editions) with light-touch, mainly structural encoding based on the text encoding initiative (http://www.tei-c.org). the eebo-tcp project was divided into two phases. the , texts created during phase of the project have been released into the public domain as of january . anyone can now take and use these texts for their own purposes, but we respectfully request that due credit and attribution is given to their original source. users should be aware of the process of creating the tcp texts, and therefore of any assumptions that can be made about the data. text selection was based on the new cambridge bibliography of english literature (ncbel). if an author (or for an anonymous work, the title) appears in ncbel, then their works are eligible for inclusion. selection was intended to range over a wide variety of subject areas, to reflect the true nature of the print record of the period. in general, first editions of a works in english were prioritized, although there are a number of works in other languages, notably latin and welsh, included and sometimes a second or later edition of a work was chosen if there was a compelling reason to do so. image sets were sent to external keying companies for transcription and basic encoding. quality assurance was then carried out by editorial teams in oxford and michigan. % (or pages, whichever is the greater) of each text was proofread for accuracy and those which did not meet qa standards were returned to the keyers to be redone. after proofreading, the encoding was enhanced and/or corrected and characters marked as illegible were corrected where possible up to a limit of instances per text. any remaining illegibles were encoded as <gap>s. understanding these processes should make clear that, while the overall quality of tcp data is very good, some errors will remain and some readable characters will be marked as illegible. users should bear in mind that in all likelihood such instances will never have been looked at by a tcp editor. the texts were encoded and linked to page images in accordance with level of the tei in libraries guidelines. copies of the texts have been issued variously as sgml (tcp schema; ascii text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable xml (tcp schema; characters represented either as utf- unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless xml (tei p , characters represented either as utf- unicode or tei g elements). keying and markup guidelines are available at the text creation partnership web site . eng recipes -- early works to . cookery -- early works to . home economics -- early works to . - tcp assigned for keying and markup - apex covantage keyed and coded from proquest page images - mona logarbo sampled and proofread - mona logarbo text and markup reviewed and edited - pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion the queen-like closet ; or , rich cabinet : stored with all manner of rare receipts for preserving , candying & cookery very pleasant and beneficial to all ingenious persons of the female sex . by hannah wolley . london , printed for r. lowndes at the white lion in duck-lane , near west-smithfield , . licensed , nov. , . roger l' estrange . the queene-like closet rich or cabinet to the truly vertuous and my much honoured friend m rs . grace buzby , daughter to the late sr. henry cary , knight banneret ; and wife to mr. robert buzby , gentleman , and woollen draper of london , madam , your kind and good acceptance of my endeavours in work for you , and that esteem you have for what else i can do , make me bold to present this book to you ; which by that time you have perused , i doubt not but you will deem it worthy of the title it bears ; and indeed it was never opened before : if it may yield you any delight or benefit , i shall be glad ; for as you have a true love and esteem for me , so i have a very great love and honourable esteem for you ; and shall always be your most observant servant , hannah wolley . to all ladies , gentlewomen , and to all other of the female sex who do delight in , or be desirous of good accomplishments . ladies and gentlewomen , i presume those books which have passed from me formerly , have got me some little credit and esteem amongst you . but there being so much time past since they were printed , that methinks , i hear some of you say , i wish mrs. wolley would put forth some new experiments ; and to say the truth , i have been importun'd by divers of my friends and acquaintance to do so . i shall not give an apish example every day or week to follow ridiculous and foolish fancies ; nor would i be too like the spaniard , always to keep in one dress : i am not ashamed , nor do i disown what i have already printed , but some of you being so perfect in your practises , and i very desirous still to serve you , do now present you with this queen-like closet : i do assure you it is worthy of the title it bears , for the very precious things pou will find in it . thus be seeching your kind acceptance of this book , and of my earnest desires to you , i take my leave , but shall always be to all who have esteem for me , their faithful and humble servant , hannah wolley . ladies , i do here present you ( you that which sure will well content a queen-like closet rich and brave ; ( such ) not many ladies have : or cabinet in which doth set iems richer than in karkanet ; ( they ) only eies and francies please , these keep your bodies in good ease ; they please the taste , also the eye ; would i might be a stander by : yet rather i would wish to eat , since bout them i my brains do beat ; and 't is but reason you may say , if that i come within your way ; i sit here sad while you are merry , eating dainties , drinking perry ; but i 'm content you should so feed , so i may have to serve my need . hannah wolley . the ladies new closet . or rather rich cabinet . i. to make aqua mirabilis a very delicate way . take three pints of sack , three pints of white wine , one quart of the spirit of wine , one quart of the juice of celandine leaves , os melilot-flowers , cardamom-seeds , cubebs , galingale , nutmegs , cloves , mace , ginger , two drams of each ; bruise them , and mix them with the wine and spirits , let it stand all night in the still , not an alembeck , but a common still , close stopped with rye paste ; the next morning make a slow fire in the still , and all the while it is stilling , keep a wet cloth about the neck of the still , and put so much white sugar candy as you think fit into the glass where it drops . ii. the plague-water which was most esteemed of in the late great visitat●●● . take three pints of muskadine , boil therein one handful of sage , and one handful of rue until a pint be wasted , then strain it out , and set it over the fire again . put thereto a peniworth of long pepper , half an ounce of ginger , and a quarter of an ounce of nutmegs , all beaten together , boil them together a little while close covered , then put to it one penniworth of mithridate , two penniworth of venice treacle , one quarter of a pint of hot angelica water . take one spoonful at a time , morning and evening alwaies warm , if you be already diseased ( if not ) once a day is sufficient all the plague time . it is a most excellent medicine , and never faileth , if taken before the heart be utterly mortified with the disease ; it is also good for the small pox , measles , or surfets . iii. a very soveraign water . take one gallon of good claret wine , then take ginger , galingale , cinamon , nutmegs , grains , cloves , anniseeds , fennel-seeds , caraway-seeds , of each one dram , then take sage , mints , red-rose leaves , thyme , pellitory of the wall , rosemary wild thyme , camomile , lavander , of each one handful , bruise the spices small and beat the herbs , and put them into the wine , and so let stand twelve hours close covered , stirring it divers times , then still it in an alembeck , and keep the best water by it self , and so keep every water by it self ; the first you may use for aged people , the other for younger . this most excellent water w 〈…〉 ●rom dr. chambers , which he kept secret till he had done many cures therewith w●●●t w●●●forteth the vital spirits ; it helpe●● the inward diseases that come of cold ; the shaking of the palsie ; it helpeth the conception of women that are barren ; it killeth the worms within the body , helpeth the stone within the bladder ; it cureth the cold , cough , and tooth-ach , and comforteth the stomach ; it cureth the dropsie , and cleanseth the reins ; it helpeth speedily the stinking breath ; whosoever useth this water , it preserveth them in good health , and maketh seem young very long ; for it comforteth nature very much : with this water dr. chambers preserved his own life till extreme age would suffer him neither to go nor to stand one whit , and he continued five years after all physitians judged he could not live ; and he confessed that when he was sick at any time , he never used any other remedy but this water , and wished his friends when he lay on his death-bed to make use of it for the preservation of their health . iv. to make spirit of mints . take three pints of the best white wine , three handfuls of right spear-mint picked clean from the stalks , let it steep in the wine one night covered , in the morning , put it into a copper alembeck , and draw it with a pretty quick fire , and when you have drawn it all , take all your water , and add as much wine as before , and put to the water , and the same quantity of mint as before ; let it steep two or three hours , then put all into your still , and draw it with a soft fire , put into your receiver a quantity of loaf-sugar , and you will find it very excellent ; you may distil it in an ordinary still if you please ; but then it will not be so strong nor effectual . thus you may do with any other herbs whatsoever . v. to make the cordial orange-water . take one dozen and half of the highest coloured and thick rin'd oranges , slice them thin , and put them into two pints of malago sack , and one pint of the best brandy , of cinamon , nutmegss , ginger , cloves and mace , of each one quarter of an ounce bruised , of spear-mint and balm one handful of each , put them into an ordinary still all night , pasted up with rye paste ; the next day draw them with a slow fire , and keep a wet cloth upon the neck of the still ; put in some loaf sugar into the glass where it droppeth . vi. to make spirit of oranges or of limons . take of the thickest rin'd oranges or limons , and chip off the rinds very thin , put these chips into a glass-bottle , and put in as many as the glass will hold , then put in as much malago sack as the glass will hold besides ; stop the bottle close that no air get in , and when you use it , take about half a spoonful in a glass of sack ; it is very good for the wind in the stomach . vii . to make limon water . take twelve of the fairest limons , slice them , and put them into two pints of white wine , and put to them of cinamon and galingale , of each , one quarter of an ounce , of red rose leaves , burrage and bugloss flowers , of each one handful , of yellow sanders one dram , steep all these together hours , then distil them gently in a glass still , put into the glass where it droppeth , three ounces of sugar , and one grain of amber-greece . viii . a water for fainting of the heart . take of bugloss water and red rose water , of each one pint , of red cows milk , half a pint , annise-seed and cinnamon , of each half an ounce bruised , maiden-hair two handfuls , harts-tongue one handful , bruise them , a●● 〈◊〉 all these together , and distil them in a 〈◊〉 still , drink of it morning and evening with a little sugar . ix . to make rosemary water . take a quart of sack or white wine with as many rosemary flowers as will make it very thick , two nutmegs , and two races of ginger sliced thin into it ; let it infuse all night , 〈…〉 it in an ordinary still as your oth●●●●ters . x. to make a most precious water . take two quarts of brandy , of balm , of wood-betony , of pellitory of the wall , of sweet marjoram , of cowslip-flowers , rosemary-flowers , sage-flowers , marigold-flowers , of each of these one handful bruised together ; then take one ounce of gromwel seeds , one ounce of sweet fennel seeds , one ounce of coriander seeds bruised , also half an ounce of aniseeds , and half an ounce of caraway-seeds , half an ounce of iuniper berries , half an ounce of bay berries , one ounce of green licoras , three nutmegs , one quarter of an ounce of large mace , one quarter of an ounce 〈…〉 cinamon , one quarter of an ou●●● 〈◊〉 cloves , half an ounce of ginger 〈…〉 these well together , then add to them half a pound of raisons in the sun stoned , let all these steep together in the brandy nine days close stopped , then strain it out , and two grains of musk , two of amber-greece , one pound of refined sugar ; stop the glass that no air get in , and keep it in a warm place . doctor butle●●●●●eacle water . take the roots of polipody of the oak bruised , lignum vita thin sliced , the inward part thereof , saxifrage roots thin sliced , of the shavings of harts-horn , of each half a pound , of the outward part of yellow citron not preserved , one ounce and half bruised , mix these together , then take of fumitory-water of each one ounce . carduus water camomile water . succory-water of cedar wood one ounce , of cinamon three drams , of cloves three drams , bruise all your forenamed things ; then take of epithimum two ounces and a half , of cetrarch six ounces , of carduus and balm , of each two handfuls , of burrage flowers , bugloss flowers , gilly flowers , of each four ounces , of angelica root , elecampane root beaten to a pap , of each four ounces , of andronichus treacle and mithridate , of each four ounces ; mixe all these together , and incorporate them well , and grind them in a stone-mortar , with part of the former liquor , and at last , mix all together , and let them stand warm hours close stopped , then put them all into a glass still , and sprinkle on the top of species aromatica rosata and diambre , of the species of diarodon abbatis , diatrion santalon , of each six drams ; then cover the still close , and lute it well , and distil the water with a soft fire , and keep it close . this will yield five pints of the best water , the rest will be smaller . xii . the cordial cherry water . take nine pounds of red cherries , nine pints of caret wine , eight ounces of cinamon , three ounces of nutmegs , bruis your spice , stone your cherries , and steep them in the wine , then add to them half a handful of rosemary , half a handful of balm , one quarter of a handful of sweet marjoram , let them steep in an earthen pot twenty four hours , and as you put them into the alembeck to distil them , bruise them with your hands , and make a soft fire under them , and distil by degrees ; you may mix the waters at your pleasure when you have drawn them all ; when you have thus done , sweeten it with loaf sugar , then strain it into another glass , and stop it close that no spirits go out ; you may ( if you please ) hang a bag with musk and amber-greece in it , when you use it , mix it with syrrop of gilly-flowers or of violets as you best like it ; it is an excellent cordial for fainting fits , or a woman in travel , or sor any one who is not well . xiii . a most excellent water for the stone , or for the wind-collick . take two handfuls of mead-parsly , otherwise called saxifrage , one handful of mother-thyme , two handfuls of perstons , two handfuls of philipendula , and as much pellitory of the wall , two ounces of sweet fennel seeds , the roots of ten radishes sliced , steep all these in a gallon of milk warm from the cow , then distil it in an ordinary still , and four hours after , slice half an ounce of the wood called saxifrage , and put into the bottle to the water , keep it close stopped , and take three spoonfuls at a time , and fast both from eating and drinking one hour after ; you must make this water about midsummer ; it is a very precious water , and ought to be prized . xiv . the cock water most delicate and precions for restoring out of deep consumptions , and for preventing them , and for curing of-agues , proved by my self and many others . take a red cock , pluck him alive , then fiit him down the back , and take out his intrals , cut him in quarters , and bruise him in a mortar , with his head , legs , heart , liver and cizard ; put him into an ordinary still with a pottle of sack , and one quart of milk new from a red cow , one pound of blew currants beaten , one pound of raisins in the sun stoned and beaten , four ounces of dates stoned and beaten , two handfuls of peniroyal , two handfuls of pimpernel , or any other cooling herb , one handful of mother-thyme , one handful of rosemary , one handful of burrage , one quart of red rose water , two ounces of harts-horn , two ounces of china root sliced , two ounces of ivory shaving , four ounces of the flower of french barley , put all these into your still , and paste it up very well , and still it with a soft fire , put into the glass where it droppeth one pound of white sugar candy beaten very small , twelve peniworth of leaf-gold , seven grains of musk , eleven grains of amber-greece , seven grains of bezoar stone ; when it is all distilled , mix all the waters together , and every morning fasting , and every evening when you go to bed , take four or five spoonfuls of it warm , for about a moneth together ; this hath cured many when the doctors have given them over . xv. walnut water , or the water of life . take green walnuts in the beginning of iune , beat them in a mortar , and distil them in an ordinary still , keep that water by it self , then about midsummer gather some more , and distill them as you did before , keep that also by it self , then take a quart of each and mix-them , together , and distil them in a glass still , and keep it for your use ; the virtues are as followeth ; it will help all manner of dropsies and palsies , drank with wine fasting ; it is good for the eyes , if . you put one drop therein ; it helpeth conception in women if they drink thereof one spoonful at a time in a glass of wine once a day , and it will make your skin fair if you wash therewith ; it is good for all infirmities of the body , and driveth out all corruption , and inward bruises ; if it be drunk with wine moderately , it killeth worms in the body ; whosoever drinketh much of it , shall live so long as nature shall continue in him . finally , if you have any wine that is turned , put in a little viol or glass full of it , and keep it close stopped , and within four days it will come to it self again . xvi . to make wormwood water . take four ounces of aniseeds , four ounces of licoras scraped , bruise them well with two ounces of nutmegs , add to them one good handful of wormwood , one root of angelica , steep them in three gallons of sack lees and strong ale together twelve hours ; then distil them in an alembeck , and keep it for your use . xvii . a very rare cordial water . take one gallon of white wine , two ounces of mithridate , two ounces of cinamon , one handful of balm , a large handful of cowslips , two handfuls of rosemary flowers , half an ounce of mace , half an ounce of cloves , half an ounce of nutmegs , all bruised , steep these together four days in an earthen pot , and covered very close , distil them in an ordinary still well pasted , and do it with a very slow fire ; save the first water by it self . and the small by it self , to give to children ; when you have occasion to use it take a spoonful thereof , sweetned with loaf-sugar ; this water is good to drive out any infection from the heart , and to comfort the spirits . xviii . another most excellent cordial . take celandine , sage , costmary , rue , wormwood , mugwort , scordium , pimpernel , scabious , egrimony , betony , balm , carduus , centory , peniroyal , elecampane roots , tormentil with the roots , horehound , rosa solls , marigold flowers , angelica , dragon , marjoram , thyme , camomile , of each two good handfuls ; licoras , zedoary , of each one ounce ; slice the roots , shred the herbs , and steep them in four quarts of white wine , and let it stand close covered days , then distil it in an ordinary still pasted-up ; when you use it , sweeten it with fine sugar , and warm it . xix . to make rosa solis . take a pottle of aqua composita , and put it into a glass , then a good handful of rosa solis clean picked , but not washed , put it to the aqua composita , then take a pound of dates stoned and beaten small , half a peniworth of long pepper , as much of grains , and of round pepper , bruise them small , take also a pound of loaf sugar well beaten , a quarter of a pound of powder of pearl , and six leaves of book gold ; put all to the rest , and stir them well together in the glass , then cover it very close , and let it stand in the sun fourteen days , ever taking it in at night ; then strain it , and put it into a close bottle ; you must not put in the pearl , gold , nor sugar till it hath been sunned and strained , neither must you touch the leaves of the rosa solis with your hands when you pick it ; keep it very close . xx. the heart water . take five handfuls of rosemary flowers , two drams of red coral , two drams of powder of pearl , two drams of white amber , two drams of cinamon , two pound of the best prunes stoned , six pints of damask rose water , two pints of sack ; put all these into a pipkin never used , stop it up with paste , let them stand upon a soft fire a little while , then distil it in an ordinary still pasted up . xxi . the plague water . take rosemary , red balm , burrage , angelica , carduus , celandine , dragon , featherfew , wormwood , peniroyal , elecampane roots , mugwort , bural , tormentil , egrimony , sage , sorrel , of each of these one handful weighed , weight for weight ; put all these in an earthen pot , with four quarts of white wine , cover them close , and let them stand eight or nine days in a cool cellar , then distil it in a glass still . xxii . the treacle . water . take one pound of old venice treacle , of the roots of elecampane , gentian , cyprus , tormentil , of each one ounce , of carduus and angelica , half an ounce , of burrage , bugloss , and of rosemary flow ers one ounce of each ; infuse these in three pints of white wine , one pint of spring water , two pints of red rose water ; then distil them in an ordinary still pasted up . this is excellent for swounding-fits or convulsions , and expelleth any venomous disease ; it also cureth any sort of agues . xxiii . the snail water excellent for consumptions . take a peck of snails with the shells on their backs ; have in a readiness a good fire of charcoal well-kindled , make a hole in the midst of the fire , and cast your snails into the fire , renew your fire till the snails are well rosted , then rub them with a clean cloth , till you have rubbed off all the green which will come off . then bruise them in a mortar , shells and all , then take clary , celandine , burrage , scabious , bugloss , five leav'd grass , and if you find your self hot , put in some wood-sorrel , of every one of these one handful , with five tops of angelica . these herbs being all bruised in a mortar , put them in a sweet earthen pot with five quarts of white wine , and two quarts of ale , steep them all night ; then put them into an alembeck , let the herbs be in the bottom of the pot , and the snails upon the herbs , and upon the snails put a pint of earth-worms slit and clean washed in white wine , and put upon them sour ounces of anniseeds or fennel-seeds well bruised , and five great handfuls of rosemary flowers well picked , two or three races of turmerick thin sliced , harts-horn and ivory , of each four ounces , well steeped in a quart of white wine till it be like a ielly , then draw it forth with care . xxiv . to make a rare sweet water . take sweet marjoram , lavender , rosemary , muscovy , maudlin , balm , thyme , walnut leaves , damask roses , pinks , of all a like quantity , enough to fill your still , then take of the best orrice powder , damask rose powder , and storax , of each two ounces ; strew one handful or two of your powders upon the herbs , then distil them with a soft fire ; tie a little musk in a piece of lawn , and hang it in the glass wherein it drops , and when it is all drawn out , take your sweet cakes and mix them with the powders which are left , and lay among your clothes , or with sweet oyles , and burn them for perfume . a very good surfet water . take what quantity of brandy you please , steep a good quantity of the flowers of red poppies therein , which grows amongst the wheat , having the black bottoms cut off , when they have been steeped long enough , strain them-out , and put in new , and so do till the brandy be very red with them , and let it stand in the sun all the while they infuse , then put in nutmegs , cloves , ginger and cinamon , with some fine sugar , so much as you think fit , and keep it close stopped ; this is very good for surfets , wind in the stomach , or any ilness whatever . xxvi . an excellent water for the stomach , or against infection take carduus , mint and wormwood , o each a like quantity , shred them small and put them into new milk , distil them in an ordinary still with a temperate fire ; when you take any of it , sweeten it with sugar , or with any syrup , what pleases you best ; it is a very good water , though the ingredients are but mean. xxvii . the melancholy water . take of the flowers of gilliflowers , four handfuls , rosemary flowers three handfuls , damask rose leaves , burrage and bugloss fiowers of each one handful , of balm leaves six handfuls , of marigold flowers one handful , of pinks six handfuls , of cinamon grossly beaten , half an ounce , two nutmegs beaten , anniseeds beaten , one ounce , three peniworth of saffron ; put them all into a pottle of sack , and let them stand two days , stirring them sometimes well together ; then distil them in an ordinary still , and let it drop into a glass wherein there is two grains of musk , and eight ounces of white sugar candy , and some leaf-gold ; take of this water three times in a week fasting , two spoonfuls at a time , and ofter if you find need ; distil with a soft fire ; this is good for women in child-bed if they are faint . xxviii . to make the elder water , or spirit of sambucus . take some rye leaven , and break it small into some warm water , let it be a sowr one , for that is best ' ; about two ounces or more : then take a bushel of elder berries beaten small , and put them into an earthen pot and mix them very well with the leaven , and let it stand one day near the fire ; then put in a little yeast , and stir it well together to make it rise , so let it stand ten days covered , and sometimes stir it ; then distil it in an alembeck ; keep the first water by it self , and so the second , and the third will be good vinegar , if afterward you colour it with some of the berries . distil it with a slow fire , and do not fill the still too full . this water is excellent for the stomach . xxix . to make the balm water green. take any wine or lees of wine or good strong beer or ale with the grounds , and stir them all together very well , lest the wine lees be too thick , and burn the bottom of the pot ; put them into an alembeck with good store of balm unwashed ; therein still these till you leave no other tast but fair water , and draw also some of that , draw two alembecks full more as you draw the first , until you have so much as will fill your alembeck , then put this distilled water into your alembeck again and some more balm , if you draw a wine-gallon , put to it half a pound of coriander seeds bruised , two ounces of cloves , one quarter of an ounce of nutmegs and one quarter of an ounce of mace bruised all of them , then set a receiver of a gallon under it , and fill it with fresh and green balm unwashed , and your water will be as green as grass ; put still more and more of the herbs fresh , and let it stand a week to make it the more green . take this green water , and put to it one quart of the best damask rosewater , and before you mix your balm-water & rose-water together , you must dissolve two pounds of fine sugar in the first distilled water , then take ambergreece and musk , of each eight grains , being ground fine , and put it into the glass in a piece of lawn ; put also a little orange or limon pill to it , and keep it cool and from the air. xxx . to make the very best surfetwater . take one gallon of the best french spirits , and a pint of damask-rose-water , half a pint of poppy water , one pound of white sugar candy bruised , then take one pound and half of raisins in the sun stoned , half a pound of dates stoned and sliced , then take one ounce of mace , one ounce of cloves , one ounce of cinamon , one ounce of aniseeds rubbed clean from the dust , then take a quarter of an ounce , of licoras clean scraped and sliced , and all the spices grossly beaten , let all these steep in the spirits four days ; then take a quarter of a peck of red poppy leaves fresh gathered , and the black part cut off , and put them in , and when it hath stood four or five days , strain it and put it into your glass , then put in your sugar-candy finely beaten , twelve peniworth of ambergreece , six peniworth of musk , keep it close , and shake it now and then , and when you use it , you may put some kind of syrup to it , what you please . xxxi . to make the true palsie-water , as it was given by that once very famous physitian doctor mathias . take lavander flowers stripped from the stalks , and fill a gallon glass with them , and poure on them good spirit of sack , or perfect aquavitae distilled from all flegm , let the quantity be five quarts , then circulate them for six weeks , very close with a bladder , that nothing may breath out ; let them stand in a warm place , then distil them in an alembeck with his cooler , then put into the said water , of sage , rosemary , and wood-betony flowers ; of each half a handful , of lilly of the valley , and burrage , bugloss , and cowslip flowers , one handful of each ; steep these in spirit of wine , malmsie , or aquavitae , every one in their season , till all may be had , then put also to them of balm , motherwort , spike-flowers , bay leaves , the leaves of orange trees , with the flowers , if they may be had , of each one ounce , put them into the aforesaid distilled wine all together , and distil it as before , having first been steeped six weeks ; when you have distilled it , put into it citron pill , dried piony seeds hull'd , of each five drams , of cinamon half'an ounce , of nutmegs , cardamom seeds , cubebs , and yellow sanders , of each half an ounce , of lignum aloes one dram ; make all these into powder , and put , them into the distilled wine abovesaid , and put to them of cubebs anew , a good half pound of dates , the stones taken out , and cut them in small pieces , put all these in , and close your vessel well with a double bladder ; let them digest six weeks , then strain it hard with a press , and filtrate the liquor , then put into it of prepared pearl , smaragdus , musk and saffron , of each half a scruple ; and of ambergreece one scruple , red roses dried well , red and yellow saunders , of each one ounce , hang these in a sarsenet bag in the water , being well sewed that nothing go out . the virtues of this water . this water is of exceeding virtue in all swoundings and weaknesses of the heart , and decaying of spirits in all apoplexies and palsies , also in all pains of the ioints coming of cold , for all bruises outwardly bathed and dipped clothes laid to ; it strengtheneth and comforteth all animal , natural and vital spirits , and cheareth the external senses , strengtheneth the memory , restoreth lost speech , and lost appetite , all weakness of the stomach , being both taken inwardly , and bathed outwardly ; it taketh away the giddiness of the head , helpeth lost hearing , it maketh a pleasant breath , helpeth all cold disposition of the liver , and a beginning dropsie ; it helpeth all cold diseases of the mother ; indeed none can express sufficiently ; it is to be taken morning and evening , about half a spoonful with crums of bread and sugar . xxxii . for a cough of the lungs , or any cough coming of cold , approved by many . take a good handful of french barley , boil it in several waters till you see the water be clear , then take a quart of the last water , and boil in it sliced licoras , aniseeds bruised , of each as much as you can take up with your four fingers and your thumb , violet leaves , strawberry leaves , five fingered grass , maidenhair , of each half a handful , a few raisins in the sun stoned ; boil these together till it come to a pint , then strain it , and take twelve or fourteen iordan almonds blanched and beaten , and when your water is almost cold , put in your almonds , and stir it together , and strain it ; then sweeten it with white sugar candy ; drink this at four times , in the morning fasting , and at four of the clock in the afternoon a little warmed ; do this nine or ten days together ; if you please , you may take a third draught when you go to bed ; if you be bound in your body . put in a little syrrop of violets , the best way to take it , is to suck it through a straw , for that conveys it to the lungs the better . xxxiii . to make the best bisket-cakes . take four new laid eggs , leave out two of the whites , beat them very well , then put in two spoonfuls of rose-water , and beat them very well together , then put in a pound of double refin'd sugar beaten and searced , and beat them together one hour , then put to them one pound of fine flower , and still beat them together a good while ; then put them upon plates rubbed over with butter , and set them into the oven as fast as you can , and have care you do not bake them too much . xxxiv . perfumed roses . take damask rose buds , and cut off the whites , then take rose-water or orange-flower water wherein hath been steeped benjamin , storax , lignnm rhodium , civet or musk , dip some cloves therein and stick into every bud one , you must stick them in where you cut away the whites ; dry them between white papers , they will then fall asunder ; this perfume will last seven years . or do thus . take your rose leaves cut from the whites , and sprinkle them with the aforesaid water , and put a little powder of cloves among them . xxxv . to make tincture of caroways . take one quart of the spirits of french wine , put into it one pound of carroway comfits which are purled , and the pills of two citron limons ; let it stand in a warm place to infuse , in a glass close stopped for a moneth , stirring it every day once . then strain it from the seeds , and adde to it as much rosewater as will make it of a pleasant taste , then hang in your bottle a little ambergreece , and put in some leaf-gold ; this is a very fine cordial . xxxvi . to get away the signs of the small pox. quench some lime in white rosewater , then shake it very well , and use it at your pleasure ; when you at any time have washed with it , anoint your face with pomatum , made with spermaceti and oyl of sweet almonds , xxxvii . to make clouted cream . take milk that was milked in the morning , and scald it at noon ; it must have a reasonable fire under it , but not too rash , and when it is scalding hot , that you see little pimples begin to rise , take away the greatest part of the fire , then let it stand and harden a little while , then take it off , and let it stand until the next day , covered , then take it off with a skimmer . xxxviii . to make a devonshire-white-pot . take two quarts of new milk , a peny white loaf sliced very thin , then make the milk scalding hot , then put to it the bread , and break it , and strain it through a cullender , then put in four eggs , a little spice , sugar , raisins , and currans , and a little salt , and so bake it , but not too much , for then it will whey . xxxix . to make the portugal eggs. take a very large dish-with a broad brim , lay in it some naples bisket in the form of a star , then put so much sack into the dish as you do think the biskets will drink up ; then stick them full with thin little pieces of preserved orange , and green citron pill , and strew 〈…〉 store of french comfits over them , of divers colours , then butter some eggs , and lay them here and there upon the biskets , then fill up the hollow places in the dish , with several coloured iellies , and round about the brim thereof lay lawrel leaves guilded with leaf-gold , lay them slanting , and between the leaves several coloured iellies , xl. to candy flowers the best way . take roses , violets , cowslips , or gilly-flowers , and pick them from the white bottoms , then have boiled to a candy height , sugar , and put in so many flowers as the sugar will receive , and continually stir them with the back of a spoon , and when you see the sugar harden on the sides of the skillet , and on the spoon . take them off the fire , and keep them with stirring in the warm skillet , till you see them part , and the sugar as it were sifted upon them , then put them upon a paper while they are warm and rub them gently with your hands , till all the lumps be broken , then put them into a cullender , and sift them as clean as may be , then poure them upon a clean cloth , and shake them up and down till there be hardly any sugar hanging about them ; then if you would have them look as though they were new gathered , have some help , and open them with your fingers before they be quite cold , and if any sugar hang about them , you may wipe it off with a fine cloth ; to candy rosemary flowers or archangel , you must pull out the string that stands up in the middle of the blossom , and take them which are not at all faded , and they will look as though they were new gathered , without opening . xli . to pickle cucumbers . take the least you can get , and lay a layer of cucumbers , and then a layer of beaten spices , dill and bay leaves , and so do till you have filled your pot , and let the spices , dill , and bay leaves cover them , then fill up your pot with the best wine vinegar , and a little salt , and so keep them . sliced turneps also very thin , in some vinegar , pepper and a little salt , do make a very good sallad , but they will keep but six weeks . xlii . to make sugar-cakes . take a pound of fine sugar beaten and searced ; with four ounces of the finest flower , put to it one pound of butter well washed with rosewater , and work them well together , then take the yolkes of four eggs , and beat them with four spoonfuls of rosewater , in which hath been steeped two or three days before nutmeg and cinamon , then put thereto so much cream as will make it knead to a stiff paste , rowl it into thin cakes , and prick them , and lay them on plates , and bake them ; you shall not need to butter your plates , for they will slip off of themselves , when they are cold . xliii . to make a very fine cream . take a quart of cream , and put to it some rosewater and sugar , some large mace , cinamon and cloves , boil it together for a quarter of an hour , then take the yolkes of eight eggs , beat them together with some of your cream , then put them into the cream which is boiling , keep it stirring lest it curdle , take it from the fire , and keep it stirring till it be a little cold , then run it through a strainer , dish it up , and let it stand one night , the next day it will be as stiff as a custard , then stick it with blanched almonds , citron pill and eringo roots , and so serve it in . xliv . to make syrrop of turneps for a consumption . take half a peck of turneps washed and pared clean , cut them thin , put to them one pound of raisins of the sun stoned , one quarter of a pound of figs cut small , one ounce of aniseeds bruised , half an ounce of licoras sliced , one ounce of cloves bruised , two handfuls of burrage flowers , and so much water as will cover all , and two fingers breadth above them , then boil it on a great fire in an earthen vessel covered , until the roots be soft and tender , then strain out the liquor , and to every pint of it put a pound of fine sugar , the whites of two eggs beaten , boil it to a syrrop , and use it often , two or three spoonfuls at a time , xlv . for a consumption . take a pint of red cows milk , then take the yolk of a new laid egg potched very rare , then stir it into the milk over a soft fire , but do not let it boil , sweeten it with a little sugar candy , and drink it in the morning fasting , and when you go to bed . xlvi . to make bottle ale for a consumption . take a quart of ale , and a pint of strong aquavitae , mace and cinamon , of each one quarter of an ounce , two spoonfuls of the powder of elacampane root , one quarter of a pound of loaf sugar , one quarter of a pound of raisins of the sun stoned , four spoonfuls of aniseeds beaten to powder , then put all together into a bottle and stop it close . take three spoonfuls of this in a morning fasting , and again one hour before supper , and shake the bottle when you poure it out . xlvii . to make cakes of quinces . take the best you can get , and pare them , and slice them thin from the core , then put them into a gallipot close stopped , and tie it down with a cloth , and put it into a kettle of boiling water , so that it may stand steady about five hours , and as your water boiles away in the kettle , fill it up with more warm water , then poure your quinces into a fine hair sieve , and let it drain all the liquor into a bason , then take this liquor and weigh it , and to every pound take a pound of double refin'd sugar , boil this sugar to a candy height , then put in your liquor , and set them over a slow fire , and stir them continually till you see it will jelly , but do not let it boil ; then put it into glasses , and set them in a stove till you see them with a candy on the top , then turn them out with a wet knife on the other side upon a white paper , sleeked over with a sleek stone , and set them in the stove again till the other side be dry , and then keep them in a dry place . xlviii . to make marmalade of apricocks . take apricocks , pare them and cut them in quarters , and to every pound of apricocks put a pound of fine sugar , then put your apricocks into a skillet with half of the sugar , and let them boil very tender and gently , and bruise them with the back of a spoon , tillt hey be like pap , then take the other part of the sugar , and boil it to a candy height , then put your apricocks into that sugar , and keep it stirring over the fire , till all the sugar be melted , but do not let it boil , then take it from the fire , and stir it till it be almost cold ; then put it in glasses , and let it have the air of the fire to dry it . xlix , to make limon cakes . take half a pound of refin'd sugar , put to it two spoonfuls of rosewater , as much orange flower-water , and as much of fair water , boil it to a candy height , then put in the rind of a limon grated , and a little iuice , stir it well on the fire , and drop it on plates , or sleeked paper . l. to make wafers . take a quart of flower heaped and put to it the yolks of four eggs , and two or three spoonfuls of rosewater , mingle this well together , then make it like batter with cream and a little sugar , and bake it on irons very thin poured on . li. to make marmalade of cherries with currans . take four pounds of cherries when they are stoned , and boil them alone in their liquor for half an hour very fast , then poure away the liquor from them , and put to them half a pint and little more of the juice of currans , then boil a pound of double refin'd sugar to a candy height , and put your cherries and iuice of currans in that , and boil them again very fast till you find it to jelly very well . lii . to preserve rasberries . take the weight of your rasberries in fine sugar , and take some rasberries and bruise them a little , then take the clearest of the bruised rasberries , i mean the iuice and the weight of it in sugar , and your other sugar , named before , and boil it , and scum it , then put in your whole rasberries , and boil them up once , then let them stand over the fire without boiling till you see it will ielly , and that it look clear , then take up your rasberries one by one , and put them into glasses , then boil your syrrop , and put it over them . liii . to make syrrop of ale , good for weak , people to take inwardly , or to heal old sores , applied thereto . take two gallons of ale wort , the strongest you can get , so soon as it is run from the grounds , set it on the fire in a pipkin , and let it boil gently , and that you do perceive it to be as though it were full of rags ; run it through a strainer , and set it on the fire again , and let it boil until it be thick , and scum it clean , and when it is much wasted , put it into a lesser pan to boil , or else it will burn ; when it is thick enough , take it off , and when it is cold , put it into gallipots , take as much as a walnut fasting , and as much when you go to bed . liv. to make whipt sillibub . take half a pint of rhenish wine or white wine , put it to a pint of cream , with the whites of three eggs , season it with sugar , and beat it as you do snow-cream , with birchen rods , and take off the froth as it ariseth , aud put it into your pot , so do till it be beaten to a froth , let it stand two or three hours till it do settle , and then it will eat finely . lv. to make raisin wine or stepony . take four gallons of spring-water , four pounds of raisins of the sun stoned , the juice of four good limons , and the rind of two cut thin boil the raisins , and pill in the water for half an hour or more , then put in the iuice of limon , and a little spice , sugar and rosewater , and let it stand but a little more over the fire ; then put it into an earthen pot , and beat it together till it be cold , then bottle it up , it will keep but a few days . memorandum , two pounds of sugar to one pound of cowslips is enough for conserve . lvi . to boil samphire . take water and salt so strong as will bear an egg , boil it , and when it boils , put in your samphire unwashed , and let it scald a little , then take it off , and cover it so close that no air can get in , and set the pot upon a cold wisp of hay , and so let it stand all night , and it will be very green , then put it up for your use , lvii . to make cabbage cream . take twenty five quarts of new milk , set it on the fire till it be ready to boil , stir it all the while that it creams not , then poure it into twenty several platters so fast as you can , when it is cold , take off the cream with a skimmer , and lay it on a pie plate in the fashion of a cabbage , crumpled one upon another , do thus three times , and between every layer you must mingle rose-water and sugar mingled thick , and laid on with a feather ; some use to take a little cream and boil it with ginger , then take it from the fire and season it with rosewater and sugar , and the iuice of iordan almonds , blanched and beaten , then stir it till it be cold , that it cream not ; then take toasts of manchet cut thin , not too hard , nor brown , lay them in the bottom of the dish , and poure the cream upon them , and lay the cabbage over . lviii . to make a trifle . take sweet cream , season it with rose-water and sugar , and a little whole mace , let it boil a while , then take it off , and let it cool , and when it is lukewarm ; put it into such little dishes or bowls as you mean to serve it in ; then put in a little runnet , and stir it together ; when you serve it in , strew on some french comfits . lix . to make thick cream . take sweet cream , a little flower finely searced , large mace , a stick of cinamon , sugar and rosewater , let all these boil together till it be thick , then put into it thick cream , the yolks of eggs beaten , then let it seeth but a little while for fear of turning , then poure it out , and when it is cold , serve it in . lx. to pickle purslan to keep all the year . take the leaves from the stalks , then take the pot you mean to keep them in , and strew salt over the bottom , then lay in a good row of the leaves , and strew on more salt , then lay in a row of the stalks , and put in more salt , then a row of the leaves , so keep it close covered . lxi . to stretch sheeps guts . after they are clean scowred , lay them in water nine days , shifting them once a day , and they will be very easie to fill , and when they are filled , they will come to their wonted bigness . lxii . to make cream of pastes and iellies . put eggs into the cream as you do for a fool , and slice your sweet-meats very thin , and boil with them , then sweeten it , and put it into a dish . lxxiii . to make a rare medicine for the chine-cough . make a syrrop of hysop-water and white sugar candy , then take the powder of gum dragon , and as much of white sugar candy mixed together , and eat of it several times of the day , or take the above-named syrrop , either of them will do the cure. lxiv . for a consumption . take of syrrop of violets , syrrop of horehound , syrrop of maidenhair and conserve of fox lungs , of each one ounce , mix them well together , and take it often upon a liquoras stick in the day time , and at night . lxv . to make very rare ale. when your ale is tunned into a vessel that will hold eight or nine gallons , and that hath done working , ready to be stopped up , then take a pound and half of raisins of the sun stoned and cut in pieces , and two great oranges , meat and rind , and sliced thin , with the rind of one limon , and a few cloves , one ounce of coriander seeds bruised , put all these in a bag , and hang them in the vessel , and stop it up close , when it hath stood four days , bottle it up ; fill the bottles but a little above the neck , and put into every one a lump of fine sugar , and stop them close , and let it be three weeks or a moneth before you drink it . lxvi . to make ale to drink within a week . tun it into a vessel which will hold eight gallons , and when it hath done working , ready to bottle , put in some ginger sliced , and an orange stuck with cloves , and cut here and there with a knife , and a pound and half of sugar , and with a stick stir it well together , and it will work afresh ; when it hath done working , stop it close , and let it stand till it be clear , then bottle it up and put a lump of sugar into every bottle , and then stop it close , and knock down the corks , and turn the bottles the bottoms upwards , and it will be fit to drink in a weeks time . lxvii . for the griping of the guts . take a peniworth of brandy , and a peniworth of mithridate mixed together , and drink it three nights together when you go to rest , or take a little oil of aniseeds in a glass of sack three times . lxviii . to make a sack posset . take twelve eggs beaten very well , and put to them a pint of sack , stir them well that they curd not , then put to them three pints of cream , half a pound of fine sugar stirring them well together , when they are hot over the fire , put them into a bason , and set the bason over a boiling pot of water , until the posset be like a custard , then take it off , and when it is cool enough to eat , serve it in with beaten spice strewed over it very thick , lxix , to make pennado . take oatmeal clean picked and well beaten , steep it in water all night , then strain it and boil it in a pipkin with some currans , and a blade or two of mace and a little salt ; when it is well boiled , take it off , and put in the yolks of two or three new laid eggs beaten with rosewater , then set it on a fost fire , and stir it that it curd not , then sweeten it with sugar , and put in a little nutmeg . lxx . to make cakes without fruit. take four pounds of fine flower , rub into it one pound of butter very well , then take warmed cream , and temper it with ale yeast , so mix them together , and make them into a paste , put in a little rosewater , and several spices well beated , let it lie by the fire till the oven heat , and when you make it up , knead into , it half a pound of caraway comfits , and three quarters of a pound of bisket-comfits , make it up as fast as you can , not too thick , nor cut it too deep , put it into a hoop well butter'd , & wash it over with the white of an egge , rosewater and sugar , and strew it with some comfits ; do not bake it too much . lxxi . a sack posset without milk. take thirteen eggs and beat them very well , and while they are beating , take a quart of sack , half a pound of fine sugar , and a pint of ale , and let them boil a very little while , then put these eggs to them , and stir them till they be hot , then take it from the fire , and keep it stirring a while , then put it into a fit bason , and cover it close with a dish , then set'it over the fire again till it arise to a curd , then serve it in with some beaten spice . lxxii . a very fine cordial . one ounce of syrup of gilly-flowers , one dram of confection of alkermes , one ounce and half of burrage-water , the like of mint-water , one ounce of dr. mountford's water , as much of cinamon water mixed together . lxxiii . the best way to preserve goosberries green and whole . pick them clean and put them into water as warm as milk , so let them stand close covered half an hour , then put them into another warm water and let them stand as long , and so the third time , till you find them very green ; then take their weight in fine sugar , and make a syrup , then put them in , and let them boil softly one hour then set them by till the next day , then heat them again , so do twice , then take them from that syrup and make a new syrup and boil them therein , till you find they be enough . lxxiv . to make the orange pudding . take the rind of a small one pared very thin , and boiled in several waters , and beaten very fine in a mortar , then put to it four ounces of fine sugar , and four ounces of fresh butter , and the yolks of six eggs , and a little salt , beat it together in the mortar till the oven heats , and so butter a dish and bake it , but not too much ; strew sugar on it and serve it to the table , bake it in puff-past . lxxv . to make french bread. take half a bushel of fine flower , ten eggs , one pound and half of fresh butter , then put in as much yest as you do into manchet , temper it with new milk pretty hot , and let it lie half an hour to rise , then make it into loaves or rowls , and wash it over with an egg beaten with milk ; let not your oven be too hot . lxxvi . to make a made dish . take four ounces of sweet almonds blanched , and beaten with rosewater , strain them into some cream , then take artichoke bottoms boiled tender , and some boiled marrow , then boil a quart of cream with some rosewater and sugar to some thickness , then take it off , and lay your artichokes into a dish , and lay the marrow on them , then mix your almond cream , and the other together , and poure it over them , and set it on coals till you serve it in . lxxvii . to make a cake with almonds . take one pound and half of fine flower , of sugar twelve ounces beaten very fine , mingle them well together , then take half a pound of almonds blanched , and beaten with rosewater , mingle all these with as much sack as will work it into a paste , put in some spice , some yest , and some plumped corans with some butter , and a little salt , so make it into a cake and bake it . lxxviii . to make a sillibub . take a limon pared and sliced very thin , then cover the bottom of your sillibub pot with it , then strew it thick with fine sugar , then take sack or white wine , and make a curd with some milk or cream , and lay it on the limon with a spoon , then whip some cream and whites of eggs together ; sweetned a little , and cast the froth thereof upon your sillibub , when you lay in your curd , you must lay sugar between every lay. lxxix to make fine water-gruel . take the best oatmeal beaten , and steep it in water all night , the next day strain it , and boil it with a blade of mace , and when it is enough , put in some raisins and corans which have been infused in a pot ( in a pot of seething water ) and a little wine , a little salt , a little sugar , and so eat it . lxxx . to make limon cream . take a quart of cream , keep it stirring on the fire until it be blood warm , then take the meat of three limons sweetned well with sugar , and a little orange flower water , sweeten them so well that they may not turn the cream , then stir them into the cream , on the fire with some yolks of eggs , and serve it in cold ; limon posset thickned with yolks of eggs , makes a fine cawdle for a sick body . lxxxi . to make rare cakes with almonds . take two pounds and a half of blanched almonds beaten fine with rosewater , mix them with a pound and three quarters of fine sugar and some musk , and ambergreece , six whites of eggs beaten to a froth , let them stand a little , then set them on a chasing-dish of coals , and dry them a little , stirring them all the while , then take half a peck of flower , put into it a little salt , three pints of ale-yest , have in readiness your cream lukewarm , strain your yeast , and put into it six spoonful of sack , put in spice into your flower , and make all these into a stiff paste with the cream , work it well and lay it by the fire to rise one hour , then work into your paste two pounds and a quarter of fresh butter ; pull your paste in pieces three times , then strew in a pound of caraway comfits , and make this paste into five cakes , lay them upon buttered plates or double papers , then strew caraway comfits on the top and double refined sugar , one hour will bake them sufficiently . lxxxii . to make shrewsbury cakes . take four pounds of flower , two pounds of butter , one pound and half of fine sugar , four eggs , a little beaten cinamon , a little rosewater , make a hole in the flower , and put the eggs into it when they are beaten , then mix the butter , sugar , cinamon and rosewater together , and then mix them with the eggs and flower , then make them into thin round cakes , and put them into an oven after the houshold bread is drawn ; this quantity will make three dozen of cakes . lxxxiii . to make gooseberry wine . bruise ripe goosberries with an apple-beater , but do not beat them too small , then strain them through a hair strainer , and put your iuice into an earthen pot , keep it covered four or five days till it be clear , then draw it out into another vessel , letting it run into a hair sieve , stop it close , and let it stand one fortnight , then draw it out into quart bottles , putting one pound of sugar into eight bottles , stop them up close , and in a week or fortnights time you may drink them . lxxxiv . to make damson wine . take four gallons of water , and put to every gallon of water four pounds of malago raisins , and half a peck of damsons : put the raisins and damsons into a vessel without a head , cover the vessel and let them steep six days , stirring them twice every day , then let them stand as long without stirring , then draw the wine out of the vessel , and colour it with the infused juice of damsons sweetned with sugar , till it be like claret wine , then put it into a wine-vessel for a fortnight , and then bottle it up . lxxxv . to pickle cucumbers the very best way . take those you mean to pickle , and lay them in water and salt three or four days , then take a gooe many great cucumbers , and cut the outsides of them into water , for the insides will be too pappy , boil them in that water , with dill seeds and fennel seeds , and when it is cold , put to it some salt , and as much of vinegar as will make it a strong pickle , then take them out of the water and salt , and poure this liquor over them , so let them stand close covered for a fortnight or three weeks , then poure the pickle from them and boil it , and when it is cold add to it some more vinegar , and put it to them again , so let them stand one moneth longer , and now and then when you see occasion , boil it again , and when it is cold , put it to them , and every time you boil it , put some vinegar thereto , and lay the seeds and pieces of cucumbers on the top , and after the first fortnight when you boil it , put in some whole pepper and some whole cloves and mace , and always put the liquor cold over them . lxxxvi . to make the best orange marmalade . take the rinds of the deepest coloured oranges , boil them in several waters till they are very tender , then mince them small , and to one pound of oranges , take-a pound of pippins cut small , one pound of the finest sugar , and one pint of spring-water , me 't your sugar in the water over the fire , and scum it , then put in your pippins , and boil them till they are very clear , then put in the orange rind , and boil them together , til you find by cooling a little of it , that it wil jelly very well , then put in the iuice of two oranges , and one limon , and boil it a little longer ; and then put it up in gally-pots . lxxxvii . to preserve white quinces . take the fairest you can get , and coddle them very tender , so that a straw may go through to the core , then core them with a scoop or small knife , then pare them neatly , and weigh them , to every pound of quinces , take one pound of double refined sugar , and a pint of the water wherein thin slices of pippins have been boiled ; for that is of a iellying quality , put your sugar to the pippin water , and make a syrup , and scum it , then put in your quinces , and boil them very quick , and that will keep them whole and white , take them from the fire sometimes , and shake them gently , keep them clean scummed , when you perceive them to be very clear , put them into gally pots or glasses , then warm the ielly and put it to them . lxxxviii . to make conserve of red roses . take their buds and clip off the whites , then take three times their weight in sugar double refin'd ; beat the roses well in a mortar , then put in the sugar by little & little , and when you find it well incorporated , put it into gally pots , and cover it with sugar , and so it will keep seven years . lxxxix . to make plain bisket-cakes . take a pottle of flower , and put to it half a pound of fine sugar , half an ounce of caroway seeds , half an ounce of anniseeds , six spoonfuls of yeast , then boil a pint of water or little more , put into it a quarter of a pound of butter or little more , let it stand till it be cold , then temper them together till it be as thick as manchet , then let it lie a while to rise , so roule them out very thin , and prick them , and bake them in an oven not too hot . xc . to make green paste of pippins . take your pippins while they be green , and coddle them tender , then peel them , and put them into a fresh warm water , and cover them close , till they are as green as you desire . then take the pulp from the core , and beat it very fine in a mortar , then take the weight in sugar , and wet it with water , and boil it to a candy height , then put in your pulp , and boil them together till it will come from the bottom of the skillet , then make it into what form you please , and keep them in a stove . xci . to make paste of any plumbs . take your plumbs , and put them into a pot , cover them close , and set them into a pot of seething water , and so let them be till they be tender , then poure forth their liquor , and strain the pulp through a canvas strainer , then take to half a pound of the pulp of plumbs half a pound of the pulp of pippins , beat them together , and take their weight in fine sugar , with as much water as will wet it , and boil it to a candy height ; then put in your pulp , and boil them together till it will come from the bottom of the posnet , then dust your plates with searced sugar , and so keep them in a stove to dry . xcii . to make almond ginger bread. take a little gum-dragon and lay it in steep in rosewater all night , then take half a pound of iordan almonds blanched and beaten with some of that rosewater , then take half a pound of fine sugar beaten and searced , of ginger and cinamon finely searced , so much as by your taste you may judge to be fit ; beat all these together into a paste , and dry it is a warm oven or stove . xciii . to make snow cream . take a pint of cream , and the whites of three eggs , one spoonful or two of rose-water , whip it to a froth with a birchen rod , then cast it off the rod into a dish , in the which you have first fastened half a manchet with some butter on the bottom , and a long rosemary sprig in the middle ; when you have cast all the snow on the dish , then garnish it with several sorts of sweet-meats . xciv . to preserve oranges and limons that they shall have a rock candy on them in the syrup . take the fairest and cut them in halves , or if you will do them whole , then cut a little hole in the bottom , so that you may take out all the meat , lay them in water nine days , shifting them twice every day , then boil them in several waters , till a straw will run through them , then take to every pound of orange or limon one pound of fine sugar , and one quart of water , make your syrup , and let your oranges or limons boil a while in it , then let them stand five or six days in that syrup , then to every pound , put one pound more of sugar into your syrup , and boil your oranges till they be very clear , then take your oranges out , and boil your syrup almost to a candy , and put to them . xcv . to make sugar plate . take a little gum dragon laid in steep in rosewater till it be like starch , then beat it in a mortar with some searced sugar till it come to a perfect paste , then mould it with sugar , and make it into what form you please , and colour some of them , lay them in a warm place , and they will dry of themselves . xcvi . to make artisicial walnuts . take some of your sugar plate , print it in a mould fit for a walnut kernel , yellow it over with a little saffron , then take searced cinamon and sugar , as much of the one as the other , work it in paste with some rosewater , wherein gum dragon hath been steeped , and print it in a mould for a walnut shell , and when they are dry , close them together over the shell with a little of the gum water . xcvii . to make short cakes . take a pint of ale yeast , and a pound and half of fresh butter , melt your butter , and let it cool a little , then take as much fine flower as you think will serve , mingle it with the butter and yeast , and as much rosewater and sugar as you think fit , and if you please , some caroway comfits , so bake it in little cakes ; they will last good half a year , xcviii . to preserve red roses , which is as good and effectual as any conserve , and made with less trouble . take red rose buds clipped clean from their whites one pound , put them into a skillet with four quarts of water , wine measure , then let them boil very fast till three quarts be boiled away , then put in three pounds of fine sugar , and let it boil till it begins to be thick , then put in the iuice of a limon , and boil it a little longer , and when it is almost cold , put it into gally-pots , and strew them over with searced sugar , and so keep them so long a ; you please , the longer the better . xcviii . a fine cordial infusion . take the flesh of a cock chick , cut in small pieces , and put into a glass with a wide mouth , put to it one ounce of harts-horn , half an ounce of red coral prepared , with a little large mace , and a slice or two of limon , and two ounces of white sugar-candy , stop the glass close with a cork , and set it into a veslel of seething water , and stuff it round with hay that it jog not ; when you find it to be enough , give the sick party two spoonfuls at a time . xcix . for a cough of the lungs . take two ounces of oil of sweet almonds newly drawn , three spoonfuls of colts-foot water , two spoonfuls of red rose-water , two ounces of white sugar-candy finely beaten ; mingle all these together , and beat it one hour with a spoon , till it be very white ; then take it often upon a licoras stick . this is very good . c. to preserve grapes . take your fairest white grapes and pick them from the stalks , then stone them carefully , and save the juyce , then take a pound of grapes , a pound of fine sugar , and a pint of water wherein sliced pippins have been boiled , strain that water , and with your sugar and that make a syrup , when it is well scummed put in your grapes , and boil them very fast , and when you see they are as clear as glass , and that the syrup will jelly , put them into glasses . ci. to make collops of bacon in sweet-meats . take some marchpane paste , and the weight thereof in fine sugar beaten and searsed , boil them on the fire , and keep them stirring for fear they burn , so do till you find it will come from the bottom of the posnet , then mould it with fine sugar like a paste , and colour some of it with beaten cinnamon , and put in a little ginger , then roll it broad and thin , and lay one upon another till you think it be of a fit thicknes and cut it in collops and dry it in an oven . cii . to make violet cakes . take them clipped clean from the whites and their weight in fine sugar , wet your sugar in fair water , and boil it to a candy height , then put in your violets , and stir them well together , with a few drops of a limon , then pour them upon a wet pye-plate , or on a slicked paper , and cut them in what form you please ; do not let them boil , for that will spoil the colour : thus you may do with any herb or flower , or with any orange or limon pill , and , if you like it , put in a little musk or ambergrease . ciii . to preserve white damsons . take to every pound one pound of fine sugar and a quarter of a pint of fair water , make your syrup and scum it well , then take it from the fire , and when it is almost cold put in your damsons , and let them scald a little , then take them off a while , and then set them on again ; when you perceive them to be very clear , put them into pots or glasses . civ . to make very good cake . take to a peck of flower four pound of currants well washed , dryed and picked , four pounds of butter , one pound of sugar , one ounce of cinnamon , one ounce of nutmegs , beat the spice and lay it all night in rose-water , the next day strain it out , then take one pint and an half of good ale-yeast , the yolks of eggs , a pint of cream , put a pound of the butter into the warmed cream , put the rest into the flower in pieces , then wet your flower with your cream , and put in your currants , and a little salt , and four or five spoonfuls of carraway-comfits and your spice , mix them all and the yeast well together , and let it lie one hour to rise , then make it up and bake it in a pan buttered : it may stand two hours . cv . to make paste royal. take quince marmalade almost cold , and mould it up with searsed sugar to a paste , then make it into what form you please and dry them in a stove . cvi. to make paste of pippins coloured with barberries . take the pulp of codled pippins , and as much of the iuice of barberries as will colour it , then take the weight of it in fine sugar , boil it to a candy height , with a little water , then put in your pulp beaten very well in a mortar , boil it till it come from the bottom of the posner , then dust your plate with sugar , and drop them thereon , and dry them in a stove or warm oven . cvii . to preserve barberries . take one pound of stoned barberries , and twice their weight in fine sugar , then strip two or three handfuls of barberries from their stalks , and put them into a dish with as much sugar as barberries , over a chafingdish of coals , when you see they are well plumped , strain them , then wet your other sugar with this , and no water , boil it , and scum it , and then put in your stoned barberries , and boil them till they are very clear . cviii . to make ielly of currans or of any other fruit. take your fruit clean picked from the stalks , and put them into a long gally-pot , and set it into a kettle of water close covered , keep the water boiling till you find the fruit be well infused , then poure out the clearest , and take the weight of it in fine sugar , wet your sugar with water , and boil it to a candy height , then put in your clear liquor , and keep it stirring over a slow fire till you see it will ielly , but do not let it boil ; the pulp which is lest of the liquor , you may make paste of if you please , as you do the pippin paste before named . cix . to make a goosberry fool. take a pint and half of goosberries clean picked from the stalks , put them into a skillet with a pint and half of fair water , scald them till they be very tender , then bruise them well in the water , and boil them with a pound and half of fine sugar till it be of a good thickness , then put to it the yolks of six eggs and a pint of cream , with a nutmeg quartered , stir these well together till you think they be enough , over a slow fire , and put it into a dish , and when it is cold , eat it . cx . to make perfumed lozenges . take twelve grains of ambergreece , and six grains of musk , and beat it with some sugar-plate spoken of before , then'roule it out in thin cakes , and make them into what form you please , you may make them round like a sugar plumb , and put a coriander seed in each of them , and so they will be fine comfits , and you may make them into lozenges , to perfume wine with . cxi . to candy eryngo roots . take the roots new gathered , without knots or ioints , wash them clean , and boil them in several waters till they are very tender , then wash them well , and dry them in a cloth , slit them , and take out the pith , & braid them in braids as you would a womans hair , or else twist them , then take twice their weight in sine sugar , take half that sugar , and to every pound of sugar , one quarter of a pint of rosewater and as much fair water , make a syrup of it , and put in your roots and boil them , and when they are very clear , wet the rest of the sugar with rosewater , and boil it to a candy height , then put in the roots , and boil them , and shake them , and when they be enough , take them off , and shake them till they are cold and dry , then lay them upon dishes or plates till they are throughly dry , and then put them up ; thus you may do orange or limon , or citron pill , or potato roots . cxii . to preserve goosberries . take your goosberries , and stone them then take a little more than their weight in fine sugar , then with as much water as will melt the sugar , boil it and scum it , then put in your goosberries , and boil them apace till they be clear , then take up your goosberries , and put them into glasses , and boil the syrup a little more , aud put over them . cxiii . to make leach and to colour it , take one ounce of isinglass and lay it in water four and twenty hours , changing the water three or four times , then take a quart of new milk , boiled with a little sliced ginger and a stick of cinamon , one spoonful of rosewater , and a quarter of a pound of sugar , when it hath boiled a while , put in the isinglass , and boil it till it be thick , keeping it always stirring , then strain it , and keep it stirring , and when it is cold , you may slice it out , and serve it upon plates ; you may colour it with saffron , and some with turnsole , and lay the white and that one upon another , and cut it , and it will look like bacon ; it is good for weak people , and children which have the rickets . cxiv . to take away the signs of the small pox. take some spermaceti , and twice so much virgins wax , melt them together and spread it upon kids leather , in the shape of a mask , then lay it upon the face , and keep it on night and day ; it is a very fine remedy . cxv . for morphew or freckles , and to clear the skin . take the bloud of any fowl or beast , and wipe your face all over with it every night when you go to bed for a fortnight together , and the next day wash it all off with white wine , and white sugar candy , and sometimes hold your face over the smoke of brimstone for a while , and shut your eyes , if you add the iuice of a limon to the white wine , it will be the better . cxvi . to make almond butter to look white . take about two quarts of water , the bottom of a manchet , and a blade of large mace , boil it half an hour , and let it stand till it be cold , then take a pound of sweet almonds blanched , and beaten with rose-water very fine , so strain them with this water many times , till you think the virtue is out of them , and that it be a thick almond milk , then put it into a skillet , and make it boiling hot , that it simper , then take a spoonful of the iuice of a limon , and put into it , stirring of it in , and when you perceive it ready to turn , then take it from the fire , and take a large fine cloth , and cast your liquor all over the cloth with a ladle , then scrape it all together into the middle with a spoon , then tie it hard with a packthred , so let it hang till the next morning , then put it in a dish , and sweeten it with rosewater and sugar , put a little ambergreece if you please . cxvii . for the ptisick . take a pottle of small ale , one pound of raisins of the sun stoned , with a little handful of peniroyal , boil these together , and add a little sugar candy to it , and take five or six spoonfuls at a time four or five times in a day for a good while . cxviii . marmalade of apricocks . take the ripest and stone them , and pare them , and beat them in a mortar , then boil the pulp in a dish over a chafing-dish of coals , till it be somewhat dry , then take the weight in fine sugar , and boil it to a candy height , with some rosewater , then put in your pulp , and boil them together till it will come from the bottom of the skillet , and always keep it stirring , for fear it burn , then put it into glasses . cxix . syrup of turneps . take of the best and pare them , and bake them in a pot then take the clear iuice from them , and with the like weight in fine sugar make it into a syrup , and add a little licoras to it , and take it often . cxx . to make good ielly . take a lean pig , dress it clean , and boil it in a sufficient quantity of fair water , with four ounces of green licoras scraped and bruised , maidenhair two handfuls , coltsfoot one handful , currans half a pound , dates two ounces stoned and sliced , ivory one ounce , hartshorn one ounce , boil these to a strong ielly , and strain it , and take off the fat , then put to it half a pound of sugar , and half a pint of white wine , and so eat it at your pleasure . cxxi . a most excellent cordial proved by very many . take three grains of east indian bezoar , as much of ambergreece , powder them very fine with a little sugar , and mingle it with a spoonful and half of the syrup of the juyce of citrons , one spoonful of syrup of clovegilliflowers , and one spoonsul of cinamon water , so take it warmed . cxxii . to make the black iuice of licoras . take two gallons of running water , three handfuls of unset hysop , three pounds and half of licoras scraped , and dried in the sun and beaten , then cover it close , and boil it almost a whole day in the water , when it is enough , it will be as thick as cream , then let it stand all night , the next morning strain it , and put it in several pans in the sun to dry , till it will work like wax , then mould it with white sugar candy beaten and searced , and print it in little cakes , and print them with seals , and dry them . cxxiii . to make marchpane . take two pounds of iordan almonds , blanch and beat them in a mortar with rosewater , then take one pound and half of sugar finely searced , when the almonds are beaten to a fine paste with the sugar , then , take it out of the mortar , and mould it with searced sugar , and let it stand one hour to cool , then rowl it as thin as you would do for a tart , and cut it round by the plate , then set an edge about it , and pinch it , then set it on a bottom of wafers , and bake it a little , then ice it with rosewater and sugar , and the white of an egg beaten together , and put it into the oven again , and when you see the ice rise white and high , take it out , and set up a long piece of marchpane first baked in the middle of the marchpane , stick it with several sorts of comfits , then lay on leaf-gold with a feather and the white of an egg beaten . cxxiv . to preserve green pippins . scald some green pippins carefully , then pecl them , and put them into warm water , and cover them , and let them stand over a slow fire till they are as green as you would have them , and so tender as that a straw may run through them , then to every pound of apples , take one pound of fine sugar , and half a pint of water , of which make a syrup , and when you have scumm'd it clean , put in your apples , and let them boil a while , then set them by till the next day , then boil them throughly , and put them up . cxxv . to preserve peaches . take your peaches when you may prick a hole through them , scald them in fair water , and rub the fur off from them with your thumb , then put them in another warm water over a flow fire , and cover them till they be green , then take their weight in fine sugar and a little water , boil it and scum it , then put in your peaches , and boil them till they are clear , so you may do green plumbs or green apricocks . cxxvi . marmalade of damsons . take two pounds of damsons , and one pound of pippins pared and cut in pieces , bake them in an oven with a little sliced ginger , when they are tender , poure them into a cullender , and let the syrup drop from them , then strain them , and take as much sugar as the pulp doth weigh , boil it to a candy height with a little water , then put in your pulp , and boil it till it will come from the bottom of the skillet , and so put it up . cxxvii . marmalade of wardins . bake them in an earthen pot , then cut them from the core and beat them in a mortar , then take their weight in fine sugar , and boil it to a candy height with a little water , then put in your pulp with a little beaten ginger , and boil it till it comes from the bottom of the posnet ; and so do with quinces if you please . cxxviii . marmalade of green pippins to look green . scald them as you do to preserve , then stamp them in a mortar , and take their weight in fine sugar , boil it to a candy height with a little water , then boil it and the pulp together , till it will come from the bottom of the posnet . cxxix . to preserve green walnuts . take them and steep them all night in water , in the morning pare them and boil them in fair water till they be tender , and then stick a clove into the head of each of them , then take one pound and half of sugar to every pound of walnuts , and to every pound of sugar one pint of rosewater , make a syrup of it , and scum it , then put in your walnuts , and boil them very leasurely till they are enough ; then put in a little musk or ambergreece with a little rosewater , and boil them a little more and put them up ; it is a very good cordial , and will keep seven years or more . cxxx . to dry old pippins . pare them , and bore a hole through them with a little knife or piercer , and cut some of them in halves , take out the cores of them as you cut them , then put them into a syrup of sugar & water , as much as will cover them in a broad preserving pan , let them boil so fast as may be ; taking them sometimes from the fire , scuming them clean , when you perceive your apples clear , and syrup thick , then take them up , and set them into a warm oven from the syrup , all night , the next morning turn them , and put them in again , so do till they are dry ; if you please to glister some of them , put them into your candy-pot but one night , and lay them to dry the next day , and they will look like christal . cxxxi . to preserve bullace as green as grass . take them fresh gathered , and prick them in several places , scald them as you do your green peaches , then take their weight in fine sugar , and make a syrup with a little water , then put in your bullace , and boil them till they be very clear , and the syrup very thick . cxxxii . to preserve medlars . take them at their full growth , pare them as thin as you can , prick them with your knife , and parboil them . reasonable tender , then dry them with a cloth , and put to them as much clarified sugar as will cover them ; let them boil leisurely , turning them often , till they have well taken the sugar , then put them into an earthen pot , and let them stand till the next day , then warm them again half an hour ; then take them up and lay them to drain , then put into that syrup half a pint of water wherein pippins have been boiled in slices , and a quarter of a pound of fresh sugar , boil it , and when it will jelly , put it to the medlars in gallipots or glasses . cxxxiii . to make conserve of violets . take a pound clean cut from the whites , stamp them well in a mortar , and put to them two or three ounces of white sugar-candy , then take it out and lay it upon a sleeked paper , then take their weight in fine sugar , and boil it to a candy height with a little water , then put in your violets , and a little iuice of limon , and then let them have but one walm or two over the fire , stirring it well ; then take it off ; and when it is between hot and cold , put it up , and keep it . cxxxiv . to cast all kinds of shapes , what you please , and to colour them . take half a pound of refined sugar , boil it to a candy height with as much rose-water as will melt it , then take moulds made of alablaster , and lay them in water one hour before you put in the hot sugar , then when you have put in your sugar turn the mould about in your hand till it be cool , then take it out of the mould , and colour it according to the nature of the fruit , you would have it resemble . cxxxv . to dry pears without sugar . pare them & leave the stalks and pipps on them , then bake them in an earthen pot with a little claret wine , covered , then drain them from the syrup and dry them upon sieves in a warm oven , turning them morning and evening , every time you turn them hold them by the stalk and dip them in the liquor wherein they were baked and flat them every time a little . if you do them carefully they will look very red and clear and eat moist , when they are dry put them up . cxxxvi . to make rasberrie wine . take rasberries and bruise them with the back of a spoon , and strain them and fill a bottle with the juyce , stop it , but not very close , let it stand four or five daies , then pour it from the grounds into a bason , and put as much white-wine or rhenish as your juyce will well colour , then sweeten it with loaf sugar , then bottle it and keep it , and when you drink it you may perfume some of it with one of the lozenges spoken of before . cxxxvii . to preserve oranges in jelly . take the thickest rind oranges , chipped very thin , lay them in water three or four daies , shifting them twice every day , then boil them in several waters , till you may run a straw through them , then let them lie in a pan of water all night , then dry them gently in a cloth , then take to every pound of oranges one pound and half of sugar , and a pint of water , make thereof a syrup ; then put in your oranges , and boil them a little , then set them by till the next day , and boil them again a little , and so do for four or five days together , then boil them till they are very clear , then drain them in a sieve , then take to every pound of oranges one quarter of a pint of water , wherein sliced pippins have been boiled into your syrup , and to every quarter of a pint of that water , add a quarter of a pound of fresh sugar , boil it till it will jelly , then put your oranges into a pot or a glass , and put the ielly over them ; you may if you please , take all the meat out of some of your oranges at one end , and fill it with preserved pippin ; and if you put in a little iuice of orange and limon into your syrup when it is almost boiled , it will be very fine tasted . cxxxvii . to make christal ielly . take a knuckle of veal and two calves feet , lay them in water all night , then boil them in spring water till you perceive it to be a thick ielly , then take them out , and let your ielly stand till it be cold , then take the clearest , and put it into a skillet , and sweeten it with rosewater and fine sugar , and a little whole spice , and boil them together a little , and so eat it when it is cold . cxxxviii . to make china-broth . take three ounces of china sliced thin , and three plnts of fair water , half an ounce of harts-horn , let it steep together twelve hours , then put in a red cock cut in pieces and bruised , one ounce of raisins of the sun stoned , one ounce of cnrrans , one ounce of dates stoned , one parsly root , one fennel-root , the pith being taken out , a little borage and bugloss , and a little pimpernel , two ounces of pearl barly ; boil all these together till you think they be well boiled , then strain it out . cxxxix . to make court perfumes . take three ounces of benjamin , lay it all night in damask rose buds clean cut from the white , beat them very fine in a stone mortar till it come to a paste , then take it out and mix it with a dram of musk finely beaten , as much civet , mould them up with a little searsed sugar , and dry them between rose leaves each of them , then dry them very well and keep them to burn , one at a time is sufficient . cxl . a syrup for a cold. take long-wort of the oak , sage of ierusalem , hysop , colts-foot , maiden-hair , scabious , horehound , one handful of each , four ounces of liquoras scraped , two ounces of anniseeds bruised , half a pound of raisins of the sun stoned , put these together into a pipkin with two quarts of spring water , let them stand all night to infuse close stopped , when it is half boiled away , strain it out , and put to it to every pint of liquor a pound of sugar and boil it to a syrup . cxli . to make white marmalade of quinces . quoddle them so tender that a straw may run thorow them , then take grated quinces and strain the juyce from them , then slice your scalded quinces thin and weigh them , and take a little above their weight in fine sugar , wet your sugar with the raw juyce , boil it and scum it , then put in your sliced quinces and boil them up quick till they jelly , then put them into glasses . cxlii . the white juyce of liquoras . take one pound of liquoras clean scraped , cut it thin and short and dry it in an oven , then beat it fine in a mortar , then put it into a stone iugg , and put thereto of the water of colts-foot , scabious , hysop and horehound , as much as will stand four fingers deep above the liquoras , then set this iugg , close stopped , into a kettle of water , and keep the water boiling , let it be stuffed round with hay that it jog not , let it stand so four hours , and so do every other day for the space of ten daies ; then strain it into a dish , set the dish over boiling water , and let it vapour away till it be thick , then add to it one pound of fine sugar-candy , the best and whitest you can get , beaten very well , then put it into several dishes and dry it in the sun or in a warm oven , beating it often with bone knives till it be stiff , then take as much gum dragon steeped in rose-water as will make it pliable to your hand , then make it into little rolls , and add two grāins of musk or ambergrease and a few drops of oyl of anniseed , and so make them into little cakes , and print them with a seal and then dry them . cxliii . to dry plumbs naturally . take of any sort and prick them and put them into the bottom of a sieve dusted with flower to keep them from sticking , let them stand in a warm oven all night , the next morning turn them upon a clean sieve , and so do every day till you see that they are very dry . cxliv . to dry preserved pears . wash them from their syrup , then take some fine sugar and boil it to a candy height with a little water , then put in your pears and shake them very well up and down , then lay them upon the bottom of a sieve , and dry them in a warm oven and so keep them . cxlv . to make little cakes with almonds . put into a little rose-water two grains of ambergrease , then take a pound of blanched almonds and beat them with this rose-water , then take a pound of your finest sugar , beaten and searced , and when your almonds are well beaten , mix some of the sugar with them , then make your cakes , and lay them on wafer sheets ; and when they are half baked , take the rest of the sugar , being boiled to a candy height with a little rosewater , and so with a feather wash them over with this , and let them stand a while longer . cxlvi . to make very pretty cakes that will keep a good while . take a quart of fine flower and the yolks of eggs , a quarter of a pound of sugar , and a little rosewater , with some beaten spice , and as much cream as will work it into a paste , work it very well and beat it , then rowl it as thin as possible , and cut them round with a spur , such as the pastry cooks do use ; then fill them with currans first plumped a little in rosewater and sugar , so put another sheet of paste over them and close them , prick them , and bake them but let not your oven be too hot ; you may colour some of them with saffron if you please , and some of them you may ice over with rosewater and sugar , and the white of an egg beaten together . cxlvii . to make a paste to wash your hands withal . take a pound of bitter almonds , blanch them and beat them very fine in a mortar with four ounces of figs , when it is come to a paste , put it into a gallipot and keep it for your use ; a little at a time will serve . cxlviii . to keep flowers all the year . take any sort of pretty flowers you can get , and have in readiness some rosewater made very slippery by laying gum arabick therein : dip your flowers very well , and swing it out again and stick them in a sieve to dry in the sun , some other of them you may dust over with fine flower , and some with searced sugar , aster you have wetted them , and so dry them . either of them will be very fine , but those with sugar will not keep so well as the other ; they are good to set forth banquets , and to garnish dishes , and will look very fresh , and have their right smell . cxlix . conserve of barberries . take barberies infuse them in a pot as other fruits spoken of before then strain them , and to every pound of liquor take two pounds of sugar , boil them together over the fire till it will come from the bottom of the posnet , and then put it into gally-pots and keep it with fine sugar strewed over it . cl. to preserve barberries without fire . take your fairest bunches and lay a lay of fine sugar , into the bottom of the pot , and then a lay of barberies , and then sugar again , till all be in , and be sure to cover them deep with sugar last of all , and cover your pot with a bladder wet and tyed on , that no air get in , and they will keep and be good , and much better to garnish dishes with than pickled barberries , and are very pleasant to eat . cli . to candy almonds to look as though they had their shells on . take iordan almonds and blanch them , then take fine sugar , wet it with water , and boil it to a candy height , colour it with cochineal , and put in a grain of ambergreece ; when you see it at a candy height , put in your almonds well dried from the water , and shake them over the fire till you see they are enough , then lay them in a stove or some other warm place . clii. to candy carrot roots . take of the best , and boil them tender , then pare them , and cut them in such pieces as you like ; then take fine sugar boiled to a candy height with a little water , then put in your roots , and boil them till you see they will candy ; but you must first boil them with their weight in sugar and some water , or else they will not be sweet enough , when they are enough , lay them into a box , and keep them dry ; thus you may do green peascods when they are very young , if you put them into boiling water , and let them boil close covered till they are green , and then boiled in a syrup , and then the candy , they will look very finely , and are good to set forth banquets , but hath no pleasant taste . cliii . to make syrup of violets . take violets clipped clean from the whites , to every ounce of violets take two ounces of water , so steep them upon embers till the water be as blew as a violet , and the violets turned white , then put in more violets into the same water , and again the third time , then take to every quart of water four pounds of fine sugar , and boil it to a syrup , and keep it for your use ; thus you may also make syrup of roses . cliv. to make syrup for any cough . take four ounces of licoras scraped and bruised , maidenhair one ounce , aniseeds half an ounce , steep them in spring water half a day , then boil it half away , the first quantity of water which you steep them in must be four pints , and when it is half boiled away , then add to it one pound of fine sugar , and boil it to a syrup , and take two spoonfuls at a time every night when you go to rest . clv . a pretty sweet-meat with roses and almonds . take half a pound of blanched almonds beaten very fine with a little rosewater , two ounces of the leaves of damask roses beaten fine , then take half a pound of sugar , and a little more , wet it with water , and boil it to a candy height , then put in your almonds and roses , and a grain of musk or ambergreece , and let them boil a little while together , and then put it into glasses , and it will be a fine sort of marmalade . clvi . the best sort of hartshorn ielly to serve in a banquet . take six ounces of hartshorn ; put it into two quarts of water and let it infuse upon embers all night , then boil it up quick and when you find by the spoon you stir it with , that it will stick to your mouth , if you do touch it , and that you find the water to be much wasted , strain it out , and put in a little more than half a pound of fine sugar , a little rosewater , a blade of mace , and a stick of cinamon , the iuice of as many limons as will give it a good taste , with two grains of ambergreece , set it over a slow fire , and do not let it boil , but when you find it to be very thick in your mouth , then put it softly into glasses ; and set it into a stove , and that will make it to jelly the better . clvii . to make orange or limon chips . take the parings of either of these cut thin , and boil them in several waters till they be tender , then let them lie in cold water a while , then take their weight in sugar or more , and with as much water as will wet it , boil it and scum it , then drain your chips from the cold water and put them into a gally-pot , and pour this syrup boiling hot upon them , so let them stand till the next day , then heat the syrup again and pour over them , so do till you see they are very clear , every day do so till the syrup be very thick , and then lay them out in a stove to dry . clviii . to make cakes of almonds in thin slices . take four ounces of iordan almonds , blanch them in cold water , and slice them thin the long way , then mix them with little thin pieces of candied orange and citron pill , then take some fine sugar boiled to a candy height with some water , put in your almonds , and let them boil till you perceive they will candy , then with a spoon take them out , and lay them in little lumps upon a pie-plate or sleeked paper , and before they be quite cold strew caroway comfits on them , and so keep them very dry . clix. to make chips of any fruit. take any preserved fruit , drain it from the syrup , and cut it thin , then boil sugar to a candy height , and then put your chips therein , and shake them up and down till you see they will candy , and then lay them out ; or take raw chips of fruit boiled first in syrup , and then a candy boiled , and put over them hot , and so every day , till they begin to sparkle as they lie , then take them out , and dry them . clx . to preserve sweet limons . take the fairest , and chip them thin , and put them into cold water as you chip them , then boil them in several waters till a straw may run through them , then to every pound of limon , take a pound and half of fine sugar , and a pint of water , boil it together , and scum it , then let your limons scald in it a little , and set them by till the next day and every other day heat the syrup only & put to them ; so do times , & then at last boil them in the syrup till they be clear , then take them out , & put them into pots , and boil the syrup a little more , and put to them ; if you will have them in ielly , make your syrup with pippin water . clxi . to make a custard for a consumption . take four quarts of red cows milk , four ounces of conserve of red roses , prepared pearl , prepared coral , and white amber , of each one dram , two ounces of white sugar candy , one grain of ambergreece , put these into an earthen pot with some leaf gold , and the yolks and whites of twelve eggs , a little mace and cinamon , and as much fine sugar as will sweeten it well , paste the pot over and bake it with brown bread , and eat of it every day so long as it will last . clxii . to make chaculato . take half a pint of claret wine , boil it a little , then scrape some chaculato very fine and put into it , and the yolks of two eggs , stir them well together over a slow fire till it be thick , and sweeten it with sugar according to your taste . clxiii . to dry any sort of plumbs . take to every pound of plumbs three quarters of a pound of sugar , boil it to a candy height with a little water , then put in your plumbs ready stoned , and let them boil very gently over a slow fire , if they be white ones they may boil a little faster , then set them by till the next day , then boil them well , and take them often from the fire for fear of breaking , let them lie in their syrup for four or five daies , then lay them out upon sieves to dry , in a warm oven or stove , turning them upon clean sieves twice every day , and fill up all the broken places , and put the skins over them , when they are dry , wash off the clamminess of them with warm water , and dry them in the oven , and they will look as though the dew were upon them . clxiv . to make ielly of quinces . take your quinces , pare them and core them , and cut them in quarters , then put them into a new earthen pot with a narrow mouth , put in some of the cores in the bottom , and then the quinces , paste it up and bake it with brown bread , then run it through a bag of boulting stuff as fast as you can , and crush it pretty hard , so long as it will run clear , to every pound of it take a pound of fine sugar , and put into it , and let it stand till it be dissolved , then set it over a slow fire , and scum it well , and keep it stirring till it ielly , then put it into glasses and keep it in a stove . clxv . to make a posset . take a quart of white wine and a quart of water , boil whole spice in them , then take twelve eggs and put away half the whites , beat them very well , and take the wine from the fire , then put in your eggs , and stir them very well , then set it on a slow fire , and stir it till it be thick , sweeten it with sugar , and strew beaten spice thereon , then serve it in . you may put in ambergreece if you like it , or one perfumed lozenge . clxvi . to make a sack posset . take two quarts of cream and boil it with whole spice , then take twelve eggs well beaten and strained , take the cream from the fire , and stir in the eggs and as much sugar as will sweeten it , then put in so much sack as will make it taste well , and set it on the fire again , and let it stand a while , then take a ladle and raise it up gently from the bottom of the skillet you make it in , and break it as little as you can , and so do till you see it be thick enough ; then put it into a bason with the ladle gently , if you do it too much it will whey , and that is not good . clxvii . another way for a posset . boil a quart of cream as for the other , then take the yolks of fourteen eggs and four whites , beat them and strain them , take the cream from the fire , and stir in your eggs , then have your sack warmed in a bason , and when the cream and eggs are well mixed , put it to the sack , and sweeten it to your taste with fine sugar , and let it stand over a skillet of seething water for a while . clxviii . to preserve pippins in thin slices in ielly . take of the fairest pippins , pare them , and slice them into cold water , to every pound of pippins take a pound of sugar , and a pint of water , boil it and scum it , then shake your pippins clean from the water , and put them into the syrup , boil them very clear and apace , then put in some thin chips , or orange or citron preserved , and to one pound of pippin , put the iuice of two oranges and one limon , then boil them a little longer till you see they will jelly , and then put them into glasses , but take heed you lay them in carefully , and lay the chips here and there between , then warm the ielly and put softly over them . clxix . to preserve currans in ielly . take the fairest and pick them from the stalks , and stone them , then take their weight in sugar , wet it with water , boil it and scum it , then put in your currans , and boil them up quick , shake them often and scum them , and when they will jelly , they are enough ; then put them into glasses ; thus you may do white and red both , and they will be in a stiff ielly , and cut very well , do not cover them before they be cold . clxx . to preserve ripe apricocks : take them and stone them , then weigh them , and to every pound of apricocks take a pound of fine sugar beaten small , then pare your fruit , and as you pare them , cast some sugar over them , and so do till all be done , then set them on the fire , and let the sugar melt but gently , then boil them a little in the syrup , and set them by till the next day , then boil them quick , and till they be very clear , then put them in pots , and boil the syrup a little more , and put it to them , if you would have them in ielly , you must put some of the infusion of goosberries , or of pippins into your syrup , and adde more sugar to it . clxxi. to preserve cornelions . take the fairest and weigh them , then take their weight in sugar , and lay a lay of sugar into the pan , and then a lay of cornelions till all be in , and let your last lay be sugar , then put a little water into the midst of the pan , and set it on the fire , and when the sugar is melted boil them up quick , and take them often and shake them , and scum them , when you do perceive them to be very clear , they are enough . clxxii . to make marmalade of cornelions . take them and stone them , and weigh them , and to every pound of fruit take a pound of sugar , wet it with water , and boil it to a candy height , then put in your fruit and boil it very clear and quick , and shake it often , and scum it clean ; when you see it very clear and very thick , it is enough ; you must keep it in a stove or some warm place . clxxiii . to preserve damsons . take the fairest , not too ripe , and take their weight in sugar , wet your sugar with a little water , boil it and scum it , then put in your damsons and boil them a little , then set them by till the next day , then boil them till they be very clear , and take them from the fire sometimes , and let them stand a while to keep them from breaking , when they are clear , take them out , and put them into glasses , and boil the syrup to a ielly and pour on them ; be very careful how you take them to put them into your pots or glasses for fear of breaking them . clxxiv . to make orange marmalade . take half a pound of orange chips tenderly boiled in several waters , and beaten fine in a mortar , then take a pound of fine sugar , wet it with water , boil it and scum it , then put in your orange , and half a pound of pippin also beaten fine , and let them boil together till they are very clear ; then put in the iuice of one orange and one limon , and stir it well , and let it boil a while longer , and then take it off and put it into glasses . clxxv . to make ielly of pippins . take pippins , pare them thin into a long gallipot , and set that into boiling water close covered , and so let it stand three or four hours , they must be slieed thin as well as pared ; when you think they are infused enough , poure the liquor from them , and to every pint , take a pound of sugar double refined and put it into your liquor , boil them together till you find it will ielly , then put little small pieces of orange pill into it finely shred , the iuice of one orange and one limon , and let it boil a little longer , and so put it into glasses , and set them into a stove , with the pulp that is left you may make paste if you please . clxxvi . to candy angelica . take the tender green stalks and boil them in water till they be tender , then peel them , and put them into another warm water , and cover them till they are very green over a slow fire , then lay them on a clean cloth to dry , then take their weight in fine sugar , and boil it to a candy height with some rosewater , then put in your stalks and boil them up quick , and shake them often , and when you judge they be enough , lay them on a pie-plate , and open them with a little stick , and so they will be hollow , and some of them you may braid , and twist some of them , so keep them dry . clxxvii . to make seed-stuff of rasberries . take rasberries and bruise them , and take their weight in fine sugar , and boil it to a candy height with a little water , then put in your bruised rasberries , and boil them till you see they will ielly very well . clxxviii . to make syrup of gilly-flowers . take clove-gilly flowers , and cut them from the whites , then take their weight in sugar beaten fine , then put a little sugar into your gally-pot , and then a lay of flowers , and then sugar again till all be spent , and let sugar be the last , then put in a clove or two , according to your quantity , and a little malago sack , and so tie your pot up close and set it into a pot or kettle of boiling water , and let them stand till they are infused ; then poure out the liquor and strain the rest , but not too hard , then take this liquor and vapour it away over seething water till it be of a good thickness , then take your strained gilliflowers and put them into a pot with some white wine vinegar , and cover them over with fine sugar , and so keep them ; they are a better sallad than those you pickle up alone ; as you make this , you may make syrup of any herbs or flowers . clxxix . to make most excellent cake . take to a strik'd peck of flower , six pounds of currans , half an ounce of mace , half an ounce of cinamon , a quarter of an ounce of cloves , as much of nutmeg , half a pound of fine sugar , and as much rose-water as you please ; beat your spice , and put that and your fruits with a little salt into your flower , then take cream or new milk as much as you think fit , dissolve therein two pounds of fresh butter , then put it in a bason with the sugar and a pint of sack , knead it with a wine-pint of ale-yeast , knead it till it rise under your hand , let all things be ready and your oven hot before you go to knead the cake . clxxx . to make pomatum the best way . take the caul of a lamb new killed , pick it clean from the skin , and lay it in spring-water nine days , shifting it every day twice , then melt it , then take yellow snails stamp them , and put them into a glass with rosewater four days , stop the glass and shake it three or four times a day , then take white lilly roots , stamp them , and strain them , put the iuice of them into the glass with the snails , then set a skillet on the fire with fair water , and let it boil , then put your tried lambs caul into an earthen bason , and let it melt , then take your glass with snails and roots , and strain it through a thick cloth , then put it into that tried stuff , then take half an ounce of white sugar candy unbeaten , put it in , and stir it over the fire till that be dissolved , then take it from the fire , and put in three ounces of sweet almonds , then keep it boiling and stirring a little longer , then take it off , and let it stand till it be reasonably cool , then beat it with a wooden slice till it be very white , then put in a little rose-water , and beat it a little longer , and then keep it in gallipots ; you must put in a crust of bread when you melt it in the skillet , and when the sugar candy goes in , take it out . clxxxi . to make the bean-bread . take a pound of the best iordan aimonds blanch them in cold water , and slice them very thin the long way of the almond with a wet knife , then take a pound of double refined sugar well beaten , and mix with your almonds , then take the white of one egg beaten with two spoonfuls of rosewater , and as the froth ariseth , cast it all over your almonds with a spoon , then mix them well together , and lay them upon wafer sheets , upon flowered plates , and shape them as you please with your knife and your fingers , then strew caroway comfits , and orange and citron pill cut thin , or some coriander comfits , so set them into an oven not too hot , and when they have stood about half an hour , raise them from their plates , and mend what you find amiss before they be too dry , then set them into the oven again , and when they are quite dry , break away the wafers with your fingers , and then clip them neatly with a pair of scizzers , and lay on some leaf-gold if you please . clxxxii . to make an excellent cake with caroway comfits . take five pounds of manchet paste mingled very stiff and light without salt , cover it , and let it be rising half an hour , when your oven is almost hot , take two pounds and half of butter , very good , and melt it , and take five eggs , yolks and whites beaten , and half a pound of sugar , mingle them all together with your paste , and let it be as lithe as possible you can worke it , and when your oven is hot and swept , strew into your cake one pound of , caroway comfits , then butter a baking-pan , and bake it in that ; let it stand one hour and quarter ; when you draw it , lay a course linnen cloth and a woollen one over it , so let it lie till it be cold , then put it into an oven the next day , for a little time , and it will eat as though it were made of almonds , you must put in your sugar aften your butter . clxxxiii . to make diet bread or iumbolds . take a quart of fine flower , half a pound of fine sugar , caroway seeds , coriander seeds and aniseeds bruised , of each one ounce , mingle all these together , then take the yolks of eight eggs , and the whites of three , beat them well with four spoonfuls of rosewater , and so knead these all together and no other liquor , when it is well wrought , lay it for one hour in a linnen cloth before the fire , then rowl it out thin , tie them in knots and prick them with a needle , lay them upon butter'd plates , and bake them in an oven not too hot . clxxxiv . to make cider or perry as clear as rock water . take to two quarts of cider , half a pint of milk , put them both in an hipocras bag , and when it runs clear , bottle it up , and when it is a month old , it will sparkle in the glass as you drink it . clxxxv . to make almond bread take a pound of almonds blanched , and beaten with rosewater , then take a pound of sugar beaten fine , and a little grated bread finely searced , put them into a platter with your almonds , and stir them well together , set them over a chasing dish of coals , and boil them till they are as stiff as paste , stirring them continually , then mould them well and put them in what shape you please ; print them , and set them into some warm place to dry . clxxxvi . to make good almond-milk . take iordan almonds blanched and beaten with rosewater , then strain them often with fair water , wherein hath been boiled violet leaves and sliced dates ; when your almonds are strained , take the dates and put to it some mace , sugar , and a little salt , warm it a little , and so drink it . clxxxvii . to make white leach . take sweet almonds blanched and beaten with rosewater , then strained with fair water , wherein hath been boiled aniseeds and ginger , put to it as much cream , wherein pure isinglass hath been boiled , as will make it stiff , and as much sugar as you please ; let it be scalding hot , then run it through a strainer , and when it is cold , slice it out , it is very good for a weak body . clxxxviii . to make red leach or-yellow . red by putting tornsel into it , or cochineal ; yellow , by putting saffron in it . clxxxix . cinamon or ginger-leach . take your spices beaten and searced , and mix them with your searced sugar , mould them up with gum arabick infused in rose-water , and so print them and dry them . cxc . to make leach of dates . take your dates stoned and peeled very clean within , beat them fine with sugar , ginger and cinamon , and a little rosewater till it will work like paste , then print them and keep them dry . cxci. to make fine cakes . take a quart of flower , a pound of sugar , a pound of butter , with three or four yolks of eggs , a little rosewater , and a spoonful of yeast , then roul them out thin , while the paste is hot , prick them , and set them into the oven not too hot . cxcii . to make cornish cakes . take claret wine , the yolks of eggs , and mace beaten fine , and some sugar and salt , mingle all these with flower and a little yeast , knead it as stiff as you can , then put in butter , and knead it stiff again , and then shape them and bake them . cxciii . a cordial syrup . take one pound of iuice of burrage , & half so much of the iuice of balm , boil them together , and when the grosseness of the iuice ariseth , then put in the whites of two eggs beaten with rosewater , and when you see them begin to grow hard , put in a little vinegar , let them boil together , and scum it clean , and run it through a ielly-bag , then set it over the fire again , and add to it one pound of fine sugar , and a little saffron , and so boil it till you think it be enough . cxciv . for a consumption . take of harts-tongue and maidenhair , of each one handful , hysop and balm , of each half a handful , licoras sliced , one ounce , piony root , one ounce , boil these together in two pints and half of spring water until it be half consumed , then strain the liquor from the herbs , then take four ounces of currans washed clean , dried and beaten in a mortar , boil them in the liquor a little while , then strain it , and put to the liquor half a pound of sugar , and so boil it to a syrup , and take often of it . cxcv. for a consumption . take a pint of good wine-vinegar , and half a pint of colts-foot-water , half a pound of figs well bruised , then strain it , and boil it with a pound of sugar to a thick syrup . cxcvi. a very good perfume . six spoonfuls of rosewater , musk , ambergreece and civet , of each two grains , a little sugar beaten fine , mould them up together with gum-dragon steeped in rose-water , make them in little cakes and dry them . cxcvii . a cordial to cause sleep . two spoonfuls of poppy water , two spoonfuls of red rosewater , one spoonful of clove-gilly flower syrop , and a little diascordium , mingle them together , and take them at the time of rest . cxcviii. to perfume gloves , take four grains of musk and grind it with rosewater , aud also eight grains of civet , then take two spoonfuls of gum dragon steeped all night in rosewater , beat these to a thin ielly , putting in half a spoonful of oil of cloves , cinamon and iessamine mixed together , then take a spunge and dip it therein , and rub the gloves all over thin , lay them in a dry clean place eight and forty hours ; then rub them with yourh ands till they become limber . cxcix . a very good perfume to burn . take a ounces of the powder of iuniper wood , ounce of benjamin , one ounce of storax , drops of oil of limons , as much oil of cloves grains of musk , of civer , mold them up with a little gum dragon steeped in rosewater , make them in little cakes and dry them between rose leaves , your iuniper wood must be well dried , beaten and searced . cc. to preserve cherries in ielly . take fair ripe cherries , and stone them , then take a little more than their weight in fine sugar , then take the juyce of some other cherries , and put a spoonful of it in the bottom of the posnet , then put some of your sugar beaten fine into the posnet with it , and then a little more juyce , then put in your cherries , then put in sugar , and then juyce , and then cherries again , thus do till you have put in all , then let them boil apace till the sugar be melted , shaking them sometimes , then take them from the fire , and let them stand close covered one hour , then boil them up quick till the syrup will jelly . cci. to dry apricocks or pippins to look as clear as amber . take apricocks and take out the stones , and take pippins and cut them in halves and core them , let your apricocks be pared also ; lay these fruits in an earthen dish , and strew them over with fine sugar , set them into a warm oven , and as the liquor comes from them put it away , when all the liquor is come away turn them and strew them thick with sugar on every side , set them into the oven again , and when the sugar is melted lay them on a dry dish , and set them in again , and every day turn them till they be quite dry . thus you may dry any sort of plumbs or pears as well as the other , and they will look very clear . ccii. to dry pears or pippins without sugar . take of the fairest and lay them in sweetwort two or three daies , then lay them in a broad preserving pan of earth , and bake them , but let the oven be but gently hot , then lay them upon lattice sieves and set them into a warm oven , and turn them twice a day till they are dry . cciii . the spanish candy . take any sort of flowers well picked and beaten in a mortar , and put them into a syrup , so much as the flowers will stain , boil them , and stir them till you see it will turn sugar again , then pour it upon a wet trencher , and when it is cold cut it into lozenges , and that which remaineth in the bottom of the posnet scrape it clean out , and beat it and searse it , then work it with some gum dragon steeped in rosewater and a little ambergreece , so make it into what shape you please , and dry it . cciv. to make naples bisket . take four ounces of pine apple seeds , two ounces of sweet almonds blanched , the whites of two eggs , one spoonful of ale-yeast , one spoonful of rice flower , one spoonful of sweet cream , beat all these together in a mortar , then adde to it musk or ambergreece , drop it upon a pie-plate , and make it in what shape you please , and so bake it . ccv . to make italian bisket . take sugar searced fine , and beat in a mortar with gum dragon steeped in rose-water , and also the white of an egg till it come to a perfect paste , then mould it up with searced sugar , powder of aniseeds , and a little musk , and make them in what shape you please , and bake them on pie-plates , but not too much . ccvi. to make hipocras . take to every gallon of sack or white wine , one pound of sugar , one ounce of cinamon , one ounce of ginger , one quarter of an ounce of nutmegs , a quarter of an ounce of coriander seed , with a few cloves , and a little long pepper or a few grains , let all these steep together four and twenty hours , stir it twice or thrice in that time ; then put to every gallon one pint of milk , and run it through a ielly-bag , and then bottle it , and let them be stopped very close , set them in a cool place , it will keep a moneth . ccvii. to make tuff-taffity cream . take a quart of thick cream , the whites of eight eggs beaten to a froth with rose-water , then take of the froth and put it into the cream , and boil it , and always stir it , then put in the yolks of eight eggs well beaten , and stir them in off the fire , and then on the fire a little while , then season it with sugar , and poure it out , and when it is cold , lay on it ielly of currans or rasberries , or what you please . ccviii . caroway cake . take one quart of flower , and one pound of butter , rub your butter into your flower very well , then take two yolks of eggs , and one white , two spoonfuls of cream , half a pint of ale-yeast , mix them all together , do not knead it , but pull it in pieces , then set it to the fire to rise , and so let it lie almost one hour , turning it often , then pull it in pieces again , and strew in half a pound of caroway comfits , mingle them with the paste then take it lightly with your hand , and fashion it like an oval , and make it higher in the middle than the sides , let your oven be as hot as for a tart , be sure your oven or cake be ready both at once , put it upon a double paper buttered , and let it stand almost an hour , when it goes into the oven , strew it thick with caroway-comfits , and lay a paper over least it scorch . ccix. to candy barberies . stone the fairest bunches you can get , and as you stone them strew in a little sugar , then take so much water as you think will cover them , and let them boil in it with a little sugar a little while , then put them into a deep thing that the syrup may cover them , then boil a little water and sugar to a candy height , then having your barberies drained well from the syrup put them into the hot candy , stir them gently till the sugar be dissolved , but do not let them boil in it , then open every branch and lay them upon the brims of dishes , shift them often on clean dishes and open them every time , then set them into an oven ox stove to dry . ccx . to make a very fine sillibub . take one quart of cream , one pint and an half of wine or sack , the iuice of two limons with some of the pill , and a branch of rosemary , sweeten it very well , then put a little of this liquor , and a little of the cream into a bason , beat them till it froth , put that froth into the sillibub pot , and so do till the cream and wine be done , then cover it close , and set it in a cool cellar for twelve hours , then eat it . ccxi. fine sweet powder for the hair . take one pound of the best starch you can get , put it into a bason with half a pint of rosemary water , as much rosewater , stir them well together with a spoon , then dry them well in the sun , then take the searced powder of damask roses , and four grains of ambergreece , mix it well with your starch , and sift it fine . ccxii. to make cakes of pistachoes . take half a pound of almonds blanched , half a pound of pistachoes blanched , four ounces of pine-apple seeds , beat these together in a mortar with a little rosewater till it come to perfect paste , then put in the weight of it in sugar , and beat it again then mould it with searced sugar , and lay it upon wafer sheets , and fashion them as you please , then stick them with quartered pistachoes ; that they may make it look like a hedghog , then with a feather ice them over with the white of an egg , rosewater and sugar , then bake them carefully . ccxiii. to make cakes of apricocks in lumps . take apricocks , and pare them and cut them in halves , , then take their weight in sugar , put half this sugar and the apricocks into a posnet , let them boil apace till they look clear , then boil the other part of the sugar to a candy height ; then put them together , and stir them a while , then put them into glasses and set them into a stove , and when the one side is dry , turn the other . ccxiv. to make rasberry sugar . take the iuice of rasberries and wet your sugar with it , and dry it in a stove in little cakes ; this will keep all the year , a little of it being put in a glass of wine , will give it as good a taste as you can desire , and as good a colour ; in this manner you may make sugar of any fruit , flower , or herb. ccxv . to dry apricocks . take your fairest apricocks and stone them , then weigh them , and as you pare them , throw them into cold water , have in readiness their weight in fine sugar , wet it with some of the water they lie in , and boil it to a candy height , then put in your apricocks , and boil them till they are clear , when they have lain three or four days in the syrup , lay them out upon glasses to dry in a stove , and turn them twice a day . ccxvi . to make rough marmalade of cherries . stone your cherries , and infuse them in a long gallipot in a kettle of boiling water , when they are all to pieces , then take their weight in fine sugar boiled to a candy height with a little water , then put in your apricocks and stir them over a slow fire , but do not let it boil , when it will ielly , put it into glasses . ccxvii . to make smooth marmalade of cherries . infuse them as you do the other , then strain them hard , and boil the iuice with a candy as you do the other . ccxviii . to make white trencher-plates which may be eaten . take two eggs beaten very well , yolks and whites , two spoonfuls of sack , one spoonful of rosewater , and so much flower as will make it into a stiff paste , then roule it thin , and then lay it upon the ontsides of plates well buttered , cut them fit to the plates , and bake them upon them , then take them forth , and when they are cold , take a pound of double refin'd sugar beaten and searced , with a little ambergreece , the white of an egg and rosewater , beat these well together , and ice your plates all over with it , and set them into the oven again till they be dry . ccxix. to make the froth posset . take three pints of cream or new milk , set it on the fire , then take sixteen eggs and put the whites into a bason very deep , and beat the yolks by themselves , make a custard with them , and the cream which is on the fire , then beat the yolks to a froth with a little sack , and a little sugar , when it is a thick froth , cast it into another dish with a spoon , then take half a pint of sack , and sweeten it with sugar , set it on a chafing-dish of coals in a large bason , when it is hot , put in as much froth as the sack will receive , stir it in very well , then take your custard and poure upon it , stir it all one way when you put it in , then if the froth do not cover the top of the posset , put in more , and stir it very well , and cover it close with a warm dish , let it stand a while upon coals , but not too hot ; you may know when it is enough by putting your spoon into the bason , for then it will be clear in the bottom , curd in the middle , and froth on the top . ccxx . to make banbury cake . make a posset of sack and cream , then take a peck of fine flower , half an ounce of mace , as much of nutmeg , as much of cinamon , beat them and searce them , two pounds of butter , ten eggs , leaving out half their whites , one pint and half of ale-yeast , beat your eggs very well , and strain them , then put your yeast , and some of the posset to the flower , stir them together , and put in your butter cold in little pieces , but your posset must be scalding hot ; make it into a paste , and let it lie one hour in a warm cloth to rise , then put in ten pounds of currans washed and dried very well , a little musk and ambergreece dissolved in rose-water , put in a little sugar among your currans , break your paste into little pieces , when you go to put in your currans , then lay a lay of broken paste , and then a lay of currans till all be in , then mingle your paste and currans well together , and keep out a little of your paste in a warm cloth to cover the top and bottom of your cake , you must rowl the cover very thin , and also the bottom , and close them together over the cake with a little rosewater ; prick the top and bottom with a small pin or needle , and when it is ready to go into the oven , cut it in the sides round about , let it stand two hours , then ice it over with rose-water or orange flower and sugar , and the white of an egg , and harden it in the oven . ccxxi . to make cambridge almond butter . take a quart of cream and sixteen eggs well beaten , mix them together and strain them into a posnet , set them on a soft fire , and stir them continually ; when it is ready to boil , put in half a quarter of a pint of sack , and stir it till it run to a curd , then strain the whey from it as much as may be , then beat four ounces of blanched almonds with rosewater , then put the curd and beaten almonds and half a pound of fine sugar into a mortar , and beat them well together , then put it into glasses and eat it with bread , it will keep a fortnight . ccxxii . to make a sack posset without milk or bread. take a quart of ale and half a pint of sack , boil them with what spice you please , then take three quarters of a pound of sugar , and twenty eggs , yolks and whites well beaten and strained , then take four ounces of almonds blanched and beaten with rose-water , put them to the eggs , and put them to the other things in the posnet upon the fire , and keep them stirring , and when it boileth up , put it into a bason , and strew on beaten spice and sugar ; you must also sweeten it when the eggs go in . ccxxiii. to preserve figs and dry them . to every pound of your large ripe english figs , take a pound of sugar , and one pint of water , boil your sugar and water , and scum it , then put in your figs and boil them very well till they are tender & clear ; boil them very fast , when they have been in the syrup a week , boil some sugar to a candy height , and put in the figs , and when you perceive they are enough , lay them out to dry . ccxxiv. to pickle mushromes . take them of one nights growth , and peel them inside , and outside , boil them in water and salt one hour , then lay them out to cool , then make a pickle of white wine and white wine vinegar , and boil in it whole cloves , nutmegs , mace , and ginger sliced , and some whole pepper , when it is cold , put them into it , and keep them for sauces of several meats , and if you would dress them to eat presently , put them in a dish over a chafingdish of coals without any liquor , and the fire will draw out their natural liquor , which you must pour away , then put in whole spice , onions and butter , with a little wine , and so let them stew a while , then serve it in . ccxxv. to preserve whole quinces to look red . when they are pared and cored , put them into cold water , and for every pound of quince take one pound of sugar , and a pint of water , make a syrup thereof , then put in your quinces , and set them on a slow fire , close covered till you see they are of a good colour and very tender , then take them out , and boil your syrup till it will ielly . ccxxvi . to make very good marma - of quinces to look red . weigh your quinces and pare them , cut them in quarters and core them , and keep them in cold water , then take their weight in sugar , and a little water and boil it , and scum it , then put in your quinces , and set them on a slow fire , close covered , till you see it of a good colour , then uncover it , and boil it up very quick till you find that it will jelly very well , ccxxvii . to make musk sugar . bruise six grains of musk and tie them in a piece of tiffany , lay it in the bottom of a gallipot , and then fill it with sugar , and tie it up close , when you have spent that sugar , put in some more , it will be well perfumed . ccxxviii . an excellent way to make syrup of roses , or of any other flower . fill a silver bason three quarters full of spring water , then fill it up with rose-leaves or any other , and cover it , and set it upon a pot of seething water one hour , then strain it , and put in more , and do in like manner , and so do seven times , then take to every pint one pound of sugar , and make a syrup therewith . ccxxix . to dry rose leaves . pick your roses , and dry them upon the leads of a house in a sun-shine day , and turn them as you do hay , and when they are through dry , keep them in broad mouth'd glasses close stopped . ccxxx . to candy flowers . boil some rosewater and sugar together , then put in your flowers being very dry , and boil them a little , then strew in some fine sugar over them , and turn them , and boil them a little more , then take them from the fire , and strew some more sugar over them , then take them out and lay them to dry , and open them , and strew sugar over them , they will dry in a few hours in a hot day . ccxxxi . the making of sugar-plate and casting of it into moulds . take one pound of double refin'd sugar beaten and searced , and three ounces of pure white starch beaten and searced , then have some gum-dragon steeped in rose-water , and put some of it with the sugar and starch and a little of ambergreece into a mortar , and beat them till they come to a perfect paste , you must also put in a little white of an egg with the gum , then mould it with searced sugar , then dust your moulds with sugar , then roul out your paste and lay it into the mould , pressing it down into every hollow part with your fingers , and when it hath taken impression , knock the mould on the edge against a table and it will come out , or you may help it with the point of your knife ; if you find you have put in too much gum then add more sugar , if too much sugar then more gum , work it up as fast as you can , when they come out of the moulds trim them handsomely ; if you would make saucers , dishes , or bowls , you must rowl it out thin and put your paste into a saucer , dish , or bowl for a mould , and let them stand therein till they be very dry , then guild them on the edges with the white of an egg laid round about the edge with a pencil , and press the gold down with some cotton , and when it is dry brush off the superfluous loose gold with the foot of an hare , and if you would have your paste exceeding smooth , as for cards or the like , then roul your paste upon a slicked paper with a very smooth rouling-pin , if you would colour any of it , you must take the searced powder of any herbs or flowers , first dryed , and put to it when you beat it in a mortar with the gum. ccxxxii . to make paste of almonds . take four ounces of valentia almonds , blanched and beaten with rosewater till it come to a perfect paste , then take stale white bread , grate it and sift it and dry it by the fire , then put that to your almonds with the weight of all in fine sugar , beat them very well , and put in some spice beaten and searced , then when it is a little cool , roul it out , dust your moulds and print it , and dry it in an oven , you may if you please put the juice of a limon into it when it is beating , you may make some of it into iumbolos , and tie them in knots and bake them upon buttered plates , and when they are baked , ice them over with rosewater , sugar , and the white of an egg , and set them into the oven again for a while . ccxxxiii . to make french bisket . take half a peck of fine flower , two ounces of coriander seeds , the whites of four eggs , half a pint of ale yeast , and as much water as will make it up into a stiff paste , let your water be blood warm , then bake it in a long roll as big as your thigh , let it be in the oven but one hour , when it is two days old , pare it and slice it thin overthwart , then ice it over thin , and set it into the oven to dry . ccxxxiv . to make ginger-bread . take three stale manchets grated and sifed , then put to them half an ounce of cinamon , as much ginger , half an ounce of licoras and aniseeds together , beat all these and searce them , and put them in with half a pound of fine sugar , boil all these together with a quart of claret , stirring them continually till it come to a stiff paste , then when it is almost cold , mould it on a table with some searced spice and sugar , then bake it in what shape you please . ccxxxv . another sort of ginger-bread . take half a pound of sweet almonds , blanched and beaten , half a pound of fine flower first dried in an oven , one pound of fine sugar , what sorts of spices you please , beaten and searced , and also seeds , beat all these together with two eggs , both yolks and whites , then mould it with flower and sugar together , and so bake it in what shape you please . ccxxxvii . to make puff-paste . take a quart of the finest flower , the whites of three eggs , and the yolks of two , and a little cold water , make it into a perfect paste , then roul it abroad thin , then lay on little bits of butter , and fold it over again , then drive it abroad again , and lay on more butter , and then fold it over , and so do ten times , make it up for your use , and put your fruit or meat therein and bake it . ccxxxvii . another way for puff-paste . take fine flower half a peck , the yolks of five eggs and one white , one pound of butter , half a pint of cream , and a little fair water , break your butter in little bits , and do not mould it too much , but roul it abroad so soon as you can , and let the butter be seen in spots ; for that will make it hollow when it comes into the oven , then put in your meat or fruit , and close it over , and wash it over with the yolk of an egg and cream beaten together , just when you set it into the oven ; let your oven be quick , but do not let it stand too long , for that will spoil it . ccxxxviii . to make short paste without butter . bake your flower first , then take a quart of it , and the yolks of three eggs and a pint of cream , two ounces of fine sugar , and a little salt , and so make it into paste . ccxxxix . to candy whole spices with a hard rock-candy . take one pound of fine sugar , and eight spoonfuls of rosewater , and the weight of sixpence of gum. arabick that is clear , boil them together till a drop will run as small as a hair ; then put it into an earthen pipkin , and having before steeped your spices one night or two in rosewater , put your spices into the pipkin , and stop it up close that no air get in , keep it in a hot place three weeks , then break your pot with a hammer . thus you may do with preserved oranges and limons , any kinds of fruits and flowers , or herbs if you please . ccxl . to make a very fine bisket . take half a pound of searced sugar , the yolks of six eggs , a little searced spice and seeds , and a little ambergreece or musk , your eggs must be very hard , then put all these into a mortar , and beat them to a paste with a little gum dragon steeped in rosewater all night , then mould it up with fine sugar ; and make it into pretty fancies , and dry them in a warm oven . ccxli. to make orange , or limon or citron bisket : take either of these preserved and washed from their syrup , beat them well in a mortar , and then put in a little gum dragon as before , beat them again together till it be a perfect paste , then mould it up with sugar searced , and make them up in what shape you please and dry it . ccxlii. to make bisket of potato-roots or parsneps . take their roots boil'd very tender , and beat them in a mortar with their weight of searced sugar , then put in a little gum dragon as before , beat them to a paste , and mould them up with sugar searced , and make them up in what shape you please , and dry them . ccxliii . to pickle oranges or limons , taught me by a seaman . take those which are free from any spots , and lay them gently in a barrel , then fill up the barrel with sea-water , and so cover your vessel close ; for want of sea-water , you may take fair water , and make it so strong with bay salt , that it will bear an egg , and put to them in like manner . ccxliv . to keep grapes fresh and green , taught me by a sea-captain . take your fairest grapes without any blemish , then lay some oats in a box , and then a lay of grapes , and then more oats , and so do till you have laid all in , then cover the grapes well with oats , and close your box fast that no air get in . ccxlv . to dry grapes to keep longer . take your best clusters and hang them up in a room upon lines , and be sure you do not let them touch one another , they will keep four months . ccxlvi . to make marmalade of oranges or limons . boil the rinds of them in several waters till they be very tender , beat them small with their weight of pippins , then take the weight of all in fine sugar , and to every pound of sugar a pint of water , boil your water and sugar together , and make a syrup , then put in your pulp , and boil it a good while till it be clear , then put in the iuice of some orange and limon , so much as will give it a fine taste , then boil it a little longer till you see it will ielly very well , then put it into glasses , and keep it in a reasonable warm place ; this is very cordial , and stoppeth rheum . ccxlvii. to make green ginger wet . take one pound of ginger , and steep it in red-wine and vinegar equally mixed , let it stand so close covered twelve daies , and twice every day stir it up and down , then take two quarts of red-wine and as much vinegar , and boil them together a little while , then put in three pounds of sugar and make a syrup therewith , then put in your ginger and boil it a while , then set it by till the next day , so boil it every day a little , till it be very clear , and so keep it in the syrup . ccxlviii . to make a sallad of limons . take the rinds of limons cut in halves , and boil them in several waters till they are very tender , then take vinegar , water and sugar , and make a syrup , then put in your limons , first cut as you would an apple-paring , round and round till you come at the top , boil them a while in the syrup , then set them by till the next day , then boil them again a little , and so do till yo 〈…〉 they be clear , and the syrup thick ; when you serve them to the table , wash them in vinegar , ccxlix . to stew prunes without fire . take your largest prunes well washed , and put them into a broad mouthed glass , then put to them some claret . wine , and whole spice , and cover your glass very well , and set it in the sun ten days or more , and they will eat very finely ; you must also put a little sugar into the glass with them . ccl . to make syrup of the iuice of citrons or limons . take the iuice of either of them , and put twice the weight of fine sugar therein , put it into a long gallipot , and set that pot into a kettle of boiling water , till you see they be well incorporated , then take it out , and when it is cold put it up . ccli . to make punch . take one quart of claret wine , half a pint of brandy , and a little nutmeg grated , a little sugar , and the iuice of a limon , and so drink it . cclii . to make limonado . take one quart of sack , half a pint of brandy , half a pint of fair water , the iuice of two limons , and some of the pill , so brew them together with sugar and drink it . ccliii . to make paste of pomewaters . take your pomewater apples , and put them in a long gallipot , and set that pot in a kettle of boiling water , till your apples are tender , then pare them , and cut them from the core , and beat them in a mortar very well , then take their weight in fine sugar , and boil it to a candy height with a little water , then put in your apples , and boil them till it will come from the bottom of the posnet , when it is almost cold mould it with searced sugar , and make it in cakes and dry them . ccliv . to make syrup of rasberries , or of other fruits , as grapes , or the like . take the juyce of your fruits and the weight thereof in fine sugar , mix them together and put them into a long gally-pot , and set that pot into a kettle of seething water , and when you see it is enough let it cool , and then put it up ; after you have strained out your juyce , you must let it stand to settle three or four daies before your put the sugar into it , and then take only the clearest , this is exceeding good and comfortable in all fevers . ccliv . to make a caudle for a sick body both pleasant and comfortable . take a quart of white wine , and boil it a while with a blade of large mace , and a little whole cinamon , then take four ounces of sweet almonds blanched and beaten with a little rosewater , then strain your almonds with the wine , and set it over the fire again , and when it is scalding hot , put in the yolks of four eggs , and as much sugar as you think fit . cclv. how to cover all kinds of seeds , or little pieces of spices , or orange or limon pill , with sugar for comsits , first of all you must have a deep bottomed bason of brass or latin , with two ears of iron to hang it with two cords , over some hot coals . you must also have a broad pan to put ashes in , and hot coals upon them . you must have a brass ladle to let run the sugar upon the seeds . you must have a slice of brass to scrape away the sugar from the fides of the hanging bason if need be . having all these things in readiness , do as followeth ; take fine white sugar beaten , and let your seeds and spice be dry then dry them again in your hanging bason : take to every two pounds of sugar one quarter of a pound of spices or seeds , or such like . if it be aniseeds , two pounds of sugar to half a pound of aniseeds , will be enough . melt your sugar in this manner ; put in three pounds of sugar into the bason , and one pint of water , stir it well till it be wet , then melt it very well and boil it very softly until it will stream from the ladle like turpentine , and not drop , then let it seeth no more , but keep it upon warm embers , that it may run from the ladle upon the seeds . move the seeds in the hanging bason so fast as you can or may , and with one hand , east on half a ladle full at a time of the hot sugar , and rub the seeds with your other hand a pretty while , for that will make them take the sugar the better ; and dry them well after every coat . do thus at every coat , not only in moving the bason , but also with stirring of the comfits with the one hand , and drying the same , in evrey hour you may make three pounds of comfits ; as the comfits do increase in bigness , so you may take more sugar in your ladle to cast on : but for plain comfits , let your sugar be of a light decoction last , and of a high decoction first , and not too hot . for crisp and ragged comfets , make your decoction so high , as that it may run from the ladle , and let it fall a foot high or more from the ladle , and the hotter you cast on your sugar , the more ragged will your comfits be ; also the comfits will not take so much of the sugar , as upon a light decoction , and they will keep their raggedness long ; this high decoction must serve for eight or ten coats , and put on at every time but one ladle full . a quarter of a pound of coriander seeds , and three pounds of sugar , will serve for very grear comfits . see that you keep your sugar in the bason always in good temper , that it burn not in lumps , and if at any time it be too high boiled , put in a spoonful or two of water , and keep it warily with your ladle , and let your fire be always very clear , when your comfits be made , set them in dishes upon papers in the sun or before the fire , or in the oven after bread is drawn , for the space of one hour or two , and that will make them look very white . cclvi. to make a fine cullis or ielly . take a red cock , scald , wash , and dress him clean , seeth it in white wine or rhenish wine , and scum it clean , put in a pint of thick cream to it , then put in whole spices , sugar and rosewater , and boil them together . cclvii . a white ielly with almonds . take rosewater and gum dragón first steeped , or isinglass dissolved , and some cinamon whole , seeth these together , then take one pound of almonds blanched and beaten with rosewater , then put them in and seeth them with the rest , stir them always , and when it is enough , sweeten it to your taste , and when it is cold eat it . cclviii. to make sweet cakes without sugar . wash some parsnep roots , scrape them , and slice them very thin dry them in a dish in an oven , and beat them to a powder , mix them with an equal quantity of fine flower , mix them with cream , beaten spice and salt , and so make them and bake them . cclix . to keep roses or gilliflowers very long . take them when they are very fresh , and in the bud , and gathered very dry , dip them in the whites of eggs well beaten , and presently strew thereon searced sugar , and put them up in luted pots , and set them in a cool place , in sand or gravel , and with a fillip of your finger at any time you may strike off the coat , and you will have the flower fresh and fair . cclx . how to keep walnuts long fresh and good . make a lay of the dry stampings of crabs when the verjuice is pressed forth , then a lay of walnuts , and then crabs again , till all be in , then cover the vessel very well , and when you eat them , they will be as though they were new gathered . cclxi . to pickle quinces . put them into a vessel , and fill up the vessel with small ale , or white wine lees , which is better , and cover your vessel well that no air get in . cclxii . to keep artichokes . take your artichokes , and cut off the stalks within two inches of the apple , and of these stalks make a strong decoction , slicing them into thin and small pieces , and boil them with water and salt ; when it is cold , put in your artichokes , and keep them from the air. when you spend them , lay them first in warm water , and then in cold to take away the bitterness . cclxiii . to make clove or cinamon sugar . put sugar in a box , and lay spices among it , and close up the box fast , and in short time it will smell and tast very well . cclxiv . to make irish aquavitae . take to every gallon of good aquavitae , two ounces of iicoras bruised , two ounces of aniseeds bruised , let them stand six days in a vessel of glass close stopped , then poure out as much of it as will run clear , dissolve in that clear six great spoonfuls of the best molasses , then put it into another glass , then adde to it some dates and raifins of the sun stoned ; this is very good for the stomach . cclxv. to distill roses speedily . stamp your roses in a mortar with a little rosewater , and then distill them : this way will yield more water by much than the common way . cclxvi. to make scotch brewis . take a manchet and pare off the crust , then slice it thin and whole round the loaf , and lay these slices into a deep dish cross waies , one slice lying upon the edge of the other a little , that they may lye quite cross the dish , then fill it up with cream and put whole spice therein , so set it over a chafing-dish of coals very hot , and alwaies cast the cream all over the bread with a spoon till all be spent , which will be above an hour , then take some sack and sweeten it with sugar , and pour all over it , and serve it to the table . cclxvii . to make fine black puddings . take the blood of a hog , and strain it , and let it stand to settle , putting in a little salt while it is warm , then pour off the water on the top of the blood , and put so much oatmeal as you think fit , let it stand all night , then put in eight eggs beaten very well , as much cream as you think fit , one nutmeg or more grated , some pennyroyal and other herbs shred small , good store of beef sewet shred very small , and a little more salt , mix these very well together , and then have your guts very well scoured , and scraped with the back of a knife , fill them but not too full , then when you have tyed them fast , wash them in fair water , and let your water boil when they go in , then boil them half an hour , then stir them with the handle of a ladle and take them up and lay them upon clean straw , and prick them with a needle , and when they are a little cool put them into the boiling water again , and boil them till they are enough . cclxviii . to make the best almond-puddings . take a quart of thick cream and boil it a while with whole spice , then put in half a pound of sweet almonds blanched and beaten to a paste with rosewater , boil these together till it will come from the bottom of the posnet , continually stirring it for fear it burn : then put it out , and when it is cool , put in twelve yolks of eggs , and six whites , some marrow in big bits , or beef suet shred small , as much sugar as you think fit , then fill your guts being clean scraped ; you may colour some of them if you please , and into some put plumped currans , and boil them just as you do the other . cclix . to make a rice pudding to bake . take three pints of milk or more , and put therein a quarter of a pound of rice , clean washed and picked , then set them over the fire , and let them warm together , and often stir them with a wooden spoon , because that will not scrape too hard at the bottom , to make it burn , then let it boil till it be very thick , then take it off and let it cool , then put in a little salt , some beaten spice , some raisins and currans , and some marrow , or beef suet shred very small , then butter your pan , and so bake it , but not too much . cclxx. to make a pudding of wild curds . take wild curds and cream with them , put thereto eggs , both yolks and whites , rosewater , sugar , and beaten spice with some raisins and currans , and some marrow , and a little salt , then butter a pan , and bake it . cclxxi. to make pudding of plum-cake . slice your cake into some cream or milk , and boil it , and when it is cold , put in eggs , sugar , a little salt and some marrow , so butter a pan and bake it , or fill guts with it . cclxxii . to make bisket pudding . take naples biskets and cut them into milk , and boil it , then put in egg , spice , sugar , marrow , and a little salt , and so boil it and bake it . cclxxii . to make a dry oatmeal pudding . take your oatmeal well picked , and put into it a little salt , some raisins and currans , and some beaten spice , and good store of beef suet finely shred , so tie it up hard in a cloth , and let your water boil when you put it in , and let it boil very well ; if you would butter it , then leave out the suet ; and if you would leave out the fruit , then put in sweet herbs good store . cclxxiii . to make almond puddings a different way from the other . take two manchets and grate them , then scald them in some cream , then put in some almonds blanched and beaten as you do other , with rosewater , let there be about half a pound , then put in eight eggs well beaten , some spice , sugar , salt and marrow , and having your guts well stowred and scraped , fill them , but not too full , and boil them as you do the other , or bake it if you please ; currans will do well in it . cclxxiv . to make a quaking pudding . take grated bread , a little flower , sugar , salt , beaten spice , and store of eggs well beaten , mix these well , and beat them together , then dip a clean cloth in hot water , and flower it over , and let one hold it at the four corners till you put it in , so tie it up hard , and let your water boil when you put it in , then boil it for one hour , and serve it in with sack , sugar and butter . cclxxvi . to make good dumplings . take some flower and a little salt , and a little ale-yeast , and so much water as will make it into a paste , so let your water boil when you do put them in ; boil them but a little while , and then butter them . cclxxvii . another way to make dumplings . take half a quarter of a peck of flower , and one egg , yolk and white , half a pound of butter broke in little bits , mix them together with so much cold milk as will make it up , do not break your butter too small , for then they will not flake ; make them up like rouls of butter , and when your water boils , put them in , and do not boil them too much , then butter them . cclxxviii . another way to make dumplings . take flower and temper it very light with eggs , milk , or rather cream , beaten spice , salt , and a little sugar , then wet a cloth in hot water , and flower it , and so boil it for a pudding , or else make it pretty stiff with the flower and a little grated bread , and so boil them for dumplings , then butter them , and serve them in . cclxxix . to make a green pudding to butter . take a quart of cream and boil it , then put in twelve eggs , yolks and whites well beaten , and one manchet grated small , a little salt , beaten spice , and some sugar : then colour it well with some iuice of spinage , or if you will have it yellow , colour it with saffron , so boil it in a wet cloth flowred as before , and serve it in with wine , sugar and butter , and stick it with blanched almonds split in halves , and poure the sauce over it , and it will look like a hedghog . you may at some time stick it with candied orange pill or limon pill , or eringo roots candied , you may sometimes strew on some caroway comfits , and if you will bake it , then put in some marrow , and some dates cut small , thus you have many puddings taught in one . cclxxx . to make a pudding of a hogs liver . take your liver and boil it in water and salt , but not too much ; then beat it fine in a mortar , and put to it one quart of cream ; a little salt , rose-water , sugar , beaten spice and currans , with six eggs beaten very well : mix it well . and if you bake it , put in marrow , or if you boil it in skins . but if you boil it in a cloth , then leave it out ; and butter it when it is boiled . cclxxxi . to make a rasberry pudding . take a quart of cream and boil it with whole spice a while , then put in some grated bread , and cover it off the fire , that it may scald a little ; then put in eight eggs well beaten , and sweeten it with sugar ; then put in a pint or more of whole rasberries , and so boil it in a cloth , and take heed you do not boil it too much , then serve it in with wine , butter and sugar . you may sometimes leave out the rasberries , and put in cowslip flowers , or goosberries . cclxxxii . to make a calves foot pudding . take those which are tenderly boiled and shred them small with beef-sewet , then put to four feet one quart of cream and eight eggs well beaten , a little salt , some rose-water and sugar : some beaten spice , and one pound of currans , mix all these well together , and boil it or bake it ; but if you would butter it , then do not put in sewet . cclxxxiii . to make a pudding to rost . take a pint of cream , seald a little grated bread in it , then put in three eggs beaten , a little flower , currans , beaten spice , sewet , sugar and salt , with some beef sewet finely shred , make it pretty stiff , and wrap it in a lambs caul , and rost it on a spit with a loin of lamb , if you please , you may put in a little rosewater . cclxxxiv . to make cream of divers things . take a quart of cream and boil it a while , then put in eight yolks of eggs , and six whites well beaten , put them in over the fire , and stir them lest they turn , then when it is almost enough , put in some candied eringo root , orange or limon pill candied , and cut thin , preserved plums , without the stones , quince , pippin , cherries , or the like ; if you do not like it so thick , put fewer eggs into it . cclxxxv . to make cream of artichoke bottoms . take a quart of cream and boil it with a little whole mace a while ; then have your artichoke bottoms boiled very tender , and bruise them well in a mortar , then put them into the cream , and boil them a while , then put in so many yolks of eggs as you think fit , and sweeten it to your taste ; when you think it is enough , poure it out , and serve it in cold . cclxxxvi . to pickle barberries . take your barberries and pick out the fairest bunches of them , then take the refuse , and with some water and salt , so strong as will bear an egg , boil them together for half an hour or more , then lay your fair bunches into a pot , and when the liquor is cold , poure it over them . cclxxxvii . to pickle french beans . take them before they be too old , and boil them tender , then put them into a pickle made with vinegar and salt , and so keep them ; it is a very good and pleasant sallad . cclxxxviii . to pickle oysters . take your great oysters , and in opening them save the liquor , then strain it from dross , add to it some white-wine , and white wine vinegar , and a little salt , and so let them boil together a while , putting in whole mace , whole cloves , whole pepper , sliced ginger , and quartered nutmegs , with a few bay leaves ; when the liquor is boiled almost enough , put in your oysters and plump them , then lay them out to cool , then put them into a gally-pot or barrel , and when the liquor is cool , pour it over them , and keep them from the ayr. cclxxxix . to make the best sort of mustard . dry your seed very well , then beat it by little and little at a time in a mortar , and sift it , then put the powder into a gally-pot , and wet it with vinegar very well , then put in a whole onion , pilled but not cut , a little pepper beaten , a little salt , and a lump of stone sugar . ccxc. another sort of mustard . dry your horse-radish roots in an oven very dry , then beat them to powder and sift them , and when you would use any , wet it with wine vinegar , and so it will rather be better than the other . ccxci. to keep boiled powdered beef long after it is boiled . when your beef is well powdered , and boiled thorowly , and quite cold , wrap it up close in a linnen cloth , and then a woollen one , and so keep it in a chest or box from the air. ccxcii . to make clouted cream . take three gallons of new milk , set it on the fire and boil it , then put in two quarts of cream , and stir it about for a while over the fire , then pour it out into several pans , and cover it till the next morning , then take it off carefully with a scimmer , and put it all into one dish one upon another , then eat it with wine and sugar . ccxciii . an excellent damask powder . take of orrice half a pound , rose leaves four ounces , cloves one ounce , lignum rhodium two ounces , storax one ounce & an half , benjamin one ounce and an half , musk and civet of each ten grains , beat them altogether grosly , save the rose leaves you must put in afterwards . this is a very fine powder to lay among linnen . the end of the first part. the second part of the queen-like closet ; having an addition of what hath already been treated of , and directing a very true & excellent way for all manner of cookery , both fish , flesh & pastry . shewing the true seasoning of all things for compleat tables . also all kinds of sauces and pickles in a very brevious way . here is to be noted , that in divers of these receipts there are directions for two or three several things in one , not confounding the brains with multitudes of words to little or no purpose , or vain expressions of things which are altogether unknown to the learned as well as the ignorant ; this is really imparted for the good of all the female sex . by hannah wolley , alias chaloner . london , printed for r. l. . the ladies new closet . or rather rich cabinet . the second part . i. to make elder vinegar , and to colour it . take of your best white wine vinegar , and put such a quantity of ripe elder berries into it as you shall think fit , in a wide mouth'd glass , stop it close , and set it in the sun for about ten days , then pour it out gently into another glass , and keep it for your use ; thus you may make vinegar of red roses , cowslips , gilliflowers , or the like . ii. to make metheglin , either brown or white , but white is best . take what quantity you please of spring-water , and make it so strong with honey , that it will bear an egg , then boil it very well , till a good part be wasted , and put in to it boiling a good quantity of whole spice rosemary , balm , and other cordial and pleasant herbs or flowers . when it is very well boiled , set it to cool , it being strained from the herbs , and the bag of spices taken out ; when it is almost cold , put in a little yeast and beat it well , then put it into vessels when it is quite cold , and also the bag of spice , and when it hath stood a few days , bottle it up ; if you would have it red , you must put the honey to strong ale wort instead of water . iii. to make coller'd beef . take a good flank of beef , and lay it in pump water and salt , or rather saltpeter one day and one night , then take pepper , mace , nutmegs , ginger and cloves with a little of the herb called tarragon , beat your spice , shred your tarragon , and mingle these with some sewet beaten small , and strew upon your beef , and so rowl it up , and tie it hard , and bake it in a pot with claret wine and butter , let the pot be covered close , & something in the pot to keep the meat down in the liquor that it may not scorch , set it into the oven with houshold bread , and when it is baked , take it out , and let it cool , then hang it up one night in the chimney before you eat it , and so as long as you please . serve it in with bay leaves , and eat it with mustard and sugar . iv. to make almond puddings with french rolls or naples biskets . take a quart of cream , boil it with whole spice , then take it from the fire , and put in three naples biskets , or one penny french roll sliced thin , and cover it up to scald ; when it is cold , put in four ounces of sweet almonds blanched , and beaten with rosewater , the yolks of eight eggs , and a little marrow , with as much sugar as you think fit , and a little salt ; you may boil it , or bake it , or put it into skins ; if it be boiled or baked , put sugar on it when you serve it in . v. to make barly cream . take two ounces of french barly , and boil it in several waters , then take a quart of cream , and boil it with whole spice , put in your barly , and boil them together very well , then put in the yolks of six eggs well beaten , and as much sugar as you think fit ; stir them well over the fire , then poure it out , and when it is cold serve it in ; thus you may make rice cream , only do not boil that , but a very little in milk , before you put it into the cream . vi. to make cheescakes . take four gallons of new milk , set it with a little runnet , and when it is come , break it gently , and whey it very well , then take some manchet , first scalded well in new milk , let the milk be thick with it , and while it is hot , put in a quarter of a pound of fresh butter , and stir it in , when it is cold , mix that and your curd together very well , then put in one pound and half of plumped currans , some beaten spice , a very little salt , rosewater , and the yolks of eight eggs , half a pint of cream , and a little sugar , mix them well together , then make some paste , with flower , butter , the yolk of an egg and fair water , and roule it out thin , and so bake them in bake-pans , and do not let them stand too long in the oven . vii . another way for cheese-cakes . take the curd of four gallons of new milk , and put thereto half a pound of almonds blanched and beaten fine with rose-water , then put in one pint of raw cream , the yolks of ten eggs , some beaten spice , a little salt , one pound and half of plumped currans , a little rosewater , and some sugar , and so mix them very well , and put them into your crust and bake them . viii . another way for cheese-cakes . take the curd of four gallons of new milk , beat it well in a mortar with half a pound of fresh butter , aud then season it as you do the other above-named . ix . another way for cheese-cakes . take the same quantity of curd , and mix it with half a pound of rice boiled tender in milk , one quarter of a pound of fresh butter , the yolks of eight eggs , one pint of cream , beaten spice , two pounds of currans first plumped , rosewater and sugar , and a little salt , and so bake them , not too much . x. to make a sresh cheese . take some very tender cheese-curd , stamp it very well in a mortar with a little rosewater , wherein whole spice hath been steeped , then let it stand in a little cullender about half an hour , then turn it out into your dish , and serve it to the table with cream , wine , and sugar . xi . another way for a fresh cheese . take a quart of cream , and boil in it whole spice , then stir in the yolks of eight eggs , and four whites well beaten , and when they are hot , put in so much sack as will give it a good taste , then stir it over the fire till it runneth on a curd , then beat it in a mortar as the other , and serve it to the table with cream and sugar . xii . to make oatmeal pudding . take oatmeal beaten fine , put to it some cream , beaten spice , rosewater and sugar , some currans , some marrow , or beef sewir shred fine , and a little salt , then butter your pan and bake it . xiii . puddings in balls to stew or to fry . take part of a leg of veal , parboil it , and shred it fine with some beef sewet , then take some cream , currans , spice , rosewater , sugar and a little salt , a little grated bread , and one handful of flower , and with the yolks of eggs make them in balls , and stew them between two dishes , with wine and butter , or you may make some of them in the shape of sausages , and fry them in butter , so serve them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 table with sugar strewed over them . xiv . to boil pigeons . take your largest pigeons and cut them in halves , wash them and dry them , then boil a little water & salt with some whole spice , and a little faggot of sweet herbs , then put in your pigeons and boil them , and when they are enough , take some boiled parsley shred small , some sweet butter , claret wine , and an anchovy , heat them together , then put in the yolks of eggs , and make it thick over the fire , then put in your pigeons into a dish , garnished with pickled barberries and raw parsley , and so poure over them your sawce , and serve it to the table . xv. to make an apple tansie . take a quart of cream , one manchet grated , the yolks of ten eggs , and four whites , a little salt , some sugar , and a little spice , then cut your apples in round thin slices , and lay them into your frying-pan in order , your butter being hot , when your apples are fried , poure in your batter , and fry it on the one side , then turn it on a pie-plate , and slide it into the pan again , and fry it , then put it on a pie-plate , and squeez the iuice of a limon over it , and strew on fine sugar , and serve it to the table . xvi . to make a green tansie to fry , or boil over a pot. take a quart of cream , the yolks of one dozen of eggs & half their whites well beat mix them together , and put in one nutmeg grated , then colour it well with the iuice of spinage , and sweeten it with sugar ; then fry it with butter as you do the other , and serve it in the same manner ; but you must lay thin slices of limon upon this . if you will not fry it , then butter a dish , and poure it therein , and set it upon a pot of boiling water till it be enough ; this is the better and easier way . thus you may make tansies of any other things , as cowslips , rasberries , violets , marigolds , gilliflowers , or any such like , and colour them with their iuice ; you may use green wheat instead of spinage . xvii . to make an amulet . take twelve eggs , beat them and strain them , put to them three or four spoonfulls of cream , then put in a little salt , and having your frying-pan ready with some butter very hot , poure it in , and when you have fryed it a little , turn over both the sides into the middle , then turn it on the other side and when it is fryed , serve it to the table with verjuice , butter and sugar . xviii . to make a chicken-pie . make your paste with cold cream , flower , butter and the yolk of an egg , roule it very thin , & lay it in your baking-pan , then lay butter in the bottom : then lay in your chickens cut in quarters with some whole mace , and nut meg sliced , with some marrow , hard lettuce , eryngo root , and citron pill , with a few dates stoned and sliced : then lay good store of butter , close up your py and bake it : then cut it oqen , and put in some wine , butter , and sugar with the yolk of two or or three eggs well beaten together over the fire , till it be thick , so serve it to the table , and garnish your dish with some pretty conceits made in paste . xix . to make a collar of brawn of a brest of pork . take a large breast of pork , and bone it , then roule it up ; and tie it hard with a tape , then boil it in water and salt till it be very tender , then make souce drink for it with small beer , water and salt , and keep it in it : serve it to the table with a rosemary branch in the middle of it , and eat it with mustard . xx. to souce veal to eat like sturgeon . take what part of veal you like best , and boil it with water & salt , and a bundle of sweet herbs , and a little limon pill , when it is boiled enough , put into your liquor so much vinegar as will make it tast sharp , and a limon sliced , and when it is cold , put in your veal , and when it hath lain four or five days , serve it to the table with fennel , and eat it with some vinegar ; you must tie it up as you do brawn . xxi . to make a pasty of a breast of veal . take half a peck of fine flower , and two pounds of butter broken into little bits , one egg , a little salt , and as much cold cream , or milk as will make it into a paste ; when you have framed your pasty , lay in your breast of veal boned , and seasoned with a little pepper and salt , but first you must lay in butter . when your veal is laid in , then put in some large mace , and a limon sliced thin , rind and all , then cover it well with butter , close it and bake it , and when you serve it in , cut it up while it is very hot , put in some white wine , sugar , the yolks of eggs , and butter being first heated over the fire together , this is very excellent meat . xxii . to make a pigeon-pie . make your paste as for the pasty , roule it thin , and lay it into your baking-pan , then lay in butter , then mix pepper and salt and butter together , and fill the bellies of your pigeons , then lay them in , and put in some large mace , and little thin slices of bacon , then cover them with butter , and close your pie , and bake it not too much . xxiii . to boil a capon or a hen with oysters . take either of them , and fill the belly of it with oysters , and truss it , then boil it in white wine , water , the liquor of the oysters , a blade or two of mace , a little pepper whole , and a little salt , when it is boiled enough , take the oysters out of the belly , and put them into a dish , then take some butter , and some of the liquor it was boiled in , and two anchoves with the yolks of eggs well beaten , heat these together over the fire , and then put your oysters into it , then garnish your dish with limon sliced thin , and some of the oysters , also some pickled barberries and raw parsley , then lay your capon or hen in the middle of it , and poure the sauce upon the breast of it , then lay on sliced limon and serve it in . xxiv . to make an olio . first lay in your dish a fricasy made of a calves head , with oisters and anchovies in it , then lay marrow-bones round the dish , within them lay pigeons boiled round the dish , and thin slices of bacon , lay in the middle upon your fricasie a powdred goose boiled , then lay some sweet-breads of veal fryed , and balls of sawsage-meat here and there , with some scotch collops of veal or of mutton , garnish your dish with limon or orange and some toasts for the marrow so serve it in . xxv . to make cracknels . take half a pound of fine flower , and as much fine sugar , a few coriander seeds bruised , and some butter rubbed into the flower , wet it with eggs , rosewater and cream , make it into a paste , and rowl it in thin cakes , then prick them and bake them ; then wash them over with egg and a little rosewater , then dry them again in the oven to make them crisp . xxvi . to make good sauce for a boiled leg of mutton . take the best prunes and stew them well with white wine or claret , and some whole spice , then strain them into a dish and set it over a chafingdish of coles , put to it a little grated bread , juice of limon and a little salt , then lay your mutton in a dish , being well boiled with water & salt , poure your sauce to it : garnish your dish with limon , barberies , parsly , and so serve it in . xxvii . to rost pork without the skin . take any joint of small pork , not salted and lay it to the fire till the skin may be taken off , then take it from the fire and take off the skin , then stick it with rosemary and cloves and lay it to the fire again , then salt it and rost it carefully , then make sauce for it with claret wine , white bread sliced thin , a little water , and some beaten cinamon , boil these well together , then put in some salt , a little butter , vinegar , or iuice of limon , and a little sugar , when your pork is rosted enough , then flower it , and lay it into a dish with the sauce , and serve it in . xxviii . to roste a pig like lamb. take a pig , cut it in quarters , and truss it like quarters of lamb , then spit it , and rost it till you may take off the skin , then take the spit from the fire , and take the skin clean off , then draw it with parslie , and lay it to the fire , baste it with butter , and when it is enough , flower it and serve it to the table with butter , the iuice of orange , and gross pepper , and a little salt. xxix . to make codling cream . take fair codling apples , and when you have scalded them very well , peel them , and put them into warm water over a few embers covered close till they are very green , then take a quart of cream and boil it with a blade of mace , and then bruise six of your codlings very well , and when your cream is almost cold , put in your codlings , and stir them very well over a slow fire for fear they turn , then put in the yolks of eggs well beaten , and what sugar you think fit , and let it be upon the fire , stirring it till you think it be enough , then serve it in cold . xxx . a very dainty summer dish . set a little morning milk with runnet , as for a cheese , when it is come , slice it out with a thin slice , and lay it into the dish you mean to serve it in , and put to it a little raw cream , what wine you please , and some sugar , and so eat it . xxxi . to butter lobsters , crabs or crafish . take out their meat and mince it small , and set it over a chafingdish of coals with a little white wine , a little salt , and a blade of mace , and when it is very hot , put in some butter and some crums of white bread , then warm the shells against the fire , and fill them again with their meat , and so serve them in . you may do shrimps or prawns thus , only you must not put them into the shells again , but garnish your dish with them . xxxii . to make a very good cheese . take a pail full of morning milk and stroakings , and set it together with two spoonfuls of runnet , and cover it ; when it is come , put it into the wheying-cloth gently , and break it as little as you can ; when the whey is run clean from it , put it into the vat , and turn it in the evening , next morning take it out and salt it a little , and turn it twice a day upon a clean board , and when it is a week old , lay it into some nettles , and that will mellow it . before you set your milk , you mayif you please , colour it with the iuice of marigolds , spinage or sage . xxxiii . to boil a rump of beef . take a rump of beef a little salted , and boil it in as much water as will cover it , and boil a net full of hard lettice with it , and when it is boiled , take your hard lettice , some wine , either white or claret , some gravie , some butter and some nutmeg , and warm them together ; then dish your meat , and pour your sauce over it , and garnish your dish with parsley . xxxiv . to make fritters of liver or of any other meat . take your liver , capon or veal , parboil it , mince it small , and then put to it some cream , eggs , spice and salt , and make it pretty thick , and so fry them ; you may adde a little flower if you will , serve them in with beaten spice and sugar strewed over them . xxxv . to make an almond pudding to be baked and iced over . take a pound of almonds blanched and beaten with rosewater , the yolks and whites of twelve eggs well beaten and strained , then put in sugar , beaten spice and marrow , with a little salt , not in too hot an oven let this be baked ; when it is baked , stick it full of blanched almonds , and ice it over with sugar , rosewater , and the white of an egg beaten together , then set it into the oven again , that the ice may rise and dry , then serve it to the table with fine sugar strewed upon the brims of the dish . xxxvi . to souce a pig in collars . take the two sides of a large fat pig and bone them , then take sage , salt and grated nutmeg a good quantity , and strew all over the insides of them , then roul them up hard , and tie them well with a tape , then boil them , and also the head very well in salt and water till they be tender ; then take them out of the liquor , and lay them to cool , then put some vinegar and a limon sliced into your liquor , and heat it again , and when it is cold , put in your collars and head , and when they have lain a week , serve them to the table with mustard . xxxvii . to bake venison or mutton to keep six or eight moneths . take a haunch of venison , or for want of it , take a large leg of mutton , bone it , and stuff it well with gross pepper , cloves , mace and nutmeg mingled with salt , then rub it all over with the like , then put it into a pot with good store of butter , and bake it with houshold bread , and let it be pasted over : then pour out all the liquor , and when it is cold , take only the fat , and some more butter , and melt them together in a stone-pot set into a kettle of boiling water , then pour it into the pot to your venison or mutton , and so keep it , slice it out , and serve it to the table with mustard and sugar , and garnish it with bay leaves . xxxviii . to pot pigeons , or wild fowl , or a goose or rabbits . take either of these , and fill their bellies with the before named spices and salt and butter , and rub them over with the same , then do just as you do the venison . xxxix . to boil a large pike and eels together . take a large pike , and gut him and wash him , and be sure to save what is good within him , then take two great eels and scowr them well , throw away their heads , gut them , and wash them well , and cut them in pieces , then boil some white wine and water ; salt and sweet herbs together , with some whole spice , and when it boils apace , put in your fish , and when it is enough , take some of the liquor , two anchovies , some butter , and some shrimps taken out of their shells , and heat all these together , then put in the yolks of two or three eggs , and heat all together , then lay some sippets of french bread into your dish , and set over a chafingdish of coals , and lay your fish in order upon them , then pour your sawce all over it , and garnish your dish with shrimps , barberries and raw parsley , so serve it to the table very hot . xl. to roste eels with bacon . take great eels and scour them well , and throw away the heads , gut them , and cut them in pieces , then cut some fat bacon very thin , and wrap them in it , and some bay leaves , and so tie them fast to the spit , and roste them , and baste them well with claret wine and butter , and when they are enough , dredge them over with grated bread , and serve them in with wine , butter , and anchovies ; garnish your dish as you please . xli . to make a pie with eels and oisters . make your paste , and roul it thin , and lay itinto your baking-pan , then take great eels and flay them , and gut them , cut them in pieces , and wash them , and dry them , then lay some butter into your pie , and season your eels with pepper , salt , nutmeg , cloves and mace , and lay them in , then cover them all over with great oifters , and put in three or four bay leaves , then put in more of your beaten spices and salt , then cover them well with butter , and put in two or three spoonfuls of white wine , so close it and bake it , then serve it in hot to the table . xlii . to make a pie with parsneps and oisters very good . take your parsneps tenderly boiled , and slice them thin , then having your paste ready laid in your baking-pan , put in good store of butter , then lay in a lay of parsneps , and some large mace , and pepper cracked , then some oisters and yolks of eggs hard boiled , then more spice and butter , then more parsneps , then more oisters , then more hard eggs , more spice , and cover it well , and bake it , and serve it in hot . xliii . to dress artichoke suckers . take your suckers of artichokes , and pare them as you would an apple , and cast them into water to keep their colour , and to take away the bitterness of them , put also to them the meat which is in the stalks of great artichokes , then boil water and salt together , and when it is boiling apace , put in your suckers and stalks tied up in a thin cloth with a blade or two of mace , and when they are enough , melt some butter & vinegar together very thick and hot , and a little pepper with it , then lay them in a dish , and poure the sauce over them , strew on a little salt , and about the dishes , and so serve it in . xliv . to boil cucumbers . take your largest cucumbers , and wash them and put them into boiling water made quick with salt , then when they are boiled enough , take them up and peel them and break them into a cullender , and when the water is well drained from them , put them into a hot dish , and poure over them some butter and vinegar a little pepper and salt strew salt on your dish brims , lay some of the rind of them about the dish cut in severall fancies , and so serve them to the table . xlv . to make several sallads , and all very good . take either the stalks of mallows or turnip stalks when they run to seed , or stalks of the herb mercury with the seedy head , either of these while they are tender , put into boiling water and salt , and boiled tender and then butter and vinegar over them . xlvi . to make a sallad of burdock , good for the stone , another of the tender stalks of sow-thistles . take the inside of the stalks of burdock , and cut them in thin slices , and lay them in water one whole day , shifting them sometimes , then boil them , and butter them as you do the forenamed . also the tender stalks of sow-thiftles done in like manner , are very good and wholsom . xlvii . to make a tart of spinage . take a good quantity of green spinage , boil it in water and salt , and drain it well in a cullender , then put to it plumped currans , nutmeg , salt , sugar and butter , with a little cream , and the yolks of hard eggs beaten fine , then having your paste ready laid in your baking-pan , lay in a little butter , and then your spinage , and then a little butter again , so close it , and bake it , and serve it to the table hot , with sugar strewed over it . xlviii . artichoke cream . take the tender bottoms of artichokes , and beat them in a mortar , and pick out all the strings , then boil a quart of cream with large mace and nutmeg , then put in your bottoms , and when they have boiled a while , put in the yolks of six eggs well beaten , and so much sugar as you think fit , & heat them together over the fire , then poure it into a dish , and when it is cold , serve it in with sugar strewed over it . xlix . to make very sine rolls for noble tables . take half a peck of fine flower , the yolks of eggs and a little salt , with a pint of ale yeast , mix them together , and make them into a paste with warm milk and a little sack , then mould it well , and put it into a warm cloth to rise , when your oven is hot , mould it again , and make it into little rolls , and bake them , then rasp them , and put them into the oven again for a while , and they will eat very crisp and fine . l. to make short rolls . take half a peck of fine flower , and break into it one pound and half of fresh butter very small , then bruised coriander seeds , and beaten spice with a very little salt and some sugar , and a pint of ale-yeast , mix them well together , and make them into a paste with warm milk and sack : then lay it into a warm cloth to rise , and when your oven is hot , make it into rolls , and prick them , and bake them , and when they are baked , draw them and cover them them till they be cold ; these also eat very finely , if you butter some of them while they are hot . li. to dress soals a fine way . take one pair of your largest soals , and flay them on both sides , then fry them in sweet sewet tried up with spice , bay leaves , and salt , then lay them into a dish , and put into them some butter , claret wine and two anchovies , cover them with another dish , and set them over a chafingdish of coals , and let them stew a while , then serve them to the table , garnish your dish with orange or limon , and squeeze some over them . lii . to stew fish in the oven . take soals , whitings or flounders , and put them into a stew-pan with so much water as will cover them , with a little spice and salt , a little white wine or claret , some butter , two anchovies , and a bundle of sweet herbs , cover them and set them into an oven not too hot ; when they are enough , serve them in ; garnish your dish wherein they lie with barberries , raw parsley , and slices of limon , and lay sippets in the bottom . liii . to bake collops of bacon and eggs take a dish and lay a pie plate therein , then lay in your collops of bacon , and break your eggs upon them then lay on parsley , and set them into an oven not too hot , and they will be rather better than fried . liv. to make furmity . take some new milk or cream , and boil it with whole spice , then put in your wheat or pearl barley boiled very tender in several waters , when it hath boiled a while , thicken it with the yolks of eggs well beaten , and sweeten it with sugar , then serve it in with fine sugar on the brims of the dish . lvi . to make barly broth. take french barly boiled in several waters , and to a pound of it , put three quarts of water , boil them together a while with some whole spice , then put in as many raisins of the sun and currans as you think fit . when it is well boiled , put in rosewater , butter and sugar , and so eat it . lvii . to make barly broth with meat . take a knuckle of veal , and the crag-end of a neck of mutton , and boil them in water and salt , then put in some barly , and whole spice , and boil them very well together , then put in raisons stoned , and currans , and a few dates stoned and sliced thin , when it is almost enough , put in some cream and boil it a while , then put in plumped prunes , and the yolks of eggs , rosewater and sugar , and a little sack , so serve it in ; garnish your dish with some of the raisins and prunes and fine sugar ; this is very good and nourishing for sick or weak people . lviii . to make furmity with meat-broth . boil a leg of beef in water and salt , and put in a little whole spice ; when it is boiled tender ; take it up , and put into the broth some wheat ready boiled such as they sell in the market , and when that hath boiled a while , put in some milk , and let that boil a while , then thicken it with a little flower , or the yolks of eggs , then sweeten it with sugar and eat it . lix . to make furmity with almonds . take three quarts of cream , and boil it with whole spice , then put in some pearled barley first boiled in several waters , and when they have boiled together a while , then put in so many blanched . almonds beaten fine with rosewater as you think may be enough , about four ounces of barly to this quantity of cream will be enough , and four ounces of almonds , boil them well together , and sweeten it with sugar , and so serve it in , or eat it by the way , you may put in saffron if you please . lx. to make a hasty pudding . take one quart of cream and boil it , then put in two manchets grated , and one pound almost of currans plumped , a little salt , nutmeg and sugar , and a liitle rose-water , and so let them boil together , stirring them continually over the fire , till you see the butter arise from the cream , and then poure it into a dish and serve it in with fine sugar strewed on the brims of the dish . lxi . another way to make a hasty pudding . take good new milk and boil it , then put in flower , plumped currans , beaten spice , salt and sugar , and stir it continually till you find it be enough , then serve it in with butter and sugar , and a little wine if you please . lxii . to make spanish pap. boil a quart of cream with a little whole spice , when it is well boiled , take out the spice , and thicken it with rice flower , and when it is well boiled , put in the yolks of eggs , and sugar and rosewater , with a very little salt , so serve it to the table either hot or cold , with fine sugar strewed on the brims of the dish . lxiii . to make gravie broth. take a good fleshy piece of beef , not fat , and lay it down to the fire , and when it begins to rost , slash it with a knife to let the gravie run out , and continually bast it with what drops from it and claret wine mixed together , and continually cut it , and bast it till all the gravie be out , then take this gravie and set it over a chafingdish of coals with some whole spice , limon pill , and a little salt , when you think it is enough , lay some sippets into another dish , and poure it in , and serve it to the table ; garnish your dish with limon and orange ; it you please you may leave out the sippets and put in some poach'd eggs , done carefully . lxiv . to make french pottage . take an equal quantity of chervil , hard lettice and sorrel , or any other herb as you like best , in all as much as a peek will hold pressed down , pick them well , and wash them , and drain them from the water , then put them into a pot with half a pound of fresh butter , and set them over the fire , and as the butter melts , stir them down in it till they are all within the butter , then put some water in , and a crust of bread , with some whole cloves and a little salt , and when it is well boiled , take out the crust of bread , and put in the yolks of four eggs well beaten , and stir them together over the fire , then lay some thin slices of white bread into a deep dish , and poure it in . lxv . to make cabbage pottage . take a leg of beef and a neck of mutton , and boil them well in water and salt , then put in good store of cabbage cut small , and some whole spice , and when it is boiled enough , serve it in . lxvi . to make a sallad of cold meat . take the brawn of a cold capon , or a a piece of cold veal , and mince it very small , with some limon pill , then put in some oil , vinegar , capers , caviare , and some anchovies , and mix them very well , then lay it in a dish in the form of a star , and serve it in ; garnish your dish with anchovies , limon and capers . lxvii . to dry a goose. take a fair fat goose , and powder it about a moneth or thereabouts , then hang it up in a chimney as you do bacon , and when it is throughly dry , boil it well and serve it to the table with some mustard and sugar ; garnish your dish with bay leaves : hogs cheeks are very good dried thus . lxviii . to dress sheeps tongues with oisters . take your sheeps tongues about six of them , and boil them in water and salt till they be tender , then peel them , and slice them thin , then put them into a dish with a quart of great oisters ; a little clarret wine and some whole spice , let them stew together a while , then put in some butter and the yolks of three eggs well beaten , shake them well together , then lay some sippets into a dish , and put your tongues upon them ; garnish your dish with oisters , barberries , and raw parsley , and serve it in . lxix . to make a neats-tongue pie. let two small neats tongues or one great one be tenderly boiled , then peel them and slice them very thin , season them with pepper and salt , and nutmeg , then having your paste ready laid into your baking-pan , lay some butter in the bottom , then lay in your tongues , and one pound of raisins of the sun , with a very little sugar , then lay in more butter , so close it and bake it , then cut it up , and put in the yolks of three eggs , a little clarret wine and butter , stir it well together , and lay on the cover , and serve it ; you may add a little sugar if you please . lxx . a capon with white broth. take a large capon , and draw him , and truss him , and boil him in water and a little salt , with some whole spice : when you think it is almost enough , put in one pound of currans well washed and picked , four ounces of dates stoned and sliced thin , and when they have boiled enough , put in half a pound of sweet almonds blanched and beaten fine with rofe-water , strain them in with some of the liquor , then put in some sack and sugar ; then lay some thin slices of white bread into a deep dish , and lay your capon in the midst , then poure your broth over it . garnish your dish with plumped raisins and prunes , and serve it in . lxxi . to make a calves foot pie. take six calves feet tenderly boiled , and cut them in halves , then make some paste with fine flower , butter , cold cream and the yolk and white of one egg , rowl it very thin , and lay it into your baking-pan , then lay some butter in the bottom , and then your calves feet with some large mace , half a pound of raisins of the sun , half a pound of currans , then lay more butter and close it and bake it , then cut it up , and put in the yolks of three eggs , some white wine , butter and a little salt , aud so serve it to the table ; garnish your dish with pretty conceits made in paste , and baked a little . lxxii . to make an artichoke pie. make your paste as before named , and roule it thin , and lay it into your baking-pan . then lay in butter sliced thin , and then your bottoms of artichokes tenderly boiled , season it with a little salt , a little gross pepper , and some sliced nutmeg , with a blade or two of mace and a little sugar , then lay in some marrow , candied orange and citron pill , with some candied eringo roots ; then cover it with butter , and close it with your paste , and so bake it , then cut it up , and put in white wine , butter , and the yolks of eggs and sugar , cover it again , and serve it to the table . lxxiii . to make an oister-pie . make your paste as before , and lay it in your pan , then lay in butter , and then put in as many great oisters as will almost fill your pan with their liquor strained ; some whole pepper , mace and nutmeg ; then lay in marrow , and the yolks of hard eggs , so cover them with butter , close them , and bake your pie , then put in white wine , anchovies , butter aud the yolks of eggs , cover it again and serve it to the table . lxxiv . to make a pig-pie . take a large pig and slit it in two , and bone it , only the two sides , not the head , then having your paste ready laid in your pan , and some butter in the bottom , lay in your pig , season it with pepper , salt , nutmeg and mace , and one handful of sage shred small and mixed with the spice and salt , then lay in more butter , close it , and bake it . serve it in cold with mnstard , and garnish your dish with bay leaves . if you would eat it hot , you must leave out the pepper and some of the salt , and put in store of currans , and when it comes out of the oven , put in some butter , vinegar , and sugar , and so serve it . lxxv . to make a rasberry tart. take some puffe-paste rolled thin , and lay it into your baking-pan , then lay in your rasberries and cover them with fine sugar , then dose your tart and bake it ; then cut it up , and put in half a pint of cream , the yolks of two or three eggs well beaten , and a little sugar ; then serve it in cold with the lid off , and sugar strewed upon the brims of the dish . lxxvi . to make a carp pie. have your paste ready laid in your bake-pan , and some butter in the bottom . then take a large carp , scale him , gut him , and wash him clean , and dry him in a cloth , then lay him into your pan with some whole cloves , maee , and sliced nutmeg , with two handfuls of capers , then put in some white wine , and mix some butter with salt , and lay all over ; then close it , and bake it ; this is very good to be eaten either hot or cold . lxxvii . to boil a goose or rabbits with sausages . take a large goose a little powdered , and boil it very well , or a couple os rabbits trussed finely ; when either of these are almost boiled , put in a pound of sausages , and boil them with them ; then lay either of these into a dish , and the sausages here and there one , with some thin collops of bacon sryed , then make for sauce , mustard and butter , and so serve it in . lxxviii . to make a fricasie of veal , chicken , or rabbits , or of any thing else . take either of these and cut them into small pieces , then put them into a frying pan with so much water as will cover them , with a little salt , whole spice , limon pill , and a bundle of sweet herbs , let them boil together till the meat be tender , then put in some oisters , and when they are plumped , take a little wine , either white or clarret , and two anchovies dissolved therein with some butter , and put all these to the rest , and when you think your meat is enough , take it out with a little skimmer , and put it into a dish upon sippets ; then put into your liquor the yolks of eggs well beaten , and mix them over the fire , then poure it all over your meat , garnish your . dish with barberries , and serve it in ; this dish you may make of raw meat or of cold meat which hath been lest at meals . lxxix . to make scotch collops of veal or mutton . take your meat and slice it very thin , and beat it with a rolling-pin , then hack it all over , and on both sides with the back of a knife , then fry it with a little gravie of any meat , then lay your scotch collops into a dish over a chasingdish of coals , and dissolve two anchovies in clarret wine , and add to it some butter and the yolks of three eggs well beaten , heat them together , and poure it over them : then lay in some thin collops of bacon fryed , some sausage meat fried ; and the yolks of hard eggs fryed after they are boiled , because they shall look round and brown , so serve it to the table . lxxx . to make a pudding of a manchet . take a manchet , put it into a posnet , and fill the posnet up with cream , then put in sugar and whole spice , and let it boil leisurely till all the cream be wasted away , then put it into a dish , and take some rose-water , and butter and sugar , and pour over it , so serve it in with fine sugar strewed all over it . your manchet must be chipped before you put it into the cream . lxxxi . to make a calves head pie. make your paste , and lay it into your pan as before , then lay in butter , and then your calves head , being tenderly boiled , and cut in little thin bits , and seasoned with pepper , salt and nutmeg , then put in some oisters , anchovies and clarret wine , with some yolks of hard eggs and marrow , then cover it with butter , and close it and bake it , when it is baked , eat it hot . lxxxii . to dry tongues . take some pump water and bay salt , or rather refined saltpeter , which is better ; make a strong brine therewith , and when the salt is well melted in it , put in your tongues , and let them lie one week , then put them into a new brine , made in the same manner , and in that let them lie a week longer , then take them out , and dry-salt them with bay salt beaten small , till they are as hard as may be , then hang them in the chimney where you burn wood , till they are very dry , and you may keep them as long as you please ; when you would eat of them , boil them with in the pot as well as water for that will make them look black , and eat tender , and look red within ; when they are cold , serve them in with mustard and sugar . lxxxiii . to make angelot cheese . take some new milk and strokings together , the quantity of a pail full , put some runnet into it , and stir it well about , and cover it till your cheese be come , then have ready narrow deep moats open at both ends , and with your flitting dish fill your moats as they stand upon a board , without breaking or wheying the cheese , and as they sink , still fill them up , and when you see you can turn them , which will be about the next day , keep them with due turning twice in a day , and dry them carefully , and when they are half a year old , they will be fit to be eat . lxxxiv . to make a hare-pie . take the flesh of a very large hare , and beat it in a mortar with as much marrow or beef sewet as the hare contains , then put in pepper , salt , nutmeg , cloves and mace , as much as you judge to be fit and beat it again till you find they be well mixed , then having your paste ready in your baking-pan , lay in some butter , and then your meat , and then butter again ; so close it , and bake it , and when it is cold , serve it in with mustard and sugar ; and garnish your dish with bay leaves ; this will keep much longer than any other pie. lxxxv . to rost a shoulder of venison or of mutton in bloud . take the bloud of either the deer or the sheep , and strain it , and put therein some grated bread and salt , and some thyme plucked from the stalks , then wrap your meat in it and rost it , and when you see the bloud to be dry upon it , baste it well with butter , and make sauce for it with clarret wine , crums of bread and sugar , with some beaten cinamon , salt it a little in the rosting , but not too much ; you may stick it with rosemary if you will. lxxxvi . to stew a pig. lay a large pig to the fire , and when it is hot , skin it , and cut it into divers pieces , then take some white wine and strong broth , and stew it therein with an onion or two cut very small , a little pepper , salt , nutmeg , thy me , and anchovies with some elder vinegar , sweet butter and gravie ; when it is enough , lay sippets of french bread in your dish , and put your meat thereon ; garnish your dish with oranges and limons . lxxxvii . to make a fricasie of sheeps feet . take your sheeps feet tenderly boiled , and slit them , and take out the knot of hai● within , then put them into a frying-pa● with as much water as will cover them , a li●●tle salt , nutmeg , a blade of mace , and 〈◊〉 bundle of sweet herbs , and some plumped currans ; when they are enough , put in some butter , and shake them well together , then lay sippets into a dish , and put them upon them with a skimmer , then put into your liquor a little vinegar , the yolks of two or three eggs , and heat it over the fire , and poure it over them ; garnish your dish with barberries , and serve it to the table . lxxxviii . to make a steak-pie with puddings in it . lay your paste ready in your pan , and lay some butter in the bottom , then lay a neck of mutton cut into steaks thereon , then take some of the best of a leg of mutton minced small , with as much beef sewet as mutton ; season it with beaten spice and salt , and a little wine , apples shred small , a little limon pill , a little verjuice and sugar , them put in some currans , and when they are well mixed , make it into balls with the yolks of eggs , and lay them upon the steaks , then put in some butter , and close ●our pie and bake it , and serve it in hot . lxxxix . to dress salmon or other fish by insusion , a very good way . take a ioul of salmon , or a tail , or any other part , or any other fish which you like , put it into a pot or pan , with some vinegar , water and salt , spice , sweet herbs , and white wine ; when it is enough , lay it into a dish , and take some of the liquor with an anchovie or two , a little butter , and the yolks of eggs beaten ; heat these over the fire , and poure over your fish ; if you please , you may put in shrimps , but then you must put in the more butter ; garnish your dish with some limon or orange , and some shrimps . xc . to make loaves to butter . take the yolks of twelve eggs , and six whites , a little yeast , salt , and beaten ginger , wet some flower with this , and make it into a paste , let it lie to rise a while , and then make it into loaves , and prick them , and bake them , then put in white wine and butter and sugar , and serve it in . xci . to make a calves chaldron pie , and puddings also of it . take a fat calves chaldron boiled tender , and shred it very small , then season it with beaten spice and salt : then put in a pound of currans and somewhat more , and as much sugar as you think fit , and a little rosewater ; then having your pie ready , fill it with this , and press it down ; close it and bake it , then put some wine into it , and so eat it . if you will make puddings of it , you must add a little cream and grated bread , a little sack , more sugar , and the yolks of eggs , and so you may bake them , or boil , or fry them . xcii . to make rice-cream . boil a quart of cream , then put in two handfuls of rice flower , and a little fine flower , as much sugar as is fit , the yolk of an egg , and some rosewater . xciii . to make a pompion-pie . having your paste ready in your pan , put in your pompion pared and cut in thin slices , then fill up your pie with sharp apples , and a little pepper , and a little salt , then close it , and bake it , then butter it , and serve it in hot to the table . xciv . to fry pompion . cut it in thin slices when it is pared , and steep it in sack a while , then dip it in eggs , and fry it in butter , and put some sack and butter for sauce , so serve it in with salt about the dish brims . xcv . to make misers for children to eat in afternoons in summer . take half a pint of good small beer , two spoonfuls of sack , the crum of half a penny manchet , two handfuls of currans washed clean and dried , and a little of grated nutmeg , and a little sugar , so give it to them cold . xcvi . to fry toasts . take a twopenny white loaf , and pare away the crust , and cut thin slices of it , then dip them first in cream , then in the yolks of eggs well beaten , and mixed with beaten cinamon , then fry them in butter , and serve them in with verjuice , butter and sugar . xcvii . te boil or rather stew carps in their own blood. take two fair carps , and scowr them very well from slime with water and a little salt , then lay them in a dish and open their bellies , take away their guts , and save the blood and rows in the dish , then put in a pint of clarret wine , some whole spice , and some salt , with a little horse-radish , root , then cover them close , and let them stew over a chafingdish of coals , and when they are enough , lay them into a dish , which must be rubbed with a shelots , and sippets laid in , then take a little of the liquor , and an anchovie or two , with a little butter , heat them together , and poure it over them , then garnish your dish with capers , oranges or limons , and serve it in very hot . xcviii . to make fritters . take half a pint of sack and a pint of ale , a little yest , the yolks of twelve eggs , and six whites , with some beaten spice and a very little salt , make this into thick batter with fine flower , then boil your lard , and dip round thin slices of apples in this batter , and fry them , serve them in with beaten spice and sugar . xcix . to pickle coleflowers . take some white wine , vinegar and salt , with some whole spice , boil them together very well , then put in your coleflowers , and cover them , and let them stand upon embers for one hour , then take them out , and when they are cold , put them into a pot , and boil the liquor again with more vinegar , and when it is cold , put it to them , and keep them close from the air. c. to preserve orange or limon pill in thin slices in ielly . take the most beautiful and thickest rinds , and then cut them in halves , and take their meat clean out , then boil them in several waters till a straw will run through them , then wash them in cold water , and pick them and dry them : then take to a pound of these , one quart of water wherein thin slices of pippins have been boiled , and that the water feels slippery , take to this water three pounds of sugar , and make thereof a syrup , then put in your pills and seald them , and set them by till the next day , then boil them till you find that the syrup will ielly , then lay your pills into your glasses , and put into your syrup the iuice of three oranges and one limon , then boil it again till it be a stiff ielly , and put it to them . ci. to make cakes of the pulp of limons , or rather the iuice of limons . take out all the iuicie part of the limon without breaking the little skins which hold it , then boil some sugar to a candy height , and put in this iuice , and stir it about , and immediately put it into a warm stove , and put in fire twice or thrice a day , when you see that it doth candy on the one side , then turn them out of the glasses with a wet knife on the other upon a sleeked paper , and then let that candy also , and put them up in a box with papers between them . cii . to make good minced pies ? take one pound and half of veal parboiled , and as much sewet , shred them very fine , then put in pounds of raisins , pound currans , pound of prunes , dates , some beaten spice , a few caroway seeds , a little salt , verjuice , rosewater and sugar , so fill your pies , and let them stand one hour in the oven : when they go to table strew on fine sugar . ciii . to make a loaf of curds . take the curds of three quarts of milk rubbed together with a little flower , then put in a little beaten ginger , and a little salt , half a pint of yeast , the yolks of ten eggs , and three whites ; work these into a stiff paste with so much flower as you see fit , then lay it to rise in a warm cloth a while , then put in butter , sugar , sack , and some beaten spice , and so serve it in . civ . to make cheese loaves . take the curds of three quarts of milk , and as much grated bread as curd , the yolks of twelve eggs , and six whites , some cream , a little flower , and beaten spice , a little salt , and a little sack , when you have made it into a stiff paste with a little flower , roul some of it thin to fry , and serve them in with beaten spice and sugar strewed over them . then make the rest into a loaf , and bake it , then cut it open , and serve it in with cream , butter and sugar . cv . to fry oisters . take of your largest oisters , wash them , and dry them , then beat an egg or two very well , and dip them in that , and so fry them , then take their liquor , and put an anchovy to it , and some butter , and heat them together over the fire , and having put your fryed oisters in a dish , poure the sawce over them nd serve them in . cvi. to broil oisters . take your largest oisters , and put them into scollop shells , or into the biggest oister shells with their own liquor , and set them upon a gridiron over charcoals , and when you see they be boiled in the liquor , put in some butter , a few crums of bread , and a little salt , then let them stand till they are very brown , and serve them to the table in the shells upon a dish and pit-plate . cvii . to rost oisters . take the largest , and spit them upon little long sticks , and tie them to the spit , then lay them down to the fire , and when they are dry , bast them with claret wine , and put into your pan two anchovies , and two or three bay-leaves , when you think they are enough , bast them with butter , and dredge them , and take a little of that liquor in the pan , and some butter , and heat it in a porringer , and poure over them . cviii . to make most excellent and delicate pies . take two neats tongues tenderly boiled , and peel them , and mince them small with some beef sewet or marrow , then take a pound of currans , and a pound of raisins of the sun stoned , some beaten spice , rose-water , a little salt , a little sack and sugar . beat all these with the minced meat in a mortar till it come to a perfect paste , then having your paste ready laid in your baking-pan , fill it or them with this meat , then lay on the top some sliced dates , and so close them , and bake them , when they are cold they will cut smooth like marmalade . cix . to make fine custards . take two quarts of cream and boil it well with whole spice , then put in the yolks of twelve eggs , and six whites well beaten and strained , then put in these eggs over the fire , and keep them stirring lest they turn , then when they are throughly hot , take it off and stir it till it be almost cold , then put in rosewater and sugar , and take out the whole spice , then put your custard into several things to bake , and do not let them stand too long in the oven ; when you serve them in , strew on small french comfits of divers colours , or else fine sugar , which you please . cx . to make a stump pie. take a pound of veal and as much sewet , parboil your veal , and shred them together , but not very small , then put in one pound of raisins , one pound of currans , four ounces of dates stoned and sliced thin , some beaten spice , rosewater and sugar , and a little salt , then take the yolks of eggs , well beaten , and mix amongst the rest of the things very well , then having your pie ready , fill it and press it down , then lid it , and bake it . cxi . to make egg-pies . take the yolks of eight hard eggs , and shred them small with their weight of beef sewet minced very small also , then put in one pound of currans , four ounces of dates stoned and sliced , some beaten spice , limon pill , rosewater and sugar , and a little salt , mix them well together , if you please , you may put in an apple shred small , so fill your pies and bake them , but not too much , serve them to the table with a little wine . cxii . to make hashed meat . take a leg or a shoulder of mutton , lay it down to the fire , and as it doth rost , cut it off in little bits , and let it lie in the pan , bast it with clarret wine and butter , and a little salt , and put two or three shelots in your pan , when you have cut off so much as you can , lay the bones into a dish over a chafingdish of coals , and put you meat to it with the liquor , and two anchovies , cover it , and let it stew a while , when it is enough , put in some capers , and serve it in with sippets ; garnish your dish with olives and capers , and samphire ; thus you may do with any cold meat between two dishes . cxiii . to make a fricasie of oisters . take a quart of oisters and put them into a frying pan with some white wine & their own liquor , a little salt , & some whole spice , and two or three bay leaves , when you think they be enough , lay them in a dish well warmed , then adde to their liquor two anchovies , some butter , and the yolks of four eggs ; garnish your dish with barberries . cxiv . to make a fricasie of eels . take a midling sort of eels , scoure them well , and cut off the heads and throw them away , then gut them , and cut them in pieces , then put them into a frying pan with so much white wine and water as will cover them , then put in whole spice , a bundle of sweet herbs and a little salt , let them boil , and when they be very tender , take them up and lay them into a warm dish , then add to their liquor two anchovies , some butter and the yolks of eggs , and poure over them : thus you may make fricasies of cockles or of shrimps , or prawns . garnish your dish with limon and barberries . cxv . to make an eel-pie . take your largest eels , and flay them , and cut them in pieces , then having your pie ready with butter in the bottom , season your eels with pepper , salt and nutmeg , then lay them in and cover them with butter , so close it and bake it , if you please , you may put in some raisins of the sun , and some large mace , it is good hot or cold . cxvi . to souce an eel and collar it . take a very large fat eel and scoure it well , throw away the head and gut her , and slit her down the back , season her with pepper , salt , nutmeg and mace , then boil her in white wine , and salt and water , with a bundle of sweet herbs and some limon pill , when it is well boiled , take it up and lay it to cool ; then put good store of vinegar into the liquor , and when it is cold , put in your eel , and keep it : you must roule it up in a collar and tie it hard with a tape , and sew it up in a cloth , then put it in to boil ; when it hath lain a week , serve it to the table with a rosemary branch in the middle , and bay leaves round the dish sides ; eat it with mustard . cxvii . to stew eels . take them without their heads , flay them and cut them in pieces , then fill a posnet with them , and set them all on end one by one close to one another , then put in so much white wine and water as will cover them , then put in good store of currans to them , whole spice , sweet herbs , and a little salt , cover them and let them stew , and when they are very tender , put in some butter , and so shake them well , and serve them upon sippits ; garnish your dish with orange or limon and raw parsley . cxviii . to make a herring pie. take four of the best pickled herrings , and skin them , then split them and bone them , then having your pie in readiness with butter in the bottom , then lay your herrings in halves into your pie one lay of them , then put in raisins , currans and nutmeg , and a little sugar , then lay in more butter , then more herrings , fruit and spice , and more butter , and so close it , and bake it ; your herrings must be well watered . cxix . to rost a pike and to lard it . take a large pike , and scale it , gut it , and wash it clean , then lard it on the back with pickled herring and limon pill , then spit it and lay it down to the fire to roft , bast it often with claret wine and butter , when it is enough , make sauce for it with claret wine and butter , and serve it in . cxx . to boil fresh salmon . take a ioll or a tail of fresh salmon , then take vinegar and water , salt and whole spice , and boil them together , then put in your salmon , and when it is boiled , take some butter and some of the liquor with an anchovie or two , and a little white wine and a quart of shrimps , out of their shells , heat these together , and so dish your salmon , and poure this over it . garnish your dish with shrimps and anchovies , and slices of limon . cxxi . to boil a cods head. boil wine , water and salt together , with whole spice and sweet herbs , and a little horse radish root , then put in your cods head , and boil it very well , then drain it well from the water , and lay it in a dish over a chafingdish of coals : then take some of the liquor and two anchovies , some butter and some shrimps , heat them over the fire , and poure over it , then poach some eggs and lay over it , and also about the brims of the dish ; garnish your dish with limon and barberries , so serve it to the table very hot : thus you may do haddocks or whitings , or any other fresh fish you like best . cxxii . to make olives of veal . take thin slices of a leg of veal , and have ready some sewet finely shred , some currans , beaten spice , sweet herbs , and hard yolks of eggs , and a little salt mixed well together , then strew it upon the insides of your slices of meat , and roul them up hard , and make them fast with a scure , so spit them and roste them , baste them with butter , and serve them in with vinegar , butter and sugar . cxxiii . to make an olive pie. having your paste in readiness with butter in the bottom , lay in some of the forenamed olives , but not fastned with a scure , then put in currans , hard eggs , and sweet butter , with some herbs shred fine ; be sure you cover it well with butter , and put in a little white wine and sugar , and close it , and bake it , eat it hot or cold , but hot is better . cxxiv . to make a ball to take stains out of linnen , which many times happens by cooking or preserving . take four ounces of hard white sope , beat it in a mortar , with two small limons sliced , and as much roch allom as a hazle nut , when they are beaten well together , make it up in little balls , rub the stain therewith , and then wash it in warm water , till you see it be quite out . cxxv . to make a fine pomander . take two ounces of labdanum , of benjamin and storax one ounce , musk six gr . as much of civet , as much of ambergreece , of calamus aromaticus , and lignum aloes , of each the weight of a groat , beat all these in a hot mortar and with a hot pestel , till it come to a perfect paste , then take a little gum dragon steeped in rosewater , and rub your hand withal , and make it up with speed , and dry them , but first make them into what shapes you please , and print them . cxxvi . a very fine washing-ball . take three ounces of orrice , half an ounce of cypress . wood , ounces of calamus aromaticus , ounce of damask-rose leaves , ounces of lavender-flowers , a quarter of an ounce of cloves , beat all these and searce them fine , then take two pounds and an half of castile sope dissolved in rose-water , and beat all these forenamed things with the sope in a mortar , and when they are well incorporated , make it into balls , and keep them in a box with cotton as long as you please . cxxvii . to make french broth called kinck . take a leg os beef and set it over the fire with a good quantity of fair water , when it boils scum it , & what meat soever you have to dress that day , either of fowl or small meat , put it all into this liquor & parboil it , then take out those small meats , and put in some french barley , and some whole spice , one clove or two of garlick , & a handful of leeks & some salt , when it is boiled enough , pour it from the barley , and put in a little saffron , so serve it in ; and garnish your dish with sliced oranges or limons , and put a little of the juice therei . cxxviii . to make broth of a lambs head. boil it with as much water as will cover it , with whole spice , and a little salt , and a bundle of sweet herbs , then put in strained oatmeal and cream , and some currans , when you take it up , put in sack and sugar , then lay the head in a dish , and put the broth to it , and serve it in . cxxix . to season a chicken-pie . having your paste rolled thin , and laid into your baking pan , lay in some butter , then lay in your chickens quartered , and seasoned with pepper , nutmeg , and a little salt , then put in raisins , cutrrans and dates , then lay butter on the top , close it and bake it , then cut it up , and put in clouted cream , sack and sugar . cxxx . to make an herb-pie . take spinage , hard letuce , and a few sweet herbs , pick them , wash them , and shred them , and put them into your pie with butter , and nutmeg and sugar , and a little salt , so close it and bake it , then draw it and , open it , and put in clouted cream , sack and sugar , and stir it well together , and serve it in . cxxxi . to roste lobsters . take two fair lobsters alive , wash them clean , and stop the holes as you do to boil , then fasten them to a spit , the insides together ; make a good fire , and strew salt on them , and that will kill them quickly , bast them with water and salt till they be very red , then have ready some oisters stewed and cut small ; put them into a dish with melted butter beaten thick with a little water , then take a few spoonfuls of the liquor of the stewed oisters , and dissolve in it two anchovies , then put it to the melted butter , then take up your lobsters , and crack the shells that they may be easie to open , cxxxii . to make a pumpion-pie . take a pumpion , pare it , and cut it in thin slices , dip it in beaten eggs and herbs shred small , and fry it till it be enough , then lay it into a pie with butter , raisins , currans , sugar and sack , and in the bottom some sharp apples , when it is baked , butter it and serve it in . cxxxiii . to make an artichoke pudding . boil a quart of cream with whole spice , then put in half a pound of sweet almonds blanched , and beaten with rosewater , when they have boiled well , take it from the fire , and take out the spice , when it is almost cold , put in the yolks of ten eggs , some marrow , and some bottoms of artichokes , then sweeten it with sugar , and put in a little salt , then butter a dish , and bake it in it , serve it to the table stuck full of blanched almonds , and fine sugar strewed over it . cxxxiv . to pickle sprats like anchovies . take a peck of the biggest sprats without their heads , and salt them a little over night , then take a pot or barrel ; and lay in it a lay of bay salt , atd then a lay of sprats , and a few bay leaves , then salt again ; thus do till you have filled the vessel , put in a little limon pill also among your bay leaves , then cover the vessel and pitch it , that no air get in , set it in a cool cellar , and once in a week turn it upside down ; in three moneths you may eat of them . cxxxv . to keep artichokes all the year . gather your artichokes with long stalks , and then cut off the stalks close to them , then boil some water with good pears and apples sliced thin , and the pith of the great stalks , and a quince or two quartered to give it a relish , when these have boiled a while , put in your artichokes , and boil all together till they be tender , then take them up and set them to cool , then boil your liquor well & strain it , when your artichokes be cold , put them into your barrel , and when the liquor is cold , pour it over them , so cover it close that no air get in . cxxxvi . to make a pasty of a ioll of ling. make your crust with fine flower , butter , cold cream , and two yolks of eggs : roul it thin and lay it in your bake-pan , then take part of a ioll of ling well boiled , and pull it all in bits , then lay some butter into your pasty and then the ling , then some grated nutmeg , sliced ginger , cloves and mace , oisters , muscles , cockles , and shrimps , the yolks of raw eggs , a few comfits perfumed , candied orange pill , citron pill , and limon pill , with eringo roots : then put in white wine , and good store of butter , and put on a thick lid , when it is baked , open it , and let out the steam . cxxxvii . to make french servels . take cold gammon of bacon , fat and lean together , cut it small as for sausages , season it with pepper , cloves and mace , and a little shelots , knead it into a paste with the yolks of eggs , and fill some bullocks guts with it , and boil them ; but if you would have them to keep , then do not put in eggs. when you have filled the guts , boil them , and hang them up , and when you would eat them , serve them in thin slices with a sallad . cxxxviii . to make a pallat pie. take oxe pallats and boil them so tender that you may run a straw through them ; to three palates take six sheeps tongues boiled tender and peeled , three sweet-breads of veal , cut all these in thin slices , then having your pie ready , and butter in the bottom , lay in these things , first seasoned with pepper , salt and nutmeg , and thyme and parsley shred small , and as the season of the year is , put into it asparagus , anchovies , chesnuts , or what you please else , as candied orange pill , limon pill , or citron pill , with eringo roots , and the yolks of hard eggs , some marrow and some oisters , then lay in good store of butter on the top , so close it and bake it , then put in white wine , butter , the yolks of eggs , and vinegar and sugar ; heat them together over the fire , & serve it in . cxxxix . to make sauce for fowles or mutton . take claret wine , vinegar , anchovies , oisters , nutmeg , shelot , gravie of mutton or beef , sweet butter , iuice of limon , and a little salt , and if you please , orange or limon pill . cxl . to make oat-cakes . take fine flower , and mix it very well with new ale yeast , and make it very stiff , then make it into little cakes , and roul them very thin , then lay them on an iron to bake , or on a baking stone , and make but a slow fire under it , and as they are baking , take them and turn the edges of them round on the iron , that they may bake also , one quarter of an hour will bake them ; a little before you take them up , turn them on the other side , only to flat them ; for if you turn them too soon , it will hinder the rising , the iron or stone whereon they are baked , must stand at distance from the fire . cxli . to make a rare lamb pie. take a leg of lamb , and take the meat clean out of it at the great end , but keep the skin whole , then press the meat in a cloth , and mince it small , and put as much beef suet to it as the meat in weight , and mince it small , then put to it naples bisket grated fine , season it with beaten spice , rosewater , and a little salt , then put in some candied limon pill , orange pill , and citron pill shred small , and some sugar , then put part of the meat into the skin , then having your pie in readiness , and butter in the bottom , lay in this meat , then take the rest of yo ur meat , and make it into balls or puddings with yolks of eggs , then lay them into the pie to fill up the corners , then take candied orange , limon and citron pill , cut in long narrow slices and strew over it ; you may put in currans and dates if you please , then lay on butter , & close up your pie & bake it , and leave a tunnel , when it is baked , put in sack , sugar , yolks of eggs & butter heat together , if you put in marrow , it will be the better . cxlii . to fry garden beans . boil them and blanch them , and fry them in sweet butter , with parsley and shred onions and a little salt , then melt butter for the sauce . cxliii . to make a sorrel sallad . take a quantity of french sorrel picked clean and washed , boil it with water and a little salt , and when it is enough , drain it , and butter it , and put in a little vinegar and sugar into it , then garnish it with hard eggs and raisins . cxliv . to make good cold sallads of several things . take either coleflowers , or carrots , or parsneps , or turneps after they are well boiled , and serve them in with oil , vinegar and pepper , also the roots of red beers boiled tender are very good in the same manner . cxlv . to make the best sort os pippin paste . take a pound of raw pippins sliced and beaten in a mortar , then take a pound of fine sugar and boil it to a candy height with a little fair water , then put in your pippins , and boil it till it will come from the bottom of the posnet , but stir it for fear it burn . cxlvi . to make sauce for a leg of veal rosted . take boiled currans , and boiled parsley , and hard eggs and butter and sugar hot together . cxlvii . to make sauce for a leg of mutton rosted with chesnuts . take a 〈…〉 tity of chesnuts , and boil them 〈…〉 ff , and bruise th 〈…〉 ll , 〈…〉 them claret wine , butter and a little salt , so put it into the dish to the meat , and serve it in . cxlviii . to keep quinces white , either to preserve whole , or for white marmalade or paste . coddle them with white wine and water , and cover them with sliced pippins in the codling . cxlix . to make little pasties with sweet meats to fry . make some paste with cold water , butter and flower , with the yolk of an egg , then roul it out in little thin cakes , and lay one spoonful of any kind of sweet meats you like best upon every one , so close them up and fry them with butter , and serve them in with fine sugar strewed on . cl. to boil a capon on the french fashion . boil your capon in water and salt and a little dusty oatmeal to make it look white , then take two or three ladles full of mutton broth , a faggot of sweet herbs , two or three dates cut in long pieces , a few parboiled currans , and a little whole pepper , a little mace and nutmeg , thicken it with almonds ; season it with verjuice , sugar , and a little sweet butter , then take up your capon and lard it well with preserved limon , then lay it in a deep dish , and poure the broth upon it ; then garnish your dish with suckets and preserved barberries . cli . to souce a pike , carp or bream . draw your fish , but scale it not , and save the liver of it ; wash it very well , then take white wine , as much water again as wine , boil them together with whole spice , salt and a bundle of sweet herbs , and when it boiles put in your fish , and just before it a little vinegar ; for that will make it crisp : when it is enough , take it up and put it into a trey , then put into the liquor some whole pepper , and whole ginger , and when it is boiled enough , take it off and cool it , and when it is quite cold , put in your fish , and when you serve it in , lay some of the ielly about the dish sides , and some fennel and sawcers of vinegar . clii. to boil a gurnet on the french fashion . draw your gurnet and wash it , boil it in water and salt and a bundle of sweet herbs ; when it is enough , take it up and put it into a dish with sippets over a chafingdish of coals ; then take verjuice , butter , nutmeg and pepper , and the yolks of two eggs , heat it together , and pour over it ; garnish your dish as you please . cliii . to rost a leg of mutton on the french fashion . take a leg of mutton , and pare off all the skin as thin as you can , then lard it with sweet lard , and stick it with cloves when it is half rosted , cut off three or four thin pieces , and mince it with sweet herbs and a little beaten ginger , put in a ladle ful● of claret wine , and a little sweet butter , two spoonfuls of verjuice and a little pepper , a few capers , then chop the yolks of two hard eggs in it , then when these have stewed a while in a dish , put your bonie part which is rosted into a dish , and poure this on it and serve it in . cliv. to rost a neats tongue . chop sweet herbs fine with a piece of raw apple , season it with pepper and ginger , and the yolk of an egg made hard and minced small , then stuff your tongue wiah this , and rost it well , and baste it with butter and wine ; when it is enough , take verjuice , butter , and the iuice of a limon , and a little nutmeg , then dish your tongue and poure this sauce over it and serve it in . clv . to beil pigeons with rice . take your pigeons and truss them , and stuff their bellies with sweet herbs , then put them into a pipkin with as much mutton broth as will cover them , with a blade of mace , and some whole pepper ; boil all these together until the pigeons be tender , and put in salt : then take them from the fire , and scum off the fat very clean , then put in a piece of sweet butter , season it with verjuice , nutmeg and a little sugar , thicken it with rice boiled in sweet cream ; garnish your dish with preserved barberries and skirret roots boiled tender . clvi . to boil a rabbit . take a large rabbit , truss it and boil it with a little mutton broth , white wine and a blade of mace , then take lettuce , spinage , and parslie , winter-savory and sweet marjoram , pick all these and wash them clean and bruise them a little to make the broth look green , thicken it with the crust of a manchet first steeped in a little broth , and put in a little sweet butter , season it with verjuice and pepper , and serve it to the table upon sippets ; garnish the dish with barberries . clvii . to boil a teal or wigeon . parboil either of these fowls and throw them into a pail of fair water , for that taketh away the rankness , then rost them half , and take them from the fire , and put sweet herbs in the bellies of them , and stick the brests with cloves , then put them in a pipkin with two or three ladles full of mutton broth , very strong of the meat , a blade of whole mace , two or three little onions minced small ; thicken it with a toast of houshold bread , and put in a little butter , then put in a little verjuice , so take it up and serve it . clviii . to boil chickens or pigeons with goosberries or grapes . boil them with mutton broth and white wine , with a blade of mace and a little salt , and let their bellies be filled with sweet herbs , when they are tender thicken the broth with a piece of manchet , and the yolks of two hard eggs , strained with some of the broth , and put it into a deep dish with some verjuice and butter and sugar , then having gooseberries or grapes tenderly scalded , put them into it , then lay your chickens or pigeons into a dish , and poure the sauce over them , and serve them in . clix. a made dish of rabbits livers . take six livers and chop them fine with sweet herbs and the yolks of two hard eggs , season it with beaten spice , and salt , and put in some plumped currans , and a little melted butter , so mix them very well together , and having some paste ready rouled thin , make it into little pasties and fry them , strew sugar over them and serve them . clx . to make a florentine with the brawn of a capon , or the kidney of veal . mince any of these with sweet herbs , then put in parboiled currans , and dates minced small , and a little orange or limon pill which is candied , shred small , season it with beaten spice and sugar , then take the yolks of two hard eggs and bruise them with a little cream , a piece of a short cake grated , and marrow cut in short pieces mix all these together with the forenamed meat , and put in a little salt and a little rosewater , and bake it in a dish in puff-paste , and when you serve it in , strew sugar over it . clvi . a friday pie with out fish or flesh. wash a good quantity of green beets , and pluck out the middle string , then chop them small ; with two or three ripe apples well relished , season it with pepper , salt and ginger , then adde to it some currans , and having your pie ready , and butter in the bottom , put in these herbs , and with them a little sugar , then put butter on the top , and close it and bake it , then cut it up , and put in the iuice of a limon and sugar . clxii . to make umble pies . boil them very tender , and mince them very small with beef sewet and marrow , then season it with beaten spice and salt , rosewater and sugar and a little sack , so put it into your paste with currans and dates . clxiii . to bake chickens with grapes . scald your chickens and truss them , and season them with pepper , salt and nutmeg , and having your pie ready , and butter laid in the bottom , put in your chickens , and then more butter , and bake them with a thin lid on your pie , and when it is baked , put in grapes scalded tender , verjuice , nutmeg , butter and sugar , and the iuice of an orange so serve it in . clxiv . to make a good quince . pie. take your fairest quinces and coddle them till a straw will run through them , then core them and pare them , then take their weight in fine sugar , and stuff them full of sugar , then having your pie ready , lay in your quinces , and strew the rest of your sugar over them , and put in some whole cloves and cinamon , then close it , & bake it , you must let it stand in the oven four or five hours ; serve it in cold , and strew on sugar . clxv . to make tarts of pippins . having some puff-paste ready in a dish or pan , lay in some preserved pippins which have orange pill in them , and the iuice of orange or limon , so close them and bake them a little . clxvi . to make a good pie of beef . take the buttock of a fat oxe , slice it thin , mince it small and beat it in a mortar to a paste , then lard it very well with lard , and season it with beaten spice , then make your pie , and put it in with some butter and claret wine , and so bake it well , and serve it in cold with mustard and sugar , and garnish it with bay-leaves . clxvii . to bake a swan . scald it and take out the bones , and parboil it , then season it very well with pepper , salt and ginger , then lard it , and put it in a deep coffin of rye paste with store of butter , close it and bake it very well , and when it is baked , fill up the vent-hole with melted butter , and so keep it , serve in as you do the beef-pie . clxviii . to bake a turkey or capon . bone the turkey , but not the capon , parboil them , & stick cloves on their brests , lard them , and season them well with pepper and salt , and put them in a deep coffin with good store of butter , and close your pie , and bake it , and soak it very well , when it is baked , fill it up with melted butter , and when it is quite cold , serve it in and eat it with mustard and sugar : garnish it with bay leaves . clxix . to make fritters . take the curds of a sack posset , the yolks of six eggs , and the whites of two , with a little fine flower to make it into a thick batter , put in also a pomewater cut in small pieces , some beaten spice , warm cream , and a spoonful of sack , and a little strong ale ; mingle all these very well , and beat them well , then fry them in very hot lard , and serve them in with beaten spice and fine sugar . clxx . to bake woodcocks , black-birds sparrows or larks . truss and parboil them , then season them with pepper and salt , and put them into a pie with good store of butter , and so bake them , then fill them up with butter . clxxi. to bake a goose. bone your goose and parboil it , and season it with pepper and salt , and lay it into a deep coffin with good store of butter top and bottom , then bake it very well , and when it is baked , fill up the pie at the vent-hole with melted butter , and so serve it in with mustard and sugar and bay-leaves . clxxii . to make pancakes so crisp as you may set them upright . make a dozen or a score of them in a little frying pan , no bigger than a sawcer , then boil them in lard , and they will look as yellow as gold , and eat very well . clxxiii . to make blanched manchet . take six eggs , half a pint of sweet cream , and a penny manchet grated , one nutmeg grated , two spoonfuls of rosewater , and two ounces of sugar , work it stiff like a pudding , then fry it in a very little frying-pan , that it may be thick . fry it brown , and turn it upon a pie-plate ; cut it in quarters and strew sugar on it , and serve it in . clxxiv . to make a fierced pudding . mince a leg of mutton with sweet herbs , and some sewet , make it very fine , then put in grated bread , minced dates , currans , raisins of the sun stoned , a little preseaved orange or limon , and a few coriander seeds bruised , nutmeg , ginger , and pepper , mingle all together with cream and raw eggs wrought together like a paste , and bake it , and put for sauce the yolk of an egg , rosewater , sugar and cinamon , with a little butter heat together , when you serve it in , stick it with almonds and rosemary ; you may boil it also if you please , or rost some of it in a lambs cawl . clxxv . to make a fricasie of eggs. beat twelve eggs with cream , sugar , beaten spice and rosewater , then take thin slices of pomewater apple , and fry them well with sweet butter ; when they are enough , take them up , and cleanse your pan , then put in more butter and make it hot , and put in half your eggs and fry them ; then when the one side is fried lay your apples all over the side which is not fried , then poure in the rest of your eggs , and then turn it and fry the other side , then serve it in with the iuice of an orange and butter and sugar . clxxvi . to make a cambridge-pudding . take grated bread searced through a cullender , then mix it with fine flower , minced dates , currans , beaten spice , sewet shred small , a little salt , sugar and rosewater , warm cream and eggs , with half their whites ; mould all these together with a little yeast , and make it up into a loaf , but when you have made it in two parts , ready to clap together , make a deep hole in the one , and put in butter , then clap on the other , and close it well together , then butter a cloth and tie it up hard , and put it into water which boiles apace , then serve it in with sack , butter and sugar . you may bake it if you please in a baking-pan . clxxvii . to make a pudding of goose blood. save the blood of a goose , and strain it , then put in fine oatmeal steeped in warm milk , nutmeg , pepper , sweet herbs , sugar , salt , sewet minced fine , rosewater , limon pill , coriander seeds , then put in some eggs , and beat all these together very well , then boil them how you do like , either in a buttered cloth or in skins , or rost it within the neck of the goose. clxxviii . to make liver puddings . take a hogs liver boiled and cold , grate it like bread , then take new milk and the fat of a hog minced fine , put it to the bread and the liver , and divide it into two parts , then dry herbs or other if you can , minced fine , and put the herbs into one part with beaten spice , anniseeds , rose-water , cream and eggs , sugar and salt , so fill the skins , and boil them . to the other part put preserved barberries , sliced dates , currans , beaten spice , salt , sugar , rosewater , cream and eggs , so mix them well together , and fill the skins and boil them . clxxix . to make a chiveridge pudding . take the fattest guts of your hog clean scoured , then stuff them with beaten spice and sliced dates , sweet herbs , a little salt , rosewater , sugar , and two or three eggs to make it slide ; so fill them , tie them up like puddings and boil them ; when they are enough serve them . clxxx . to make rice puddings in skins . take two quarts of milk and put therein as it is yet cold , two good handfuls of rice clean picked and washed , set it over a slow fire and stir it often , but gently ; when you perceive it to swell , let it boil apace till it be tender and very thick , then take it from the fire , and when it is cold , put in six eggs well beaten , some rosewater and sugar , beaten spice and a little salt , preserved barberries and dates minced small , some marrow and citron pill ; mingle them well together and fill your skins , and boil them . clxxxi . to make a stewed pudding . take the yolks of three eggs and one white , six spoonfuls of sweet cream , a little beaten spice , and a quarter of a pound of sewet minced fine , a quarter of a pound of currans , and a little grated bread , rosewater , sugar and salt ; mingle them well together , and wrap them up in little pieces of the cawl of veal , and fasten them with a little stick , and tie each end with a stick , you may put four in one dish , then take half a pint of strong mutton broth , & six spoonfuls of vinegar , three or four blades of large mace , and one ounce of sugar , make this to boil over a chafingdish of coals , then put in your puddings , and when they boil , cover them with another dish , but turn them sometimes , and when you see that they are enough , take your puddings and lay them in a warm dish upon sippets , then adde to their broth some sack , sugar , and butter , and poure over them , garnish your dish with limon and barberries . clxxxii . to make a suffex pudding . take a little cold cream , butter and flower , with some beaten spice , eggs , and a little salt , make them into a stiff paste , then make it up in a round ball , and as you mold it , put in a great piece of butter in the middle , and so tye it hard up in a buttered cloth , and put it into boiling water , and let it boil apace till it be enough , then serve it in , and garnish your dish with barberries ; when it is at the table cut it open at the top , and there will be as it were a pound of butter , then put rosewater and sugar into it , and so eat it . in some of this like paste you may wrap great apples , being pared whole , in one piece of thin paste , and so close it round the apple , and throw them into boiling water , and let them boil till they are enough , you may also put some green goosberries into some , and when either of these are boiled , cut them open and put in rosewater , butter and sugar . clxxxiii . to make french puffs . take spinage , parsly and endive , with a little winter-savory , and wash them , and mince them very fine , season them with notmeg , ginger and sugar , wet them with eggs , and put in a little salt , then cut a limon in thin round slices , and upon every slice of limón lay one spoonful of it . then fry them , and serve them in upon some sippets , and pour over them sack , sugar and butter . clxxxiv . to make apple puffs . take a pomewater , or any other apple that is not hard or harsh in taste , mince it with a few raisins of the sun stoned , then wet them with eggs , and beat them together with the back of a spoon , season them with nutmeg , rosewater , sugar and ginger , drop them into a frying pan with a spoon into hot butter , and fry them , then serve them in with the juyce of an orange and a little sugar and butter . clxxxv . to make kickshawes , to bake or fry in what shape you please . take some puff-paste and rowl it thin , if you have moulds work it upon them with preserved pippins , and so close them , and fry or bake them , but when you have closed them you must dip them in the yolks of eggs , and that will keep all in , fill some with goosberries , rasberries , curd , marrow , sweet-breads , lambs stones , kidney of veal , or any other thing what you like best , either of them being seasoned before you put them in according to your mind , and when they are baked or fryed , strew sugar on them , & serve them in . clxxxvi . to make an italian pudding . take a penny white loaf and pare off the crust , then cut it like dice , then take some beef sewet shred small , and half a pound of raisins of the sun stoned , with as many currans , mingle them together and season them with beaten spice and a little salt , wet them with four eggs , and stir them gently for fear of breaking the bread , then put it in a dish with a little cream and rosewater and sugar , then put in some marrow and dates , and so butter a dish and bake it , then strew on sugar and serve it . clxxxvii . to hash calves tongues . boil them tender and pill them , then lard them with limon pill , and lard them also with fat bacon , then lay them to the fire and half rost them , then put them in a pipkin with claret wine , whole spice and sliced limon , and a few caraway seeds , a little rosemary and a little salt , boil all together & serve them in upon toasts . thus you may do with sheeps tongues also . clxxxviii . to boil a capon . take strong mutton broth , and truss a capon , and boil him in it with some marrow & a little salt in a pipkin , when it is tender , then put in a pint of white-wine , half a pound of sugar , and four ounces of dates stoned and sliced , potatoe roots boiled and blanched , large mace and nutmeg sliced , boil all these together with a quarter of a pint of verjuyce , then dish the capon , and add to the broth the yolks of six eggs beaten with sack , and so serve it ; garnish your dish with several sorts of candied pills and preserved barberries , and sliced limon , with sugar upon every slice . clxxxix . to boil a capon with rice . truss your capon and boil him in water and salt , then take a quarter of a pound of rice , first boiled in milk , and put in with some whole spice and a little salt , when it is almost enough put in a little rosewater , and half a pound of almonds blanched and beaten , strain them in , and put in some cream and sugar , then when your capon is enough , lay it in a dish , and pour the broth thereon ; garnish your dish as you please , and serve it in . cxc . to boil a capon with pippins . parboil your capon after it is trussed , then put it into a pipkin with mutton broth and marrow , and a little salt , with a quart of white-wine , a little nutmeg and dates stoned and sliced , then put in a quarter of a pound of fine sugar , then take some pippins stewed with sugar , spice and a little water , and put them in , then lay your capon into a dish , and lay some naples biskets for sippets , then bruise the yolks of eight hard eggs and put into your broth , with a little sack , and poure it over your capon ; garnish your dish and serve it in . cxc . to boil chickens with lettuce the very best way . parboil your chickens and cut them in quarters , and put them into a pipkin with some mutton broth , and two or three sweet breads of veal , and some marrow and some cloves , and a little salt , and a little limon pill ; then take good store of hard lettuce , cut them in halves and wash them , and put them in ; then put in butter and sack and white wine , with a little mace and nutmeg , and sliced dates , let all these stew upon the fire , and when they be enough , serve them in with toasts of white bread for sippets ; garnish the dish with limon and barberries ; and what else you please ; thus you may do pigeons . cxci. to boil a rabbet with grapes or with gooseberries . truss your rabbet whole , and boil it-in some mutton broth till it be tender ; then take a pint of white wine , and a good handful of spinage chopped , the yolks of hard eggs cut in quarters , put these to the rabbet with some large mace , a fagot of sweet herbs and a little salt and some butter , let them boil together a while , then take your rabbet and lay it in a dish and some sippets , then lay over it some grapes or gooseberries , scalded with sugar , and poure your broth over it . cxcii . to boil a rabbet with claret wine . boil a rabbet as before , then slice onions and a carrot root , a few currans and a fagot of sweet herbs , and a little salt , minced parsley , barberries picked , large mace , nutmeg and ginger , put all these into a pipkin with the rabbet , half a pound of butter , and a pint of claret wine , and let them boil together till it be enough , then serve it upon sippets . cxciii . to boil a wild duck. truss and parboil it , then half rost it , then carve it , and save the gravie , then take onions and parsley sliced , ginger and pepper , put the gravie into a pipkin , with currans , mace , barberries , and a quart of claret wine , and a little salt , put your duck with all the forenamed things into it , and let them boil till it be enough , then put in butter and sugar , and serve it in upon sippets . cxciv . to boil a tame duck. take your duck and truss it , and boil it with water and salt , or rather mutton broth , when it hath boiled a while , put in some whole spice , and when it it boiled enough , take some white wine and butter , and good store of onions boiled tender in several waters , with a little of the liquor wherein the duck hath boiled , and a little salt , put your duck into a dish , and heat these things together and poure over it , and serve it ; garnish the dish with boiled onions and barberries . cxcv. to boil pigeons with capers and samphire . truss your pigeons , and put them into a pipkin with some mutton broth and white wine , a bundle of sweet herbs , when they are boiled , lay them into a dish , then take some of the broth with some capers and limon sliced , and some butter , heat these together and poure over them , then fry thin slices of bacon , and lay upon them , and some samphire washed from the salt , and some slices of limon ; garnish your dish with the same and serve it in . cxcvi. to boil sausages . take two pounds of sausages , and boil them with a quart of claret wine and a bundle of sweet herbs , and whole cloves and mace , then put in a little butter , when they are enough , serve them in with this liquor and some mustard in sawcers . cxcvii . to boil goose giblets . boil them with water and salt , and a bundle of sweet herbs , onions and whole spice , when they are enough , put in verjuice and butter , and some currans plumped , and serve them upon sippets . thus you may dress swans giblets . cxcviii. to boil giblets with roots and good herbs . boil them in a quart of claret , ginger and cloves , and a faggot of sweet herbs , turneps and carots sliced , with good store of spinage , and a little salt ; when they are enough , serve them upon sippets . and adde to the broth some verjuice and the yolks of eggs ; garnish your dish with parsley and pickled barberries . cxcix , to smoor a neck of mutton . cut your steaks , and put them into a dish with some butter , then take a faggot of sweet herbs and some gross pepper and a little salt , and put to them ; cover your dish , and let them stew till they are enough , turning them sometimes , then put in a little claret wine and anchovies , and serve them upon sippets . cc. to smoor veal . cut thin slices of veal and hack them over with the back of a knife , then lard them with lard , and fry them with strong beer or ale till they be enough , then stew them in claret wine with some whole spice and butter and a little salt : garnish your dish with sausages fryed , and with barberries , so serve them in . cci. to smoor steaks of mutton another way . cut part of a leg of mutton into steaks , and fry it in white wine and a little salt , a bundle of herbs , and a little limon pill , then put it into a pipkin with some sliced limon , without the rind , and some of the liquor it it was fried in , and butter and a liitle parslie , boil all together till you see it be enough , then serve it in , and garnish your dish with limon and barberries . ccii. to smoor chickens . cut them in ioints and fry them with sweet butter , then take white wine , parsley and onions chopp'd small , whole mace and a little gross pepper , a little sugar , verjuice and butter , let these and your fried chicken boil together , then fry the leaves of clary with eggs , put a little salt to your chickens , and when they are enough , serve them in with this fried clary , and garnish your dish with barberries . cciii . to fry muscles , or oisters , or cockles to serve in with meat , or by themselves . take any of these and parboil them in their own liquor , then dry them , flower them , and fry them , then put them into a pipkin with claret wine , whole spice and anchovies , and a little butter , so let them stew together , and serve them in either with a duck , or by themselves , as you like best . cciv. to dress calves feet . take calves feet tenderly boiled , and slit them in the middle , then put them in a dish with sweet butter , parsley and onions chopped , a little thyme , large mace , pepper with a little wine vinegar , and a little salt , let all these stew together till they are enough , then lay your calves feet in a dish , and pour the sauce over them , then strew some raw parsley and hard eggs chopped together over them with slices of limon and barberries . ccv . to hash neats tongues . boil them and blanch them , and slice them thin , then take raisins of the sun , large mace , dates sliced thin , a few blanched almonds and claret wine with a little salt ; boil all these together with some sweet butter , verjuice and sugar ; when they are enough , serve them in and thicken the sauce with yolks of eggs ; garnish your dish with barberries . ccvi. another way to hash neats tongues . boil neats tongues very tender , peel them and slice them thin , then take strong meat broth , blanched chessenuts , a faggot of sweet herbs , large mace , and endive , a little pepper and whole cloves and a little salt ; boil all these together with some butter till they be enough ; garnish your dish as before . ccvii. to boil chickens in white-broth . take three chickens and truss them , then take two or three blades of mace , as many quartered dates , four or five lumps of marrow , a little salt and a little sugar , the yolks of three hard eggs , and a quarter of a pint of sack , first boil your chickens in mutton broth , and then adde these things to them , and let them boil till they be enough , then lay your chickens in a dish , and strain some almonds blanched and beaten into it , serve it upon sippets of french bread ; garnish your dish with hard eggs and limons . ccviii . to boil partridges . put two or three partridges into a pipkin with as much water as will cover them , then put in three or four blades of mace , one nutmeg quartered , five or six cloves , a piece of sweet butter , two or three toasts of manchet toasted brown , soke them in sack or muskadine , and break them , and put them into the pipkin with the rest , and a little salt , when they are enough , lay them in a dish , and poure this broth over them , then garnish your dish with hard eggs and sliced limon , and serve it in . ccix. to boil a leg of mutton . take a large leg of mutton and stuff it well with mutton sewet , salt and nutmeg , boil it in water and salt . but not too much , then put some of that broth into another pot , with three or four blades of mace , some currans and salt , boil them till half be consumed , then put in some sweet butter , and some capers and a limon cut like dice with the rind on , a little sack , and the yolks of two hard eggs minced ; then lay your mutton into a dish upon sippeas , and poure this sauce over it ; scrape sugar on the sides of your dish , and lay on slices of limon and barberries . ccx . to stew trouts . put two trouts into a fair dish with some white wine , sweet butter , and a little whole mace , a little parsley , thyme and savory minced , then put in an anchovy and the yolks of hard eggs ; when your fish is enough , serve it on sippets , and poure this over it , and garnish your dish with limon and barberries , and serve them in ; you may adde capers to it if you please , and you may do other fish in this manner . ccxi. to boil eels in broth to serve with them . flay and wash your eels and cut them in pieces about a handful long , then put them into a pot with so much water as will cover them , a little pepper and mace , and sliced onions , a little grated bread , and a little yeast , a good piece of sweet butter , some parsley , winter savoury and thyme shred small ; let them boil softly half an hour , and put in some salt , with some currans ; when it is enough , put in verjuice and more butter , and so serve it ; garnish your dish with parsley , limon and barberries , put sippets in your dish . ccxii. to boil a pike with oisters . take a fair pike and gut it and wash it , and truss it round with the tail in the mouth , then take white wine , water and salt , with a bundle of sweet herbs , and whole spice , a little horse-radish ; when it boils , tie up your pike in a cloth , and put it in , and let it boil till it swims , for then it is enough ; then take the rivet of the pike , and a pint of great oisters with their liquor , and some vinegar , large mace , gross pepper , then lay your pike in a dish with sippets , and then heat these last named things with some butter and anchovies , and poure over it ; garnish your dish as you please . ccxiii. to make a grand sallad . take a fair broad brimm'd dish & in the middle of it lay some pickled limon pill , then lay round about it each sort by themselves , olives , capers , broom buds , ash keys , purslane pickled , and french beans pickled , and little cucumbers pickled , and barberries pickled , and clove gilliflowers , cowslips , currans , figs , blanched almonds and raisins , slices of limon with sugar on them , dates stoned and sliced . garnish your dish brims with candied orange , limon and citron pill , and some candied eringo roots . ccxiv. to rost a pig with a pudding in his belly . take a fat pig and truss his head backward looking over his back , then make such pudding as you like best , and fill his belly with it , your pudding must be stiff , then sew it up , and rost your pig , when it is almost enough , wring upon it the iuice of a limon , anud when you are ready to take it up , wash it over with yolks of eggs , and before they can dry , dredge it with grated bread mixed with a little nutmeg and ginger , let your sauce be vinegar , butter and sugar , and the yolks of hard eggs minced . ccxv . to rost a leg of mutton with oisters . take a large leg of mutton and stuff it well with mutton sewet , with pepper , nutmeg , salt and mace , then rost it and stick it with cloves , when it is half rosted , cut off some of the under side of the fleshie end , in little thin bits , then take a pint of oisters and the liquor of them , a little mace , sweet butter and salt , put all these with the bits of mutton into a pipkin till half be consumed , then dish your mùtton and pour this sauce over it , strew salt about the dish side , and serve it in . ccxvi . to make a steak-pie . cut a neck of mutton in steaks , then season it with pepper and salt , lay your paste into your baking pan and lay butter in the bottom , then lay in your steaks , and a little lagre mace , and cover it with butter , so close it , and bake it ; and against it is baked , have in readiness good store of boiled parslie minced fine , & drained from the water , some white wine and some vinegar , sweet butter and sugar , cut open your pie , and put in this sauce , and shake it well , and serve it to the table ; it is not so good cold as hot . ccxvii . to rost a haunch or a shoulder of venison , or a chine of mutton . take either of these , and lard it with lard , and stick it thick with rosemary , then rost it with a quick fire , but do not lay it too near ; paste it with sweet butter : then take half a pint of claret wine , a little beaten cinamon and ginger , and as much sugar as will sweeten it , five or six whole cloves , a little grated bread , and when it is boiled enough , put in a little sweet butter , a little vinegar , and a very little salt , when your meat is rosted , serve it in with sauce , and strew salt about your dish , ccxviii . to roste a capon with oisters and chesnuts . take some boiled chesnuts , and take off their shells , and take as many parboil'd oisters , then spit your capon , and put these into the belly of it , with some sweet butter , rost it and bast it with sweet butter , save the gravie , and some of the chesnuts , and some of the oisters , then adde to them half a pint of claret wine , and a piece of sweet butter , and a little pepper , and a little salt , stew these together till the capon be ready , then serve them in with it ; garnish your dish as you please . ccxix. to rost a shoulder or fillet of veal with farcing herbs . wash your meat and parboil it a little , then take parsley , winter-savoury , and thyme , of each a little minced small , put to them the yolks of three or four hard eggs minced , nutmeg , pepper and currans and salt ; adde also some sewet minced small , work all these with the yolk of a raw egg , and stuff your meat with it , but save some , and set it under the meat while it doth rost , when your meat is almost rosted enough , put to these in the dish , a quarter of a pint of white wine vinegar , and some sugar , when your meat is ready , serve it in with this sauce , and strew on salt. ccxx . to make boiled sallads . boil some carots very tender , and scrape them to pieces like the pulp of an apple , season them with cinamon and ginger and sugar , put in currans , a little vinegar , and a piece of sweet butter , stew these in a dish , and when they begin to dry put in more butter and a little salt , so serve them to the table , thus you may do lettuce or spinage , or beets . ccxxi . to boil a shoulder of veal . take a shoulder of veal and half boil it in water and salt , then slice off the most part of it , and save the gravie ; then take that sliced meat , and put it in a pot with some of the broth that boiled it , a little grated bread , oister liquor , vinegar , bacon scalded and sliced thin , a pound of sausages out of their skins , and rouled in the yolks of eggs , large mace and nutmeg , let these stew about one hour , then put in one pint of oisters , some sweet herbs , and a little salt , stew them together , then take the bone of veal and broil it and dish it , then adde to your liquor a little butter , and some minced limon with the rind , a shelot or two sliced , and poure it over , then lay on it some fried oisters ; garnish your dish with barberries and sliced limon , and serve it in . ccxxii . to boil a neck of mutton . boil it in water and salt , then make sauce for it with samphire and a little of the broth , verjuice , large mace , pepper and onion , the yolks of hard eggs minced , some sweet herbs and a little salt , let these boil together half an hour or more : then bear it up with butter and limon ; then dish your meat upon sippets , and pour it on ; garnish your dish with the hard whites of eggs and parsley minced together , with sliced limon , so serve it ; thus you may dress a leg or a brest of mutton if you please . ccxxiii. to stem a loin of mutton . cut your meat in steaks , and put it into so much water as will cover it , when it is scummed , put to three or four onions sliced , with some turneps , whole cloves , and sliced ginger , when it is half stewed , put in sliced bacon and some sweet herbs minced small , some vinegar and salt , when it is ready , put in some capers , then dish your meat upon sippets and serve it in ; and garnish your dish with barberries and limon . ccxxiv. to boil a haunch of venison . boil it in water and salt , with some coleflowers and some whole spice ; then take some of the broth , a little mace , and a cows udder boiled tender and sliced thin , a little horse-radish root searced , and a few sweet herbs , boil all these together , and put in a little salt , when your venison is ready , dish it , and lay your cows udder and the coleflowers over it , then beat up your sauce , and poure over it ; then garnish your dish with limon and parsley and barberries , and so serve it , this sauce is also good with a powdered goose boiled , but first larded . ccxxv. to make white broth with meat or without . take a little mutton broth , and as much of sack , and boil it with whole spice , sweet herbs , dates sliced , currans and a little salt , when it is enough , or very neer , strain in some blanched almonds , then thicken it with the yolks of eggs beaten , and sweeten it with sugar , and so serve it in with thin slices of white bread : garnish with stewed prunes , and some plumped raisins . this may be : served in also with any meat proper for to be served with white broth. ccxxvi . to make good stewed broth. take a hinder leg of beef and a pair of marrow bones , boil them in a great pot with water and a little salt , when it boiles , and is skimmed , put in some whole spice , and some raisins and currans , then put in some manchet sliced thin , and soaked in some of the broth , when it is almost enough , put in some stewed prunes , then dish your meat , and put into your broth a little saffron or red saunders , some white wine and sugar , so poure it over your meat , and serve it in ; garnish your dish with prunes , raisins and fine sugar . ccxxvii . to stew artichokes . take the bottoms of artichokes tenderly boiled , and cut them in quarters , stew them with white wine , whole spice and marrow , with a little salt : when they are enough , put in sack and sugar , and green plumbs preserved , so serve them ; garnish the dish with preserves . ccxxviii . to stew pippins . take a pound of pippins , pare them and core them , and cut them in quarters . then take a pint of water and a pound of fine sugar , and make a syrup , and scum it , then put in your pippins and boil them up quick , and put in a little orange or limon pill very thin ; when they are very clear , and their syrup almost wasted , put in the juyce of orange and limon , and some butter ; so serve them in upon sippets , and strew fine sugar about the dish sides . ccxxix . to make a sallad with fresh salmon . your salmon being boiled and souced , mince some of it small with apples and onyons , put thereto oyl , vinegar , and pepper ; so serve it to the table : garnish your dish with limon and capers . ccxxx . to rost a shoulder of mutton with oisters . take a large shoulder of mutton , and take sweet herbs chopped small , and mixed with beaten eggs and a little salt , take some great oisters , and being dried from their liquor , dip them in these eggs , and fry them a little , then stuff your meat well with them , then save some of them for sauce , and rost your mutton , and baste it with claret wine , butter and salt , save the gravie , and put it with the oisters into a dish to stew with some anchovies , and claret wine : when your meat is enough , rub the dish with a shelot , and lay your meat in it ; and then put some capers into your sauce , and poure over it , so serve it in ; garnish your dish with olives , capers and samphire . ccxxxi . to rost a calves he ad with oisters . split your calves head as to boil , and let it lie in water a while , then wash it well , and cut out the tongue , then boil your head a little , also the tongue and brains , then mince the brains and tongue with a little sage , oisters and marrow put amongst it when it is minced , three or four eggs well beaten , ginger , pepper , nutmeg , grated bread and salt , and a little sack , make it pretty thick , then take the head and fill it with this , and bind it close , and spit it and rost it , and save the gravie which comes from it in a dish , bast it well with butter , put to this gravie some oisters , and some sweet herbs minced fine , a little white wine , and a sliced nutmeg ; when the head is rosted , set the dish of sauce upon hot coals with some butter and a little salt , and the iuice of an orange , beat it up thick and dish your head , and serve it in with this sauce ; garnish the dish with stewed oisters and barberries . ccxxxii . sauce sor woodcocks or snites . when you spit your fowl , put in an onion in the belly , when it is rosted , take the gravie of it , and some claret wine , and an anchovie with a little pepper and salt , so serve them . ccxxxiii . to make sauce for partridges . take grated bread , water and salt , and a whole onion boiled together , when it is well boiled , take out the onion , and put in minced limon , and a piece of butter , and serve them in with it . ccxxxiv . to rost larks with bacon . when your larks are pull'd and drawn , wash them and spit them with a thin slice of bacon , and a sage leaf between the legs of every one , make your sauce with the iuice of oranges and a little claret wine , and some butter , warm them together , and serve them up with it . ccxxxv . to make sauce for quails . take some vine leaves dried before the fire in a dish and mince them , then put some claret wine & a little pepper and salt to it , and a piece of butter , and serve them with it . this sauce is also for rosted pigeons . ccxxxvi . to rost a whole pig without the skin , with a pudding in his belly . make ready the pig for the spit , then spit it and lay it down to the fire , and when you can take off the skin , take it from the fire and flay it , then put such a pudding as you love into the belly of it , then sew it up , and stick it with thyme and limon pill , and lay it down again , and rost it and bast it with butter , and set a dish under it to catch the gravie , into which put a little sliced nutmeg , and a little vinegar , and a little l'mon and some butter ; heat them together : when your pig is enough , bread it , but first froth it up with butter and a little salt , then serve it in with this sauce to the table with the head on . ccxxxvii . to fry artichokes . take the bottoms of artichokes tenderly boiled , and dip them in beaten eggs and a little salt , and fry them with a little mace shred among the eggs ; then take verjuice , butter and sugar , and the iuice of an orange , dish your artichokes , and lay on marrow fried in eggs to keep it whole , then lay your sauce , or rather poure it on , and serve them in . ccxxxviii . to make toasts of veal . take a rosted kidney of veal , cold and minced small , put to it grated bread , nutmeg , currans , sugar and salt , with some almonds blanched and beaten with rosewater , mingle all these together with beaten eggs and a little cream , then cut thin slices of white bread , and lay this compound between two of them , and so fry them , and strew sugar on them , and serve them in . ccxxxix . to make good pancakes . take twenty eggs with half the whites , and beat them well and mix them with fine flower and beaten spice , a little salt , sack , ale , and a little yeast , do not make your batter too thin , then beat it well , and let it stand a little while to rise , then fry them with sweet lard or with butter , and serve them in with the iuice of orange and sugar . ccxl . to fry veal . cut part of a leg of veal into thin slices , and hack them with the back of a knife , then season them with beaten spice and salt , and lard them well with hogs lard , then chop some sweet herbs , and beat some eggs and mix together and dip them therein , and fry them in butter , then stew them with a little white wine and some anchovies a little while , then put in some butter , and shake them well , and serve them in with sliced limon over them . ccxli. to make good paste . take to a peck of fine flower three pound of butter , and three eggs , and a little cold cream , and work it well together , but do not break your butter too small , and it will be very fine crust , either to bake meat in , or fruit , or what else you please . it is also a very fine dumplin , if you make it into good big rolls , and boil them and butter them , or roul some of it out thin , and put a great apple therein , and boil and butter them with rosewater , butter and sugar . ccxlii. to make good paste to raise . take to a peck of flower two pounds of butter , and a little tried sewet , let them boil with a little water or milk , then put two eggs into your flower , and mix them well together , then make a hole in the middle of your flower , and put in the top of your boiling liquor , and so much of the rest as will make it into a stiff paste , then lay it into a warm cloth to rise . ccxliii . paste for cold baked meats . take to every peck of flower one pound of butter or a little more , with hot liquor as the other , and put a little dissolved isinglass in it , because such things require strength ; you may not forget salt in all your pastes , and work these pastes made with hot liquor much more than the other . ccxliv . to make a veal pie in summer . take thin slices of a fillet of veal , then having your pie ready and butter in it , lay in your veal seasoned with a little nutmeg and salt , so cover it with butter , and close it and bake it , then against it be drawn , scald some gooseberries or grapes in sugar and water as to preserve , and when you open your pie , put in pieces of marrow boiled in white wine with a little blade of mace : then put these grapes or gooseberries over all , or else some hard lettnce or spinage boiled and buttered . ccxlv . to make a pie of shrimps , or of prawns . pick them clean from their shells , and have in readiness your pie with butter in the bottom , then lay in your fish with some large mace and nutmeg , and then butter again , and so bake it : then cut it up and put in some white wine and an anchovy or two , and some butter , and so serve them in hot ; thus you may do with lobsters or crabs , or with crafish . ccxlvi . to make a pie of larks or of sparrows . pluck your birds and draw them , then fill the bellies of them with this mixture following ; grated bread , sweet herbs minced small , beef sewet or marrow minced , almonds blanched and beaten with rosewater , a little cream , beaten spice , and a little salt , some eggs and some currans , mix these together , and do as i have said , then having your pie ready raised or laid in your baking-pan , put in butter , and then fill it with birds : then put in nutmeg pepper and salt , and put in the yolks of hard eggs , and some sweet herbs minced , then lay in pieces of marrow , and cover it with butter , and so close it & bake it ; then cut it open and wring in the iuice of an orange and some butter , and serve it . ccxlvii. to make a lettuce pie. take your cabbage lettuce and cut them in halves , wash them and boil them in water and salt very green , then drain them from the water , so having your pie in readiness , put in butter ; then put in your boiled lettuce , with some marrow , raisins of the sun stoned , dates stoned and sliced thin , with some large mace , and nutmeg sliced , then put in more butter , close it and bake it ; then cut it open , and put in verjuice , butter and sugar , and so serve it . to stew a neck of mutton . put your neck of mutton cut in steaks into so much wine and water as will cover it , with some whole spice , let it stew till it be enough , then put in two anchovies , and a handful of capers , with a piece of sweet butter , shake it very well , and serve it upon sippets . ccxlviii . to make a pie of a rosted kidney of veal . mince the kidney with the fat , and put to it some sweet herbs minced very small , a quarter of a pound of dates stoned , and sliced thin and minced , season it with beaten spice , sugar-and salt , put in half a pound of currans , and some grated bread , mingle all these together very well with verjuice and eggs , and make them into balls , so put some butter into your pie , and then these balls , then more butter , so close it and bake it ; then cut it open , and put in verjuice , butter and sugar made green with the iuice of some spinage , adde to it the yolks of eggs , and heat them together , and poure it in . ccxlix . to make a potato pie. having your pie ready , lay in butter , and then your potatoes boiled very tender , then some whole spice and marrow , dates , and the yolks of hard eggs , blanched almonds , and pistacho nuts , the candied pills of citron , orange and limon , put in more butter , close it and bake it , then cut it open , and put in wine , sugar , the yolks of eggs and butter . ccl . to make a pig pie. spit a whole pig and rost it till it will flay , then take it off the spit , and take off the skin , and lard it with hogs lard ; season it with pepper , salt , nutmeg and sage , then lay it into your pie upon some butter , then lay on some large mace , and some more butter , and close it and bake it : it is either good hot or cold . ccli . to make a carp pie. take a large carp and scale him , gut and wash him clean , and dry him well , then lay butter into your pie , and fill your carps belly with this pudding ; grated bread , sweet herbs , and a little bacon minced small , the yolks of hard eggs and an anchovie minced , also a little marrow , nutmeg , and then put in a little salt , but a very little , and make some of this up in balls , then lard the carp , sew up his belly , and lay him into your pie , then lay in the balls of pudding , with some oisters , shrimps and capers , and the yolks of hard eggs and little slices of bacon , then put in large mace and butter , so close it and bake it , then cut off the lid , and stick it full of pretty conceits made in paste , and serve it in hot . cclii to make an almond tart. take a quart of cream , and when it boils , put in half a pound of sweet almonds blanched and beaten with rosewater , boil them together till it be thick , always stirring it for fear it burn , then when it is cold , put in a little raw cream , the yolks of twelve eggs , and some beaten spice , some candied citron pill and eringo roots sliced , with as much fine sugar as will sweeten it , then fill your tart and bake it , and stick it with almonds blanched , and some citron pill , and strew on some small french comfits of several colours , and garnish your dish with almonds blanched , and preserved barberries . ccliii . to make a dainty white-pot . take a manchet cut like lozenges , and scald it in some cream , then put to it beaten spice , eggs , sugar and a little salt , then put in raisins , and dates stoned , and some marrow ; do not bake it too much for fear it whey , then strew on some fine sugar and serve it in . ccliv . to make a red deer pie. bone your venison , and if it be a side , then skin it , and beat it with an iron pestle but not too small , then lay it in claret wine , and vinegar , in some close thing two days and nights if it be winter , else half so long , then drain it , and dry it very well , and if lean , lard it with fat bacon as big as your finger , season it very high with all manner of spices and salt , make your pie with rye flower , round and very high , then lay store of butter in the bottom and bay leaves , then lay in your venison with more bay leaves and butter ; so close it , and make a tunnel in the middle , and bake it as long as you do great loaves , when it is baked , fill it up with melted butter , and so keep it two or three moneths , serve it in with the lid off , and bay leaves about the dish ; eat it with mustard and sugar . cclv. to make a pie of a leg of pork . take a leg of pork well powdered and stuffed with all manner of good herbs , and pepper , and boil it very tender , then take off the skin , and stick it with cloves and sage leaves , then put it into your pie with butter top and bottom , close it and bake it , and eat it cold with mustard and sugar . cclvi. to make a lamprey pie. take your lamprey and gut him , and take away the black string in the back , wash him very well , and dry him , and season him with nutmeg , pepper and salt , then lay him into your pie in pieces with butter in the bottom , and some shelots and bay leaves , and more butter , so close it and bake it , and fill it up with melted butter , and keep it cold , and serve it in with some mustard and sugar . cclvii . to make a salmon pie. take a ioll of salmon raw , and scale it , and lay it into your pie upon butter and bay leaves , then season it with whole spice and a little salt , then lay on some shrimps and oisters with some anchovies , then more spice and butter , so close the lid and bake it , but first put in some white wine , serve it hot , then if it wants , put in more wine and butter . cclviii. to make a pudding of french barley . take french barley tenderly boiled , then take to one pint of barley half a manchet grated , and four ounces of sweet almonds blanched and beaten with rosewater , half a pint of cream , and eight eggs with half the whites , season it with nutmeg , mace sugar and salt , then put in some fruit , both raisins and currans , and some marrow , mingle these well together , and fill hogs guts with it . cclix . to make a hasty pudding in a in a bag or cloth. boil a quart of thick cream with six spoonfuls of fine flower , then season it with nutmeg and salt , then wet a cloth , and flower it and butter it , then boil it , and butter it , and serve it in , cclx . to make a shaking pudding . take a quart of cream and boil it , then put in some almonds blanched and beaten , when it is boiled and almost cold , put in eight eggs , and half the whites , with a little grated bread , spice and sugar , and a very little salt ; then wet flower and butter , and put it in a cloth and boil it , but not too much , serve it in with rosewater , butter and sugar , and strew it with small french comfits . cclxi . to make a haggus pudding . take a calves chaldron well scowred , boiled , and the kernels taken out , mince it small , then take four or five eggs , and half the whites , some thick cream , grated bread , rosewater and sugar , and a little salt , currans and spice , and some sweet herbs chopped small , then put in some marrow or sewet finely shred , so fill the guts , and boil them . cclxii . to make an oatmeal pudding . take the biggest oatmeal and steep it in warm cream one night , then put in some sweet herbs minced small , the yolks of eggs , sugar , spice , rosewater and a little salt , with some marrow , then butter a cloth , and boil it well , and serve it in with rosewater , butter and sugar . cclxiii . to make puddings of wine . slice two manchets into a pint of white wine , and let your wine be first mulled with spice , and with limon pill , then put to it ten eggs well beaten with rosewater , some sugar and a little salt , with some marrow and dates , so bake it a very little , strew sugar on it , and serve it ; instead of manchet you may use naples bisket , which is better . gclxiv . to make puddings with hogs lights . parboil them very well , and mince them small with sewet of a hog , then mix it with bread grated , and some cream and eggs , nutmeg , rosewater , sugar and a little salt , with some currans , mingle them well together , and fill the guts and boil them . cclxv. to make stone cream . boil'a quart of cream with whole spice , then poure it out into a dish , but let it be one quarter consumed in the boiling , then stir it till it be almost cold , then put some runnet into it as for a cheese , and stir it well together and colour it with a little saffron , serve it in with sack and sugar . cclxvi. to make a posset pie with apples . take the pulp of rosted apples and beat it well with sugar and rosewater to make it very sweet , then mix it with sweet cream , and the yolks of raw eggs , some spice and sack , then having your paste ready in your bake-pan , put in this stuff and bake it a little , then stick it with candied pills , and so serve it in cold . cclxvii . to dry pippins about christmass or before . when your houshold bread is drawn , then set in a dish f●ll of pippins , and about six hours after take them out and lay them in several dishes one by one , and flat them with your hands a little , so do twice a day , and still set them into a warm oven every time till they are dry enough ; then lay them into boxes with papers between every lay. cclxviii . to make snow cream . take a quart of cream , and ounces of blanched almonds , beaten and strained , with half a pint of white wine , a piece of orange pill and a nutmeg sliced , and three sprigs of rosemary , mix these things together , and let them stand three hours , then strain it , and put the thick part into a deep dish , and sweeten it with sugar , then beat some cream with the whites of eggs till it be a thick froth , and cast the froth over it to a good thickness . cclxix . to boil whitings or flounders . boil some white wine , water , and salt , with some sweet herbs and whole spice ; when it boils put in a little vinegar , for that will make fish crisp , then let it boil apace and put in your fish , and boil them till they swim , then take them out and drain them , and make sance for them with some of the liquor and an anchovie or two , some butter and some capers , heat them over the fire , and beat it up thick and pour it over them ; and garnish your dish with capers and parsley , oranges and limons , and let it be very hot when you serve it in . cclxx. to make a pie of a gammon of bacon . take a westphalia gammon , and boil it tender with hay in the kettle , then take off the skin and stick it with cloves and strew it with pepper , then make your pie ready , and put it therein with butter at the bottom , then cover your bacon with oysters , parboiled in wine and their own liquor , and put in balls made of sausage meat , then put in the liquor of the parboiled oisters , some whole spice and bay leaves , with some butter , so close it , and bake it and eat it cold , you may put into it the yolks of hard eggs if you please ; serve it with mustard sugar and bay leaves . cclxxi. to bake a bullocks cheek to be eaten hot . take your cheek and stuff it very well with parsley and sweet herbs chopped , then put it into a pot with some claret wine and a little strong beer , and some whole spice , and so season it well with salt to your tast , and cover your pot and bake it , then take it out , and pull out the bones , and serve it upon tosted bread with some of the liquor . cclxxii . to bake a bullocks cheek to eat cold , as venison . take a bullocks cheek , or rather two fair fat cheeks , and lay them in water one night , then take out every bone , and stuffe it very well with all manner of spice and salt , then put it into a pot , one cheek clapped close together upon the other , then lay it over with bay leaves , and put in a quart of claret wine , so cover the pot , and bake it with houshold bread , when you draw it , poure all the liquor out , and take only the fat of it and some melted butter , and poure in again , serve it cold with mustard and sugar , and dress it with bay leaves , it will eat like venison . cclxxiii . to make a bacon froize . take eight eggs well beaten , and a little cream , and a little flower , and beat them well together to be like other batter , then fry very thin slices of bacon , and poure some of this over , then fry it , and turn the other side , and poure more upon that , so fry it and serve it to the table . cclxxiv . to make fryed nuts . take eggs , flower , spice and cream , and make it into a paste , then make it into round balls and fry them , they must be as big as walnuts , be sure to shake them well in the pan and fry them brown , then roule some out thin , and cut them into several shapes , and fry them , so mix them together , and serve them in with spice beaten , and sugar . cclxxv . to make a suffex pancake . take only some very good pie paste made with hot liquor , and roule it thin , and fry it with butter , and serve it in with beaten spice and sugar as hot as you can . cclxxvi . to make a venison pasty . take a peck of fine flower , and three pounds of fresh butter , break your butter into your flower , and put in one egge , and make it into a past with so much cold cream as you think fit , but do not mould it too much , then roule it pretty thin and broad , almost square , then lay some butter on the bottom , then season your venison on the fleshy side with pepper grosly beaten , and salt mixed , then lay your venison upon your butter with the seasoned side downward , and then cut the venison over with your knife quite cross the pasty to let the gravie come out the better in baking , then rub some seasoning in those cuts , and do not lay any else because it will make it look ill-favoured and black , then put some paste rouled thin about the meat to keep it in compass , and lay butter on the top , then close it up and bake it very well , but you must trim it up with several fancies made in the same paste , and make also a tunnel or vent , and just when you are going to set it into the oven , put in half a pint of clarret wine , that will season your venison finely , and make it shall not look or taste greasie , thus you may bake mutton if you please . cclxxvii . to make a brave tart of several sweet meats . take some puff-paste and roule it very thin , and lay it in the bottom of your baking-pan , then lay in a lay of preserved rasberries , then some more paste very thin to cover them , then some currans preserved , and then a sheet of paste to cover them , then cherries , and another sheet to cover them , then any white sweet-meat , as pippins , white plums or grapes , so lid it with puff-paste , cut in some pretty fancy to shew the fruit , then bake it , and stick it full of candied pills , and serve it in cold . cclxxviii . to make ice and snow . take new milk and some cream and mix it together , and put it into a dish , and set it together with runnet as for a cheese , and stir it together , when it is come , poure over it some sack and sugar , then take a pint of cream and a little rosewater , and the whites of three eggs , and whip it to a froth with a birchen rod , then as the froth arises , cast it upon your cream which hath the runnet in it , till it lies deep , then lay on bunches of preserved barberries here and there carelessly , and cast more snow upon them , which will look exceeding well ; then garnish your dish being broad brimm'd with all kind of iellies in pretty fancies , and several colours . cclxxix . to make a mutton pie. cut a loin or a neck of mutton in steaks , and season it with pepper and salt , and nutmeg then lay it in your pie upon butter ; then fill up your pie with apples sliced thin , and a few great onions sliced thin , then put in more butter , and close it and bake it , and serve it in hot . cclxxx . to poach eggs the best way . boil vinegar and water together with a few cloves and mace , when it boiles break in your eggs , and turn them about gently with a tin slice till the white be hard , then take them up , and pare away what is not handsom , and lay them on sippets , and strew them over with plumped currans , then take verjuice , butter and sugar heat together , and poure over , and serve them in hot . cclxxxi . a good sallad in winter . take a good hard cabbage , and with a sharp knife shave it so thin as you may not discern what it is , then serve it with oil and vinegar . cclxxxii . another sallad in winter . take corn sallad clean picked and also well washed , and clear from the water , put it into a dish in some handsom form with some horse radish scraped , and some oil and vinegar , cclxxxiii . to make sorrrel sops for green geese or chickens , or for a sick body to eat alone . take a good quantity of french sorrel clean picked , and stamp it in a mortar , then strain it into a dish , and set it over a chafingdish of coals , and put a little vinegar to it , then when it is thick by wasting , wring in the iuice of a limon and sweeten it with sugar , and put in a little grated bread and nutmeg , then warm another dish with thin slices of white bread , and put some butter to your sorrel liquor , and poure over them , serve them in with slices of limon and fine sugar . cclxxxiv . to make green sauce for a powdered leg of pork , or for a spring . take a great quantity of french sorrel , and pick out the strings and wash it well , and drain it clean from the water , then stamp it in a mortar till it be extream fine , then put in grated bread and beat it again , then a few currans , and the yolks of hard eggs , and when it is beaten to a kind of pap , put in a little vinegar and sugar into it ; so serve it in upon a plate with your meat . cclxxxv . to make vin de molosso ; or treacle wine . take fair water and make it so strong with molossoes , otherwise called treacle , as that it will bear an egg , then boil it with a bag of all kinds of spices , and a branch or two of rosemary , boil it and scum it , and put in some sweet herbs or flowers , according to the time of the year , boil it till a good part be consumed , and that it be very clear , then set it to cool in several things , & when it is almost cold , work it with yeast , as you do beer , the next day put it into the vessel , and so soon as it hath done working , stop it up close , and when it hath stood a fortnight , bottle it , this is a very wholesom drink against any infection , or for any that are troubled with the ptisick cclxxxvi . for a consumption , an excellent medicine . take shell snails , and cast salt upon them , and when you think they are cleansed well from their slime , wash them , and crack their shells and take them off , then wash them in the distilled water of hysop , then put them into a bag made of canvas , with some white sugar candy beaten , and hang up the bag , and let it drop as long as it will , which if you bruise the snails before you hang them up , it is the better ; this liquor taken morning and evening a spoonful at a time , is very rare . cclxxxvii . a sutable dish for lent. take a large dish with broad brims , and in the middle put blanched almonds round about them , raisins of the sun , and round them figs , and beyond them all coloured iellies , and on the brims fig-cheese . cclxxxviii . to make a rock in sweet-meats . first take a flat broad voiding basket , then have in readiness a good thick plum cake , then cut your cake fit to the bottom of the basket , and cut a hole in the middle of it , that the foot of your glass may go in , which must be a fountain-glass , let it be as high a one as you can get ; put the foot of it into the hole of the cake edgling that it may stand the faster , then tie the cake fast with a tape to the basket , first cross one way and then another , then tie the foot of the glass in that manner too , that it may stand steady , then cut some odd holes in your cake carelessly , then take some gum dragon steeped in rosewater , and mix it with some fine sugar , not too thick , and with that you must fasten all your rock together ; in these holes which you cut in your cake you must fasten some sort of biskets , as naples biskets , and other common bisket made long , and some ragged , and some coloured , that they may look like great ill-favoured stones , and some handsom , some long , some short , some bigger , and some lesser , as you know nature doth afford and so me of one colour and some of another , let some stand upright and some a slaunt , and some quite a long , and fasten them all with your gum , then put in some better sweet-meats , as mackeroons and marchpanes , carelesly made as to the shape , and not put on the rock in a set form , also some rough almond cakes made with the long slices of almonds ( as i have directed before ; ) so build it up in this manner , and fasten it with the gum and sugar , till it be very high , then in some places you must put whole quinces candied , both red and white , whole orange pills and limon pills candied , dryed apricocks , pears and pippins candied , whole peaches candied , then set up here and there great lumps of brown and white sugar-candy upon the stick , which much resembles some clusters of fine stones growing on a rock ; for sand which lies sometimes among the little stones , strew some brown sugar ; for moss , take herbs of a rock candy ; then you must make the likeness of snakes and snails and worms , and of any venomous creature you can think of ; make them in sugar plate and colour them to their likeness , and put them in the holes that they may seem to lurk , and some snails creeping one way and some another ; then take all manner of comfits , both rough and smooth , both great and small , and colour many of them , some of one colour and some of another , let some be white and some speckled , then when you have coloured them , and that they are dry , mix them together and throw them into the clefts , but not too many in one place , for that will hide the shape of your work , then throw in some chips of all sorts of fruit candied , as orange , limon , citron , quince , pear , and apples , for of all these you may make chips ; then all manner of dryed plumbs , and cherries , cornelions dryed , rasps and currans ; and in some places throw a few prunelles , pistacho nuts , blanched almonds , pine kernels , or any such like and a pound of the great round perfumed comfits ; then take the lid of the top of the glass and fill it with preserved grapes , and fill another with some harts-horn ielly , place these two far from one another , and if you set some kind of fowl , made in marchpanes , as a peacock , or such like , and some right feathers gummed on with gum arabick ; let this fowl stand as though it did go to drink at the glass of harts-horn ielly , and then they will know who see it , that those two liquid glasses serve for resemblance of several waters in the rock : then make good store of oister shells & cockle shells of sugar plate , let some be pure white as though the sea water had washed them , some brown on the outside , and some green , some as it were dirty , and others worn away in some places , some of them broke , and some whole , so set them here and there about the rock , some edgling , and some flat , some the hollow side upward , and some the other , then stick the moss , some upon the shells , and some upon the stones , and also little branches of candied fruits , as barberries , plums , and the like , then when all is done , sprinkle it over with rosewater , with a grain or two of musk or ambergreece in it ; your glass must be made with a reasonable proportion of bigness to hold the wine , and from that , in the middle of it , there must be a conveyance to fall into a glass below it , which must have spouts for the wine to play upward or downward , then from thence in another glass below , with spou's also , and from thence it hath a conveyance into a glass below that , somewhat in form like a sillibub pot , where the wine may be drunk out at the spout ; you may put some eringo roots , and being coloured , they will shew very well among the other sweet-meats , tie your basket about with several sorts of small ribbons : do not take this for a simple fancy , for i assure you , it is the very same that i taught to a young gentlewoman to give for a present to a person of quality . to the reader . courteous reader . i think it not amiss , since i have given you , as i think , a very full direction for all kinds of food , both for nourishment and pleasure , that i do shew also how to eat them in good order ; for there is a time and season for all things : besides , there is not any thing well done which hath not a rule , i shall therefore give you several bills of service for meals according to the season of the year , so that you may with ease form up a dinner in your mind quickly ; afterwards i shall speak of ordering of banquets ; but these things first , because banquets are most proper after meals : all you who are knowing already and vers'd in such things , i beseech you to take it only as a memorandum ; and to those who are yet unlearned , i presume they will reap some benefit by these directions ; which is truly wished and desired by hannah wolley alias chaloner . a bill of service for extraordinary feasts in the summer . . a grand sallad . . a boiled capon or chickens . . a boiled pike or bream . . a florentine in puff-paste . . a haunch of venison rosted . . a lomber pie. . a dish of green geese . . a fat pig with a pudding in the belly . . a venison pasty . . a chicken pie. . a dish of young turkeys . . a potato pie. . a couple of caponets . . a set custard . the second course . . a dish of chickens roasted . . souced conger or trouts . . an artichoke pie , . a cold baked meat . . a souced pig. . a dish of partridges . . an oringado pie. . a dish of quails , . another cold baked meat . . fresh salmon . . a dish of tarts . . a ioll of sturgeon . the third course . . a dish of fried perches . . a dish of green pease . . a dish of artichokes . . a dish of lobsters . . a dish of prawns or shrimps . . a dish of anthovies . . a dish of pickled oisters . . two or three dried tongues . another bill of fare for winter season . . a collar of brawn . . a capon and white broth. . a boiled gurnet . . a dish of boiled ducks or rabbets . . a rosted tongue and udder . . a made dish in puff-paste . . a shoulder of mutton with oisters . . a chine of beef . . a dish of scotch collops of veal . . two geese in a dish . . an olive pie. . a pig. . a loin of veal . . a lark pie. . a venison pasty . . a dish of capons , two in a dish or three . . a dish of set custards . the second course . . young lamb cut in ioints , three ioints in a dish larded . . a couple of fat rabbets . . a kickshaw fried or baked . . a dish of rosted mallards . . a leash of partridges . . a pigeon pie. . four woodcocks in a dish . . a dish of teal , four or six . . a cold baked meat . . a good dish of plover . . twelve snites in a dish . . two dozen of larks in a dish . . another cold baked meat . the third course . . an oister pie hot . . a dish of fried puffes . . three or four dried neats tongues . . a ioll of sturgeon . . laid tarts in puff-paste . . pickled oisters . . a dish of anchovies and caveare . . a warden pie or quince pie. note , that when your last course is ended , you must serve in your meat-iellies , your cheeses of several sorts , and your sweet-meats . a bill of fare for lesser feasts . . an almond pudding boiled or baked . . a dish of boiled pigeons with bacon . . a leg of mutton boiled with good sauce , or a leg of pork . . a dish of rosted olives of veal . . a dish of collops and eggs. . a piece of rosted beef . . a dish of scotch collops . . a loin of veal . . a fat pig rosted . . two turkies in a dish . . a venison pasty . . a dish of pheasants or partridges . . a dish of custards in little china pots . the second course . . three or four ioints of lamb rosted asunder , though never so small . . a couple of rabbets . . a dish of mallard , teal or widgeon . . a leash of partridges or woodcocks . . a pigeon pie. . a dish of plovers or snites . . a dish of fat chickens rosted . . a warden or quince pie. . a sowced pig. . a dish of tarts of several sorts . . a dish of lobsters , or sturgeon . . a dish of pickled oisters . a bill of fare for fish days & fasting days in ember week , or in lent. . a dish of butter newly churned . . a dish of rice milk or furmity . . a dish of buttered eggs. . a dish of stewed oisters . . a dish of gurnets boiled . . a boiled sallad . . a boiled pike or two carps stewed . . a dish of buttered loaves . . a pasty of ling. . a dish of buttered salt fish. . a dish of smelts . . a dish of white herrings broiled . . a potato pie or skirret pie. . a dish of flounders fried . . an eel pie or carp pie. . a dish of fried whitings . . a dish of salt salmon , . a dish of custards . . a ioll of sturgeon . . a dish of pancakes or fritters . the second course . . a dish of eels spichcockt . . a fricasie of eels . . a dish of fryed puffs . . a dish of potatoes stewed . . a dish of fryed oisters . . a dish of blanched manchet . an oister pie with parsneps . . a pippin pie buttered . . a dish of buttered shrimps . . two lobsters rosted . . a dish of tarts of herbs . . a dish of souced fish. . a dish of pickled oisters . . a dish of anchovies and caveare . a bill of fare without feasting ; only such a number of dishes as are used in great and noble houses for their own family , and for familiar friends with them . the first course in summer season . . a fine pudding boiled or baked . . a dish of boiled chickens . . two carps stewed or a boiled pike . . a florentine in puff-paste . . a calves head , the one halfhashed , and the other broiled . . a haunch of venison rosted . . a venison pasty . . a couple of fat capons , or a pig , or both . the second course . . a dish of partridges . . an artichoke pie. . a dish of quails . . a cold pigeou pie. . a souced pig. . a ioll of fresh salmon . . a dish of tarts of several sorts . . a westphalia gammon and dried tongues about it . a bill of fare in winter in great houses . . a collar of brawn . a capon and white broth , or two boiled rabbets . . two rosted neats tongues and an udder between them . . a chine of beef rosted . . a made dish in puffpaste . . a shoulder of mutton stuffed with oisters . . a fine sallad of divers sorts of herbs and pickles . . an eel pie or some other pie. . three young turkies in a dish . . a dish of souced fish , what is most in season . the second course in winter in great houses . . a quarter of lamb rosted , the ioints larded with several things , and rosted asunder . . a couple of rabbets . . a kickshaw fried . . a dish of mallard or teals . . a cold venison pasty , or other cold baked meat . . a dish of snites . . a quince or warden pie. . a dish of tarts . . a ioll of sturgeon . . a dish of pickled oisters . a bill of fare for fish days in great houses and at familiar times . . a dish of milk , as furmity , or the like . . a dish of stewed oisters or buttered eggs. . a boiled gurnet , or such like . . a dish of barrel cod buttered . . a dish of buttered loaves or fryed toasts . . a pasty made of a ioll of ling. . a potato pie , or skirret pie. . a dish of plaice or flounders . . a piece of salt salmon . . a carp pie cold , or lamprey pie. the second course to the same . . a dish of eels spitchcockt . . a chine of salmon broiled . . a dish of oisters fried . . an apple pie buttered . . a dish of fried smelts . . a dish of buttered shrimps . . a dish of skirrets fried . . two lobsters in a dish . . a dish of pickled oisters . . a dish of anchovies . when all these are taken away , then serve in your cheeses of all sorts , and also your creams and iellies , and svveet-meats after them if they be required . thus i have done with the bills of fare in great houses , although it be impossible to name half which are in season for one meal ; but this will serve you for the number of dishes , and any person who is ingenious , may leave out some , and put in other at pleasure . a bill of fare for gentlemens houses of lesser quality , by which you may also know how to order any family beneath another , which is very requisite . the first course in summer season . . a boiled pike or carp stewed . . a very fine pudding boiled . . a chine of veal , and another of mutton . . a calves head pie. . a leg of mutton rosted whole . . a couple of capons , or a pig , or a piece of rost beef , or boiled beef . . a sallad , the best in season . the second course to the same . . a dish of fat chickens rosted . . a cold venison pastie . . a dish of fried pasties . . a ioll of fresh salmon . . a couple of lobsters . . a dish of tarts . . a gammon of bacon or dried tongues . after these are taken away , then serve in your cheese and fruit , note , that this bill of fare is for familiar times . a bill of fare for gentlemens houses at familiar times in winter season . the first course . . a collar of brawn . . a rosted tongue and udder . . a leg of pork boiled . . a piece of rost beef . . a venison pasty or other pie. . a marrow pudding . . a goose , or turkie , or pig. . a sallad of what 's in season . the second course to the same . . two ioints of lamb rosted . . a couple of rabbets . . a dish of wild fowl or larks , . a goose or turkie pie cold . . a fried dish . . sliced venison cold . . a dish of tarts or custards , . a gammon of bacon , or dried tongues , or both in one dish . when these are taken away , serve in your cheese and fruit as before i have told you . a bill of fare for gentlemens houses upon fish days , and at familiar times . . a dish of buttered eggs. . an almond pudding buttered . . a dish of barrel cod buttered . . a sallad of what 's in season . . a dish of fresh fish boiled . . a dish of eels spitchcokt . . an oister pie or herring pie. . a frieasie of eels and oisters . . a carp pie cold , or lamprey pie. the second course to the same . . an apple pie buttered , or some pancakes or fritters . . a dish of sried smelts . . a dish of broiled fish . a dish of buttered crabs . . a dish of lobsters and prawns . . a ioll of sturgeon or fresh salmon . . a dish of tarts or custards . . a dish of anchovies or pickled herring . when these are taken away , serve in your cheese and fruit as before i have told you . now because i would have every one compleat who have a desire to serve in noble or great houses , i shall here shew them what their office requires ; and , first , for the kitchin , because without that we shall look lean , and grow faint quickly . the cook , whether man or woman , ought to be very well skilled in all manner of things both fish and flesh , also good at pastry business , seasoning of all things , and knowing all kinds of sauces , and pickling all manner of pickles , in making all manner of meat iellies ; also very frugal of their lord's or of their master's , ladies or mistresses purse , very saving , cleanly and careful , obliging to all persons , kind to those under them . and willing to inform them , quiet in their office , not swearing nor cursing , nor wrangling , but silently and ingeniously to do their business , and neat and quick about it ; they ought also to have a very good fancy , such an one , whether man or woman , deserves the title of a fit cook. for the maid under such a cook. she ought to be of a quick and nimble apprehension , neat and cleanly in her own habit , and then we need not doubt of it in her office ; not to dress her self , especially her head , in the kitchin , for that is abominable fluttish , but in her chamber , before she comes down , and that to be at a fit hour , that the fire may be made , and all things prepared for the cook , against he or she comes in ; she must not have a sharp tongue , but humble ; pleasing , and willing to learn , for ill words may provoke blows from a cook , their heads being always filled with the contrivance of their business , which may cause them to be peevish and sroward , if provoked to it ; this maid ought also to have a good memory , and not to sorget from one day to another what should be done , nor to leave any manner of thing foul at night , neither in the kitchin , nor larders , to keep her iron things and others clean scowred , and the floors clean as well as places above them , not to sit up junketting and gigling with fellows , when she should be in bed , such an one is a consumer of her masters goods , and no better than a thief ; and besides , such behaviour savoureth much of levity . but such an one that will take the counsel i have seriously given , will not only make her superiors happy in a good servant , but she will make her self happy also ; for by her industry she may come one day to be mistress over others . now to the butler . he ought to be gentile and neat in his habit , and in his behaviour , courteous to all people , yet very saving of his masters goods , and to order himself in his office as a faithful steward , charge and do all things for the honour of his master or lady , not suffering their wine or strong drink to be devoured by ill companions , nor the small to be drawn out in waste , nor pieces of good bread to lie to mould and spoil , he must keep his vessels close stopped , and his bottles sweet , his cellars clean washed , and his buttery clean , and his bread-bins wholsom and sweet , his knives whetted , his glasses clean washed that there be no dimness upon them when they come to be used , all his plate clean and bright , his table , basket and linnen very neat , he must be sure to have all things of sauce ready which is for him to bring forth , that it may not be to be fetched when it is called for , as oil , vinegar , sugar , salt , mustard , oranges and limons , and also some pepper ; he must also be very neat and handy in laying the clothes for the chief table , and also the side boards , in laying his napkins in several fashions , and pleiting them , to set his glasse ; , plate , and trencher-plates in order upon the side-boards , his water-glasses , oranges or limons ; that he be careful to set the salts on the table , and to lay a knife , spoon and fork at every-plate , that his bread be chipped before he brings it in ; that he set drink to warm in due time if the season require ; that he observe a fit time to set chairs or stools , that he have his cistern ready to set his drink in , that none be spilt about the room , to wash the glasses when any one hath drunk , and to wait diligently on them at the table , not filling the glasses too full ; such an one may call himself a butler . to the carver . if any gentleman who attends the table , be employed or commanded to cut up any fowl or pig , or any thing else whatsoever , it is requisite that he have a clean napkin upon his arm , and a knife and fork for his use , that he take that dish he should carve from the table till he hath made it ready for his superiours to eat , and neatly and handsomly to carve it , not touching of it so near as he can with his fingers , but if he chance unawares to do so , not to lick his fingers , but wipe them upon a cloth , or his napkin , which he hath for that purpose ; for otherwise it is unhandsom and unmannerly ; the neatest carvers never touch any meat but with the knife & fork ; he must be very nimble lest the meat cool too much , and when he hath done , return it to the table again , putting away his carving napkin , and take a clean one to wait withal ; he must be very gentile and gallant in his habit lest he be deemed unfit to attend such persons . to all other men-servants or maid-servants who commonly attend such tables . they must all be neat and cleanly in their habit , and keep their heads clean kembed , alwaies ready at the least call , and very attentive to hear any one at the table , to set chairs or stools , and not to give any a foul napkin , but see that every one whom their lord or master is pleased to admit to their table , have every thing which is fit for them , and that they change their plates when need shall be ; also that they observe the eyes of a stranger what they want , and not force them still to want because they are silent , because it is not very modest for an inferiour to speak aloud before their betters ; and it is more unfit they should want , since they have leave to eat & drink : they must wait diligently , and at a distance from the table , not daring to lean on the chaires for soiling them , or shewing rudeness ; for to lean on a chair when they wait is a particular favour shewn to any superiour servant , as the chief gentleman , or the waiting woman when she rises from the table ; they must not hold the plates before their mouths to be defiled with their breath nor touch them on the right side ; when the lord , master , lady or mistress shew that favour to drink to any inferiour , and do command them to fill sor them to pledge them , it is not moeesty for them to deny strangers that favour , as commonly they do , but to fulfil their commands , or else they dishonour the favour . when any dish is taken off the table , they must not set it down for dogs to eat , nor eat it themselves by the way , but haste into the kitchin with it to the cook , that he may see what is to be set away , and what to be kept hot for servants ; when all is taken away , and thanks given , they must help the butler out with those things which belong to him , that he may not lose his dinner . they must be careful also to lay the cloth for themselves , and see that nothing be wanting at the table , and to call the rest of the servants to meals , whose office was not to wait at the table , then to sit down in a handsom manner , and to be courteous to every stranger , especially the servants of those persons whom their lord or master hath a kindness for . if any poor body comes to ask an alms , do not shut the door against them rudely , but be modest and civil to them , and see if you can procure somewhat for them , and think with your selves , that though you are now full fed , and well cloathed , and free from care , yet you know not what may be your condition another day : so much to inferiour servants . to the gentlewomen who have the charge of the sweet-meats , and such like repasts . gentlewomen , perhaps you do already know what belongs to serving in fine cream cheeses , iellies , leaches or sweet-meats , or to set forth banquets as well as i do ; but ( pardon me ) i speak not to any knowing person , but to the ignorant , because they may not remain so ; besides really there are new modes come up now adays for eating and drinking , as well as for cloaths , and the most knowing of you all may perhaps find somewhat here which you have not already seen ; and for the ignorant , i am sure they may ground themselves very well from hence in many accomplishments , and truly i have taken this pains to impart these things for the general good of my country , as well as my own , and have done it with the more willingness , since i find so many gentlewomen forced to serve , whose parents and friends have been impoverished by the lare calamities , viz. the late wars , plague , and fire , and to see what mean places they are forced to be in , because they want accomplishments for better . i am blamed by many for divulging these secrets , and again commended by others for my love and charity for so doing ; but however i am better satisfied with imparting them , than to let them die with me ; and if i do not live to have the comfort of your thanks , yet i hope it will cause you to speak well of me when i am dead : the books which before this i have caused to be put in print , found so good an acceptance , as that i shall still go on in imparting what i yet have , so fast as i can . now to begin with the ordering those things named to you : if it be but a private dinner or supper in a noble house , where there they have none to honour above themselves , i presume it may be thus ; in summer time , when the meat is all taken away , you may present your several sorts of cream cheeses ; one meal one dish of cream of one sort , the next , of another ; one or two scollop dishes with several sorts of eruit , which if it be small fruit , as raspes or strawberries , they must be first washed in wine in a dish or bason , and taken up between two spoons , that you touch them not . with them you may serve three or four small dishes also with sweet meats , such as are most in season , with vine leaves and flowers between the dishes and the plates , two wet sweet meats , and two dry , two of one colour , and two of another , or all of several colours . also a dish of iellies of several colours in one dish , if such be required . if any be left , you may melt them again , and put them into lesser glasses , and they will be for another time : if any dry ones be left , they are soon put into the boxes again . if any persons come in the afternoon , if no greater , or so great as the person who entertains them , then you may present one or two dishes of cream only , and a whipt sillibub , or other , with about four dishes of sweet-meats served in , in like manner as at dinner , with dishes of fruit , and some kind of wine of your own making ; at evenings , especially on fasting daies at night , it is fit to present some pretty kind of creams , contrary from those at dinner , or instead of them some possets , or other fine spoon meats , which may be pleasaut to the taste , with some wet and dry sweet-meats , and some of your fine drinks , what may be most pleasing . at a feast , you may present these things ollowing . so soon as the meat is quite taken away , have in readiness your cream cheeses of several sorts and of several colours upon a salver , then some fresh cheese with wine and sugar , another dish of cloured cream , and a noch with cabbage cream of several colours , like a cabbage ; then all sorts of fruits in season , set forth as followeth : first , you must have a large salver made of light kind of wood , that it may not be too heavy for the servitor to carry , it must be painted over , and large enough to hold six plates round about and one larger one in the middle , there must be places made in it to set the plates in , that they may be very fast and sure from sliding , and that in the middle the seat must be much higher than all the rest , because that is most graceful ; your plates must not be so broad as the trencher plates at meat , and should be either of silver or china . set your plates fast , then fill every one with several sorts of fruits , and the biggest sort in the middle , you must lay them in very good order , and pile them up till one more will not lie ; then stick them with little green sprigs and fine flowers , such as you fancy best ; then serve in another such salver , with plates piled up with all manner of sweet-meats , the wet sweet-meats round about and the dry in the middle , your wet sweet-meats must be in little glasses that you may set the more on , and between every two glasses another above the first of all , and one on the top of them all ; you must put of all sorts of dryed sweet-meats in the middle plate , first your biggest and then your lesser , till you can lay no more ; then stick them all with flowers , and serve them : and in the bason of water you send in to wash the hands or fingers of noble persons , you must put in some orange flower water , which is very rare and very pleasant . in winter you must alter , as to the season , but serve all in this manner ; and then dryed fruits will also be very acceptable , as dryed pears and pippins , candied oranges and limons , citrons and eringoes , blanched almonds , prunelles , figs , raisins , pistachoes and blanched walnuts . finis . the contents . the contents of the first part. a. artichoke cream . almond pudding . almond pudding . artichokes kept . almond ielly white . almond paste . almond butter . apricocks dried apricocks in lumps . apricocks dried clear . almond bread. almond milk. ib. angelica candied . apricocks preserved . almond cakes . almonds candied . almond butter white . artificial walnuts almond ginger-bread . ale to drink speedily . ale very rare . aqua mirabilis . b. bisket pudding . black pudding . bisket very fine . banbury cake . barberries candied . bean bread. barberries preserved without fire . bullace preserved . black iuice of licor as . barberries preserved . bisket cake . balm water green. bisket crange , limon or citron . c. clouted cream . cream of divers things . card pudding . clove sugar . cinamon sugar . cake without sugar . cullis or ielly . ib. comfits of all sorts . caudle for a sick body . ib. candy as hard as a rock . carroway cake . cherries in ielly . cordial for sleep . consumption . cordial syrup . ib. cornish cake . cakes very fine . ib. cider clear . clear perry . ib. caroway cake . cake . cornelions preserved . currans in ielly . chaculato . custard for a consumption . chips of fruit. chip . of orange or limon . candied carots . conserve of barberries . cordial . cakes to keep long . cakes with almonds . court perfumes . china broth. crystal ielly . conserve of violets . cakes very good cakes of violets collops like bacon in sweet-meats . cough of the lungs . cordial infusion . ib. cakes very short . conserve of red roses . cucumbers pickled . cake with almonds . cake with almonds . cordial cake without fruit. consumption . chine cough . cream . ib. cabbage-cream . cakes of quinces . ib. consumption ale. consumption . cream very fine . cucumbers pickled . candied flowers . clouted cream . cough of the lungs . cordial . cordial . b . cock. water most excellent . cordial cherry water . cordial orange water . d. damask powder for cloths . dumplings . dumplings . dumplings . b . distilled roses . diet bread. damsons preserved . damsons preserved white . damson wine . devonshire white-pot . doctor butlers water . doctor chambers water . e. elder water . f. french bisket flowers candied . figs dried . flowers the best way to candy . froth posset . flowers kept long . french bread. g. green pudding . green ginger wet . grapes dried grapes kept fresh . ginger-bread . green walnuts preserved . gooseberries preserved . gooseberry fool. grapes preserved . gooseberry wine . gooseberries green . griping of the guts . h. hipocras . heart water . i. irish aquavitae . italian bisket . iumtolds . ielly of pippins . ielly of quinces . ielly of harts-horn . iuice of licor as white . ielly very good . iringo ro●t candied . ielly of currans . l. lemonalo . limon sallad . leach white . leach yellow . ib. leach of ginger . ib. leach of cinamon . ib. leach of dates . limons preserved . leach . lozenges perfumed . limon cream . limon cakes . limon water . m. mustard . mustard . ib. marmalade of limons . marmalade of oranges . ib. muck sugar . marmalade of quinces . ib. mushroms pickled . marmalade of cherries marmalade of oranges . marmalade of cornelions marmalade white . medlars preserved . marmalade of pippins . marmalade of wardens . ib. marmalade of damsons . marchpane . marmalade of apricocks . morphew or freckles . marmalade of oranges . made dish . marmalade of cherries and currans . marmalade of apricocks . melancholy water . n. naples bisket . o. oatmeal pudding . oranges in ielly preserv'd orange pudding . oranges and limons to preserve p. pickled oisters . pickled french beans . ib. pickled barberries . powdered beef kept long . pudding to rost . pudding of calves feet . pudding of rasberries . ib. pudding of hogs liver . pudding of cake . pudding of rice . paste of pomewaters . punch . ib. prunes stewed without fire . pickled oranges or limons . potato bisket . parsnep bisket . paste short without butter . puffpaste . puffpaste . pistachio cakes . powder for the hair. pears or pippins dried . pippins dry and clear . perfume to burn . perfumed gloves . perfume to burn . ib. pomatum . pippins in ielly . posset . posset with sack. ib. posset . plumbs dried . preserved pears dried . pretty sweet-meat . paste for the hands . plumbs dried naturally . pears dried . pippins dried . pippins green preserved . peachs preserved . phtisick drink . paste of pippins . paste royal . paste of pippins . paste of plumbs . plain bisket cake . posset without milk. pennado . purslane pickled . portugal eggs. perfumed roses . palsie water by dr. mathias . plague water . precious water . plague water . q. quaking pudding . quince pickled . r. roses kept long . rose leaves dried . red quinces whole . rasberry sugar . rasberry wine . red roses preserved . rasberries preserved . rosa solis . rosemary water . s. scotch brewis . syrup of rarberries , or other fruits , as grapes , &c. syrup of citrons . sugar plate . syrup of roses or other flowers . sack posset . sillibub . spanish candr . syrup of gilliflowers . seed stuff of rasberries . syrup for a cough . syrup of violets . syrup for a cold. syrup of turneps . signs of small pox taken away . sugar plate . snow cream . shrewsbury cakes . sillibuh . sack posset . sheeps guts stretched . samphire boiled . stepony or raisin wine sillibub whipt . syrup of ale. syrup of turneps sugar cakes . signs of small pox taken away . surfet water the best . sweet water . snail water . spirit of oranges and limons . spirit of mints . soveraign water . t. to cast all kinds of shapes , and to colour them tufftaffity cream . thick cream . trifle . tincture of caroways . treacle water . w. vvalnuts kept long . white plates to eat . white quinces preserved . water gruel . wafer . water against infection . wormwood water . walnut water . water for the stone . water for fainting . the end of the contents of the first part. the contents of the second part. a. artichoke suckers dressed . artichoke cream . artichoke pie. artichoke pudding . artichokes kept long . artichokes stewed . artichokes fried . ib. artichok-pudding . almond pudding . apple tansie . an amulet . almond pudding . angelot cheese . apple puffs . almond tart. b. brown metheglin . beef collered . barlie cream . barlie broth without meat . barlie broth with meat . ib. balls to take out stains . broth of a lambs head. beef-pie very good . blanched manchet . bullocks cheek baked to eat hot . bullocks cheek baked to eat cold ib. bacon froize . c. cheesecakes . cheesecakes . chicken pie. collar of brawn . capon boiled . cracknels . codling cream . cheese very good . cucumbers boiled . collops of bacon and eggs. cabbage pottage . capon with white broth calves foot pie. carp pie. calves head pie. calves chaldron pie with puddings in it . coleflower pickled . cheese loaves . custards very fine . cods head boiled . chicken pie. capon boiled . chickens boiled with goosberries chickens boiled with grapes . capon baked cambridge pudding . chiveridge pudding . calves tongue hashed capon boiled . ib. capon boiled with rice . capon boiled with pippins . ib. chickens boiied with lettuce chickens snsoored . calves feet hashed . chickens in white broth. capon rosted with oisters . calves head with oisters . carp pie. consumption remedy . d. dried tongues . delicate pies . ducks boi'ed . e elder vinegar . eeles and pike together . eeles rosted with b con . ee's and oister pie. egg pie. eel pie. eel souced and collered . eels stewed . eels in broth. f. fresh cheese . furmity . furmity with meat broth. furmity with almonds . ib. french pottage . fricasies of several sorts . fricasie of sheeps feet . fried toasts . fritters . fricasie of oisters . fricasie of eels . fresh salmon boiled . french broth. fine washing balls for the hands . french servels . florentine baked . friday pie without fish or flesh. fritters . farced pudding . fricasie of eggs. french puffs . flounders boiled . g. green tansie . gravie broth. goose dried . goose giblets with sausages . garden beans fried . gurnet boiled . goose baked . goose giblets boiled with roots and horbs . goose giblets boiled . ib. grand sallad . gammon of bacon pie. green sauce for pork . h. hasty pudding . hasty pudding . ib. hare pie. hashed meats . herring pie. herb pie. haunch of venison rosted . haunch of venison boiled . haggus pudding . hasty pudding . i. italian pudding . ice and snow . k. kick shaws to bake or fry . l lobsters buttered . liver fritters . ib. loaves to butter . limon cakes . loaves of curds . lobsters rosted . lamb pie. leg of mutton rosted . leg of mutton boiled . leg of mutton with oisters . loin of mutton stewed . lark pie . lettuce pie . lampry pie . lenten ●… . metheglin misers for childrens collation . minced pies . made dish of rabbet livers . mutton smoored . mutton smoored . mutton pie. n. neats tongue pie. neats tongue rosted . neats tongue hashed . neck of mutton boiled . neck of mutton stewed . nuts fried . o. oatmeal pudding . olio of several meats . oisters and eels in a pie. oisters and parsneps in a pie. oister pie. oranges and limons in ielly . oisters fried . oisters broiled . ib. oisters rosted . olives of veal . oatmeal pudding . ib. oat-cakes . olive pie. ib. p. puddings in balls . pigeons boiled . pasty of veal . pigeon pie. ib. pork rosted without the skin . pig rosted like lamb. potted fowl. parsnep pie with oisters . pig pie . pudding of manchet . pompion pie . pompion fryed . ib. pike rosted and larded . pomander very fine . pompion pie . pickled sprats . pasty of ling. pallat pie . pippin paste . pasties to fry . pigeons boiled with rice . pigeons boiled with gooseberries pippin tart. pancakes crisp . pudding of goose bloud . pudding of liver . ib. pigeons boiled with capers and samphire . partridges boiled . pike boiled with oisters . pig rosted with a pudding in his belly . pippins stewed . pig rosted without the skin , with a pudding in his belly . pancakes crisp . pancakes very good paste very good . paste to raise . ib. paste for baked meat to eat cold . pie of veal . ib. pie of shrimps or prawns . pie of rosted kidney . potato pie. pig pie. ib. pork pie. pudding of french barlie . pomander very fine . pudding of wine . pudding of hogs lights . ib. posset pie. pippins dried . poached eggs. pippin paste . pippins stewed . q. quodling cream . quinces to look white . quince pie very good . r. rump of beef boiled . rolls for noble tables . rolls very short , rasberry tart. rabbets with sansages . rice cream . rabbet boiled . rice pudding . rabbet boiled with grapes . rabbet boiled with claret . ib. red deer pie. rock of sweet meats . s. souced veal . sauce for mutton . summer dish . souced pig. several sallads . several sallads . soles dressed very fine . spinage tart. stewed fish. spanish pap. sallad of cold meat . sheeps tongues with oisters . scotch collops . shoulder of venison , or shoulder of mutton rosted in blood. stewed pig. steak pie with puddings . salmon dressed by infusion . stewed carps in blood . stump pie. sauce for fowl. sorrel sallad . sallad cold . ib sauce for veal . sauce for a leg of mutton . ib. souced fish. swan baked . small birds baked . stewed pudding . sussex pudding . sausages boiled . shell-fish fried . steak , pie. shoulder of venison rosted , sallads boiled . shoulder of veal boiled . stewed broth good . sallad of salmon . shoulder of mutton with oisters . stewed artichokes . sauce for fowl. sauce for partridges . ib. sauce for quails . salmon pie. shaking pudding . stone cream . snow cream . sussex pancake . snow and ice . sillibub . sack posset . sugar plate . sallad in winter . sallad in winter . ib. sorrel sops . scotch brewis . t. to boil a teal or wigeon . turkey baked . trouts stewed toasts of veal fried . tart of several sweet-meats treacle wine . v. venison baked to keep . umble pies . veal smoored . veal rosted with farcing herbs . veal fried . venison pasty . vin de molosso . w. wild fowls boiled white broth with meat . white broth without meat . ib. white pot. whitings boiled , postcript . now good readers , here are three hundred and ten choice receipts added for a second part of the queen-like closet , and you may i am sure make many more of them if you observe how many i have taught in one ; if i had not taken that course , only for brevity sake , & that it might not be tedious and impertinent to you , i might have enlarged this volume very much . finis . countrey contentments, or the english husvvife containing the inward and outward vertues which ought to be in a compleate woman. as her skill in physicke, surgerie, extraction of oyles, banqueting-stuffe, ordering of great feasts, preseruing of all sorts of wines, conceited secrets, distillations, perfumes, ordering of wooll, hempe, flax, making cloth, dying, the knowledge of dayries, office of malting, oats, their excellent vses in a family, brewing, baking, and all other things belonging to an houshold. a worke generally approued, and now much augmented, purged and made most profitable and necessarie for all men, and dedicated to the honour of the noble house of exceter, and the generall good of this kingdome. by g.m. markham, gervase, ?- . approx. kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from -bit group-iv tiff page images. text creation partnership, ann arbor, mi ; oxford (uk) : - (eebo-tcp phase ). a stc estc s this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons . universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase , no. a ) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set ) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, - ; : ) countrey contentments, or the english husvvife containing the inward and outward vertues which ought to be in a compleate woman. as her skill in physicke, surgerie, extraction of oyles, banqueting-stuffe, ordering of great feasts, preseruing of all sorts of wines, conceited secrets, distillations, perfumes, ordering of wooll, hempe, flax, making cloth, dying, the knowledge of dayries, office of malting, oats, their excellent vses in a family, brewing, baking, and all other things belonging to an houshold. a worke generally approued, and now much augmented, purged and made most profitable and necessarie for all men, and dedicated to the honour of the noble house of exceter, and the generall good of this kingdome. by g.m. markham, gervase, ?- . [ ], , - , - [i.e. ], [ ] p. by i[ohn] b[eale], for r. iackson, and are to be sold at his shop neere fleet-streete conduit, printed at london : . dedication signed: geruase markham. an enlarged version of part of his: countrey contentments, in two bookes. printer's name from stc. the last leaf is blank. p. misnumbered . also issued as part of his: a way to get wealth, . reproduction of the original in the british library. created by converting tcp files to tei p using tcp tei.xsl, tei @ oxford. re-processed by university of nebraska-lincoln and northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. gap elements of known extent have been transformed into placeholder characters or elements to simplify the filling in of gaps by user contributors. eebo-tcp is a partnership between the universities of michigan and oxford and the publisher proquest to create accurately transcribed and encoded texts based on the image sets published by proquest via their early english books online (eebo) database (http://eebo.chadwyck.com). the general aim of eebo-tcp is to encode one copy (usually the first edition) of every monographic english-language title published between and available in eebo. eebo-tcp aimed to produce large quantities of textual data within the usual project restraints of time and funding, and therefore chose to create diplomatic transcriptions (as opposed to critical editions) with light-touch, mainly structural encoding based on the text encoding initiative (http://www.tei-c.org). the eebo-tcp project was divided into two phases. the , texts created during phase of the project have been released into the public domain as of january . anyone can now take and use these texts for their own purposes, but we respectfully request that due credit and attribution is given to their original source. users should be aware of the process of creating the tcp texts, and therefore of any assumptions that can be made about the data. text selection was based on the new cambridge bibliography of english literature (ncbel). if an author (or for an anonymous work, the title) appears in ncbel, then their works are eligible for inclusion. selection was intended to range over a wide variety of subject areas, to reflect the true nature of the print record of the period. in general, first editions of a works in english were prioritized, although there are a number of works in other languages, notably latin and welsh, included and sometimes a second or later edition of a work was chosen if there was a compelling reason to do so. image sets were sent to external keying companies for transcription and basic encoding. quality assurance was then carried out by editorial teams in oxford and michigan. % (or pages, whichever is the greater) of each text was proofread for accuracy and those which did not meet qa standards were returned to the keyers to be redone. after proofreading, the encoding was enhanced and/or corrected and characters marked as illegible were corrected where possible up to a limit of instances per text. any remaining illegibles were encoded as <gap>s. understanding these processes should make clear that, while the overall quality of tcp data is very good, some errors will remain and some readable characters will be marked as illegible. users should bear in mind that in all likelihood such instances will never have been looked at by a tcp editor. the texts were encoded and linked to page images in accordance with level of the tei in libraries guidelines. copies of the texts have been issued variously as sgml (tcp schema; ascii text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable xml (tcp schema; characters represented either as utf- unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless xml (tei p , characters represented either as utf- unicode or tei g elements). keying and markup guidelines are available at the text creation partnership web site . eng home economics -- england -- early works to . - tcp assigned for keying and markup - spi global keyed and coded from proquest page images - olivia bottum sampled and proofread - olivia bottum text and markup reviewed and edited - pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion covntrey contentments , or the english husvvife . containing the inward and outward vertues which ought to be in a compleate woman . as her skill in physicke , surgerie , extraction of oyles , banqueting-stuffe , ordering of great feasts , preseruing of all sorts of wines , conceited secrets , distillations , perfumes , ordering of wooll , hempe , flax , making cloth , dying , the knowledge of dayries , office of malting , oats , their excellent vses in a family , brewing , baking , and all other things belonging to an houshold . a worke generally approued , and now much augmented , purged and made most profitable and necessarie for all men , and dedicated to the honour of the noble house of exceter , and the generall good of this kingdome . by g. m. printed at london by i. b. for r. iackson , and are to be sold at his shop neere fleet-streete conduit . . to the right honovrable and most excellentest of all ladies , frances , countesse dowager of exceter . howsoeuer ( right honourable and most vertuous ladie ) this booke may come to your noble goodnesse clothed in an old name or garment , yet doubtlesse ( excellent madam ) it is full of many new vertues which will euer admire and serue you ; and though it can adde nothing to your owne rare and vnparalleld knowledge , yet may it to those noble good ones ( which will endeauour any small sparke of your imitation ) bring such a light , as may make them shine with a great deale of charitie . i doe not assume to my selfe ( though i am not altogether ignorant in abilitie to iudge of these things ) the full inuention and scope of this whole worke : for it is true ( great lady ) that much of it was a manuscript which many yeeres agon belonged to an honourable contesse , one of the greatest glories of our kingdome , and were the opinions of the greatest physitions which then liued ; which being now approued by one not inferiour to any of that profession , i was the rather imboldned to send it to your blessed hand , knowing you to be a mistresse so full of honourable pietie and goodnesse , that although this imperfit offer may come vnto you weake and disable , yet your noble vertue will support it , and make it so strong in the world , that i doubt not but it shall doe seruice to all those which will serue you , whilest my selfe and my poore prayers shall to my last gaspe labour to attend you . the true admirer of your noble vertues , gervase markham . the table . chap. . the inward vertues of the huswife . her garments . her diet and generall vertues , as first in physicke . feuors and their kinds . . to make one sweate . a preseruatiue against the plague . to draw a plague botch to any place . a cordiall against infection . against sweating . for the headach . . for the frenzie . for the lethargie . to prouoke sleepe . . for swimming of the head . for the palsey . for all colds or coughes . . for the falling sicknesse . to helpe hearing . . for the rhume . . for a stinking breath . . for the toothach . . for all sore eyes . . for a canker . . . for swelling in the mouth . for the quinsey or squinacie . . for drunkennesse . to quicken wit. for the kings euill . to stanch bleeding . . . . to draw out bones . for falling of the mold of the head . for stinking nostrels , and of the nose . to make haire grow . . for a pimpled saucie face . , for horsenesse in the throte . for griefe in the stomake . . for spitting blood . to stay vomiting . to cause vomiting . for the ilica-passio . for paine in the brest . for the mother . for obstructions in the liuer . . against heate in the liuer . for the plurasie . for any stich. . for a consumption . for the yellow iandise . for the black iandise . for a ring-worme . . for the dropsie . for paine in the spleene . . for paine in the side . for fatnesse or short breath . . for diseases in the heart . for the wind-cholick . for a laske or loosenes . . . . for the bloody flux . . for cosi●enesse . . for all sorts of wormes . for hardnesse of the belly . for the rupture . . for the stone . . . for the cholick and stone . to helpe the vrine . . for the strang●llion . for the gonorea . for the emorods . for diseases in the fundament . for the greene s●icknesse . to increase milke . . to drie vp milke . for sore brests . . for ease in child-bearing . child dead in the wombe . . for aptnesse to conceiue . to cease the termes . helpe for the matrix . helpe in the childbed for morphew of both kinds . for the gout . for the siatica . . for the stinging of venemus beasts . . for swellings in the leggs . . for old or new sores . . . . . . . . for scabs or itch. . . for the leprosie . priuie parts burnt . for any burning . . . for scaldings . to eate away dead flesh . . for sinews out or shrunke . . to helpe impostumes . to helpe tht skarres of the small pox. for the french pox. . for pricking with a thorne . for any ache or swelling . for bruses . for bones broke or out of ioynt . . a bath to comfort the body . to make oyle of swallowes . the oyle of camomile or lauender . to make oyle of roses or violet . oyle of nutmegs . oyle of spike or mastick . oyle to make smooth hands . of doctor steuens water . a restoratiue of rosa-solis . chap. . the outward and actiue knowledge of the hous-wife . the knowledge of hearbs and gardening . . . of cookerie and the seuerall parts . of sall●ts simple and compound . . . of fricases simple and compound . . of collops and eggs. the best tansey . fritters of all sorts . . to make pancakes . veale toasts . to make any quelquechose . to make all sorts of puddings . . . to make linkes to make all sorts of boyld meates or pottage . from to to make oleopotrigo . to make broth for fresh-fish . to make all sorts of roast-meats . . . . . . the obseruations in rost-meates . . spitting of rost meates . the temperature of the fire . the complexion of meates . the best basting and dredging . to know whem meate is enough . all sorts of sauces . . . . . to make gallantines or chauders . to make all sorts of carbonad●s . . tosting of mutton . rashers of mutton or lambe . the dressing of all kind of fish. . . sauce for any fish. to make pastery and all sorts of bak't-meates . from to the mixture of pasts . to make a norffolke foole. to make a trifle . to recouer venison that is tainted . to preserue quinces to bake all the yeere . . . tarts of al 's sorts . from to to make a florentine . to make a whitepot . to make all sorts of banqueting stuffe and conceited dishes . from to to make all sorts of conserues . . to make waffers . to make a fine bread . to make ipocras . . to make all sorts of preserues . the ordering of great feasts . a proportion for expence in feasts . of all sorts of distillations , . . . . . . the natures of waters . hipocrates sixe famous waters . waters for perfumes . to perfume gloues , ierkins , &c. . to make washing balls . to make muske balls . to make perfume to burne . to make all sorts of vinegar . . to make veriuyce . to make all sorts of sweete baggs . to make powder for baggs . the ordering , choyce , helping and curing of all sorts of wines . from to the notes and markes for gadging of all wines , oyles or liquors . the contents of wines . chap. . of wooll and woolling cloth . dying of wooll . . . the mixing of colours . the oyling of wooll . the tumming and spinning wooll . of winding , waping and weauing . the ordering of flaxe , hempe , and making of all kind of linnen cloth , from page to page . chap. . of daries , butter , cheese , and all things belonging to that office , from page to page chap. . the office of the malster , and all the secrets belonging to that knowledge , from page to pag of oate-meale and the vse . chap. . the excellencie of oates , and the seuerall profits arising from it , from page to page chap. . the office of the brew-house , back-house , and all things depending vpon the vse of bread or drinke , from page to page the making of perry or cider . country contentments , or the approued booke called the english hous-wife . containing all the vertuous knowledges and actions both of minde and body , which ought to bee in any compleat hous-wife , of what degree or calling soeuer . chap. i. of the inward vertues of the minde which ought to be in euery hous-wife . and first of her generall knowledges both in phisicke and surgerie , with plaine approued medicynes for health of the house-hold , also the extraction of excellent oyles fit for those purposes . hauing already in a summary briefenesse passed through those outward parts of husbandrie which belong vnto the perfit husbandman , who is the father and master of the family , and whose office and imployments are euer for the most part abroad , or remoued from the house , as in the field or yarde : it is now meete that we descend in as orderly a method as wee can , to the office of our english hous-wife , who is the mother and mistris of the family , and hath her most generall imployments within the house ; where from the generall example of her vertues , and the most approued skill of her knowledges , those of her family may both learne to serue god , and sustaine man in that godly & profitable sort which is required of euery true christian. first then to speake of the inward vertues of her minde ; shee ought , aboue all things , to be of an vpright and sincere religion , and in the same both zealous and constant ; giuing by her example , an incitement and spurre vnto all her family to pursue the same steppes , and to vtter forth by the instruction of her life , those vertuous fruits of good-liuing , which shall be pleasing both to god and his creatures ; i do not meane that herein she should vtterforth that violēce of spirit which many of our ( vainely accounted pure ) women do , drawing a contempt vpon the ordinary ministery , and thinking nothing lawful but the fantazies of their own inuentions , vsurping to themselues a power of preaching and interpreting the holy word , to which only they ought to be but hearers and beleeuers , or at the most but modest perswaders , this is not the office either of good hous-wife or good woman . but let our english hus-wife be a godly , constant , and religious woman , learning from the worthy preacher & her husband , those good examples which shee shall with all carefull diligence see exercised amongst her seruants . in which practise of hers , what particular rules are to be obserued , i leaue her to learne of them who are professed diuines , and haue purposely written of this argument ; onely thus much will i say , which each ones experience will teach him to be true , that the more carefull the master and mistris are to bring vp their seruants in the dayly exercises of religion toward god , the more faithfull they shall find them in all their businesses towards men , and procure gods fauour the more plentifully on all the household : & therefore a small time morning and euening bestowed in prayers , and other exercises or religion , will proue no ●ost time at the weekes end . next vnto this sanctity & holinesse of life , it is meete that our english hous-wife be a woman of great modesty and temperance as well inwardly as outwardly ; inwardly , as in ●er behauiour and cariage towards her husband , wherein she shall shunne all violence of rage , passion and humour , coueting lesse to direct then to bee directed , appearing euer vnto him pleasant , amiable and delightfull ; and though occasion , mishaps , or the misgouernement of his will may ●nduce her to contrarie thoughts , yet vertuously to suppresse them , and with a milde sufferance rather to call him ●ome from his error , then with the strength of anger to a●ate the least sparke of his euill , calling in her minde that euill and vncomely language is deformed though vttered euen to seruants , but most monstrous and vgly when it appeares before the presence of a husband : outwardly , as in ●er apparrell and dyet , both which she shall proportion according to the competency of her husbands estate & cal●ing , making her circle raither straight then large , for it is a rule if we extend to the vttermost we take away increase , if we goe a hayre breadth beyond we enter into consumption : but if we preserue any part , we build strong sorts against the aduersaries of fortune , prouided that such preseruation be honest and conscionable : for as lauish prodigality is brutish , so miserable couetousnesse is hellish . let therefore the hus-wifes garments becomely and strong , made as well to preserue the health , as adorne the person , altogether without toyish garnishes , or the glosse of light colours , and as farre from the vanity of new and fantastiq●e fashions , as neere to the comely imitations of modest matrons ; let her dyet be wholesome and cleanly , prepared at due howers , and cookt with care and diligence , let it be rather to satisfie nature then our affections , and apter to kill hunger then reuiue new appetites , let it proceed more from the prouision of her owne yarde , then the furniture of the markets ; and let it be rather esteemed for the familiar acquaintance she hath with it , then for the strangenesse and raritie it bringeth from other countries . to conclude , our english hus-wife must bee of chast thought , stout courage , patient , vntyred , watchfull , diligent , witty , pleasant , constant in friendship , full of good neghbour-hood , wise in discourse , but not frequent therein , sharpe and quicke of speech , but not bitter or talkatiue , secret in her affaires , comfortable in her counsels , and generally skilfull in the worthy knowledges which doe belong to her vocation , of all , or most part whereof i now intend to speake more largely . to begin then with one of the most principall vertues which doth belong to our english hous-wife ; you shall vnderstand , that sith the preseruation and care of the family touching their health and soundnesse of body , consisteth most in the diligence : it is meet that shee haue a phisicall kinde of knowledge , how to administer many wholsome receits or medicines for the good of their healthes , as well to preuent the first occasion of sicknesse , as to take away the effects and euill of the same when it hath made seazure on the body . indeede we must confesse that the depth and secrets of this most excellent art of phisicke , is farre beyond the capacity of the most skilfull woman , as lodging onely in the brest of the larned professors , yet that our hous-wife may from them receiue some ordinary rules , and medicines which may auaile for the benefit of her family , is ( in ●ur common experience ) no derogation at all to that wor●hy science : neither do i intend heere to lead her minde with all the symptomes , accidents , and effects which goe ●efore or after euery sicknesse , as though i would haue her 〈◊〉 assume the name of a practitioner , but onely relate vnto ●er some approued medicines , and old doctrines which ●aue been gathered together , and deliuered by common ●xperien●e , for the curing of those ordinary sicknesses ●hich daily perturbe the health of men and women . first then to speake of feuers or agues , the hus-wife ●hall know those kinds thereof , which are most familiar & ●rdinary , as the quotidian or dayly ague , the tertian or euery other day ague , the quartan or euery third dayes a●●e , the pestilent● which keepeth no order in his fits , but 〈◊〉 more dangerous and mortall : and lastly the accidentall ●●uer which proceedeth from the receit of some wound 〈◊〉 other , painefull perturbation of the spirits . there bee ●●ndry other feuers which comming from consumptions , a●d other long continued sicknesses , doe altogether sur●●sse our hus-wiues capacity . first then for the quotidian feuer , ( whose fits alwaies last ●●o●e twelue howers ) you shall take a new laid egge , and ●pening the crowne you shall put out the white , then fill ●o the shell with very good aquauitae , and stirre it and the yoke very well together , & then as soone as you feele your ●old fit begin to come vpon you , suppe vp the egge , and ●ither labour till you sweate , or else laying great store of ●oathes vpon you , put your selfe in a sweat in your bed ; ●nd thus doe whilst your fits continue , and for your drinke ●●t it be onely coole posset ale . for a single tertian feuer , or each other dayes ague ; take 〈◊〉 quart of posset ale , the curde being well drained from the same , and put thereinto a good handfull of dandilion , and then setting it vpon the fire , boyle it till a fourth part bee consumed , then as soone as your cold fit beginneth , drinke a good draught thereof , & then either labour till you sweat , or else force your selfe to sweate in your bed , but labour is much the better , prouided that you take not cold after it , and thus doe whilst your fits continue , and in all your sicknesse let your drinke bee posset ale thus boyled with the same herbe . for the accidentall feuer which commeth by meanes of some dangerous wound receiued , although for the most part it is an ill signe , if it be strong and continuing , yet many times it abateth , & the party recouereth when the wound is wel tended and comforted with such souereigne balmes & hot oyles as are most fit to bee applyed to the member so grieued or iniured : therefore in this feuer you must respect the wound from whēce the accident doth proceed , and it recouereth , so you shall see the feuer wast and diminish . for the hettique feuer , which is also a very dangerous sicknesse , you shall take the oyle of violets , & mixe it with a good quantity of the pouder of white poppy seed finely searst , and therewith annoynt the small & raines of the parties backe , euening and morning , and it will not onely giue ease to the feuer , but also purge and cleanse away the dry scalings which is ingendred either by this or any other feuer whatsoeuer . for any feuer whasoeuer , whose fit beginneth with a cold . take a spoonefull and a halfe of dragon water , a spoonefull of rosewater , a spoonefull of running water , a spoonefull of aquavite , and a spoonefull of vinegar , halfe a spoonefull of methridate or lesse , and beate all these well together , & let the partie drinke it before his fit beginne . it is to bee vnderstood that al feuers of what kind soeuer they bee , and these infectious diseases , as the pestilence , plague and such like , are thought the inflamation of the blood , insiuely much subiect to drought ; so that , should the party drinke as much as he desired , neither could his body containe it , nor could the great abundance of drinke do other then weaken his stomacke , and bring his body to a certaine destruction : wherefore , when any man is so ouer pressed with desire of drinke , you shall giue him at conuenient times , either posset ale made with cold hearbs ; as sorrell purslen , violet leaues , lettice , spinage , and such like , or else a iulip made as before said in the pestilent feuer , or some almond milke : and betwixt those times , because the ●se of these drinkes will grow wearisome and lothsome to ●he patient , you shal suffer him to gargil in his mouth good wholesome beare or ale , which the patient best liketh , and hauing gargled it in his mouth , to spit it out againe , & then to take more , and thus to doe as oft as he pleaseth ; till his mouth be cooled : prouided that by no meanes he suffer any of the drinke to goe downe , and this will much better asswage the heate of his thirst then if he drinke ; and when appetite desireth drinke to goe downe , then let him take either his iulip , or his almond milke . to make a pultis to cure any sore , take elder leaues and seeth them in milke , till they bee soft , then take them vp and straine them ; and then boyle it againe til it be thicke , & so vse it to the sore as occasion shall serue . for the quartain feuer or third day ague , which is of all feuers the lougest lasting , & many times dangerous , because many times consumptions , blacke iaundys , and such like mortall sicknesses follow it : you shall take methridate and spread it vpon a lymon slice , cut of a reasonable thicknes , a●d so as the lymon bee couered with the methridate ; then bind it to the pulse of the sicke mans wrist of his arme about an houre before his fit doth beginne , & then let him goe to his bed made warme , and with hot cloathes laid to the soales of his feete , and store of clothes laid vpon him , let him trie if he can force himselfe to sweat which if he do , then halfe an houre after he hath sweate , hee shall take hot posset ale brewed with a little methridate , and drinke a good draught thereof , and rest till his fit bee passed ouer : but if he be hard to sweate , then with the said posset ale also you shall mix a few bruised any-seeds , and that will bring sweate vpon him : and thus you shall doe euery fit till they begin to cease , or that sweate come naturally of it owne accord , which is a true signe that the sicknesse decreaseth . for the pestilent feuer , which is a continuall sicknesse full of infection , and mortality , you shall cause the party first to bee let blood , if his strength will beare it : then you shall giue him coole iulyps made of endife or succorie water , the sirrop of violets , conserue of barberries , and the iuice of lymons , well mixed & simboliz'd together : also you shall giue him to drink almond milke made with the dewition coole hearbs , as violet leaues , strawberrie leaues ; french mallowes , pursline , and such like ; and if the parties mouth shall through the heate of his stomacke , or liuer inflame or grow sore , you shall wash it with the syrop of mulberries ; and that will not onely heale it , but also strengthen his stomacke . if ( as it is most common in this sicknesse ) the party shall grow costiue , you shall giue him a suppositary made of honie , boild to the height of hardnesse , which you shall know by cooling a drop thereof , and so if you find it hard , you shall then know that the hony is boiled sufficiently ; then put salt to it , and so pouder it in water , and worke it into a roule in the manner of a suppositary , & so administer it , and it most assuredly bringeth no hurt , but ease to the party , of what age or strength soeuer he be : during his sicknesse , you shall keepe him from all manner of strong drinkes , or hot spices , and then there is no doubt of his recouery . to preser●e your body from the infection of the plague , you shall take a quart of old ale , and after it hath risen vpon ●he fire and hath been scummed , you shall put there into of aristolochia longa , of angelica and of cellandine of each halfe ●n handfull , and boyle them well therein ; then straine the drinke through a cleane cloath , and dissolue therein a dram of the best methridate , as much iuory finely powdred and ●earst , and sixe spoonefull of dragon water , then put it vp in a close glasse ; and euery morning fasting take fiue spoonefull ●hereof , and after bite and chaw in your mouth the dryed ●oot of angelica , or smell on a nose-gay to the ●a●●eld end of ● ship rope , and they will surely preserue you from infection . but if you be infected with the plague , and feele the as●ured signes thereof , as paine in the head , drought , burning , weakenesse of stomack and such like : then you shall take ● dramme of the best methridate , and dissolue it in three or foure spoonefull of dragon water , and immediately drinke ●t off ; and then with hot cloathes or brickes made extreame hot , and laid to the foales of your feet , after you haue been wrapt in woollen cloathes , cōpell the sicke person to sweat , which if he do , keepe him moderately therein till the sore begin to rise ; then to the same apply a little pigeon cut in two parts , or else a plaister made of the yolke of an egge , hony , herbe of grace chopt exceeding small , and wheate flower , which in very short space will not onely ripen , but also breake the same without any other incision ; then after it hath runne a day or two , you shall apply a plaister of melilot vnto it vntill it be whole . take fetherfew , maleselon , scabyous , and mugwort , of each alike , bruise them and mixe them with old ale , and let the sicke drinke thereof sixe spoonefull at once , and it will expell the corruption . take yarlow , tansey , fetherfue , of each a handfull , and bruise them well together , then let the sicke party make water into the hearbs , then straine them , and giue it the sicke to drinke . take of sage , of rue , bryer leaues , of elder leaues , of each an handfull , stampe them & straine them with a quart of white wine , and put thereto a little ginger , and a good spoonefull of the best treakle , & drinke thereof morning and euening . take smalledge , mallowes , wormewood , and rue , stampe them well together , and fry them in oyle olyue till they bee thicke , plaisterwise them , apply it to the place where you would haue it rise , and let it lie till it breake , then to heale it vpp , take the iuyce of smallage , wheate flower , and milke , and boyle them to a pultis , and apply it morning and euening till it be whole . take of burrage , langdebease , and callamynt , of each a good handfull , of harts tonge , red mynt , violetts , and marygolds , of each halfe a handfull , boyle them in white wine , or faire running water , then add a penyworth of the best saffrone , and as much sugar , & boyle them ouer againe well , then straine it into an earthen pott , and drinke thereof morning and euening , to the quantitie of seauen spoonefuls . take lyntseed , and lettune , and bruise it well , then apply it to the stomacke , and remoue it once in foure howers . for the head-ach , you shall take of rosewater , of the iuice of cammomil , of worme milke , of strong wine vinegar , of each two spoonefull , mixe them together well vpon a chafing-dish of coales : then take a peece of drie rose cake and steepe it therein , and as soone as it hath drunke vp the liquor and is throughly hot , take a couple of sound nutmegs grated to powder , and strew them vpon the rose cake ; then breaking it into two parts , binde it on each side vpon the temples of the head , so let the party lye downe to rest , and the paine will in a short space be taken from him . for frenzie or inflamation of the calles of the braine , you ●hall cause the iuice of beets to be with a surridge squirted vp ●nto the patients nostrils , which will purge and cleanse his head exceedingly ; and then giue him to drinke posset ale , in which violet leaue and lettice hath been boyled , & it will ●uddainly bring him to a very temperate mildnesse , and make the passion of frenzie forsake him . for the lethargie or extreame drowsinesse , you shall by all violent meanes either by noyse or other disturbances , force ●erforce keepe the party from sleeping ; and whensoeuer he ●alleth for drinke , you shall giue him white wine and isop water of each a little quantitie mixt together , and not suffer him to sleepe aboue foure houres in foure and twenty , till he come to his owne former wakefulnesse , which as soone as hee hath recouered , you shall then forthwith purge his head with the iuice of beetes squirted vp into his nostrils as is before shewed . but if any of the family bee troubled with too much watchfulnesse , so that they cannot by any meanes take rest , ●hen to prouoke the party to sleepe , you shall take of saffron a dramme dried , and beaten to pouder , and as much lettice seed also dryed , and beaten to pouder , and twice as much white poppy seed beaten also to pouder , and mixe these with womans milke til it be a thicke salue , and then binde it to the temples of the head & it will soone cause the party to sleepe ; and let it lie on not aboue foure howers . for the swimming or dizzing in the head , you shall take of agnus castu● , of broome wort , and of camomile dried , of each two drammes mixt with the iuice of iuie , oyle of roses , and white wine , of each like quantitie , till it come to a thicke salue : and then binde it to the temples of the head , and it will in short space take away the griefe . for the apoplexie or palsie , the strong sent or smell of a foxe is exceeding soueraigne , or to drinke euery morning halfe a pint of the dewition of lauendar , and to rub the head euery morning & euening exceding hard with a very cleane course cloath , whereby the humours may be dissolued and disperst into the outward parts of the body : by all meanes for this infirmity keepe your feete safe from cold or wet , and also the nape of your necke , for from those parts it first getteth the strength of euill and vnauoydable paines . for a cough or cold but lately taken , you shal take a spoonfull of sugar finely beaten and scarst , and drop into it of the best aquauitae , vntill all the sugar be wette through , and can receiue no more moysture : then being ready to lye down to rest , take & swallow the spoonefull of sugar downe ; and so couer you warme in your bed , & it will soone breake and dissolue the cold . but if the cough bee more old and inueterate , and more inwardly fixt to the lungs , take of the pouder of bettonie , of the pouder of carraway seeds , of the pouder of sheruit dryed , of the pouder of hou●ds tongue , and of pepper , finely beaten , of each two drames , & mingling thē well with clarified hony , make an electuary therof & drink it morning & euening for nine dayes together : then take of sugar candie coursly beaten , an ounce of licoras finely pared and trimmed , and cut into very little small slices , as much of aniseeds and coriander seeds halfe an ounce ; mixe all these together , and keepe them in a paper in your pocket , and euer in the day time when the cough offendeth you , take some of this dredge , as much as you can hold betweene your thumbe & fiingers and eate it , and it will giue ease to your griefe : and in the night whē the cough or rhume offendeth you , take as much of the iuice of licoras as two good barly cornes , and let it melt in your mouth , and it will giue you ease . although the falling-sicknes bee seldome or neuer to bee cured , yet if the party which is troubled with the same , will ●ut morning and euening , during the wane of the moone , or when shee is in the signe virgo , eate the berries of the hearbe asterion , or beare the hearbs about him next to his bare skinne , it is likely hee shall find much ease and fall very ●eldome , though this medicine be somewhat doubtfull . for the falling euill take , if it bee a man , a femall mole , if a woman a male mole , and take them in march , or else aprill , when they goe to the bucke : then drie it in an ouen , and make pouder of it whole as you take it out of the earth : then giue the sicke person of this pouder to drinke euening and morning for nine or ten dayes together . to take away deafenes , take a gray eele with a white bel●y and put her into a sweete earthen pot quicke , and stop the pot very close with an earthen couer , or some such hard substance : then dig a deepe hole in a horse dung hill , and ●et it therein , and couer it with the dunge , and so let it remaine a fortnight , and then take it out and cleare out the oile which will come of it , and drop it into the imperfect eare , or both if both be imperfect . to stay the flux of the ruhme , take sage and drie it before the fire , and rub it to pouder : then take bay salt and drie it and beate it to pouder ; and take a nutmeg and grate it , and mixe them all together , and put them in a long linnen bag , then heate it vpon a tile stone , and lay it to the nape of the necke . for a stinking breath , take oake buds when they are new budded out , and distill them ; then let the party grieued nine mornings and nine euenings drinke of it , then forbeare a while , and after take it againe . to make a vomit for a strong stinking breath , you must take of antimonium the waight of three barly cornes , and beate it very small , and mixe it with conserue of roses and giue the patient to eate in the morning ; then let him take nine dayes together the iuice of mints and sage , then giue him a gentle purgation , and let him vse the iuice of mint & sage longer . this medicine must be giuen in the spring of the yeare , but if the infirmity come for want of digestion in the stomacke , then take mints , course marierom , & wormewood , and choppe them small and boyle them in malmesie till it bee thicke , and make a plaister of it , and lay it to the stomacke . for the tooth-ach , take a handfull of dasie roots , and wash them very cleane and drye them with a cloath , & then stamp them : and when you haue stamped them a good while , take the quantitie of halfe a nutshell full of bay salt , & strew it amongst the roos , & then when they are very well beaten , straigne them through a cleane eloth : then grate some cattham aromaticus , and mixe it good and stiffe with the iuice of the roots , and when you haue done so , put it into a quill & snuffe it vp into your nose , and you shall find ease . another for the tooth-ach , take small sage , rue , smallage , fether-fewe , wormewood , and mints , of each of them halfe a handfull , then stampe them well all together putting thereto fower drammes of vinegar , & one dramme of bay-salt , with a pennyworth of good aquavitae : stirre them well together , then put it betweene two linnen clouts of the bignesse of your cheeke , temples , & iawe , & quilt it ni māner of a course imbroderie ; then set it vpon a chafing-dish of coales , and as hot as you may abide it , lay it ouer that side where the paine is , and lay you downe vpon that side , and as it cooles warme it againe , or else haue another ready warme to lay on . to make a drinke to destroy any pearle or filme in the eye : ●ake a good handfull of marigold plants , & a handfull of fennell , as much of may-weed , beate them together , then straine ●hem with a pint of beere , then put it into a pot and stop it ●lose that the strength may not goe out ; then let the offended party drinke thereof when he is in bed , and lie of that side on which the pearle is , and drinke of it likewise in the morning next his heart when he is risen . for paine in the eyes , take milke when it comes new from ●he cowe , and hauing fill'd it into a cleane vessell , couer it with a pewter dish , and the next morning take off the dish and you shall see a dew vpon the same , and with that dew wash the pained eyes , and it will ease them . for dimme eyes : take wormewood , beaten with the gall of ● bull , and then straine it and annoynt the eyes therewith , ●nd it will cleare them exceedingly . for sore eyes , or blood-shotten eyes : take the white of an ●gge beaten to oyle , as much rose-water , and as much of the ●●ice of house-leeke , mixe them well together , then dippe ●at pleageants of flaxe therein , & lay them vpō the sore eyes , ●nd as they drye , so renew them againe , and wet them , and ●hus doe till the eyes be well . for watery eyes , take the iuice of affodill , mirrhe , and saffron , of each a little , & mixe it with twice so much white wine , then boyle it ouer the fire , then straine it and wash the eyes therewith , and it is a present helpe . for a canker or any sore mouth : take cheruile and beate it ●o a salue with old ale and allum water , & annoint the sore ●herewith , and it will cure it . for any swelling in the mouth : take the iuice of wormewood , cammomill , and shirwitt , and mixe them with hony , ●nd bath the swelling therewith , and it will cure it . for the quinsie , or quinarie , giue the party to drinke the hearbe mouseare steept in ale or beere , & looke where you see a swine rubbe himselfe , and there vpon the same place rubbe a slate stone , and then with it slate all the swelling , and it will cure it . if you would not be drunke , take the pouder of betany & coleworts mixt together ; and eate it euery morning fasting as much as will lie vpon a sixpence , and it will preserue a man from drunkennes . to quicken a mans wits , spirit and memory ; let him take langdebeefe , which is gathered in iune or iuly , and beating it in a cleane morter ; let him drinke the iuyce thereof with warme water , and he shall finde the benefit . if a man be troubled with the kings euill , let him take the red docke & seeth it in wine till it be very tender , then straine it , and so drinke a good draught thereof , and he shall finde great ease from the same : especially if he doe continue the vse thereof . take frankinsence , doues dung , and wheate flower , of each an ounce , and mixe them well with the white of an egge , then plasterwise apply it where the paine is . the oyle of lyllyes if the head bee annoynted therewith , is good for any payne therein . take rewe , and steepe it in vynegar a day and a night , the rewe being first well bruised , then with the same annoynt the head twice or thrice a day . take the white of an egge and beate it to oyle , then put to it rosewater , and the pouder of alablaster , then take flaxe and dippe it therein and lay it to the temples , and renewe it two or three times a day . take agrymonie and bruise it , and plasterwise apply it to the wound , and let the party drinke the iuyce of bettanie , and it will expell the bones , and heale the wound . take the leaues of agrymonie , & boyle thē in hony , till it be ●hicke like a plaister , and then apply it to the wound of the ●ead warme . take a table napkin or any lynnen cloath , and wet it in ●old water , and when you goe to bed apply it to the swel●●ng and lie vpright ; thus doe three or foure times in a night ●nd the swelling wasts . take two or three docke roots , and as many daysie roots , ●nd boyle them in water till they be soft , then take them out of the water , and boyle them well ouer againe in oyle olyue , ●●en strayne them through a cleane cloath , and anoynt the ●ayned tooth therewith , and keepe your mouth close , and ●t will not onely take away the payne , but also ease any me●rem or griefe in in the head . take a sawcer of strong vinegar , and two spoonefulls of ●he pouder of roch allem , a spoonefull of white salt , and a ●poonefull of hony , seeth all these till it be as thinne as water , ●hen put it into a close viall and keepe it , and when occasion ●erues wash your teeth therewith , with a rough cloath , and ●ub them soundly , but not to bleed . take summe of the elder tree , or the aples of oake trees , ●nd with either of these rub the teeth & gummes and it will ●oosen them so as you may take them out . take sage and salt , of each alike , and stampe them well ●ogether , then take it till it be hard , and make a fine pouder ●●ereof , then therewith rub the teeth euening and morning ●nd it will take away all yellownes . first let them blood , then take harts horne or iuorie and ●ed pympernell , and bruise them well together , then put it in●o a linnen cloath and lay it to the teeth , & it wil fasten them . take the iuyce of louage and drop it in●o the eare , and it cure any venome , and kill any worme , earewigge or other vermine . take two ounces of comine and beate it a morter to fine pouder , then boyle it in wine from a pottell to a quart , then drinke thereof morning and euening as hot as you ca● suffer it , or otherwise take an ounce of wild time , and being cleane washed cut it small and then pouder it , then put to it halfe an ounce of peper in fine pouder , and as much comyne ; myxe them all well together , and boyle them in a pottell of white wine , till halfe be consumed , and after meate ( but not before ) vse to drinke thereof hot , also once in the afternoone and at your going to bed , and it will purge the breath . take red nettles and burne them to pouder , then add as much of the pouder of pepper , and myxe them well together , and snuffe thereof vp into the nose , and thus do diuers times a day . take old ale , and hauing boyld it on the fire , and clensd it ad thereto a pretie quantitie of lyfe hony and as much allom , then with a serryndge of such like wash the sores therewith very warme . take a gallond of running water , and boyle it to a pottell , then put to it a handfull of red sage , a handfull of cellodyne , a handfull of honysuckles , a handfull of woodbine leaues and flowers , then take a peniworth of graynes made into fine pouder , and boyle all very well together , then put to a quart of the best life hony of a yeare old , and a pound of roch allom , let all boyle together till it come to a pottell , then straine it and put it into a close vessell , and therewith dresse and anoynt the sores as occasion serues , it will heale any canker or vlcer , and cleanse any wound ; it is best to be made at midsomer . take the flowers and roots of primrose cleane washt in running water , then boyle them in faire running water the space of an houre , then put thereto a pretty quantitie of white copperas , and then straine all through a linnin cloath & so let it stand a while , & there will an oyle appeare vpon the water , wirh that oyle anoynt the lids & the browes of your eyes , and the temples of your head , and with the water wash ●our eyes , and it is most soueraigne . take fifteene seedes of gyneper , & as many gromell seeds , ●●ue bra●ches of fenell , beate them all together , then boyle ●●em in a pint of old ale til three parts be wasted , then straine ●t into a glasse , and drop thereof three drops into each eye ●t night , and wash your eyes euery morning for the space of ●ifteene dayes with your owne water , and it will cleare any ●ecayed sight whatsoeuer . take red snayles , and seeth them in faire water , and then gather the oyle that aryseth thereof , & therwith anoynt your eyes morning and euening . take a gallond or two of the dregges of strong ale , & put thereto a handfull or two of comyne , and as much salt , and ●●en distill in a lymbeck , and the water is most pretious to ●ash eyes with . take cellondine , rue , chervyle , plantine , and anyse , of each ●ike , and as much fenell , as of all the rest , stampe them al well together , then let it stand two dayes & two nights , thē straine ●●and annoynt your eyes morning and euening therewith . take an egge , and rost it extreame hard , then take the whit ●●eing very hot lapp in it as much white copperas as a pease & then violently straine it through a fine cloath , then put a good drop thereof into the eye , and it is most soueraigne . take two drams of pr●pard tulia , of sandragon one dram , of sugar a dram , bray them all very well together till they be ●xceeding small , then take of the pouder and blow a littell ●hereof into the eye , and it is soueraigne . take of red rose leaues , of smalladge , of mayden hayre , ●●saace , endyue , succory , red fenell , hill-wort , and cellendyne , of each halfe a quarter of a pound , wash them cleane & lay thē●n steepe in white wine a whole day , then still them in an ordinary still , & the first water will be like gold , the second like siluer , & the third like balme , any of these is most pretious for sore eyes , and hath recouered sight lost fer the space ef ten yeares , hauing been vsed but foure dayes . take the leaues of wyllowe & boyle them well in oyle & therewith annoynt the place where you would haue any hayre to grow , whether vpon head or beard . take treakle water and hony , boyle them together , and wet a cloth therein , and lay it where you would haue hayre to grow , and it will come speedily . take nine or ten egges and rost them very hard , then put away the yolkes , and bray the whites very small with three or foure ounces of white copporas till it bee come to perfect oyntment , then with it anoynt the face morning and euening for the space of a weeke and more . take the rynde of issop , and boyle it or burne it and let the fume or smoke go into the mouth and it will stay any rhume falling from the head . take a pint of running water , and three spoonefulls of hony , and boyle them together and slyme off the filth , then put thereto an ounce of small raysons , and straine it well through a cloath , and so drinke it morning and euneing . take aquauiae and salt , and mixe it with strong old ale and then heate it on the fire , and therewith wash the soales of the feete when you goe to bed . take of cleane wheate and of cleane barly of each a like quantitie , and put them into a gallond and a halfe of faire water , and boyle them till they burst , then straine it into a cleane vessell , and ad thereto a quarterne of fine lycoras pouder , and two penyworth of gumme , arabicke , then boyle it ouer againe and straine it , and keepe it in a sweete vessell , and drinke thereof morning and euening . take the best wort and let it stand till it bee yellow , then boye it & after let it coole , then put to it a quantitie of barme , saffron , and so drinke of it morning and e●ening while it lasteth , otherwise take hore-hound , violet leaues , and isop , of each a handfull , seeth them in water , and put thereto a littell saffron , lychoras , and sugar-candy , after they haue boyled a good while , then straine it into an earthen vessel , & let the sick drink ●hereof sixe spoonefull at a time morning and euening ; or ●astly , take the lungs of a foxe , and lay it in rosewater , or boyle it in rosewater , then take it out and dry it in some hot place without the sunne , then beate it to pouder with sugar-candy , ●nd eate of this pouder morning and euening . to ease paine in the stomacke take endiue , mints , of each ● like quantitie , and steepe them in white wine a dayes space , then strayning it and adding thereto a little cinamo and pep●er , giue it the sicke person to drinke , and if you add thereto ● litle of the pouder of horse-mint and calamint , it will com●ort the stomacke exceedingly , and occasion swift and good ●igestion . for spitting of blood , whether it proceede of inward ●ruises , ouerstrayning or suck like , you shall take some pitch , ●nd a little sperma caeti , and mixe it with old ale and drinke ●t , and it will stay the flux of blood : but if by meanes of the ●ruise any outward griefe remaine , then you shall take the herbe br●ckell hempe , and frying it with sheepes tallow lay it hot to the grieued place , and it will take away the anguish . to stay the fluxe of vomiting take worme-wood , and sowre bread toasted of each like quantitie , & beate them well in a morter , then adde to them as much of the iuice of mints , and the iuice of plan●ane as well bring it to a thicke salue : then fry them all together in a frying pan , & when it is hot lay it plaister wise to the mouth of the stomacke , then let the party drinke a little white wine and cheruile water mixt together , and then steepe sower toasted bread in very strong vinegar , wrapt it in a fine cloath and let the sicke party smell thereto , and it will stay the excesse of vomiting , and both comfort & strengthen the stomacke . if you would compell one to vomit , take halfe a spoonefull of stonecrop , and mixe it with three spoonefull of white wine and giue it to the party to drinke , and it will make him vomite presently , but doe this seldome and to strong bodies , for otherwise it is dangerous . for the iliaca passio , take of polipody an ounce , & stampe it , then boyle it with prunes and violets in fennell water or anniseeds water , take thereof a good quantatitie , then straine it and let the party euery morning and euening drinke a good draught thereof . if the stomacke bee troubled with wind or other paine , take comyne and beate it to pouder , and mixe with it red wine , and drinke it at night when you goe to bed , dyuers nights together . take brokelyme roots and leaues and was them cleane & drye them in the sunne , so dry till you may make pouder thereof , then take of the pouder a good quantatitie , and the like of treakle , and put them in a cup with a pretty quantatie of strong old ale & stirre them well together , & drink therof first and last morning and euening for the space of three or foure dayes , and if need doe require , vse the same in thy brothes you do eate , for it is very soueraine . take harts-horne or iuorye beaten to fine pouder , and as much cynamon in pouder , mixe them with vinegar , & drink thereof to the quantitie of seauen or eight spoonefulls . take the water of mouseare , and drinke thereof the quantitie of an ounce and a halfe or two ounces , twice or thrice a day , or otherwise ●ake a little nutmegge , a little cynamond , a little cloues , a little mace , & a very little ginger , & the flowers of lauendar , beate all to a fine pouder , and when the passion of the mother cometh , take a chaffingdish of good quicke coales , and bend the patyent forward and cast of the pouder into the chaffingdish so as she may receiue the smoake both in at her nose and mouth , and it it is a present cure . against obstructions in the liuer , take anyseeds , amees , burnet , camomile , and the greater centuarie , and boyle them in white wine with a little hony , and drinke it euere morning & it will cure the obstructions , and cleanse the liuer from all imperfection . against the heate and inflamation of the liuer , take endiue dried to pouder , and the meale of lupin-seeds , and mixe it with hony and the iuice of wormewood , make a cake thereof and eate it , and it will asswage the great heate & inflamation of the liuer , and take away the pimples and rednesse of the ●●ce which proceedeth from the same . to preuent a plurisie a good while before it come , there ●s no better way then to vse much the exercise of ringing , or ●o stretch your armes vpward , so as they may beare the waight of your body , & so to swing your body vp & downe ● good space : but hauing caught a plurisie and feeling the gripes , stitches , and pangs thereof , you shall presently cause ●he party to be let bloud , & then take the herb althea or hol●yhocke , and boyle it with vinegar and linseed till it be thicke plaisterwise , and then spread it vpon a peece of allom leather , and lay it to the side that is grieued , and it will helpe it . to helpe a stitch in the side or else where , take doues dung , red rose leaues and put them into a bagge , & quilt it : then throughly heate it vpon a chaffingdish of coales with vinegar in a platter : then lay it to the pained place as hot as may bee suffered , & when it cooleth heate it againe . for any extraordinary heate or inflamation in the liuer , take barbaries & boyle them in clarified whay and drinke them and they will cure it . if you will make a cordiall for a consumption or any other weakenesse : take a quart of running water , a peece of mutton , and a peece of veale , and put them with the water into a pot , then take of sorrell , violet leaues , spynage , endiu● , succory sage , isop , of each a good quantitie ; then take prunes & raysons , and put them all to the broth , and seeth them from a quart to a pinte , then straine the yolke of an egge and a little saffron thereinto , putting in sugar , whole mace , and a little white wine , so seeth them a while together , and let the party drinke it as warme as may be . to stanch blood , take the hearbe shepheards-purse ( if it may be gotten ) distilled at the apoticaries , and drinke an ounce thereof at a time morning and euening , and it will stay any fluxe of blood naturall or vnnaturall , but if you cannot get the distilled water , then boyle a handfull of the hearbe with cinamon , and a little sugar , in claret wine , and boyle it from a quart to a pint , & drinke it as oft as you please : also if you but rubbe the hearbe betweene your hands , you shall see it will soone make the blood returne . for the yellow iaundisse , take two peniwoth of the best english saffron , drie it and grind it to an exceeding fine pouder , then mixe it with the pap of a rosted apple , and giue it the diseased party to swallow downe in the manner of a pill , and doe thus diuers mornings together , and without doubt it is the most present cure that can be for the same , as hath beene often times proued for the yellow iaundisse take pimpernell , and chickweede , stampe them and straine them into posset ale , and let the party drinke thereof morning and euening . for the yellow iaundisse which is desperat and almost past cure : take sheepes dung new made & put it into a cup of beare or ale , and close the cuppe fast and let it stand so all night , and in the morning take a draught of the clearest of the drinke , and giue it to the sicke party . for the blacke iaundisse take the hearbe called pemyry●all , & either boyle it in white wine , or drinke the iuice thereof simply by it selfe to the quantitie of three or foure spoonefull at a time , and it will cure the blacke iaundisse . take of isop , parseley , & harts tongue , of each a like quantitie , and seeth them in worte till they be soft , then let it stand till it be cold , and then drinke thereof first and last , morning and euening . take fenell roots , and parseley roots , of each a like , wash ●hem cleane , and peele off the ouer barke and cast away the pyth within , then mynce them small , then put them to three pynts of water , and set them ouer the fire , then take figges , ●nd shred them small , lycoras and breake it small , and put ●hēm to the hearbs , and let all boyle vere well , then take sor●ell & stampe it and put it to the rest , and let it boyle till some ●art be wasted , then take a good quantitie of hony and put to 〈◊〉 and boyle a while , then take it from the fire and clarifie it ●hrough a strayner into a glasse vessell and stop it very close , ●hen giue the sicke to drinke thereof morning and euening . take the stalke of of saint mary garbycke , and burne it or ●●y it vpon a hot tyle stone vntill it bee very drye , and then ●eate it into pouder , and rub the sore therewith till a bee ●hole . take wooll in the walkmyll that commeth from the cloth and flyeth about like downe and beate it into pouder , then ●ake thereof , the white of an egge and wheate flower , and ●tampe them together , then lay it on a linen cloath or lynt & ●pply it to the bleeding place , and it will stanch it . if a man bleed and haue no present helpe , if the wound be ●n the foote , bind him about the ankle , if in the legges bind ●im about the knee , if it be on the hand bind him about the wrist if it be on the arme bind him about the brawne of the arme , with a good lyst , two or three , and the blood will presently stanch . take good store of cynamon grated and put it into posset ale very hot and drinke it , and it is a present cure . take a gallond of running water , and put to it as much salt as will make the water salt as the sea water , then boyle it a good while , and bath the legges therein as hot as may bee suffered . for the dropsie , take agnus castus , fenell , affodill , dark● wall woort , lupins , and worme wood , of each a handfull , and boyle them in a gallon of white wine till a fourth part bee cosumed : then straine it and drinke it morning and euening halfe a pinte thereof , and it will cure the dropsie ; but you must be carefull that you take not daffodill , for affodill . for paine in the spleene , take agnus castus , agrymony , anyseeds , centuary the great , and worme-wood , of each a handfull , and boyle them in a gallon of white wine , then straine it and let the patient drinke diuers mornings together halfe a pint thereof : and at his vsuall meales let him neither drinke ale , beere , nor wine , but such as hath had the hearbe tamoriske steeped in the same , or for want of the hearbe , let him drinke out of a cup made of tamoriske wood , & he shall surely finde remedie . for any paine in the side , take mugwort and red sage , and drie them betweene two tile stones , & then put it in a bagge , and lay it to your side as hot as can be indured . to helpe him that is exceeding fat , pursie , and short breathed : take hony clarified , & bread vnleauened and make toasts of it , and dippe the toasts into the clarified hony , and eate this diuers times with your meate . take a lumpe of yron or steele , and heate it red hot , and quench it in wine , then giue the wine to the sicke party to drinke . take fenell seeds and the roots , boyle them in water , and after it is cleansed put to it hony & giue it the party to drinke , then seeth the hearbe in oyle and wine together , and plaister wise apply it to the side . make a plaister of worme-wood boyled in oyle , or make an oyntment of the iuice of worme-word , of vinegar , armonyake , waxe , and oyle , myxt and melted together , and annoynt the side therewith , either in the sun , or before the fire . take the pouder of galingall , and mixe it with the iuice of borage , and let the offended party drinke therein sweete wine . take rosemary and sage , of each an handfull , and seeth them in white wine or strong ale , and then let the patient drinke it luke warme . take the iuice of fenell myxt with hony , and seeth them both together till it be hard , and then eate it euening and morning , and it will consume away the fatnesse . for the wind collicke , which is a disease both generall and ●ruell , there be a world of remidies , yet none more appro●ed then this which i will repeate : you shall take nutmegs sound and large , and diuide them equally into foure quarters : the first morning as soone as you rise eate a quar●er thereof ; the second morning eate two quarters , and the third eate three quarters , and the fourth morning eate a whole nutmegge , and so hauing made your stomacke and ●ast familiar therewith , eate euery morning whilst the col●icke offendeth you a whole nutmegge drie without any composition , and fast euer an howre at least after it , and you shall find a most vnspeakeable profit which will arise from the same . for the wind collicke , take a handfull of cleane wheate meale as it commeth from the mill , and two egges , and a little wine-vinegar , and a little aquauitae , and mingle them all together colde and make a cake of it and bake it on a gridyron with a soft fire , and turne it often and tend it with basting of aquauitae with a feather ; then lay it somewhat higher then the paine is , rather then lower . for the lask or extreame scowring of the belly , take the seeds of the wood-rose , or bryar-rose , beate it to pouder and mixe a dramme thereof with an ounce of the conserue of sloes and eate it , and it will in short space bind and make the belly hard . for the bloody-flux , take a quart of red wine and boyle therein a handfull of shepheards-purse till the hearb bee very soft : then straine it , and ad thereto a quarter of an ounce of cynamon , and as much of dryed tanners barke taken from the ouze , and both beaten to fine pouder , then giue the party halfe a pinte thereof to drinke morning and euening , it being made very warme , and tt will cure him . to stay a sore laske , take plantane water and cinamon finely beaten , and the flowers of pomgranats , and boyle them well together , then take sugar , and the yolke of an egge , & make a caudle of it , and giue it the grieued party . for the flixe take a stags pizzell dried and grated , and giue it in any drinke , either in beere , ale , or wine , and it is most soueraigne for any flixe whatsoeuer . to rule the worst bloody flix that may be , take a quart of red-wine , and a spoonefull of commin-seede , boyle them together vntill halfe bee consumed , then take knot-grasse and sepheards purse , and plantane , and stampe them seuerall , and then straine them & take of the iuice of each of them a good spooneful , and put thē to the wine , and so seeth thē againe a little : then drinke it luke-warme , halfe ouer-night , and halfe the next morning , and if it fall out to be in winter , so that you cannot get the hearbes : then take the water of thē distilled , of each three spoonefuls , and vse it as before . for extreame costiuenesse , or binding in the body , so as a man cannot auoid his excrements , take anniseeds . fen●● cr●ete , linseed , and the powder of pyonie : of each halfe an ounce , and boyle them in a quart of white wine , and drinke ● good draught thereof , and it will make a man goe to the stoole orderly and at great ease . for wormes in the belly , either of child or man , take aloes ●ickatrine , as much as halfe a hazell nut , and wrappe it in the pappe of a roasted apple , and so let the offended party swal●ow it in manner of a pill fas●ing in the morning , or else mixe ●● with three or foure spoonefull of muskadine , and so let the party drinke , it is a present cure : but if the child be either ●● young , or the man so weake with sicknesse that you dare not administer any thing inwardly , then you shall dissolue your aloes in the oyle of sauine , making it salue-like thicke , then plaister-wise spread it vpon sheepes leather , and lay it ●pon the nauill or mouth of the stomacke of the grieued ●●rty , and it will giue him ease , so will also vnset leekes chopt ●●all and fryde with sweete butter , & then in a linnen bagge ●●ply hot to the nauill of the grieued party . take a quart of red wine & put to it three yolkes of egges , and a penyworth of long pepper and graynes , and boyle it wel ●●d drinke it as hot as can bee suffered , or otherwise take an ●●ince of the inner bark of an oake , and a penyworth of long ●●pper , and boyle them in a pint and better of new milke , and drinke it hot first and last morning and euening . take an egge and make a little hole in the top , and put 〈◊〉 it the white , then fill it vp agai●e with aquauitae , stirring ●he egge and aquauitae till it be hard , then let the party eate ●●e egge and it will cure him , or otherwise take pint of red ●ine & nine yolkes of egges , and twentie pepper cornes ●●all beatē let them seeth til they be thick , then take it off & ●iue the sicke to eate nine spooneful morning & euening . take of rue and beets a like quantitie , bruise them & take the iuice , mixe it with clarified hony , and boyle it in redde wine , and drinke it warme first and last morning and euening . take mercury , sinkefoyle , and mallowes , and when you make pottage or broth with other hearbs , let these hearbs before named haue most strength in the pottage , and eateing thereon it will giue you two stooles and no more . take two spoonefull of the iuyce of iuye leaues , and drinke it three times a day , and it will dissolue the hardnes . take the barkes of the roots of the elder tree and stampe it , and mixe it with old ale , and drinke thereof a good harty draught . take the crummes of white bread , and steepe it in allom milke and ad sugar vnto it and eate it , and it will open the belly . take the kyrnelles of three peatch stones , & bruise them , seauen cornes of ●ase pepper , and of slyced ginger a greater quantitie then of the pepper , pound all together grosly & put it into a spoonefull of sacke ( which is the best ) or else white wine or strong ale , and drinke it off in a great spoone , then fast two houres after and walke vp & downe if you can , if otheswise , keepe your selfe warme , and be ware of melancholly . it may be taken at all times . take of dasies , comfrey , polpodi , of the oake and auence of each halfe a handfull , two roots of osmund , boyle them in strong ale & hony , and drinke thereof morning , noone , & night , & it wil breake any reasonable rupture . or otherwise take of smallage , comfrey setwell , polypody that growes on the grownd like fearne , dasie● , and mores , of each a like , stampe them very small , and boyle them well in barme , vntill it bee thicke like a pultis , and so keepe it in a closse vessell , and when you haue occasion to vse it , make it as hot as the party can suffer it , and lay it to the place grieued , then with a trusse , trusse him vp close , and let him be carefull for strayning of himselfe , and in a few dayes it will knyt , during which euer giue him to drinke a draught of red wine , and put therein a good quantitie of the flower of fetches finely boulted styrring it well together , and then fast an houre after . for the violent paine of the stone , make a posset of milke and sacke , then take off the curd , and put a handfull of camomill flowers into the drinke , then put it into a pewter pot and let it stand vpon hot imbers , so that it may dissolue : and then drinke it as occasion shall serue : other for this griefe ●ake the stone of an oxe gall , & drie it in an ouen , then beate ●t to pouder , and take of it the quantitie of a hasill nut with a draught of good old ale or white wine . for the collicke and stone , take hawthorne berries , the berries of sweet briars , and ashen keyes , and dry them euery ●ne seuerally vntill you make them into pouder , then put a ●●ttle quantity of euery one of them together , then if you ●●inke good put to it the pouder of licoras and aniseeds , to ●he intent that the party may the better take it , then put in a quantity of this pouder in a draught of white wine , & drinke ● fasting . otherwise you may take smallage seede , parsley , ●●uage , saxifrage , & broome-seede , of each one of them a little quantitie , beate them into a pouder , and when you feele a ●●t of either of the diseases , eate of this pouder a spoonefull at a time either in pottage , or else in the broth of a chicken , and so fast two or three howers after . to make a pouder for the collicke and stone , take fenell , ●arsley seede , any seed , and earraway seed , of each the waight of sixe pence , of gromel seede , saxifrage seede , the roots of fili●endula , and licoras , of each the waight of twelfe-pence , of ●allingall , spikenard , and cinamon , of each the waight of eight ●ence , of seena the waight of xvii . shillings , good waight , ●eate them all to pouder and searce it , which will waigh in all . shillings and . pence : this pouder is to bee giuen in white wine and sugar in the morning fasting , and so to continue fasting two howers after ; and to take of it at one time the waite of ten pence or twelue pence . other physitians for the stone take a quart of renish or white wine , and two lymons , and pare the vpper rinde thinne , & slice them into the wine , and as much white soape as the waight of a groate , and boyle them to a pint , and put thereto sugar according to your discretion ; and so drinke it keeping your selfe warme in your bed , and lying vpon your backe . for the stone in the reynes , take ameos , camomill , maiden-haire , sparrow-tounge , and filapendula , of each a like quantity , drie it in an ouen , and then beate it to pouder , and euery morning drinke halfe a sponefull thereof with a good draught of white wine , and it will helpe . for the stone in the bladder , take a radish roote and slit it crosse twice , then put it into a pint of white wine , and stoppe the vessell exceeding close : then let it stand all one night , and the next morning drinke it off fasting , & thus do diuers mornings together , and it will helpe . for the stone in the bladder take the kernels of sloes & drie them on a tile stone , then beate them to pouder , then take the roots of alexanders , parsly , pellitorie , & holihocke , of euery of their roots a like quantitie , & seeth them all in white wine , or else in the broth of a yong chicken : then straine them into a cleane vessell , & when you drinke of it , put into it halfe a spoonefull of the pouder of slow kernels . also if you take the oyle of scorpion , it is very good to annoynt the members , & the tender part of the belly against the bladder . to make a bath for the stone , take mallowes , holihocke , and lilly roots , & linseed , pellitory of the wall , and seeth them in the broth of a sheepes head , and bath the reines of the backe therewith oftentimes , for it will open the straitnes of the water conduits , that the stone may haue issue , and asswage the paine , and bring out the grauell with the vrine : but yet in more effect , when a plaister is made and laid vnto the reines and belly immediately after the bathing . to make a water for the stone , take a gallon of new milke of a red cow , and put therein a handfull of pellitory of the wall , and a handfull of wild time , and a handfull of saxifrage and a handfull of parsly , and two or three radish roots sliced and a quantitie of philipendula roots , let them lie in the milke a night , and in the morning put the milke with the hearbs into a still , & distill them with a moderate fire of charrcole or such like : then when you are to vse the water , take a draught of renish wine or whit wine , and put into it fiue spoonfull of the distilled water , and a little sugar and nutmeg sliced , & then drinke of it , the next day meddle not with it , but the third day do as you did the first day , and so euery other day for a weekes space . for the difficulty of vrine , or hardnesse to make water , take smallage , dill , any-seedes and burnet , of each a like quantitie , and drie them and beate them to fine pouder , and drink halfe a spoonefull thereof with a good draught of white wine . if the vrine be hot and burning , the party shall vse euery morning to drinke a good draught of new milke and sugar well mixt together , and by all meanes to abstaine from beere that is old , hard , and tart , and from all meates and sawces which are sower or sharpe . for the strangullion , take saxifrage , polipody , of the oake , the roots of beanes , and a quantitie or raysins , of euery one three handfull or more , and then two gallonds of good wine , or else wine lees , and put it into a slerpentary and make therof a good quantitie , and giue the sicke therof to drinke morning and euening a spoonefull at once . for them that cannot hold their water in the night time , take kiddes hoofe and drie it and beete it into powder , and giue it to the patient to drinke , either in beare or ale foure or fiue times . for the rupture or bursnesse in men , take comphrie and ferneosmund , and beate them together with yellow waxe and deares suet till it come to a salue , & then apply it to the broken place and it will knit it ; also it shall be good for the party to take comphry roots , and rost them in hot imbers at you rost wardens , and let the diseased party eate them , for they are very soueraine for the rupture , especially being eaten fasting , and by all meanes let him weare a strong trufle till he be whole . take goates clawes & burne them in a new earthen pot to powder , then put of the pouder into broth or pottage & eate therein , or otherwise take rew , gromell , and parsly , and stampe them together & mixe it with wine and drinke it . taka agnus castus , and castoreum and seeth them together in wine and drinke thereof , also seeth them in vineger and hot lappe it about the priuie parts and it will helpe . take malmesey and butter , and warme it and wash the reynes of the backe , whereupon you find paine , then take oyle of mace and annoynt the backe therewith . first wash the reynes of the backe with warme white wine , then annoynt all the backe with the oyntment called perstuaneto . take a legge of beefe , a handfull of fenell roots , a handfull of parsly roots , two roots of comfrey , one pound of raysons of the sun , a pound of damaske prumes , and a quarter o● a pound of dates , put all these together and boyle them very lost with sixe leaues of nip , sixe leaues of clary , twelue leaues of bittany of the wood , and a little haras-tongue , when they are sod very soft , take them and stampe them very small and and straine them into the same broth againe with a quart of sacke and a penyworth of large mace , and of this drink at your pleasure . for the hemeroides , which is a troublesome and a sore griefe , take of dill , dogge-fennell , and pellitory of spaine , of each hafe a handfull , and beate it in a morter with sheepes suet and blacke sope til it co●e to a salue , & then lay it plasterwise to the sore , and it will giue the griefe ease . for the piles or hemerods , take halfe a pint of ale , and a good quantity of pepper , and as much allom as a walenut : boyle all this together till it be as thicke as b●●dlime or thicker , this done take the iuice of white violets , & the iuice of housleeke , and when it is almost cold , put in the iuice and straine them all together , and with this oyntment annoynt the sore place twice a day . otherwise for this griefe take lead and grate it small , & lay it vpon the sores : or else take muskles dried and beate to pouder , and lay it on the sores . if a mans fundament fall downe through som cold taken or other cause , let it be forthwith put vp againe : then take the powder or towne cresses dried , and strew it gently vpon the fundament , and annoynt the reines of the backe with hony , and then about it strew the powder of cummin and calafine mixt together , and ease will come thereby . take a great handfull of orpyns , & bruise them betweene your hands till they be like a salue , and then lay them vpon a cloth and bind them fast to the fundament . to helpe the greene sicknesse , take a pottle of white wine & a handfull of rosemary , a handfull of worme-wood , an ounce of cardus benedictus seed , and a dramme of cloue : all these must be put into the white-wine in a iugge , and couered very close , and in steepe a day & a night before the party drinke of it , then let her drinke of it euery morning and two houres before supper : & so take for a fortnight , and let her stirre as much as she can , the more the better , & as earely as she can : otherwise for this sicknesse take isop , fennell , and peny-royall , of these three one good handfull , take two ounces of currants , seeth these in a pint of faire water to the halfe , then straine the hearbs from the liquor , & put therto two ounces of fine sugar , and two spoonefuls of white wine vinegar , and let the party drinke euery morning foure spoonefuls thereof and walke vpon it . to increase a womans milke , you shall boyle in strong posset ale good store of colworts , & cause her to drinke euery meale of the same , also if shee vse to eate boyled colworts with her meate , it will wonderfully increase her milke also . to drie vp womans milke , take red sage , & hauing stampt it and strayned the iuice from the same , adde thereunto as much wine vinegar , and stirre them well together , then warming it on a flat dish ouer a few coales , steepe therein a sheete of browne paper , then making a hole in the midst therof for the nipple of the brest to goe through , couer all the brest ouer with the paper , and remoue it as occasion shall serue , but be very carefull it be laid very hot to . some are of opinion , that for a woman to milke her brests vpon the earth will cause the milke to dry , but i referre it to triall . to helpe womens sore breasts , when they are swelled or else inflamed : take violet leaues and cut them small , and seeth them in milke or running water with wheate bran , or wheate bread crummes : then lay it to the sore as hot as the party can indure it . if a woman haue a strong and hard labour : take foure spoonefull of another womans milke , & giue it the woman to drinke in her labour , and shee shall be deliuered presently . if a woman by mischance haue her child dead within her shee shall take vitander , felwort , and penyroyall , and stampe them , and take of each a spoonefull of the iuice , and mixe it with old wine and giue it her to drinke , and shee shall soone be deliuered without danger . to make a woman apt to conceiue , let her either drinke mugwort steeped in her wine , or else the pouder thereof mixed with her wine , as shall best please her tast . take the pouder of corrall finely ground and eate it in a reare egge , and it will stay the flux . against the flowers with-holden in women , make a pessary of the iuyce of mugwort or the water that it is sodden in and apply it , but if it be for the fluxe of the flowers , take the iuice of plantane and drinke it in red wine . take a fomentation made of the water wherein the leaues and flowers of tutson is sodden , drinke the superfluities of the matryx , it clenseth the entrance , but this hearb would be gathered in haruest ; if a woman haue paine in the matrix , set on the fire water that amomum hath been sodden in and the dewition make a pessarye and it will giue ease . take two or three egges and they must bee neither rost nor raw , but betweene both , and then take butter that salt neuer came in , and put it into the egges and supp them off , & eate a peece of browne bread to them & drinke a draught of small ale . take the root of aristolo●hia rotunda and boyle it in wine and oyle , and make a fomentation thereof and it helpe . take the budds and tender crops of bryonye , and boyle them in broth or pottage , and let the woman eate thereof , it is soueraine . take mugwort , motherwort , and mynts , the quantitie of a handfull in all , seeth them together in a pint of malmsey and giue her to drinke thereof two or three spoonefull at a time , and it will appease her swounding . take henbane stamped and mixt with vinegar and apply it plaister wise ouer all the forehead , and it will cause sleepe . take sage , smallage , mallowes and plantane , of each an handfull beate them all well in a morter , then put to them oatemeale and milke , and spread it on a fine linnen cloth an inch thicke , and lay it to the brest or brests , or otherwise take white bread leauen and straine it with creame , & put thereto two or three yolkes of egges , salt , oyle , or oyle of roses , and put it vpon a soft fire till it bee luke warme , and so apply it to the brest . for morphew , whether it be white or blacke , take of the lethargie of gold a dram , of vnwrought brimston two drams beate them into fine powder , then take of the oyle of roses , and swines grease , of each a like quantitie , and grind them all together with halfe a dramme of camphyre and a little vinegar , and annoynt the same therewith morning and euening . to breede hayre , take southerne-wood and burne it to ashes , and mixe it well with common oyle , then annoynt the balde place therwith morning aud euening , & it will breede hayre exceedingly . for the gout , take aristolochia rotunda , althea , bett●nie , and the roots of wild neepe , and the roots of the wild docke cut in peeces after the vpper rind is taken away , of each a like quantitie , boyle then all in running water till they be soft and thicke : then stampe them in a morter as small as may be , and put thereto a little quantitie of chymney soot , and a pint or better of new milke of a cow which is all of one entire colour , & as much of the vrine of a man that is fasting , and hauing stirred them all well together , boyle them once againe on the fire , then as hot as the party can suffer it , apply it to the grieued place , and it will giue him ease . for the syatica , take of mustard seede a good handfull , and as much in waight of hony , and as much in waight of figges , and crummes of white bread halfe so much , then with strong vinegar beate in a morter till it come to a salue , then apply it to the grieued place and it will giue the grieued party ease , so will also a plaister of oxicrotium , if it be continually warme vpon the same . to helpe all manner of swellings or aches , in what part of the body soeuer it be , or the stinging of any venomous beas● , as adder , snake , or such like , take horehound , smallage , porrets , small mallowes , and wild tansey , of each a like quantitie , and bruise them or cut them small : then seeth them altogether in a pan with milke , oatemeale , and as much sheepes suet , or deares suet as an hens egge , and let it boyle till it bee a thicke plaister , then lay it vpon a blew woolen cloath , and lay it to the griefe as hot as one can suffer it . for any swelling in the legges or feete , take a good handfull of water cresses and shread them small , and put them in an earthen pot , and put thereto thicke wine lees , and wheate branne , and sheepes suet , of each of them a like quantitie , and let them boyle together vntill they bee thicke , then take a linnen cloath bind it all about the sore and swelling as hot as the party grieued can indure it , & let it remaine on a whole night , and a day without any remouing , and when you take it away lay to it a fresh plaister , hot , as before , & it will take away bothe the paine & the swelling . other surgions for this griefe take hony and beere and heate them together , & therewith bath the swelling both morning and euening . to wash any sore or vlcer , take running water & bole armoniake and camphire , and boyle them together , and dip in a cloth , and lay it to the sore as hot as it may be indured , also plantane water is good to kill the heate of any sore : or if you take woodbine● leaues and bruise them small , it will heale a sore ; or if you wash a sore with veriuice , that hath beene burnt or scalded , it is a present remedy . others for this griefe , take the greene of goose dunge & boyle it in fresh butter , then straine it and vse it . also sallet oyle and snow water beaten together , will cure any scald or burning . to cure any old sore how grieuous soeuer it bee , take of new milke three quarts , a good handful of plantane , and let it boyle till a pint be consumed : then ad three ounces of allom made in powder , and one ounce and a halfe of white sugar candy powdered . also then let it boyle a little till it haue a hard curd , then straine it with this warme the vlcer , and all the member about it : then drie it , and lay vpon the vlcer , vnguentum basilicon spread on lint , and your diminium plaister diminio ouer it : for this strengtheneth and killeth the itch : but if you find this is not sharpe enough , then take of milke a quart , allom in pouder two ounces , vinegar a spooneful , whē the milke doth seeth , put in the allom & vinegar : then take off the curd , and vse the rest as was before said , and it will cure it . for scabs or itch take vnguentum populion , and therewith annoynt the party and it will helpe , but if it be more strong & ranke , take an ounce of nerue oile and three penyworth of quicksiluer , and beate and worke them together , till you see that assuredly the quicksiluer is kild , then let the party annoynt therewith the palmes of his hands , the boughs at his elbowes , his arme pits , & hammes , and it will cure all his body . to cure the leprosie , take the iuice of colworts , and mixe it with allom and strong ale , and annoynt the leaper therewith morning and euening , and it will cleanse him wonderfully , especially if he bee purged first , and haue some part of his corrupt blood taken away . to take away either pimples from the face , or any other part of the body , take virgin waxe , and spermacaeti , of each a like quantitie , and boyle them together , and dip in a fine linnen cloth , and as it cooles dippe it well of both sides , then lay it vpon another faire cloth vpon a table , & then fold vp a cloth in your hands , and all to slight it with the cloth , then take as much as wil couer the grieued place . if any man haue his priuy parts burnt , take the ashes of a fine linnen cloth in good quantity , and put it into the former oyle of egges , and annoynt the sore member therewith , and it will cure it . for any burning , take sixe new laid egges and roast them very hard , and take out the yolkes thereof , and put them into an earthen pot , and set it ouer the fire on hot imbers , and then whilst the egges looke blacke , stirre them with a slice till they come to an oyle , which oyle take and clarifie & put into a glasse by it selfe , and therewith annoynt any burning , and it will cure it . for any scalding with hot water , oyle or otherwise ; take thicke creame ; & set it on the fire , and put into it the greene which growes on a stone wall , take also yarrow , the greene of elder barke and fire grasse , and chop them small , then put them into the creame , and stirre it well till it come to an oyle salue , then straine it and annoynt the sore with it . to drie vp any sore , take smallage , ground●ill , wilde mallowes , and violet leaues : chop them small and boyle them in milke with bruised oatemeale and sheepes suet , and so apply it to the sore . to eate away dead flesh , take stubble wort , and folde it vp in a red docke leafe , or red wort leafe , and so roast it in the hot imbers and lay it hot to any sore , and it will fret away all the dead flesh ; or otherwise , if you strew vpon the sore a litle precipitate it will eate away the dead flesh . to make a water to heale all manner of wounds , you shall take iuph-wort flowers , leaues and roots , & in march or aprill when the flowers are at the best , distill it , then with that water bath the wound , and lay a linnen cloth well there with in the wound , and it will heale it . to heale any wound or cut in any flesh or part of the body : first if it bee fit to bee stitch●st , itch it vp , and then take vnguentum aurum , and lay it vpon a pleagant of lint as bigge as the wound , and then ouer it lay a diminio plaister made of sallet oyle and white leade , and so dresse it at least once in fowre and twenty houres , but if it be a hollow wound , as some thrust in the body or other members , then you shall take balsamum cephalicum , and warming it on a chafing dish and coales , dip the tent therein , and so put it into the wound , then lay your plaister diminio ouer it , & do thus at least once a day till it be whole . if a mans sinewes be cut or shrunke , hee shall goe to the root of the wild neepe which is like woodbine , and make a hole in the midst of the root , then couer it well againe that no ayre goe out nor in , nor raine nor other moysture : thus let it abide a day and a night , then goe and open it , and you shall find therein a certaine liquor : then take out the liquor and put it into a cleane glasse , and doe thus euery day whilst you find any moysture in the hole ; and this must onely bee done in the moneths of aprill and may : then annoynt the sore therewith against the fire , then wet a linnen cloth in the same liquor , and lap it about the sore , and the vertue will soone be perceiued . to breake any impostume , and to ripe it onely , take the greene melilot plaister , and lay it thereunto , and it is sufficient . take plantane water , or sallet oyle and running water beaten together , and therewith annoynt the sore with a feather till the fire be taken out , then take the white of eggs and beate them to oyle , which done take a hare skynne and & clyppe the hayre into the oyle & make it as thicke as you may spread it vpon a fine linnen cloth , and so lay it vpon the soret and remoue it no , vntill it be whole , and if any rise vp of it selfe , clippe it away with your sheares , and if it be not perfectly whole , then take a little of the oyntment and lay it to the same place againe , ortherwise take halfe a bushell of glouers shreads of all sorts , & so much of running water as shall be thought conuenient to seeth them , and put thereto a quarter of a pound of barrowes grease , and then take halfe a bushell of the downe of catts tayles and boyle them all together , continually stirring them , till they bee sodden that they may be strayned into an earthen pot or glasse , and with it annoynt the sore . or else take of caprefollij , mouseare ground , iuye and hens dung of the reddest or of the yellowest , and fry them with may butter al together vntill it be browne , then strayne it through a cleane cloth , and annoynt the sore therewith . take the middle rind of the elme tree , and lay it two or three houres in faire running water till it waxe ropye like glew , and then annoynt the sore therewith : or otherwise , take sheeps tallow and sheeps dung and mixe them together till they come to a salue , and then apply it to the sore . take plantane leaues , dasie leaues , the greene barke of elders , and greene germaunders dyrte , stampe them all together with fresh butter or with oyle , then strayne it through a linnen cloth , and with a feather annoynt the sore till it be whole . take of oyle olyue a pint , terpentyne a pound , vnwrought waxe halfe a pound , rosen a quarter of a pound , sheepes suet two pound , then take of orpens , smallage , ragwort , plantane , and sicke-wort , of each a good handfull , chop all the hearbs very small , and boyle them in a pan altogether vpon a soakeing fire , and stirry them exceeding much till they bee well incorporate together , then take it from the fire and strayne al through a strong canuasse cloth into cleane potts or glasses and vse it as occasion shall serue , eyther to annoynt , tent , or plaister . otherwise take popler budds , and elder budds , stampe and straine them , then put thereto a little venyce turpentime , waxe and rosin , and so boyle them together and therwith dresse the sore , or else take two handfull of plantane leaues , bray them small , and s●rayne out the iuyce , then put to it as much womans milke , a spoonefull of hony , a yolke of an egge , and as much wheate flower as you thinke will bring it to a salue , then make a plaister thereof and lay it vnto the sore , renewing it once in foure and twenty houres . take an oune of vnguentum apostolorum , and an ounce of vnguentum aegiptiacum , and put them together in a port being first well wrought together in a bladder , and if the flesh be weake , put to it a little fine white sugar , and therewith dresse the sore , or otherwise take onely precypitate in fine pouder , and strew it on the sore . take a gallon of smithes sleacke water , two handfuls of sage , a pint of hony , a quart of ale , two ounces of allom , and a littell white copporas , seeth them all together till halfe be consumed , then strayne it , and put it into a cleane vessell , and therewith wash the sore . or otherwise take cleane running water and put therein roch allom and madder , and let them boyle till the allom and the madder be consumed , then take the clearest of the water and therewith wash the sore . or else take sage , fenell , & sinquefoyle , of each a good handfull , boyle them in a gallond of running water till they bee tender , then strayne the liquor from the hearbs , and put to it a quarter of a pound of roch allom , and let it seeth againe a little till the allom be melted , then take it from the fire and vse it , thus , dip lint in it warme and lay it to the sore , and if it be hollow apply more lynt , then make a little bolster of linnen cloth , and wett it well in the water , then wring out the water , and so bind on the bolster close . take a pint of ●allet oyle and put into it sixe ounces of red lead , and a little ceruse or white lead , then set it ouer a gentle fire , and let it boyle a long season stirring it well till it bee stiffe , which you shall trie in this order ; let it drop from your sticke or slice vpon the bottome of a saucer , and so stand vntill it be cold , and then if it be well boyled , it will be stiffe & very blacke , then take it off and let it stand a little , and after straine i● through a cloth into a bason , but first annoynt the bason with sallet oyle , and also your fingars , and so make it vp into roules plaisterwise , and spread it and apply it as occasion shall serue . take mallowes and b●ets , and seeth them in water , then drie away the water from them , and beate the hearbs well with old boares grease , and so apply it to the appostume hott . take a handfull of rue and stampe it with rustie bacon till it come to a perfect salue , and therewith dresse the sore till it be whole . if the party be outwardly venomed , take sage and bruise it well & apply it to the sore , renewing it at least twice a day , but if it be inwardly , then let the party drink the iuice of sage either in wine or ale morning and euening . take sellodyne early in the morning , and bruise it well , & then apply it to the sore , and renewing it twice or thrice a day . take of campheare one dramme , of quicksiluer , four penyworth killed well with vinegar , then mixe it with two penyworth of oylede bay , and therewith annoynt the body . or otherwise take red onyons and seeth them in running water a good while , then bruise the onyons small , and with the water they were sodden in , strayne them in , then wash the infected place with the same . take a greate quantitie of the hearbe bennet , and as much of red nett●es , pound them well & strayne them , and with the iuyce wash the patyent naked before the fire , and so let it drinke in and wash him againe , and doe so diuers dayes till he be whole . take a penyworth of white copperas , and as much greene copporas , a quarter of an ounce of white mercury , a halpenyworth of allom & burne it , and set al ouer the fire with a pint of fayre water , and a quarter of a pint of wine vinegar , boyle all these together till they come to halfe a pint , and then annoynt the sore therewith . take barrowes grease a prettie quantitie , and take an apple and pare it and take the chore cleane out , then chop your apple and your barrowes grease together , and set it ouer the fire that it may melt but not boyle , then take it from the fire , and put thereto a pretty quantitie of rose water and stirr all together till it be cold , and keepe it in a cleane vessell , and then annoynt the face therewith . take quicksiluer and kill it with fasting spittle , then take verdigrease , arabi●ke , turpentime , oyle olyue , and populion , & mixe them together to one entyre oyntment , and annoynt the sores therewith , and keepe the party exceeding warme . or otherwise , take of allom burned , of rossin , frankensence , populion , oyle of roses , oyle de bay , oyle olyue , greene copporas , verdigrease , white lead , mercury sublymde : of each a prettie quantitie but of allom most , then beate to powder the symples that are hard , and melt your oyles , and cast in your powders and stirre all well together , then straine them through a cloth , and apply it warme to the sores ; or else take of capons greafe that hath toucht no water , the iuyce of rue and the fine powder of pepper , and mixe them together to an oyntment , and apply it round about the sores , but let it not come into the sores , and it will drie them vp . take of treakle halfe a pennyworth , of long pepper as much , and of graynes as much , a littell ginger , and a little quantitie of licoras , warme them with strong ale , and let the party drinke it off , and lie downe in his bed and take a good sweat : and then when the sores arise , vse some of the oyntment before rehearsed . take the iuice of red fennell , and the iuyce of sen greene and stone hony , and mixe them very well together till it bee thicke , and with it annoynt the party , but before you doe annoyt him you shall make this water . take sage and seeth it in very faire water from a gallond to a pottell , & put therein a quantitie of hony and some allom , and let them boyle a little together ; when you haue strayned the hearbs from the water , then put in your hony and your allom , and therewith wash the poxe first , and let it drie in well , and then lay on the aforesaid oyntment . take the oyle of the white of an egge , wheate flower , a littell hony and venice turpentine , take and stirre all these together , and so vse it about the wound but not within , and if the wound do bleed , then adde to this salue a little quantity of bolarmonyake . take apponaxe and galbanum , of each an ounce , ammonianum , and bedlynd of each two ounces , of lethargie of gold one pound and a halfe , new waxe halfe a pound , lapis calamniaris one ounce , turpentine foure ounces , myrhe two ounces , oyle de bay one ounce , thusse one ounce , arystolochia roots two ounces , oyle of roses two ounces , sallet oyle two pound , all the hard symples must bee beaten to fine powder and searssed , take also three pynts of right wine vinegar , & put your foure gummes into the vinegar a whole day before till the gummes be dissolued , then set it ouer the fire and let it boyle very softly till your vinegar be as good as boyled away , then take an earthen pot with a wide mouth and put your oyle in and your waxe , but your waxe must be escraped before you put it in , then by a littell at once put in your lethargie and stirre it exceedingly , then put in all your gummes and all the rest , but let your turpentine be last , and so let it boyle till you see it grow to be thicke , then poure it into a bason of water and worke it with oyle of roses for sticking to your hands , and make it vp in roules plaisterwise , and here is to be noted , that your oyle of roses must not be boyled with the rest , but after it is taken from the fire a littell before the turpentine . take three good handfull of sage , and as much of honysuckell leaues and the flowers cleane picked , then take one pound of roch allom , & a quarter of a pound of right english hony clarified cleane , halfe a penyworth of graynes , and two gallonds of running water , then put all the said things into the water , and let them seeth till halfe be consumed , then take it from the fire till it be almost cold & strayne it through a cleane cloth , & put it vp in a glasse , and then either on tent or pleagant vse as you haue occasion . take a quart of rye flower and temper it with running water , and make dough thereof , then according to the bignesse of the wound lay it in with the deffensytiue plaister before rehearsed ouer it , and euery dressing make it lesse and lesse till the wound be closed . take a quart of neates foot oyle , a quart of oxe galles , a quart of aquauitae , and a quart of rose water , a handfull of rosemary strypt , and boyle all these together till halfe be consumed , then presse and strayne it , and vse it according as you find occasion . take hony , pitch and butter , and seeth them together , & annoynt the hurt against the fire , and tent the sore with the same . take groundsell and stampe it , and seeth it with sweete mylke till it be thicke , then temper it with blacke sope and lay it to the sore . take rosin a quarter of a pound , of waxe three ounces , of oyle of roses one ounce and a halfe , seeth all them together in a pint of white wine till it come to skymming , then take it from the fire & put thereto two ounces of venice ●urpentine , and apply it to the wound or sore . take mustard made with strong vinegar , the crūmes of browne bread , with a quantitie of hony and sixe figgs minxt , temper all together well and lay it vpon a cloath plaisterwise , put a thinne cloath betweene the plaister and the flesh & lay it to the place greued as oftae need requires . take a pound of fine rozin , of oyle de bay two ounces , of populion as much , of frankensence halfe a pound , of oyle of spyke two ounces , of oyle of camomile two ounces , of oyle of roses two ounces , of waxe half a pound , of turpentine a quarter of a pound , melt them and stirre them well together and then dip linnen clothes therein , and apply the searecloath as you shall haue occasion , and note the more oyle you vse , the more supler the searecloth is , and the lesse oyle the stiffer it wi●l be . take a little blacke sope , sault and hony , and beate them well together , and spread it on a browne paper and apply it to the bruise . take mallowes and seeth them in the dregges of good ale or milke , and make a plaister thereof , and apply it to the place swelled . take in the moneth of may , henbane and bruise it well and put it into an earthen pot and put thereto a pint of sallet oyle and set it in the sunne till it be all one substance , the annoynt the ach therewith . take halfe a pound of vnwrought wax , as much rozin , one ounce of galbanum , a quarter of a pound of lethargie of gold , . quarters of white leade , beaten to pouded and cearst , then take a pint of neates foote oyle and set it on the fire in a small vessell which may containe the rest , and when it is all moulten , then put in the pouders and stirre it fast with a slice , and trie it vpon the bottome of a saucer , when it beginneth to be somewhat hard , then take it from the fire , & annoynt a fayre boord with neates foot oyle , & as you may handle it for heate , worke it vp in roules , and it will keepe fiue or sixe yeares , being wraped vp close in papers , & when you will vse it , spread of it thin vpon new lockram or leather somewhat bigger then the griefe , and so if the griefe remoue follow it , renewing it morning and euening , and let it bee somewhat warme when it is layd on , and beware of taking cold , & drinking hot wines . take foure or fiue yolkes of egges , hard sodden or rosted , & take the branches of great morrell , and the berryes in somer , and in winter the roots , and bray all well together in a morter with sheeps milke , and then fry it till it be very thicke and so make a plaister thereof , and lay it about the sore and it will take away both paine and swelling . take a gallond of standing lye , put to it of plantane and knot-grasse , of each two handfull , of worme-wood & comfry , of each a handfull , & boyle all these together in the lye a good while , and when it is luke warme bath the broken member therewith , & take the budds of elder gathered in march , and strypped downeward and a little boyle them in water , then eate them in oyle and very little vinegar , a good quantitie at a time in the morning euer before meate or an houre before the patient goe to dinner , and it much auayles to the knytting of bones . take rosemary , featherfewe , organye , pelitory of the wall , fennill , mallowes , violet leaues , and nettells , boyle all these together , and when it is well sodden put to it two or three gallonds of milke , then let the party stand or sit in it an houre or two , the bath reaching vp to the stomacke , and when they come out they must goe to bed and sweate , beware taking of cold . make a plaister of wheate flower and the whits of egges , & spead it on a double linnen cloth , then lay the plaister on an euen board , and lay the broken lymbe thereon , and set it euen according to nature , and lap the plaister about it and splynt it , and giue him to drinke knyt-wort the iuice thereof twice and no more , for the third time it will vnknit , but giue him to drinke nine dayes each day twice the iuy●e of comfery , daysies and osmund in stale ale and it shall knit it , and let the foresaid plaister lye to ten dayes at the least , and when you take it away doe thus , take hore-hound , red fenell , houns , tongue , w●ll-wort , and pelitory , and seeth them , then vnroule the member and take away the splynts , and then bath the linnen & the plaister about the member in this bath till it haue soakt so long that it come gently away of it selfe , then take the aforesaid plaister and lay thereto fiue or sixe dayes very hot , and let each plaister lie a day and a night & alwaies splynt it well , and after cherish it with the oyntments before rehearsed for broken bones , and keepe the party from vnholsome meates and drinkes till hee bee whole , and if the hurt be on his arme let him beare a ball of greene hearbs in his hand to preuent the shrinking of the hand and sinewes . take sage , rag-wort , yarrow , vnset leekes of each a like quantitie , stampe them with bay salt and apply them to the wrests of the hands . blanch almonds in the cold water , and make milke of them ( but it must not seeth ) then put to it sugar , and in the extremitie of heate , see you drinke thereof . take three spoonefull of ale and a little saffron , and bruise and straine it thereto , then adde a quarter of a spoonefull of fine treakle and mixt together , and drinke it when the fitt comes . take two roots of crowe foot that growes in a marsh grownd , which haue no little roots about them , to the number of twentie or more , and a little of the earth that is about them , and doe not wash them , and adde a little quantitie of salt , and mixe all well together and lay in one linnen clothes and bind it about your thumbes betwixt the first and the neather ioynt , and let it lye nine dayes vnremoued , and it will expell the feuer . an approued medicine for the greatest laske or flixe . take a right pomwater the greatest you can get , or els two little ones , roast them very tender to pap , then take away the skinne and the core and vse onely the pap , and the like quantitie of chalke finely scraped , mixe them both together vpon a trencher before the fire , and worke them well to a plaister , then spread it vpon a linnen cloth warmed very hot as may be suffred , and so bind it to the nauill for . houres , vse this medicine twice or thrice or more till the laske be stayed . to make the oyle of swallowes , take lauendar cotton , spike , knot-grasse , ribwort , balme , valerian , rosemarie tops , woodbine tops , vine strings , french mallowes , the tops of alecost , strawberry strings , tutsan , plantane , wale-nut tree leaues , the tops of young baies , isop , violet leaues , sage of vertue , fine roman worme-wood , of each of them a handfull , camomile and redroses , of each two handfull , twentie quicke swallowes , & beate them al together in a great morter , & put to thē a quart of neat●-foote oyle , or may butter , and grind them all well together with two ounces of cloues well beaten , then put them all together in an earthen pot , and stop it very close that no ayer come into it , and set it nine dayes in a seller or cold place , then open your pot and put into it halfe a pound of white or yellow waxe cut very small , and a pint of oyle or butter , then set your pot close stopped into a panne of water , & let it boyl● sixe or eight houres , and then straine it : this oyle is exceeding soueraine for any broken bones , bones out of ioynt , or any paine or griefe either in the bones or sinnewes . to make oyle of camomile , take a quart of sallet oyle and put it into a glasse , then take a handfull of camomile and bruise it , and put it into the oyle , and let them stand in the same . dayes , onely you must shift it euery three dayes , that is to strayne it from the old cammomile , and put in as much of new , and that oyle is very souereine for any griefe proceeding from cold causes . to make oyle of lauender , take a pint of sallet oyle and put it into a glasse , then put to it a handfull of lauender , and let it stand in the same twelue dayes , and vse it in all respects as you did your oyle of cammomile . to make an oyle which shall make the skinne of the hands very smooth , take almonds and beate them to oyle , then take whole cloues and put them both together into a glasse , and set it in the sunne fiue or sixe dayes , then strayne it , and with the same annoynt your hands euerie night when you goe to bed , and otherwise as you haue conuenient leasure . to make that soueraine water which was first inuented by doctor steuens , in the same forme as he deliuered the receite to the arch-bishop of canturbury , a little before the death of the said doctor . take a gallon of good gascoyne wine , then take ginger , galingale , synamon , nutmegges , graines , cloues brused , fennell seeds , carrawaie seeds , origanum ; of euery of them a like quantitie , that is to say a dramme : then take sage , wild margerom , peny-royaell , mints , red-roses , time , pellitory , rosemary , wild-time , cammomill , lauender , of each of them a handfull , then bray the spices small , and bruise the hearbs and put al into the wine ; & let it stand so twelue houres , only stirre it diuers times , then distill it by a lymbecke , and keepe the first water by it selfe for that is the best , then keepe the second water for that is good , and for the last neglect it not , for it is very wholesome though the worst of the three . now for the vertue of this water it is this , it comforteth the spirits and vitall parts , and helpeth all inward diseases that commeth of cold , it is good against the shaking of the palsie , & cureth the contraction of sinnewes , and helpeth the conception of women that be barraine , it killeth the wormes in the body , it cureth the cold cough , it helpeth the tooth-ache , it comforteth the stomacke , and cureth the old dropsie , it helpeth the stone in bladder and in the reines , it helpeth a stinking breath : and whosoeuer vseth this water moderately and not too often , preserueth him in good liking , & will make him seeme young in old age . with this water docter steuens preserued his owne life vntill such extreame age , that he could neither goe nor ride , and he continued his life being bed-rid fiue yeares , when other physicions did iudge he could not liue one yeare , which he did coufesse a little before his death ; saying : that if he were sicke at any time , he neuer vsed any thing but this water only ; and also the archbishop of canterbury vsed it , and found such goodnesse in it that hee liued till he was not able to drinke of a cup , but sucked his drinke throug a hollow pipe of siluer . this water will be much the better if it be set in the sunne all summer . to make a cordiall rosasolis , take rosasolis , and in any wise touch not the leaues thereof in the gathering , nor wash it ; take thereof foure good handfuls , then take two good pints of aqua●itae , and put them both in a glasse or pewter pot of three or foure pints , and then stop the same hard and iust , and so let it hand three dayes and three nights , and the third day straine it through a cleane cloth into another glasse or pewter pot , and put thereto halfe a pound of sugar beaten small , fowre ounces of fine licoras beaten into powder , halfe a pound of sonud dates the stones being taken out , & cut them and make them cleane , and then mince them small , and mixe all these together and stop the glasse or pot close and iust , and drinke of it at night to bedward halfe a spoonefull with ale or beere , but ale is the better , as much in the morning fasting for there is not the weakest body in the world that wanteth nature or strength , or that is in a consumption , but it will restore him againe , and cause him to be strong and lustie , and to haue a maruailous hungrie stomacke , prouided alwaies that this rosasolis be gathered ( as neare as you possibly can ) at the full of the moone when the sunne shineth before noone , and let the roots of them be cut away . take the flowers of roses or violets & breake them small and put them into sallet oyle , and let them stand in the same ten or twelue dayes , and then presse it . or otherwise take a quart of oyle olyue , and put thereto sixe spoonefuls of cleane water , and stirre it well with a slice , till it waxe as white as milke , then take two pound of red rose leaues and cut the white of the ends of the leaues away , and put the roses into the oyle , & then put it into a double glasse and set it in the sun all the summer time , and it is soueraine for any scalding or burning with water or oyle . or else take red roses new plucked a pound or two , and cut the white ends of the leaues away , then take may butter and melt it ouer the fire w●th . pound of oyle olyue , & when it is clarified put in your roses and put it all in a vessell of glasse or of earthen , and stop it well about that no ayre enter in nor out , and set it in another vessell with water and let it boyle halfe a day or more , and then take if forth and straine or presse it through a cloth , and put it into glasse bottells● this is good for al manner of vnkind heates . take two or three pound of nutmegges & cut them small and bruse them well , then put them into a pan and beate them and stir●e them about , which done , put them into a canuasse or strong linnen bagge , and close them in a presse and presse them , & get out all the liquor of them which will be like manna , then scrape it from the canuasse bagge as much as you can with a knife , then put it into some vessell of glasse and stoppe it well , but set it not in the sun for it will waxe cleane of it selfe within . or . dayes , and it is worth thrice so much as the nutmeggs themselues , and the oyle hath very great vertue in comforting the stomacke and inward parts , and asswaging the paine of the mother and cyatica . take the flowers of spyke , and wash them only in oyle olyue and then stampe them well , then put them in a canuasse bagge & presse them in a presse as hard as you can , & take that which commeth out carefully , and put it into a strong vessell of glasse , and set it not in the sun for it will cleare of it selfe & waxe fayre and bright , and will haue a very sharpe odor of the spike ; and thus you may make oyle of other hearbs of like nature , as lauender , camomile , and such like . take an ounce of masticke , and an ounce of olibanum pounded as small as is possible , & boyle them in oyle olyue ( a quart ) to a third part , then presse it and put it into a glasse , & after . or . dayes it will be perfect : it is exceeding good for any cold griefe . thus hauing in a summary manner passed ouer all the most phisicall & chirurgicall notes which burtheneth the mind of our english house-wife , beeing as much as needfull for the preseruation of the health of her family : and hauing in this chapte● shewed all the inward vertues wherewith shee should bee adorned . i will now returne to her more outward and actiue knowledges , wherein albeit the mind bee as much occupied as before ; yet is the body a great deale more in vse : neither can the worke be well effected by rule or direction . chap. ii. of the outward and actiue knowledge of the hous-wife ; and of her skill in cookerie ; as sallets of all sorts , with flesh , fish , sauces , pastrie , banqueting-stuffe , and ordering of great feasts : also distillations , perfumes , conceited secrets , and preseruing wine of all sorts . to speake then of the outward and actiue knowledges which belong to our english house-wife , i hold the first and most principall to be a perfect skill and knowledge in cookery , together with all the secrets belonging to the same , because it is a dutie rarely belonging to the woman ; and she that is vtterly ignorant therein , may not by the lawes of strict iustice challenge the freedome of marriage , because indeed she can then but performe halfe her vow ; for she may loue and obey , but shee cannot serue and keepe him with that true dutie which is euer expected . to proceede then to this knowledge of cookery , yoù shall vnderstand , that the first steppe thereunto is , to haue knowledge of all sorts of hearbs belonging to the kitchin , whether they be for the pot , for sallets , for sauces , for seruings , or for any other seasoning , or adorning ; which skill of knowledge of the hearbs she must get by her owne labour and experience , and not by my relation , which would be much too tedious , and for the vse of them , she shall see it in the composition of dishes and meates here-after following . she shall also know the time of the yeere , month and moone , in which all hearbs are to bee sowne ; and when they are in their best flourishing , that gathering all hearbs in their height of goodnesse , she may haue the prime vse of the same . and because i will inable , and not burthen her memorie , i will here giue her a short epitomie of all that knowledge . first then , let our english hous-wife know , that she may at all times of the moneth and moone , generally sow asparagus , colworts , spinage , lettice , parsnips , radish , and chyues . in february , in the new of the moone , she may sow spyke , garlick , borage , buglose , cheruyle , coriander , gourds , cresses , marioram , palma christi , flower-gentle , white poppie , purslan , radish , rocket , rosemarie , sorrell , double marigolds and time. the moone full she may sow anisseedes musked , violets , bleets , skyrrits , white succory , fennell , and parslie . the moone old , sow holy thystell , cole cabadge , white cole greene cole , cucumbers , harts-horne , diers graine , cabadge , lettice , mellons , onions , parsnips , larkes heele , burnet and leekes . in march the moone new , sow garlick , borrage , buglosse , cheruile , coriander , gourds , marioram , white poppie , purslan , radish , sorrell , double marigolds , time , violets . at the full moone ; aniseeds , bleets , skirrets , succorie , fennell , apples of loue , and marueilous apples . at the wane ; artichokes , bassill , blessed thistle , cole cabadge , white cole , greene cole , citrons , cucumbers , harts-horne , samphire , spinage , gilliflowers , issop , cabadge , lettice , mellons , mugrets , onions , flower gentil , burnet , leekes and sauorie . in may , the moone old , sow blessed thistle . in iune , the moone new , sow gourds and radishes . the moone old , sow cucumbers , mellons , parsnips . in iuly , the moone at full , sow white succorie : and the moone old , sow cabadge , lettice . lastly , in august , the moone at the full , sow white succorie . also she must know , that hearbs growing of seeds , may be transplanted at all times , except cheruyle , arage , spynage , and pselye , which are not good being once transplanted , obseruing euer to transplant in moist and rainie weather . also she must know , that the choice of seedes are two-fold , of which some grow best , being new , as cucumbers and leekes , and some being old as coriander , par●●y , sauorie , beets , origan , cresses , spinage and poppy , you must keepe cold lettice , artichokes , basil , holy thistle , cabadge , cole , diers graine , and mellons , fifteene dayes after they put forth of the earth . also seedes prosper better being sowne in temperate weather , then in hot , cold , or drie daies . in the moneth of aprill , the moone being new , sow marioram , flower-gentle , time , violets : in the full of the moone , aples of loue , and marueilous apples : and in the wane , artichokes , thistles , cabadge , cole , cierons , harts-horne , samphire , gilliflowers , and parsenips . seedes must be gathered in faire weather ; at the wane of the moone , and kept some in boxes of wood , some in bagges of leather , and some in vessels of earth , and after to be well cleansed and dried in the sunne or shadow ; othersome , as onions , chibols and leekes , must be kept in their husks . lastly , she must know , that it is best to plant in the last of the moone ; to gather grafts in the last but one , and to graft two daies after the change ; and thus much for her knowledge briefly of hearbs , and how she shal haue them continually for her vse in the kitchin. it resteth now that i proceede vnto cookerie it selfe , which is the dressing and ordering of meate , in good and wholsome manner ; to which , when our hous-wife shall addresse her selfe , she shall well vnderstand , that these qualities must euer accompanie it : first , she must be cleanly both in body and garments , she must haue a quick eye , a curious nose , a perfect taste , and a ready eare ( she must not be butter-fingred , sweete-toothed , nor faint-hearted ; ) for , the first will let euery thing fall , the second will consume what it should increase , and the last will loose time with too much nicenesse . now for the substance of the art it selfe , i will diuide it into fiue parts ; the first , sallats and fricases ; the second , boyled meates and broaths ; the third , roast meates , and carbonados ; the fourth , bak't meates and pies ; and the fifth , banqueting and made dishes , with other conceits and secrets . first then to speake of sallats , there be some simple , and some compounded ; some only to furnish out the table , and some both for vse and adornation : your simple sallats are chibols pilled , washt cleane , and halfe of the greene tops cut cleane away , so serued on a fruit dish , or chines , scallions , radish-rootes , boyled carrets , skirrets , and turneps , with such like serued vp simply : also , all young lettice , cabage lettice , porslan , and diuers other herbs which may be serued simply without any thing , but a little vinegar , sallet-oyle , and sugar : onions boiled , and stript from their rind , and serued vp with vinegar , oyle and pepper is a good simple sallat ; so is samphire , beane-cods , sparagus , and cucumbers , serued in likewise with oyle , vinegar and pepper , with a world of others , too tedious to nominate . your compound sallats , are first the young buds and knots of all manner of wholsome hearbes at their first springing ; as red-sage , mints , lettice , violets , marigolds , spinage , and many other mixed together , and then serued vp to the table with vinegar , sallet oyle and sugar . to compound an excellent sallat , and which indeed is vsuall at great feasts , and vpon princes tables : take a good quantitie of blancht almonds , and with your shredding knife cut them grossely ; then take as many raisins of the sunne cleane washt , and the stones pickt out , as many figs shred like the almonds , as many capers , twice so many oliues , and as many currants as of all the rest cleane washt : a good handfull of the small tender leaues of red sage and spinage : mixe all these well together with good store of sugar , and lay them in the bottome of a great dish ; then put vnto them vinegar and oyle , and scrape more suger ouer all : then take orenges and lemons , and paring away the outward pills , cut them into thinne slices , then with those slices couer the sallet al ouer ; which done , take the the fine thinne leafe of the red coleflower , and with them couer the orenges and lemons all ouer ; then ouer those red leaues lay another course of old oliues , and the slices of well pickled cucumbers , together with the very inward heart of your cabbage lettice cut into slices ; then adorne the sides of the dish , and the top of the sallet with mo slices of lemons and orenges , and so serue it vp . to make an excellent compound boild sallat : take of spinage well washt , two or three handfulls , and put it into faire water , and boile it till it be exceeding soft , and tender as pap ; then put it into a culland●r and draine the water from it , which done , with the backside of your chopping-knife chop it , and bruise it as small as may be : then put it into a pipkin with a good lump of sweete butter , and boile it ouer againe ; then take a good handfull of currants cleane washt , and put to it , and stirre them well together ; then put to as much vinegar as will make it reasonable tart , and then with suger season it according to the taste of the master of the house , and so serue it vpon sippets . your preserued sallats are of two kinds , either pickled , as are cucumbers , samphire , purslan , broome , and such like , or preserued with vinegar ; as violets , prim-rose , cowslops , gillyflowers of all kinds , broome-flowers , and for the most part any wholsome flower whatsoeuer . now for the picking of sallats , they are onely boyled , and then drained from the water , spread vpon a table , and good store of salt throwne ouer them , then when they are thorow cold , make a pickle with water , salt , and a little vinegar , and with the same pot them vp in close earthen pots , and serue them forth as occasion shall serue . now for preseruing sallats , you shall take any of the flowers before-said after they haue been pickt cleane from their stalkes , and the white ends ( of them which haue any ) cleane cut away , and washt and dried , and taking a glasse-pot like a gally-pot , or for want thereof a gally-pot it selfe ; and first strew a little sugar in the bottom , then lay a layer of the flowers , then couer that layer ouer with sugar , then lay another layer of the flowers , and another of sugar ; and thus doe one aboue another till the pot be filled , euer and anon pressing them hard downe with your hand : this done , you shal take of the best and sharpest vinegar you can get ( and if the vinegar be distilled vinegar , the flowers wil keepe their colours the better ) and with it fill vp your pot till the vinegar swim aloft , and no more can be receiued ; then stop vp the pot close , and set them in a drie temperate place , & vse them at pleasure , for they wil last all the yeere . now for compounding of sallats of these pickled and preserued things , though they may be serued vp simply of themselues , and are both good and daintie ; yet for better curiositie , and the finer adorning of the table , you shall thus vse them : first , if you would set forth any red flower that you know or haue seene , you shall take your pots of preserued gilliflowers , and suting the colours answerable to the flower you shall proportion forth , lay the shape of the flower in a fruit dish ; then with your purslan leaues make the greene coffin of the flower , and with the purslan stalkes , make the stalke of the flower , and the diuisions of the leaues and branches ; then with the thin slices of cucumbers make their leaues in true proportions , iagged or otherwise : and thus you may set forth some ful blowne , some halfe blowne , and some in the bud , which will bee pretty and curious . and if you will set forth yellow flowers , take the pots of primroses and cowslops , if blew flowers , then the pots of violets , or buglosse flowers ; and these sallats are both for shew and vse ; for they are more excellent for taste then to looke on . now for sallats for shew onely , and the adorning and setting out of a table with numbers of dishes , they be those which are made of carret rootes of sundrie colours well boiled , and cut out into many shapes and proportions , as some into knots , some in the manner of scutchions and armes , some like birds , and some like wild beasts , according to the art and cunning of the workman ; & these for the most part are seasoned with vinegar , oyle , and a little pepper . a world of other sallats there are , which time and experience may bring to our hous-wifes eye , but the composition of them , and the seruing of them differeth nothing from these already rehearsed . now to proceed to your fricases , or quelque choses , which are dishes of many compositions , and ingredients ; as flesh , fish , egges , hearbs , and many other things , all being prepared and made ready in a frying pan , they are likewise of two sorts , simple , and compound . your simple fricases are egges and collops fried , whether the collops be of bacon , ling , beefe , or young porke , the frying whereof is so ordinarie , that it needeth not any relation , or the frying of any flesh or fish simple of it selfe with butter or sweete oyle . to haue the best collops and egges , you shall take the whitest and youngest bacon ; and cutting away the sward , cut the collops into thin slices , lay them in a dish , and put hot water vnto them , and so let them stand an hower or two , for that will take away the extreame saltnesse : then draine away the water cleane , and put them into a drie pewter dish , and lay them one by one , and set them before the heate of the fire , so as they may toast , and turne them so , as they may toast sufficiently thorow and thorow : which done , take your egges and breake them into a dish , and put a spoonefull of vinegar vnto them : then set on a cleane skillet with faire water on the fire , and as soone as the water boileth put in the eggs , and let ●hem take a boile or two , then with a spoone trie if they be hard enough , and then take them vp , and trim them , and drie them ; and then dishing vp the collops , lay the egges vpon them , and so serue them vp : and in this sort you may potch eggs when you please , for it is the best and most wholsome . now the compound fricases are those which consist of many things , as tansies , fritters , pancakes ; & any q●elque chose whatsoeuer , being things of great request and estimation in france , spaine , and italy , and the most curious nations . first then for making the best tansey , you shall take a certaine number of egges , according to the bignesse of your frying-pan , and breake them into a dish , abating euer the white of euery third egge ; then with a spoone you shall cleanse away the little white chickin-knots which sticke to the yelkes ; then with a little creame beate them exceedingly together : then ●ake of greene wheat blades , violet leaues , straw-bery leaues , spinage and succorie , of each a like quantitie , and a few wall-nut buds ; chop and beate all these very well , and then straine out the iuyce , and mixing it with a little more creame , put it to the eggs , and stirre all well together ; then put in a few crummes of bread , fine grated bread , cinamon , nutmegge and salt , then put some sweete butter into the frying-pan , and so soone as it is melted , put in the tansey , and frie it browne without burning , and with a dish turne it in the pan as occasion shall serue ; then serue it vp , hauing strewed good store of suger vpon it , for to put in suger before will make it heauie : some vse to put of the hearbe tansey into it , but the wall-nut tree buds doe giue the better taste ; therefore when you please to vse the one , doe not vse the other . to make the best fritters , take a pint of creame and warme it : then take eight eggs , onely abate fowre of the whites , and beate them well in a dish , and so mixe them with the creame , then put in a little cloues , mace , nutmeg and saffron , and stirre them well together : then put in two spoonefull of the best ale-barme , and a little salt , and stirre it againe : then make it thicke according to your pleasure with wheate-flower ; which done , set it within the aire of the fire , that it may rise and swell ; which when it doth , you shall beate it in once or twice , then put into it a penny pot of sack : all this being done , you shall take a pound or two of sweete seame , and put it into a pan , and set it ouer the fire , and when it is moulten and begins to bubble , you shall take the fritter-batter , and setting it by you , put thick slices of well-pared apples into the batter : and then taking the apples and batter out together with a spoone put it into the boyling seame , and boyle your fritters crispe and browne : and when you find the strength of your seame decay , you shall renew it with more seame , and of all sorts of seame , that which is made of the beefesuet is the best and strongest : when your fritters are made strow good store of suger and cinamon vpon them , being faire disht , and so serue them vp . to make the best pancake , take two or three egges , and breake them into a dish , and beate them well : then adde vnto them a pretty quantitie of faire running water , and beate all well together : then put in cloues , mace , cinamon , and a nutmeg , and season it with salt : which done , make it thick as you thinke good with fine wheat flower : then frie the cakes as thin as may be with sweete butter , or sweete seame , and make them browne , and so serue them vp with sugar strowed vpon them . there be some which mixe pancakes with new milke or creame , but that makes them tough , cloying , and not so crispe , pleasant and sauorie as running water . to make the best veale tosts ; take the kidney fat , and all of a loyne of veale rosted , and shred it as small as is possible ; then take a couple of egges and beat them very wel ; which done , take spinage , succory , violet leaues , and marigold leaues , and beate them , and straine out the iuice , and mix it with the egges : then put it to your veale , and stirre it exceedingly well in a dish ; then put to good store of currance cleane washt and pickt , cloues , mace , sinamon , nutmeg , sugar and salt , and mix them al perfectly wel together : then take a manchet and cut it into tosts , and toste them well before the fire ; then with a spoone lay vpon the toste in a good thicknesse the veale , prepared as beforesaid : which done , put into your frying pan good store of sweete butter , and when it is well melted and very hot , put your tosts in to the same with the bread side vpward , and the flesh side downeward : and assoone as you see they are fried browne , lay vpon the vpperside of the tostes which are bare more of the flesh meate , and then turne them , and frie that side browne also : then take them out of the pan and dish them vp , and strow suger vpon them , and so serue them forth . there be some cookes which will do this but vpon one side of the tostes , but to do it on both is much better ; if you adde creame it is not amisse . to make the best panperdy , take a dozen egges , and breake them , and beat them very well , then put vnto them cloues , mace , cinamon , nutmeg , and good store of suger , with as much salt as shall season it : then take a manchet , and cut it into thick slices like tostes ; which done , take your frying pan , and put into it good store of sweete butter , and being melted lay in your slices of bread , then powre vpon them one halfe of your egges ; then when that is fried , with a dish turne your slices of bread vpward , and then powre on them the other halfe of your eggs , and so turne them till both sides bee browne ; then dish it vp , and serue it with sugar strowed vpon it . to make a quelquechose , which is a mixture of many things together ; take the eggs and breake them , and do away the one halfe of the whites , and after they are beaten put to them a good quantitie of sweete creame , currants , cinamon , cloues , mace , salt , and a little ginger , spinage , endiue , and marigold flowers grossely chopt , and beate them all very well together ; then take piggs pettitoes slic't , and grossely chopt , and mixe them with the eggs , and with your hand stirre them exceeding well together ; then put sweet butter in your frying pan , and being melted , put in all the rest , and frie it browne without burning , euer and anon turning it till it be fried enough ; then dish it vp vpon a flat plate , and couer it with sugar , and so serue it forth . only herein is to be obserued , that your pettitoes must be very well boyled before you put them into the frycase . and in this manner as you make this quelquechose , so you may make any other , whether it be of flesh , smal birds , sweet roots , oisters , muskles , cockles , giblets , lemons , orenges , or any fruit , pulse ; or other sallet herbe whatsoeuer ; of which to speake seuerally were a labour infinite , because they vary with mens opinions . only the composition and worke is no other then this before prescribed ; and who can doe these , neede no instruction for the rest . and thus much for sallets and frycases . to make fritters another way , take flower , milke , barme , grated bread , small raysings , cinamon , suger , cloues , mace , pepper , saffron and salt ; stirre all these together very well with a strong spoone , or small ladle ; then let it stand more then a quarter of an hower that it may rise , then beate it in againe , and thus let it rise and bebeat in twice or thrice at least ; then take it and bake them in sweete and strong seame , as hath been before shewed ; and when they are serued vp to the table , see you strow vpon them good store of sugar , cynomon and ginger . take a pint of the best , thickest and sweetest creame , and boile it , then whilest it is hot , put thereunto a good quantitie of faire great oat-meale grotes cleane pickt , and formerly steept in milke twelue houres at least , and let it soake in this creame another night ; then put thereto at least eight yelks of egges , a little pepper , cloues , mace , saffron , currants , dates , sugar , salt , and great store of swines suet , or for want thereof , great store of beefe suet , and then fill it vp in the farmes according to the order of good houswiferie , & then boyle them on a soft and gentle fire , and as they swell , prick them with a great pin , or small awle , to keepe them that they burst not : and when you serue them to the table ( which must be not till they be a day old , ) first , boyle them a little , then take them out and toast them browne before the fire , and so serue them , trimming the edge of the dish either with salt or sugar . take the liuer of a fat hog , and parboyle it , then shred it small , and after beate it in a morter very fine ; then mixe it with the thickest and sweetest creame , and straine it very well through an ordinary strainer● then put thereto six yelkes of egges , and two whites , and the grated crums of neere-hand a penny white loafe , with good store of currants , dates , cloues , mace , sugar , saffron , salt , and the best swine suet , or beefe suet , but beefe suet is the more wholsome , and lesse loosening ; then after it hath stood a while , fill it into the farmes , and boyle them , as before shewed : and when you serue them to the table , first , boyle them a little , then lay them on a gridyron ouer the coales , and broyle them gently , but scorch them not , nor in any wise breake their skinnes , which is to bee preuented by oft turning and tossing them on the grid-yron , and keeping a slow fire . take the yelkes and whites often or twelue eggs , and hauing beate them well , put to them the fine pouder of cloues , mace , nutmegs , sugar , cynamon , saffron and salt ; then take the quantity of two loaues of grated bread , dates ( small shred ) and great store of currants , with good store either of sheepes , hoggs , or beeffe-suet beaten and cut small ; then when all is mixt well together , and hath stood a while to settle , then fill it into the farmes as hath been before shewed , and in like manner boile them , cooke them , and serue them to the table . take halfe a pound of rice , and steepe it in new milke a whole night , and in the morning draine it , and let the milke drop away ; then take a quart of the best , sweetest , and thickest creame , and put the rice into it , and boyle it a little ; then set it to coole an hower or two , & after put in the yelkes of halfe a dozzen egges , a little pepper , cloues , mace , currants , dates , sugar and salt ; and hauing mixt them well together , put in great store of beefe suet well beaten , and small shred , and so put it into the farmes , and boyle them as before shewed , and serue them after a day old . take the best hoggs liuer you can get , and boyle it extreamely till it bee as hard as a stone ; then lay it to coole , and being cold , vpon a great bread-grater grate it all to powder ; then si●t it through a fine meale-siue , and put to it the crummes of ( at least two peny loaues of ) white bread , and boyle al in the thickest and sweetest creame you haue till it be very thick ; then let it coole , and put to it the yelks of halfe a dozzen egges , a little pepper , cloues , mace , corants , dates small shred , cinamon , ginger , a little nutmeg , good store of sugar , a little saffron , salt , and of beefe and swines suet great plenty , then fill it into the farmes , and boyle them as before shewed , take a calues mugget , cleane and sweete drest , and boyle it well ; then shred it as small as is possible , then take of strawberry leaues , of endyue , spynage , succorie , and sollell , of each a pretty quantitie , and chop them as small as is possible , and then mixe them with the mugget ; then take the yelkes of halfe a dozzen egges , and three whites , and beate them into it also ; & if you find it is to stiffe , then make it thinner with a little creame warmed on the fier ; then put in a little pepper , cloues , mace , cynamon , ginger , sugar , currants , dates and salt , and worke all together , with casting in little peyres of sweet butter one after another , till it haue receiued good store of butter ; then put it vp into the calues bagge , sheeps bagge , or hogs bagge , and then boyle it well , and so serue it vp . take the blood of an hogge whilest it is warme , and steepe in it a quarte , or more , of great oate-meale grotes , and at the end of three dayes with your hands take the grots out of the blood , and draine them cleane ; then put put to those grotes more then a quarte of the best creame warmd on the fire ; then take mother-of-time , parsely , spinnage , succory , endiue , sorrel and strawberry leaues , of each a few chopt exceeding small , and mixe them with the grots , and also a little fenell seede finely beaten ; then adde a little pepper , cloues and mace , salt , and great store of suet finely shred , and well beaten ; then therewith fill your farmes , and boyle them , as hath been before described . take the largest of your chines of porke , and that which is called a liste , and first with your knife cut the the leane thereof into thin slices , and then shred small those slices , and then spread it ouer the bottom of a dish or woodden platter ; then take the fat of the chine and the liste , and cut it in the same manner , and spread it vpon the leane , and then cut more leane , and spread it on the fat , and thus doe one leane vpon another till all the porke bee shred , obseruing to begin and end with the leane ; then with your knife scortch it through and through diuers wayes , and mixe it all well together : then take good store of sage , and shred it exceeding small , and mixe it with the flesh , then giue it a good season of pepper and salt ; then take the farmes made as long as is possible , and not cut in pieces as for puddings , and first blow them well to make the meat slip , and then fill them : which done , with threads deuide them into seuerall linkes as you please , then hang them vp in the corner of some chimney cleane kept , where they may take ayre of the fire , and let them drie there at least foure dayes before any be eaten ; and when they are serued vp , let them be either fried or boyld on the gridyron , or else roasted about a capon . it resteth now that we speak of boild meats and broths , which forasmuch as our hous-wife is intended to be generall , one that can as well feed the poore as the rich , we will first begin with those ordinarie wholsome boyld-meates , which are of vse in euery good mans house : therefore to make the best ordinarie pottage , you shall take a racke of mutton cut into pieces , or a leg of mutton cut into pieces ; for this meate and these ioynts are the best , although any other ioynt , or any fresh beefe will likewise make good pottage : and hauing washt your meate well , put it into a cleane pot with faire water , and set it on the fire ; then take violet leaues , succory , strawbery leaues , spinage , langdebeefe , marigold flowers , scallions , & a little parsly , & chop thē very small together ; then take halfe so much oat-meale well beaten as there is hearbs , and mixe it with the hearbs , and chop all very well together : then when the pot is ready to boyle , skum it very wel , and then put in your hearbs , and so let it boyle with a quick fire , stirring the meate oft in the pot , till the meate bee boyld enough , and that the hearbs and water are mixt together without any separation , which will bee after the consumption of more then a third part : then season them with salt , and serue them vp with the meate either with sippets or without . some desire to haue their pottage greene , yet no herbs to be seene in this case : you must take your hearbs and oat-meale , and after it is chopt , put it into a stone morter , or bowle , and with a woodden pestell beate it exceedingly ; then with some of the warme liquor in the pot straine it as hard as may be , and so put it in and boyle it . others desire to haue pottage without any hearbs at all , and then you must only take oat-meale beaten , and good store of onions , and put them in , and boile them together ; and thus doing you must take a greater quantitie of oate-meale then before . if you wil make pottage of the best & daintiest kind , you shal take mutton , veale , or kid , & hauing broke the bones , but not cut the flesh in peeces , and wash it , put it into a pot with faire water , after it is ready to boile , and is throughly skumd , you shal put in a good handful or two of smale oat-meale : & then take whole lettice of the best & most inward leaues , whole spinage , endiue , succory , and whole leaues of colast ●orry , or the inward parts of white cabage , with two or three sli●'t onions ; and put all into the pot and boile them well together till the meat be enough , and the herbes so soft as may be , and stirre them oft well together ; and then season it with salt and as much veriuice as will onely turne the tast of the pottage ; and so serue them vp , couering the meat with the whole hearbes , and adorning the dish with sippets . to make ordinary stewd broth , you shall take a necke of veale , or a leg , or mary bones of beefe , or a pullet , or mutton , and after the meat is washt , put it into a pot with faire water , and being ready to boile , skumme it well ; then you shall take a couple of manchets , and paring away the crust , cut it into thicke slices , and lay them in a dish , and couer them with hot broth out of the pot ; when they are steept , put them and some of the broth into a strainer , and straine it , and then put it into the pot ; then take halfe a pound of prunes , half a pound of rai●ins , and a quarter of a pound of currants clean pickt & washt , with a litle whole mace and two or three brused cloues , and put them into the pot , and stirre all well together , and so let them boile till the meate be enough ; then if you will alter the colour of the broth , put in a little turnesole , or red saunders , and so serue it vpon sippets , and the fruit vppermost . to make an excellent boiled meate : take fowre peeces of a racke of mutton , and wash them cleane and put them into a pot well scowred with faire water ; then take a good quantity of wine and veriuice and put into it ; then slice a handfull of onions and put them in also , and so let it boile a good while ; then take a peece of sweet butter with gi●ger and salt and put it ●o also , and then make the broth thicke with grated bread , and so serue it vp with sippets . to boile a mallard curiously , take the mallard when it is faire dressed , washed and trust , and put it one a spit and rost it till you can get the gra●y out of it ; then take it from the spit and boile it , then take the best of the broth in a pipkin , and the grauy which you saued , with a peece of sweete butter and currants , vineger , sugar , p●pper and grated bread : thus boile all these together , and when the mallard is boiled sufficiently , lay it on a dish with sippets , and the broth vpon it , and so serue it foorth . to make an excellent olepotrige , which is the onely principall dish of boild meate which is esteemed in all spaine , you shall take a very large vessell , pot or kettell , and filling it with water , you shall set it on the fire , and first put in good thicke gobbets of well fed beefe , and being ready to boile , skumme your pot ; when the beefe is halfe boiled , you shall put in potato roots , turneps , and skirrets : also like gobbets of the best mutton , and the best porke ; after they haue boyled a while , you shall put in the like gobbets of venison red , and fallow , if you haue them ; then the like gobbets , of veale , kidde , and lamb ; a little space after these , the foreparts of a fat pigge , and a crambd pullet ; then put in spinage , endiue , succory , marigold leaues & flowers , lettice , violet leaues , strawberry leaues , buglosse and scallions , all whole and vnchoot ; then when they haue boiled a while , put in a partridge and a chicken chopt in peeces , with quailes , rails , blackbirds , larkes , sparrowes and other small birds , all being well and tenderly boiled , season vp the broth with good store of sugar , cloues , mace , cinamon , ginger and nutmegge mixt together in a good quantity of veriuice and salt , and so stirre vp the pot well from the bottome , then dish it vp vpon great chargers , or long spanish dishes made in the fashion of our english woodden trayes , with good store of sippets in the bottome ; then couer the meate all ouer with prunes , raisins , currants , and blaunch't almonds , boiled in a thing by themselues ; then couer the fruite and the whole boiled hearbes , and the hearbes with slices of orenges and lemmons , and lay the roots round about the sides of the dish , and strew good store of sugar ouer all , and so serue it foorth . to make the best white broth● whether it be with veale , capon , chickins , or any other fowle or fish : first boile the flesh or fish by it selfe , then take the valew of a quart of strong mutton broth , or fat kidde broth , and put it into a pipkin by it selfe , and put into it a bunch of time , marierome , spinage and endiue bound together ; then when it seethes put in a pretty quantity of beefe-marrow , and the marrowe of mutton , with some whole mace and a few bruised cloues ; then put in a pinte of white-wine with a few whole slices of ginger ; after these haue boiled a● wile together , take blanch't almonds , and hauing beaten them together in a morter with some of the broth , st●aine them and put it in also ; then in another pipkin boile currants , prunes , raisins , and whole cinamon in veriuice and sugar , with a few sliced dates ; and boile them til the veriuice be most part consumed , or at least come to a syrrup ; then draine the fruit from the sirrup , and if you see it be high coloured ; make it white with sweete creame warmed , and so mixe it with your wine broth ; then take out the capon or the other flesh or fish , and dish it vp dry in a clean dish ; then powre the broth vpon it , and lay the fruite on the top of the meate , and adorne the side of the dish with sippets ; first orenges , lemmons and sugar , and so serue it forth . to boile any wild fowle , as mallard , teale , widgeon , or such like : first boile the fowle by it selfe , then take a quart of strong mutton broth , and put it into a pipkin , and boile it ; then put into it good store of sliced onions , a bunch of sweete pot-hearbes , and a lump of sweete butter ; after it hath boiled well , season it with veriuice , salt and sugar , and a little whole pepper ; which done , take vp your fowle and breake it vp according to the fashion of caruing , and sticke a few cloues about it ; then put it into the broth with onions , and there let it take a walme or two , & so serue it and the broth foorth vppon sippets , some vse to thicken it with toasts of bread steept and strained , but that is as please the cooke . to boile a legge of mutton , or any other ioint of meate whatsoeuer ; first after you haue washt it cleane , parboile it a little , then spit it and giue it halfe a dozen turnes before the fire , then draw it when it beginnes to drop , and presse it betweene two dishes , and saue the grauy ; then slash it with your knife , and giue it halfe a dozen turnes more , and then presse it againe , and thus doe as often as you can force any moisture to come from it ; then mixing mutton broth , white-wine , and veriuice together , boile the mutton therein till it be tender , and that most part of the liquor is cleane consumed ; then hauing all that while kept the grauy you tooke from the mutton , stewing gently vpon a chaffing-dish and coales , you shall adde vnto it good store of salt ; sugar , cinamon & ginger , with some lemmon slices , and a little of an oringe pill , with a few fine whitebread crums : then taking vp the mutton , put the remainder of the broth in which it lay to the grauy , and then serue it vp with sippets , laying the lemmon slices vppermost , and trimming the dish about with sugar . if you will boile chickens , young turkies , pea-hens , or any house-fowle daintily , you shall after you haue trimmed them , drawne them , trust them , and washt them , fill their bellies as full of parsly as they can hold ; then boile them with salt and water onely till they be enough : then take a dish and put into it veriuice , and butter , and salt , and when the butter is melted , take the parsly out of the chickens bellies , and mince it very small , and put it to the veriuice and butter , and stirre it well together ; then lay in the chickens , and trimme the dish with sippets , and so serue it foorth . if you will make broth of any fresh fish whatsoeuer , whether it be pike , breame , carpe , eele , barbell or such like : you shall boile water , veriuice & salt together with a handfull of sliced onions ; then you shall thicken it with two or three spoonefull of ale-barme ; then put in a good quantity of whole barberies , both branches and other , as also pretty store of currants : then when it is boild enough , dish vp your fish , and powre your broth vnto it , laying the fruit and onions vppermost . some to this broth will put prunes and dates slic't , but it is according to the fancy of the cooke , or the will of the house-holder . thus i haue from these few presidents shewed you the true art and making of all sorts of boild-meates , and broths ; and though men may coine strange names , and faine strange art , yet be assured she that can doe these , may make any other whatsoeuer ; altering the tast by the alteration of the compounds as shee shall see occasion : and when a broth is to sweet , to sharpen it with veriuice , when to tart ; to sweet it with sugar ; when flat & wallowish , to quicken it with oringes & lemmons ; & when to bitter , to make it pleasant with hearbes & spices : and thus much for broths & boild meats . take a mallard when it is cleane dressed , washed and trust , and parboyle it in water till it be skumd and purified ; then take it vp , and put it into a pipkin with the neck downward , and the tayle vpward , standing as it were vpright ; then fill the pipkin halfe full with that water , in which the mallard parboyld , and fill vp the other halfe with white wine ; then pill and slice thin a good quantitie of onyons , and put them in with whole fine hearbs , according to the time of the yeare , as lettice , strawberry leaues , violet leaues , vines leaues , spinage , endiue , succorie , and such like , which haue no bitter or hard taste , and a pretty quantitie of currants and dates sliced ; then couer it close , and set it on a gentle fire , and let it stew , and smoare till the hearbs and onyons be soft , and the mallard enough ; then take out the mallard , and carue it as it were to goe to the table ; then to the broath put a good lumpe of butter , sugar , cinamon ; and if it be in some , so many goose-berries as will giue it a sharpe taste , but in the winter as much wine vinegar ; then heate it on the fire , and stirre all well together ; then lay the mallard in a dish with sippets , and powre all this broth vpon it ; then trim the egges of the dish with sugar , and so serue it vp . and in this manner you may also smoare the hinder parts of a hare , or a whole old conie , being trust vp close together . after your pike is drest and opened in the back , and laid flat , as if it were to frie , then lay it in a large dish for the purpose , able to receiue it ; then put as much white wine to it as will couer it all ouer ; then set it on a chaffing-dish and coales to boyle very gently , and if any skum arise , take it away ; then put to it currants , sugar , cynamon , barber-berries , and as many prunes as wil serue to garnish the dish ; then couer it close with another dish , and let it stew till the fruit be soft , and the pike enough ; then put in a good lumpe of sweet butter ; then with a fine skummer take vp the fish and lay it in a cleane dish with sippets ; then take a copple of yelkes of egges , the filme taken away , and beate them well together with a spoonefull or two of creame , and assoone as the pike is taken out , put it into the broth , and stir it exceedingly to keepe it from curding ; then power the broth vpon the pike , and trim the sides of the dish with sugar , prunes , and barberies , slices of orenges or lemmons , and so serue it vp . and thus may you also stew rochets , gurnets , or almost any sea-fish , or fresh-fish . take a lambs-head and purtenance cleane washt & pickt and put it into a pipkin with faire water , and let it boile , and skum it cleane ; then put in currants and a few sliced dates , and a bunch of the best fercing hearbs tyed vp together , and so let it boyle well till the meate be enough : then take vp the lambes head and purtenance , and put it into a cleane dish with sippets ; then put in a good lumpe of butter , and beate the yelkes of two egges with a little creame , and put it to the broth with sugar , synamon , and a spoonefull or two of verdiuyce , and whole mace , and as many prunes as will garnish the dish , which should bee put in when it is but halfe boyld , and so power it vpon the lambs-head and purtnance , and adorne the sides of the dish with sugar , prunes , barberries , orenges and lemons , and in no case forget neuer to season well with salt , and so serue it vp . take a very good brest of mutton chopt into sundry large pieces , and when it is cleane washt , put it into a pipkin with faire water , and set it on the fire to boyle ; then skum it very well , then put in of the finest parsneps cut into large pieces as long as ones hand , and cleane washt and scrapt ; then good store of the best onions , and all manner of sweet pleasant pot-herbs and lettice , all grossely chopt , and good store of pepper & salt , and then couer it , & let it stew till the mutton be enough ; then take vp the mutton , and lay it in a cleane dish with sippets , and to the broath put a little wine-vinegar , and so power it on the mutton with the parseneps whole , and adorne the sides of the dish with sugar , and so serue it vp : and as you doe with the brest , so you may doe with any other ioynt of mutton . take a neates foot that is very well boyld ( for the tenderer it is , the better it is ) and cleaue it in two , and with a cleane cloth drie it well from the souse-drinke ; then lay it in a deepe earthen platter , and couer it ouer with verdiuyce ; then set it on a chaffing-dish and coales , and put to it a few currants , and as many prunes as will garnish the dish ; then couer it , and let it boyle well , many times stirring it vp with your knife , for feare it sticke to the bottome of the dish ; then when it is sufficiently stewed , which will appeare by the tendernesse of the meate and softnes of the fruit ; then put in a good lumpe of butter , great store of sugar and sinamon , and let boyle a little after ; then put it altogether into a cleane dish with sippets , and adorne the sides of the dish with sugar and prunes , and so serue it vp . to proceed then to roast meats , it is to bee vnderstood , that in the generall knowledge thereof are to be obserued these few rules . first , the cleanely keeping and scowring of of the spits and cobirons ; next , the neat picking and washing of meate before it bee spitted , then the spitting and broaching of meate which must bee done so strongly and firmely , that the meat may by no meanes either shrink from the spit , or else turne about the spit : and yet euer to obserue , that the spit doe not goe through any principall part of the meate , but such as is of least account and estimation : and if it be birds or fowle which you spit , then to let the spit goe through the hollow of the body of the fowle , and to fasten it with pricks or skewers vnder the wings about the thighes of the fowle , and at the feete or rump , according to your manner of trussing and dressing them . then to know the temperatures of fiers for euery meate , and which must haue a slow fire , yet a good one , taking leasure in roasting , as chines of beefe , swannes , turkies , peacockes , bustards , and generally any great large fowle , or any other ioints of mutton , veale , porke , kid , lambe , or such like : whether it be venison red , or fallow , which indeed would lie long at the fire , and soke well in the roasting , and which would haue a quicke and sharpe fire without schorching ; as pigges , pullets , feasants , partridge , quaile , and all sorts of middle sized or lesser fowle , and all small birds , or compound roste-meates , as oliues of veale , haslets ; a pound of butter roasted ; or puddings simple of themselues ; and many other such like , which indeed would be suddenly & quickly dispatcht , because it is intended in cookery , that on of these dishes must be made ready whilst the other is in eating . then to know the complexions of meates , as which must be pale and white rosted , ( yet thorowly rosted ) as mutton veale , lambe , kid , capon , pullet , pheasant , partridge , quaile , and all sorts of middle and small land , or water-fowle , and all small birds , and which must be browne rosted , as beefe , venison , porke swannne , geese , pigges , crane , bustards , and any large fowle , or other thing whose flesh is blacke . then to know the best bastings for meat , which is sweet butter , sweet oyle , barreld butter , or fine rendred vp seame with sinamon , cloues , and mace . there be some that will bast onely with water , and salt , and nothing else ; yet it is but opinion , and that must be the worlds master alwaies . then the best dredging , which is either fine white-bread crummes well grated , or els a little very fine white meale , and the crummes very well mixt together . lastly to know when meate is rosted enough ; for as too much rarenes is vnholsome , so too much drinesse is not nourishing . therefore to know when it is in the perfit height , and is neither too moist nor too dry , you shall obserue these signes first in your large ioints of meate , when the stemme or stroke of the meate offendeth , either vpright or els goeth from the fire , when it beginneth a little to shrinke from the spit , or when the grauy which droppeth from it is cleare without bloodinesse . if it be a pigge when the eies are fallen out , and the body leaueth piping ; for the first is when it is halfe rosted , and would bee singed to make the coat rise and be crackle , and the latter when it is fully enough and would be drawne : or if it be any kind of fowle you rost , when the thighs are tender , or the hinder parts of the pinions at the setting on of the wings , are without blood ; then be sure that your meat is fully enough roasted : yet for a better and more certain assurednesse , you may thrust your knife into the thickest parts of the meate , and draw it out againe , and if it bring out white grauy without any bloodishnesse , then assuredly it is enough , and may be drawne with all speed conuenient , after it hath beene well basted with butter not formerly melted , then dredged as aforesaid , then basted ouer the dredging , and so suffered to take two or three turnes , to make crispe the dredging : then disht in a faire dish with salt sprinckled ouer it , and so seru'd forth . thus you see the generall forme of roasting all kind of meat : therefore now i will returne to some particular dishes , together with their seuerall sawces . if you will roast mutton with oisters ; take a shoulder a lone● or a legge , and after it is washt parboile it a little ; then take the greatest oisters , and hauing opened them into a dish , draine the grauy cleane from them twice or thrice , then parboile them a little : also then take spinage endiue , succory , strawberry leaues , violet leaues , and a little parsley , with some scallions ; chop these very small together : then take your oisters very dry , draind , and mixe them with an halfe part of these herbes : then take your meate and with these oisters and hearbes farce or stop it , leauing no place empty , then spit it and roast it , and whilst it is in roasting take good store of veriuice and butter , and a little salt , and set in a dish on a chaffing-dish and coales : and when it begins to boile , put in the remainder of your herbes without oisters , and a good quantity of currants , with cinamon , and the yelke of a couple of egges : and after they are well boyled and stir'd together , season it vp according to tast with sugar : then put in a few lemmon , slices , and the meate , being enough , draw it and lay it vpon this sawce remooued into a clean dish , the egges , thereof being trimmed about with sugar , and so serue it foorth . to toast a legge of mutton after an out-landish fashion , you shall take it after it is washt , and cut out all the flesh from the bone , leauing onely the outmost skinne entirely whole and fast to the bone ; then take thicke creame and the yelke of egges and beate them exceedingly well together ; then put to cinamon , mace , and a little nutmegge , with salt , then take bread crumms finely grated and searst with good store of currants , and as you mixe them with the creame , put in sugar , and so make it into a good stiffnesse : now if you would haue it looke greene , put in the iuice of sweet hearbes , as spinage , violet leaues , endiue &c. if you would haue it yellow , then put in a little safforn strained , and with this fill vp the skin of your legge of mutton in the same shape and forme that it was before , and sticke the out-side of the skinne thick with cloues , and so roast it thorowly and baste it very well , then after it is dredg'd serue it vp as a legge of mutton with this pudding , for indeed it is no other : you may stop any other ioint of meate , as breast or loine , or the belly of any fowle boiled or roast , or rabbet , or any meat else which hath skinne or emptinesse . if into this pudding also you beate the inward pith of an oxes backe , it is booth good in tast , and excellent soueraigne for any disease , ache or fluxe in the ●aynes wha●soeuer . to roast a gigget of mutton , which is the legge splatted , and halfe part of the loine together ; you shall after it is washt , stop it with cloues , so spit it , and lay it to the fire , and tend it well with b●sting : then you shall take vinegar butter and currants , and set them on the fire in a dish or pipkin ; then when it boiles you shall put in sweete herbes finely chopt , with the yelke of a couple of egges , and so let them boile together ; then the meat being halfe roastest you shall pare of some part of the leanest and brownest , then shed it very small and put it into the pipkin also ; then season it vp with sugar , cinamon , ginger , and salt , and so put it into a cleane dish : then draw the gigget of mutton and lay it on the sauce , aud throw salt on the top , and so serue it vp . you shall take a legge of veale and cut the flesh from the bones , and cut it out into thin long slices ; then take sweet hearbes and the white parts of scallions , and chop them well together with the yelkes of egges , then rowle it vp within the slices of veale , and so spit them and roast them ; then boile veriuice , butter , sugar , cynamon , currants and sweet herbes together , and being seasoned with a little salt , serue the oliues vp vpon that sauce with salt , cast ouer them . to roast a pigge curiously , you shall not scald it , but draw it with the haire on , then hauing washt it , spit it and lay it to the fire so as it may not scorch , then being a quarter roasted , and the skinne blistered from the flesh , with your hand pull away the haire and skinne , and leaue all the fat and flesh perfectly bare : then with your knife scotch all the flesh downe to the bones , then bast it exceedingly with sweet butter and creame , being no more but warme ; then dredge it with fine bread-crummes , currants , sugar and salt mixt together , and thus apply dredging , vpon basting , and basting vpon dredging , till you haue couered all the flesh a full inch deepe : then the meat being fully rosted , draw it and serue it vp whole , to roast a pound of butter curiously and well , you shall take a pound of sweet butter and beate it stiffe with sugar , and the yolkes of egges ; then clap it round-wise about a spit , and lay it before a soft fire , and presently dredge it with the dredging before appointed for the pigge ; then as it warmeth or melteth , so apply it with dredging till the butter be ouercomed and no more wil melt to fall from it , then roast it browne , and so draw it , and serue it out , the dish being as neatly trim'd with sugar as may be , to roast a pudding on a spit , you shall mixe the pudding before spoken of in the leg of mutton , neither omitting hearbes , nor saffron , and put to a little sweet butter and mix it very stiffe : then fold it about the spit , and haue ready in another dish some of the same mixture well seasoned , but a great deale thinner and no butter at all in it , and when the pudding doth beginne to roast , and that the butter appeares , then with a spoone couer it all ouer with the thinner mixture , and so let it roast ; then if you see no more butter appeare , then bast it as you did the pigge and lay more of the mixture on , and so continue till all bee spent : and then roast it browne , and so serue it vp . if you will roast a chine of beefe , a loyne of mutton , a capon , and a larke , all at one instant and at one fire , and haue all ready together and none burnt : you shall first take your chine of beefe and perboile if more then halfe through : then first take your capon being large and fat , and spit it next the hand of the turner , with the legges , from the fire , then spit the chine of beefe , then the larke , and lastly the loine of mutton , and place the larke so as it may be couered ouer with the beefe , and the fat part of the loine of mutton , without any part disclosed : then bast your capon , and your loine of mutton , with cold water , and salt , the chine of beefe with boyling larde : then when you see the beefe is almost enough , which you shall hasten by schorching and opening of it : then with a cleane cloth you shall wipe the mutton and capon all ouer , and then bast it with sweet butter till all bee enough roasted ; then with your knife lay the larke open which by this time will be stewed betweene the beefe and mutton , and basting it also dredge all together ; draw them and serue them vp . if you wil roast any venison after you haue washt it , & clensed al blood from it , you shal sticke it with cloues all ouer on the out side ; and if it be leane you shall larde it either with mutton larde , or porke larde , but mutton is the best : then spit it and roast it by a good soking fire , then take vinegar , bread crummes , and some of the grauy , which comes from the venison , and boile them well in a dish : then season it with sugar , cinamon , ginger , and salt , and serue the venison foorth vpon the sauce when it is roasted enough , if you will roast a peece of fresh sturgeon which is a dainty dishe , you shall first stop it all ouer with cloues , then spit it , and let it roast at great leasure , plying it continually with basting , which will take away the hardnesse : then when it is enough , you shall draw it , and serue it vpon venison sauce with salt onely throwne ouer it . the roasting of all sorts of meates differeth nothing but in the fires , speed and leasure as is before said , except these compound dishes , of which i haue giuen you sufficient presidents , and by them you may performe any worke whatsoeuer : but for the ordering , preparing and trussing your meates for the spit or table , in that there is much difference : for in all ioynts of meate except a shoulder of mutton , you shall crush and breake the bones well , from pigges and rabbets you shall cut off the frete before you spit them , and the heads when you serue them to table , and the pigge you shall chine , and diuide into two parts ; capons , pheasants , chickens and turkies you shall roast with the pinions foulded vp , and the leggs extended ; hens , stock-doues , and hous-doues , you shall roast with the pinions foulded vp , and the legges cut off by the knees , and thrust into the bodies : quailes , partridge , and all sorts of small birds shall haue their pinions cut away , and the legges extended : all sorts of water-fowle shall haue their pinions cut away , and their legges turned backward : wood-cocks , snipes and stints shall be rosted with their heads and necks on , and their legges thrust into their bodies , and shouelers and bitterns shall haue no necks but their heads onely . take a cowes vdder , and first boile it wel : then sticke it thick all ouer with cloues : then when it is cold , spit it , and lay it to the fier , and apply it very well with basting of sweete butter , and when it is sufficiently roasted , and browne , then dredge it , and draw it from the fire , take vinegar and butter , and put it on a chaffing-dish and coales and boile it with white - bread crums , till it be thick : then put to it good store of suger and cinamon , and putting it in a cleane dish , lay the cowes vdder therein , and trim the sides of the dish with suger , and so serue it vp . take an excellent good legge of veale , and cut the thick part thereof a handfull and more from the knuckle : then take the thick part ( which is the fillet ) and fierce it in euery part all ouer with strawberry-leaues , vplet-leaues sorrell , spinage , endiue and succorie grossely chopt together , and good store of onyons : then lay it to the fire and roast it very sufficiently and browne , casting good store of salt vpon it , and basting it well with sweete butter : then take of the former hearbs much finer chopt then they were for fiercing , and put them into a pipkin with vinegar , and cleane washt currants , and boyle them wel together : then when the hearbs are sufficiently boyld and soft , take the yelkes of foure very hard boyld egges , and shred them very small , and put them into the pipkin also with suger and cinamon , and some of the grauie which drops from the veale , and boyle it ouer againe , and then put it into a cleane dish , & the fillet being dredgd and drawne , lay vpō it , and trim the side of the dish with suger , & so serue it vp . to make an excellent sauce for a rost capon , you shall take onions , and hauing sliced and pilled them , boile them in faire water with pepper , salt , and a few bread-crummes : then put vnto it a spoonefull or two of claret-wine , the iuyce of an orenge , and three or foure slices of a lemmon pill ; all these shred together , and so powre it vpon the capon being broake vp . to make sauce for an old hen or pullet , take a good quantitie of beere and salt , and mixe them well together with a few fine bread-crummes , and boile them on a chafing-dish and coales , then take the yelks of three or fowre hard eggs , and being shred small , put it to the beere , and boile it also : then the hen being almost enough , take three or fowre spoonefull of the grauie which comes from her and put it to also , and boile altogether to an indifferent thicknesse : which done , suffer it to boile no more , but only keepe it warme on the fire , and put into it the iuyce of two or three orenges , & the slices of lemmon pills shred small , and the slices of orenges also hauing the vpper rine taken away : then the henne beeing broken vp , take the brawnes thereof , and shredding them small , put it into the sauce also ; and stirring all well together , put it hot into a cleane warme dish , and lay the henne ( broke vp ) in the same . the sauce for chickins is diuers , according to mens taste : for some will onely haue butter , veriuyce , and a little parsely rolled in their bellies mixt together : others will haue butter , veriuyce and sugar boyld together with toasts of bread : and others will haue thicke syppets with the iuyce of sorrell and sugar mixt together . the best sauce for a phesant , is water , onions slic't , pepper and a little salt mixt together , and but stewed vpon the coales , and then powred vpon the pheasant or patridge being broken vp , and some will put thereto the iuyce or slices of an orenge or lemmon , or both : but it is according to taste , and indeed more proper for a pheasant then partridge . sauce for a quaile , raile , or any fat big bird , is claret wine and salt mixt together with the grauie of the bird ; and a few fine bread-crumnes well boild together , and either a sage-leafe , or bay-leafe crusht among it according to mens tasts . the best sauce for pigeons , stockdoues , or such like , is vinegar and butter melted together , and parsely rosted in their bellies , or vine-leaues rosted and mixed well together . the most generall sauce for ordinarie wild fowle rosted , as duckes , mallard , widgen , tele , snipe , sheldrake , plouers , pulers , guls , and such like , is onely mustard and vinegar , or mustard and veriuyce mixt together , or else an onion , water and pepper , and some ( especially in the court ) vse onely butter melted , and not any thing else . the best sauce for greene geese is the iuyce of sorrel and suger , mixt together with a few scalded feberries , and serued vpon sippets ; or els the belly of greene goose fild with feberries , and so rosted , and then the same mixt with veriuyce , butter , suger and cinamon , and so serued vpon sippets . the same for a stubble goose is diuers , according to mens minds ; for some will take the pap of rosted apples , and mixing it with vinegar , boyle them together on the fire with some of the grauie of the goose , and a few barberries and bread-crummes , and when it is boyld to a good thicknesse , season it with suger and a little cinamon , and so serue it vp ; some will adde a little mustard and onions vnto it , and some will not rost the apples , but pare them and slice them ; and that is the neerer way , but not the better . others will fill the belly of the goose full of onions shred , and oate-meale groats , and beeing rosted enough , mixe it with the grauie of the goose , and sweete hearbs well boild together , and seasoned with a little veriuyce . to make a sauce for a swan , bitter , shoueler , herne , crane , or any large foule , take the blood of the same foule , & being stird wel , boile it on the fire , then when it comes to be thick , put vnto it vinegar a good quantitie , with a few fine bread-crummes , and so boile it ouer againe : then being come to good thicknesse , season it with sugar and cinamon , so as it may taste prettie and sharpe vpon the cinamon , and then serue it vp in saucers as you doe mustard : for this is called a chauder or gallantine , and is a sauce almost for any fowle whatsoeuer . to make sauce for a pigge , some take sage and roast it in the belly of the pig , then boyling veriuyce , butter and currants together , take and chop the sage small , and mixing the braines of the pig with it , put all together , and so serue it vp . to make a sauce for a ioynt of veale , take all kind of sweet pot-hearbs , and chopping them very small with the yelkes of two or three egges , boyle them in vinegar and butter , with a few bread-crummes , and good store of currants ; then season it with sugar and cinamon , and a cloue or two crusht , and so powre it vpon the veale , with the slices of orenges and lemons about the dish . take orenges and slice them thin , and vnto them white wine and rose-water , the powder of mace , ginger and sugar , and set the same vpon a chaffing-dish and coales , and when it is halfe boyled , put to it a good lumpe of butter , and then lay good store of sippets of fine white bread therein , and so serue your chickens vpon them , and trim the sides of the dish with sugar . take faire water and set it ouer the fire , then slice good store of onions and put into it , and also pepper and salt , and good store of the grauy that comes from the turkie , and boyle them very well together : then put to it a few fine crummes of grated bread to thicken it ; a very little sugar and some vinegar , and so serue it vp with the turkey : or otherwise ; take grated white bread and boile it in white-wine till it bee thicke as a gallantine , and in the boyling put in good store of sugar and cinamon , and then with a little turnesole make it of a high murrey colour , and so serue it in saucers with the turkey in manner of a gallantine . take the blood of a swan , or any other great fowle , and put it into a dish ; then take stewed prunes and put them into a strainer , and straine them into the blood ; then set it on a chaffing-dish and coales , and let it boyle , euer s●irring it till it come to be thicke , and season it very well with sugar and cinamon , and so serue it in saucers with the fowle : but this sauce must be serued cold . take good store of onions , pill them , and slice them , and put them into vinegar , and boyle them very well till they be tender ; then put into it a good lumpe of sweete butter , and season it well with sugar and cinamon , and so serue it vp with the fowle . charbonados , or carbonados , which is meate broiled vpon the coales ( and the inuention thereof first brought out of france , as appeares by the name ) are of diuers kinds according to mens pleasures : for there is no meate either boiled or roasted whatsoeuer , but may afterwards bee broiled , if the master thereof be disposed ; yet the generall dishes for the most part which are vsed to be carbonadoed , are a breast of mutton halfe boyled , a shoulder of mutton halfe roasted , the leggs , wings , and carkases of capon , turkie , goose , or any other fowle whatsoeuer , especially land-fowle . and lastly , the vppermost thick skinne which couereth ●he ribbes of beefe , and is called ( being broyled ) the skin of court goose , and is indeed a dish vsed most for wantonnesse , sometimes to please appetite : to which may also be added the broyling of pigs heads , or the braines of any fowle whatsoeuer after it is roasted and drest . now for the manner of carbonadoing , it is in this sort ; you shall first take the meate you must carbonadoe , and scorch it both aboue and below , then sprinkle good store of salt vpon it , and baste it all ouer with sweet butter melted , which done , take your broiling-yron , i doe not meane a grid-yron ( though it be much vsed for this purpose ) because the smoake of the coales , occasioned by the dropping of the meate , will ascend about it , and make it stinke ; but a plate iron made with hookes and pricks , on which you may hang the meate , and set it close before the fire , and so the plate heating the meate behind , as the fire doth before , it will both the sooner , and with more neatnesse bee readie : then hauing turned it , and basted it till it be very browne , dredge it , and serue it vp with vinegar and butter . touching the toasting of mutton , venison , or any other ioynt of meate , which is the most excellentest of all carbonadoes , you shal take the fattest and largest that can possibly be got ( for leane meate is losse of labour , and little meate not worth your time , ) and hauing scorcht it , and cast salt vpon it , you shall set it on a strong forke , with a dripping pan vnderneath it , before the face of a quick fire , yet so farre off , that it may by no meanes scorch , but toast at leasure ; then with that which falles from it , and with no other basting , see that you baste it continually , turning it euer and anon many times , and so oft , that it may soake and browne at great leasure , and as oft as you baste it , so oft sprinkle salt vpon it , and as you see it toast so scorch it deeper and deeper , especially in the thickest and most fleshy parts where the blood most resteth : and when you see that no more blood droppeth from it , but the grauy is cleere and white ; then shal you serue it vp either with venion sauce , or with vinegar , pepper and sugar , cinamon , and the iuyce of an orenge mixt together , and warmed with some of the grauie . take mutton or lambe that hath been either rosted , or but parboild , and with your knife scotch it many waies ; then lay it in a deepe dish , and put to it a pint of white wine , and a little whole mace , a little slic't nutmeg and some sugar , with a lump of sweet butter , and stew it so till it be very tender : then take it forth , and browne it on the grid-yron , and then laying sippets in the former broth serue it vp . take any tongue , whether of beefe , mutton , calues , red deare , or fallow , and being well boyld , pill them , cleaue them , and scotch them many waies ; then take three or foure egs broken , some sugar , cinamon and nutmeg , and hauing beaten it well together , put to it a lemon cut in thin slices , and another cleane pild , and cut into little foure-square bits , and then take the tongue and lay in it ; and then hauing melted good store of butter in a frying-pan , put the tongue and the rest therein , and so frie it browne , and then dish it , and scrape sugar vpon it , and serue it vp . take any fresh-fish whatsoeuer ( as pike , breame , carp , barbel , cheain , and such like , and draw it , but scale it not ; then take the liuer and the refuse , and hauing opened it , wash it ; then take a pottle of faire water , a pretty quantitie of white wine , good store of salt , and some vinegar , with a little bunch of sweet hearbs , and set it on the fier , and as soone as it begins to boyle , put in your fish , and hauing boild a little , take it vp into a faire vessell , then put into the liquor some grosse pepper , & slit ginger ; and when it is boyled well together with more salt , set it by to coole , and then put your fish into it , and when you serue it vp , lay fenell there vpon . to boyle small fish , as roches , daces , gudgeon or flounders , boyle white-wine and water together with a bunch of choise hearbs , and a little whole mace : when all is boyled wel together , put in your fish , and skum it well : then put in the soale of a manchet , a good quantitie of sweet butter , and season it with pepper and veriuyce , and so serue it in vpon sippets , and adorne the sides of the dish wish sugar . first , draw your fish , and either split it open in the back , or ioynt it in the back , and trusse it round , then wash it cleane , and boyle it in water and salt , with a bunch of sweete hearbs : then take it vp into a large dish , and powre vnto it veriuyce , nutmeg , butter and pepper , and letting it stew a little , thicken it with the yelkes of egges : then hot remoue it into another dish , and garnish it with slices of orenges and lemons , barberies , prunes and suger , and so serue it vp . after you haue drawne , washt and scalded a faire large carpe , season it with pepper , salt and nutmeg , and then put it into a coffin with good store of sweet butter , and then cast on raysins of the sunne , the iuyce of lemons , and some slices of orenge pills ; and then sprinkling on a little vinegar , close it vp and bake it . first , let your tench blood in the tayle , then scower it , wash it and scald it : then hauing dried it , take the fine crummes of bread , sweete creame , the yelkes of egges , currants cleane washt , a few sweete hearbs chopt small , season it with nutmegs and pepper , and make it into a stiffe paste , and put it into the belly of the tench : then season the fish on the outside with pepper , salt and nutmeg , and so put it into a deepe coffin with sweete butter , and so close vp the pie and bake it : then when it is enough , draw it , and open it , and put into it a good piece of a preserued orenge minst : then take vinegar , nutmeg , butter , suger , and the yelke of a new-laid egge , and boyle it on a chaffing-dish and coales , alwaies stirring it to keepe it from curding ; then powre it into the pie , shake it well , and so serue it vp . take a large trout , faire trimd , and wash it , and put it into a deepe pewter dish , then take halfe a pint of sweet wine , with a lumpe of butter , a little whole mace , parsely , sauorie and time , mince them all small , and put them into the trouts belly , & so let it stew a quarter of an houre : then minse the yelke of an hard egge , and strow it on the trout , and laying the hearbs about it , and scraping on suger , serue it vp . after you haue drawne your eeles , chop them into small pieces of three or foure inches , and season them with pepper , salt and ginger , and so put them into a coffin with a good lumpe of butter , great raysins , onions small chopt , and so close it , bake it , and serue it vp . next to these already rehearsed , our english hous-wife must be skilfull in pasterie , and know how and in what manner to bake all sorts of meate , and what paste is fit for euerie meate , and how to handle and compound such pastes : as for example , red deere venison , wilde boare , gammons of bacon , swannes , elkes , porpas , and such like standing dishes , which must bee kept long , would be bak't in a moist , thicke , tough , course , and long lasting crust , and therefore of all other your rie paste is best for that purpose : your turkie , capon , pheasant , partridge , veale , peacocks , lambe , and all sorts of water-fowle which are to come to the table more then once ( yet not many dayes ) would be bak't in a good white crust , somewhat thick ; therefore your wheate is fit for them : your chickens , calues-feet , oliues , potatoes , quinces , fallow deere and such like , which are most commonly eaten hot , would be in the finest , shortest & thinnest crust , therefore your fine wheat flower which is a li●te baked in the ouen before it be kneaded is the best for that purpose . to speake then of the mixture and kneading of pastes , you shall vnderstand that your rie paste would be kneaded only with hot water and a little butter , or sweet seame and rie flower very finely sifted , and it would bee made tough and stiffe that it may stand well in the raising , for the coffin thereof must euer be very deepe : your course wheat crust would be kneaded with hot water , or mutton broth and good store of butter , and the paste made stiffe and tough because that coffin must bee deepe also ; your fine wheat crust must be kneaded with as much butter as water , and the paste made reasonable lythe and gentle , into which you must put three o● fowre eggs or more according to the quantity you blend together , for they will giue it a sufficient stiffening . now for the making of puffe-past of the best kind , you shall take the finest wheat flowre after it hath been a little bak't in a pot in the ouen , and blend it well with egges whites and yelkes altogether , then after the past is well kneaded , roule out a part thereof as thin as you please , and then spread cold sweet butter ouer the same , then vpon the same butter role another leafe of the paste as before ; and spread it with butter also ; and thus role leafe vpon leafe with butter betweene till it be as thick as you thinke good : and with it either couer any bak't meate , or make pastie for venison , florentine , tart or what dish else you please and so bake it : there be some that to this past vse sugar , but it is certaine it will hinder the rising thereof ; and therefore when your puft past is bak't , you shall dissolue sugar into rose-water , and drop it into the paste as much as it will by any meanes receiue , and then set it a little while in the ouen after and it will be sweet enough . when you bake red deere , you shall first parboile it and take out the bones , then you shall if it be leane larde it , if fat saue the charge , then put it into a presse to squeese out the blood ; then for a night lay it in a meare sauce made of vinegar , small drinke and salt , and then taking it forth , season it well with pepper finely beaten , and salt well mixt together , and see that you lay good store thereof , both vpon and in euery open and hollow place of the venison ; but by no meanes cut any slashes to put in the pepper , for it will of it selfe sinke fast enough into the flesh , and be more pleasant in the eating : then hauing raised the coffin , lay in the bottome a thicke course of butter , then lay the flesh thereon and couer it all ouer with butter , and so bake it as much as if you did bake great browne bread ; then when you draw it , melt more butter with three or fowre spoonefull of vinegar , and twice so much claret wine , and at a vent hole on the toppe of the lidde powre in the same till it can receiue no more , and so let it stand and coole ; and in this sort you may bake fallow-deere , or swanne , or whatsoeuer else you please to keepe colde , the meare sauce only being left out which is only proper to red deere : and if to your meare sauce you adde a little turnesole , and therein steepe beefe , or ramme mutton ; you may also in the same manner take the first for red-deere venison , and the latter for fallow , and a very good iudgement shall not be able to say otherwise , then that it is of it selfe perfect venison , both in taste , colour , and the manner of cutting . to bake an excellent custard or dowset ; you shall take good store of ●gges , and putting away one quarter of the whites , beate them exceeding well in a bason , and then mixe with them the sweetest and thickest creame you can get , for if it be any thing thinne , the custard will be wheyish ; then season it with salt , sugar , cinamon , cloues , mace , and a little nutmegge ; which done raise your coffins of good tough wheate paste , being the second sort before spoke of , and if you please raise it in pretty workes , or angular formes , which you may doe by fixing the vpper part of the crust to the nether with the yelks of egges : then when the coffins are ready , strow the bottomes a good thicknesse ouer with currants and sugar ; then ●et them into the ouen , and fill them vp with the confection before blended , and so drawing them , adorne all the toppes with carraway cumfets , and the slices of dates prickt right vp , and so serue them vp to the table . to make an excellent oliue pie ; take sweet hearbs as violet leaues , strawberry leaues , spinage , succorie , endiue , time and sorrell , and chop them as small as may be , and if there be a scallion or two amongst them it will giue the better taste , then take the yelks of hard egs with curran●s , cinamon , cloues and mace , and chop them amongst the hearbes also ; then hauing cut out long oliues of a legge of veale , roule vp more then three parts of the hearbs so mixed within the oliues , together with a good deale of sweet butter ; then hauing raised your crust of the finest and best paste , strowe in the bottome the remainder of the hearbes , with a few great raysins hauing the stones pickt out ; then put in the oliues and couer them with great raysins and a few pruens ; then ouer all lay good store of butter and so bake them ; then being sufficiently bak't , take claret wine , sugar , cinamon , and two or three spoonefull of wine vinegar and boile them together , and then drawing the pie , at a vent in the top of the lid put in the same , and then set it into the ouen againe a little space , and so serue it forth . to bake the best marrow-bone pie , after you haue mixt the crusts of the best sort of pastes , and raised the coffin in such manner as you please ; you shall first in the bottome thereof lay a course of marrow of beefe mixt with currants ; then vpon it a lay of the soales of artichokes , after they haue been boiled , and are diuided from the thistle ; then couer them ouer with marrow , currants , and great raysons , the stones pickt out ; then lay a course of potatos cut in thick slices , after they haue been boyled soft , and are cleane pild ; then couer them with marrow , currants , great raysons , suger and cinamon : they lay a layer of candied eringo roots mixt very thicke with the slices of dates : then couer it with marrow , currants , great raysins , suger , cinamon and dates , with a few dammaske prunes , and so bake it : and after it is bakt power into it as long as it will receiue it white-wine , rosewater , suger , cinamon , and vinegar , mixt together , and candie all the couer with rosewater and suger only ; and so set it into the ouen a little , and after serue it forth . to bake a chickin pie , after you haue trust your chickins , broken their legges and breast bones , and raysed your crust of the best paste , you shall lay them in the coffin close together with their bodies full of butter : then lay vpon them , and vnderneath them , currants , great raysins , pruens , cinamon , sager , whole mace and salt : then couer all with great store of butter , and so bake it ; after powre into it the same liquor you did in your marrow bone pie with the yelkes of two or three egges beaten amongst it , and so serue it forth . to make good red-deere venison of hares , take a hare or two , or three , as you can or please , and picke all the flesh from the bones ; then put it into a morter either of wood or stone , and with a woodden pestle let a strong person beate it exceedingly , and euer as it is beating , let one sprinckle in vinegar and some salt ; then when it is sufficiently beaten , take it out of the morter , and put it into boyling water and parboyle it : when it is parboyld , take it and lay it on a table in a round lumpe , and lay a board ouer it , and with weights presse it as hard as may be : then the water being prest out of it , season it well with pepper and salt : then lard it with the fat of bacon so thicke as may be : then bake it as you bake other red deare , which is formerly declared . take a hare and picke of all the flesh from the bones , and onely reserue the head , then parboyle it well : which done , take it out and let it coole , assoone as it is cold , take at least a pound and a halfe of raysins of the sunne , and take out the stones : then mixe them with a good quantitie of mutton suet , and with a sharpe shredding knife shred it as small as you would doe for a chewet : then put to it currants and whole raysins , cloues and mace , cinamon and salt : then hauing raysed the coffin long-wise to the proportion of a hare , first , lay in the head , and then the aforesaid meate , and lay the meate in the true portion of a hare , with necke , shoulders and leggs , and then couer the coffin and bake it as other bak't meates of that nature . take a gammon of bacon and onely wash it cleane , and then boyle it on a soft gentle fire , till it be boyled as tender as is possible , euer and anon fleeting it cleane , that by all meanes it may boyle white : then take off the swerd , and serse it very well with all manner of sweet and pleasant serssing hearbs : then strow store of pepper ouer it , and pricke it thick with cloues : then lay it into a coffin made of the same proportion , and lay good store of butter round about it , and vpon it , and strow pepper vpon the butter , that as it melts , the pepper may fall vpon the bacon : then couer it , and make the proportion of a piggs head in paste vpon it , and then bake it as you bake red deere , or things of the like nature , onely the paste would bee of wheate meale . take white pickled herrings of one nights watering , and boyle them a little : then pill of the skin , and take only the backs of them , and picke the fish cleane from the bones , then take good store off raysins of the sunne , and stone them , and put them to the fish : then take a warden or two , and pare it , and slice it in small slices from the chore , and put it likewise to the fish : then with a very sharpe shredding knife shred all as small and fine as may be : then put to it good store of currants , suger , cinamon , flic't dates , and so put it into the coffin with good store of very sweete butter , and so couer it , and leaue only a round vent-hole on the top of the lid , and so bake it like pies of that nature : when it is sufficiently bak't , draw it our , and take clarret-wine and a little veriuyce , suger , cinamon , and sweete butter , and boyle them together ; then put it in at the vent-hole , and shake the pie a little , and put it againe into the ouen for a little space , and so serue it vp , the lid being candied ouer with suger , and the sides of the dish trimmed with suger . take a tole of the best ling that is not much watred , and is well sodden and cold , but whilest it is hot take off the skin , & pare it cleane vnderneath , and picke out the bones cleane from the fish : then cut it into grosse bits and let it lie : then take the yelks of a dozen eggs boyld exceeding hard , and put them to the fish , and shred all together as small as is possible : then take all manner of the best and finest pot-hearbs , and chop them wonderfull small , and mixe them also with the fish ; then season it with pepper , cloues and mace , and so lay it into a coffin with great store of sweet butter , so as it may swim therein , and then couer it , and leaue a vent-hole open in the top ( when it is bak't , draw it , and take veriuyce , suger , cinamon and butter , and boyle them together , and first with a feather annoynt all the lid ouer with that liquor , and then scrape good store of suger vpon it ; then powre the rest of the liquor in at the vent-hole , and then set it into the ouen againe for a very little space , and then serue it vp as pies of the same nature ; and both these pies of fish before rehearsed , are especiall lenten dishes . take a pint of the sweetest and thickest creame that can be gotten , and set it on the fire in a very cleane scowred skillet , and put into it suger , cinamon , and a nutmeg cut into foure quarters , and so boyle it well : then take the the yelkes of foure eggs , and take off the filmes , and beate them well with a little sweete creame : then take the foure quarters of the nutmeg out of the creame , then put in the egges , and stirre it exceedingly , till it be thicke : then take a fine manchet , and cut it into thin shiues , as much as will couer a dish-bottome , and holding it in your hand , powre halfe the creame into the dish : then lay your bread ouer it , then couer the bread with the rest of the creame , and so let it stand till it be cold : then strow it ouer with caraway comfets , and prick vp some cinamon comfets , and some slic't dates ; or for want thereof , scrape all ouer it some suger , and trim the sides of the dish with suger , and so serue it vp . take a pint of the best and thickest creame , and set it on the fire in a cleane skillet , and put into it suger , cinamon , and a nutmeg cut into foure quarters , and so boyle it well : then put it into the dish you intend to serue it in , and let it stand to coole till it be no more then luke-warme : then put in a spoonefull of the best earning , and stirre it well about , and so let it stand till it be cold , and then strow suger vpon it , and so serue it vp , and this you may serue either in dish , glasse , or other plate . take calues feete well boyld , and picke all the meate from the bones : then being cold shred it as small as you can , then season it with cloues and mace , and put in good store of currants , raysins and prunes : then put it into the coffin with good store of sweete butter , then breake in whole sticks of cinamon , and a nutmeg slic't into foure quarters , and season it before with salt : then close vp the coffin , and onely leaue a vent-hole . when it is bak't , draw it , and at the vent-hole put in the same liquor you did in the ling-pie , and trim the lid after the same manner , and so serue it vp . take of the greatest oysters drawne from the shells , and parboyle them in veriuyce : then put them into a cullander , and let all the moysture run from them , till they bee as drie as is possible : then raise vp the coffin of the pie , and lay them in : then put to them good store of currants and fine powdred suger , with whole mace , whole cloues , whole cinamon , and a nutmeg slic't , dates cut , and good store of sweete butter : then couer it , and onely leaue a vent-hole : when it is bak't , then draw it , and take white-wine , and white-wine vinegar , suger , cinamon , and sweete butter , and melt it together ; then first trim the lid therewith , and candie it with suger ; then powre the rest in at the vent-hole , and shake it well , and so set it into the ouen againe for a little space , and so serue it vp , the dish-edges trimd with suger . now some vse to put to this pie onions sliced and shred , but that is referred to discretion , and to the pleasure of the taste . take strong ale , and put to it of wine-vinegar as much as will make it sharpe : then set it on the fier , and boyle it well , and skum it , and make of it a strong brine with bay-salt , or other salt : then take it off , and let it stand till it be cold , then put your venison into it , and let it lie in it full twelue howers : then take it out from that mearsauce , and presse it well ; then parboyle it , and season it with pepper and salt , and bake it , as hath been before shewed in this chapter . take the brawnes and wings of capons and chickens after they haue been rosted , and pull away the skin ; then shred them with fine mutten suet very small ; then season it with cloues , mace , cinamon , suger and salt● then put to raysins of the sunne and currants , and slic't dates , and orange pills , and being well mixt together , put it into small coffins made for the purpose , and strow on the top of them good store of caraway comfets : then couer them , and bake them with a gentle heate , and these chewets you may also make of rosted veale , seasoned as before shewed , and of all parts the loyne is the best . take a leg of mutton , and cut the best of the best flesh from the bone , and parboyle it well : then put to it three pound of the best mutton suet , and shred it very small : then spred it abroad , and season it with pepper and salt , cloues and mace : then put in good store of currants , great raysons and prunes cleane , washt and pickt , a few dates slic't , and some orange pills slic't : then being all well mixt together , put it into a coffin , or into diuers coffins , and so bake them : and when they are serued vp open the liddes , and strow store of suger on the top of the meate , and vpon the lid . and in this sort you may also bake beefe or veale ; onely the beefe would not be parboyld , and the veale will aske a double quantitie of suet . take of the fairest and best pippins , and pare them , and make a hole in the top of them ; then prick in each hole a cloue or two , then put them into the coffin , then breake in whole sticks of cinamon , and slices of orange pills and dates , and on the top of euery pippen a little piece of sweete butter : then fill the coffin , and couer the pippins ouer with suger ; then close vp the pie , and bake it , as you bake pies of the like nature , and when it is bak't , annoint the lid ouer with store of sweete butter , and then strow suger vpon it a good thicknesse , and set it into the ouen againe for a little space , as whilest the meate is in dishing vp , and then serue it . take of the fairest and best wardens , and pare them , and take out the hard chores on the top , and cut the sharp ends at the bottome flat ; then boyle them in white-wine and suger , vntill the sirrup grow thick : then take the wardens from the sirrup into a cleane dish , & let them coole ; then set them into the coffin , and prick cloues in the tops , with whole sticks of cinamon , and great store of suger , as for pippins ; then couer it , and onely reserue a vent-hole , so set it in the ouen and bake it : when it is bak't , draw it forth , and take the first sirrup in which the wardens were boyld , and taste it , and if it be not sweet enough , then put in more suger and some rosewater , & boile it again a little , then powre it in at the vent-hole , and shake the pie wel ; then take sweet butter and rose-water melted , and with it anoynt and the pie-lid all ouer , and then strow vpon it store of suger , and so set it into the ouen againe a little space , and then serue it vp . and in this manner you may also bake quinces . take the best and sweetest wo●te , and put to it good store of suger ; then pare and chore the quinces cleane , and put them therein , and boile them till they grow tender : then take out the quinces and let them coole , and let the pickle in which they were boyld , stand to coole also ; then straine it through a raunger fiue , then put the quinces into a sweete earthen pot , then powre the pickle or sirrup vnto them , so as all the quinces may be quite couered all ouer ; then stop vp the pot close , and set it in a dry place , and once in six or seuen weekes looke vnto it ; and if you see it shrinke , or doe begin to hoare or mould , then poure out the pickle or sirrup , and renewing it , boile it ouer againe , and as before put it to the quinces being cold , and thus you may preserue them for the vse of baking , or otherwise all the yeere . take pippins of the fairest , and pare them , and then diuide them iust in the halfes , and take out the chores cleane : then hauing rold out the coffin flat , and raysde vp a small verdge of an inch , or more high , lay in the pippins with the hollow side downeward , as close one to another as may be : then lay here and there a cloue , and here and there a whole stick of cinamon , and a little bit of butter : then couer all cleane ouer with suger , and so couer the coffin , and bake it according to the manner of tarts ; and when it is bak't , then draw it out , and hauing boyld butter and rose-water together , anoynt all the lid ouer therewith , and then scrape or strow on it good store of suger , and so set it in the ouen againe , & after serue it vp . take greene apples from the tree , and coddle them in scalding water without breaking ; then pill the thin skin from them , and so diuide them in halfes● and cut out the chores , and so lay them into the coffin , and doe in euery thing as you did in the pippin-tart ; and before you couer it when the suger is cast in , see you sprinkle vpon it good store of rose-water , then close it , and doe as before shewed . take codlins as before-said , and pill them , and deuide them in halfes , and chore them , and lay a leare thereof in the bottome of the pie : then scatter here and there a cloue , and here and there a peece of whole cinamon ; then couer them all ouer with suger , then lay another leare of codlins , and doe as beforesaid , and so another , till the coffin be all filled ; then couer all well with suger , and here and there a cloue and a cinamon-stick , and if you will a slic't orange pill and a date ; then couer it , and bake it as the pies of that nature : when it is bak't , draw it out of the ouen , and take of the thickest and best creame with good store of suger , and giue it one boyle or two on the fire : then open the pie , and put the creame therein , and mash the codlins all about ; then couer it , and hauing trimd the lid ( as was before shewed in the like pies and tarts ) set it into the ouen againe for halfe an hower , and so serue it forth . take the fairest cherries you can get , and picke them cleane from leaues and stalkes ; then spread out you coffin as for your pippin-tart , and couer the bottome with suger ; then couer the suger all ouer with cherries , then couer those cherries with sugar , some sticks of cinamon , and here and there a cloue ; then lay in more cherries , and so more suger , cinamon and cloues , till the coffin be filled vp ; then couer it , and bake it in all points as the codling and pipping tart , and so serue it ; and in the same manner you may make tarts of gooseberries , strawberries , rasberries , bilberries , or any other berrie whatsoeuer . take rice that is cleane picked , and boyle it in sweete creame , till it bee very soft ; then let it stand and coole , and put into it good store of cinamon and suger , and the yelkes of a coople of egges , currants , stirre and beate all well together : then hauing made the coffin in the manner before-said for other tarts , put the rice therein , and spread it all ouer the coffin ; then breake many little bits of sweete butter vpon it all ouer , and scrape some suger ouer it also ; then couer the tart , and bake it , and trim it in all points , as hath been before shewed , and so serue it vp . take the kineys of veale after it hath been well rosted , and is cold ; then shred it as fine as is possible : then take all sorts of sweet pothearbs or fersing hearbs , which haue no bitter or strong taste , and chop them as small as may be , and putting the veale into a large dish , put the hearbs vnto it , and good store of cleane washt currants , suger , cinamon , the yelkes of foure eggs , a little sweete creame warmd , and the fine grated crummes of a halfe-penny loafe and salt , and mixe all exceeding well together ; then take a deep pewter dish , and in it lay your paste very thin rowld out , which paste you must mingle thus : take of the finest wheate-flower , and a quarter so much suger , and a little cinamon ; then breake into it a couple of eggs , then take sweete creame and butter melted on the fire , and with it knead the paste , and as was before-said , hauing spread butter all about the dishes sides , and rowld out the paste thin , lay it into the dish ; then put in the veale , and breake peeces of sweete butter vpon it , and scrape suger ouer it ; then rowle out another paste reasonable thick , and with it couer the dish all ouer , closing the two pasts with the beaten whites of eggs very fast togethes : then with your knife cut the lid into diuers prettie works according to your fancy : then set it in the ouen and bake it with pies and tarts of like nature : when it is bak't , draw it , & trim the lid with suger , as hath bin shewed in tarts , and so serue it vp in your second courses . take of the fairest damaske pruens you can get , and put them in a cleane pipkin with faire water , suger , vnbruised cinamon , and a branch or two of rosemarie ; and if you haue bread to bake , stew them in the ouen with your bread ; if otherwise , stew them on the fire : when they are stewed , then bruise them all to mash in their sirrop , and straine them into a cleane dish ; then boyle it ouer againe with suger , sinamon , and rosewater till it bee as thicke as marmalad ; then set it to coole , then make a reasonable tuffe paste with fine flower , water , and a little butter , and rowle it out very thin ; then hauing patterns of paper cut in diuers proportions , as beasts , birds , armes , knots , flowers , and such like ; lay the patterns on the paste , and so cut them accordingly ; then with your fingers pinch vp the edges of the paste , and set the worke in good proportion : then prick it well all ouer for rising , and set it on a cleane sheete of large paper , and so set it into the ouen , and bake it hard : then draw it , and set it by to coole : and thus you may doe by a whole ouen full at once , as your occasion of expence is : then against the time of seruice comes , take off the cōfection of pruens before rehearsed , and with your knife , or a spoone fill the coffin according to the thicknes of the verge : then strow it ouer all with caraway comfets , and pricke long comfets vpright in it , and so taking the paper from the bottome , serue it on a plate in a dish or charger , according to the bignesse of the tarte , and at the second course , and this tart carrieth the colour blacke . take apples and pare them , and slice them thin from the chore into a pipkin with white-wine , good store of suger , cinamon , a few saunders and rosewater , and boile it till it be thicke ; then coole it , and straine it , and beate it very well together with a spoone ; then put it into the coffin as you did the pruen tart , and adorne it also in the same manner ; and this tart you may fill thicker or thinner , as you please to raise the edge of the coffin ; and it carrieth the colour red . take good store of spinage , and boyle it in a pipkin with white-wine till it be very soft as pap ; then take it , and straine it well into a pewter dish , not leauing any part vnstrained : then put to it rosewater , great store of suger , cinamon , and boyle it til it be as thick as marmalad ; then let it coole , and after fill your coffin , and adorne it , and serue it in all points as you did your pruen-tart , and this carrieth the colour greene. take the yelkes of egs , and breake away the filmes , and beate them well with a little creame ; then take of the sweetest and thickest creame can be got , and set it on the fire in a cleane skillet , and put into it suger , cinamon and rosewater , and then boyle it well : when it is boild , and still boyling , stirre it well , and as you stirre it , put in the egs , and so boyle it till it curdle ; then take it from the fire and put it into a strainer , and first let the thin whay runne away into a by-dish , then straine the rest very well , and beate it well with a spoone , and so put it into the tart-coffin , and adorne it as you did your pruen-tart , and so serue it : this carrieth the colour yellow . take the whites of egs and beate thē with rose-water , and a little sweet creame : then set on the fier good thick sweete creame , and put into it suger , cinamon , rosewater , and boyle it well , and as it boyles stir it exceedingly , and in the stirring put in the whites of egs ; then boile it till it curdle , and after do in all things as you did to the yellow tart ; and this carrieth the colour white , and it is a very pure white , and therfore would be adorned with red carraway comfets . now you may ( if you please ) put all these seuerall colours , and seuerall stuffes into one tart , as thus ; if the tart be in the proportion of a beast , the bodie may be of one colour , the eyes of another , the teeth of an other , and the tallents of another ; and so of birds , the bodie of one colour , the eyes another , the leggs of another , and euery feather in the wings of a seuerall colour according to fancie ; and so likewise in armes , the field of one colour , the charge of another , according to the forme of the coat-armour : as for the mantles , trailes and deuices about armes , they may be set out with seuerall colours of preserues , conserues , marmalads and goodinyaks , as you shall find occasion or inuention , and so likewise of knots , one traile of one colour , and another of another , and so of as many as you please . take sorrell , spinage , parsely , and boile them in water till they be very soft as pop ; then take them vp , and presse the water cleane from them , then take good store of yelks of egs boild very hard , and chopping them with the hearbs exceeding small , then put in good store of currants , suger and cynamon , and stirre all well together ; then put them into a deep tart-coffin with good store of sweet butter , & couer it , & bake it like a pipin-tart , & adorne the lid after the baking in that maner also , and so serue it vp . take a quart of the best creame , and set on the fier , and slice a loa●e of the lightest white bread into thin slices , and put into it , and let it stand on the fier till the milke begin to rise : then take it off , and put it into a bason , and let it stand till it be cold : then put in the yelkes of foure eggs , and two whites , good store of currants , suger , cinamon , cloues , mace , and plenty of sheepes suet finely shred , and a good season of salt ; then trim your pot very well round about with butter , and so put in your pudding , and bake it sufficiently , then when you serue it , strow suger vpon it . take the best and sweetest creame , and boile it with good store of sugar , and cinamon , and a little rose-water , then take it from the fire and put into it cleane pickt ryce , but not so much as to make it thicke , & let it steepe therein till it be cold ; then put in the yelkes of sixe egges , and two whites , currants , sugar , cinamon , and rose water , and salt , then put it into a pan , or pot , as thinne as if it were a custard ; and so bake it and serue it in the pot it is baked in , trimming the top with sugar or comfets . there are a world of other bak't meates and pies , but for as much as whosoeuer can doe these , may doe all the rest , because herein is contained all the art of seasonings , i will trouble you with no further repetitions ; but proceede to the manner of making of banquetting stuffe and conceited dishes , with other pretty and curious secrets , necessary for the vnderstanding of our english houswife : for albeit they are not of general vse , yet their true times they are so needfull for adornation , that whosoeuer is ignorant therein , is lame , and but the half part of a compleat hous-wife . to make past of quinces : first boile your quinces whole and when they are soft , pare them and cut the quince from the core ; then take the finest sugar you can get finely beaten a●d searsed , and put in a little ro●e-wa●er & boile it together till it be thicke ; then put in the cut quinces and so boile them together till it bee stiffe enough to mold , and when it is cold , then role it & print it ; a pound of quinces will take a pound of sugar , or neere thereabouts . to make thinne quince cakes , take your quince when it is boiled soft as before said , and drie it vpon a pewter plate with a soft heate , and be euer stirring of it with a slice till it be hard ; then take fearced sugar quantity for quantity and strow it into the quince , as you beate it in a woodden or stone morter ; and so roule them thinne & print them . to perserue quinces ; first pare your quinces and take out the cores and boile the cores and parings altogether in faire water , and when they beginne to be soft , take them out and straine your liquor , and put the waight of your quinces in sugar , and boile the quinces in the sirrop till they be tender ; then take them vp and boile your sirrop till it be thicke : if you will haue your quinces red , couer them in the boiling , and if you will haue them white doe not couer them . to make ipocras , take a pottell of wine , two ounces of good cinamon , halfe an ounce of ginger , nine cloues , and sixe pepper cornes , and a nutmeg , and bruise them and put them into the wine with some rosemary flowers , and so let them steepe all night , and then put in sugar a pound at least ; and when it is well setled , let it runne through a woollen bag made for that purpose : thus if your wine be clarret , the ipocras will be red ; if white , then of that color also . to make the best ielly , take calues feet and wash them and scald of the haire as cleane as you can get it ; then split them and take out the fat and lay them in water , and shift them : then boile them in faire water vntill it will ielly , which you shall know by now and then cooling a spoonefull of the broth ; when it will ielly then straine it , and when it is cold then put in a pint of sacke and whole cinamon and ginger slic't , and sugar and a little rose water , and boile all well together againe : then beate the white of an egge and put it into it , and let it haue one boile more : then put in a branch of rosemary into the bottome of your ielly bag , and let it runne through once or twice , and if you will haue it coloured , then put in a little townesall . also if you want calues feete you may make as good ielly if you take the like quantity of isingglasse , & so vse no calues feet at all . to make the best leache , take isingglasse and lay it two houres in water● and shift it and boile it in faire water and let it coole : then take almonds and lay them in cold water till they will blaunch : and then stampe them and put to new milke , and straine them and put in whole mace and ginger slic't , and boile them till it taste well of the spice ; then put in your isingglasse and sugar , and a little rose-water : and then let them all runne through a strainer . take clarret wine and colour it with townesall , and put in sugar and set it to the fire ; then take wheat bread finely grated and sifted , and licoras , aniseeds , ginger and cinamon beaten very small and searsed ; and put your bread and your spice altogether , and put them into the wine and boile it and stirre it till it be thicke ; then mould it and print it at your pleasure , and let it stand neither two moist nor two warme . to make red marmelade of quinces ; take a pound of quinces and cut them in halfes , and take out the cores and pare them ; then take a pound of sugar and a quart of faire water and put them all into a pan , and let them boile with a soft fire , and sometimes turne them and keep them couered with a pewter dish , so that the teane or aire may come a little out ; the longer they are in boiling the better colour they will haue ; and when they be soft take a knife and cut them crosse vpon the top , it will make the sirrop goe through that they may be all of a like colour : then set a little of your sirrop to coole , and when it beginneth to bee thicke then breake your quinces with a slice or a spoone so small as you can in the pan , and then strow a little fine sugar in your boxes bottome , and so put it vp . to make white marmalade you must in all points vse your quinces as is before said ; onely you must take but a pint of water to a pound of quinces , and a pound of suger , and boile them as fast as you can , and couer them not at all . to make the best iumbals , take the whites of three egges and beate them well , and take of the viell ; then take a little milke and a pound of fine wheat flower and sugar together finely sifted , and a few aniseeds well rubd and dried ; and then worke altogether as stiffe as you can worke it , and so make them in what formes you plea●e , & bake them in a soft ouen vpon white papers . to make bisket bread , take a pound of fine flower , and a pound of sugar finely beaten and s●arsed , and mix them together ; then take eight egges and put foure yelkes & beate them very well together ; then strow in your flower and sagar as you are beating of it , by a little at once , it will take very neere an houres beating ; then take halfe an ounce of anisseedes and let them be dried and rubbed very cleane , and put them in ; then rub your bisket pans with cold sweet butter as thinne as you can , and so put it in and bake it in an ouen : but if you would haue thinne cakes , then take fruit dishes and rub them in like sort with butter , and so bake your cakes on them , and when they are almost bak't , turne them and thrust them downe close with your hand . some to this bisket bread will adde a little creame and a few coriander seedes cleane rubd , and it is not amisse , but excellent good also . to make iumbals more fine and curious then the former , and neerer to the taste of the macaroone ; take a pound of sugar beate it fine ; then take as much fine wheat flower and mixe them together , then take two whites and one yelke of an egge , halfe a quarter of a pound of blaunched almonds ; then beat them very fine altogether with halfe a dish of sweet butter , and a spoonefull of rosewater , and so worke it with a little creame till it come to a very stiffe past , then roule them forth as you please : and hereto you shall also if you please adde a few dried aniseedes finely rubbed and strewed into the past . to make drie sugar leache , blaunch your almonds and beate them with a little rose-water and the white of one egge , and you must beate it with a great deale of suger , and worke it as you would worke a peece of past then roule it and print it as you did other things , onely be sure to strew sugar in the print for feare of cleauing too . to make leache lumbard , take halfe a pound of blaunched almonds , two ounces of cinomon beaten and fearsed , halfe a pound of sugar , then beat your almonds , and strew in your sugar and cinamon till it come to a paste , then roule it and print it as aforesaid . to make an excellent fresh cheese , take a pottle of milke as it comes from the cow and a pint of creame : then take a spoonefull of runnet or earning and put it vnto it , and let it stand two houres ; then stirre it vp and put it into a fine cloth , and let the whay draine from it : then put it into a bowle and take the yelke of an egge , a spoonefull of rosewater , and bray them altogether with a very little salt , with sugar and nutmegs ; and when all these are braied together and searst , mix it with the curd , and then put it into a cheese-fatt with a very fine cloth . to make course ginger bread , take a quart of hony and set it on the coales and refine it : then take a penny worth of ginger , as much pepper , as much licoras , and a quarter of a pound of aniseeds , and a penny worth of saunders : all these must be beaten and s●arsed , and so put into the hony : then put in a quarter of a pint of clarret wine or old ale : then take three penny manchets finely grated and strow it amongst the rest , and stirre it till it come to a stiffe past , and then make it into cakes and drie them gently , to make ordinary quince cakes , take a good peece of a preserued quince , and beate it in a morter , and worke it vp into a very stiffe past with fine searst sugar : then print it and drie them gently . to make most artificiall cinamon stickes , take an ounce of cinamon & pound it , and half a pound of suger : then take some gumme dragon and put it in steepe in rosewater , then take thereof to the quantity of a hasell nut , and worke it out and print it , and roule it in forme of a cinamon sticke . to make cinamon water take a pottle of the best ale and a pottle of sacke lees ; a pound of cinamon sliced fine , and put them together , and let them stand two daies ; then distill them in a limbecke or glasse still . to make wormewood water take two gallons of good ale , a pound of aniseeds , halfe a pound of licoras , and beate them very fine ; and then take two good handfuls of the crops of worme wood , and put them into the ale and let them stand all night , and then distill them in a limbeck with a moderate fire . to make sweet water of the best kind , take a thousand damaske roses , two good handfuls of lauendar knops , a three peny waight of mace , two ounces of cloues btuised , a quart of running water : put a little water into the bottome of an earthen pot , and then put in your roses and lauender with the spices by little and little , and in the putting in alwaies knead them downe with your fist , and so continue it vntill yon haue wrought vp all your roses and lauender , and in the working betweene put in alwaies a little of your water ; then stop your pot close , and let it stand foure daies , in which time euery morning and euening put in your hand , and pull from the bottome of your pot the said roses , working it for a time : and then distill it , and hang in the glasse of water a graine or two of muske wrapt in a peece of sarcenet or fine cloth . others to make sweet water , take of ireos two ounces , of calamus halfe an ounce , of cipresse rootes halfe an ounce , of yellow saunders nine drams , of cloues bruised one ounce , of beniamin one ounce , of storax calamint one ounce , and of muske twelue graines , and infusing all these in rose-water distill it . to make an excellent date-leach , take dates , and take out the stones and the white rinde , and beate them with suger , cinamon and ginger very finely : then work it as you would worke a peece of paste , and then print them as you please . to make a kind of suger plate , take gumme dragon , and lay it in rose-water two daies : then take the powder of faire heapps and suger , and the iuyce of an orange ; beate all these together in a morter , then take it out and worke it with your hand ; and print it at your pleasure . to make excellent spice cakes , take halfe a pecke of very fine wheat-flower , take almost one pound of sweet butter , and some good milke and creame mixt together , set it on the fire , and put in your butter , and a good deale of sugar , and let it melt together : then straine saffron into your milke a good quantity ; then take seuen or eight spoonefull of good ale barme , and eight egges with two yelkes and mix them together , then put your milke to it when it is somewhat cold , and into your flower put salt , aniseedes bruised , cloues and mace , and a good deale of cinamon : then worke all together good and stiffe , that you need not worke in any flower after ; then put in a little rosewater cold , then rub it well in the thing you knead it in , and worke it throughly : if it be not sweet enough , scrape in a little more suger , and pull it all in peeces , and hurle in a good quantity of currants , and so worke all together againe , and bake your cake as you see cause in a gentle warme ouen . to make a very good banbury cake , take . pounds of currants , and wash and picke them very cleane , and drie them in a cloth : then take three egges and put away one yelke , and beate them , and straine them with good barme , putting thereto cloues , mace , cinamon and nutmegges ; then take a pint of creame , and as much mornings milke and set it one the fire till the cold bee taken away ; then take flower and put in good store of cold butter and suger , then put in your egges , barme and meale and worke them all together an houre or more ; then saue a part of the past , and the rest breake in peeces and worke in your currants ; which done , mould your cake of what quantity you please ; and then with that past which hath not any currants couer it very thinne both vnderneath and a loft . and so bake it according to the bignesse . to make the best march-pane , take the best iordan almonds & blaunch them in warm water , then put them into a stone morter , and with a wooden pestell beate them to pappe , then take of the finest refined sugar well searst , and to pappe ; then take of the finest refined suger well searst , and with it damaske rosewater , beate it to a good stiffe paste , allowing almost to euery iordan almond three spoonful of suger ; then when it is brought thus to a paste , lay it vpon a faire table , & strowing searst suger vnder it , mould it like leauen , then with a roling-pin role it forth , and lay it vpon wafers washt with rosewater ; then pinch it about the sides , and put it into what forme you please ; then strow searst suger all ouer it ; which done , wash it ouer with rosewater and suger mixt together , for that will make the ice ; then adorne it with cumfets , guilding , or whatsoeuer deuices you please , and so set it into a hot stoue , and there bake it crispie , and so serue it forth . some vse to mixe with the paste cinamon and ginger finely searst , but i referre that to your particular taste . to make paste of genoa , you shall take quinces after they haue been boiled soft , and beate them in a morter with refined suger , cinamon and ginger finely searst , a●d damaske rosewater till it come to a stiffe paste ; and role it forth and print it , and so bake it in a stoue ; and in this sort you may make paste of peares , apples , wardens , plummes of all kinds , cherries , barberies , or what other fruit you please . to make conserue of any fruit you please , you shall take the fruit you intend to make conserue of ; and if it be stone fruit you shal take out the stones ; if other fruit , take away the paring and core , and then boile them in faire running water to a reasonable height ; then draine them from thence , and put them into a fresh vessell with claret wine , or white wine , according to the colour of the fruit : and so boyle them to a thicke pap all to mashing , breaking , and stirring them together ; then to euery pound of pappe put to a pound of suger , and so stirre them all well together , and being very hot straine them through faire strainers , and so p●t it vp . to make conserue of flowers , as roses , violets , gillyflowers , and such like ; you shall take the flowers from the stalkes , and with a paire of sheeres cut away the white ends at the roots thereof , and then put them into a stone morter or woodden brake , and there crush or beate them till they bee come to a soft substance ; and then to euerie pound therof , take a pound of fine refined suger wel ●earst and beate it all together , till it come to one intire bodie , and then pot it vp , and vse it as occasion shall serue . to make the best wafers , take the finest wheat-flower you can get , and mixe it with creame , the yelkes of eggs , rosewater , suger and cinamon til it be a little thicker then pan-cake batter ; and then warming your wafer-yrons on a char-coale fire , annoint them first with sweete butter , and then lay on your batter and presse it , and bake it white or browne at your pleasure . to make an excellent marmalade of oranges , take the oranges , and with a knife pare off as thinne as is possible the vppermost rinde of the orange ; yet in such sort , as by no meanes you alter the colo●r of the orange ; then steepe them in faire water , changing the water twice a day , till you find no bitternesse of taste therein ; then take them forth , and first boyle them in faire running water , and when they are soft , remoue them into ro●ewater , and boile them therein till they breake : then to euery pound of the pulpe put a pound of ●eined sugar , and so hauing masht and stirred them all wel together , straine it through very faire strainers into boxes , and so vse it as you shal see occasion . take a pottle of fine flower , and a pound of butter , a pound of suger , one ounce of mace , and so much rose-water as will mingle the flower into a stiffe paste , and a good season of salt , and so linead it , and role out the cakethin and bake them on papers . take a quarter of a pound of fine suger well beaten , and as much flower finely boulted , with a quantitie of aniseedes a little bruised , and mingle all together ; then take two egges and beate them very well , whites and all ; then put in the mingled stuffe aforesaid , and beate all together a good while , then put it into a mould , wiping the bottome euer first with butter to make it come out easily , and in the baking turne it once or twice as you shall haue occasion , and so serue it whole , or in slices at your pleasure . take sweete apples and stampe them as you doe see cider , then presse them through a bagge as you do veriuce ; then put it into a ferkin wherein you will keep your quinces , and then gather your quinces , and wipe them cleane , and neither chore them nor pare them , but onely take the blacks from the tops , and so put them into the ferkin of cider , and therein you may keepe them all the yeare very faire , and take them not out of the liquor , but as you are ready to vse them , whether it be for pies , or any other purpose , and then pare them , and chore them as you thinke good . take a gallon of clarret or white-wine , and put therin foure ounces of ginger , an ounce and a halfe of nutmegs , of cloues one quarter , of suger foure pound ; let all this stand together in a pot at least twelue houres , then take it , and put it into a cleane bagge made for the purpose , so that the wine may come with good leasure from the spices . take quinces and wipe them very cleane , and then chore them , & as you chore them , put the chores straight into faire water , and let the chores and the water boyle ; when the water boyleth , put in the quinces vnpared , and let them buyle till they be tender , and then take them out and pare them , and euer as you pare them , put them straight into suger finely beaten : then take the water they were sodden in , and straine it through a faire cloth , and take as much of the same water as you thinke will make sirrop enough for the quinces , and put in some of your suger and let it boyle a while , and then put in your quinces , and let them boyle a while , and turne them , and cast on a good deale of suger vpon them ; they must seeth apace , and euer as you turne them , couer them still with suger , til you haue bestowed all your suger ; & when you thinke that your quinces are tender enough , take them fourth , and if your sirrop be not stiffe enough , you may seeth it againe after the quinces are forth . to euerrie pound of quinces you must take more then a pound of suger : for the more suger you take , the fairer your quinces will bee , and the better and longer they will keepe . take two gallons of faire water , and set it on the fier , and when it is luke-warme , beate the whites of fiue or six egs , and put them into the water , and stir it well , and then let the water seeth , and when it riseth vp all on a curd , then scumme it off : take quinces and pare them , and quarter them , and cut out the chores : then take as many pound of your quinces as of your suger , and put them into your liquor , and let it boyle till your liquor bee as ill coloured as french wine , and when they be very tender , then take a faire new canuase cloth faire washt , and straine your quinces through it with some of your liquor ; if they will not go thorow easily , then if you will make it very pleasant , take a little muske , and lay it in rosewater , and put it thereto ; then take and seeth it , vntill it be of such substance , that when it is cold , it will cut with a knife ; and then put it into a faire boxe , and if you please , lay leafe-gold thereon . take all the parings of your quinces that you make your conserue withall , and three or foure other quinces , and cut them in peeces , and boyle the same parings , and the other peeces in two or three gallons of water , and so let them boyle till all the strength bee sodden out of the said quinces and parings , and if any skumme arise whilest it boyles , take it away : then let the said water run thorow a strainer into a faire vessell , and set it on the fire againe , and take your quinces that you will keepe , and wipe them cleane , and cut off the vttermost part of the said quinces , and picke out the kernels and chores as cleane as you can , and put them into the said liquor , and so let them boyle till they bee a little soft , and then take them from the fire , and let them stand till they bee cold : then take a little barrell , and put into the said barrell , the water that your quinces be sodden in ; then take vp your quinces with a ladle , and put them into your barrell , and stop your barrell close that no ayre come into them , till you haue fit occasion to vse them ; and bee sure to take such quinces as are neither brused not rotten . take of the best suger , and when it is beaten searse it very fine , and of the best ginger and cinamon ; then take a little gum-dragon and lay it in rosewater al night , then powre the water from it , and put the same with a little white of an egge well beaten into a brasse morter , the suger , ginger , cinamon and all together , and beate them together till you may worke it like paste ; then take it and driue it forth into cakes , and print them , and lay them before the fire , or in a very warme . sto●e to bake . or otherwise , take suger and ginger ( as is before said ) cinamon and gum-dragon excepted , in stead whereof , take onely the whites of egges , and so doe as was before shewed you . take curds , the parings of lemons , of oranges or pouncithrons , or indeed any halfe-ripe greene fruit , and boyle them till they bee tender in sweete worte ; then make a sirrop in this sort : take three pound of suger , and the whites of foure egges , and a gallon of water● then swinge and beate the water and the eggs together , and then put in your suger , and set it on the fier , and let it haue an easie fier , and so let it boyle sixe or seuen walmes , and then straine it thorow a cloth , and let it seeth againe till it fall from the spoone , and then put it into the rindes or fruits . take a quart of honie clarified , and seeth it till it bee browne , and if it be thicke , put to it a dish of water : then take fine crummes of white bread grated , and put to it , and stirre it well , and when it is almost cold , put to it the powder of ginger , cloues and cinamon , and a little licoras and aniseedes ; then knead it , and put it into moulds and print it : some vse to put to it also a little pepper , but that is according vnto taste and pleasure . thus hauing shewed you how to preserue , conserue , candie , and make pastes of all kinds , in which foure heads consists the whole art of banqueting dishes , i will now proceede to the ordering or setting forth of a banquet , wherein you shall obserue , that march-panes haue the first place , the middle place , and last place ; your preserued fruits shall be disht vp first , your pastes next , your wet suckets after them , then your dried suckets , then your marmelades and goodiniakes , then your cumfets of all kinds ; next , your peares , apples , wardens bak't , raw or roasted , and your oranges and lemons sliced ; and lastly your wafer cakes . thus you shall order them in the closet ; but when they goe to the table , you shall first send forth a dish made for shew onely , as beast , bird , fish , or fowle , according to inuention : then your marchpane , then preserued fruite , then a paste , then a wet sucket , then a drie sucket , marmelade , cumfets , apples , peares , wardens , oranges and lemmons sliced ; and then wafers , and another dish of preserued fruites , and so consequently all the rest before : no two dishes of one kind going or standing together , and this will not onely appeare delicate to the eye , but inuite the appetite with the much varietie thereof . now we haue drawne our hous-wife into these seuerall knowledges of cookerie , in as much as in her is contained all the inward offices of houshold , wee-will proceede to declare the manner of seruing and setting forth of meate for a great feast , and from it deriue meaner , making a due proportion of all things : for what auailes it our good houswife to be neuer so skilful in the parts of cookerie , if she want skill to marshall the dishes , and set euery one in his due place , giuing precedency according to fashion and custome ; it is like a fencer leading a band of men in rout , who knowes the vse of the weapon , but not how to put men into order . it is then to bee vnderstood , that it is the office of the clerke of the kitchin ( whose place our hous-wife must many times supply ) to order the meate at the dresser , and deliuer it vnto the sewer , who is to deliuer it to the gentlemen and yeomen-wayters to beare to the table . now because wee alow no officer but our houswife , to whom wee onely speake in this booke , she shall first marshall her sallets , deliuering the grand sallet first , which is euer more compound ; then greene sallets , then boyld sallets , then some smaller compound sallets . next vnto sallets she shall deliuer forth all her fricases , the simple first , as collops , rashers , and such like ; then compound fricases , after them all her boyld-meates in their degrees , as simple-broths , stewd-broth , and the boylings of sundrie fowles . next them all sorts of rost-meates , of which the greatest first , as chine of beeffe or surloine , the gigget or legges of mutton , goosse , swan , veale , pig , capon , and such like . then bak't-meates , the hot first , as fallow-deare in pastie , chicken , or calues-foote pie and douset . then cold bak't-meates , pheasant , partridges turky , goose , woodcock , and such like . then lastly , carbonados both simple and compound . and being thus marshald from the dresser , the sewer vpon the placing them on the table , shall not set them downe as hee receiued them , but setting the sallets extrauagantly about the table , mixe the fricases about them ; then the boild-meates amongst the fricases , rost-meates amongst the boyld , bak't-meats amongst the rost , and carbonados amongst the bak't ; so that before euery trencher may stand a sallet , a fricase , a boyld-meate , a rost-meate , a bak't-meate , and a carbonado , which will both giue a a most comely beautie to the table , and very great contentment to the guesse . so likewise in the second course she shall first preferre the lesser wild-fowle , as mallard , tayle , snipe , plouer , wood-cock , and such like : then the lesser land-fowle ; as chicken , pigeons , partridge , raile , turkie , chickens , young pea-hens , and such like . then the greater wild-fowle ; as bitter , hearne , shoueler , crane , bustard , and such like . then the greater land-fowles ; as peacocks , pheasant , puets , gulles , and such like . then hot bak't-meates ; as marrybone-pie , quince pie , florentine , and tarts . then cold bak't-meates , as red-deere , hare-pie , gammon of bacon-pie , wild bore , roe-pie , and such like , and these also shall be marshald at the table , as the first course not one kind altogether , but each seuerall sort mixt together , as a lesser wild-fowle and a lesser land-fowle ; a great wild-fowle , and a great land-fowle ; a hot bak't meate , and a cold : and for made dishes and quelquechoses , which relie on the inuention of the cooke , they are to bee thrust in into euery place that is emptie , and so sprinckled ouer all the table : and this is the best method for the extraordinarie great feasts of princes . but in case it bee for much more humble meanes , then lesse care and fewer dishes may discharge it ; yee , before i proceed to that lower rate , you shall vnderstand , that in these great feasts of princes , though i haue mentioned nothing but flesh , yet is not fish to be exempted ; for it is a beautie and an honour vnto euery feast , and is to be placed amongst all the seuerall seruices , as thus ; as amongst your sallets all sorts of ●ouse-fish that liues in the fresh water ; amongst your fricases all manner of fride-fish ; amongst your boyld-meates , all fish in broaths ; amongst your rost-meates , all fish serued hot , but drie ; amongst the bak't-meates , all fish bak't , and sea-fish that is soust , as sturgion and the like ; and amongst your carbonados , fish that is broild . as for your second course , to it belongeth all manner of shell-fish , either in the shell , or without the hot , to goe vp with the hot meate , and the cold with the cold . and thus shall the feast be royall , and the seruice worthie . now for a more humble feast , or an ordinary proportion which any good man may keepe in his family for the entertainment of his true and worthie friends , it must hold limitation with his prouision , and the season of the yeere ; for summer affords what winter wants , and winter is master of that which summer can but with difficultie haue : it is good then for him that intends to feast , to set downe the full number of his full dishes , that is , dishes of meate that are of substance , and not emptie or for shew ; and of these sixteene is a good proportion for one course vnto one messe , as thus for example ; first , a sheild of brawne with mustard ; secondly , a boyld capon ; thirdlie , a boyld peece of beefe ; fourthlie , a chine of beefe rosted ; fifthlie , a neates tongue rosted ; sixthlie , a pigge rosted ; seuenthlie , chewets bak't ; eighthlie , a goose rosted ; ninthlie , a swan rosted ; tenthly , a turkey rosted ; the eleuenth , a haunch of venyson rosted ; the twelfth , a pastie of venyson ; the thirteenth , a kid with a pudding in the belly ; the fourteenth , an oliue pie ; the fifteenth , a couple of capons ; the sixteenth , a custard of dousets . now to these full dishes may bee added in sallets , fricases , quelquechoses , and deuised paste , as many dishes more , which make the full seruice no lesse then two and thirtie dishes , which is as much as can conueniently stand on one table , and in one messe ; and after this manner you may proportion both your second and third course , holding fulnesse in one halfe of the dishes , and shew the other , which will be both frugall in the spender , contentment to the guest , and much pleasure and delight to the beholders . and thus much touching the ordering of great feasts and ordinarie entertainements . when our english hous-wife is exact in these rules before rehearsed , and that she is able to adorne and bea●tifie her table , with all the vertuous illustrations meet for her knowledge ; shee shall then sort her mind to the vnderstanding of other house-wifely secrets , right profitable and meet for her vse , such as the want thereof may trouble her when need , or the time requires them . therefore first i would haue her furnish her self of very good stils , for the distillation of all kindes of waters , which stils would either bee of tinne , or sweet earth , & in them shee shall distill all sorts of waters meete for the health of her houshold , as sagewater , which is good for all rhumes and collickes ; radish water , which is good for the stone , angelcia water good for infection , celadine water for sore eyes , vine water for itchings , rose water , and eye-bright water for dimme sights , rosemary water for fistuloes , treacle water for mouth cankers , water of gloues for paine in the stomacke , sax●●age water for grauell and hard vrine , allum water for old vlcers , and a world of others , any of which will last a ●ull yeere at the least : then shee shall know that the best waters for the smoothing of the skinne , and keeping the face delicate and ami●ble , are those which are distilled from beane flowers from strawberies , from vine 〈◊〉 , ●rom goats milke , from asses milke , from the whites of eggs , from the flowers of lillies , from dragons , from calues feete , from branne , or from yelkes of egges , any of which will last a yeere or better . first distill your water in a 〈◊〉 , then put it in a glasse of great strength , and fill it with those flowers again ( whose colour you desire ) as full as you can , & stop it and set it in the styllatorie againe , and let it distill , & you shall haue the collour you distill . take of rosemary flowers two handfuls , of mariarome , winter-sauory , rosemary , rewe , vnset time , germander , rybworte , harts tong , mouseare , white wormwood , buglosse , red sage , liuer-worte ; hoare-hound , fine lauender , issop-cropps , penny-royall , red-fenell● of each of these one handfull ; of elycompane roots , cleane pared and sliced , two handfulls ; then take all these afore-said and shred them , but not wash them ; then take foure gallons and more of stronge ale , & one gallon of sack-lees , and put all these aforesaid hearbe● shred into it , and then put into it one pound of licoras bruised , halfe a pound of any seedes cleane sifted and bruised , and of mace & nutmeggs bruised of each one ounce ; then put altogether into your stillyng - pot close couered with rye paste , and make a soft fire vnder your pot , and as the head of the limbecke heateth , draw out your hot water and put in cold , keeping the head of your limbeck still with cold water , but see your fire be not two rash at the first , but let your water come at leasure , and take heed vnto your stilling that your water change not white , for it is not so strong as the first draught is ; and when the water is distilled , take a gallon glasse with a wide mouth , and put therein a pottell of the best water and cleerest , and put to it a pottell of rosa-●olis , halfe a pound of dates bruised , and one once of graynes , halfe a pound of sugar , halfe an ounce of seed-pearle beaten , three leaues of fine gold ; stirre all these together well , then stop your glasse and set it in the sunne the space of one or two moneths , and then clarifie it and vse it at your discretion ; for a spoonefull or two at a time is sufficient , and the vertues are infinite . fill a pot with red wine cleane and strong , and put therein the pouders of camomyle , gylly flowers , ginger , pellytory , nutmegg , gallengall , spicknard , quenebits , graines of pure long pepper , blacke pepper , commin , fenell seede , smalledge , parsley , sage , rew , mint , calamint and horshow , of each of them a like quantity , and beware they differ not the waight of a dram vnder or aboue ; then put all the pouders abouesaid into the wine , and after put them into the distilling pot , and distill it with a soft fyre , & looke that it bee well luted about with rye paste , so that no fume or breath goe forth , and looke that the fire be temperate , also receiue the water out of the lymbecke into a glassevyall . this water is called the water of life , & it may be likned to balme , for it hath all the vertues and properties which balme hath ; this water is cleere and lighter then rosewater , for it will fleete aboue all liquors , for if oyle be put aboue this water , it sinketh to the bottome . this water keepeth flesh & fish both raw & sodden in his own kinde & state , it is good against aches in the bones , the poxe , and such like , neither can any thing kept in this water rot or putrifie , it doth draw out the sweetnesse , fauor , and vertues of all manner of spices , rootes and hearbes that are wet or layd therein , it giues sweetnes to all manner of water that is myxt with it ; it is good for all manner of cold sicknesses , and namely for the palsy or trembling ioynts , & stretching of the sinews ; it is good against the cold gout ; and it maketh an old man seeme young , vsing to drinke it fasting ; and lastly it fretteth away dead flesh in wounds , and killeth the canker . take rosemary , time , issop , sage , fenell , nip , roots of elicompane , of ech an handfull , of marierum , and penyroyall of ech halfe a handfull ; eight slippes of red mynt , halfe a pound of licoras , halfe a pound of ani●eeds and two gallands of the best ale that can be brewed , wash all these hearbes cleane , & put into the ale , licoras , aniseeds , and hearbes into a cleane brasse pot , and set your limbecke thereon , and paste it round about that no ayre come out , then distill the water with a gentle fire , and keepe the lymbecke coole aboue , not suffering it to runne too fast ; and take heede when your water changeth collour , to put another glasse vnder , and keepe the first water , for it is most precious , and the latter water keepe by it selfe , and put it into your next pot , and that shall make it much better . take of balme , of rosemary flowers tops and all , of dried red rose leaues , of penny-royall , of each of these a handfull , of issop halfe a handfull , one roote of elycompane the whitest that can be got , three quarters of a pound of licoras , two ounces of cinamond , two drams of great mace , two drams of gallendgall , three drams of coliander seed , three drammes of carraway seeds , two or three nutmegs cut in foure quarters , an ounce of aniseeds , a handfull of borage ; you must chuse a faire sunny day to gather the hearbes in ; you must not wash them , but cut them in sunder , and not too small ; then lay all your hearbes in souse all night and a day , with the spices grosly beaten or bruised , & then distill it in order aforesaid ; this was made for a learned phisitians owne drinking . take a galland of gascoin wine ginger , gallengall , nutmegs ; grains , cloues , aniseeds , fenell seedes , carraway seeds , of ech one dram , thē take sage , mints , red-roses , time pellitory , rose-mary ; wild time , camomile , and lauender , of ech a handfull , then bray the spices small● and the hearbs also , & put al together into the wine , and let it stand so twelue houres , stirring it diuers times , then distill it with a limbecke , and keepe the first water , for it is best : of a gallon of wine you must not take aboue a quart of water ; this water comforteth the vitall spirits , and helpeth inward diseases that commeth of cold , as the palsey , the contraction of sinewes , also it killeth wormes , and comforts the stomacke ; it cureth the cold dropsy , helps the stone , the stinking breath , and maketh one seem yong . take a pottell of the best sacke , & halfe a pint of rose-water , a quarter & half of a pound of good cinamon well bruised , but not small beaten ; distill all these together in a glasse-still , but you must carefully looke to it , that it boyle not ouer hastily , & attend it with cold wet cloathes ●o coole the top of the still if the water should offer to boyle too hastily . this water is very soueraigne for the stomacke , the head , and all the inward parts ; it helps digestion , & comforteth the vitall spirits . take fennell , rew , veruine , endiue , betony , germander , redrose , capillus veneris , of each an ounce ; stampe them and steepe them in white wine a day and a night , and distill water of them , which water will diuide in three parts , the first water you shall put in a glasse by it selfe , for it is more pretious then gold , the second as siluer , and the third as balme , and keepe these three parts in glasses : this water you shall giue the rich for gold , to meaner for siluer , to poore men for balme : this water keepeth the sight in cleernes , and purgeth all grosse humors . take salgemma a pound , and lay it in a green docke leafe , and lay it in the fier till it bee well rosted , and waxe white , and put it in a glasse against the aire a night , and on the morrow it shal be turned to a white water like vnto christall : keepe this water well in a glasse , and put a drop into the eie , and it shall clense and sharpe the sight : it is good for any euill at the heart , for the morphew , and the canker in the mouth , and for diuers other euils in the body . take the roots of fenell , parseley , endiue , betony , of each an ounce , and first wash them well in luke-warme water , and bray them well with white wine a day and a night , and then distill them into water : this water is more worthy then balme ; it preserueth the sight much , and clenseth it of all filth , it restraineth teares , and comforteth the head , and auoideth the water that commeth through the payne in the head . take the seed of parseley , achannes , veruine , carawaies , and centuary , of each ten drams ; beat all these together , and put it in warme water a day and a night , and put it in a vessell to distill : this water is a pretious water for all sore eies , and very good for the health of man or womans bodie . take limmel of gold , siluer , lattin , copper , iron , steele , & leade ; & take lethurgy of gold & siluer , take callamint & columbine , & steep al together , the first day in the vrine of a man-childe , that is between a day & a night , the second day in white wine , the third day in the iuyce of fennel , the fourth day in the whites of egges , the fift day in the womans milke that nourisheth a man-child , the sixt day in red wine , the seuenth day in the whites of egges , and vpon the eight day bind all these together , and distill the water of them , and keepe this water in a vessell of gold or siluer : the vertues of this water are these , first it expelleth all rhumes , and doth away all manner of sicknes from the eies , and weares away the pearle , pin and webbe ; it draweth againe into his owne kinde the eie-lids that haue been bleared , it easeth the ache of the head , and if a man drinke it , maketh him looke young euen in old age , besides a world of ohter most excellent vertues . take the gold-smiths stone , and put it into the fier , till it bee red-hot , and quench it in a pint of white wine , and doe so nine times , and after grind it , and beat it small , and clense it as cleane as you may , and after set it in the sunne with the water of fennell distilled , and ve●uine , roses , celladine and rew , and a little aquauite , and when you haue sprinkled it in the water nine times , put it then in a vessell of glasse , and yet vpon a reuersion of the water distill it , till it passe ouer the touch foure or fiue inches ; and when you will vse it then stirre it all together , and then take vp a drop with a feather , and put it on your naile , & if it abyde , it is fine and good : then put it in the eie that runneth , or annoynt the head with it if it ake , and the temples , and beleeue it , that of all waters this is the most pretious , and helpeth the sight or any paine in the head . the water of cheruyle is good for a sore mouth . the water of callamynt is good for the stomacke . the water of planten is good for the fluxe , and the hot dropsy . water of fennell is good to make a fat body small , and also for the eies . water of violets is good for a man that is sore within his body , and for the raynes , and for the liuer . water of endiue is good for the dropsy , and for the iaundyse , and the stomacke . water of borage is good for the stomacke , and for the illica passio , and many other sicknesses in the body . water of both sages is good for the palsey . water of bettony , is good for the heary ago , and all inward sicknesses . water of radish drunke twice a day , at each time an ounce , or an ounce and a halfe , doth multiply and prouoke lust , and also it prouoketh the tearmes in women . rosemary water ( the face washed therein both morning and night ) causeth a faire and cleere countenance : also the head washed therewith , and let dry of it selfe , preserueth the falling of the hai●e , and causeth more to growe ; also two ounces of the same drunke , driueth venome out of the body in the same sort as methridate doth ; the same twice or thrice drunke at each time halfe an ounce , rectifieth the mother● and it causeth womē to be fruitful : when one maketh a bath of this decoction , it is called the bathe of life ; the same drunke comforteth the heart , the brayne , and the whole body , and clenseth away the spots of the face ; it maketh a man looke young , and causeth women to conceiue quickly , and hath all the vertues of balme . water of rew drunke in a morning foure or fiue daies together , at each time an ounce , purifieth the flowers in women ; the same water drunke in the morning fasting , is good against the gryping of the bowels , and drunke at morning and at night , at each time an ounce , it prouoketh the termes in women . the water of sorrell drunke is good for al burning & pestilent feuers , and all other hot sicknesses ; being mixt with beere , ale or wine , it ●laketh thirst ; it is also good for the yellow iaundise , being taken sixe or eight daies together ; it also expelleth heate from the liuer if it be drunke , and a clothe wet in the same and a little wrong out , and so applied to the right side ouer against the liuer , and when it is drie then wet another , and apply it ; and thus doe three or foure times together . lastly the water of angelica is good for the head , for inward infection , either of the plague or pestilence , it is very soueraigne for sore breasts ; also the same water being drunke of twelue or thirteene daies together , is good to vnlade the stomacke of grosse humors and superfluities , and it strengthneth and comforteth all the vniuersall parts of the body : and lastly , it is a most soueraine medicine for the gout , by bathing the diseased member much therein . now to conclude and knit vp this chapter , it is meete that our huswife know that from the eight of the kallends of the moneth of aprill vnto the eight of the callends of iuly , all manner of hearbes & leaues are in that time most in strength and of the greatest vertue to be vsed and put in all manner of medicines , also from the eight of the callends of iuly vnto the eight of the callends of october the stalks , stems and hard braunches of euery hearbe and plant is most in strength to be vsed in medicines ; and from the eight of the callends of october , vnto the eight of the callends of aprill , all manner of roots of hearbs and plants are the most of strength and vertue to be vsed in all manner of medicines . to make an excellent sweet water for perfume , you shall take of basill , mints , mariorum , corne flagge roots , isop , sauory , sage , balme , lauender and rosemary , of each one a handfull , of cloues , cinamon and nutmegges of each halfe an ounce , then three or foure pome-citrous cut into slices , infuse all these into damaske-rose water the space of three daies , & then distill it with a gentle fire of charcole , then when you haue put it into a very clean glasse , take of fat muske , ciuet , and ambergreece of each the quantity of a scruple , and put into a ragge of fine lawne , and then hang it within the water : this being either burnt vpon a hot pan , or else boiled in perfuming pannes with cloues , b●y leaues and lemmon pils , will make the most delicatest perfume that may be without any offence , and will last the longest of all o●her sweet perfumes , as hath been found by experience . to perfume gloues excellently , take the oyle of sweet almonds , oyle of almonds , oyle of nutmegs , oyle of beniamin , of each a dramme , of ambergreece one graine , fat muske two graines : mixe them altogether and grind them vpon a painters stone , and then annoint the gloues therewith : yet before you annoint them let them be dampishly moistned with damaske rose water . to perfume a ierkin well , take the oyle of beniamin a penny-worth , oyle of spike , and oyle of oliues half peny-worths of each , and take two spunges and warme one of them against the fire and rubbe your ierkin therewith ; and when the oyle is dryed , take the other spunge and dippe it in the oyle and rub your ierkin therewith til it bee dry , then lay on the perfume before prescribed for gloues . to make very good washing balls take storax of both kindes , beniamin , calamus aromaticus , labdanum of each a like ; and bray them two powder with cloues and arras ; then beate them all with a sufficient quantity of sope till it bee stiffe , then with your hand you shall worke it like paste , and make round balls thereof . to make muske balls , take nutmegs , mace , cloues , saffron and cinamon , of each the waight of jj d , and beat to fine powder , of masticke the weight of two-pence halfe peny , of storax the weight of six-pence ; of labdanum the weight ten-pence ; of ambergreece the weight of sixe-pence ; and of muske foure graines , dissolue and worke all these in hard sweet sope till it come to a stiffe paste , and then make balls thereof . to make a good perfume to burne , take beniamin one ounce , storax calamint two ounces , of masticke , white ambergreece , of each one ounce , ireos , calamus aromaticus , cypesse wood , of each halfe an ounce , of camphire one scruple , labdanum one ounce : beate all these to powder , then take of sallow charcole ●ixe ounces , of liquid storax two ounces , beate them all with aquauita , and then shall you role them into long round roules . to make pomanders , take two peniworth of labdanum two peniworth of storax liquid , one peniworth of calamus aromaticus , as much balme , halfe a quarter of a pound of fine waxe , of cloues & mace two peny-worth , of liquid aloes three peniworth , of nutmegges eight peniworth , and of muske foure graines ; beat all these exceedingly together till they come to a perfect substance , then mould it in any fashion you please and drie it . to make excellent strong vinegar , you shall brew the strongest ale that may be , and hauing tunned it in a very strong vessell , you shal set it either in your garden or some other safe place abroad , where it may haue the whole summer daies sunne to shine vpon it , and there let it lie till it be extreame sowre , then into a hogshead of this vinegar put the leaues of foure or fiue hundred damaske roses , and after they haue layen for the space of a moneth therein , house the vinegar and draw it as you neede it . to make drie vinegar which you may carry in your pocket , you ●hall take the blades of greene corne either wheat or rie , and beat it in a morter with the strongest vinegar you can get till it come to a paste ; then role it into little balls , and dry it in the sunne till it be very hard , then when you haue any occasion to vse it , cut a little peece thereof and dissolue it in wine , and it will make a strong vinegar . to make veriuice , you shall gather your crabbs as soone as the kernels turne blacke , and hauing laid them a while in a heape to sweat together , take them and picke them from stalkes , blacks and rottennesse : then in long troughs with beetles for the purpose , crush and breake them all to mash : then make a bagge of course haire-cloth as square as the presse , and fill it with the crusht crabs ; then put it into the presse , and presse it while any moysture will drop forth , hauing a cleane vessell vnderneath to receiue the liquor : this done , tun it vp into sweet hogsheads , and to euery hogshead put halfe a dozen handfuls of damaske rose leaues , and then b●●ng it vp , and spend it as you shall haue occasion . many other pretty secrets there are belonging vnto curious hous-wiues , but none more necessary then these already rehearsed , except such as shall hereafter follow in their proper places . take of arras sixe ounces , of damaske rose-leaues as much , of margerom and sweete basill , of each an ounce , of cloues two ounces , yellow saunders two ounces , of citron pills seuen drams , of lign●m-aloes one ounce , of beniamine one ounce , of storaxe one ounce , of muske one dram : bruise all these , and put them into a bagge of silke or linnen , but silke is the best . take of arras foure ounces , of gallaminis one ounce , of ciris halfe an ounce , of rose leaues dried two handfuls , of dried marierom one handfull , of spike one handfull , cloues one ounce , of beniamine & storaxe of each two ounces , of white saunders and yellow of each one ounce : beate all these into a grosse powder , then put to it muske a dram , of ciuet halfe a dram , and of ambergreece halfe a dram ; then put then into a taffata bag and vse it . take of bay leaues one handfull , of red roses two handfuls of damaske roses three handfull , of lauender foure handfuls , of basill one handfuls , mariorum two handfulls , of camomile one handfull , the young tops of sweete b●ia● two handfulls , of mandelion●tansey two handfuls , of orange pils sixe or seuen ounces , of cloues and mace a groats worth : put all these together in a pottle of new ale in comes for the space of three daies , shaking it euery day three or foure times ; then distill it the fourth day in a still with a continuall soft fire , and after it is distilled , put into it a graine or to of muske . take a quart of malmsey lees , or a quart of malmsey simply , one handfull of margerome , of bassill as much , of lauender foure handfulls , bay leaues one good handfull , damask-rose leaues foure handfuls , and as many of red , the pils of sixe oranges , or for want of them one handfull of the tender leaues of walnut-trees , of beniamine halfe an ounce , of callamus aramaticus as much , of camphyr foure 〈◊〉 , of cloues one ounce , of baldamum halfe an ounce● then take a pottle of running water , and put in all these spices bruised into your water and malmsey together in a close stopped pot , with a good handfull of rosemarie , and let them stand for the space of sixe dayes ; then distill it with a soft fire ; then set it in the sunne sixteene dayes with foure graines of muske bruised . this quantitie will make three quarts of water , probatum . take and brew very strong ale , then take halfe a dozen gallons of the first running , & set it abroad to coole , and when it is cold , put yest vnto it , and head it very strongly : then put it vp in a firkin , and distill it in the sunne ; then take foure or fiue handfull of beanes , and parch them in a pan till they burst● then put them in as hot as you can into the firkin , and stop it with a little clay about the bung-hole : then take a handfull of cleane ri● leauen and put in the firkin ; then take a quantitie of barberries , and bruise and straine them into the firkin , and a good handfull of salt , and let them lie and worke in the sun from may till august : then hauing the full strength , take rose-leaues and clip the white ends off , and let them drie in the sunne ; then take elder-flowers and picke them , and dry them in the sunne , and when they are dry , put them in bags , and keepe them all the winter : then take a pottle-pot , and draw forth a pottle out of the firkin into the bottle , and put a handfull of the red rose-leaues , and another of the elder-flowers , and put into the bottle , and hang it in the sunne , where you may occupie the same , and when it is emptie , take out all the leaues , and fill againe as you did before . take angelica-water and rose-water , and put into them the powder of cloues , amber-greece , muske and lignum aloes , beniamine and callamus aramattecus ; boyle these till halfe bee consumed ; then straine it , and put your gloues therein ; then hang them in the sunne to drie , and turne them often ; and thus three times wet them , and drie them againe : or otherwise , take rosewater and wet your gloues therein , then hang them vp till they be almost drie ; then take halfe an ounce of beniamine , and grind it with oyle of almons , and rub it on the gloues till it be almost dried in : then take twentie graines of amber-greece , and twentie graines of muske , and grind them together with oyle of almons , and so rub it on the gloues , and then hang them vp to drie , or else let them drie in your bosome , and so after vse them at your pleasure . it is necessarie that our english hous-wife be skilfull in the election , preseruation and curing of all sorts of wines , because they be vsuall charges vnder her hands , and by the least neglect must turne the husband to much losse : therefore to speake first of the election of sweete wines , she must bee carefull that her malmseys bee full wines , pleasant , well hewed and fine : that bastard be fat , and if it be tawny it skils no● , for the tawny bastards be alwaies the sweetest . muskadine must bee great , pleasant and strong , with a sweete sent , and with amber colour . sacke if it bee seres ( as it should be ) you shall know it by the marke of a corke burned on one side of the bung , and they be euer full gadge , and so are no other sacks , and the longer they lie , the better they be . take a pleasant butt of malmsey , and draw it out a quarter and more ; then fill it vp with fat bastard within eight gallants , or there-abouts , and parill it with six eggs , yel●s and all , one handfull of bay-salt , and a pint of cundui● water to euery parill , and if the wine be hie of colour , put in three gallants of new milke , but skim of the creame first , and beate it well , or otherwise if you haue a good butt of malmsey , and a good pipe of bastard , you must take some emptie butt or pipe , and draw thirtie gallans of malmsey , and as many of bastard , and beate them together ; and when you haue so done , take a quarter of a pound of ginger and bruise it , and put it into your vessell ; then fill it vp with malmsey and bastard : or otherwise thus ; if you haue a pleasant butt of malmsey , which is called ra●t-mow , you may draw out of it fortie gallans , and if your bastard be very faint , then thirtie gallans of it will serue to make it pleasant ; then take foure gallans of new milke and beate it , and put into it when it lacketh twelue gallans of full , and then make your flauer . take one ounce of collianders of bay salt , of cloues , of each as much , one handfull of sauorie ; let all these be blended and bruised together , and sow them close in a bag , and take halfe a pint of damaske-water and lay your flauer into it , and then put it into your butt , and if it fine , giue it a parill and fill it vp , and let it lie till it fine 〈◊〉 else thus ; take colliander rootes a peniworth , one pound of anyseedes , one peniworth in ginger ; bruise them together and put it into a bag as before , and make your bagge long and small that it may goe in and out at the bung● hole , and when you doe put it in , fasten it with a thread at the bung ; then take a pint of the strongest damaske water , and warme it luke-warme , then put it into the butt , and then stop it close for two or three dayes at least , and then if you please you may set it abroach . take seuen whites of new laid egges , two handfuls of bay-salt , and beate them well together , and put therein a pint of sacke or more , and beate them till they bee as short as snow ; then ouer-draw the butt seuen or eight gallans , and beate the wine , and stirre his lees , and then put in the parill and beate it , and so fill it vp , and stoppe it close , and draw it on the morrow . draw out of a pipe of bastard ten gallans , and put to it fiue gallans of new milke , and skim it as before● and all to beate it with a parill of eight whites of egs , and a handfull of bay-salt , and a pint of conduit water , and it will be white and fine in the morning . but if you will make verie fine bastard , take a white-wine hogshead , and put out the lees , and wash it cleane , and fill it halfe full and halfe a quarter , and put to it foure gallans of new milke and beate it well with the whites of sixe egges , and fill it vp with white-wine and sack , and it will be white ●nd fine . take two gallons of the best stoned honey , and two gallons of white-wine , and boyle them in a faire pan , skim it cleane , and straine it thorow a faire cloth that there be no moats in it : then put to it one ounce of collianders , and one ounce of aniseedes , foure or fiue orange-pils drie and beaten two powder , let them lie three dayes ; then draw your bastard into a cleane pipe , then put in your honey with the rest , and beate it well ; then let it lie a weeke and touch it not , after draw it at pleasure . if your bastard be fat and good , draw out fortie gallons , then may you fill it vp with the laggs of any kind of white-wines or sacks ; then take fiue gallons of new milke , and first take away the creame , then straine it through a cleane cloth , and when your pipe is three quarters full , put in your milke ; then beate it very well , and fill it so , that it may lacke fifteene gallons , then aparill it thus : take the whites onely of ten eggs , and beate them in a faire tray with bay-salt and conduit water ; then put it into the pipe and beate it well , and so fill it vp , and let it stand open all night ; and if you will keepe it any while , you must on the morrow stop it close , and to make the same drinke like ossey , giue it this flauer : take a pound of aniseeds , two pence in colianders , two pence in ginger , two pence in cloues , two pence in graines , two pence in long pepper , and two pence in licoras : bruise all these together ; then make two baggs of linnen cloth , long and small , and put your spices into them , and put them into the pipe at the bung , making them fast there with a thread that it may sinke into the wine , then stop it close , and in two dayes you may broch it . take and draw him from his lees if he haue any , and put the wine into a malmsey butt to the le●s of malmsey ; then put to the bastard that is in the malmsey butt , nigh three gallons of the best worre of a fresh tap , and then fill him vp with bastard or malmsey of cute if you will : then aparell it thus ; first , parell him , and beate him with a staffe , and then take the whites of foure new-laid egges , and beate them with a handfull of salt till it bee short as mosse , and then put a pint of running water therein , and so fill the pipe vp full , and lay a tile-stone on the bung , and set it abroach within foure and twentie houres if you will. if you haue a good butt of malmsey , and a butt or two of sacke that will not be drunke : for the sacke prepare some emptie butt or pipe , and draw it more then halfe full of sacke , then fill it vp with malmsey , and when your butt is full within a little , put into it three gallons of spanish cute , the best that you can get , then beate it wel , then take your taster and see that it bee deepe coloured ; then fill it vp with sacke , and giue it a parell , and beate it well , the aparell is thus ; take the yelkes of ten egges and beate them in a cleane bason with a handfull of bay-salt , and a quart of conduit water , and beate them together with a little peece of birch , and beate it till it bee as short as mosse ; then draw fiue or sixe gallons out of your butte , then beate it againe , and then fill it vp , and the next day it will bee readie to bee drawne . this aparall will serue both for muskadine , bastard and for sacke . if you haue two principall butts of malmsey , you may make three good butts with your laggs of clare● and of sacke , if you put two gallons of red-wine in a butt , it will saue the more cute : then put two or three gallons of cute as you see cause ; and if it be spanish cute , two gallons will go further then fiue gallons of candy cute , but the candy cute is more natur●ll for the malmsey : also one but of good malmsey , and a butt of sacke that hath lost his colour , will make two good butts of malmsey with the more cute ; and when you haue fild your butts within twelue gallons , then put in your cute , and beate it halfe an houre and more ; then put in your parell and let it lie . first , parell him as you did the bastard , and order him as shall be shewed you for the white-wine of gascoyne with milke , and so set him abroach . if your sacke haue a strong ley or taste , take a good sweete butt faire washed , and draw your sack into it , and make vnto it a parell as you doe to the bastard , and beate it very well , and so stop vp your butt : and if it be tawny , take three gallons of new milke and straine it cleane , and put it into your sacke , then beate it very well , and stop it close . take a faire emptie butt with the lees in it , and draw your sacke into the same from his lees fine ; then take a pound of rice-flower as fine as you can get , and foure graines of camphire , and put it into the sacke ; and if it will not fine , giue it a good parell , and beate it well ; then stop it and let it lie . if any of your sacks or white-wines haue lost their colour , take three gallons of new milke , and take away the creame ; then ouer-draw your wine fiue or sixe gallons , then put in your milke and beate it ; then lay it a foretarke all night , and in the morning lay it vp , and the next day if you will you may set it abroach . draw him out into fresh lees , and take three or foure gallons of stone-hony clarified , and being coole , put it in and parell it with the yelkes of foure egges , whites and all , and beate it well , and fill it vp , and stop it closse , and it will be pleasant and quick as long as it is in drawing . take three gallons of white honey , and two gallons of red-wine , boyle them together in a faire pan , and skim it cleane , and let it stand till it be fine and cold , then put it into your pipe ; yet nothing but the finest ; then beate it well , and fill it vp , and stop it close , and if your alligant be pleasant and great , it will doe much good , for one pipe will rid away diuers . there are two sorts of renish-wines , that is to say , elstertune and brabant : the estertune are best , you shall know it by the fatt , for it is double bard and double pinned , the brabant is nothing so good , and there is not so much good to bee done with them as with the other . if the wines be good and pleasant , a man may rid away a hogshead or two of white-wine , and this is the most vantage a man can haue by them : and if it be slender and hard , then take three or foure gallons of stone-honey and clarifie it cleane ; then put into the honey foure or fiue gallons of the same wine , and then let it seeth a great while , and put into it two pence in cloues bruised , let them seeth together , for it will take away the sent of honie , and when it is sodden take it off , and set it by till it be thorow cold ; then take foure gallons of milke and order it as before , and then put all into your wine and all to beate it ; and ( if you can ) role it , for that is the best way ; then stop it close & let it lie , and that wil make it pleasant . the wines that be made in burdeaux are called gascoine wines , and you shall know them by their hazell hoopes , and the most be full gadge and sound wines . the wines of the hie countries , and which is called hie-country wine , are made some thirtie or fortie miles beyond burdeaux , and they come not downe so soone as the other ; for if they doe , they are all forfeited , and you shall know them euer by their hazell hoopes , and the leghth gage lackes . then haue you wines that be called gallaway both in pipes and hogsheads , and be long● and lacks 〈◊〉 cesternes in gadge and a halfe , and the wines themselues are hie-coloured . then there are other wines which is called white-wine of angulle , very good wine , and lacks little of gadge , and that is also in pipes for the most part , and is quarter bound . then there are rochell wines , which are also in pipes long and slender ; they are very small hedge-wines , sharpe in taste , and of a pallad complexions . your best sacke are of seres in spaine , your smaller of galicia and portugall ; your strong sacks are of the hands of the canaries , and of malligo ; and your muskadines and malmseys are of many parts of italy , greece , and some especiall ilands . euerie terse is in depth the middle of the knot in the midst . the depth of euery hogshead is the fourth pricke aboue the knot . the depth of euery puncheon is the fourth prick next to the punchener . the depth of euery sack-butt is the foure pricks next to the puncheon . the depth of the halfe hogshead is at the lowest notch , and accounted one . the depth of the halfe terse is at the second notch , and is accounted two . the depth of the halfe hogshead and halfe pipe , is at the third notch , and accounted three . the depth of the halfe butt is at the forth notch● and accounted foure . . the full gage is marked thus . . the halfe sesterne lacking , thus . . the whole sesterne lacking , thus . . the sesterne and halfe lag . . the two sesternes thus . . the two and a halfe sesterns , thus . a but of malmsey if he be ful gadge , is one hundred & twenty six gallons . and so the tun is two hundred and fifty two gallons . euery sesterne is three gallons . if you sell for twelue pence a gallon , the tun is twelue pound , twelue shillings . and malmsey and rhenish wine at tenne pence the gallon , is the tunne , ten pound . eight pence the gallon , is the tunne eight pounds . sixe pence the gallon , is the tunne six pounds . fiue pence the gallon , is the tunne fiue pound . foure pence the gallon , is the tunne foure pound . now for gaswine wine there goeth foure hogsheads to a tun , & euery hogshead is sixty three gallons , the two hogsheads are one hundred twenty six gallons , and foure hogsheads are two hundred fifty two gallons ; and if you sell for eight pence the gallon , you shall make of the tun eight pounds , and so foorth looke how many pence the gallons are , and so many pounds the tunne is . now for bastard it is at the same rate , but it laketh of gadge two sesternes and a halfe , or three at a pipe , and then you must abate six gallons of the price , and so in all other wines . see that in your choyce of gascoine wines you obserue , that your clarret wines be faire coloured , and bright as a rubie , not deepe as an ametist ; for though it may shew strength , yet it wants neatnesse : also let it bee sweete as a rose or a violet , and in any case let it bee short ; for if it bee long , then in no wise meddle with it . for your white wines , see they bee sweete and pleasant at the nose , very short , cleere and bright and quick in the taste . lastly for your red wine , prouide that they bee deepe coloured and pleasant , long , and sweete , and if in them , or clarret wines be any default of colour , there are remedies enow to amend and repaire them . if your clarret wine be faint , and haue lost his colour ; then take a fresh hogs-head with his fresh lees which was very good wine , and draw your wine into the same ; then stop it close & tight , and lay it a foretake for two or three daies that the lees may run through it , then lay it vp till it be fine , and if the colour bee not per●it , draw it into a red wine hogshead , that is new drawne with the lees , & that will colour of himselfe , and make him strong ; or take a pound of tournsoll or two , & beat it with a gallon or two of wine , and let it lie a day or two , then put it into your hogshead , draw your wine againe , and wash your clothes , then lay it aforetake all night , and rowle it on the morrow ; then lay it vp , and it will haue a perfit colour . and if your clarret wine haue lost his colour , take a peny worth of damsens , or els black bullesses , as you see cause , and stew them with some red wine of the deepest colour , & make thereof a pound or more of sirrop , and put it into a cleane glasse , and after into the hogshead of clarret wine ; and the same may likewise doe vnto red wine if you please . and if your white wine be faint , & haue lost his colour , if the wine haue any strength in it ; take to a hogshead so much as you intend to put in , out of the said milke , and a handfull of rice beaten very well , and a little salt , and lay him a foretake all night , and on the morning lay him vp againe , and set it abroch in any wise the next wine you spend , for it will not last long . take three gallons of new milke , and take away the creame off it ; then draw fiue or six gallons of wine , & put your milke into the hogshead , & beate it exceeding well ; then fill it vp , but before you fill it vp , if you can , roule it , and if it bee long and small , take halfe a pound of roche allum finelie beaten into pouder , and put into the vessell , and let it lie . take and draw it into new lees of the one nature , and then take a dozen of new pippins , and pare them , and take away the choares , and then put them in , and if that will not serue , take a handfull of the oake of ierusalem , and stampe it , then put it into your wine , and beate it exceeding well , and it will not onely take away the foulnesse , but also make it haue a good sent at the nose . if your red wine drinke fainte , then take a hogshead that allegant hath been in with the lees also , and draw your wine into it , and that will refresh it well , and make the wine wel coloured ; or otherwise draw it close to fresh lees , and that will recouer it againe , and put to it three or foure gallons of allegant , and turne it on his lees . if your red wine lacke colour , then take out foure gallons , and put in foure gallons of allegant , and turne him on his lees , and the bung vp , and his colour will returne , and be faire . take a good but of malmsey , and ouerdraw it a quarter or more , and fill him vp with fat bastard , and with cute a gallon and more , then parrell him as you did your malmsey . yow shall in all points dresse him , as you did dresse your sacke , or white wine in the like case , and parrell him , and then set him abroach : and thus much touching wines of all sorts , and the true vse and ordering of them , so farre foorth as belongeth to the knowledge , and profit of our english hous-wife . chap iii. of wooll , hempe , flaxe and cloth , and dying of colours , of each seuerall substance , with all the knowledges belonging thereto . ovr english hous-wife after her knowledge of preseruing , and feeding her family , must learne also how out of her owne indeauours , shee ought to cloath them outwardly & inwardly ; outwardly for defence from the cold and comelinesse to the person ; and inwardly , for cleanlinesse and neatnesse of the skinne , whereby it may be kept from the filth of sweat , or vermine ; the first consisting of woollen cloth , the latter of linnen . to speake then first of the making of woollen cloth , it is the office of the husbandman at the sheering of his sheepe , to bestow vpon the hous-wife such a competent proportion of wooll , as shall bee conuenient for the clothing of his family ; which wooll as soone as shee hath receiued it , shee shall open , and with a paire of sheeres ( the fleece lying as it were whole before her ) shee shall cut away all the course lockes , pitch , brands , tarr'd lockes , and other feltrings , and lay them by themselues for course couerlids , or the like : then the rest so cleansed shee shall breake into peeces , and tose it euery locke by locke , that is , with her hands open , and so diuide the wooll so , as not any part thereof may be feltred or close together , but all open and loose ; then so much of the wooll as shee intends to spinne white , shee shall put by it selfe , and the rest which she intends to put into colours she shall waigh vp , and diuide into seuerall quantities , according to the proportion of the webbe which shee intends to make , and put euery one of them into particular bagges made of netting , with talies or little peeces of wood fixed vnto them , with priuy markes thereon both for the waight , the colour , and the knowledge of the same wooll when the first colour is altred : this done , she shall if she please send them vnto the dyers , to bee dyed after her own fancy ; yet for as much as i would not haue our english hous-wife ignorant in any thing meete for her knowledge , i will shew her heere before i proceede any further , how shee shall dye her wooll her selfe into any colour meete for her vse . first then to dye wooll blacke , you shall take two pound of galles , and bruise them , then take halfe so much of the best greene coperas , and boile them both together in two gallons of running water ; then shall you put your wool therein and boile it , so done , take it foorth and drie it . if you will dye your wooll of a bright haire colour : first boile your wooll in allum and water ; then take it foorth , and when it is cold , take chamber-lie and chimnie soote , and mixing them together well , boile your wooll againe therein , and stirre it exceeding well about , then take it foorth , and lay it where it may conueniently drie . if you would dye your wooll into a perfect redde colour , set on a panne full of water , when it is hot put in a pecke of wheate branne , and let it boile a little ; then put it into a tubbe , and put twice as much cold water vnto it , and let it stand vntill it bee a weeke old : hauing done so ; then shall you put to tenne pounds of wooll , a pound of allum , then heate your liquor againe , and put in your allum , and so soone as it is melted , put in your wooll , and let it boile the space of an houre : then take it out againe , and then set on more bran and water : then take a pound of madder , and put in your madder when the liquor is hot : when the madder is broken , put in the wooll and open it , and when it commeth to be very hot , then stirre it with a staffe , and then take it out and wash it with faire water ; then set on the pan againe with faire water , and then take a pound of saradine bucke , and put it therein , and let it boile the space of an egge seething : then put in the wooll , and stirre it three or foure times about , and open it well . to die wooll blew ; take good stoore of old chamber lie , and set it on the fire ; then take halfe a pound of blew neale , and beate it small in a morter ; and then put it into the lie ; and when it seethes put in your wooll . to die wooll of a puke colour , take galles , and beate them very small in a morter , put them into faire seething water , and boile your wooll or your cloth therein , and boile them the space of halfe an houre : then take them vp , and put in your copperas into the same liquor : then put in your wooll againe , and doing thus once or twice , it will be sufficient . if you will die your wooll of a finder colour , you shall put your red wooll into your puke liquour ; and then it will failelesse be of a sinder colour . if you will die your wooll either green or yellow , then boile your woodward in faire water , then put in your wooll or cloth , and that wooll which you put in white , will be yellow : and that wooll which you put in blew will be green , and all this with one liquor ; prouided that each be first boiled in allom. when you haue thus dyed your worke into those seuerall colours meet for your purpose , and haue also dried it well : then you shall take it foorth , and toase it ouer againe as you did before : for the first toasing was to make it receiue the colour or die : this second is to receiue the oile , and make it fit for spinning ; which assoone as you haue done , you shall mixe your colours together , wherein you are to note that the best medley , is that which is compounded of two colours only ; as a light colour , and a darke : for to haue more is but confusion , and breeds no pleasure , but distraction to the fight therefore for the proportion of your mixtures , you shall euer take two parts of the darker colour , and but a third part of the light . as for example , your web containes twelue pound , and the colours are red and greene to you shall then toke eight pound of the greene wooll , and but foure pound of the red ; and so of any other colours where there is difference of brightnes . but if it be so that you will needs haue your cloth of three colours , as of two darke and one light , or two light and one darke : as thus , you will haue crimson , yellow , and puke ; you shall take of the crimson and yellow of each two pound , and of the puke eight pound : for this is two light colours to one darke ; but if you will take a puke ; a greene and an orenge tawny wich is too darke , and one light ; then you shall take of the puke and greene , and the orenge tawny of each a like quantity ; that is to say , of either foure pounds , when you haue equally diuided your proportions ; then you shall spread vpon the ground a sheete , and vpon the same first lay a thinne layre or bed of your darker colour , all of one euen thicknesse : then vpon the same layre , lay another much thinner of the brighter quantity , being so neere as you can guesse it , hardly half so much as the darker : then couer it ouer with another layre of the sad colour or colours againe , then vppon it another of the bright againe : and thus lay layre vpon layre till all your wooll be spread ; then beginning at one end role vp round and hard together the whole bed of wooll ; and then causing one to kneele hard vpon the roule , that it may not stirre nor open , with your hands toase , and pull out all the wooll in small pieces : and then taking a paire of stocke cards sharpe and large , and bound fast to a forme , or such like thing , and on the same combe , and carde ouer all the wooll , till you see it perfectly , and vndistinctly mixed together , and that indeed it is become one intire colour of diuers without spots , or vndeuided locks or knots ; in which doing you shall bee very carefull , and heedfull with your eye : and if you finde any hard knot , or other felter in the wooll , which will not open , though it be neuer so small , yet you shall picke it out and open it , or else being any other fault cast it away : for it is the greatest art in house-wifery to mixe these wools right , and to make the cloth without blemish . your wooll being thus mixed perfectly together , you shall then oile it , or as the plaine house-wife termes it , grease it : in this manner being laid in a round flat bed , you shall take of the best rape oile , or for want thereof either wel raynd red goose grease , or swines grease , & hauing melted it with your hand sprinkle it all ouer your wooll , and worke it very well into the same : then turne your wooll about , and doe as much on the other side , till you haue oiled all the wooll ouer , and that there is not a locke which is not moistened with the same . now for as much as if you shall put too much oile vpon the wooll , you may thereby doe great hurt to the web , and make that the thread will not draw , but fal into many pieces ; you shall therefore be sure at the first to giue it little enough : and taking some thereof , proue it vpon the wheele : and if you see it drawes drie , and breaketh , then you may put more oile vnto it ; but if it draw well , then to keepe it there without any alteration : but because you shall be a little more certaine in the truth of your proportions , you shall know , that three pound of grease or oile , will sufficiently annoint or grease ten pounds of wooll : and so according to that proportion you may oile what quantity you will. after your wooll is oild and annointed thus , you shall then tumme it ; which is , you shall pull it foorth as you did before , when you mixe it , and card it ouer againe vpon your stocke cards : and then those cardings which you strike off , are called tummings , which you shal lay by , till it come to spinning . there be some hous-wiues which oile it as they mix it , and sprinkle euery layre as they lay it , and worke the oile well into it : and then rouling it vp as before said , pull it out , and tumme it ; so that then it goeth but once ouer the stocke-cards , which is not amisse : yet the other is more certaine , though somewhat more painefull . after your wooll is thus mixed oiled and tummed , you shall then spinne it vpon great wooll wheeles , according to the order of good house-wifery ; the action whereof must be got by practise , and not relation ; onely this you shall be carefull , to draw your thread according to the nature , & goodnes of your wooll , not according to your particular desire : for if you draw a fine thread from a wooll which is of a course staple , it will want substance when it comes to the walke mill , and either there beat in pieces , or not being able to bed , and couer the threads well , be a cloth of a very short lasting . so likewise if you draw a course thread from a wooll of a fine staple , it will then so much ouer thicke , that you must either take away a great part of the substance of your wooll in flockes ; or els let the cloth weare course , and high , to the disgrace of good house-wifery , and losse of much cloth , which els might haue been saued . now for the diuersities of spinning , although our ordinary english house-wiues make none at all , but spin euery thread alike , yet the better experienst make two manner of spinnings , and two sorts of thread ; the one they call warpe , the other weft , or els wooffe ; the warpe is spunne close , round and hard twisted , being strong and well smoothed , because it runs thorough the sleies , and also indureth the fretting and beating of the beame , the weft is spunne open , loose , hollow , and but halfe twisted ; neither smoothed with the hand , nor made of any great strength , because it but only crosseth the warpe , without any violent straining , and by reason of the softnesse thereof beddeth closer , and couereth the warpe so well , that a very little beating in the mill bringeth it to perfect cloth : and though some hold it lesse substantiall then the web , which is all of twisted yarn , yet experience finds they are deceiued , and that this open weft keepes the cloth longer from fretting and wearing . after the spinning of your wooll , some hous-wifes vse to wind it from the broche into round clewes for more ease in the warping , but it is a labour may very well be saued , and you may as well warpe it from the broch as from the clew , as long as you know the certaine waight , for by that onely you are to bee directed in all manner of cloth making . now as touching the warping of cloth , which is both the skill and action of the weauer , yet must not our engglish house-wife be ignorant therein , but though the doing of the thing be not proper vnto her , yet what is done must not be beyond her knowledge , both to bridle the falshood of vnconscionable workemen , and for her owne satisfaction , when shee is rid of the doubt of anothers euill doings . it is necessary then that shee first cast by the waight of her wooll , to how many yards of cloth the web will arise : for if the wooll bee of a reasonable good staple , and well spunne , it will runne yard and pound , but if it be course , it will not runne so much . now in your warping also , you must looke how manie pounds you lay in your warpe , and so many you must necessarilie preserue for your weft ; for hus-wifes say the best cloth is made of euen and euen ; for to dr●ue it to greater aduantage is hurtfull to the cloth : there be other obseruations in the warping of cloth ; as to number your portusses , and know how many goes to a yard : to looke to the closenes , and fulling of the sleie , and such like , which sometimes hold , and sometimes faile , according to the art of the workeman ; and therefore i will not stand much vpon them ; but referre the hus-wife to the instruction of her owne experience . now after your cloth is thus warped , and deliuered vp into the hands of the weauer ; the hus-wife hath finisht her labour : for in the weauing , walking , and dressing thereof shee can challenge no property more , then to intreate them seuerally to discharge their duties with a good conscience ; that is to say , that the weauer weaue it close , strong , and true , that the walker or fuller , mill it carefully , and looke well to his scowring-earth , for feare of beating holes into the cloth ; and that the clothworker , or shereman burle , and dresse it sufficiently , neither cutting the wooll too vnreasonable high , whereby the cloth may weare rough , nor too low , lest it appeare thread bare ere it come out of the hands of the tailor . these things forewarnd and performed , the cloth is then to bee vsed at your pleasure . the next thing to this , which our english hous-wife must be skilfull in the making of all sorts of linnen cloth , whether it bee of hemp or flaxe , for from those two only is the most principall cloth deriued , and made both in this , and in other nations . and first touching the soile fittest to sow hempe vpon , it must be a rich mingle earth of clay and sand , or clay and grauell well tempered : and of these the best serueth best for the purpose , for the simple clay , or the simple sand are nothing so good ; for the first is too tough , too rich , & too heauy , bringeth foorth al bun , & no rinde , the other is too barren , too hot , & too light , & bringeth forth such slender withered increase , that it is nothing neere worth the labor : briefly then the best earth is the best mixt ground which husband-men cal the red hazel ground , being wel ordered & manured : and of this earth a principall place to sow hempe on , is in old stackeyards , or other places kept in the winter time for the laire of sheep or cattell , when your ground is either scarse , or formerly not imploid to that purpose ; but if it be where the ground is plenty , and only vsed thereunto , as in holland , in lincolneshire , the i le of apham , and such like places , then the custome of the country will make you expert enough therein : there bee some that will preserue the ends of their corne lands , which but vpon grasse for to sow hempe or flax thereon , and for that purpose will manure it well with sheepe ; for whereas corne which butteth on grasse hads , where cattel are teathered is commonly destroied , and no profit issuing from a good part thereof ; by this meanes , that wich is sowen will bee more lafe and plentifull , and that which was destroied , will beare a commodity of better valew . now for the tillage or ordering of the ground where you sow hempe or flaxe , it would in al points be like vnto that where you sow barlie , or at the least as often broke vp , as you doe when you sow fallow wheat , which is thrice at least , except it bee some very mellow , and ripe mould , as stackyards , and vsuall hempelands be , and then twice breaking vp is sufficient ; that is to say , about the latter end of february , and the latter end of aprill ; at which time you shall sow it : and herein is to bee noted , that you must sow it reasonable thicke with good sound and perfect seed , of which the smoothest , roundest , and brightest with least dust in is the best● you must not lay it too deepe in the earth , but you must couer it close , light , and with so fine a mould as you can possible breake with your harrowes , clotting-beetles , or sleighting : then till you see it appeare aboue the earth , you must haue it exceedingly carefully tended , especially an houre or two before sun rise , and as much before it set , from birds and other vermine , which wil otherwise picke the seed out of the earth , and so deceiue you of your profit . now for the weeding of hempe , you may saue the labour , because it is naturally of it selfe swift of growth , rough , and venemous to any thing that growes vnder it , and will sooner of its own accord destroy those vnwholsome weeds then by your labour : but for your flaxe or line which is a great deale more tender , and of harder encrease , you shall as occasion serueth weed it , and trimme it , especially if the weeds ouer grow it , but not otherwise : for if it once get aboue the weeds , then it will saue it selfe . touching the pulling of hempe or flaxe , which is the manner of gathering of the same : you shall vnderstand that it must bee pulled vp by the rootes , and not cut as corne is , either with sithe or hooke : and the best time for the pulling of the same is , when you see the leaues fall downeward , or turne yellow at the tops , for then it is full ripe , and this for the most part will be in iuly , and about mary maudlins day . i speake now touching the pulling of hemp for cloth : but if you intend to saue any for seed , then you shall haue the principall bunnes , and let them stand till it be the latter end of august , or sometimes till mid september following : and then seeing the seed turned browne and hard , you may gather it , for if it stand longer , it will shed suddenly : as for flax , which ripeneth a little after the hempe , you shall pull it as soone as you see the seed turne browne , and bend the head to the earth-ward , for it will afterward ripen of it selfe as the bunne drieth . now for the ripening , and seasoning of hempe or flaxe , you shall so soone as you haue pulled it , lay it all along flat , and thinne vpon the ground , for a night and a day at the most , and no more ; and then as hous-wifes call it , tie it vp in baites , and reare them vpright till you can conueniently carry it to the water , which would be done as speedily as may bee . now there be some which ripen their hempe and flaxe vpon the ground where it grew , by letting it lie thereon to receiue dewes and raine , and the moistnesse of the earth , till it bee ripe ; but this is a vile and naughty way of ripening , it making the hempe or flaxe blacke , rough , and often rotten : therefore i would wish none to vse it , but such as necessity compelleth therunto , and then to be carefull to the often turning thereof , for it is the ground onely which rots it . now for the watring of the hempe or faxe , the best water is the running streame , and the worst the standing pit ; yet because hempe is a poisonous thing , and infecteth the water ; and destroyeth all kinde of fish , it is more fit to employ such pits and ditches as are least subiect to annoiance , except you liue neere some great broad and swift streame , and then in the shallow parts thereof , you may water without danger : touching the manner of the watering thereof , you shall according to the quantity , knocke fowre or six strong stakes into the bottome of the water , and set them square-wise , then lay your round baits or bundles of hempe downe vnder the water , the thick end of one bundle one way , and the thick ends of another bundle another way ; and so lay baite vpon baite till you haue laid in all , and that the water couereth them all ouer ; then you shall take ouer-lyers of wood , and binding them ouerthwart to the stakes , keepe the hempe downe close , and especially at the foure corners ; then take great stones , grauell , and other heauy rubbish , and lay it betweene , and ouer the ouer-lyers , and so couer the hempe close that it may by no meanes stirre , and so let it continue in the water foure daies and nights , if it be in a running water , but if it be in a standing water , then longer , and then take out one of the vppermost baits and wash it ; and if in the washing you see the leafe come of , then you may be assured the hemp is watred enough : as for flax , les time will serue it , and it will shed the leafe in three nights . when your hemp or flaxe is thus watred enough , you shall take off the grauell , stones , ouer-lyers of wood , and vnloosing it from the stakes , take and wash out euery baite or bundle seuerall by it selfe , and rub it exceeding cleane , leauing not a leafe vpon it , nor any filth within it ; then set it vpon the drie earth vpright that the water may drop from it , which done , load it vp , & carry it home , and in some open close or peece of ground reare it vpright either against hedges , pales , walls , backsides of houses , or such like , where it may haue the full strength , or reflection of the sun , and being thoroughly dried , then house it ; yet there be some hous-wiues which as soon as their hempe comes from the water , will not reare it vpright , but lay it vpon the ground flat & thin for the space of a fortnight , turning it at the end of euery two daies ; first on the one side , then on the other , & then after reare it vpright , drie it , & so house it , and this hous-wifery is good & orderly . now although i haue hitherto ioyned hempe and flaxe together , yet you shal vnderstād that there are some particular differences betweene them ; for whereas your hemp may within a night or two after the pulling be caried to the water , your flaxe may not , but must be reared vp , and dried and withered a week or more to ripen the seed , which done , you must take ripple combs , and ripple your flaxe ouer , which is the beating , or breaking off from the stalks the round bels or bobs , which containe the seed which you must preserue in some drie vessell or place , till the spring of the yeere , and then beate it , or thresh it for your vse , and when your flaxe or line is ripled , then you must send it to the water as aforesaid . after your hempe or flaxe hath been watered , dried , & housed , you may then at your pleasure breake it , which is in a brake of wood ( whose proportiō is so ordinary , that euery one almost knowes them ) breake and beate out the drie bun , or kexe of the hempe and flaxe from the rinde which couers it , and when you brake either , you shall do it , as neer as you can , on a faire drie sun-shine day , obseruing to set foorth your hemp and flaxe , and spread it thin before the sun , that it may be as drie as tinder before it come to the brake ; for if either in the lying close together it shall giue againe or sweat , or through the moistnesse of the ayre or place where it lies receiues any dampishnesse , you must necessarily see it dried sufficiently againe , or else it will neuer brake well , nor the bun breake and part from the rinde in order as it should : therfore if the weather be not seasonable , and your need much to vse your hempe or flaxe , you shall then spread it vpon your kilne , and making a soft fire vnder it , drie it vpon the same , and then brake it : yet for as much as this is oft-times dangerous , & much hurt hath bin receiued thereby through casualty of fire , i would wish you to stick foure stakes in the earth at least fiue foote aboue ground , and laying ouer them small our-layers of wood , and open fleaks or hurdles vpon the same , spread your hempe , and also reare some round about it all , but at one open side ; then with straw , small shauing , or other light drie wood make a soft fire vnder the same , and so drie it , and brake it , and this is without all danger or mistrust of euill ; and as you brake it , you shall open and looke into it , euer beginning to brake the roote ends first ; and when you see the bun is sufficiently crusht , falne away , or at the most hangeth but in very small shiuers within the hempe or flaxe , then you shall say it is brak't enough , and then tearming that which you called a baite or bundle before , now a strike , you shall lay them together and so house them , keeping in your memorie either by score or writing , how many strikes of hempe , and how many strikes of flaxe you brake vp euery day . now that your hempe or flaxe may brake so much the better , you must haue for each seuerall sort two seuerall brakes , which is an open and wide toothed , or nicktbrake , and a close and straight toothed brake : the first being to crush the bun , and the latter to beate it forth . now for flax you must take first that which is the straitest for the hempe , and then after one of purpose , much straighter and sharper for the bunne of it being more small , tough and thinne , must necessarily be broken into much lesse peeces . after your hempe and flaxe is brak't , you shall then swingle it , which is vpon a swingle tree block made of an halfe inch boord about fowre foote aboue ground , and set vpon a strong foot or stocke , that will not easily moue and stirre , as you may see in any hous-wiues house whatsoeuer better then my words can expresse ; and with a peece of wood called the swingle tree dagger , and made in the shape and proportion of an old dagger with a reasonable blunt edge ; you shall beate out all the loose buns and shiuers that hang in the hempe or flaxe , opening and turning it from one end to the other , till you haue left no bunne or shiuer to be perceiued therein , and then strike a twist , and fould in the midst , which is euer the thickest part of the strike , lay them by till you haue swingled all ; the generall profit whereof , is not onely the beating out of the hard bunne , but also an opening , and softning of the teare , whereby it is prepared and made ready for the maker . now after you haue swingled your hempe and flaxe ouer once , you shall take and shake vp the refuse stuffe , which you beate from the same seuerally , and not only it , but the tops and knots , and halfe brak't buns which fall from the brake also , and drying them againe cause them to bee very well thresht with flayles , and then mixing them with the refuse which fell from the swingle tree , dresse them all well with threshing and shaking , till the buns be cleane driuen out of them ; and then lay them in some safe drie place till occasion of vse : these are called swingle tree hurds , and that which comes from the hemp will make window-cloth , and such like course stuffe , and that which comes from the flax being a little towed again in a paire af wooll cards will make a course hardingl but to proceed forward in the making of cloth ; after your hemp or flax hath bin swingled once ouer , which is sufficient for the market , or for ordinary sale , you shal then for cloth swingle it ouer the second time , and as the first did beat away the bun , and soften the rinde , so this shall break and diuide , and prepare it fit for the heckle ; & hurds which are this second time beaten off , you shall also saue ; for that of the hemp ( being toased in wool cards ) wil make a good hempen hurden ) & that comming from the flaxe ( vsed in that manner ) a flax hurden better then the former . after the second swingling of your hempe , and that the hurds thereof haue been laid by , you shall take the strikes , and diuiding them into dozens , or halfe dozens , make them vp to great thicke roles , and then as it were broaching them , or spitting them vpon long stickes , set them in the corner of some chimney , where they may receiue the heate of the fire , and there let them abide , till they bee dried exceedingly , then take them , and laying them in a round trough made for the purpose , so many as may conueniently lie therein , and there with beetles beat them exceedingly , till they handle both without & within as soft and pliant as may be , without any hardnesse or roughnesse to be felt or perceiued ; then take them from the trough , and open the roler , and diuide the strikes seuerally as at the first , and if any be insufficiently beaten , role them vp , and beat them ouer as before . when your hempe hath been twice swingled , dried , and beaten , you shal then bring it to the heckle , which instrument needeth no demonstration , because it is hardly vnknown to any woman whatsoeuer ; and the first heckle shall be course , open and wide toothed , because it is the first breaker or diuider of the same , and the layer of the strikes euen & straight : and the hurds which come of this heckling you shall mixe with those of the latter swingling , & it will make the cloth much better ; then you shall heckle it the second time through a good straight heckle made purposely for hemp , & be sure to break it very wel and sufficiently therupon , & saue both the hurds by themselues , and the strikes by themselues in seuerall places . now here bee some very principall good hus-wiues , which vse only but to heckle their hemp once ouer , affirming , that if it be sufficiently dried and beaten , that once going ouer through a straight heckle will serue without more losse of labour , hauing been twice swingled before . now if you intend to haue an excellent peece of hempen cloth , which shall equall a peece of very pure linnen , then after you haue beaten it , as before said , and heckled once ouer , you shall then role it vp againe , drie it as before , and beat it againe as much as at the first ; then heckle it through a fine flaxen heckle , and the towe which falles from the heckle , will make a principall hemping , but the teare it selfe a cloth as pure , as fine hus-wifes linnen , the indurance and lasting whereof , is rare & wonderfull ; thus you see the vttermost art in dressing of hemp for each seueral purpose in cloth making till it come to the spinning . flax after it hath been twice swingeld needeth neither more drying nor beating as hempe doth , but may bee brought to the heckle in the same manner as you did hempe ; onely the heckle must be much finer and straiter ; and as you did before the first heckle being much courser then the latter , holding the strike stiffe in your hand , breake it very well vpon that heckell : then the hurdes which come thereof , you shall saue to make fine hurden cloth of , and the strike it selfe you shall passe through a finer heckle ; and the hurds which come from thence , you shall saue to make fine midlen cloth of , and then teare it selfe for the best linnen . to dresse flaxe for the finest vse that may mee , as to to make faire holland cloth of great price , or thread for the most curious purpose , a secret hitherto almost concealed from the best hus-wifes ; you shall take your flaxe after it hath been handled , as is before shewed , and laying three strikes together , plat them in a plat of three so hard and close together as it is possible , ioining one to the end of another , till you haue platted so much as you thinke conuenient , and then begin another plat● and thus plat as many seueral plats as you thinke will make a role , like vnto one of your hempe roules before spoke off , and then wreathing them hard together , make vp the roule● and so many roules more or lesse , according to the purpose you dresse them for : this done , put the roules into a hempe trough , and beat them soundly , rather more then lesse the hempe : and then open and vnplat it , and diuide euery strike from other very carefully ; then heckle it through a finer heckle then any formerly vsed ; for of heckles there be euer three sorts , and this must be the finest : and in this heckling you must bee exceeding carefull to doe it gently , lightly , and with good deliberation , least what you heckle from it should runne to knots , or other hardnes , as it is apt to doe : but being done artificially as it ought , you shall see it looke , & feele it handle like fine soft cotton , or iersey wooll ; and this which thus looketh and feeleth , and falleth from the heckle , will notwithstanding make a pure fine linnen , and runne at least two yards and a halfe in the pound ; but the teare it selfe will make a perfect strong , and most fine holland , running at least fiue yards in the pound . after your teare is thus drest , you shall spinne it either vpon wheele or rocke , but the wheele is the swifter way , & the rocke maketh the finer thread ; you shall draw your thread according to the nature of the teare , and as long as it is euen , it can not be to small , but if it be vneuen it will ne●er make a durable cloth . now for as much as euery hus-wife is not able to spinne her owne teare in her owne house , you shall make choice of the best spinners you can heare of , and to them put foorth your teare to spinne , waighing it before it goe , and waighing it after it is spun and drie , allowing waight for waight , or an ounce and a halfe for wast at the most : as for the prises for spinning , they are according to the natures of the country , the finenesse of the teare , and the dearenesse of prouisions : some spinning by the pound , some by the lay , and some by day , as the bargaine shall be made . after your yarne is spunne vpon spindles , spooles , or such like ; you shall then reele it vpon reeles , of which the reeles which are hardly two foot in length , and haue but onely two contrary crosse barres are the best , the most easie and least to be troubled with rauelling ; and in the weauing of your fine yarne to keepe it the better from rauelling , you shal as you reele it , with a ley band of a big twist , diuide the slipping or skeane into diuers leyes , allowing to euery ley . threads , and . laies to euery slipping , the yarne being very fine , otherwise lesse of both kinds : but if you spinne by the ley , as at a ob . a ley or so , then the ancient custome hath been to allow to a reele which was . yards , all aboue . threads to euery ley , and leyes , and sometimes leyes to a slipping , which will ordinarily amount to a pound or there abouts ; and so by that you may proportion foorth the price for any manner of spinning whatsoeuer : for if the best thus , then the . so much bated ; and so accordingly the worst . after thus your yarne is spunne and reeld , being in the slipping you shall scowre it● therefore first to fetch out the spottes , you shall lay it in luke wa●me water , and let it lie so three or foure daies , each day shifting it once , and wringing it out , and laying it in another water of the same nature ; then carry it to a well or brooke , and there rinse it , till you see that nothing commeth from it , but pure cleane water ; for whilst there is any filth within it , there will neuer be white cloth● which done take a bucking tub , & couer the bottome thereof with very fine ashen ashes : then opening your slippings , and spreading them , lay them on those ashes ; then couer those slippings with ashes againe , then lay in more slippings , and couer them with ashes as before , and thus lay one vpon another , till all your yarne be laid in ; then couer the vppermost yarne with a bucking cloth , and lay therein a pecke or two ( according to the bignes of the tub ) of ashes more : then poure into all through the vppermost cloth so much warme water , till the tub can receiue no more ; and so let it stand al night : the next morning you shall set a kettle of cleane water on the fire ; and when it is warme , you shall pull out the spigget of the bucking tubbe , and let the water therein runne into another cleane vessell , and as the bucking tubbe wasteth , so you shall fill it vp againe with the warme water on the fire ; and as the water on the fire wasteth , so you shal fill it vp againe with the lie which commeth from the bucking tubbe , euer obseruing to make the lie hotter and hotter till it seeth ; and then when it so seetheth , you shall as before apply it with boiling lie , at least foure houres together ; which is called , the driuing of a buck of yarne : all which being done you shall take off the bucking-cloth , and then putting the yarne with the lie ashes into large tubbes or boales , with your hands as hot as you can suffer it to posse , and labor the yarne , ashes , and lie a pretty while together ; then carry it to a well , riuer , or other cleane scouring water , and there rinse it as cleane as may be from the ashes , then take it , and hang it vp vpon poales abroad in the aire all day , and at night take the slippings downe , and lay them in water all night , then the next daie hang them vp again , and if any part of them drie , then cast water vpon them , obseruing euer to turne that side outmost which whiteth slowest , and thus doe at least seuen daies together , then put all the yarne againe into a bucking tub without ashes , and couer it as before with a bucking cloth , and lay thereupon good store of fresh ashes , and driue that buck as you did before , with very strong seething lies , the space of half a daie or more , then take it foorth , posse it , rinse it , and hang it vp as you did before on the daies , and laying it in water on the nights another weeke , and then wash it ouer in faire water , and so drie it vp : other waies there are of scouring and whiting of yarne ; as steeping it in branne and warme , water , and then boiling it with ozier sticks , wheat-straw water and ashes , and then possing , rinsing , and bleaching it vpon hedges , or bushes ; but it is a foule and vncertaine waie , and i would not wish any good house-wife to vse it . after your yarne is scoured and whited , you shall then winde it vp into round bals of a reasonable bignesse , rather without bottomes then with any at all , because it may deceiue you in the waight , for according to the pounds will arise your yards and lengths of cloth . after your yarne is wound and waighed , you shall carry it to the weauers , and warpe it as was before shewed for wollen cloth , knowing this , that if your weauer bee honest and skilfull hee will make you good and perfect cloth of euen and euen , that is iust the same waight in weft that then was in wrap ; as for the action of weauing it selfe , it is the worke-mans occupation , and therefore to him i referre it . after your cloth is wouen , and the web or webs come home , you shall first lay it to steepe in all points as you did your yarne , to fetch out the soyling and other filth which is gathered from the weauer ; then rinse it also as you did your yarne , then bucke it also in lie and ashes as before said , and rinse it , and then hauing loops fixt to the seluedge of the cloth spread it vpon the grasse , and stake it downe at the vttermost length and breadth , and as fast as it dries water it againe , but take heed you wet it not too much , for feare you milde or rot it , neither cast water vpon it till you see it in manner drie , and be sure weekely to turne it first on one side , & then on the other , and at the end of the first weeke you shall buck it as before in lie and ashes : againe then rinse it , spread it , and water it as before ; then if you see it whites apace , you need not to giue it any more bucks with the ashes and the cloth mixt together : but then a couple of cleane bucks ( as was before shewed in the yarne ) the next fortnight following ; and then being whitened enough , drie vp the cloath , and vse it as occasion shall require ; the best season for the same whitening being in aprill and may. now the course and worst huswifes scoure and white their cloath with water and branne , and buck it with lie and greene hemlocks : but as before i said , it is not good , neither would i haue it put in practise . and thus much for wool , hempe , flax , and cloth of each seuerall substance . chap. iiii. of dairies , butter , cheese , and the necessarie things belonging to that office. there followeth now in his place after these knowledges alreadie rehearsed , the ordering and gouernment of dairies , with the profits and commodities belonging to the same . and first touching the stocke wherewith to furnish dairies , it is to be vnderstood that they must be kine of the best choice and breed that our english houswife can possibly attain vnto , as of big bone , faire shape , right bred , and deep of milke , gentle , and kindely . touching the bignesse of bone , the larger that euery cow is , the better she is : for when either age , or mischance shall disable her for the paile , being of large bone she may be fed , and made fit for the shambles & so no losse , but profit , and any other to the paile as good and sufficient as her selfe . for her shape it must a little differ from the butchers rules ; for being chose for the dairie , she must haue all the signes of plenty of milke , as a crumpled horne , a thinne necke , a hayrie dewlappe , and a very large vdder , with foure tears , long , thicke , and sharpe at tke ends , for the most part either all white , of what colour soeuer the cow be ; or at least the fore part thereof , and if it bee well haird before and behinde , and smooth in the bottome , it is a good signe also . as touching the right breed of kine through our nation generally affoordeth very good ones , yet some countries doe farre exceed other countries ; as chesshire , lanca-shire , yorke-shire , and darbie-shire for blacke kine ; glocester-shire , somerset-shire , and some part of wilt-shire for red kine , and lincolne-shire pide kine : and from the breeds of these countries generally doe proceed the breeds of all other , howsoeuer dispersed ouer the whole kingdome . now for our huswifes direction , she shall choose her dairie from any of ther best breeds before named , according as her opinion and delight shall gouerne her , onely obseruing not to mix her breeds of diuers kindes , but to haue all of one intire choice without variation , because it is vnprofitable ; neither must you by any meanes haue your bull a forrener from your kine , but absolutely either of one countrie , or of one shape and colour : againe , in the choice of your kine you must looke diligently to the goodnesse and fertility of the soile wherein you liue , and by all meanes buy no kine from a place that is more fruitfull then your owne , but rather harder ; for the latter will prosper and come on , the other will decay and ●all into disease ; as the pissing of blood , & such like , for which disease and all other you may finde assured cures in a little booke i published , called cheape and good . for the depth of milke in kine ( which is the giuing of most milke ) being the maine of a hus-wifes profit , shee shall be very carefull to haue that quallity in her beasts . now those kine are said to be deepest of milk , which are new bare ; that is , which haue but lately calued , and haue their milke deepe springing in their vdders , for at that time she giueth the most milke ; and if the quantity then be not conuenient , doubtles the cow cannot be said to be of deepe milch : and for the quantity of milke , for a cow to giue two gallons at a meale , is rare , and extraordinarie ; to giue a gallon and a halfe is much , and conuenient , and to giue but a gllon certain is much , and not to be found fault with : againe those kine are said to be deep of milke , which though they giue not so exceeding much milke as others , yet they giue a reasonable quantity , and giue it long as all the yeer through , whereas other kine that giue more in quantity , will goe drie , being with calf some three moneths , some two , and some one , but these will giue their vsual measure , euen the night before they calue ; and therefore are said to be kine deepe of milke . now for the retained opinion , that the cow which goeth not drie at all , or very little , bringeth not foor●h so good a calfe as the other , because it wanteth much of the nourishment it should enioy , it is vaine and friuolous ; for should the substance from whence the milke proceedeth conuert to the other intended nourishment , it would be so superabundant , that it would conuert either to disease , or putrifaction : but letting these secret reasons passe , there be some kine which are so excedingly full of milke , that they must be milkt at least thrice a day , at morning , noone , and euening , or else they will shed their milke , but it is a fault rather then a vertue , & proceedeth more from a laxatiuenesse or loosenesse of milke , then from any abundance ; for i neuer saw those three meales yet equall the two meales of a good cow , and therefore they are not truly called deepe of milke . touching the gentlenesse of kine , it is a vertue as fit to be expected as any other ; for if she be not affable to the maide , gentle , & willing to come to the paile , and patient to haue her duggs drawne without skittishnesse , striking or wildnesse , shee is vtterly vnfitte for the dayrie . as a cow must be gentle to her milker , so she must bee kind in her owne nature ; that is , apt to conceiue , and bring foorth , fruitfull to nourish , and louing to that which springs from her ; for so she bringeth foorth a double profit ; the one for the time present which is in the dairy ; the other for the time to come ; which is in the maintenance of the stocke , and vpholding of breede . the best time for a cow to calue in for the dairie , is in the later end of march , and all aprill ; for then grasse beginning to spring to its perfect goodnesse , will occasion the greatest increase of milke that may be : and one good early cow will counteruaile two later , yet the calues thus calued are not to be reared , but suffered to feed vpon their dammes best milke , and then to be sold to the butchers , and surely the profit will equall charge ; but those calues which fall in october , nouember , or any time of the depth of winter may well be reared vp for breed , because the maine profit of the dayrie is then spent , and such breede will hold vp and continue the stocke , prouided that you reare not vp any calues which are calued in the prime daies , for they generally are subiect to the disease of the sturdy , which is dangerous and mortall . the housewife which only hath respect to her dairy , and for whose knowledge this discourse is written ( for we haue shewed the grasier his office in the english husband-man ) must reare her calues vpon the finger with floten milke , and not suffer them to run with the dammes , the generall manner whereof , and the cure of all the diseases incident to them and all other cattell is fully declared in the booke called cheape and good . to proceed then to the generall vse of dairies , it consisteth first in the cattell ( of which we haue spoken sufficiently ) then in the howers of milking , the ordering of the milke , and the profits arising from the same . the best and most commended howers for milking are indeed but two in the the day , that in the spring and summer time which is the best season for the dairie , is betwixt fiue and sixe in the morning , and sixe and seauen a clock in the euening : and although nice and curious hus-wiues will haue a third houre betwixt them , as betweene twelue and one in the after-noone , yet the better experienst doe not allow it , and say as i beleeue , that two good meales of milke are better euer then three bad ones ; also in the milking of a cow , the woman must sit on the neere side of the cow , she must gently at first handle and stretch her dugges , and moisten them with milke that they may yeeld out the milke the berter and with lesse paine : shee shall not settle her selfe to milke , nor fixe her paile firme to the ground till she see the cow stand sure and firme , but be ready vpon any motion of the cow to saue her paile from ouerturning ; when she seeth all things answerable to her desire , shee shall then milke the cow boldly , and not leaue stretching and straining of her teats till not one drop of milke more will come from them , for the worst point of hus-wifery that can bee , is to leaue a cow halfe milkt ; for besides the losse of the milke , it is the only way to make a cow drie and vtterly vnprofitable for the dairy : the milke-mayd whilst she is in milking , shal do nothing rashly or suddenly about the cow , which may affraight or amase her , but as she came gently , so with all getlenes she shall depart . touching the well ordering of milke after it is come home to the dairy , the maine point belonging thereunto is the hus-wiues cleanlinesse in the sweet and neate keeping of the dairy-house ; where not the least moat of any filth may by any meanes appeare , but all things either to the eye or nose so void of sowernesse or sluttishnesse , that a princes bed-chamber must not exceed it : to this must be added the sweet and delicate keeping of her milke vessels , whether they be of wood , earth , or lead , the best of which is yet disputable with the best hus-wifes ; only this opinion is generally receiued , that the woodden vessell which is round and shallow is best in cold vaults , the earthen vessels principall for long keeping , and the leaden vessell for yeelding of much creame : but howsoeuer , any and all these must be carefully scalded once a day , and set in the open aire to sweeten , lest getting any taint of sowernesse into them , they corrupt the milk that shall be put therein . but to proceed to my purpose , after your milk is come home , you shall as it were straine it from all vncleane things through a neate & sweet kept syle , the form whereof euery hus-wife knowes , and the bottome of this sile , through which the milke must passe , shal be couered with a very cleane washt fine linnen cloth , such an one as will not suffer the least mote or haire to goe through it : you shall into euery vessell sile a pretty quantity of milk , according to the proportion of the vessell , the broader it is , the shallower it is , the better it is , and yeeldeth euer the best creame , and keepeth the milke longest from sowring . now for the profits arising from milke , they are three of especiall account , as butter , cheese , and milke , to be eaten either simple or compounded : as for curds , sowre milke , or whigge , they come from secondary meanes , and therefore may not be numbred with these . for your butter which onely proceedeth from the creame , which is the very heart and strength of milke , it must be gathered very carefully , diligently , and painefully : and though cleanlinesse be such an ornament to a hus-wife , that if she want any part thereof , shee looseth both that and all good names else : yet in this action it must be more seriously imploied then in any other . to beginne then with the fleeting or gathering of your creame from the milke , you shall doe it in this manner : the milke which you did milke in the morning you shall with a fine thinne shallow dish made for the purpose , take of the creame about fiue of the clocke in the euening ; and the milke which you did milke in the euening , you shall fleete and take of the creame about fiue of the clocke the next morning ; and the creame so taken off , you shall put into a cleane sweet and well leaded earthen pot close couered , & set in a coole place : and this creame so gathered you shall not keepe aboue two daies in the summer , and not aboue foure in the winter , if you will haue the sweetest and best butter ; and that your dairie containe fiue kine or more ; but how many or few soeuer you keep , you shall not by any meanes preserue your creame aboue three daies in summer , and not aboue sixe in the winter . your creame being neately and sweet kept , you shall churme or churne it on those vsuall daies which are fittest either for your vse in the house , or the markets adioining neere vnto you , according to the purpose for which you keepe your dayrie . now the daies most accustomable held amongst ordinary huswiues , are tuesday and friday : tusday in the afternoon , to serue wednesday morning market , and fryday morning to serue saturday market ; for wensday and saturday are the most general market daies of this kingdome , and wenseday , friday , and saturday , the vsual fasting daies of the weeke ; & so meetest for the vse of butter . now ●or churming , take your creame and through a strong and cleane cloth straine it into the churme ; and then couering the churme close , and setting it in a place fit for the action in which you are imploid ( as in the summer in the coolest place of your dairy ; and exceeding early in the morning , or very late in the euening , and in the winter in the warmest place of your dairie , and in the most temperate howres , as about noone , or a little before or after , and so churne it , with swift strokes , marking the noise of the fame which will be solid , heauy and intyre , vntill you heare it alter , and the sound is light , sharp , and more spirity : and then you shal say that your butter breakes , which perceiued both by this sound the lightnesse of the churne-staffe , and the sparkes and drops , which will appeare yellow about the lippe of the churne , and clense with your hand both the lidde and inward fides of the churne , and hauing put all together you shall couer the churne againe , and then with easie stroakes round , and not to the bottome , gather the butter together into one intire lumpe and body , leauing no peeces thereof seuerall or vnioyned . now for as much as there bee many mischiefes and inconueniencies which may happen to butter in the churning , because it is a body of much tendernesse , and neither will endure much heate , nor much cold : for if it bee ouer heated , it will looke white , crumble , and be bitter in taste ; & if it be ouer cold it will not come at all , but make you wast much labour in vaine , which faults to help if you churne your butter in the heat of sommer it shall not be amisse , if during the time of your churning you place your churn in a paile of cold water as deepe as your creame riseth in the churne ; and in the churning thereof let your stroakes goe slow , and be sure that your churn be cold when you put in your creame : but if you churne in the coldest time of winter , you shall then put in your creame before the churne be cold after it hath been scalded ; and you shall place it within the aire of the fire and churne it with as swift stroakes , and as fast as may be , for the much labouring thereof will keepe it in a continuall all warmth , and thus you shall haue your butter good , sweet , and according to your wish . after your butter is churnd , or churnd and gathered well together in your churne , you shall then open your churne , and with both your hands gather it well together , and take it from the buttermilke , and put it into a very cleane boule of wood , or panshion of earth sweetned for the purpose , and if you intend to spend the butter sweet and fresh , you shall haue your boule or p●nshion filled with very cleane water , and therein with your hand you shall worke the butter , turning , and tossing it to and fro till you haue by that labour beaten and washt out all the buttermilke , and brought the butter to a firme substance of it selfe , without any other moisture : which done , you shall take the butter from the water , and with the point of a knife scoch and slash the butter ouer and ouer euery way so thicke as is possible , leauing no part through which your knif must not passe ; for this will clense and fetch out the smallest haire or mote , or ragge of a strainer , and any other thing which by casuall meanes may happen to fall into it . after this you shall shread the butter in a boule thin , and take so much salt as you shall think conuenient , which must by no meanes be much for sweet butter , and sprinkle it thereupon , then with your hands worke the butter and the salt exceedingly well together , and then make it vp either into dishes , pounds , or halfe pounds at your pleasure . if during the month of may before you salt your butter you saue a lumpe thereof , and put it into a vessell , and so set it into the sunne the space of that moneth , you shall finde it exceeding soueraigne & medicinable for wounds , straines , aches , and such like grieuances . touching the poudring vp or potting of butter , you shall by no meanes as in fresh butter wash the buttermike out with water , but onely worke it cleere out with your hands : for water wil make the butter rusty , or reesse ; this done you shall weigh your butter , and know how many pounds there is thereof : for should you weigh it after it were salted , you would be deceiu'd in the weight : which done , you shall open the butter , and salt it very well and throughly , beating it in with your hand till it bee generally disperst through the whole butter ; then take cleane earthen pots , exceedingly well leaded least the brine should leake through the same , and cast salt into the bottome of it : then lay in your butter , and presse it downe hard within the same , and when your pot is filled , then couer the top thereof with salt so as no butter be seene : then closing vp the pot let it stand where it may be cold and safe : but if your dairy be so little that you cannot at first fill vp the pot , you shall then when you haue potted vp so much as you haue , couer it all ouer with salt . now there be hus-wiues whose dairies being great , can by no meanes conueniently haue their butter contained in pots ; as in holland , suffolke , norfolke , and such like , and therfore are first to take barrels very close and wel mad● , and after they haue salted it well , they fill their barrels therewith ; then they take a small stick , cleane , and sweete , and therewith make diuerse holes downe through the butter , euen to the bottome of the larraill : and then make a strong brine of water and salt which will beare an egge , and after it is boild , well skimm'd and cool'd ; then poure it vpon the toppe of the butter till it swimme aboue the same , and so let it settle . some vse to boile in this brine a branch or two of rosemary , and it is not amisse , but pleasant and wholsome . now although you may at at any time betwixt may and september pot vp butter , obseruing to doe it in the coolest time of the morning : yet the most principall season of all is in the month of may onlie ; for then the aire is most temperate , and the butter will take salt the best , and the least subiect to reesing . the best vse of buttermilke for the able hus-wiue is charitably to bestow it on the poore neighbors , whose wants doe daily crie out for sustenance : and no doubt but she shall finde the profit thereof in a diuine place , as well as in her earthly businesse : but if her owne wants command her to vse it for her owne good , then shee shall of her buttermilke make curds in this manner : she shall take her butermilke and put it into a cleane earthen vessell , which is much larger then to receiue the butter-milke onely ; and looking vnto the quantity thereof , shee shall take as it were a third part so much new milke and set it on the fire , and when it is ready to rise , take it off and let it coole a little ; then powre it into the buttermilke in the same manner as you would make a posset , and hauing stirred it about let it stand : then with a fine skummer when you will vse the curds ( for the longer it stands the better the curds will eate ) take them vp into a cullander and let the whey drop well from it : and then eate them either with creame , ale , wine , or beere ; as for the whey you may keepe it also in a sweet stone vessell : for it is that which is called vvhigge , and is an excellent coole drink and a wholsome ; and may very well be drunke a summer through in sted of any other drinke , & without doubt wil slake the thirst of any labouring man as well , if not better . the next maine profit which ariseth from the dairy is cheese , of which there be diuers kinds , as new milke , or morrow milke cheese , nettle cheese , floaten milk cheese , and eddish , or after much cheese , all which haue their seuerall orderings & compositions as you shall perceiue by the discourse following : yet before i doe begin to speake of the making of the cheese , i will shew yow how to order your cheeselep-bag or runnet , which is the most principall thing wherewith your cheese is compounded , and giueth the perfect tast vnto the same . the cheeselepbagge or runnet which is she stomacke bagge of a young suckling calfe , which neuer tasted other food then milke , where the curd lieth vndisgested . of these bags you shall in the begining of the yeere prouide your selfe good store , and first open the bagge and poure out into a cleane vessell the curd and thicke substance thereof ; but the rest which is not curdled nou shall put away : then open the curd and picke out of it all manner of motes , chiers of grasse , or other filth gotten into the same : then wash the curd in so many cold waters till it be as white and cleane from all sorts of motes as is possible ; then lay it one a cleane cloth that the water may draine from it , which done , lay it in another dry vessell , then take a handfull or two of salt and rub the curd therewith exceedingly : then take your bag and wash it also in diuers cold waters till it be very cleane , and then put the curd and the salt vp into the bag , the bag being also well rub'd within with salt : and so put it vp , and salt the outside also all ouer : and then close vp the pot close and so keepe them a full yere before you vse them . for touching the hanging of them vp in chimney corners ( as course hus-wiues doe ) is sluttish , naught , and vnholsome , and the spending of your runnet whilst it is new , makes your cheese haue and proue hollow . when your runnet of earning is fit to be vsed , you shall season it after this manner ; you shall take the bagge you intend to vse , and opening it , put the curd into a stone morter or a bowle , and with a wooden pestell or a roling pinne beat it exceedingly ; then put to it the yelkes of two or three egges , and halfe a pint of the thickest and sweetest creame you can fleete from your milke , with a peny-worth of saffron finely dryed and beaten to powder , together with a little cloues and mace , and stirre them all passing well together till they appeare but as one substance , and then put it vp in the bagge againe : then you shall make a very strong brine of water and salt , and in the same you shall boile a handfull or two of saxifrage , and then when it is cold clare it into a cleane earthen vessell ; then take out of the bagge halfe a dozen spoonfull of the former curd and mix it with the brine , then closing the bagge vp againe close hang it within the brine , and in any case also steepe in your brine a few wall nut-tree leaues & so keepe your runnet a fortnight after before you vse it ; and in this manner dresse all your bagges so , as you may euer haue one ready after another , and the youngest a fortnight old euer at least , for that will make the earing quicke and sharp , so that foure spoonfulls thereof will suffice for the gathering and seasoning of at least twelue gallons of milke , and this is the choisest and best earning which can possible be made by any hus-wife . to make a new milke or morning milk cheese , which is the best cheese made ordinarily in our kingdome ; you shall take your milk early in the morning as it comes from the cow , and file it into a cleane tubbe , then take all the creame also from the milke you milk the euening before , and straine it into your new milke ; then take a pretty quantity of cleane water , and hauing made it scalding hot , powre it into the milke also to scauld the creame and it together , then let it stand , and coole it with a dish rill it be-no more then luke warme ; then go to the pot where your earning bagges hangs , and draw from thence so much of the earning without stirring of the bagge , as will serue for your proportion of milke , and straine it therein very carefully ; for if the least mote of the curd of the earning fall into the cheese , it will make the cheese rot and mould ; when your earnings is put in you shall couer the mike , and so let it stand halfe an howre or thereabouts ; for if the earning be good it will come in that space ; but if you see it doth not , then you shall put in more : being come , you shall with a dish in your hand breake and mash the curd together , possing and turning it about diuersly : which done , with the flat palms of your hands very gently presse the curd downe into the bottome of the tub , then with a thinne dish take the whey from it as cleane as you can , and so hauing prepared your cheese-fat answerable to the proportion of your curd , with both your hands ioined together , put your curd therein and breake it and presse it downe hard into the fat till you hane fild it ; then lay vpon the top of the curd your flat cheese-boord , and a little small weight thereupon , that the whey may drop from it into the vnder vessell ; when it hath done dropping take a large cheese-cloth , and hauing wet it in the cold water lay it on the cheese-boord , and then turne the cheese vpon it ; then lay the cloth into the cheese fat ; and so put the cheese therein againe , and with a thin slice thrust the same down close on euery side ; then laying the cloth also ouer the top to lay on the cheese-boord , and so carry it to your great presse , and there presse it vnder a sufficient waight ; after it hath been there prest halfe an howre , you shall take it and turne it into a drie cloth , and put it into the presse againe , and thus you shall turne it into drie cloathes at least fiue or sixe times in the first day , and euer put it vnder the presse againe , not taking it therefrom till the next day in the euening at soonest , and the last time , it is turned you shall turne it into the dry fat without any cloth at all . when it is prest sufficiently and taken from the fat , you shall then lay it in a kimnell , and rub it first on the one side and then on the other with salt , and so let it lie all that night , then the next morning , you shall doe the like again and so turne it vpon the brine , which comes from the salt two or three dayes or more , according to the bignesse of the cheese , and then lay it vpon a faire table or shelfe to drie , forgetting not euery day once to rubbe it all ouer with a cleane cloth , and then to turne it till such time that it be throughly drie and fit to goe into the presse ; and in this manner of drying you must obserue to lay it first where it may drie hastily , and after where it may drie at more leasure ; thus may you make the best and most principall cheese . now if you will make cheese of two meales , as your mornings new milke , and the euenings creame milke , and all you shall doe but the same formerly rehearsed . and if you will make a simple morrow milke cheese which is all of new milke and nothing els ; you shall then doe as is before declared , onely you shall put in your earning so soone as the milke is fild ( if it haue any warmth in it ) and not scald it ; but if the warmth be lost you shall put it into a kettell and giue it the aire of the fire . if you will haue a very dainty nettle cheese , which is the finest summer cheese which can be eaten ; you shall doe in all things as was formerly taught in the new milke cheese compound ; onely you shall put the curd into a very thin cheese-fat , not aboue halfe an inch or a little better deepe at the most , and then when you come to dry them assoone as it is draind from the brine , you shall lay it vpon fresh nettles and couer it all ouer with the same ; and so lying where they may feele the aire , let them ripen therein , obseruing to renew your nettles once in two dayes , and euery time you renew them , to turne the cheese or cheeses , and to gather your nettles as much without stalkes as may be , and to make the bed both vnder and aloft as smooth as may be , for the more euen and fewer wrinkles that your cheese hath , the more daintie is your hous-wife accounted . if you will make floaten milke cheese , which is the courfest of all cheeses ; you shall take some of the milke and heate it vpon the fire to warme all the rest : but if it be so sower that you dare not aduenture the warming of it for feare of breaking , then you shall heate water , and with it warme it ; then put in your earning as before shewed , and gather it , presse it , salt it , and drie it as you did all other cheeses . touching your eddish cheese or winter cheese , there is not any difference betwixt it and your summer cheese touching the making thereof onely , because the season of the yeere denieth a kindly drying or hardning thereof , it differeth much in taste , and will bee soft alwaies ; and of these eddish cheeses you may make as many kinds as of summer cheeses , as of one meale , two meales , or of milke that is floaten . when you haue made your cheese , you shall then haue care of the whey , whose generall vse differeth not from that of butter-milke , for either you shall preserue it to bestow on the poore , because it is a good drink for the labouring man , or keepe it to make curds out of it , or lastly to nourish and bring vp your swine . if you will make curds of your best whey , you shall set it vpon the fire , and being ready to boile , you shall put into it a pretty quantitie of butter-milke , and then as you see the curds arising vp to the top of the whey , with a skummer skim them off , and put them into a cullender , and then put in more butter-milke , and thus doe whilest you can see any curds arise ; then the whey being drained cleane from them , put them into a cleane vessell , and so serue them forth as occasion shall serue . chap. v. the office of the malster , and the seuerall secrets , and knowledges belonging to the making of malte . it is most requisite and fit that our hous-wife be experienced and well practised in the well making of malt , both for the necessarie and continuall vse thereof , as also for the generall profit which accrueth and ariseth to the husband , houswife , and the whole familie : for as from it is made the drinke , by which the houshold is nourished and sustained , so to the fruitfull husbandman ( who is the master of rich ground , and much tillage ) it is an excellent merchandize , and a commodity of so great trade , that not alone especiall townes and counties are maintained thereby , but also the whole kingdome , and diuers others of out neighboring nations . this office or place of knowledge belongeth particularly to the hous-wife ; and though we haue many excellent men malsters , yet it is properlie the worke and care of the woman , for it is a house-worke , and done altogether within dores , where generally lieth her charge ; the man only ought to bring in , and prouide the graine , and excuse her from portage or too heauie burthens ; but for the art of making the malt , and the seuerall labours appertaining to the same , euen from the fat to the kilne , it is onely the worke of the houswife and the maid-seruants to her appertaining . to begin then with the first knowledge of our malster , it consisteth in the election and choise of graine fit to make malt on , of which there are indeed truly but two kinds , that is to say , barley , which is of all other the most excellent for this purpose ; and oates , which when barly is scant or wanting , maketh also a good and sufficient malt : and though the drinke which is drawne from it be neither so much in the quantitie , so strong in the substance , nor yet so pleasant in the taste , yet is the drink verie good and tolerable , and nourishing enough for any reasonable creature . now i do not denie , but there may be made malt of wheate , pease , lupins , petches and such like , yet it is with vs of no retained custome , nor is the drink simply drawne or extracted from those graines , either wholsome or pleasant , but strong and fulsome ; therefore i thinke it not fit to spend any time in treating of the same . to speake then of the election of barly , you shall vnderstand that there be diuers kinds thereof , according to the alteration of soyles , some being big , some little , some full , some emptie , some white , some browne , and some yellow : but i will reduce all these into three kinds , that is , into the clay-barly , the sand-barly , and the barly which groweth on the mixt soyle . now the best barly to make malt on , both for yeelding the greatest quantitie of matter , and making the strongest , best and most wholsome drink , is the clay barly wel drest , being cleane corne of it selfe , without weede or oates , white of colour , full in substance , and sweete in taste : that which groweth on the mixt grounds is the next ; for though it be subiect to some oates and some weedes ; yet being painefully and carefully drest , it is a faire and a bould corne , great and full ; and though somewhat browner then the former , yet it is of a faire and cleane complexion . the last and worst graine for this purpose is the sand barly , for although it bee seldome or neuer mixt with oates , yet if the tillage bee not painefully and cunningly handled , it is much subiect to weedes of diuers kinds , tares , fetches , and such like , which drinke vp the liquor in the brewing , and make the yeeld or quantitie thereof very little and vnprofitable : besides , the graine naturally of if selfe hath a yellow , withered , emptie huske , thicke and vnfurnished of meale , so that the drinke drawne from it can neither be so much , so strong , so good , nor so pleasant ; so that to conclude , the cleane clay-barley is best for profit in the sale-drinke for strength and long lasting . the barly on the mixt grounds will serue well for housholds and families : and the sand-barly for the poore , and in such places where better is not to be gotten . and these are to bee knowne of euery husband or huswife ; the first by his whitenesse , greatnesse and fulnesse : the second by his brownenesse , and the third by his yellownesse , with a darke browne nether end , and the emptines and thicknesse of the huske ( and in this election of barley you shall note , that if you find in it any wild oats , it is a signe of a rich clay-ground , but ill husbanded , yet the malt made thereof is not much amisse , for both the wilde oate and the perfit oate giue a pleasant sharpe rellish to the drinke , if the quantitie bee not too much , which is euermore to be respected . and to conclude this marter of election , great care must be had of both husband and huswife , that the barley chosen for malt , bee exceeding sweete , both in smell and taste , and verie cleane drest : for any corruption maketh the malt loathsome , and the foule dressing affoordeth much losse . after the skilfull election of graine for malt , the huswife is to looke to the situation , goodnesse and apt accommodation of the malt-house ; for in that consisteth both much of the skill , and much of the profit : for the generall situation of the house , it would ( as neere as can bee ) stand vpon firme drie ground , hauing prospect euery way , with open windowes and lights to let in the wind , sunne and ayre , which way the malster pleaseth , both to coole and comfort the graine at pleasure , and also close-shuts or draw-windowes to keepe out the frosts and stormes , which are the onely lets and hinderances for making the malt good and perfit ; for the modell or forme of these houses , some are made round , with a court in the middle , some long , and some square , but the round is the best and the least laborious ; for the cesternes or fat 's being placed ( as it were ) at the head , or beginning of the cirkle , and the pumpe or well ( but the pumpe is best ) beeing close adioyning , or at least by conueyance of troughes made as vsefull as if it were neere adioyning , the corne beeing steepte , may with one persons labour and a shouell , bee cast from the fatt , or cesterne to the flowre and there coucht ; then when the couch is broken it may in the turning either with the hand or the shouell , bee carried in such a circular house round about from one flowre to another , till it come to the kilne , which would also bee placed next ouer against the pumpe and cesternes , and all contained vnder one rooffe ; and thus you may emptie steeping after steeping and carrie them with one persons labour from flowre to flowre , till all the flowres be ●ild : in which circular motion you shall find , that euer that which was first steep● , shall first come to the kilne , and so consequently one after another in such sort as they were steeped , and your worke may euermore be constant , and your flowres at no time emptie but at your owne pleasure , and all the labour done onely with the hand and shouell , without carrying or recarrying , or lifting heauie burthens , which is both troublesome and offensiue , and not without much losse , because in such cases euer some graine scattereth . now ouer against the kiln-hole or furnace ( which is euermore intended to be on the ground ) should a conuenient place be made to pile in the fuell for the kilne , whether it bee straw , bracken , furres , wood , coale , or other fewell ; but sweet straw is of all other the best and nearest . now it is intended that this malt-house may be made two stories in height , but no higher : ouer your cesternes shal be made the garners wherein to keepe your barley before it be steeped : in the bottoms of these garners , standing directly ouer the cesterns , shall bee conuenient holes made to open and shut at pleasuer , through which shall run downe the barley into the cesterne . ouer the bed of the kilne can be nothing but the place for the haire-cloth , and a spacious roofe open euery way , that the smoke may haue free passage , and with the least ayre bee carried from the kilne , which maketh the malt sweete and pleasant . ouer that place where the fewell is piled , & is next of all to the bed of the kilne , would likewise bee other spacious garners made , some to receiue the malt assoone as it is dried with the come and kilne-dust , in which it may lie to mellow and ripen ; and others to receiue the malt after it is skreened and drest vp ; for to let it be too long in the come , as aboue three moneths at longest , will make it both corrupt , and breed weeuels and other wormes , which are the greatest destroyers of malt that may be . and these gamers should be so conueniently plac't before the front of the kilne-bed , that either with the shouell or a small scuttle you may cast , or carrie the malt once dried into the garners . for the other part of the flowres , they may bee imployed as the ground-flowres are for the flourishing of the malt when it comes from the cesterne : and in this manner , and with these accommodations you may fashion any malt-house either round , long , square , or of what proportion soeuer either your estate , or the conuenience of the ground you haue to build on shall administer . next to the cite or proportion of the ground , you shal haue a principall care for the making of your malt-flowres , in which ( all be custome , and the nature of the soyle binds many times a man to sundrie inconueniences , and that a man must necessarily build according to the matter he hath to build withall , from whence ariseth the many diuersities of malt-flowres , ye● ) you shall vnderstand , that the generall best malt-flowre , both for summer and winter , and all seasons , is the eaue or vaulted ●●ch which is hewed out of a drie and maine greet●e rock , for it is both warme in winter , coole in summer , and generally comfortable in all seasons of the yeere whatsoeuer . for it is to be noted , that all bee housewiues doe giue ouer the making of malt in the extreame heate of summer , it is not because the malt is worse that is made in sommer then that which is made in winter , but because the flowres are more vnseasonable , and that the sunne getting a power into such open places , maketh the graine which is steeped to sprout and come so swiftly , that it cannot indure to take time on the flowre , and get the right seasoning which belongeth to the same : whereas these kind of vaults being drie , and as it were coucht vnder the ground , not onely keepeth out the sunne in summer , which maketh the malt come much too fast , but also defendeth it from frosts and cold bitter blasts in sharpe winters , which will not suffer it to come , or sprout at all ; or if parte doe come and sprout , as that which lieth in the hart of the bed ; yet the vpper parts and outside by meanes of extreame cold cannot sprute ; but being againe dried , hath his first hardnes , and is one and the same with raw barley ; for euery hus-wife must know , that if malt doe not come as it were altogether , and at an instant , and not one come more then another , the malt must needs bee very much imperfit : the next flower to the caue , or drie-sandy rocke , is the flower which is made of earth , or a stiffe strong binding clay well watred , and mixt with horse dung , and soape-ashes , beaten and wrought together , till it come to one solled firmnes ; this flower is a very warme comfortable flower in the winter season , and will helpe the grayne to come and sprout exceedingly , and with the helpe of windowes to let in the cold aire , and to shut out the violent reflection of the sunne , will serue very conueniently for the making of malt , for nine monthes in the yeere , that is to say , from september till the end of may ; but for iune , iuly , and august , to imploy it to that purpose , will breed both losse , and incumbrance : the next flower to this of earth , is that which is made of plaster , or plaster of paris , being burnt in a seasonable time , and kept from wet , till the time of shooting , and then smoothly laid , and well leuelled ; the imperfection of this plaster flower is onely the extreame coldnesse thereof , which in frosty and colde seasons , so bindeth in the heart of the graine , that it cannot sprout , for which cause it behooueth euery maltster that is compelled to these flowers , to looke well into the seasons of the yeere , and when hee findeth either the frosts , northerne blasts , or other nipping stormes to rage too violently , then to make his first couches or beds , when the graine commeth newly out of the cesterne , much thicker and rounder then otherwise he would doe , and as the cold abateth , or the corne increaseth in sprouting , so to make the couches or beds thinner and thinner ; for the thicker and closer the graine is coucht and laid together , the warmer it lieth ; and so catching heate , sooner sprouteth , and the thinner it lieth the cooler it is , and so much the slower in sprouting . this flowre , if the windowes be close , and guard of the sunne sufficiently , will ( if necessitie compel ) serue for the making of malt ten moneths in the yeere , onely in iuly and august which containe the dog-dayes , it would not be imployed , nor in the time of any violent frost , without great care and circumspection . againe , there is in this flowre another fault , which is a naturall casting out of dust , which much sullieth the graine , and being dried makes it looke dun and foule , which is much disparagement to the malster ; therefore she must haue great care that when the malt is taken away , to sweepe and keepe her flowres as cleane and neate as may be . the last and worst is the boarded flowre , of what kind soeuer it be , by reason of the too much heate thereof , and yet of boarded flowres the oaken boarded is the coolest and longest lasting ; the elme or beech is next ; then the ashe , and the worst ( though it be the fairest to the eye ) is the firre , for it hath in it selfe ( by reason of the frankensence and terpentine which it holdeth ) a naturall heate , which mixed with the violence of the sunne in the summer-time , forceth the graine not onely to sprout , but to grow in the couch , which is much losse , and a foule imputation . now these boarded flowres can hardly be in vse for aboue fiue moneths at the most , that is to say , october , nouember , december , ianuarie and februarie ; for the rest , the sun hath too much strength , and these boarded flowres too much warmth ; and therefore in the coolest times it is good to obserue to make the couches thin , whereby the aire may passe thorow the corne , and so coole it , that it may sprout at leasure . now for any other flowre besides these already named , there is not any good to malt vpon ; for the common flowre which is of naturall earth , whether it be clay , sand or grauell , if it haue no mixture at all with it more then it owne nature , by oft treading vpon it , groweth to gather the nature of saltnesse or saltpeter into it , which not onely giueth an ill taste to the graine that is laid vpon the same , but also his moysture and moldines , which in the moyst times of the yere arise from the ground , it often corrupteth and putrifieth the corne . the rough paued flowre by reason of the vneuenes , is vnfit to malt on , because the graine getting into the crannies doth there lie , and are not remoued or turned vp and downe as they should be with the hand , but many times is so fixed to the ground , it sprouteth and groweth vp into a greene blade , affording much losse and hindrance to the owner . the smooth paued slowre , or any flowre of stone whatsoeuer , is full as ill ; for euery one of them naturally against much wet or change of weather , will sweate and distill forth such abundant moisture , that the malt lying vpon the same , can neither dry kindly and expell the former moisture receiued in the cesterne , but also by that ouermuch moysture many times rotteth , and comes to be altogether vseles . lastly , for the flowre made of lime and haire , it is as ill as any formerly spoken of , both in respect of the nature of the lime , whose heate and sharpnes is a maine enemy to malt , or any moist corne , as also in respect of the weaknes and brittlenes of the substance thereof , being apt to molder and fall in peeces with the lightest treading on the same , and that lime and dust once mixing with the corne , it doth so poison and suffocate it , that it can neither sprout , nor turne seruiceable for any vse . next vnto the malt-flowres , our malster shall haue a great care in the framing and fashioning of the kilne , of which there are sundrie sorts of moddles , as the ancient forme which was in times past vsed of our fore-fathers , being only made in a square proportion at the top with small splints or rafters , ioyned within fower inches one of another , going from a maine beame crossing the mid part of that great square : then is this great square from the top , with good and sufficient studds to be drawne slopewise narrower and narrower , till it come to the ground , so that the harth or lowest part thereof may bee not aboue a sixth part to the great square aboue , on which the malt is laid to be dried , and this harth shall bee made hollow and descending , and not leuell nor assending : and these kilnes do not hold any certaine quantitie in the vpper square , but may euer bee according to the frame of some being thirty foot each way , some twenty , and some eighteene . there be other kilnes which are made after this maner open and slope , but they are round of proportion ; but both these kind of kilnes haue one fault , which is danger of fire ; for lying euery way open and apt for the blaze , if the malster be any thing negligent either in the keeping of the blaze low and forward , or not sweeping euery part about the harth any thing that may take fire , or foreseeing that no straws which do belong to the bedding of the kilne do hang downe , or are loose , wherby the fire may take hold of them , it is very possible that the kilne may be set on fire , to the great losse and often vndoing of the owner . which to preuent , and that the malster may haue better assurance and comfort in her labour , there is a kilne now of generall vse in this kingdome , which is called a french kilne , being framed of bricke , ashler , or other fire-stone , according to the nature of the soyle in which husbands and huswiues liue : and this french kilne is euer safe and secure from fire , and whether the malster wake or sleepe , without extreame wilfull negligence , there can no danger come to the kilne ; and in these kilnes may be burnt any kind of fewell whatsoeuer , and neither shall the smoke offend or breed ill taste in the malt , nor yet discolour it , as many times it doth in open kilnes , where the malt is as it were , couered all ouer , and euen parboyld in smoke : so that of all sorts of kilnes whatsoeuer , this which is called the french kilne , is to bee preferred and onely embraced . of the forme or modell whereof , i will not here stand to intreate , because they are now so generally frequent amongst vs , that not a mason or carpenter in the kingdome but can build the same ; so that to vse more words thereof were tediousnesse to little purpose . now there is another kind of kilne which i haue seene ( and but in the west-countrie onely ) which for the profitable quaintnesse thereof , i tooke some especiall note of , and that was a kilne made at the end of a kitchin raunge or chimney , being in shape round , and made of brick , with a little hollownesse narrowed by degrees , into which came from the bottom and midst of the kitchin-chimney a hollow tunnell or vault , like the tunnell of a chimney , and ran directly on the back-side , the hood or backe of the kitchin-chimney ; then in the midst of the chimney , where the greatest strength of the fire was made , was a square hole made of about a foote and a halfe euery way , with an iron thicke plate to draw to and fro , opening and closing the hole at pleasure ; and this hole doth open onely into that tunnell which went to the kilne , so that the malt being once laid , & spread vpon the kilne , draw away the iron plate , and the ordinarie fire with which you dresse your meate , and performe other necessarie businesses , is suckt vp into this tunnell , and so conuaieth the heate to the kilne , where it drieth the malt with as great perfection , as any kilne that euer i saw in my life , and needeth neither attendance or other ceremony more , then once in fiue or sixe houres to turne the malt , and take it away when it is dried sufficiently : for it is here to bee noted , that how great or violent soeuer the fire be which is in the chimney , yet by reason of the passage , and the quantitie thereof , it carrieth no more but a moderate heate to the kilne ; and for the smoke , it is so carried away in other loope-holes which run from the hollownesse betweene the tunnell and the malt-bed , that no malt in the world can possibly be sweeter , or more delicately coloured : onely the fault of these kilnes are , that they are but little in compasse , and so cannot drie much at a time , as not aboue a quarter or ten strike at the most in one drying , and therefore are no more but for a mans owne particular vse , and for the furnishing of one setled familie ; but so applied , they exceede all the kilnes that i haue seene whatsoeuer . when our malster hath thus perfited the malt-house and kilne , then next looke to the well bedding of the kilne , which is diuersly done according to mens diuers opinions ; for some vse one thing , and some another , as the necessitie of the place , or mens particular profits draw them . but first to shew you what the bedding of a kilne is , you shall vnderstand , that it is a thin couering laid vpon the open rafters , which are next vnto the heate of the fier , being made either so thin or so open , that the smallest heate may passe thorow it , and come to the corne : this bed must be laid so euen and leuell as may be , and not thicker in one place then another , lest the malt drie too fast where it is thinnest , and too slowly where it is thicke , and so in the taste seeme to bee of two seuerall dryings : it must also be made of such stuffe , as hauing receiued heate , it will long continue the same , and be an assistant to the fire in drying the corne : it should also haue in it no moyst or dankish propertie , least at the first receiuing of the fire , it send out a stinking smoke , and so taint the malt : nor should it bee of any rough or sharpe substance , because vpon this bed or bedding is laid the haire-cloth , and on the haire-cloth the malt , so that with the turning the malt , and treading vpon the cloth , should the bed be of any such roughnesse , it would soone weare out the haire-cloth , which would be both losse and ill hous-wifery , which is carefully to be eschewed . but now for the matter or substance whereof this bedding should bee made , the best , neatest , and sweetest , is cleane long rie straw , with the eares onely cut off , and the ends laid euen together , not one longer then another , and so spread vpon the rafter of the kilne as eu●n and thin as may be , and laid as it were straw by straw in a iust proportion , where skill and industrie may make it thin or thicke at pleasure , as but the thicknesse of one straw , or of two , three , foure or fiue , as shall seeme to your iudgement most conuenient , and then this , there can be nothing more euen , more drie , sweete , or open to let in the heate at your pleasure : and although in the old open kilnes it be subiect to danger of fire , by reason of the quicknesse to receiue the flame , yet in the french kilnes ( before mentioned ) it is a most safe bedding , for not any fire can come neere vnto it . there bee others which bed the kilne with mat ; and it is not much to bee misliked , if the mat bee made of rye-straw sowed , and wouen together according to the manner of the indian mats , or those vsuall thin bent-mats , which you shall commonlie see in the summer time , standing in husbandmens chimnies , where one bent or straw is laid by another , and so wouen together with a good strong pack-thread : but these mats according to the old prouerbe ( more cost more worship , ) for they are chargeable to bee bought , and verie troublesome in the making , and in the wearing will not out-last one of the former loose beddings ; for if one thread or stitch breake , immediatelie most in that row will follow : onely it is most certaine , that during the time it lasteth it is both good , necessarie and hansome . but if the mat bee made either of bulrushes , flaggs , or any other thicke substance ( as for the most part they are ) then it is not so good a bedding , both because the thicknesse keepeth out the heate , and is long before it can bee warmed ; as also in that it euer being cooled , naturally of it selfe draweth into it a certaine moysture , which with the first heate beeing expelled in smoke , doth much offend and breed ill taste in the malt. there bee others that bed the kilne with a kind of mat made of broad thinne splints of wood wrought checker-wise one into another , and it hath the same faults which the thicke mat hath ; for it is long in catching the heate , and will euer smoke at the first warming , and that smoke will the malt smell on euer after ; for the smoke of wood is euer more sharpe and piercing then any other smoke whatsoeuer . besides , this wooden mat , after it hath once bedded the kilne , it can hardly afterward bee taken vp or remoued ; for by continuall heate , being brought to such an extreme drienesse , if vpon any occasion either to mend the kilne , or clense the kilne , or doe other necessarie labour vnderneath the bedding , you should take vp the wooden mat , it would presently crack and fall to peeces , and bee no more seruiceable . there be others which bed the kilne with a bedding made all of wickers , or small wands foulded one into another like a hurdle , or such like wand-worke ; but it is made very open , euery wand at least two or three fingers one from another : and this kind of bedding is a very strong kind of bedding , and will last long , & catcheth the heat at the first springing , only the smoke is offensiue , and the roughnesse without great care vsed , will soone weare out your haire-cloth : yet in such places where straw is not to bee got or spared , and that you are compelled onely to vse wood for your fuell in drying your malt , i allow this bedding before any other , for it is very good , strong and long-lasting : besides , it may be taken vp and set by at pleasure , so that you may sweepe and clense your kilne as oft as occasion shall serue , and in the neate and fine keeping of the kilne , doth consist much of the huswiues art ; for to be choakt either with dust , durt , soote or ashes , as it shewes sluttishnesse and sloth , the onely great imputations hanging ouer a huswife , so they likewise hinder the labour , and make the malt drie a great deale worse , and more vnkindly . next the bedding of the kilne , our malster by all meanes must haue an especiall care with what fuell shee drieth the malt ; for commonly according to that it euer receiueth and keepeth the taste , if by some especiall art in the kilne that anoyance be not taken away . to speake then of fewels in generall , they are of diuers kinds according to the natures of soyles , and the accommodation of places in which men liue ; yet the best and most principall fewell for the kilnes ( both for sweetnesse , gentle heate , and perfit drying ) either good wheate-straw , rie-straw , barley-straw , or oaten-straw ; and of these the wheate-straw is the best , because it is most substantiall , longest lasting , makes the sharpest fire , and yeelds the least flame : the next is rie-straw , then oaten-straw , and last barley-straw , which by reason it is shortest , lightest , least lasting and giueth mode blaze then heate , it is last of these whi●e strawes to be chosen ; and where any of these faile , or are scarce , you may take the stubble or after-crop of them , when the vpper part is shorne away ; which being well dried and housed , is as good as any of the rest already spoken of , and lesse chargeable , because it is not fi● for any better purpose as to make fodder , meanure , or such like , of more then ordinary thatching , & so fittest for this purpose . next to these white strawes , your long fennerushes , being very exceedingly well withered and dried , and all the sappie moysture gotten out of them , and so either safely housed or stacked , are the best fuell : for they make a very substantiall fire , and much lasting , neither are apt to much blazing , nor the smoake so sharpe or violent but may very well be indured : where all these are wanting , you may take the straw of pease , fetches , lupins , or tares , any of which will serue ; yet the smoke is apt to taint , and the fire without preuention drieth too suddenly and swiftly . next to cleane beane-straw , or straw mixt of beanes and pease together ; but this must be handled with great discretion , for the substance containeth so much heate , that it will rather burne then drie , if it be not moderated , and the smoke is also much offensiue . next to this beane-straw is your furres , gorse , whinnes , or small brush wood , which differeth not much from beane-straw ; onely the smoke is much shaper , and tainteth the malt with a much stronger sauour . to these i may adde braken or braks , ling , heath , or brome , all which may serue in time of necessitie , but each one of them haue this fault , that they adde to the malt an ill taste or sauour . after these i place wood of all sorts , for each is alike noysome , and if the smoke which commeth from it touch the malt , the infection cannot bee recouered ; from whence amongst the best husbands haue sprung this opinion , that when at any time drinke is ill ta●ted , they say straight , it was made of wood-dried malt. and thus you see the generalitie of fuels , their vertues , faults , and how they are to be imployed . now for coale of all kinds , turfe o● peate , they are not by any meanes to bee vsed vnder kilnes , except where the furnaces are so subtiltie made , that the smoke is conuaied a quite contrarie way , and neuer commeth neere the malt ; in that case in skilleth not what fuell you vse , so it bee durable and cheape , it is fit for the purpose , onely great regard must be had to the gentlenesse of the fier ; for as the old prouerb is ( soft fier makes sweete malt ) so too rash and hastie a fire scorcheth and burneth it , which is called amongst maltsters firefangd ; and such malt is good for little or no purpose : therefore to keepe a temperate and true fire , is the onelie arte of a most skilfull maultster . when the kilne is thus made and furnished of all necessaries duely belonging to the same , our maltsters next care shall bee to the fashioning and making of the garners , hutches , or holds in which both the malt after it is dried , and the barley before it be steeped , is to be kept and preserued ; and these garners or safes , for corne are made of diuers fashions , and diuers matters , as some of boards , some of bricks , some of stone , some of lime and haire , and some of mud , clay or loame : but all of these haue their seuerall faults ; for wood of all kinds breedeth weeuell and wormes which destroy the graine , and is indeed much too hot : for although malt would euer bee kept passing drie , yet neuer so little ouer-plus of heate withers it , and takes away the vertue ; for as moysture rots and corrupts it , so heate takes away and decayeth the substance . bricke , because it is laid with lime , is altogether vnholsome , for the lime being apt at change of weather to sweat , moystneth the graine , and so tainteth it , and in the driest seasons with the sharpe hot taste , doth fully as much offend it : those which are made of stone are much more noysome , both in respect of the reasons before rehearsed , as also in that all stone of it selfe will sweate , and so more and more corrupteth the graine which is harboured in it . lime and haire being of the same nature , carrieth the same offences , and is in the like sort to be eschewed . now for mud , clay , or loame , in as much as they must necessarily be mixed with wood , because otherwise of themselues they cannot knit or bind together , and besides , that the clay or loame must bee mixt either with chopt-hay , chopt-straw , or chopt-litter , they are as great breeders of wormes & vermin as wood is , nor are they defences against mice , but easie to be wrought through , and so very vnprofitable for any husband or huswife to vse . besides , they are much too hot , and being either in a close house neere the kilne , or the back or face of any other chimney , they drie the corne too sore , and make it dwindle and wither , so that it neither filleth the bushell , nor inricheth the liquor , but turnes to losse euery way . the best garner then that can be made both for safetie and profit , is to be made either of broken tile-shread , or broken bricks , cunningly and euen laid , and bound together with plaster of parris , or our ordinarie english plaster , or burnt alablaster , and then couered all ouer both within and without , in the bottome and on euery side , at least three fingers thicke with the same plaster , so as no bricke or tile-shread may by any meanes bee seene , or come neere to touch the corne ; and these garners you may make as bigge , or as little as you please , according to the frame of your house , or places of most conuenience for the purpose , which indeed would euer bee as neere the kilne as may be , that the ayre of the fire in the dayes of drying may come vnto the same , of else neere the backs or sides of chimneis , where the ayre thereof may correct the extreame coldnesse of the pl●ster which of all things that are bred in the earth , is the coldest thing that may be , and yet most drie , and not apt to sweate , or take moysture but by some violent extremity , neither wil any worme or vermine come neere it , because the great coldnesse thereof is a mortall enemie to their natures , and so the safest and longest these garners of plaster keepe all kind of graine and pulse in the best perfection . after these garners , hutches , or large keepes for corne are perfitted and made , and fitly adioyned to the kilne , the next thing that our maulster hath too looke vnto , is the framing of the fat 's or cesterns , in which the corne is to bee steeped , and they are of two sorts , that is , either of coopers worke , being great fat 's of wood , or else of masons worke , being cesternes made of stone ; but the cesterne of stone is much the better , for besides that these great fat 's of wood are very chargeable and costly ( as a fat to containe foure quarters of graine , which is but two and thirtie bushels , cannot bee afforded vnder twenty shillings ) , so likewise they are very casuall and apt to mischance and spilling ; for besides their ordinarie wearing , if in the heate of summer they be neuer so little neglected without water , and suffered to ouer-drie , it is ten to one but in the winter they will bee ready to fall in peeces ; and if they be kept moyst , yet if the water be not oft shifted and preserued sweet , the fat will soone taint , and being once growne faultie , it is not onely irrecouerable , but also whatsoeuer commeth to be steeped in it after , will be sure to haue the same sauour , besides the wearing and breaking of garthes and pluggs , the binding , clensing , sweetning , and a whole world of other troubles and charges doe so daily attend them , that the benefit is a great deale short of the incumbrance ; whereas the gesterne is euer ready and vsefull , without any vexation at all , and being once wel and sufficiently made , will not neede trouble or reparation ( more then ordinary washing ) scarse in an hundred yeeres . now the best way of making these mault-cesterns , is to make the bottomes and sides of good tile-shreads , fixed together with the best lime and sand , and the bottome shall bee raised at least a foote and a halfe higher then the ground , and at one corner in the bottome a fine artificiall round hole must be made , which being outwardly stopt , the maultster may through it draine the cesterne drie when shee pleaseth , and the bottome must bee so artificially leueld and contriued , that the water may haue a true descent to that hole , & not any remaine behind when it is opened . now when the modell is thus made of tile-shread , which you may doe great or little at your pleasure , then with lime , haire and beasts-blood mixed together , you shall couer the bottome at least two inches thick , laying leuell and plaine as is before shewed : which done , you shall also couer all the sides and top , both within and without with the same matter , at least a good fingers thicknesse , and the maine wall of the whole cesterne shall bee a full foot in thicknes , as well for strength and durablesse , as other priuate reasons for the holding the graine and water , whose poyze and weight might otherwise indanger a weaker substance . and thus much concerning the malt-house , and those seuerall accommodations which doe belong vnto the same . i will now speake a little in generall as touching the art , skill and knowledge of malt making , which i haue referred to the conclusion of this chapter , because whosoeuer is ignorant in any of the things before spoken of , cannot by any meanes euer attaine to the perfection of most true and most thriftie malt-making : to begin then with this art of making , or ( as some terme it ) melting of malt , you shall first ( hauing proportioned the quantitie you meane to steepe , which should euer be answerable to the continent of your cesterne , and your cesterne to your flowres ) let it either run downe from your vpper garner into the cesterne , or otherwise be carried into your cesterne , as you shall please , or your occasions desire , and this barley would by all meanes be very cleane , and neatly drest ; then when your cesterne is filled , you shall from your pumpe or well conuey the water into the cesterne , till all the corne be drencht , and that the water floate aboue it : if there be any corne that will not sinke , you shall with your hand stirre it about , and wet it , and so let it rest and couer the cesterne ; and thus for the space of three nights you shall let the corne steepe in the water . after the third night is expired , the next morning you shall come to the cesterne , and plucke out the plug or bung-sticke which stoppeth the hole in the bottome of the cesterne , and so draine the water cleane from the corne , and this water you shall by all meanes saue , for much light corne and others will come forth with this draine-water , which is very good swines meate , and may not be lost by any good huswife . then hauing drained it , you shall let the cesterne drop all that day , and in the euening with your shouell you shall empty the corne from the cesterne vnto the malt-flowre , and when all is out , and the cesterne clensed , you shall lay all the wet corne on a great heape round or long , and flat on the top ; and the thicknesse of this heape shall be answerable to the season of the yeere ; for if the weather bee extreame cold , then the heape shall be made very thicke , as three or foure foote , or more , according to the quantitie of the graine : but if the weather be temperate and warme , then shall the heape be made thinner , as two foote , a foote and a halfe , or one foote , according to the quantitie of the graine . and this heape is called of malsters a couch or bed of raw malt. in this couch you shall let the corne lie three nights more without stirring , and after the expiration of the three nights , you shall looke vpon it , and if you find that it beginneth but to sprout ( which is called coming of malt ) though it bee neuer so little , as but the verie white end of the sproute peeping out ( so it be in the outward part of the heape or couch ) you shall then breake open the couch , and in the middest ( where the corne lay neerest ) you shall find the sprout or come of a greater largenesse ; then with your shouell you shall turne all the outward part of the couch inward , and the inward outward , and make it at least three or foure times as big as it was at the first , and so let it lie all that day and night , and the next day you shall with your shouell turne the whole heape ouer againe , increasing the largenes , and making it of one indifferent thicknesse ouer all the flowre ; that is to say , not aboue a handfull thicke at the most , not failing after for the space of fourteene dayes , which doth make vp full in all three weeks , to turn it all ouer twice or thrice a day according to the season of the weather , for if it be warme , the malt must be turnd oftner ; if coose , then it may lie closser , thicker and longer together ; and when the three weeks is fully accomplisht , then you shall ( hauing bedded your kilne , and spread a cleane harie-cloth thereon ) lay the malt as thinne as may be ( as about three fingres thicknes ) vpon the hariecloth , and so drie it with a gentle and soft fire , euer and anon turning the mault ( as it drieth on the kilne ) ouer and ouer with your hand , till you find it sufficiently well dryed , which you shall know both by the ta●t when you bite it in your mouth , & also by the falling off of the come or sprout , when it is throughly dried . now assoone as you see the come beginne to shed , you shall in the turning of the mault rub it well betweene your hands , and scower it , to make the come fall away ; then finding it all sufficiently dried , first put out your fire , then let the malt coole vpon the kilne for foure or fiue houres , and after raising vp the foure corners of the haire-cloth , and gathering the mault together on a heape , empty it with the come and all into your garners , and there let it lie ( if you haue not present occasion to vse it ) for a moneth or two or three to ripen , but no longer , for as the come or dust of the kilne , for such a space melloweth and ripeneth the malt , making it better both for sale or expence , so to lie too long in it doth ingender weeuell , wormes and vermine which doe destroy the graine . now for the dressing and clensing of malt at such time as it is either to be spent in the house , or sold in the market , you shall first winnow it with a good wind either from the ayre , or from the fan ; and before the winnowing you shall rub it exceeding well betweene your hands to get the come or sproutings cleane away : for the beautie and goodnesse of malt is when it is most smug , cleane , bright , and likest to barley in the view , for then there is least waste and greatest profit : for come and dust drinketh vp the liquor , and giues an ill taste to the drinke . after it is well rubd and winnowed , you shall then ree it ouer in a fine siue , and if any of the malt be vnclensed , then rub it againe in the fiue till all bee pure , and the rubbings will arise on the top of the siue , which you may cast off at pleasure , and both those rubbings from the siue and the chaffe and dust which commeth from the winnowings should be safe kept , for they are very good swines meate , and feede well mixt either with whay or swillings : and thus after the malt is red , you shall either stacke it vp for especiall vse , or put it into a well clensed garner , where it may lie till there be occasion for expence . now there be certaine obseruations in the making of malt , which i may by no meanes omit : for though diuers opinions doe diuersly argue them , yet as neere as i can , i will reconcile them to that truth , which is most consonant to reason , and the rule of honestie and equalitie . first , there is a difference in mens opinions as touching the constant time for the mellowing and making of the malt ; that is , from the first steeping to the time of drying ; for some will allow both fat and flowre hardly a fortnight , some a fortnight and two or three dayes , and doe giue this reason ; first , they say it makes the corne looke whiter and brighter , and doth not get so much the fullying and foulenesse of the flower , as that which lieth three weekes , which makes it a great deale more beautifull and so more sallable : next , it doth not come or shoote out so much sprout , as that which lieth a longer time , and so preserueth more heart in the graine , makes it bould and fuller , and so consequently more full of substance , and able to make more of a little , then the other much of more ; and these reasons are good in shew , but not in substantiall truth : for ( although i confesse that corne which lieth least time of the flowre must be the whitest and brightest ) yet that which wanteth any of the due time , can neither ripen , mellow , nor come to true perfection , and lesse then three weekes cannot ripen barley : for looke what time in hath to swell and sprout , it must haue full that time to flourish , and as much time to decay : now in lesse then a week it cannot do the first , & so in a week the second , and in another weeke the third ; so that in lesse then . weekes a man cannot make perfit malt. againe , i confesse , that malt which hath the least come , must haue the greatest kernell , and so bee most substantiall ; yet the malt which putteth not out his full sprout , but hath that moysture ( with too much haste ) driuen in which should be expelled , can neuer bee malt of any long lasting , or profitable for indurance , because it hath so much moyst substance as doth make it both apt to corrupt & breed worms in most great abundance : it is most true , that this hastie made malt is fairest to the eie , and will soonest be vented in the market ; and being spent assone as it is bought , little or no losse is to be perceiued , yet if it be kept or months , or longer ( vnlesse the place where it is kept be like a hot-house ) it will so danke and giue againe , that it will be little better then raw malt , and so good for no seruice without a second drying : besides , malt that is not suffred to sprout to the full kindly , but is stopt as soone as it begins to peepe , much of that malt cannot come at all , for the moystest graines doe sprout first , and the hardest are longer in breaking the huske ; now if you stop the graine on the first sprouts , and not giue all leisure to come one after another , you shall haue halfe malt and halfe barley , and that is good for nothing but hens and hogs trough . so that to conclude , lesse then three weeks you cannot haue to make good and perfect malt. next there is a difference in the turning of the malt , for some ( and those be the most men malsters whatsoeuer ) turne all their malt with the shouell , and say it is most easie , most speedy , and dispatcheth more in an houre , then any other way doth in three ; and it is very true , yet it scattereth much , leaueth much behind vnturn'd , and commonly that which was vndermost , it leaueth vndermost still , & so by some comming too much , & others not comming at all , the malt is oft much imperfect , & the old saying made good , that too much haste , maketh waste . now there are others ( and they are for the most part weomen malsters ) which turne all with the hand , and that is the best , safest , & most certaine way ; for there is not a graine which the hand doth not remoue & turne ouer & ouer , and layes euery seuerall heape or row of such an euen & iust thicknesse , that the malt both equally cōmeth , & equally seasoneth together without defect or alteration : and though he that hath much malt to make , will be willing to hearken to the swiftest course in making , yet he that will make the best malt , must take such conuenient leisure , and imploy that labour which commeth neerest to perfection . then there is another especiall care to bee had in the coming or sprouting of malt , which is , that as it must not come too little , so it must not by any meanes come too much , for that is the grossest abuse that may be : and that which we call comed or sprouted too much is , when either by negligence for want of looking to the couch , and not opening of it , or for want of turning when the malt is spread on the flowre , it come or sprout at both ends , which husbands call akerspyerd ; such corne by reason the whole heart of substance is driuen out of it , can bee good for no purpose but the swine-trough , and therefore you must haue an especiall care both to the well tending of the couch , and the turning the malt on the flowre , and be sure ( as neere as you can by the ordering of the couch , and happing the hardest graine inward and warmest ) to make it all come very indifferently together . now if it so fall out that you buy your barley , and happen to light on mixt graine , some being old corne , some new corne , some of the heart of the starke , and some of the stadle , which is an ordinarie deceit with husbandmen in the market , then you may be well assured , that this graine can neuer come or sprout equally together ; for the new corne will sprout before the old , and the stadle before that in the hart of the starke , by reason the one exceedeth the other in moistnesse : therefore in this case you shall marke well which commeth first , which will be still in the heart of the couch , and with your hand gather it by it selfe into a seperate place , and then heape the other together againe ; and thus as it cometh and sprouteth , so gather it from the heape with your hand , and spread ●t on the flowre , and keepe the other still in a thicke heape till all be sprouted . now lastly obserue , that if your malt be hard to sprout or come , and that the fault consist more in the bitter coldnes of the season , then any defect of the corne , that then ( besides the thicke and close making of the heape or couch ) you faile not to couer it ouer with some thicke wollen clothes , as course couerlids , or such like stuffe , the warmth whereof will make it come presently : which once perceiued , then forthwith vncloth it , and order it as aforesaid in all points . and thus much for the art , order , skill & cunning belonging to maltmaking . now as touching the making of oates into malt , which is a thing of generall vse in many parts of this kingdome where barley is scarce , as in chesheire , lancasheire , much of darbisheire , deuonsheire , cornwall , and the like , the art and skill is all one with that of barley , nor is there any variation or change of worke , but one and the same order still to be obserued , onely by reason that oates are more swift in sprouting , and apter to clutter , ball and hang together by the length of the sprout then barley is , therefore you must not faile but turne them oftner then barley , and in the turning bee carefull to turne all , and not leaue any vnmoued . lastly , they will need lesse of the flowre then barley wil , for in a full fortnight , or a fortnight and two or three dayes you may make very good and perfit oate-malt . but because i haue a great deale more to speake particularly of oates in the next chapter , i will here conclude this , and aduise euery skilfull huswife to ioyne with mine obseruations her own tried experience , and no doubt but she shall find both profit and satisfaction . chap. vi. of the excellency of oates , and the many singular vert●es and vses of them in a family . oats although they are of all manner of graine the cheapest , because of their generalitie being a graine of that goodnesse and hardnesse , that it will grow in any soyle whatsoeuer , be it neuer so rich , or neuer so poore , as if nature had made it the onely louing companion & true friend to mankinde ; yet is it a graine of that singularity for the multiplicity of vertues , and necessary vses for the sustenance and support of the family , that not any other graine is to be compared with it , for if any other haue equall vertue , yet it hath not equall value , and if equall value , then it wants many degrees of equall vertue ; so that ioyning vertue and value together , no husband , houswife , of house-keeper whatsoeuer , hath so true and worthy a friend , as his oates are . to speake then first of the vertues of oates , as they accrew to cattell and creatures without doore , and first to begin with the horse ; there is not any food whatsoeuer that is so good , wholsome , and agreeable with the nature of a horse , as oates are , being a prouendar in which hee taketh such delight , that with it he feedeth , trauelleth , and doth any violent labour whatsoeuer with more courage and comfort , then with any other food that can be inuented , as all men know , that haue either vse of it , or horses ; neither doth the horse euer take surfeit of oates , ( if they be sweet and dry ) for albe he may well be glutted or stalled vpon them ( with indiscreet feeding ) and so refuse them for a little time , yet he neuer surfeiteth , or any present sicknesse followeth after ; whereas no other graine but glut a horse therewith , and instantly sicknes will follow , which shewes surfeit , and the danger is oft incurable : for we reade in italy , at the siege of naples , of many hundred horses that dyed on the surfeit of wheate ; at rome also dyed many hundred horses of the plague , which by due proofe was found to proceed from a surfeit taken of peason & fetches ; and so i could runne ouer all other graines , but it is needlesse , and farre from the purpose i haue to handle : suffice it , oates for horses are the best of all foodes whatsoeuer , whether they be but onely cleane thresht from the straw , and so dryed , or conuerted to oatmeale , and so ground and made into bread , oates boyl'd and giuen to a horse whilst they are coole and sweet , are an excellent foode for any horse in the time of disease , pouerty , or sicknesse , for they scower and fat exceedingly . in the same nature that oates are for horses , so are they for the asse , mule , camell , or any other beast of burthen . if you will feede either oxe , bull , cow , or any nea●e whatsoeuer , to an extraordinary height of fatnesse , there is no foode doth it so soone as oates doth , whether you giue them in the straw , or cleane thresht from the sheafe , and well winnowed ; but the winnowed oate is the best , for by them i haue seene as oxe fed to pound , to poūd , and pounds , which is a most vnreasonable reckoning for any beast , onely fame & the tallow hath bin precious . sheepe or goats may likewise be fed with oates , to as great price and profit as with peas , and swine are fed with oates , either in raw malt , or otherwise , to as great thicknesse as with any graine whatsoeuer ; onely they must haue a few pease after the oates to harden the fat , or else it will waste , and consume in boyling . now for holding swine , which are onely to be preserued in good flesh , nothing is better then a thin mange made of ground oates , whey , butter-milke , or other ordinary washe or swillings , which either the dayry , or kitchin affordeth ; nor is there any more soueraigne or excellent meate for swine in the time of sicknesse , then a mange made of ground oates and sweete whey , warmed luke-warme on the fier , and mixt with the powder of raddle , or red oaker . nay , if you will goe to the matter of pleasure , there is not any meate so excellent for the feeding , and wholesome keeping of a kenell of hounds , as the maugge made of ground oates and scalding water , or of beefe-broth , or any other broth , in which flesh hath been sodden ; if it be for the feeding , strengthning and comforting of greyhounds , spaniels , or any other sort of tenderer dogges , there is no meat then sheeps-heads , haire and all , or other intralls of sheepe chopt and well sodden , with good store of oate-meale . now for all manner of poultrie , as cocks , capons , hens , chickens of great size , turkeys , geesse , ducks , swannes and such like , there is no food feedeth them better then oates , and if it bee the young breede of any of those kinds , euen from the first hatching or disclosing , till they be able to shift for themselues , there is no food better whatsoeuer then oate-meale greetes , or fine oate-meale , either simple of it selfe , or else mixt with milke , drinke , or else new made vrine . thus much touching the vertues and quality of oates or oate-meale , as they are seruiceable for the vse of cattle and poultrie . now for the most necessarie vse thereof for man , and the generall support of the familie , there is no graine in our knowledge answerable vnto it ; first , for the simple oate it selfe ( excepting some particular physicke helpes , as frying them with sweete butter , and putting them in a bag , and very hot applied to the belly or stomack to auoyde collick or windinesse , and such like experiments ) the most especial vse which is made of them is for malt to make beare or ale of which it doth exceeding wel , and maintaineth many townes and countries ; but the oate-meale which is drawne from them , being the heart and kernell of the oate , is a thing of much rarer price and estimation ; for to speake troth , it is like salt of such a generall vse , that without it hardly can any family be maintained : therefore i thinke it not much amisse to speake a word or two touching the making of oatmeale , you shall vnderstand then , that to make good and perfit oate-meale , you shall first drie your oates exceeding well , and then put them on the mill , which may either be water-mill , wind-mill , or horse-mill ( but the horse-mill is best ) and no more but crush or hull them ; that is , to carrie the stones so large , that they may no more but crush the huske from the kirnell : then you shall winnow the hulls from the kirnels either with the wind or a fan , and finding them of an indifferent cleannesse ( for it is impossible to hull them all cleane at the first ) you shall then put them on againe , and making the mill goe a little closer , run them through the mill againe , and then winnow them ouer againe , and such greets or kirnels as are cleane huld and well cut you may lay by , and the rest you shall run through the mill againe the third time , and so winnow them againe , in which time all will be perfit , and the greets or full kirnels will seperate from the smaller oate-meale ; for you shall vnderstand , that at this first making of oate-meale , you shall euer haue two sorts of oate-meales ; that is , the full whole greete or kirnell , and the small dust oate-meale : as for the course hulles or chaffe that commeth from them , that also is worthy sauing , for it is an excellent good horse-prouender for any plow or labouring horses , being mixt with either beanes , pease , or any other pulse whatsoeuer . now for the vse and vertues of these two seuerall kinds of oate-meales in maintaining the family , they are so many ( according to the many customes of many nations ) that it is almost impossible to reckon all ; yet ( as neere as i can ) i will impart my knowledge , and what i haue cane from relation : first , for the small dust or meale oat-meale , it is that with which all pottage is made and thickned , whether they be meate-pottage , milke-pottage , or any thicke or else thin grewell whatsoeuer , of whose goodnesse and wholsomnes●e it is needlesse to speake , in that it is frequent with euery experience : also with this small meale oat-meale is made in diuers countries sixe seuerall kinds of very good and wholsome bread , euerie one finer then other , as your anacks , ianacks , and such like . also there is made of it both thick and thin oaten-cakes , which are very pleasant in taste , and much esteemed : but if it be mixed with fine wheate-meale , then it maketh a most delicate and daintie oate-cake , either thick or thin , such as no prince in the world but may haue them serued to his table ; also this small oate-meale mixed with blood , and the liuer of either sheepe , calfe or swine , maketh that pudden which is called the haggas or haggus , of whose goodnesse it is in vaine to boast , because there is hardly to bee found a man that doth not affect them . and lastly , from this small oat-meale by oft steeping it in water and clensing it ; and then boyling it to a thicke and stiffe ielly , is made that excellent dish of meat , which is so esteemed in the west parts of this kingdome , which they call wash-brew , and in chesheire and lankasheire they call it flamerie or flumerie , the wholsomnes and rare goodnesse , nay , the very physick helpes thereof , being such and so many , that i my selfe haue heard a very reuerend and worthily renowned physition speake more in the commendations of that meate , then of any other foode whatsoeuer : and certaine it is , that you shall not heare of any that euer did surfeite of this wash-brew or ●lammerie ; and yet i haue seene them of very daintie and sicklie stomacks which haue eaten great quantities thereof , beyond the proportion of ordinary meates . now for the manner of eating this meate , it is of diuers diuerly vsed ; for some eate it with honie , which is reputed the best sauce ; some with wine , either sacke , clarret or white ; some with strong beare or strong ale , and some with milke , as your abilitie , or the accommodations of the place will administer . now there is deriued from this wash-brew another courser meate , which is as it were the dregges , or grosser substance of the wash-brew , which is called girt-brew , which is a well filling and sufficient meate , fit for seruants and men of labour ; of the commendations whereof , i will not much stand , in that it is a meat of harder disiestion , and fit indeed but for strong able stomacks , and such whose toyle and much sweate both liberally spendeth euill humors , and also preserueth men from the offence of fulnes and surfeits . now for the bigger kind of oate-meale , which is called gerts , or corne-oate-meale , it is of no lesse vse then the former , nor are their fewer meates compounded thereof : for first , of these gerts are made all sorts of puddings , or pots ( as the west-countrie tearmes them ) whether they be blacke , as those which are made of the blood of beasts , swine , sheepe , geesse , red or fallow deere , or the like , mixt with whole gerts , suet and wholsome hearbs : or else white , as when the gerts are mixt with good creame , egges , bread-crummes , suet , currans , and other wholsome spices . also of these gerts are made the good friday pudding , which is mixt with egs , milt , suet , peniroyall , & boild first in a linnen bag , & then stript and butterd with sweet butter . againe , if you rost a goose , & stop her belly with whole gerts , beaten together with egs , and after mixt with the grauie , there cannot bee a better or more pleasanter sauce : nay , if a man bee at sea in any long trauel , he cannot eate a more wholesome and pleasant meate then these whole greetes boild in water till they burst , and then mixt with butter , and so eaten with spoones ; which although sea-men call simply by the name of loblolly , yet there is not any meate how significant soeuer the name be , that is more toothsome or wholsome . and to conclude , there is no way or purpose whatsoeuer to which a man can vse or imploy rice : but with the same seasoning and order you may imploy the whole greetes of oate-meale , and haue full as good and as wholesome meate , and as well ●●sted ; so that i may wel knit vp this chapter with this aprobation of oatemeale , that the little charge and great benefit considered , it is the very crowne of the huswifes garland , and doth more grace her table and her knowledge , then all graines whatsoeuer ; neither indeed can any familie or houshold bee well and thriftily maintained , where this is either scant or wanting . and thus much touching the nature , worth , vertues , and great necessitie of oates and oate-meale . chapter vii . of the office of the brew-ho●ses , and the 〈◊〉 , and the necessarie things 〈…〉 . when the english hous-wife showes how to preserue health by wholsome physick● to 〈…〉 both the proportions and compositions of the same . and for as much as drinke is in euery house more generally spent then bread , being indeed 〈…〉 the very substance of all entertainement 〈…〉 beginne with it , and therefore you shall know that generally our kingdome hath ou● two kindes of drinkes , that is to say , beere and ale , but particularly fowre , as beere , ale , perry and cider ; and to these we may adde two more , as meede and metheglin , two compound drinkes of honie and hearbes , which in the places where they are made , as in wales and the marches , are renouned for exceeding wholsome and cordiall . to speake then of beere , although bee-diuers kindes of tastes and strength thereof , according to the allowance of malt , hoppe , and age giuen vnto the same ; yet indeed there can be truly sayd to be but two kindes thereof ; namely , ordinary beere and march beare , all other beeres being deriued from them . touching ordinary beere , which is that wherewith either nobleman ; gentleman , 〈…〉 hu●bandman shall maintaine his family the whole yeere● it is 〈◊〉 fi●st that our english hus-wife respect the proportion or allowance of malt due to the same , which amongst the best husbands is thought most conuenient , and it is held , that to draw from one quarter of good malt three hoglheads of beere , is the best ordinary proportion that can be allowed , and hauing age and good caske to lie in , it will be strong enough for any good mans drinking . now for the brewing of ordinary beere , your malt being well ground and put in your mash-fat , and your liquor in your leade ready to boile , you shall the●by little and little with scoopes or pailes put the boiling liquor to the mault , and then stirre it euen to the bottome exceedingly well together ( which is called the mashing of the malt ) then the liquor swimming in the top couer all ouer with more malt , and so 〈◊〉 it stand an howre and more in the mash-fat , during which space you may if you please heate more liquor in your lead for your second or small drinke ; this done , plucke vp your mashing stroame , and let the first liquor runne gently from the malt , either in a cleane trough or other vessels prepared for the purpose , and then stopping the mash-fat againe , put the ●econd liquor to the mault and stirre it well together ; then your leade being emptied put your first liquor or wort therein , and then to euery quarter of malt put a pound and a half of the best hops you can get ; and boile them an hower together , till taking vp a dishfull thereof you see the hops shrinke into the bottome of the dish ; this done put the worth through a straight fiue which may draine the hoppes from it into your cooler , which standing ouer the guil-fat , you shall in the bottom thereof set a great bowle with your barme , and some of the first wor● ( before the hops come into it mixt together ) that it may rise therein , and then let your wort drop or run gently into the dish with the barme which stands in the guil fat , and this you shall do the first day of your brewing , letting your cooler drop all the night following , and some part , of the next morning , and as it droppeth if you finde that a blacke skumme or mother riseth vpon the barme , you shall with your hand take it off and cast it away , then nothing being left in the cooler , and the beere well risen , with your hand stirre it about and so let it stand an hower after , and then beating it and the barme exceeding well together , tunne it vp in the hogsheads being cleane washt and s●●lded , and so let it purge : and herein you shall obserue not to run your vessels too full , for feare thereby it purge too much of the barm away : when it hath purged a day and a night , you shall close vp the bung holes wiah clay , and only for a day or two after keepe a vent-hole in it , and af●er close it vp as close as may bee . now for your second or small drinke which are left vpon the graine , you shall suffer it there to stay but an hower or a little better , and th●n drain it off also ; which done , put it into the lead with the former hop● and boile the other also , then cleere it from the hops and couer it verie close till your first beere be tunn'd , and then as before put it also to barme and so tunne it vp also in smaller vessels , and of this second beere you shall not draw aboue one hogshead to three of the better . now there be diuers other waies & obseruations for the brewing of ordinarie beere , but none so good so easie , so readie and quicklie performed as this before shewed : neither will anie beere last longer or ripen sooner , for it may bee drunke at a fortnights age , and will last as long and liuely . now ●or the brewing of the best march beere you shall allow to a hogs-head thereof a quarter of the best malt , well ground : then you shall take a pecke of pea●e , halfe a pecke of wheate , and halfe a pecke of oates and grind them all very well together , and then mix them with your malt : which done , you shall in all points brew this beere as you did the former ordinary beere : onely you shall allow a pound & a halfe of hops to this one hogshead : and whereas before you drew but two sorts of beere : so now you shall draw three : that is a hogs-head of the best , and a hogs-head of the second , and halfe a hogs-head of small beere without anie augmentation of hops or malt . this march beere would be brewd in the moneths of march or aprill , and should if it haue rightlie a whole yeere to ripen : it will last two , three and foure yeers if it lie coole and close , and indure then dropping to the last drop , though with neuer so much leasure . now for the brewing of strong ale , because it is drink of no such long lasting as beere is , therefore you shall brew lesse quantitie at a time thereof , as two bushels of northerne measure , ( which is foure bushels or half a quarter in the south ) at a brewing , and not aboue , which will make fourteene gallons of the best ale. now for the mashing and ordering of it in the mash-fat , it will not differ any thing from that of beere ; as for hops , although some vse not to put in any , yet the best brewers thereof wil allow to fourteene gallons of ale a good ●●pen full of hops , and no more , yet before you put in your hops , as soone as you take it from the graines you shal put it into a vessell and change it , or blinke it in this manner : put into the wort a handfull of oake bowes and a p●wter dish , and let them lie therein till the wor● looke a little paler then it did at the first , and then presently take out the dish and the leafe , and then boile it a full houre with the hops as aforesaid , and then clense it , and set it in vessels to coole ; when it is no more but milke warme , hauing set your barme to rise with some sweet wort : then put all into the guilfat , and as soone as it riseth , with a dish or bowle beate it in , and so keepe it with continuall beating a day and a night at least , and after tun it . from this ale you may also draw halfe so much very good middle ale , and a third part very good small ale. touching the brewing of bottle-ale , it differeth nothing at all from the brewing of strong ale , onely it must be drawne in a larger proportion , as at least twentie gallons of halfe a quarter ; and when it comes to bee changed you shall blinke it ( as was before shewed ) more by much then was the strong ale , for it must be pretty and sharpe , which giueth the life and quicknes to the ale : and when you tun it , you shall put it into round bottles with narrow mouths , and then stopping them close with corke , set them in a cold sellar vp to the wast in sand , and be sure that the corkes be fast tied in with strong packethrid , for feare of rissing out , or taking vent , which is the vtter spoile of the ale . now for the smal drinke arising from this bottle ale , or any other beere or ale whatsoeuer , if you keep it after it is blinkt and boiled in a close vessel , and then put it to barm euery morning as you haue occasion to vse it , the drinke will drinke a great deale the fresher , and bee much more liuelie in taste . as for the making perry and cider , which are drinks much vsed in the west parts , and other countries wel stored with fruit in this kingdome ; you shall know that your perry is made of peares only , and your cider of apples ; and for the manner of making thereof , it is done after one fashion , that is to say , after your peares or apples are well pickt from stalkes , rottennesse and all manner of other filth , you shall put them in the presse mill which is made with a mil-stone running round in a circle , vnder which you shall crush your peares or apples , and then straining them through a bagge of haire-cloth , tunne vp the same after it hath beene a littlr setled into hogs-heads , barrels and other close vessels . now after you haue prest all , you shall saue that which is within the haire cloth bagge , and putting it into seueral vessels , put a pretty quantity of water thereunto , and after it hath stood a day or two , and hath beene well stirred together , presse it ouer also againe , for this will make a small perry or cider , and must be spent first . now of your best sider that which you make of your summer or sweet fruite , you shall call summer or sweet cider or perrie , and that you shall spend first also ; and that which you make of the winter and hard fruite , you shall call winter and sowre cider , or perry ; and that you may spend last , for it willen dure the longest . thus after our english huswife is experienc't in the brewing of these seuerall drinkes , she shall then looke into her bake-house , and to the baking of all sorts of bread , either for masters , seruants , or hinds , and to be ordering and compounding of the meale for each seuerall vse . to speake then first of meales for bread , they are either simple or compound , simple , as wheate and rie , or compound , as rie and wheate mixt together , or rie , wheate and barley mixt together ; and of these the oldest meale is euer the best , and yeeldeth most so it be sweet and vntainted , for the preseruation wherof , it is meet that you clense your meale well from the branne , and then keepe it in sweet vessels . now for the baking of bread of your simple meales , your best and principall bread is manchet , which you shal bake in this manner ; first your meale being ground vpon the black stones if it be possible , which make the whitest flower , and boulted through the finest boulting cloth , you shall put it into a clean kimnel , and opening the flower hollow in the midst , put into it of the best ale-barme the quantity of three pints to a bushell of meale , with som salt to season it with : then put in your liquor reasonable warme and kneade it very well together with both your hands and through the brake , or for want thereof , fold it in a cloth , and with your feete tread it a good space together , then letting it lie an howre or thereabouts to swell take it foorth and mold it into manchets , round , and flat , scotch about the wast to giue it leaue to rise , and prick it with your knife in the top , and so put it into the ouen , and bake it with a gentle heate . to bake the best cheate bread , which is also simply of wheate onely , you shall after your meale is drest and boulted through a more course boulter then was vsed for your manchets , and put also into a clean tub , trough , or kimnel , take a sowre leauen , that is , a peece of such like leauen saued from a former batch , and well fild with salt , and so laid vp to sower , and this sower leauen you shall breake in small peeces into warme water , and then straine it , which done make a deepe hollow hole , as was before said in the midst of your flower , and therein power your strained liquor ; then with your hand mixe some part of the flower therewith , till the liquor be as thicke as pancake batter , then couer it all ouer with meale , and so let it lie all that night , the next morning stirre it , and all the rest of the meale wel together , and with a little more warme water , barme , and salt to season it with , bring it to a perfect leauen , stiffe , and firme ; then knead it , breake it , and tread it , as was beforesaid in the manchets , and so mould it vp in reasonable bigge loaues , and then bake it with an indifferent good heat : and thus according to these two examples before shewed , you may bake any bread leauend or vnleauend whatsoeuer , whether it be simple corne , as wheate or rie of it selfe , or compound graine as wheat and rie , or wheat and barley , or rie and barley , or any other mixt white corne ; only because rie is a little stronger graine then wheate , it shall be good for you to put your water a little hotter then you did to your wheate . for your browne bread , or bread for your hinde-seruants , which is the coursest bread for mans vse , you shall take of barly two bushels , of pease two pecks , of wheat or rie a pecke , a peck of malt ; these you shall grind altogether and dresse it through a meale siue , the putting it into a sower trough set liquor on the fire , and when it boils let one put on the water , and another with a mash-rudder stir some of the flower with it after it hath been seasoned with salt , and so let it be till the next day , and then putting to the rest of the flower , worke it vp into stiffe leauen , then mould it and bake it into great loaues with a very strong heate : now if your trough be not sower enough to sower your leauen , then you shall either let it lie longer in the trough , or else take the helpe of a sower leauen with your boiling water : for you must vnderstand , that the hotter your liquor is , the lesse will the smell or ranknesse of the pease be receiued . and thus much for the baking of any kinde of bread , which our english huf-wife shall haue occasion to vse for the maintenance of her family . as for the generall obseruations to be respected in the brew-house or bake-house , they be these : first , that your brewhouse be seated in so conuenient a part of the house , that the smoke may not annoie your other more priuate roomes ; then that your furnace bee made close and hollow for sauing fewell , and with a vent for the passage of smoake least it taint your liquor ; then that you preferre a copper before a lead , next that your mash-fat be euer neerest to your leade , your cooler neerest your mash-fat , and your guilfat vnder your cooler , & adioining to them all seueral cleane tubs to receiue your worts & liquors : then in your bake-house you shall haue a faire boulting house with large pipes to boult meale in , faire troughes to laie leauen in , and sweet safes to receiue your branne : you shall haue boulters , searses , raunges and meale siues of all sorts both fine & course ; you shall haue faire tables to mould on , large ouens to bake in the soales thereof rather of one or two intire stones then of many bricks , and the mouth made narrow , square and easie to be close couered : as for your peeles , cole-rakes , maukins and such like , though they be necessary yet they are of such general vse they need no further relation . and thus much for a ful satisfaction to all the husbands and huswifes of this kingdome touching brewing , baking , and all what else appertaineth to either of their offices . finis . notes, typically marginal, from the original text notes for div a -e a hous-wife must be religious shee must bee temperate . of her garments . of her diet . her generall vertues . of her vertues in phisicke . of feuers in generall . of the quotidian . of the single tertian . of the accidentall feuer . of the feuer hettick for any feuer . of thirst in feuers . for any ague sore . for the quartaine feuer . to make one sweat . of the pestilent feuer . a preseruatiue against the plague . fer infection of the plague . for the pestilence . another . a preseruation against the pestilence . to draw a plague botch to any place you will. a cordyall for any infection at the heart . against too violent sweating . for the head-ach . for the frenzie . for the lethargy . to prouoke sleepe . for the ●wimming of the head . for the palsie . for a new cough . for an old cough . for the falling sicknes . for the falling euill . of an oyle to helpe hearing . for the ruhme . for a stinking breath . a vomit for an ill breath for the tooth●ach . another . a drinke for a perle in the eye . for paine in the eyes . for dimme eyes . for sore eyes for waterie eyes . for a canker a swelled mouth . for the quinsie . against drunkennes . to quicken the wit. for the kings euill . additions to the particular sicknesses & first of the head and the parts ●hereof & the lungs another . for the head ake a●d to stay bleeding at the nose . to dnaw out bones broken in the head . for the falling of the mould of the head . for the squynancie . for the tooth●ake . to make teeth white . to draw teeth without yron . for teeth that are yellow . for teeth that are loose . for any venome in the eare . for a stinking breath which commeth from the stomacke for stinking nostrills . for a canker in the nose . a red water for any cauker . to cleare the eyes . another for the sight . for sore eyes for sicke eyes . for bleared eyes . for the pin and webb in the eye . a pouder for the pin and webb in the eye . a pretious water for the eyes . to make hayre to grow . an other for a pympled or redsancy face . for the rhume . for hearcemesse in the throate . for a dangerous cough . for the dry cough . for the tis●ike . for griefes in the stomacke . for spitting of blood . for vomitting . to force one to vomit . for the ilica passio . additions , to the diseases of the stomacke . for the stomacke . for the illica passio . for paine in the brest . for the mother . obstructions of the liuer . against the heate of the liuer . for the plurisie . a plaister for a stitch . heate in the liuer . for the consumption . to stanch blood . for the yellow iaundisse . for the yellow iaundisse . for a desperate yellow iaundisse . for the blacke iaundisse . additions , to the diseases of the liuer . for wasting of the liuer . a restoratiue for the liuer . to heale a ringworme commiog of heate from the liuer . to stanch blood . for great danger in bleeding . for a stitch . a bath for the dropsie . for the dropsie . paine in the spleene . for paine in the side . for fatnesse and short breath . additions , to the diseases of the ●pleene , for 〈…〉 . for the stepping of the spleene . for the hardnesse of the spleene . diseases of the heart . for the passion of the heart . for heart sicknesse . for fatnesse about the heart . for the wind collicke the wind collicke . for the lask for the blodie fluxe . to stay a laske . for the flex . for the worst fluxe . for costiuenesse . for wormes additions , to the diseases of the belly & guts for the greatest lax● for the bloody flixe . for an easie laske . to haue two stooles a day and no more . for hardnes of the belly or wombe . against costiuenesse . for the stopping of the wombe . for the wind collick . for the rupture . for the stone . another . the collicke and stone . another . a pouder for the collicke and stone . another . for the stone in the reynes . for the stone in the bladder . a pouder for the stone in the bladder . a bath for the stone . a water for the stone . difficultie of vrine . for hot vrine . for the strangullion . for pissing in bed . for the rupture . additions , to the diseases of the reynes and bladder . for he that cannot hold his water . for the gonorea or shedding of ●eede . for weakenes in the backe . for heate in the reines . for comforting and strengthing of the backe . for the hemeroides . for the piles or hemeroids . for the fa●ling of the fundament . additions , to the diseases of the priuate parts . for the hemroids for the greene sicknesse . to increase a womans milke . to drie vp milke . apultus for sore breasts in women . for ease in child bearing . childe dead in the womb . aptnesse to conceiue . additions , to womens infirmities . to cesse womens flowers . against the flowers . for the matrix . a generall purge for a woman in childe bed . to deliuer the dead birth . to increase milke . for a woman that is new brought in bed , and soundeth much . to prouoke sleepe . for ●ore brests . for morphew of both kinds . to breede haire . for the gout for the syatica . for any pain or swelling , or the stinging of venomous beasts . for swelings in the legges or feete . a water to wash a sore-with . a pultis for a sore . for any old sore . for scabs or itch . for the leprosie . to take away pimples . priuie parts burnt . for any burning . for any scalding . a pultis to drie a sore . to eate away dead flesh . a water to heale woūds . to heale any wound . for sinewes cut or shrunke . to breake any impostume . additions , to generall infirmities of surgery and first of burnings & scaldings . for burning or scalding with either liquor or gunpowder . for burnings or scaldings on the face . anoyntment for burning . vlcers and sores . a salue for any old sore . to take away dead flesh . a water for a sore . a blacke plaister to heale old sores and kill inflamation . an oyntment to ripen sores . for the stinging of any adder or venomous thing . for any venoming . for a ringworme . for the itch . for thy dryed scabbe . to kill the itch or tetter serpego . to take away the arrs of the small poxe . for the french or spanish pox . to put out the french or spanish poxe . to make the scabs of the french poxe to fall away . additions , to greene wounds . a deffensitiue for a greene wound . a salue for a greene wound . a water to heale any greene wound , cut , or sore . to stanch blood and draw sinewes together . a mayden oyle for shrinking of sinewes . for a wound in the gutts . for prieking with a thorne . to gather flesh in wounds . additions , for ach or swellings . for the cyatyca . a yellow searcloth for any payne or swelling . for bruise● swelled . for swelled legges . for any ache a plaister for any paine or ache in the ioynts . additions , to griefe in the bones . for bones out of ioynt or sinnewes sprung or strained . a bath for broken bones a generall bath for clearing the skin and camforting the body . a soueraine helpe for broken bones for any feuer . to expell heate in a feuer . the royall medicine for feuers . another . of oyle of swallowes . to make oile of cammomile . to make oyle of la●endar . to make smooth ●āds to make doctor steuens water . arestoratiue of rosasol●● additions , to the oyles . to make oyle of roses or violetts . to make oyle of nutmeggs . to make perfect oyle of spyke . to m●ke oyle of masticke . she must know all hearbs : her skill in the garden . transplanting of hearbs . choice of seedes . prosperity of seedes . gathering of seeds . of cookery and the parts thereof . of sallats . simple sallats . of compound sallats . another compound sallat . an excellent boiled sallet . of preseruing of sallets . the making of strange sallats sallats for shew only . of friscases and quelque choses . of simple fricases . best collops and egges . of the compound friecases . to make the best tansey . the best fritters . the best pancake . veale toasts . to make the best panperdie . to make any quelquechose . additions to the houswifes cookerie . to make fritters . to make the best white puddings . puddings of a hogs liuer . to make bread puddings . rice puddings . another of liuer . puddings of a calues mugget . a blood pudding . linkes . of boild meates ordinarie . pottage without sight of hearbs . pottage without hearbs . pottage with whole hearbs . to make ordinary stewd broth . a fine boild meate . to boile a mallard . to make an excellent olepotrige . to make the best white broath . to boile any wild fowle . to boile a legge of mutton . an excellent way to boile chickens . a broth for any fresh fish. additions to boyle meates . a mallard smoard , or a hare , or old conie . to stew a pike . to stew a lambs head and purtenance . a brest of mutton stewed . to stew a neats foote . of roast-meats . obseruations in roast meates . spitting of rost meates . temperature of fire . the complexions of meats . the best bastings of meates . the best dredging . to know when meat is enough . roasting mutton with oisters . to roast a legge of mutton otherwise . to rost a gigget of mutton . to rost oliues of veale . to roast a pigge . to roast a pound of butter well . to roast a pudding on a spit . to roast a chine of beefe , loyne of mutton , larke and capon at one fire , and one instant . to roast venison . to rost fresh sturgeon . ordering of meates to be roasted . to roast a calues vdder . to roast a fillet of veale . of sauces , and first for a rost capon or turkie . sauce for a hen or pullet . sauce for chickins . sauce for a phesant or patridge . sauce for a quaile , raile , or big bird . sauce for pigeons . a generall sauce for wild fowle . sauce for greene geese . sauce for a stubble goose . ●●uce for a ●wan , bitter , shoueler , or large fowle . sauce for a pig. sauce for veale . additions vnto sauces , sops for chickens . sauce for a turkie . the best gallantine . sauce for a mallard . of carbonados . what is to be carbonadoed . the maner of carbonadoing . of the toasting of mutton . additions vnto carbonados . a rasher of mutton or lambe . to carbonado tongues . additions for dressing of fish. to souce any fresh fish . to boyle small fish . to boyle a gurnet or rochet . to bake a carpe . to bake a tench . to stew a trout . to bake eeles . of the pasterie and baked meates . of the mixture of pasts of puff past of baking red. deere , or fallow , or any thing to keepe cold . to bake beefe , or mutton for venison . to bake a custarde or dowset . to bake an oliue pye . to make a marrow-bone pie. to bake a chicken pie . additions to the pasterie . venison of hares . to bake a hare pie . a gammon of bacon pie . a herring pie . a ling pie . a foolé . a trifle . a calues foote pie . oyster pie . to recouer venison that is tainted . a chewet pie . a minc`t pie . a pippen pie . a warden pie , or quince pie . to preserue quinces to bake all the yeere . a pipin tart. a codlin tart. a codling pie . a cheerrie tart. a rice tart. a florentine . a pruen tart. apple tart. a spinage tart. a yellow tart. a white tart. an hearbe tart. to bake a pudding pie . a whitepot . of banquetting stuffe and conceited dishes . to make past of quinces . to make thin quince cakes . to preserue quinces . to make ipocras . to make iellie . to make leache . to make ginger bread marmalad of quinces red . marmalad white . to make iumbals . to make bisket bread . to make finer iumbals . to make dry sugar leach . to make leach lumbarde . to make a fresh cheese . to make course ginger bread . to make quince cakes ordinary . to make cinamon sticks . to make cinamon water . to make wormewood water . to make sweete water . another way . to make date leache to make sugar plate . to make spice cakes . to make a banbury cake . to make the best march pane. to make paste of genoa , or any other paste . to make any conserue . to make conserue of flowers . to make wafers . to make marmalade of oranges . additions to banqueting stuffe . to make fine cakes . fine bread . to preseru● quinces for kitchin seruice . to make epocras . to preserue quinces . conserue of quinces . to keepe quinces all the yeere . fine ginger cakes . to make sucket . course ginger-bread . ordering of banquets . ordering of great feasts and proportion of expence . of distillations . the nature of waters . additions to distillations . to distill water of the collour of the hearbe o● flower you desire . to make aquauita . another excelent aquauitoe . to make aqua composita . a very principall aqua-composita . to make the emperiall water . to make cinamon-water . sixe most pretious waters , which hypocrates made , and sent to a queene sometimes liuing in england . the vertues of seuerall waters . an excellent water for perfume . to perfume gloues . to perfume a ierkin . to make washing bals. to make a muske ball. a perfume to burne . to make pomanders . to mke vinegar . to make dry vinegar . to make veriuyce . additions to concei●ed secrets . to make sweete powder for baggs . to make sweete bags . to make sweet water . a very rare and pleasant damaske water . to make the best vinegar . to perfume gloues . of the ordring● preseruing and helping of all sorts of wines , and first of the choice of sweet wines . to make muskadine , and giue it a fla●●r . how to ●●auer muskadine . to aparill muskadine when it comes new in to be fined in houres . to make white bastard . to helpe bastard being eager . to make bastard white , and to rid●way laggs . a remedie for bastard if it pricke . to make malmsey . to shift malmsey , and to rid away ill w●●es . if sack want his colour . for sack that is tawnie . for sack that doth rape and is browne . to colour sacke , or any white-wine . if allegant be growne hard . for allegant that is sower . how to order renish wine . of what countries vvines are by their names . notes of gadging of wines , oyles and liquors . the markes of gadging . the contēts of all manner of gascoyne wine , and others . to chuse gascoyne wines . to remedy clarret wine that hath lost the colour . a remedy for gascoine wine , that hath lost his colour . a remedy for white wine , that hath lost his colour . for white wine that hath lost his colour . a remedy for clarret , or white wine that drinks foule . for red wine that drinke faint . for red wine that wants colour . to make tyre . if ossey cōpleate , or caprock haue lost their colour . of mak●ng woollē cloth . of toasing wooll . the dying of wooll . to die wooll blacke . to die wooll of haire colour . to die wooll redde . to die wooll blew . to die a puke . to die a sinder colour . to die green or yellow . handling of wooll after dying . the mixing of colours . mixing of three colours of the oiling of wooll . the quantity of oile . of the tumming of wooll . of spinning wooll . the diuersities in spinning . winding of woolle● yarn● . of warping cloth. of weauing cloth , walking & dressing it . of linnen cloath . the ground best to sow hemp on . the tillage of the groūd . of sowing of hempe or flaxe , of weeding hempe and flaxe . the pulling of hempe or flaxe . the ripening of hemp and flaxe . the watering of hemp or flaxe . the time it shall lie in the water . of washing out of hempe or flaxe . speciall ordering of flaxe . the braking for hempe flaxe . the drying of hēp or flaxe . when it is brak't enough , diuersity of brakes . of swingling hempe and flaxe . vse of swingle tree first ●urds . the second swingling . of beating hempe . of heckling hempe . dressing of hempe more fine . of heckling flaxe . the dressing of flaxe to the finest vse of the spinning of hempe . of reeling yarne . of the scowring of yarne bucking of yarne . whitening of yarne . of winding yarne . of warping and weauing . the scowring and whiting of cloth. of kine . bignesse of kine . shape of kine . the breed of kine . depth of milke in kine . quantity of milke . of the going dry of kine . of the gentlenes of kine . of kindlines in kine . the best time to calue in , for the dairy or breede . roaring of calues . the generall vse of dairies . the howers of milking . manner of milking . the ordering of milk . ordering of milk vessels . silling of milke . profits arising from milke . of butter . of fleeting creame . of keeping creame . of churming butter and the daies . manner of churming . helps in churning . the handling of butter clensing of butter . seasoning of butter . of may butter . of powdering vp or potting of butter . of great dairies and their customes . when to pot butter . vse of buttermilke . of butter-milke curds of whigge . of cheese . of the cheslep bag or runnet . seasoning of the runnet . to make a new-mike cheese compound . cheese of two meales . cheese of one meale . of f●●ttle cheese . of floaten milk-cheese . of eddish cheese . of whey and the pr●fits . of whey curds . election of corne for malt. of the malt house , and the situation . of malt-flowres . imperfect flowres . of the kilne and the building thereof . the perfit kilne . bedding of the kilne . of fuell for the drying of malt , the making of the garners . the making of cesternes . the manner how to make malt. the drying of mault . the dressing of malt. obseruations in the making of malt. of oate-meale . vertue of oates to cattell . vertue of oates . making of oate-meale . the vertues of oate-meale . diuersities of drinkes . strong beere of ordinary ry beere . of brewing ordinary beere . of brewing the b●st march beere . brewing of strong ale . brewing of bottle ale. of making perry or cyder . of baking . ordering of meals . baking manchets . baking cheate bread baking of brown bread . generall obseruations in the brew-hause and bake-house .