Illustration — a stand-in until there's a photo of the real thing.
Source Nicolas Culpeper, "Compounds, Spirit and Compound Distilled Waters", Complete Herbal (1653) — original
Ingredients
Angelica, two pounds
Annis seed, half a pound
Coriander and Caraway seeds, of each four ounces
Zedoary bruised, three ounces
six gallons of small wine
sugar
Method
College: Take of Angelica two pounds, Annis seed half a pound, Coriander and Caraway seeds, of each four ounces, Zedoary bruised, three ounces: steep them twenty four hours in six gallons of small wine, then draw out the spirit, and sweeten it with sugar.
Culpeper: It comforts the heart, cherishes the vital spirits, resists the pestilence, and all corrupt airs, which indeed are the natural causes of epidemical diseases, the sick may take a spoonful of it in any convenient cordial, and such as are in health, and have bodies either cold by nature, or cooled by age, may take as much either in the morning fasting, or a little before meat.
Notes
Culpeper recommends a spoonful as a plague preventative.
This recipe predates 1700 and is quoted from its original printed source. Spelling is left exactly as printed.
