Spiritus Lavendula Compositus Matthiæ

Ingredients

• Lavender flowers, one gallon
• the best spirits of wine, three gallons (plus one gallon for the second infusion)
• flowers of Sage, Rosemary, and Bettony, of each one handful
• flowers of Borrage, Bugloss, Lilies of the Valley, Cowslips, of each two handfuls
• leaves of Bawm, Feather-few, and Orange tree, fresh gathered
• flowers of Stœchas and Orange tree, May berries, of each one ounce
• Citron pills the outward bark, Peony seed husked, of each six drams
• cinnamon, Mace, Nutmegs, Cardamoms, Cubebs, yellow Sanders, of each half an ounce
• Wood of Aloes, one dram
• the best Jujubes, the stones being taken out, half a pound
• prepared Pearls, two drams
• Emeralds prepared, a scruple
• Ambergrease, Musk, Saffron, of each half a scruple
• red Roses dryed, red Sanders, of each half an ounce
• yellow Sanders, Citron Pills dryed, of each one dram

Method

1. College: Take of Lavender flowers one gallon, to which pour three gallons of the best spirits of wine, let them stand together in the sun six days, then distil them with an Alembick with this refrigeratory.
2. Take of the flowers of Sage, Rosemary, and Bettony, of each one handful; the flowers of Borrage, Bugloss, Lilies of the Valley, Cowslips, of each two handfuls: let the flowers be newly and seasonably gathered, being infused in one gallon of the best spirits of wine, and mingled with the foregoing spirit of Lavender flowers,
3. adding the leaves of Bawm, Feather-few, and Orange tree, fresh gathered; the flowers of Stœchas and Orange tree, May berries, of each one ounce. After convenient digestion distil it again,
4. after which add Citron pills the outward bark, Peony seed husked, of each six drams, cinnamon, Mace, Nutmegs, Cardamoms, Cubebs, yellow Sanders, of each half an ounce, Wood of Aloes one dram, the best Jujubes, the stones being taken out, half a pound, digest them six weeks, then strain it and filter it,
5. and add to it prepared Pearls two drams, Emeralds prepared a scruple, Ambergrease, Musk, Saffron, of each half a scruple, red Roses dryed, red Sanders, of each half an ounce, yellow Sanders, Citron Pills, dryed, of each one dram. Let the species being tyed up in a rag, be hung into the aforementioned spirit.

Notes

• Culpeper appends seven sardonic questions mocking the College's vague instructions.