Closet For Ladies: Part 5 Cordial Waters

Welcome to FabulousFusionFood's Closet for Ladies and Modern Redaction Recipes, section 5: Cordial Waters — This is the fifth section of the 1608 volume, Closet for Ladies. Here you will find recipes for 'Cordial Waters'. I have used a special font to present the recipes in as close a form to the original as possibleas well as side-by-side updates of the text to modern English orthography. I am also working on providing modern redactions for each and every recipe presented here. Enjoy...

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A Closet for Ladies: Section 5: Cordial Waters

CORDIAL VVaters. Aqua Cœlestis. TAke of Cynnamon six ounces, Cloues one dram, Nutmegs one dram and a halfe; of Ginger two drammes and halfe, of Gallingale one dram and halfe, Cubebs two drammes, Callamus rootes one dram, all brusen and kepe in a paper, then take of Bettony and sage flowers of each a handfull, Maxioram, Penneryall, of each halfe a handfull brused likewise, then take of these pouders, of Aromaticum Rosarum three drammes, Diambrae Diamargariton frigidum, Diamoscum dulce, of each a dram and halfe, you must put all these into a gallon of spirit of wine, and steepe them three dayes and three nights shaking them well euery day, and then distill it in your Limbeck, and when it is destilled, you must hang halfe an ouce of yellow Sanders and twentie graines of Muske and amber in it. 1. Aqua Cœlestis*. Take of cinnamon six ounces, cloves one dram, nutmegs one dram and a half, of ginger two drams and a half, of galingale one dram and a half, cubebs two drams, callamus* roots one dram, all bruised and kept in a paper. Then take a handful each of bettony and sage flowers, marjoram, pennyrotal, of eah half a handful bruised likewise, then take of these powders: of Aromaticum Rosarum* three drams, Diambrae Diamargariton frigidum*, Diamoscum dulce*, of each a dram and a hlaf. You must put all these into a gallon of spirit of wine, and steep them three days and three nights, shaking them well every day, and then distil it in your alembic, and when it is distilled, you msut hang half an ounce of yellow Sanders and twentiy grains of musk and amber in it. To make Cynnamon water. TAke one pound of the best Cynnamon you can get, bruse it well, and put it into a gallon of the best sacke, and infuse it three daies and three nights, and then distill it as your Aqua cœlestis. 2. To make Cinnamon water. Take one pound of the best cinnamon yo can get, bruise it well, and put it into a gallon of the best sack, an dinfuse it three days and three nights and then distill it as your Aqua cœlestis. To make Doctor Steeuens water. Take of Rose leaues one dram, Borage, Buglosse, violets and rosmarie flowers, of each a dram and halfe, Spiknard a dramme, Cinnamon two ounces, Ginger one ounce, Cloues & Nutmegs of each halfe an ounce, Cardamons a dram and halfe, Gallingale two drams, Cubebs a dram, Pepper three drams, Aniseeds Carraway seeds and Fennill of each an ounce, Lignum Alloes halfe a dram, Corall and Pearle in fine pouder of each one dram, bruse these and put them in a pottle of Aqua vitae and a quart of Sack, vsing it in euery respect as your Aqua cœlestis. 3. To make Doctor Stevens' water. Take of rose petals, one dram, borage, bugloss, voilets and rosemary flowers, of each a dram and a half, spikenard a dram, cinnamon two ounces, ginger one ounce, cloves and nutmegs of each half an ounce, cardamoms a dram and a half, galingale two drams, cubebs a dram, pepper three drams, aniseeds, caraway seeds and fennel of each an ounce lignum-aloes* half a dram, coral and pearl in fine powder of each one dram. Bruise these and put them in a pottle* of Aqua vitae and a quart of sack, using it in every respect as your Aqua cœlestis. To make Baume water. TAke Baume drie three ounces, time, Peneryall of each an ounce Cynnamon foure ounces, a dramme of Cardomons, Graines halfe an ounce, sweet Fennil seeds one ounce, Nutmegs & Ginger, of each a dram, Galingale one ounce, Caliamus and Cyprus, Cubebs and Pepper, of each two drammes, of Caper rootes half a dram, of Diptamus one dram, bruise these things, and put them to a pottle of sacke, & steepe them xxiiij. houres, and then vse it as the former waters. 4. To make Balm water. Take dried balm, three ounces, thyme, pennyroyal of eah and ounce; cinamon four ounces, a dram of cardamom, grains** [of paradise] half an ounce, sweet fennel seeds an ounce, nutmegs and ginger, of each a dram, galingale one ounce, calimus* and cyprus*, cubebs and pepper, of each two drams, of caper roots half a dram, of diptamus one dram. Bruise these things and put them to a pottle of sack and steep them 24 hours and then use it as the former waters. Angellica water. TAke Cardus dry a handful, Angelica roots three ounces, of Mirh one dram, Nutmegs halfe an ounce, Cynamon, ginger, of each foure ounce, Saffron one dram & halfe, Cardamons, Cubebs, Galingale & Pepper, of each a quarter of an ounce, Mace two drams, Graines one dram, Lignum Aloes, Spicknard, Iuncus odoratus of each a dram, Sage, Borage, Buglosse, Violets, and Rosemary flowers, of each halfe a handfull: bruise these and steepe them in a pottle of sacke xij. hours, & distil it as the rest. 5. Angelica water. Take a handful of dried cardus*, three ounces of angelica roots, of myrrh one dram, nutmegs half an ounce, cinnamon, ginger, of each four ounces, saffron one dram and a half, cardamoms, cubebs, galingale and pepper, of each a quarter of an ounce, mace two drams, grains* one dram, Lignum Aloes*, spiklenard, Iuncus odoratus*, of each a dram, sage, borage, bugloss, violets and rosemary flowers, of each half a handful. Bruise these and steep them in a pottle of sack 12 hours, and distil it as the rest. Rosa Solis. TAke Liquerish eight ounces, Aniseed, Caraway, of each an ounce, Raysons stoned, Dates, of each three ounces, Nutmegs, ginger, Cynamon, Mace, of each halfe an ounce, Gallingale a quarter of an onnce, Cubebs one dram, Figs two ounces, Suger foure ounces, bruse these and destill it with a gallon 59 of Aqua vitae as the rest: but when it is distilled, you must coulour it with the herbe Rosa Solis, or else Alkanet roote. 6. Rosa Solis. Take liquorice eight ounces, aniseed, caraway, of each and ounce, pitted riasins, dates, of each three ounces, nutmegs, ginger, cinnamon, mace, of each half an ounce, galingale a quarter of an ounce, cubebs one dram, figs two ounces, sugar four ounces. Bruise these and distil it with a gallon of Aqua vitae as the rest. But when distilled, you must colour it with the herb Rosa Solis* or else Alkanet* root. Wormwoode water. Take of Wormwoode two ounces and halfe, Sage, Betony, and Rue, of each halfe a handfull, Rosemary tops a handfull, Cinnamon 3. ounces, Nutmegs halfe an ounce, Cloues and Mace, of each halfe a dram, Ginger, an ounce, Gallingall, Cubebs, and Spicknard, of each a dram and halfe, of Scordium halfe a handfull, bruse these and put them into a pottle of Sacke and a pinte of Aqua vitae, and steep them foure and twentie houres, and distill them as the the rest. 7. Wormwood water. Take of wormwood two ounces and a half, sage, bettony and rue, of each half a handuf; rosemary tops a handful, cinnamon 3 ounces, nutmegs half an ounce, cloves and mace, of each half a dram, ginger an ounce, galingale, cubebs and spikenard, of each a dram and a half, of Scordium* half a haldful. Bruise these and put the into a pottle of sack and a pint of Aqua vitae and steep them four and twenty hours and distil them as the rest.

Notes:
[*] Aqua Cœlestis — literally, of course, this can be translated as 'celestial water'.
[*] Callamus: (also known as Calamus) this is the ground and dried root of sweet sedge (sweet flag) Acorus calamus.
[*] Aromaticum rosarum is a medicinal powder made of red roses, liquorice, aloeswood, yellowheart, cinnamon, cloves, mace, gum, tragacanth, nutmegs, cardamoms, galangals, spikenard, ambergris, and musk mixed together. It was chiefly prescribed in cordial and cephalic boles and electuaries, to strengthen the stomach and head.
[*] Diambrae Diamargariton frigidum: This is a prepared powder of pearl, in this case of cold-water pearls.
[*] Diamoscum dulce: This was a sweet powder, whose cheif constituent would have been musk.
[*] lignum aloes, also known as agarwood or oodh (or just agar) is a dark resinous heartwood that forms in Aquilaria and Gyrinops[1] trees (large evergreens native to southeast Asia) when they become infected with a type of mold. Prior to infection, the heartwood is relatively light and pale coloured; however, as the infection progresses, the tree produces a dark aromatic resin in response to the attack, which results in a very dense, dark, resin embedded heartwood. The resin embedded wood is commonly called gaharu, jinko, aloeswood, agarwood, or oud (not to be confused with 'Bakhoor') and is valued in many cultures for its distinctive fragrance, and thus is used for incense and perfumes.
[*] A pottle was a common Elizabethan and Stuart unit of liquid measurement that is equal to half a gallon.
[*] What is meant here is unclear. 'Graines' could refer to grains of musk or it could refer to grains of paradise. Either would be acceptable in this context. However, as spices are beign referred to in this list, grains of paradise are more likely.
[*] Calimuss: (also known as Calamus or callaums) this is the ground and dried root of sweet sedge (sweet flag) Acorus calamus.
[*] Cyprus: this is probably the Henna plant, Lawsonia inermis whose ground aromatic bark was much used in the perfume trade.
[*] Iuncus odoratus: This is Cymbopogon schoenanthus, also known as Camel Grass and West Indian Lemon Grass is a plant native to southern Asia and northern Africa with aromatic foliage that had a distinctive lemony aroma.
[*] Cardus: though the precise nature of this herb is uncertain, it is probably the cardoon (Pliny the Elder mentions it under the name of Cardus). However, the Elizabethans knew of a form of Italian fennel known as cardus fennel, and cardus is also a name for thistle.
[*] Rosa Solis: This is the carnivorous sundew plant Drosera rotundifolia which was used to give cordial waters such as this one a bright yellow colour.
[*] Alkanet: This is the dyer's bugloss, Alkanna tinctoria, source of a red dye.
[*] Scordium: This is the water germander Teucrium scordium.

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