A profitable instruction of the perfect ordering of Bees/First Treatise/Chapter 33
The manner of diſtilling a water of Hony named the Quinteſſence. Cap. xxxiij.
TO make this ſingular and precious water, you muſt take two poundes of the pureſt white honie, being both cleare and pleaſaunt in taſte, whiche put into a body of glaſſe, being ſo bigge, that foure of the fiue parts of it maye remayne emptie, the ſame lute ſtronglye aboute, ſetting the heade after on it, and a receyuer aptelye to the noſe of the Still.
{{bl|When you haue thus done, then make a gentle fyre at the firſte vnder it, but after increaſe the fire or heate more and more, vntill certaine white ſmoakes appeare in the head of the glaſſe bodye, whiche do you workemanlye coole and turne into water, by the wettyng of lynnen clothes in colde water, and layed on the heade and noſe, towards the receiuer, for that turneth into a water ſo red as bloud: and being all come, putte it into another glaſſe, ſtopping the mouth cloſe, whiche let ſtande ſo long, vntil the water become verye cleare, and in colour to the Rubie.}}
Now being on this wiſe, diſtill the ſame againe in Balneo Mariæ, and ſo often repeate this, vntill you haue diſtilled it ſixe or ſeauen times ouer, that the coloure be chaunged, and in the ende, to the coloure of golde. Whiche then is moſte pleaſaunt of ſauoure, and ſo ſweete, that nothing may be compared like to it, in flagrantneſſe of ſmell. The Quinteſſence doeth diſſolue golde, prepareth it apte to be drunke, and any Jewell put into the water, it doth alſo diſſolue the ſame. Alſo this is named the Bleſſed Water, in that giuing to any two or three drams to drinke, being at the point of death, doth ſo ſodainely recouer the perſon againe, as doeth the Quinteſſence of wine. And waſhing any grieuous wounde or ſtripe with the water, doeth in ſhorte time heale the ſame. Alſo this pretious water doth maruellouſly help the cough, the Rheume, the diſeaſe of the Splen, and may other diſeaſes, whiche woulde ſcarcely be beleeued. The water alſo miniſtred daily vnto a perſon ſicke of the Palſey, for the ſpace of xlvj. daies, he was by the mightie helpe of God, & this miraculous water, throughly healed of the diſeaſe. Alſo this Quinteſſence doth helpe the falling ſickenſſe, and preſerueth the bodye from putrifying, ſo that by al thoſe we maye learne, that thys is rather a diuine water from Heauen (and ſente from God) to ſerue vnto all ages.