# The Third Book

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From *The Secretes of the Reuerende Maister Alexis of Piemount*, part 1, trans. William Ward (London: John Kingstone for Nicolas Inglande, 1558), book 3.

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[[f. 62v](https://archive.org/details/bim_early-english-books-1475-1640_the-secretes-of-the-reve_ruscelli-girolamo_1558/page/n137)] *THE THIRD BOKE.*

#### A goodlie secrete for to condite or confyte Orenges, Citrons, and all other fruytes in syrop, whiche is a notable thinge.

TAke Cytrons, or other fruites, and cut them in pieces as you wil, taking out of them the iuyce or substaunce that is within them: than boyle them in freshe water aboute halfe an houre, vntil they be tender, and as soft as you wuld haue them. And whan you haue taken thē out, cast them in cold water, leuing them so vntil night. After this you shall set them againe to the fire in other fresh water, and do but onely heat it in that water with a small fyre, for it must not seeth, nor be to hote: but let it onely simper a litle, you shal continue thus .viij. daies together, heatinge them euerye day in hote water, and puttinge them agayne at nighte in colde water. Some heat the water but once a day, to thend not to make the citrons to tender, but chaunge the fresh water at night to take out al the bitternes of the pilles, the whiche beinge taken away, you must take sugre, or clarified hony and prepared (as we wil declare afterward) wherin you must put the citrons, hauing first well dried them from the water. In winter you must kepe them from y^•^ frost, leauing them two or thre houres in a place mete for the purpose: and in Somer you shal leaue them there all a night, and a day, and a night in honye. Than boyle the hony or sugre againe by it self, without the Orenges or Citrons, by the space of halfe an houre or somewhat lesse, with a small fyre, and beinge cooled, set it agayne to the fire with y^e^ Citrons, continuing so .ij. morninges [[f. 63r](https://archive.org/details/bim_early-english-books-1475-1640_the-secretes-of-the-reve_ruscelli-girolamo_1558/page/n138)] to the ende to bring the honny to hys perfection, according as neede shall requier. If you will putte honnye in the water, and not Sugre, you may clarifie it twise, and straine it thorowe a stramer, according to the arte and maner, that hereafter I will teche you, to the ende you may haue perfitelye the vse and facion of makinge all suche thinges. Nowe, hauinge thus warmed and clarified it, you shall strayne it, and set it againe on the fier, with the Citrons onely, makinge it to boyle with a smal fier, the space of a quarter of an houre: than take it from the fier, and let it stande and rest, at euery time you dooe it, a daye and a night. The next morning you shal boyle it againe together, the space of half an houre, and dooe so twoo morninges, to the ende that the Honnie or Sugre maye well and perfitlye bee incorporated with the Cytrons. All the arte and conninge consisteth in boylinge this cyroppe together with the Cytrons, and also the cyrope by it selfe. Wherefore he that hath no skyll in the boyling of it, will quickelye lette it take the smoke, so that it shall sauour of the fier: but he that can trimme it wel, it is an exquisite and pleasaunt thing. In this maner maye al other fruites bee dressed: as ripe Peaches with the in side and skinne, Lemons, Orenges, Appeles, greene Walnuttes, Lettuse, well made cleane, and voyded of their greate leanes, and other thinges like, all the whiche you muste boyle, as is aforesayed: but some more some lesse, after as nede shal bee, and according to the nature of the fruite. So shall you make alwaies a good perfite, and durable thinge.

#### ☞The maner howe to purifie and prepare honnye and sugre for to confite Cytrons and all other fruites.

TAke euery time tenne pounde of Hony, the white of twelue newe layed egges, and take awaye the froth of them, beating them well together with a sticke, and sixe glasses of faier and freshe water: then put them into the Honnye, and boyle them in a potte with a moderate fier, the space of a quarter of an houre, or somwhat [[f. 63v](https://archive.org/details/bim_early-english-books-1475-1640_the-secretes-of-the-reve_ruscelli-girolamo_1558/page/n139)] lesse, than take theim faire and sofetlye frome the fier, scumming them well, and passe them so hote thorowe a strainer: for it shall be the fairer, and the clearer, for any thing that you wyll occupie or vse it aboute. Hauinge thus ordered it, take for sixe pounde of Cytrons, twelue pounde of Honnie. The Sugre is also ordered and dressed in like sorte as the Honny is: but if you will con•ite Citrons with Sugre, you muste note this difference, that for syxe pounde of Cytrons, you shall putte but .ix. of Sugre, for to confite theym, so that they maye bee kepte all the yeare. This is, because the honny maketh a greate deale moore skumme and froth, then the sugre dooeth, and therefore you muste putte the thyrde parte moore of Honnie. In keeping this proportion, you can not faile to dooe it well.

#### ☞To confite Peches after the Spanyshe facion.

TAke greate and fayre Peches, whiche you shall pill and make cleane, and cutte theym in pieces, and so laye theym abrode vppon a table faire and cleane in the Sunne by the space of two dayes, tourning theym euer at nighte, and in the morninge, and put theim hote into a Iuleppe of Sugre, well sodden and prepared as is aforesaied. And after you haue taken them out, sette them agayne in the Sunne, tourninge them often vntill they bee well dried. This dooen put theym agayne into the Iulep, and then in the Sunne, vntill they haue gotten a faire barke or cruste, as you wyll haue theym, and this shall you dooe three or foure times: then being thus prepared, you maye keepe theym in boxes for winter, for it is a soueraygne thinge.

#### ☞To make Conserue or Confiture of Quinces, called in Latyne Cotoneatum, Cydoniatum or Cydonites, as they dooe in Valence, whiche also the Geneuoyes dooe vse.

TAke Quinces, and purifie them, and when you haue taken oute the kernelles, seeth theym in faire & fresh [[f. 64r](https://archive.org/details/bim_early-english-books-1475-1640_the-secretes-of-the-reve_ruscelli-girolamo_1558/page/n140)] water, so much, vntil they open and break, then straine them through a cleane strainer, that there remayn nothinge in the saied strainer, but onelye the hardnesse of them, that is to saie: the skinne the kore and suche lyke. For eyght pounde of the saied strained substaunce, you muste putte three pounde of faier and fine Sugre: and taking a vessell of tinne faire and large in the bottome, you shall myngle the Quinces with the Sugre: and then sette theym to boyle with a litle fyre, sturrynge theym with a broade sklyse of woode, vntill all be well sodden, whiche if you wyll knowe, loke when all shall leuse it selfe, and cleaue no more to the saied vessell, for then it is sodden to his perfection, and shall bee time to take it of. And if you put to it anye Muske, stampe it with a litle Sugre, as much as you wyll, & cast it into the saied vessel, sturring it alwaies with your sklyse of woode. If you wyll adde spices to it, put in Synamom, Cloues, Nutmegges, and Ginger, as muche as you wyll, boylinge the Muske with a little Vinagre. Thys dooen, with the broade sklyse laye of this confection of Quinces vpon a table, where fyrste you muste haue sifted and strowed Sugre, and so make rounde, broade or long pieces, as you wil w^t^ the circle of a bore, of what greatnesse you lyste: then set theym in the Sunne vntil they bee thorowe drie. And whan they haue stande a while, tourne theym vp side downe: making them alwaies a bedde of lifted Sugre bothe vnder and aboue. Then tourne theym still in the saied Sugre, and drye theym in the Sunne, so longe vntill they haue gotten a faire white crust of Sugre. Better comfites of Quynces, sweeter, or hartier than this, a man can not make. In like maner maye you dresse and trymme Peches, Peares, and other kyndes of fruites: A thing of greate singularitie.

#### ☞To make a paste of sugre, whereof a man maye make all maner of fruites, and other fyne thynges, with theyr forme, as platters, dishes, glasses, cuppes, and such like thinges, wherwith you may furnish a table: and when you haue doen, eate them vp. A pleasant thing for them that sit at the table.

[[f. 64v](https://archive.org/details/bim_early-english-books-1475-1640_the-secretes-of-the-reve_ruscelli-girolamo_1558/page/n141)] TAke gomme dragant, as muche as you will, and stiepe it in Rose water, vntill it be molified. And for foure vnces of Sugre, take of it the bignes of a Beane, the iuyce of Lemons a walnut shell full, and a litle of the white of an egge: but you must firste take the gomme, and beate it so much with a pestel in a morter of white marble, or of brasse vntill it become like water, then putte to it the iuyce with the white of the egge, incorporating wel al together. This dooen, take iiii. vnces of fine white sugre, well beaten to poulder, and cast it into the morter by litle and litle, vntil all bee turned into the forme of paste. Than take it oute of the laied morter, and bray it vpon the poulder of sugre, as it were meale or flowre, vntill all bee like soft paste, to the ende you may turne it and facion it which way you wil. Whan you haue brought your paste to this forme, spreade it abrode with Sinamom, vpon greate or small leaues, as you shal thinke it good: and so shal you forme and make what things you wil, as is aforesaied. With suche fine knackes as maye serue a table, taking heede that there stand no hote thing nigh vnto it. At the ende of the banket they may eate al, and breake the platters, dishes, glasses, cuppes, and all thinges: for this paste is verie delicate and saueurous. If you will make a thing of moore finesse than this, make a tarte of Almondes stamped with sugre, and rose water, of like sorte that march paines be made of. This shall you laye betwene twoo pastes of suche vesselles or fruites, or some other thing as you thinke good.

#### ☞To make a confection of Melons or Pompones.

TAke what quantitie of Melons you wil, and take them before they be ful ripe, but let them be good, & make as many cuttes in thē as they bee marked [[f. 65r](https://archive.org/details/bim_early-english-books-1475-1640_the-secretes-of-the-reve_ruscelli-girolamo_1558/page/n142)] with quarters on euery side, & hauing mondified them, taken oute their kernelles, and pilled of the vtter rine, stiepe them in good vinaigre, leauinge theim so by the space of ten dayes: and whan you haue taken them out, take other Vinagre, and stiepe them a newe againe, other ten dayes, remouinge and styrringe theim euerye daye: than whan time shall be, take them oute, and put them in a course linnen cloth, driyng and wiping them well. Finally set them in the ayer the space of a day and a night, than boile them in hony, and by the space of ten daies geue them euery daie a little bubbling or boilinge, leauing them alwaies in the hony: and let them boile at eche time onelye but one wawme. Then take the saide pieces, & put them in what kind of vessell you will, and take these spices folowinge, the poulder of Cloues, of ginger, of Nutmegs, & of Sinamom, whereof you shall make spices, this done, make one bedde or ranke of the pieces of melons, & another of the spices: than take fine white hony, and poure it vpon them in the saide vessell.

#### ☞To make Melons and Pompones sweete and verye delicate.

TAke fine sugre, and dissolue it in water, than take the seedes of a Melon, and cleaue them a litle on the syde, that sticketh to the melon, and put them in the sugred water, addinge to them a lyttle Rose water, leaue the sayde seedes so by the space of thre or foure houres, and then take them out, and you shall see that as soone as the sayde seede is drye, it will close vp agayne. Plant it, and there will come of it suche Melons as the lyke hath not bene seene. And if you will geue them the sauoure of Muske, put in the sayde water a lyttle Muske, and fine Synamom. And this may you do also with the seedes of Pompones and Coucombers.

#### To confyte orenge pilles, whiche may be done at all times of the yeare, and chiefly in Maye, because than the sayd pilles be greater and thicker.

[[f. 65v](https://archive.org/details/bim_early-english-books-1475-1640_the-secretes-of-the-reve_ruscelli-girolamo_1558/page/n143)] TAke thicke Orenge pilles cut in foure or .vi. pieces, and sti ep them in water the space of ten or .xii dayes. You maie knowe whan they be stieped ynough, if you hold them vp in the sunne and se thorow them, for than they be stieped inough: and if you cannot see thorowe them, let them yet stiepe vntill you maye: than afterward lay them to drie vpon a table, and than betwene two drie linen clothes. Moreouer put them in a kettle, or vessell leaded, adding to it as muche hony as wil halfe couer the saied pilles, more or lesse as you shal thinke good. Boile them a little, styrring them always and than take them from the fire, leaste the honye seeth to muche, for if it shoulde boile but a litle more then it ought to boile, it woulde be thicke and massife. Let it than stande & rest foure dayes in the said hony, stirringe and mengling well euery daye the saide Orenges and hony together. For, because there is not hony inoughe to couer ouer al the orenge pilles, you must styrre them wel & oftentimes, to thende they may al equally receiue of the honnye. This shall you do three times, geuinge them one bublinge or boilinge at eche time, and so let them rest and stand .iii. daies as we haue saied. Finally you shall straine or dreane them from the sayde honye, and boile theim in as muche other honnye as you shall thinke will suffice, and after you haue let theim boyle the space of a *Credo,* take them from the fire, and bestow them in vessels, putting to them of the beste spices you can finde, as Ginger, Cloues, and Sinamom: mixe all well together, and you shall haue made an excellente thinge. And note, that the hony that shall remayne, wil be still good for to dresse and trimme other Orenges, or other thinges withall.

#### To confyte walnuttes.

FIrste take Walnuttes whan they be litle & greene, with the pille or huske and al, and make in them .iiii litle holes, or mo, than stiep them in water .xi. dayes, or more or lesse: make them cleane and boile theim in [[f. 66r](https://archive.org/details/bim_early-english-books-1475-1640_the-secretes-of-the-reve_ruscelli-girolamo_1558/page/n144)] hony, as the foresayde Orenges, but make them seeth foure times as muche. And note that the honye is alwayes good, but you must oftentimes put in freshe, because it consumeth. Finally you shall dresse them with spices, as the Orenges, but putte not manye cloues to them for they will make them to bytter.

#### To confyte Gourdes.

TAke the necke of the Gourde and cut it in longe pieces, as you thinke good, and powre vpon thē boiling water, and do so .xi. morninges, but you must haue pilled them finely; and taken awaye the inner part that serueth for nothinge. This doone, seeth them in a kettle vntill they be neither to much nor to litle boyled, but euen hole and massiue not broken: than drie them vpon a table in the shadowe the space of two dayes, and after wipe them cleane piece by piece, with a linen cloth, & do with them as with the Orēges.

#### To confite cheries.

TAke cherries and leaue them a day in the sunne than take out the stones, and sette theim in the sunne agayne thre dayes: after this seeth theim as we haue sayde of the Orenges: but you must leaue them in hony .xv. dayes, and by the fyre .iii. dayes, so that they may onely be kepte warme, to thende they sauoure not of burninge, or of the fire. And after you haue well mixed and incorporated all, you shall putte them in hony with spices. Al these confitures may dure many yeares, so that you refreshe them with other hony boyled a litle, whan they be diminished.

#### ❀To make litle morsels as they vse in Naples, an exquisite thinge, for they be very sauorous, do comforte the stomacke, and make a swete breath.

TAke thre pound of fine sugre, y^e^ flower of meale .vi. pound, of Sinamom thre vnces, Nutmegs, ginger, pepper, of eche of them balfe an vnce, but let the quantitie [[f. 66v](https://archive.org/details/bim_early-english-books-1475-1640_the-secretes-of-the-reve_ruscelli-girolamo_1558/page/n145)] of the pepper be greater than of the residue, rawe white honny, not clarified, three vnces. Firste make a round cycle with the saide flowre, in the middle wherof, you shal put the Sugre, and vpō it a pound of Muskt Rose water, bray and breake well all these things with your handes, so longe, vntill you feele no more Sugre. This done, you shall put in the saide spices, and than the hony, mixinge well all together with your hande. After this mengle it againe amonge the flowre, & kepe some of it to flower the tile or other thinges that you must bake it vpon. And whan all is well broughte and made into past, you shall cut the litle morsels in sunder with youre handes, making eche of them three vnces weight, or there aboute, than turne and make them in to the fourme of a fyshe, dressinge them with youre instrument meete for the same purpose. Than heate your ouen and laye them vpon litle tiles of copper or earth, makinge first vpon the tiles a good thicke bed of floure, you must bake them the mouth of the ouē open, keping euermore a fire at one of the sides of the mouth of the ouen, ye must also touche them often times, to se if they be baked ynoughe, and whither they hange sure, and holde together betwene youre fingers: You maye also bake them in the fire in ouens of copper couered, suche as tartes be made in, then when you haue taken theim out you must gilt them.

*☞The ende of the thirde booke.*