Give it Forth: Adventures in Medieval Cookery

Of Marche Violets - Mell Violatum (Voilet Honey), Oyl of Violets (Violet Oil), Vyolette (Violet Pottage), To Make Syrupe of Violets (Violet Syrup)

"Violets are God's apology for February..."

-Barbara Johnson

Family: Violaceae

Names: Violet, Sweete Violet, Viola nigra, Viola purpure, Virgil Vaccinium, Viola, Marche violet, Viola porporea,Viola mammola,Violetas,Violette de Mars, Blauw veiel, Mertzen violen, Violetten, Violaria, and Ma∣ter violarum.

Usage: Culinary, Medical

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Of Marche Violets. Chap. i. (A Nievve Herball, 1554)

❀ The Kyndes.

THere be two sortes of Violets: the garden and the wilde Violet. The Garden violets are of a fayre darke or shining deepe blewe colour, and a very pleasant and amiable smell. The wilde Violets are without sa∣uour, and of a fainte blewe or pale colour.
❀ The Description.

[ 1] The sweete Garden or Marche violet, creepeth alongst ye ground like the Strawberie plante, fa∣stening it selfe and taking roote in diuers places: his leaues be rounde and blackish like to Iuye leaues, sauing they be smal∣ler, rounder, and tenderer: emongst the whiche leaues there springeth vp fayre & pleasant floures of a darke blew colour, eache floure growing alone by him selfe, vpon a little small and tender stemme. The floures are diuided into fiue small leaues, wherof the middle of the floures, with the tippes or poynted endes of the leaues are speckled or spotted with a cer∣tayne reddish yellow. After the floures there appeareth round bullets, or huskes full of seede, the whiche being ripe do o∣pen and diuide themselues into three partes, the roote is tender & of threddish strings.
Of this sorte, there is an other kinde planted in gardens, whose floures are very double, and full of leaues.

There is also a thirde kinde, bearing floures as white as snow.

And also a fourth kinde (but not very common) whose floures be of a darke Crymsen, or old reddish purple colour, in all other poyntes like to the first, as in his leaues, seede, and growing.

[ 2] The wilde is like to the garden Violet, but that his leaues are far smaller, his floures are somwhat greater, but much paler, yea sometimes almost white, and without sauour.

❧ The Place.

The sweete garden Violet, groweth vnder hedges, and about the borders of fieldes and pastures, in good ground and fertyle soyle, and it is also set and planted in gardens. The wilde kinde whiche is without smell, groweth in the borders of dry, leane, and barren fieldes.

The garden violet floureth in Marche and Aprill. The wilde also doth floure in Aprill, and afterwardes.

❀ The Names.

The sweete Violet is called in Greeke 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉: in Latine Viola nigra, Viola purpurea: & of Virgil Vaccinium: in Shoppes Viola: in English Violets, the garden Violet , the sweete ← Violet, and the Marche violet : in Italian Viola porporea, and Viola mammola: in Spanish Violetas: in Frenche Violette de Mars, ou de quaresme: in high Douch Blauw veiel, or Mertzen violen: in base Almaigne Violetten: the Violet plante or herbe is called in Shoppes Violaria, and Ma∣ter violarum.

❀ The cause of the Greeke name.

The sweete Violet(as the Emperour Constantine wryteth) was called in Greeke Ion, after the name of that sweete guirle or pleasant damosell Io, which Iupiter, after that he had gotte her with childe, turned her into a trim Heaf∣fer or gallant Cowe, bycause that his wife Iuno (beyng bothe an angry and Ielous Goddesse) should not suspect that he loued Ion. In the honour of which his Io, as also for her more delicate and holsome feeding, the earth at the commaundement of Iupiter brought foorth Violettes, the whiche after the name of his welbeloued Io, he called in Greeke Ion: and therefore they are al∣so called in Latine, as some do wryte, Violae, quasi vitulae & Vaccinia. Nican∣der wryteth, that the name of Ion was giuen vnto Violettes, bycause of the Nymphes of Ionia, who firste of all presented Iupiter with these kindes of floures.

❀ The Nature or Temperament.

Violets are colde in the first degree, and moyst in the second.

❀ The Vertues.

[ A] The Decoction of Violets is good against hoate feuers, and the inflamma∣tion of the Liuer, and all other inwarde partes, driuing forth by siege the hoate and cholerique humors. The like propertie hath the iuyce, syrupe, or conserue of the same.

[ B] The syrupe of Violets is good against the inflammation of the lunges and breast, and against the Pleurisie, and cough, and also against feuers or Agues, but especially in yong children.

[ C] The same Syrupe cureth all inflammations and roughnesse of the throte if it be much kept or often holden in the mouth. The sugar of violets, and also the conserue, and iuyce, bringeth the same to passe.

[ D] That yellow whiche is in the middest of the floures, boyled in water, is good to be gargled in the throte agaynst the squinancie or swelling in the throte: it is also good to be dronken agaynst the falling sickenesse in yong chil∣dren.

[ E] Violets pounde and layde to the head alone, or mengled with oyle, remo∣ueth the extreame heate, swageth head-ache, prouoketh sleepe, and moysteneth the brayne: it is good therefore against the drynesse of the head, against melan∣choly, and dulnesse or heauinesse of Spirite.

[ F] Violets brused or stamped with barlie meale, are good to be layde vpon phlegmons, that is to say, hoate unpostumes or carbuncles, and they heale the inflammation and paine of the eyes, also the hoate vlcers, and the inflammation that commeth with the falling downe of the fundament.

[ G] The seede of Violettes, dronken with wine or water, is good agaynst the stingings of Scorpions.

[ H] The herbe or plante is very good against hoate feuers, and the inflamma∣tions of the liuer, and looseth the belly.

[ I] The wilde Violets are almost of the same vertue, but they be a great deale weaker, and therefore they are not vsed in Medicine.

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A compendious treatise, of Nicholas Prepositas. (1588)

92 A confection of honny and violets, called Mell violatum.

TAke of the flowers of violets one part, of good honny thrée partes, séeth them with a soft fire.

This is a singular remedie in hote agues, because it maketh the body moist and also laxatius, it aswageth dri∣nes of the stomacke and the brest.

112 Oyle of Violets.

TAke of the oyle of oliues two lib. of young violets stam∣ped, foure ℥. put them into a glasse, and set them in the sunne the space of seuen daies, afterward boyle them in a double vessell the space of thrée houres, then straine them, and reserue them: Paulus AEgineta doth call this oyle Ia∣ton, and wryteth that it is made of the purple violets, or els of the yealow violets, which many iudge to be hearts ease, be willeth also that violets shall stand ten daies in the sunne, and to be thrée times changed, and the vessell to be so stopped that no ayre may enter in, and in the meane time, you may put vnto these, of dry violets.

This asswageth all inflamations in what part so euer they be, it mollyfieth exulcer ations and stiffenes of the breast and lungs, it mitigateth hot impostumes, and the plewrisie.

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Culpeper's School Of Physick, 1659

Of Almond Butter.

ALmond Butter is made with fine Sugar and Rose-water, eaten with the flowers of Violets, it is a commendable Dish, most in season in Lent, when the Violets are fragrant; it re∣joyceth the heart, comforts the brain, and quali∣fies the heat of the liver.

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An English Herbal, 1690

Violets grow in Gardens and wild, are under Venus, but very cooling and harmless; they abate Infections. The Syrup or Decoction of Root, Leaf, and Flower purge the Blood, Reins, Bladder, Matrix; Outwardly apply'd as a Poultice, it helpeth Headach, abates Swellings and Imposthumes: Inwardly taken, they open Obstructions of the Liver, cure Jaundice, hot Agues, and make a good Gargle for Mouth and Throat.

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Harleian MS. 279 (ab 1430) lxxxxj - Vyolette. Nym Almaunde Mylke, an flowre of Rys, and pouder Gyngere, Galyngale, Pepir, Datis, Fygys, and Rasonys y-corven, an coloure it with Safroun, an boyle it and make it chargeaunt; an whan thou dressyste, take the flowres, an hew hem, an styre it ther-with; nyme the braunchys with the flowres, an sette a-boue and serue it Forth.

91. Violet -take almond milk, and flower of rice, and powder ginger, galingale, pepper, dates, figs and raisons cut, and color it with saffron, and boil it and make it thick. And when you dress it, take the flowers and cut them, and stir it there-with; cut the branches with the flowers and set above and serve forth.

Harleian MS. 279 (ab 1430) - .Cxxv. Vyolette - Violet - Take Flourys of Vyolet, boyle hem, presse hem, bray hem smal, temper hem vppe with Almaunde mylke, or gode Cowe Mylke, a-lye it with Amyndoun or Flowre of Rys; take Sugre y-now, an putte ther-to, or hony in defaute; coloure it with the same that the flowrys be on y-peyntid a-boue.

125. Violet - Take flowers of violets, boil them, press them, cut them small, temper them up with almond milk or good cow milk, mix it with amyndoun or rice flour; take sugar enough, and put there-to, or honey in default; color it with the same that the flowers be on painted above.

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To Make Syrupe of Violets.

Take your Violets, and pick the flowers, and weigh them, and then put them into a quart of water, and steepe them vpon hot embers, vntill such time as the flowers be turned white, and the water as blew as any violet, then take to that quart of infusion and take foure pound of clarified Suger, & boyle it till it come to a syrupe, scumming them and boyling them vpon a gentle fire, least it turne his colour, and being boyled, put the Syrupe vp and keepe it.

A Closet for Ladies and Gentlevvomen, 1608

Sources

Homemade Vegetable stock, Vegetable Stock Powder & Homemade Bouillon Cubes

I am not sure about you, but for myself, I worry about my budget when I am cooking and -any- place I can cut corners I do. I am constantly looking for what I like to call 'found foods'. Items that make something from what would otherwise be nothing. Stocks are one of those items. They add flavor to your dishes and can be quite costly, or salty or may contain items that were not found in period if you choose to purchase them. In order to shave the cost off my budget, and to ensure that I know what I am serving, I make a lot of my own stocks, powders and bouillon cubes which make use of items I have already purchased, but would otherwise throw away--it's a win-win.

Outlined below will be the instructions for homemade vegetable stock powder which can travel with you and can be used to add additional flavor to any dish. It does not require refridgeration so it is a perfect "camp food". You will also find instructions for making vegetable stock, meat stock and homemade bouillon. Bouillon requires refridgeration but it is a flavor BOMB and is another item I consider a necessary food to take on camping trips.

Vegetable Stock Powder

1 unpeeled carrot
2 celery stalks
1 onion
1 leek
2-3 cloves of garlic
a handful of parsley
2-3 sprigs of thyme
1 -2 sprigs of rosemary
Salt

Opt: Other vegetables or herbs as desired

Wash your vegetables and herbs and then run through the food processor--you want them to be very finely chopped if you do not have a food processor. Before cooking them you will want to weigh them. Your salt content should be approximately 20% of the total weight of your vegetables. If you have 16 ounces of vegetables, pre-cooked weight you will want to add about 3 ounces of salt. I prefer sea salt.

Mix thoroughly and place your vegetables into a pot over low heat. Cook about two hours. Stir occasionally. You will notice at first the mix can get quite soupy as the vegetables release their water. Don't worry, the vegetables will reabsorb the water. When the water has been completely reabsorbed you can move onto the next step.

Spread the vegetables onto a parchment lined baking tray. Bake at the lowest setting in your oven (mine is 170), until the vegetables have dried out and become crispy. You will want to stir them every so often while they dry in the oven. Allow them to cool and then process in your food processor until the vegetables become a powder. You can store the powder for about three months in an airtight jar.

To use: add 1 tsp of powder to 1 cup of water, or to taste.

Vegetable Stock

Have tired vegetables in your drawers? Vegetable peels? Don't throw them out. Save them in the freezer and when you have some time, use them to make vegetable stock. This is an easy and cost effective way to use up vegetables and vegetable parts (carrot peels, onion tops, celery leaves and the white woody ends, etc.) you would otherwise throw away. Your feast budget will thank you. If you are making a vegetable stock be sure to include mushrooms, tomatoes (if not cooking period) or nori--do not skip this. These vegetables create "umami", a savory or meaty flavor to your stock which is very much needed in vegetable stock.

For the most basic of stocks you will need carrots, celery and onions (leave the skins on; it turns the broth brown), but don't stop there, you can add flavor with tomato or mushrooms, leeks, beets (it creates a lovely red broth), asparagus, squash, fennel, eggplant etc. There are a few vegetables that you may not want to use, or use sparingly, cabbage being one. The others include turnips, rutabega, artichoke, cauliflower and broccoli. I personally enjoy the "bitter" notes that the cabbage and turnips add to a long-cooked broth, but I caution you to use your best judgement. Also--it should go without saying, if the vegetables go beyond tired to spoiled, rotten or moldy--don't use them.

The process is simple, and requires just a little bit of elbow grease and time.

To begin, saute your sturdier vegetables in the barest bit of oil until tender. Cover with water, add any seasoning you wish (salt, pepper, garlic, rosemary, thyme, savory, etc.), bring to a boil, cover with a lid and lower to simmer--walk away and forget it for at least an hour. An hour is absolute minimum to make any stock--the longer the simmer, the more flavor you get. Near the end of the cooking process you are going to want to taste for salt and flavor. If it's lacking, you can add tomato paste (if you are not cooking a period dish) or nutritional yeast (for a cheesy, umami flavor). Turn off, let cool, strain, and store. Vegetable stock will keep approximately five days in a fridge, or nearly forever frozen.

Homemade Bouillon

Bouillon is a fancy name for broth. There was a time that I would reach for the cubes in order to flavor stocks, broths, gravies and other dishes. Unfortunately, they are full of salt, MSG and other things, such as hydrogenated oils, that I just don't want to share with those I love when an alternative is available.

The first thing you should notice is that this is more of a method, than it is a recipe and it should start with -any- homemade stock; beef, chicken, pork, mixed or vegetable. It takes the process of making stock one step further to create a flavor bomb. Follow the instructions below to get you started on this adventure.

To Make Stock

Making your own stocks are very cost effective for feasts, so save your bones and your scraps of veggies! Just toss them in a ziplock bag in the freezer until you have enough to make a good stock. Make your stock and can or freeze until needed.

There are two separate ways to make stock. The first is on the stove top/slow cooker and the second is in your oven. For any stock you will need bones (preferably some with meat), vegetables, aromatics, water and time--lots and lots of time.

I prefer to roast my bones before making any meat stock which adds an additional flavor component. Simply place your bones in a baking dish and roast in a 400 degree oven for approximately 45 minutes. If the bones were frozen, you will want to thaw them before you roast. Marrow bones really benefit from this step, developing a deep, rich flavor while they roast. DO NOT skip this step.

A good stock will -always- start with cold water. During the initial boiling of the stock--skim, skim, skim. You want to remove any and all impurities that come to the surface. After the initial boiling, lower your temperature to a simmer, cover with a lid slightly askew and forget it. I know you will be tempted (I know I am) but *never, ever!* stir the stock once you set it to simmering. This will make it cloudy and a sign of a good stock is that it should be clear and richly colored at the end of the process.

A really good meat stock will convert to a gelatin when cold. This happens because the collagen in the bones dissolves which can only happen during a very long simmering process. A good stock has a deep, well-developed flavor that is imparted through the aromatics and vegetables. The longer your stock cooks the better it is.

My basic veggie blend for any stock includes a couple of carrots, celery and onions. For seasoning, I also use parsley, rosemary, thyme, bay, garlic and black pepper. Wash your vegetables, roughly chop and make a bed of them for your roasted bones. There is no need to peel, unless the skin has been damaged in some way.

Stovetop Method

A good rule of thumb to remember is that for every pound of bones you will need approximately 2 quarts of water. When making stock, be sure that the bones are covered by at least an inch. Add your aromatics, bring to a boil, skim off the scum and then lower the heat and simmer. Simmer times vary but I prefer about five hours for most stocks. Use your best judgment.

Oven Method

Stock will cook overnight in a 275 degree oven. This is a great method to use and I use it quite often. I just tuck the bones, vegetables and water into a roasting pan (usually the one I roast the bones in so I can get all the great flavor from the bottom of the pan) and go to bed. In the morning I have a lovely stock.

Once you have finished cooking your stock, strain it at least once to make sure that you are removing all the bits. I do this by lining a wire strainer with a piece of muslin and pouring the stock through it. Allow your stock to cool overnight. Once the stock has cooled remove the fat, reheat and strain it once again just to make sure that it is very clear.

To Make Bouillon

Once your stock has been made, skimmed and strained, you can begin the method of reducing the stock to its own concentrated bouillon. This is especially useful if space is an issue. One gallon of stock will reduce to about 1 cup (yes, 1 cup!) of liquid bouillon.

Return your stock to a pot and bring to a fast boil, then lower to simmer and cook till the stock has reduced by half. This will prevent the stock from over-reducing and burning. You will know that your stock has reduced enough when it has thickened to a sauce that will coat the back of a spoon, has the consistency of a syrup, is lush, glossy and rich! It should be a bit runny with some weight to it.

To set your bouillon, line an 8x8 or 8x13 pan, or an ice cube tray (depending on the amount of stock you have) with plastic wrap and pour the cooled sauce into it and refridgerate overnight. To store, cut your bouillon into squares and place in small jars or Ziplock bags. They will store two months in the fridge or up to a year in the freezer.

To use, approximate measure is 1 tsp per cup of water.

Harleian MS. 279 (ab 1430) - Cxi. Tannye

I have become fascinated by the array of colors that could be found in the food of this particular time period. Here is one such example that I found in Two fifteenth-century cookery-books : Harleian MS. 279 (ab 1430), & Harl. MS. 4016 (ab. 1450), with extracts from Ashmole MS. 1439, Laud MS. 553, & Douce MS. 55 Thomas Austin, which uses the simplest of ingredients to create a drink whose name is also it's color.

While doing research for this dish I ran across a very interesting book, Renaissance Colour Symbolism - By Roy Osborne. I confess I have only begun to read it, but I have developed a much greater respect for this recipe because of it. I did not realize how symbolic colors were in our late period and the early Renaissance. One of the more interesting things I discovered was the fact that it was believed that God infused all of his creations with symbolism, and nowhere was this more present then in color.

Colors represented virtues. For example, the "seven worldly virtues" identified by Jean Courtois (Le Blason de toutes armes et escutz-The Blazon of all Arms and Escutcheons, 1420) which identified armorial tinctures thus:

Gold (or) - wealth (richesse)
Silver (argent) - purity (purete)
Red (gules) - eminence (haultesse)
Blue (azure) - loyalty (loyaulte)
Green (vert) - happiness (lyesse)
Black (sable) - modesty (simplesse)
purple (purpure) - abundance of goods (habondance de biens)

The Church identified the colors as faith (or), hope (argent), charity (gules), justice (azure), fortitude (vert) prudence (sable) and temperance (purpure). The seasons also were represented through color, spring as vert, summer as gules, autumn as azure and winter as sable. The planets also had representative colors:

Sun (or)
Mars (gules)
Moon (argent)
Jupiter (azure)
Mercury (purpure)
Venus (vert)
Saturn (sable)

Color symbolism was applied to humoral theory and the seven ages of man. For more information on medieval dietary theory, which includes a very brief synopsis on humoral theory, and the application of it in creating modern feast menu's, please see my research paper located here.

Sanguine (gules)
Choleric (azure)
Phlegmatic (argent)
Melancholic (sable)

Argent (infancy, up to seven years)
Azure (childhood, up to fifteen years)
Or (adolescence, up to twenty-five years)
Vert (youth, up to thirty-five years)
Gules (maturity up to fifty years)
Purpure (elderliness up to seventy years)
Sable (decreptitude to death)

Knowing how significant color was in this time period, I wanted to know if the final product had a significance attached to it. I was excited to find that it did. The color tawny which leans towards white or yellow displays contrition, innocence and feigned joy, while the regular color, represented by the "Tannye" found in the manuscript should be reddish represents great courage or false valor. Geoffrey Whitney's "Choice of Emblemes (1585), has a poem "In Colores" talking about the color associations common with the dyer's craft. In this poem we can see the name of the recipe, is actually a description of it's color.

For mourners, blacke, for the religious, white,
Which is a sign of conscience pure and free.
The greene agrees with them in hpe that live,
And eeke [also] to youth this colour wee doe give.
The yelowe next, unto the covetous wighte [person],
And unto those whom jelousie doth fret.
The man refus'd, in tannye [tawny] doth delite [delight].

.Cxj. Tannye.—Take almaunde Mylke, & Sugre, an powdere Gyngere, & of Galyngale, & of Canelle, and Rede Wyne, & boyle y-fere: & þat is gode tannye.

111. Tannye - Take almond milk, and sugar, and powder ginger, and of galingale, and of cinnamon, and red wine, and boil fair; and that is good tannye.

Interpreted Recipe

3/4 cup almond milk (I used quick almond milk)
2 tsp. or more sugar (to taste)
1/4 tsp. ginger (or half tsp. ginger if no galingale)
1/4 tsp. galingale
Pinch of Cinnamon
1/4 cup red wine

Note: there is the possibility that your almond milk may curdle when red wine is added and the drink is brought to a boil. Wine is acidic and adding acid to almond milk is how you make Fride Creme of Almaundys - Cold Cream of Almonds, a lenten alternative to butter or creamy cheese. The trick is to heat all the ingredients together to just below a simmer, and then serve. It's that easy. If it curdles, and they bother you, strain through a strainer before serving. I am ok with it, so you can see that my tannye got a little curdled. I let it get too warm. This is delicious, slightly reminiscent of mulled wine with the ginger being the main spice, the cinnamon warmly following, and the almond milk making it creamy. A must serve for a winter's revel.

More Information:

Renaissance Colour Symbolism - By Roy Osborne

Purslane - Recipe: To Pickle Purslain

Common Purslane - Portulaca oleracea

Family: Portulacaceae
Names: Purslane, Pusley, Pursley, Pigweed, Little Hogweed, Hogweed, Purslain, Garden Purslain, Red Root, Verdolaga, Wild Portulaca, Khorfeh, Duckweed, Purcelaine, Procelayne (Grete Herballe, 1516), Pourpier

Usage: Culinary, Medical

De portulace. Porcelayne / Ca. CCC.xl. (Grete Herballe, 1526)

POrtulax is a vertuous herbe. It coldeth in ye thyrde degre and moy∣steth in the secōde / and hath vertu to softē and to kele. It is good meate for coleryke folkes that be dyseased with feuers caused of coler. And also for them that be hole / yf it be eaten rawe it is profytable. The wa¦ter of the decoccyon is good to conserue the heate of the inwarde membres. It coleth the heet of feuers / it prouoketh vryne and vnbyndeth ye bely. It prouffyteth agaynst clyftes of the lyppes and fleyenges of the mouthe. Brenne the rote therof in a bras∣sen vessell and make powdre confyct with hony / and anoynte the lyppes therwith / & also it paleth the synsures of lazers anoyn∣ted therwith.

¶ For hote apostumes: A

¶ And yf it be brayed with vyneygre it is good agaynst hote apostumes. The iuce therof with all the herbe is prouffytable agaynst the hurtes of the bowelles / for it soupleth them. And is good to moderate ye vnmoderate flux of the matryce. Howbeit yf it be vsed to moche it marreth the syght and coleth the body / & letteth the coleryke vomyte / and habytacyon of woman. The sayd herbe chawed with a lytell vyneygre stoppeth the bledynge at the nose / and swa¦geth the brennynge of the stomake caused of coler. It is good agaynst feuers yf a playster therof be layde to the stomake wt a lytell vyneygre. It healeth ye tothe ache yf it be chawed / and healeth blaynes yf it be brused and layde theron.

¶ For payne of the reynes. B

¶ The iuce therof is good agaynst payne of the reynes and of the bladder / & restray¦neth the floures or menstrues in women. Water therof is good for bledynge emor∣roydes.

The sea Purcelayne flowreth in Iuly. (A Nievve Herball, 1554)

The Names.

Purcelayne is called in Greke 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉: in Latine and in shoppes Portulaca: in Frenche, Pourpier → , or Pourcelaine: in high Douche, Burgel: in base Almaigne, Porceleyne: in English, Purcelayne.

[ 1] The first kinde is called Portulaca satiua, or Hortensis: in Frenche, ← Pourpier → , or Pourcelaine domestique, or cultinée: in high Douche, Heymisch Burgel, or Burtzes∣kraut: in base Almaigne, Roomsche Porceleyne, or tamme Porceleyne: in En∣glish, garden and tame Purcelayne.

[ 2] The seconde kinde is called of the newe writers, Portulaca syluestris: in Frenche, ← Pourpier sauuage: in high Douche, Wildt Burtzel: in base Almaigne, Ghemeyne, or wilde Porceleyne: in English, Wild Purcelayne: but yet this is not that wild Purcelayne, which is described in some copies of Dioscorides, the which is of a hoate nature or complexion.

[ 3] The thirde kinde of Purcelayne of the later writers, is called Portulaca ma∣rina: in Frenche, Pourcelaine de mer▪ in Douch, Zee Porceleyne. This seemeth to be that herbe which the Greekes call 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉: the Latinistes, Halimus, especially the seconde kinde described by Plinie.

❀ The Nature.

[ 1.2] The garden and wilde Purcelayne are cold in the thirde degree, and moyst in the seconde.

[ 3] Sea Purcelayne is playnely hoate and drie in the seconde degree.

❀ The Vertues.

[ A] They vse to eate the garden and wild Purcelayne in Salades and meates, as they do Letuce, but it cooleth the blood, and maketh it waterie & nourisheth very litle: yet for all that, it is good for those that haue great heate in their sto∣mackes and inwarde partes.

[ B] The same taken in lyke sort, stoppeth all defluxions and falling downe of humours, and is good for the paynes of the bladder and kidneyes, & it healeth them, albeit they be exulcerated, fret or hurt.

[ C] Purcelayne comforteth the weake inflamed stomacke, & it taketh away the imaginations, dreames, fansies, & the outragious desire to the lust of the body.

[ D] The iuyce of Purcelayne dronken hath the same vertue: also it is good a∣gainst burning feuers, & against the wormes that ingender in the body of man.

[ E] It is good for such as spit blood, it stoppeth the blooddy flixe, the fluxe of the Hemoroides, & al issues of blood. It hath the like vertue being boyled & eaten.

[ F] The iuyce of Purcelayne powred vpon the head with oyle & vineger roset, swageth the head ache comming of heate, or of standing to long in the Sonne.

[ G] The same throwen vp into the mother or matrix, helpeth the burning in∣flammations, exulceratiōs, or gnawing frettings in the same, & powred in by a glister, it is good against the flixe of the guttes & exulceration of the bowelles.

[ H] The leaues of Purcelayne mingled with parched barley meale, and layde to the inflammations of the eyes, easeth the same, and taketh away the hoate swelling: so it is likewise good against S. Antonies fier, called Erysipelas: a∣gainst the heate and payne of the head, and against all hoate inflammations and tumours.

[ I] The same eaten rawe, are good against the teeth being set on edge, or asto∣nied, and it fasteneth them that be loose.

[ K] To conclude, Purcelayne cooleth all that is hoate, wherefore being layde vpon woundes, eyther by it selfe or with the meale of parched barley, it preser∣ueth woundes from inflammation.

[ L] The seede of Purcelayne beyng taken, kylleth and driueth foorth wormes, and stoppeth the laske.

[ M] The Sea Purcelayne is gathered in the sommer, and is of some preserued and kept in vineger for Salade, to be eaten at winter like Capers: for being so eaten, it doth heate and comfort the stomacke, causeth good appetite, or meate lust, and prouoketh vrine.

[ N] If this Purcelayne be Halimus, the roote thereof is good against crampes and drawing awry of sinewes, burstinges and gnawinges in the belly, to be taken in Meade the waight of a dramme. It also causeth Nurses to haue store of milke.

Of white Beets and Purslane. (Culpeper's School Of Physick, 1659)

WHite Beets are good for the Liver and for the Spleen, are abstercine. Pur∣slane doth abate the ardor of lasciviousness, and mittigates heat in the inward parts of the head and eyes: if preserved in brine, it heats and purges the stomach; it is cold in the third de∣gree, and moist in the second.

Kit-keys, Crucifex, Pease or Purslane pickled. (The Compleat Cook, 1664)

Take any of the aforesaid, and lay them in as much Wine as Water, with a little Salt, then boil them after this, put them in∣to a Pot, and cover them with Vinegar made of White wine.

Purslain pickled. (The English And French Cook, 1674)

Gather them at their full growth, but not too old, parboil them and keep them in
White wine Vinegar and Sugar.

To pickle Pursla•e to keep all the year. (The Cook's Guide, 1664)

TAke the biggest stalks picked clean, the• strew bay-salt first into your pot, and then th• stalks of Purslane, and then salt again, so do ti•l your pot be full, then tye it up close and keep it cool.

Interpreted Recipe (adapted from modern recipe)

Purslane
1 cup Vinegar (apple cider preferred)
1/2 cup water
2 tbsp. sugar or honey
Modern recipes add 1 onion sliced, 1 tsp. salt, 1/2 tsp. each cumin, coriander and mustard seeds, and three whole allspice.
Use only the thickest part of the purslane stems- Wash the purslane. Pinch off the clusters of leaves and any stems that are too skinny to pickle (these are great added to soup as a nautral thickener or on salad).
Chop the thicker purslane stems into pieces approximately 1 1/2-2 inches long.
Combine the vinegar, water, sugar or honey, salt and spices in a medium pot. Bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat and simmer for 5 minutes to release the flavors of the spices.
If you are following the modern version, layer purslane and onions and brine in jars, until you are unable to add more. Pour the hot brine over the purslane stems. The liquid should completely cover them, but still, have at least 1/2 an inch of space between the surface of the brine and the rims of the jars.
Screw on the lids, hot water bath them. Let sit at least a week, but the longer the better.

Sources

Dodoens 1517-1585., R., 2020. A Nievve Herball, Or Historie Of Plantes Wherin Is Contayned The Vvhole Discourse And Perfect Description Of All Sortes Of Herbes And Plantes: Their Diuers [And] Sundry Kindes: Their Straunge Figures, Fashions, And Shapes: Their Names, Natures, Operations, And Vertues: And That Not Onely Of Those Whiche Are Here Growyng In This Our Countrie Of Englande, But Of All Others Also Of Forrayne Realmes, Commonly Vsed In Physicke. First Set Foorth In The Doutche Or Almaigne Tongue, By That Learned D. Rembert Dodoens, Physition To The Emperour: And Nowe First Translated Out Of French Into English, By Henry Lyte Esquyer.. [online] Available at: <http://name.umdl.umich.edu/A20579.0001.001> [Accessed 4 August 2020].

Early English Books Online Text Creation Partnership. 2011. The Grete Herball Whiche Geueth Parfyt Knowlege And Vnderstandyng Of All Maner Of Herbes [And] There Gracyous Vertues Whiche God Hath Ordeyned For Our Prosperous Welfare And Helth, For They Hele [And] Cure All Maner Of Dyseases And Sekenesses That Fall Or Mysfortune To All Maner Of Creatoures Of God Created, Practysed By Many Expert And Wyse Maysters, As Auicenna [And] Other. [Et]C. Also It Geueth Full Parfyte Vnderstandynge Of The Booke Lately Prentyd By Me (Peter Treueris) Named The Noble Experiens Of The Vertuous Handwarke Of Surgery.. [online] Available at: <http://name.umdl.umich.edu/A03048.0001.001> [Accessed 4 August 2020].

Quod.lib.umich.edu. 2020. Culpeper's School Of Physick, Or, The Experimental Practice Of The Whole Art Wherein Are Contained All Inward Diseases From The Head To The Foot, With Their Proper And Effectuall Cures, Such Diet Set Down As Ought To Be Observed In Sickness Or In Health : With Other Safe Wayes For Preserving Of Life ... / By Nich. Culpeper ... ; The Narrative Of The Authors Life Is Prefixed, With His Nativity Calculated, Together With The Testimony Of His Late Wife, Mrs Alice Culpeper, And Others.. [online] Available at: <https://quod.lib.umich.edu/e/eebo2/A35394.0001.001/1:37?rgn=div1;submit=Go;subview=detail;type=simple;view=fulltext;q1=purslane> [Accessed 4 August 2020].

Quod.lib.umich.edu. 2020. The Compleat Cook: Or, The Whole Art Of Cookery Describing The Best And Newest Ways Of Ordering And Dressing All Sorts Of Flesh, Fish, And Fowl, Whether Boiled, Baked, Stewed, Roasted, Broiled, Frigacied, Fryed, Souc'd, Marrinated, Or Pickled; With Their Proper Sauces And Garnishes. Together Vvith All Manner Of The Most Approved Soops And Potages Used, Either In England Or France. By T.P. J.P. R.C. N.B. And Several Other Approved Cooks Of London And Westminster.. [online] Available at: <https://quod.lib.umich.edu/e/eebo2/A80288.0001.001/1:3?rgn=div1;submit=Go;subview=detail;type=simple;view=fulltext;q1=Purslane> [Accessed 4 August 2020].

Quod.lib.umich.edu. 2020. The English And French Cook Describing The Best And Newest Ways Of Ordering And Dressing All Sorts Of Flesh, Fish And Fowl, Whether Boiled, Baked, Stewed, Roasted, Broiled, Frigassied, Fryed, Souc'd, Marrinated, Or Pickled; With Their Proper Sauces And Garnishes: Together With All Manner Of The Most Approved Soops And Potages Used, Either In England Or France. By T. P. J. P. R. C. N. B. And Several Other Approved Cooks Of London And Westminster.. [online] Available at: <https://quod.lib.umich.edu/e/eebo2/A53974.0001.001/1:3.11.35?c=eebo;c=eebo2;g=eebogroup;rgn=div3;view=fulltext;xc=1;q1=cookbook> [Accessed 4 August 2020].

Quod.lib.umich.edu. 2020. The Cook's Guide: Or, Rare Receipts For Cookery Published And Set Forth Particularly For Ladies And Gentlwomen; Being Very Beneficial For All Those That Desire The True Way Of Dressing Of All Sorts Of Flesh, Fowles, And Fish; The Best Directions For All Manner Of Kickshaws, And The Most Ho-Good Sawces: Whereby Noble Persons And Others In Their Hospitalities May Be Gratified In Their Gusto's. Never Before Printed. By Hannah Wolley.. [online] Available at: <https://quod.lib.umich.edu/e/eebo/A66843.0001.001/1:6.2?g=eebogroup;rgn=div2;submit=Go;subview=detail;type=simple;view=fulltext;xc=1;q1=purslane> [Accessed 4 August 2020].

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