Hecate's antiseptic (Vinegar of the Four Thieves)

Thought this might be of interest ... There are many variations on both the legend of the four thieves and the recipe for their vinegar, but briefly, and as it was told to me, the story surrounds four French men who plundered the homes of plague victims around Marseille in the 1600’s and yet remained unaffected by the plague themselves. They were captured and, as the penalty for looting was death, they bargained for their lives by offering the magistrate the recipe for their vinegar.  It is said that he happily accepted their offer and that they were spared. It occurred to me that there was more than a hint of Hecate about this particular recipe... 
so here it is...

Vinegar of the Four Thieves 

(A useful protection against disease and magical attack since the 1630’s)

You can take this remedy a teaspoon at a time, add it to salad dressings, use a splash in your bathwater or dilute a little in a spray bottle to help clear a space.

You will need:

A large container with a lid (Kilner jar is good)

Ingredients:

2 tbs. of garlic roughly chopped

A handful of each of lavender, sage, rosemary, thyme, rue and wormwood 

Enough cider vinegar to cover the herbs

Method

1.      Roughly chop all the herbs if fresh

2.     Place all plant material in the jar

3.     Cover with vinegar with about three fingers of vinegar over the top of the plant materials

4.    Fasten tightly

5.     Stand somewhere warm for about a month and shake often

6.     Strain and bottle.