Cherry Water

Pick two pounds of ripe red cherries, braise them through a coarse hair sieve into a large basin, or upon a dish; pound the stones in a mortar, add this to the juice, throw half a pint of spring-water on the sieve in order to avoid wasting the juice; add a pint of syrup, mix, and when the whole has steeped for a couple of hours, filter through a hair sieve resting upon two sticks placed across a basin, putting back through the sieve that which passes first until it runs bright; and when all has drained through, add half a pint of spring-water in order to wash the dregs; and as soon as this also has passed, mix all together; add a few drops of cochineal if needed, and a quart of spring-water. Cool in ice for an hour and an half.