handfuls of sweet-bryar tops, as much of Cowslip-flowers, as much of
Primrose-flowers, as much of Rosemary-flowers, as much of Sage-flowers, as
many of Borage-flowers, as many of Bugloss-flowers; two handfuls of the
tops of Betony, four handfuls of Agrimony, and as many of Scabious, one
handful of Thyme, as much of Sweet-marjoram, and two ounces of Mustard-seed
bruised. When this hath boiled so long, that you judge the water hath drawn
out all the vertue of the Herbs (which may be in half an hour) pour out all
into a vatte to cool and settle. Scum away the herbs, and pour the clear
from the sediment, and to every four gallons of liquor (luke-warm) put one
gallon of honey, and lave it to dissolve the honey, letting it stand two or
three days, laving it well thrice every day. Then boil it till it will bear
an Egge high, then clarifie it with whites and shells of Eggs, and pour it
into a vatte to cool, which it will do in a days space or better. Whilst it
is yet luke-warm, put Ale-yest to it, (no more then is necessary) to make
it work, and then tun it into a Rundlet of a fit Size, that hath been
seasoned with Sack; and hang in it a boulter bag containing half a pound of
white Ginger cleansed and sliced, three ounces of Cloves and as much of
Cinamon bruised, as much Coriander seed prepared, and as much
Elder-flowers. As it purgeth and consumeth by running over the bung, put in
fresh honey-liquor warmed, that you keep or make on purpose for that end.
When the working is even almost at an end, stop it up close with clay and
sand, and have great care to keep it always close stopped. After a year
draw in into pottle Glass-bottles stopped with ground stoppels of glass,
and keep them in a cool place, till they are ready to drink, if they as yet
be not so.
Have a care, that never any Liquor stay in Copper longer then whilst it is
to boil.
3. In 20 Gallons of the first boiled and settled water, boil six handfuls
of Sweet-bryar-leaves, as many of Cowslip flowers, as many of
Primrose-flowers, and as many of Rosemary-flowers; and half a handful of
Wild thyme, during the space of a quarter or half an hour. Then take the
clear, and dissolve in it a sixth part of honey, doing as above for the
boiling and clarifying it. But boil it not to bear an Egge, but onely till
it be well scummed and clarified. Then pour it into a woodden Tub, and Tun
it with Ale-yest, when it is in due temper of coolness, as you would do
Ale-wort; and let it work (close covered) sufficiently. Then Tun it up into
a seasoned firkin, and put into it a tost of white-bread spread with quick
Mustard, and hang it in a boulter bag containing loosly some Ginger, Cloves
and Cinamon bruised, and a little Limon-peel and Elder-flowers, with a
Pebble-stone at the bottome, to make it sink towards the bottom, and
fastned by a string coming out of the bung to hinder it from falling quite
to the bottome. Stop the bung very close, and after six weeks or two
moneths draw it into bottles.
4. In 20 Gallons of boiled and settled water, boil a quarter of an hour ten
handfuls of sweet bryar-leaves, and as many of Cowslips. Then let it cool
and settle in wood, and take the clear; and to every four Gallons of
Liquor, put one of honey, dissolving it as the others formerly set down.
Boil it, till no more scum rise, and that a fourth part be consumed. Then
clarifie it with whites of Eggs and their shells, and make it work with
yest. After sufficient working Tun it up, hanging it in a bag with Ginger,
Cloves, Cinamon and Limon-peel. Stop it very close, and after two or three
moneths, draw it into bottles.
MY LADY MORICES MEATH
Boil first your water with your herbs. Those she likes best, are, Angelica,
Balm, Borage, and a little Rosemary (not half so much as of any of the
rest) a handful of all together, to two or 3 Gallons of water. After about
half an hours boiling, let the water run through a strainer (to sever the
herbs from it) into Woodden or earthen vessels, and let it cool and settle.
To three parts of the clear, put one or more of honey, and boil it till it
bear an Egge, leaving as broad as a shilling out of the water, skiming it
very well. Then power it out into vessels, as before; and next day, when it
is almost quite cold, power it into a Sack-cask, wherein you have first put
a little fresh Ale-yest, about two spoonfuls to ten Gallons. Hang it in a
bag with a little sliced Ginger, but almost a Porengerfull of Cloves. Cover
the bung lightly, till it have done working; then stop it up close. You may
tap and draw it a year or two after. It is excellent good.
MY LADY MORICE HER SISTER MAKES HER'S THUS:
Dissolve your honey in the water till it bear an Egge higher or lower,
according to the strength you will have it of. Then put into it some
Sea-wormwood and a little Rosemary, and a little Sage; about too good
handfuls of all together, to ten Gallons. When it hath boiled enough to
take the vertue of the herbs, skim them out, and strew a handful or two of
fine Wheat-flower upon the boyling Liquor.
This will draw all the dregs to it, and swim at the top, so that you may
skim all off together. And this she holdeth the best way of clarifying the
Liquor, and making it look pale. Then pour it into vessels as above to
cool. Let it stand three days; then Tun it up into a Sack cask without yest
or Spice, and keep it stopped till it work. Then let it be open, till it
have done working, filling it up still with other honey-drink. Then stop it
up close for a year or two. You may at first stop it so, that the strong
working may throw out the stopple, and yet keep it close, till it work
strongly. She saith, that such a small proportion of wormwood giveth it a
fine quick tast, and a pale colour with an eye of green. The wormwood must
not be so much, as to discern any the least bitterness in the taste; but
that the composition of it with the honey may give a quickness. The
Rosemary and Sage must be a great deal less then the Wormwood. Sometimes
she stoppeth it up close as soon as she hath Tunned it, and lets it remain
so for three moneths. Then pierce it and draw it into bottles, which stop
well, and tie down the stoppels. This will keep so a long time. She useth
this way most. It makes the Mead drink exceeding quick and pleasant. When
you pierce the Cask, it will flie out with exceeding force, and be ready to
throw out the stopper and spigot.
TO MAKE WHITE MEATH
Take Rosemary, Thyme, Sweet-bryar, Penyroyal, Bayes, of each one handful;
steep them 24 hours in a bowl of fair cold water covered close; next day
boil them very well in another water, till the colour be very high; then
take another water, and boil the same herbs in it, till it look green; and
so boil them in several waters, till they do but just change the colour of
the water. The first waters are thrown away. The last water must stand 24
hours with the herbs in it. The Liquor being strained from them, you must
put in as much fine honey till it will bear an Egge; you must work and
labour the honey with the Liquor a whole day, till the honey be consumed;
then let it stand a night a clearing. In the morning put your Liquor a
boiling for a quarter of an hour, with the whites and shells of six Eggs.
So strain it through a bag, and let it stand a day a cooling; so Tun it up,
and put into the vessel in a Linnen bag, Cloves, Mace, Cinamon and Nutmegs
bruised altogether. If you will have it to drink presently, take the whites
of two or three Eggs, of barm a spoonful, and as much of Wheaten-flower.
Then let it work before you stop it, afterwards stop it well with Clay and
Salt. A quart of Honey to a Gallon of liquor, and so proportionably for
these Herbs.
SIR WILLIAM PASTON'S MEATHE
Take ten Gallons of Spring-water, and put therein ten Pints of the best
honey. Let this boil half an hour, and scum it very well; then put in one
handful of Rosemary, and as much of Bay-leaves; with a little Limon-peel.
Boil this half an hour longer, then take it off the fire, and put it into a
clean Tub; and when it is cool, work it up with yest, as you do Beer. When
it is wrought, put it into your vessel, and stop it very close. Within
three days you may Bottle it, and in ten days after it will be fit to
drink.
ANOTHER PLEASANT MEATHE OF SIR WILLIAM PASTON'S
To a Gallon of water put a quart of honey, about ten sprigs of
Sweet-Majoram; half so many tops of Bays. Boil these very well together,
and when it is cold, bottle it up. It will be ten days before it be ready
to drink.
ANOTHER WAY OF MAKING MEATH
Boil Sweet Bryar, Sweet Marjoram, Cloves and Mace in Spring-water, till the
water taste of them. To four Gallons of water put one Gallon of honey, and
boil it a little to skim and clarifie it. When you are ready to take it
from the fire, put in a little Limon-peel, and pour it into a Woodden
vessel, and let it stand till it is almost cold. Then put in some Ale-yest,
and stir it altogether. So let it stand till next day. Then put a few
stoned Raisins of the Sun into every bottle, and pour the Meath upon them.
Stop the bottles close, and in a week the Meath will be ready to drink.
SIR BAYNAM THROCKMORTON'S MEATHE.
Take four quarts of Honey, good measure; put to it four Gallons of water,
let it stand all night, but stir it well, when you put it together. The
next day boil it, and put to it Nutmegs, Cloves, Mace and Ginger, of each
half an ounce. Let these boil with the honey and water till it will bear an
Egge at the top without sinking; and then it is enough, if you see the Egge
the breadth of a sixpence. The next day put it in your vessel, and put
thereto two or three spoonfuls of barm; and when it hath done working, you
may (if you like it) put in a little Ambergreece in a clout with a stone to
it to make it sink. This should be kept a whole year before it be drunk; it
will drink much the better, free from any tast of the honey, and then it
will look as clear as Sack. Make it not till Michaelmas, and set it in a
cool place. You may drink it a quarter old, but it will not taste so
pleasant then, as when it is old.
TO MAKE WHITE METHEGLIN
Take a Gallon of Honey; put to it four Gallons of water; stir them well
together, and boil them in a Kettle, till a Gallon be wasted with boiling
and scumming. Then put it into a vessel to cool. When it is almost as cold
as Ale-wort, then clear it out into another vessel: Then put Barm upon it,
as you do to your Ale, and so let it work. And then Tun it up into a
vessel, and put into it a bag with Ginger, Cloves, and Cinamon bruised a
little, and so hang the bag in the vessel, and stop it up very close; and
when it hath stood a month or six weeks, bottle it up and so drink it. You
may put in a little Limmon-peel into some of your Metheglin, for those that
like that taste; which most persons do very much.
A RECEIPT FOR MAKING OF MEATH
Mistress Hebden telleth me, that the way of making Honey-drink in Russia,
is thus; Take for example, 100 Gallons of Spring water, boil it a little;
then let it stand 24 hours to cool, and much sediment will fall to the
bottom; from which pour the clear, and warm it, and put 20 or 25 Gallons of
pure honey to it, and lade it a long time with a great woodden battle-dore,
till it be well dissolved. The next day boil it gently, till you have
skimed off all the scum that will rise, and that it beareth an Egge boyant.
And in this Liquor you must put, in the due time, a little quantity of
Hops, about two handfuls, which must boil sufficiently in the Liquor. Put
this into the cooling fat to cool two or three days. When it is about
milk-warm, take white-bread and cut it into tosts, upon which, (when they
are hot) spread moderately thick some fresh sweet Ale-yest; and cover the
superficies of the Liquor with such tosts; Then cover the Tub or Fat with a
double course sheet, and a blancket or two, which tye fast about it. This
will make your Liquor work up highly. When you find it is near it's height
of working, and that the Liquor is risen to the top of the Tub (of which it
wanted 8 or 10 Inches at first,) Skim off the tosts and yest, and Tun it up
in a hogshead: which stop close; but after 24 hours draw it into another
barrel: for it will leave a great deal of sediment. It will work again in
this second barrel. After other 24 hours draw it into another barrel, and
then it will be clear and pale like White-wine. Stop it up close, hanging a
bag of bruised spice in the bung; and after five or six months, it will be
fit to drink. If you would have your Meath taste of Raspes, or Cherries
(Morello, sharp Cherries, are the best) prepare the water first with them;
by putting five or six Gallons of either of these fruits, or more, into
this proportion of water; in which bruise them to have all their juyce: but
strain the Liquor from the Grains or Seeds, or Stones. And then proceed
with this tincted water, as is said above. You may make your Liquor as
strong, as you like, of the fruit. Cardamon-seeds mingled with the
suspended spices, adde much to the pleasantness of the drink. Limon-peel,
as also Elder-flowers.
MY LADY BELLASSISES MEATH
The way of making is thus. She boileth the honey with Spring-water, as I
do, till it be cleer scumed; then to every Gallon of Honey, put in a pound
or two of good Raisins of the Sun; boil them well, and till the Liquor bear
an Egge. Then pour it into a Cowl or Tub to cool. In about 24 hours it will
be cool enough to put the yest to it, being onely Lukewarm: which do thus:
spread yest upon a large hot tost, and lay it upon the top of the Liquor,
and cover the Tub well, first with a sheet, then with coverlets, that it
may work well. When it is wrought up to it's height, before it begin to
sink, put it into your barrel, letting it run through a loose open
strainer, to sever the Raisins and dregs from it. Stop it up close, and
after it hath been thus eight or ten days, draw it into bottles, and into
every bottle put a cod of Cardamoms, having first a little bruised them as
they lie in the cod; and opening the cod a little, that the Liquor may
search into it. Stop your bottles close, and after three or four moneths
you may drink, and it will be very pleasant and quick, and look like white
wine.
ANOTHER METHEGLIN
In every three Gallons of water, boil Rosemary, Liverwort, Balm, _ana_,
half a handful, and Cowslips two handfuls. When the water hath sufficiently
drawn out the vertue of the herbs, pour all into a Tub, and let it stand
all night. Then strain it. And to every three Gallons of the clear Liquor
(or 2-1/2, if you will have your drink stronger) put one Gallon of honey,
and boil it, till it bear an Egge, scuming it till no more scum will rise:
which to make rise the better, put in now and then a Porrenger full of cold
water. Then pour it into a Tub, and let it stand to cool, till it be blood
warm, and then put by degrees a Pint of Ale-yest to it, to make it work. So
let it stand three days very close covered. Then skim off the yest, and put
it into a seasoned barrel; but stop it not up close, till it have done
hissing. Then either stop it very close, if you will keep it in the barrel,
or draw it into bottles. Put into this proportion, Ginger sliced, Nutmegs
broken, _ana_, one ounce, Cinamon bruised half an ounce in a bag, which
hang in the bung with a stone in it to make it sink. You may add, if you
please, to this proportion of water, or one Gallon more, two handfuls of
Sweet-bryar-leaves, and one of Betony.
MR. PIERCE'S EXCELLENT WHITE METHEGLIN
In a Copper, that holdeth conveniently three hogsheads, or near so much,
boil the best water, (as full as is fitting). As soon as it boileth well
and high, put to it four handfuls of Sweet-bryar-leaves, as much of
Eye-bright: two handfuls of Rosemary, as much of Sweet-Marjoram, and one of
Broad-thyme. Let them boil a quarter of an hour (He letteth them boil no
longer, to preserve the colour of the Metheglin pale) then scum away the
herbs, scuming also the water clear. Then lade out the water, (letting it
run through a Ranch-Sieve) into a wide open vessel, or large Vat to cool,
leaving the settlement and dregs. (He often leaves out the Eye-bright and
Thyme, when he provideth chiefly for the pure tast; though the Eye-bright
hurts it but little.) When it is blood-warm, put the honey to it, about one
part, to four of water; but because this doth not determine the proportions
exactly (for some honey will make it stronger then other) you must do that
by bearing up an Egge. But first, lave and scoop your mixture exceedingly,
(at least an hour) that the honey be not onely perfectly dissolved, but
uniformly mixed throughout the water. Then take out some of it in a great
Woodden bowl or pail, and put a good number, (ten or twelve) New-laid-eggs
into it, and as round ones as may be; For long ones will deceive you in the
swiming; and stale ones, being lighter then new, will emerge out of the
Liquor, the breadth of a sixpence, when new ones will not a groats-breadth.
Therefore you take many, that you make a medium of their several emergings;
unless you be certain, that they which you use, are immediately then laid
and very round. The rule is, that a Groats-breadth (or rather but a
threepence) of the Egg-shel must Swim above the Liquor; which then put
again into your Copper to boil. It will be some while, before it boil,
(peradventure a goodquarter of an hour) but all that while scum will rise,
which skim away still as it riseth; and it should be clear scummed by then
it boileth: which as soon as it doth, turn up an hour Glass, and let it
boil well a good hour. A good quarter before the hour is out, put to it a
pound of White-Ginger beaten exceedingly small and searsed (which will
sever all the skins and course parts from the fine) which having boiled a
quarter of an hour, so to make up the whole hour of boiling, pour out the
Liquor into wide open Vats to cool. When it is quite cold, put a pottle of
New-ale-barm into a Pipe or Butt, standing endwise with his head out, and
pour upon it a Pail-full of your cool Liquor out of one of the Vats; which
falling from high upon it with force, will break and dissipate the barm
into atoms, and mix it with the Liquor. Pour immediately another pail-ful
to that, continuing to do so, till all the Liquor be in. Which by this time
and this course will be uniformly mixed with the barm, and begin to work.
Yet scoop and lade it well a while, to make the mixtion more perfect, and
set the working well on foot. Then cover your But-head with a sheet onely
in Summer, but blankets in Winter; and let your Liquor work about 24 hours
or more. The measure of that is, till the barm (which is raised to a great
head) beginneth a little to fall. Then presently scum of the thick head of
the barm, but take not all away so scrupulously, but that there may remain
a little white froth upon the face of the Liquor. Which scoop and lade
strongly, mingling all to the bottom, that this little remaining barm may
by this agitation be mixed a new with the whole. Then immediately Tun this
Liquor into two hogsheads that have served for Spanish-wine (be sure to
fill them quite full) and there let it work two or three days; that is to
say, till you see that all the feculent substance is wrought out, and that
what runneth out, beginneth to be clear, though a little whitish or frothy
on the upperside of the stream that runs down along the outside of the
hogshead. (If there should be a little more then to fill two hogsheads, put
it in a Rundlet by it self.) Then take some very strong firm Paper, and wet
it on one side with some of the barm that works out, and lay that side over
the bung to cover it close. The barm will make it stick fast to the
hogshead. This covering will serve for a moneth or two. Then stop it close
with strong Cork fitted to the hole, with a linnen about it, to press it
fast in: But let a little vent with a peg in it be made in hogshead, in
some fit place above. This may be fit to broach in five or six moneths; but
three weeks or a moneth before you do so, put into each hogshead half an
ounce of Cinnamon; and two ounces of Cloves beaten into most subtile
powder. (Sometimes he leaves out the Cloves) which will give it a most
pleasant flavor; and they (as the Ginger did) sink down to the bottome and
never trouble the Liquor. If they be put in long before (much more if they
be boiled) they loose all their taste and Spirits entirely. This will last
very well half a year drawing. But if you stay broaching it a year, and
then draw it into bottles, it will keep admirable good three or four years,
growing to be much better, then when broached at six months end. It will be
purer, if you first boil the water by it self, then let it settle 24 hours;
and pour the clear from the earthy sediment, which will be great, and
dissolve your honey in that. You may Aromatise it with Ambergreece or Musk,
or both (if you like them) by dissolving a very few Pastils in a Runlet of
this Liquor, when you draw it into little vessels, (as He useth to do after
five or six moneths) or with a few drops of the Extract of them. This
Metheglin is a great Balsom and strengthener of the _Viscera_; is excellent
in colds and coughs and consumptions. For which last they use to burn it
(like wine) or rather onely heat it. Then dissolve the yolk of an Egge or
two in a Pint of it, and some fresh Butter, and drink it warm in the
morning fasting. As it comes from the Barrel or Bottle, it is used to be
drunk a large draught (without any alteration or admixtion, with a toste
early in the morning (eating the toste) when they intend to dine late.
Consider of making Metheglin thus with purified rain water (of the
_Æquinoxe_) or Dew.
The handfuls of Herbs, are natural large handfuls (as much as you can take
up in your hand) not Apothecaries handfuls, which are much less. If a
pottle of Barm do not make it work enough to your mind, you may put in a
little more. Discretion and Experience must regulate that.
You may make small Meathe the same way, putting but half the proportion of
honey or less. But then after three weeks or a months barrelling, you must
bottle it.
AN EXCELLENT WAY TO MAKE METHEGLIN, CALLED THE LIQUOR OF LIFE, WITH THESE
FOLLOWING INGREDIENTS
Take Bugloss, Borage, Hyssop, Organ, Sweet-marjoram, Rosemary,
French-cowslip, Coltsfoot, Thyme, Burnet, Self-heal, Sanicle a little,
Betony, Blew-buttons, Harts-tongue, Meadssweet, Liverwort, Coriander two
ounces, Bistort, Saint John's wort, Liquorish, Two ounces of Carraways, Two
ounces of Yellow-saunders, Balm, Bugle, Half a pound of Ginger, and one
ounce of Cloves, Agrimony, Tormentil-roots, Cumfrey, Fennel-root's,
Clowns-all-heal, Maiden-hair, Wall-rew, Spleen-wort, Sweet-oak,
Pauls-betony, Mouse ear.
For two Hogsheads of Metheglin, you take two handfuls a piece of each herb,
Excepting Sanicle; of which you take but half a handful. You make it in all
things as the white Meathe of Mr. Pierce's is made, excepting as followeth.
For in that you boil the herbs but a quarter of an hour, that the colour
may be pale: But in this, where the deepness of the colour is not regarded,
you boil them a good hour, that you may get all the vertue out of them.
Next for the strength of it; whereas in that, an Egge is to emerge out of
the Liquor but the breadth of a three pence; in This it is to emerge a
large Groats-breadth. Then in this you take but half a pound of Ginger,
and one ounce of Cloves. Whereas the white hath one pound of Ginger, and
two ounces of Cloves. To this you use three quarts, or rather more of
Ale-yest (fresh and new) and when all your Liquor is in a high slender tall
pipe with the narrowest circumference that may be (which makes it work
better then a broad one, where the Spirits loose themselves) you have the
yest in a large Noggin with a handle, or pail, and put some of the Liquor
to it, and make that work; then pour it from pretty high unto the whole
quantity in the pipe, and lade it strongly with that Noggin five or six, or
eight times, pouring it every time from high, and working it well together,
that so every Atome of the yest maybe mingled with every Atome of the
Liquor. And this course (in this particular) you may also use in the white.
It is best not to broach this, till a year be over after the making it.
TO MAKE GOOD METHEGLIN
Take to every Gallon of Honey, three Gallons of water, and put them both
together, and set them over so soft a fire, that you may endure to melt and
break the honey with your hands. When the honey is all melted, put in an
Egge, and let it fall gently to the bottome, and if the Egge rise up to the
top again of the Liquor, then is it strong enough of the honey; but if it
lie at the bottome, you must put in more honey, stirring of it till it do
rise. If your honey be very good, it will bear half a Gallon of water more
to a Gallon of Honey. Then take Sweet-bryar, Rose-mary, Bayes, Thyme,
Marjoram, Savory, of each a good handful, which must be tyed up all
together in a bundle. This Proportion of herbs will be sufficient for 12
Gallons of Metheglin; and according to the quantity you make of Metheglin,
you must add of your herbs or take away. When you have put these things
together set it upon a quick fire, and let it boil as fast as you can for
half an hour, or better, skiming of it very clean, which you must Clarifie
with two or three whites of Eggs. Then take it off from the fire, and put
it presently into some clean covers, and let it stand till the next
morning; then pour the clear from the bottom and tun it up; putting in a
little bag of such spice as you like, whereof Ginger must be the most.
After it hath stood some three or four days, you may put in some two or
three spoonfuls of good-ale-yest; it will make it ready the sooner to
drink, if you let it work together, before you stop it up.
The older the honey is, the whiter coloured the Metheglin will be.
TO MAKE WHITE METHEGLIN OF SIR JOHN FORTESCUE