and a Pot Is as much as a Wine quart in England.
(I have since been informed from Liege, that a Pot
of that Countrey holdeth 48 Ounces of Apothe-
cary's measure ; which I judge to be a Pottle ac-
cording to London measure, or two Wine-quarts.)
When you Tun your Meath, you must not fill
your Barrel by half a foot, that so it may have
room to work. Then let it stand six weeks slightly
stopped ; which being expired, if the Meath do
not work, stop it up very close. Yet must you
not fill up the Barrel to the very brim. After six
Months you draw off the clear into another Barrel,
or strong Bottles, leaving the dregs, and filling
up your new Barrel, or Bottels, and stopping it or
them very close.
The Meath that is made this way, {Viz. In the
Spring, in the Month of April or May, which is
the proper time for making of it,) will keep many
a year.
WHITE METHEGLIN OF MY LADY
HUNGERFORD: WHICH IS EXCEED-
INGLY PRAISED
Take your Honey, and mix it with fair water,
until the Honey be quite dissolved. If it will
bear an Egge to be above the liquor, the breadth
of a groat, it is strong enough ; if not, put more
Honey to it, till it be so strong; Then boil it,
till it be clearly and well skimmed ; Then put in
one good handful of Strawberry-leaves, and half
a handful of Violet leaves ; and half as much
Sorrel : a Douzen tops of Rosemary ; four or five
tops of Baulme-leaves: a handful of Harts-tongue,
THE CLOSET OPECNjED 7
and a handful of Liver-worth; a little Thyme,
and a little Red-sage; Let it boil about an hour;
then put it into a Woodden Vessel, where let it
stand, till it be quite cold ; Then put it into the
Barrel ; Then take half an Ounce of Cloves, as
much Nutmeg ; four or five Races of Ginger✪ White Metheglin of My Lady Hungerford ;
bruise it, and put it into a fine bag, with a stone
to make it sink, that it may hang below the
middle : Then stop it very close.
The Herbs and Spices are in proportion for six
Gallons.
Since my Lady Hungerford sent me this Re-
ceipt, she sent me word, that she now useth (and
liketh better) to make the Decoction of Herbs
before you put the Honey to it, This Proportion
of Herbs is to make six Gallons of Decoction,
so that you may take eight or nine Gallons of
water. When you have drawn out into your
water, all the vertue of the Herbs, throw them
away, and take the clear Decoction (leaving the
settlings) and when it is Lukewarm, Dissolve
your proportion of Honey in it. After it is well
dissolved and laved with strong Arms or wood-
den Instruments, like Battle-doors or Scoops,
boil it gently ; till you have taken away all the
scum ; then make an end of well boyling it,
about an hour in all. Then pour it into a wooden
vessel, and let it stand till it be cold. Then pour
the clear through a Sieve of hair, ceasing pour-
ing when you come to the foul thick settling.
Tun the clear into your vessel (without Barm)
and stop it up close, with the Spices in it, till you
SIR KENELMS DIGBIS
Page 24 · 1 recipe record on this page
Presented as published in 1910. Historical recipes may not meet modern food-safety standards. Cook from the modern interpretation, not the original instructions.
AI-modernized reading of the original text
and a Pot Is as much as a Wine quart in England. (I have since been informed from Liege, that a Pot of that Countrey holdeth 48 Ounces of Apothecary's measure ; which I judge to be a Pottle according to London measure, or two Wine-quarts.) When you Tun your Meath, you must not fill your Barrel by half a foot, that so it may have room to work. Then let it stand six weeks slightly stopped ; which being expired, if the Meath do not work, stop it up very close. Yet must you not fill up the Barrel to the very brim. After six Months you draw off the clear into another Barrel, or strong Bottles, leaving the dregs, and filling up your new Barrel, or Bottels, and stopping it or them very close.
The Meath that is made this way, {Viz. In the Spring, in the Month of April or May, which is the proper time for making of it,) will keep many a year.
WHITE METHEGLIN OF MY LADY HUNGERFORD: WHICH IS EXCEED- INGLY PRAISED
Take your Honey, and mix it with fair water, until the Honey be quite dissolved. If it will bear an Egge to be above the liquor, the breadth of a groat, it is strong enough ; if not, put more Honey to it, till it be so strong; Then boil it, till it be clearly and well skimmed ; Then put in one good handful of Strawberry-leaves, and half a handful of Violet leaves ; and half as much Sorrel : a Douzen tops of Rosemary ; four or five tops of Baulme-leaves: a handful of Harts-tongue,
and a handful of Liver-worth; a little Thyme, and a little Red-sage; Let it boil about an hour; then put it into a Woodden Vessel, where let it stand, till it be quite cold ; Then put it into the Barrel ; Then take half an Ounce of Cloves, as much Nutmeg ; four or five Races of Ginger ; bruise it, and put it into a fine bag, with a stone to make it sink, that it may hang below the middle : Then stop it very close.
The Herbs and Spices are in proportion for six Gallons.
Since my Lady Hungerford sent me this Receipt, she sent me word, that she now useth (and liketh better) to make the Decoction of Herbs before you put the Honey to it, This Proportion of Herbs is to make six Gallons of Decoction, so that you may take eight or nine Gallons of water. When you have drawn out into your water, all the vertue of the Herbs, throw them away, and take the clear Decoction (leaving the settlings) and when it is Lukewarm, Dissolve your proportion of Honey in it. After it is well dissolved and laved with strong Arms or wooden Instruments, like Battle-doors or Scoops, boil it gently ; till you have taken away all the scum ; then make an end of well boyling it, about an hour in all. Then pour it into a wooden vessel, and let it stand till it be cold. Then pour the clear through a Sieve of hair, ceasing pouring when you come to the foul thick settling. Tun the clear into your vessel (without Barm) and stop it up close, with the Spices in it, till you
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White Metheglin of My Lady Hungerford