The closet of Sir Kenelm Digby Knight opened

not be fermented with yest (unless you put Hops to it) but put it in the barrel, and let it ferment of it self, keeping a thick plate of lead upon the bung, to lie close upon it, yet so that the working of the Liquor may raise it, to purge out the foulness,and have always some new made plain Liquor, to fill it up as it sinks, warm whiles it works : but cold during three or four month's after. Then stop the bung exceeding close. And when you will make your Mead with Cherries or Morello- Cherries, or Raspes, or Bilberries, or Black-cherries, put their juyce to the Liquor when you tun it, without ever boiling it therein ; about one quart of juyce to every three or four gallons of Liquor. You may squeese out the clear juyce, and mingle it with the Liquor, and hang the Magma in a bag in the bung. I think it is best to break the stones of the Cherries, before you put their Magma into the bag. Since 1 conceive, that Clove-gilly-flowers must never be boiled in the Liquor : that evaporateth their Spirits, which are very volatile : But make a strong infusion of them, and besides hang a Bag of them in the bung. I conceive that it is good to make the Liquor pretty strong (not too much, but so as the taste may be grateful) of some strong herbs, as Rosemary, Bayleaves, Sweet-marjoram, Thyme, Broad-thyme, and the like. For they preserve the drink, and make it better for the stomack and head. Standing in the Sun is the best way of Fermentation, when the drink is strong. The root of Angelica or Elecampane, or Eringo, or Orris, may be good and pleasant, to be boiled in the Liquor. Raspes and Cherries and Bilberies are never to be boiled, but their juyce put into the Liquor, when it is tunning. Use onely Morello-Cherries (I think) for pleasure, and black ones for health. I conceive it best to use very little spice of any kind in Meathes. METHEGLIN COMPOSED BY MY SELF OUT OF SUNDRY RECEIPTS In sixty Gallons of water, boil ten handfuls of Sweet-bryar-leaves ; Eyebright, Liverwort, Agrimony, Scabious, Balme, Wood-bettony, Strawberry-leaves, Burnet, of each four handfuls ; of Rosemary, three handfuls ; of Minth, Angelica, Bayes and Wild-thyme, Sweet-Marjoram, of each two handfuls : Six Eringo-roots. When the water hath taken out the vertue of the herbs and roots, let it settle, and the next day pour off the clear, and in every three Gallons of it boil one of honey, scumming it well, and putting in a little cold water now and then to make the scum rise, as also some whites of Eggs. When it is clear scummed, take it off, and let it cool ; then work it with Ale-yest ; tun it up, and hang it in a bag, with Ginger, Cinamom, Cloves and Cardamom. And as it worketh over, put in some strong honeydrink warmed. When it works no more, stop it up close. In twenty Gallons of water boil Sweet-bryarleaves, Eye-bright, Rosemary, Bayes, Clove-gillyflowers of each five handfuls, and four Eringoroots. To every two gallons and a half of this decoction, put one gallon of honey ; boil it, &c. When it is tunned up, hang in it a bag containing five handfuls of Clove-gillyflowers, and sufficient quantity of the spices above.