In both these Receipts, the quantity of the herbs
is too great. The strong herbs preserve the
drink, and make it nobler. Use Marjoram and
Thyme in little quantity in all.
MY LADY GOWERS WHITE MEATHE
USED AT SALISBURY
Take to four Gallons of water, one Gallon of
Virgin-honey ; let the water be warm before you
put in the honey ; and then put in the whites of
3 or 4 Eggs well beaten, to make the scum rise.
When the honey is throughly melted and ready
to boil, put in an Egge with the shell softly ; and
when the Egge riseth above the water, to the big-
ness of a groat in sight, it is strong enough of
the honey. The Egge will quickly be hard, and
so will not rise ; Therefore you must put in
another, if the first do not rise to your sight ;
you must put in more water and honey propor-
tionable to the first, because of wasting away in
the boiling. It must boil near an hour. You may,
if you please, boil in it, a little bundle of Rose-
mary, Sweet-marjoram, and Thyme ; and when it
tasteth to your liking, take it forth again. Many
do put Sweet-bryar berries in it, which is held
very good. When your Meath is boiled enough
take it off" the fire, and put it into a Kiver ; when
it is blood-warm, put in some Ale-barm, to make
it work, and cover it close with a blancket in the
THE CLOSET OPECN^D 27
working. The next morning tun it up, and if you
please put in a bag with a little Ginger and a little
Nutmeg bruised ; and when it hath done working,
stop it up close for a Moneth, and then Bottle it.
SIR THOMAS GOWER'S METHEGLIN
FOR HEALTH
First boil the water and scum it; Then to 12 Gal-
lons put 6 handfuls of Sweet-bryar-leaves, of
Sweet-marjoram, Rosemary, Thyme, of each one
a handful : Flowers of Marigold, Borrage, Bug-
loss, Sage, each two handfuls✪ Sir Thomas Gower's Metheglin for Health. Boil all together
very gently, till a third waste. To eight Gallons
of this put two Gallons of pure honey, and boil
them till the Liquor bear an Egge, the breadth of
threepence or a Groat, together with such spices
as you like (bruised, but not beaten) an ounce of
all is sufficient.
You must observe carefully, i . Before you set
the Liquor to boil, to cause a lusty Servant (his
Arms well washed) to mix the honey and water
together, labouring it with his hands at least an
hour without intermission. 2. That when it be-
gins to boil fast, you take away part of the fire,
so as it may boil slowly, and the scum and dross
go all to one side, the other remaining clear. When
you take it off, let none of the liquor go away with
the dross. 3. When you take it from the fire, let
it settle well, before it be tunned into the vessel,
wherein you mean to keep it : and when it comes
near the bottom, let it be taken carefully from the
sediment, with a thin Dish, so as nothing be put
into the vessel, but what is clear. 4. Stop it very
2 8 SIR KENELMS DIGS IS
close (when it is set in the place, where it must re-
main) cover it with a cloth, upon which some hand-
fuls of Bay-salt and Salpeter is laid, and over that
lay clay, and a Turf. 5. Put into it, when you stop
it, some New-laid-eggs in number proportion-
able to the bigness of the vessel. Shell's unbroken.
Six Eggs to about sixteen Gallons. The whole
Egg-shell and all will be entirely consumed.
METHEGLIN FOR TASTE AND COL-
OUR
Page 34 · 2 recipe records 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
In both these Receipts, the quantity of the herbs is too great. The strong herbs preserve the drink, and make it nobler. Use Marjoram and Thyme in little quantity in all. MY LADY GOWERS WHITE MEATHE USED AT SALISBURY
Take to four Gallons of water, one Gallon of Virgin-honey ; let the water be warm before you put in the honey ; and then put in the whites of 3 or 4 Eggs well beaten, to make the scum rise. When the honey is throughly melted and ready to boil, put in an Egge with the shell softly ; and when the Egge riseth above the water, to the bigness of a groat in sight, it is strong enough of the honey. The Egge will quickly be hard, and so will not rise ; Therefore you must put in another, if the first do not rise to your sight ; you must put in more water and honey proportionable to the first, because of wasting away in the boiling. It must boil near an hour. You may, if you please, boil in it, a little bundle of Rosemary, Sweet-marjoram, and Thyme ; and when it tasteth to your liking, take it forth again. Many do put Sweet-bryar berries in it, which is held very good. When your Meath is boiled enough take it off the fire, and put it into a Kiver ; when it is blood-warm, put in some Ale-barm, to make it work, and cover it close with a blancket in the
working. The next morning tun it up, and if you please put in a bag with a little Ginger and a little Nutmeg bruised ; and when it hath done working, stop it up close for a Moneth, and then Bottle it. SIR THOMAS GOWER'S METHEGLIN FOR HEALTH
First boil the water and scum it; Then to 12 Gallons put 6 handfuls of Sweet-bryar-leaves, of Sweet-marjoram, Rosemary, Thyme, of each one a handful : Flowers of Marigold, Borrage, Bugloss, Sage, each two handfuls. Boil all together very gently, till a third waste. To eight Gallons of this put two Gallons of pure honey, and boil them till the Liquor bear an Egge, the breadth of threepence or a Groat, together with such spices as you like (bruised, but not beaten) an ounce of all is sufficient.
You must observe carefully, i . Before you set the Liquor to boil, to cause a lusty Servant (his Arms well washed) to mix the honey and water together, labouring it with his hands at least an hour without intermission. 2. That when it begins to boil fast, you take away part of the fire, so as it may boil slowly, and the scum and dross go all to one side, the other remaining clear. When you take it off, let none of the liquor go away with the dross. 3. When you take it from the fire, let it settle well, before it be tunned into the vessel, wherein you mean to keep it : and when it comes near the bottom, let it be taken carefully from the sediment, with a thin Dish, so as nothing be put into the vessel, but what is clear. 4. Stop it very
close (when it is set in the place, where it must remain) cover it with a cloth, upon which some handfuls of Bay-salt and Salpeter is laid, and over that lay clay, and a Turf. 5. Put into it, when you stop it, some New-laid-eggs in number proportionable to the bigness of the vessel. Shell's unbroken. Six Eggs to about sixteen Gallons. The whole Egg-shell and all will be entirely consumed. METHEGLIN FOR TASTE AND COL- OUR
Records on this page
Sir Thomas Gower's Metheglin for HealthMy Lady Gowers White Meath