Must be boiled as the other, if you intend to keep
it above half a year ; but less according to the time,
wherein you mean to use it. You must put in no
Herbs, to avoid bitterness and discolouring; and
the proportion of water and honey more or less,
as you would drink it sooner or later ; (as a Gal-
lon of honey to 4, 5, or 6 of water.) If to be weak,
and to be soon drunk, you must when it is tunned,
put in a Tost of bread (hard tosted) upon which
half a score drops of Spirit of yest or barm is
dropped ; for want of it, spread it with purest
barm beaten with a few drops of Oyl of Cinna-
mon. If you intend to give it the taste of Raspes,
then adde more barm, to make it work well, and
during that time of working, put in your Raspes
(or their Syrup) but the fruit gives a delicate
Colour, and Syrup a duller Tincture. Drink not
that made after the first manner, till six moneths,
and it will endure drawing better then wine ; but
Bottleled, it is more spirited then any drink.
The Spirit of Barm is made by putting store of
water to the barm ; then distill the Spirit, as you
THE CLOSET OPEU\(ED 29
do other Spirits ; At last an oyl will come, which
is not for this use.
Sir Thomas Gower maketh his ordinary drink
thus : Make very small well Brewed Ale. To
eight Gallons of this put one Gallon of honey✪ Sir Thomas Gower's Ordinary Drink ;
when it is well dissolved and clarified, tun up the
Liquor, making it work in due manner with barm.
When it hath done working, stop it up close, and
in three months it will be fit to drink.
He makes Metheglin thus. Make a good De-
coct of Eglantine-leaves, Cowslip flowers, a little
Sweet-marjoram, and some Rosemary and Bay-
leaves, Betony, and Scabious, and a little Thyme.
After the sediment hath settled, put ^ or ^ or ^
or ^ part of honey✪ Metheglin, (according as you would have
it strong, and soon ready) to the clear severed
from the settlement, and stir it exceeding well
with stripped arms 4 or 5 hours, till it be per-
fectly incorporated. Then boil and scum it ; let
it then cool and tun it up, &c. After it hath
cooled, lade the clean from the settlement, so that
it may not trouble it, and run up the clear thus
severed from the settlings. Much of the perfec-
tion consisteth in stirring it long with stripped
arms before you boil it. Then to boil it very
leisurely till all the scum be off. And order your
fire so, that the scum may rise and drive all to
one side. This will be exceeding pale clear and
pleasant Metheglin. He useth to every Gallon
of water, a good handful of Eglantine-leaves, and
as much Cowslip flowers ; but onely a Pugil of
Thyme or Marjoram.
30 SIR KENELMS DIGBIS
AN EXCELLENT WAY OF MAKING
WHITE METHEGLIN ✪ White Metheglin
Page 35 · 3 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
Must be boiled as the other, if you intend to keep it above half a year ; but less according to the time, wherein you mean to use it. You must put in no Herbs, to avoid bitterness and discolouring; and the proportion of water and honey more or less, as you would drink it sooner or later ; (as a Gallon of honey to 4, 5, or 6 of water.) If to be weak, and to be soon drunk, you must when it is tunned, put in a Tost of bread (hard tosted) upon which half a score drops of Spirit of yest or barm is dropped ; for want of it, spread it with purest barm beaten with a few drops of Oyl of Cinnamon. If you intend to give it the taste of Raspes, then adde more barm, to make it work well, and during that time of working, put in your Raspes (or their Syrup) but the fruit gives a delicate Colour, and Syrup a duller Tincture. Drink not that made after the first manner, till six moneths, and it will endure drawing better then wine ; but Bottleled, it is more spirited then any drink.
The Spirit of Barm is made by putting store of water to the barm ; then distill the Spirit, as you
do other Spirits ; At last an oyl will come, which is not for this use.
Sir Thomas Gower maketh his ordinary drink thus : Make very small well Brewed Ale. To eight Gallons of this put one Gallon of honey ; when it is well dissolved and clarified, tun up the Liquor, making it work in due manner with barm. When it hath done working, stop it up close, and in three months it will be fit to drink.
He makes Metheglin thus. Make a good Decoct of Eglantine-leaves, Cowslip flowers, a little Sweet-marjoram, and some Rosemary and Bayleaves, Betony, and Scabious, and a little Thyme. After the sediment hath settled, put ^ or ^ or ^ or ^ part of honey, (according as you would have it strong, and soon ready) to the clear severed from the settlement, and stir it exceeding well with stripped arms 4 or 5 hours, till it be perfectly incorporated. Then boil and scum it ; let it then cool and tun it up, &c. After it hath cooled, lade the clean from the settlement, so that it may not trouble it, and run up the clear thus severed from the settlings. Much of the perfection consisteth in stirring it long with stripped arms before you boil it. Then to boil it very leisurely till all the scum be off. And order your fire so, that the scum may rise and drive all to one side. This will be exceeding pale clear and pleasant Metheglin. He useth to every Gallon of water, a good handful of Eglantine-leaves, and as much Cowslip flowers ; but onely a Pugil of Thyme or Marjoram.
AN EXCELLENT WAY OF MAKING WHITE METHEGLIN
Records on this page
Sir Thomas Gower's Ordinary DrinkMetheglinWhite Metheglin