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 Cow-
slips two handfuls. When the water hath suffi-
ciently 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-|-,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, ^«<^, 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 ME-
THEGLIN
In a Copper, that holdeth conveniently three hogs-
heads, or near so much, boil the best water, (as full
THE CLOSET OPEOjED 47
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 Methe-
glin pale) then scum away the herbs, scuming also
the water clear. Then lade out the water, (letting it
run through aRanch-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, whenheprovideth chieflyfor 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 deter-
mine 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 uni-
formly 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
48 SIR KENELMS DIGBIE ✪ Mr. Pierce's Excellent White Metheglin
Page 44 · 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
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-|-,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 Porringer 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, ^«<^, 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 ME- THEGLIN
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 chieflyfor 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 only 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-laideggs into it, and as round ones as may be ; For long ones will deceive you in the swimming ; and stale ones, being lighter then new, will emerge out of the Liquor, the breadth of a sixpence, when new ones will not a groat's-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 Groat's-breadth (or rather but a
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Mr. Pierce's Excellent White Metheglin