roots put into it, when it is aboiling,makethitmuch
better. So do Clove-gilly-flowers ; a quantity of
which make the Meath look like Claret-wine. I
observe that Meath requireth some strong Herbs
to make it quick and smart upon the Palate ; as
Rose-mary, Bay-leaves, Sage, Thyme, Marjoram,
Winter-savory, and such like, which would be too
strong and bitter in Ale or Beer.
TO MAKE WHITE MEATH
Take Rose-mary, Thyme, Sweet-bryar,Peny-royal,
and Bays, Water-cresses, Agrimony, Marsh-mal-
lows, leaves and flowers : Liver-wort, Wood-be-
tony, Eye-bright, Scabious, of each a like quantity ;
of the bark of Ash-tree, of Eringo-roots-green, of
each a proportion to the herbs ; of wild Angelica,
Ribwort, Sanicle, Roman-worm-wood, of each a
proportion, which is, to every handful of the Herbs
above named, a sixteenth part of a handful of these
latter ; steep them a night and a day, in a woodden
boul of water covered ; the next day boil them very
well in another water, till the colour be very high ;
Then take another quantity of water, and boil the
herbs in it, till it look green, and so let it boil three
or four times, or as long as the liquor looketh any
thing green ; then let it stand with these herbs in
it a day and a night.
To every Gallon of this water, put a quart of
pure clear honey, the Liquor being first strained
from the herbs. YourLiquorif itbestrongenough.
will bear an Egg, the breadth of a three pence above
water. When you have put the honey into the
Liquor, you must work and Labour it together a
THE CLOSET OPEDjED 75
whole day, until the honey be consumed. Then let
it stand a whole night again a clearing. Then put it
into a kettle, and let it boil a quarter of an hour,
with the whites and shells of six Eggs ; Then strain
it clean, and so let it stand a cooling. Then put it
into a barrel, and take Cloves, Mace, Cinamon,
Nutmegs, and beat them together : put them into
a linnen bag, hang it with a thread into the barrel.
If you would have it work, that you may drink of
it presently, take the whites of two or three Eggs,
a spoonful of barm, a spoonful of wheat-flower ;
beat all these together : Let it work, before you
stop it up. Then afterwards stop it well with clay
and salt tempered together, to keep it moist.
TO MAKE METHEGLIN
If your honey be tryed, take six Gallons of Milk-
warm-water, to one of honey,and stir it well together
ever and anon,and so let itstandforadayand night,
or half a day may serve ; then boil it with a gentle
fire, for the space of half an hour or thereabouts,
and skim it, still as the skum ariseth. After it is
scummed once or twice, you may put in your herbs,
and spice grosly beaten✪ To Make Metheglin, one half loose ; the other
in a bag, which afterwards may be fastned with a
string to the tap-hole, as Pepper, Cloves, Mace,
Ginger and the like ; when it is thus boiled, let it
stand in the vessel until it be cooled ; then Tun it
up into your barrel, and let it work two or three
days, or more before you stop the bung-hole ; but
in putting up the boiled liquor into the barrel, re-
serve the thick grounds back, which will be settled
in the pan or kettle.
76 SIR KENELMS DIGBIS
Page 58 · 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
roots put into it, when it is aboiling,makethitmuch better. So do Clove-gilly-flowers ; a quantity of which make the Meath look like Claret-wine. I observe that Meath requireth some strong Herbs to make it quick and smart upon the Palate ; as Rose-mary, Bay-leaves, Sage, Thyme, Marjoram, Winter-savory, and such like, which would be too strong and bitter in Ale or Beer. Take Rose-mary, Thyme, Sweet-bryar,Peny-royal, and Bays, Water-cresses, Agrimony, Marsh-mallows, leaves and flowers : Liver-wort, Wood-betony, Eye-bright, Scabious, of each a like quantity ; of the bark of Ash-tree, of Eringo-roots-green, of each a proportion to the herbs ; of wild Angelica, Ribwort, Sanicle, Roman-worm-wood, of each a proportion, which is, to every handful of the Herbs above named, a sixteenth part of a handful of these latter ; steep them a night and a day, in a woodden boul of water covered ; the next day boil them very well in another water, till the colour be very high ; Then take another quantity of water, and boil the herbs in it, till it look green, and so let it boil three or four times, or as long as the liquor looketh any thing green ; then let it stand with these herbs in it a day and a night.
To every Gallon of this water, put a quart of pure clear honey, the Liquor being first strained from the herbs. Your Liquor if itbestrongenough. will bear an Egg, the breadth of a three pence above water. When you have put the honey into the Liquor, you must work and Labour it together a
whole day, until the honey be consumed. Then let it stand a whole night again a clearing. Then put it into a kettle, and let it boil a quarter of an hour, with the whites and shells of six Eggs ; Then strain it clean, and so let it stand a cooling. Then put it into a barrel, and take Cloves, Mace, Cinamon, Nutmegs, and beat them together : put them into a linnen bag, hang it with a thread into the barrel. If you would have it work, that you may drink of it presently, take the whites of two or three Eggs, a spoonful of barm, a spoonful of wheat-flower ; beat all these together : Let it work, before you stop it up. Then afterwards stop it well with clay and salt tempered together, to keep it moist. If your honey be tryed, take six Gallons of Milkwarm-water, to one of honey,and stir it well together ever and anon,and so let itstandfor a day and night, or half a day may serve ; then boil it with a gentle fire, for the space of half an hour or thereabouts, and skim it, still as the skum ariseth. After it is scummed once or twice, you may put in your herbs, and spice grosly beaten, one half loose ; the other in a bag, which afterwards may be fastned with a string to the tap-hole, as Pepper, Cloves, Mace, Ginger and the like ; when it is thus boiled, let it stand in the vessel until it be cooled ; then Tun it up into your barrel, and let it work two or three days, or more before you stop the bung-hole ; but in putting up the boiled liquor into the barrel, reserve the thick grounds back, which will be settled in the pan or kettle.
Records on this page
To Make Metheglin