settlings) and when it is Lukewarm, Dissolve your proportion of Honey in it.  After it is well dissolved and laved with strong Arms or woodden Instruments, like Battle-doors or Scoops, boil it gently; till you have taken away all the scum; then make an end of well boyling it, about an hour in all.  Then pour it into a wooden vessel, and let it stand till it be cold.  Then pour the clear through a Sieve of hair, ceasing pouring when you come to the foul thick settling.  Tun the clear into your vessel (without Barm) and stop it up close, with the Spices in it, till you perceive by the hissing that it begins to work.  Then give it some little vent, else the Barrel would break.  When it is at the end of the working, stop it up close.  She useth to make it at the end of Summer, when she takes up her Honey, and begins to drink it in Lent.  But it will be better if you defer piercing it till next Winter.  When part of the Barrel is drunk, she botteleth the rest, which maketh it quicker and better.  You clear the Decoction from the Herbs by a Hair-sieve.

SOME NOTES ABOUT HONEY

The Honey of dry open Countries, where there is much Wild-thyme, Rosemary, and Flowers, is best.  It is of three sorts, Virgin-honey, Life-honey, and Stock-honey.  The first is the best.  The Life-honey next.  The Virgin-honey is of Bees, that swarmed the Spring before, and are taken up in Autumn; and is made best by chusing the Whitest combs of the Hive, and then letting the Honey run out of them lying upon a Sieve without pressing it, or breaking of the Combs.  The Life-honey is of the same Combs broken after the Virgin-honey is run from it; The Merchants of Honey do use to mingle all the sorts together.  The first of a swarm is called Virgin-honey.  That of the next year, after the Swarm was hatched, is Life-honey.  And ever after, it is Honey of Old-stocks.  Honey that is forced out of the Combs, will always taste of Wax.  Hampshire Honey is most esteemed at London.  About Bisleter there is excellent good.  Some account Norfolk honey the best.

MR. CORSELLISES ANTWERP MEATH

To make good Meath, good white and thick Marsilian or Provence-honey is best; and of that, to four Holland Pints (the Holland Pint is very little bigger then the English Wine-pint:) of Water, you must put two pound of Honey; The Honey must be stirred in Water, till it be all melted; If it be stirred about in warm water, it will melt so much the sooner.

When all is dissolved, it must be so strong that an Egge may swim in it with the end upwards.  And if it be too sweet or too strong, because there is too much Honey; then you must put more water to it; yet so, that, as above, an Hens Egge may swim with the point upwards:  And then that newly added water must be likewise well stirred about, so that it may be mingled all alike.  If the Eggs sink (which is a token that there is not honey enough)